Daily Current Affairs Quiz: May 24-25, 2026

Notes:
Lake Kariba has recently witnessed rising water levels due to fresh inflows from the upper Zambezi River after years of drought, erratic rainfall, and heatwaves. Lake Kariba is located along the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe in central Africa. It is the world’s largest artificial lake and reservoir by volume and the fourth largest by surface area.
The lake was formed between 1958 and 1963 after the construction of the Kariba Dam.

Notes:
Scientists at Central Rice Research Institute under Indian Council of Agricultural Research developed Plant-OpenCRISPR1 in Cuttack. Plant-OpenCRISPR1 is the world’s first Artificial Intelligence-designed genome-editing platform for plants and was validated using rice as a model crop. The platform enables advanced gene knockout, base editing, and prime editing beyond conventional CRISPR technologies. It uses AI-designed enzymes instead of naturally occurring microbial proteins used in traditional CRISPR systems.

Notes:
Ease of Doing Research and Development in India Report was released by NITI Aayog. The report states that India’s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development stands at around 0.65% of GDP, lower than countries such as the United States, China, and the Republic of Korea. According to the Global Innovation Index 2025, India has only 262 full-time equivalent researchers per million population. The report identified major challenges including low R&D funding, excessive dependence on public funding, shortage of quality researchers, and weak technology commercialisation. It highlighted that around 64% of India’s R&D expenditure comes from the public sector, unlike leading economies where private sector participation is dominant.

Notes:
India recently successfully tested the Agni-I Missile from the Integrated Test Range. Agni-I is a single-stage, solid-fuel ballistic missile developed under India’s missile programme. It is classified as a short-range ballistic missile but can function as a medium-range ballistic missile with lighter payloads. The missile has a strike range of about 700 to 1200 kilometres. Agni-I uses a solid-propellant booster derived from Indian Space Research Organisation’s SLV-3 technology.

Notes:
Delhi Forest Department developed a new interactive biodiversity zone named Vaman Van. The project aims to promote environmental awareness, biodiversity conservation, and nature education among the public. Vaman Van will feature dwarf and miniature plant species, offering children and students a close-up learning experience about biodiversity. Unlike conventional parks, it is planned as a “living classroom” focused on ecological education and sustainable living concepts. The biodiversity zone is being developed in the western forest range of Delhi.