Best Current Affairs Questions

Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu was honoured with the “Key of Honour” and made an honorary citizen of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, on 7 April 2025. The award was presented by Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon, at the historic Câmara Municipal de Lisboa. This honour marks deepening ties between India and Portugal and acknowledges her role in promoting global friendship. President Murmu is on a two-nation official visit to Portugal and Slovakia from 7 to 10 April 2025.

Notes:
Odisha launched a unified health scheme combining Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) and Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana (GJAY), formerly Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY). The merged scheme now covers 1.03 crore families (3.46 crore people) in Odisha. Health cards will be accepted in 29,000 hospitals nationwide and distributed within three months. Every family member is eligible, and 23 lakh senior citizens will get free medical care. 4,000 doctors have been appointed; 5,374 more will follow.

Notes:
The International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) has officially signed an agreement with the Government of India to set up its headquarters and secretariat in India. IBCA was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2023 during the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. It was formally approved by the Union Cabinet in February 2024. IBCA is implemented by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The alliance aims to protect seven major big cat species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar, and Cheetah.

Notes:
Indian athletes won 11 medals at the 6th Asian Under-18 (U18) Athletics Championship 2025 held in Saudi Arabia from April 15 to 18. The event was organised by the Asian Athletics Association at Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz Sports City. Athletes under 18 years from 31 Asian countries took part in the championship. India won one gold, five silver, and five bronze medals in total. Himanshu won the gold medal in the boys’ javelin throw event. In the previous 5th edition held in 2023 at Tashkent, Uzbekistan, India had won 24 medals.

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The Union Home Minister launched the HEALD (Healthy Liver Education and Alcohol-associated Liver Disease Prevention) initiative to fight liver diseases in India. HEALD is the first nationwide program focused on liver disease and was started by the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS). It combines public education, early screening, and medical and psychological care for alcohol-related liver issues. The initiative focuses on awareness, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and policy support. It also addresses mental health, community support, and reducing stigma around alcohol dependence. The idea is to never miss a chance to prevent liver failure through early action and education.

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The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh recently approved changes to improve the Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivaah/Nikah Scheme, making it more effective and transparent. The scheme was started in 2006 by the Social Justice and Disabled Welfare Department of the Madhya Pradesh Government. It is implemented through the Deendayal Antyodaya Mission, which focuses on supporting poor and marginalized communities. The aim of the scheme is to give financial help to poor, destitute, abandoned, and widowed girls. It does this by organizing mass marriage and nikah (Muslim marriage) events. The recent changes aim to ensure better monitoring and reach of the benefits.

Notes:
Brazil has won the bid to host the 10th edition of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) Women’s World Cup 2027. Brazil received the maximum votes at the FIFA Congress held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 25 April 2025. This is the first time a South American country will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 9th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand in 2023. Spain won the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup by defeating England in the final. Brazil had earlier hosted the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 1950 and 2014.

Notes:
Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Balasore District of Odisha and lies in the Eastern Ghats. It covers an area of 272 square kilometers and is part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau region. It forms a vital part of the Similipal-Kuldiha-Hadgarh Elephant Reserve, which helps protect elephant populations in eastern India. The sanctuary is ecologically linked to the Simlipal Tiger Reserve through the Nato and Sukhupada Hill ranges. It has several water sources, including the Kuldiha stream and its tributaries, supporting rich wildlife. Recently, forest staff arrested a man with a country-made gun and hunting tools during patrolling here.

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A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a weekly dose of semaglutide shows strong results in treating Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH). Semaglutide is a Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist, first developed to treat Type 2 diabetes. It is the main ingredient in medicines like Ozempic, used for diabetes, and Wegovy, used for weight loss. MASH is a severe type of fatty liver disease caused by metabolic problems and not by alcohol. It involves fat buildup, inflammation, and liver scarring, and is linked to obesity, diabetes, and overnutrition. If not treated, MASH can lead to cirrhosis or liver failure.

Notes:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu recently launched ‘Creator Land’, India’s first transmedia entertainment city, at the WAVES (Wealth, Assets, Values, Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability) Summit. The project involves an investment of ₹10,000 crore and aims to create 25,000 direct jobs over the next six years. It is designed to make Amaravati a global centre for digital media, gaming, Artificial Intelligence (AI) content, and virtual production. Creator Land will have infrastructure for storytelling, filmmaking, music, and AI-based content development. A special Creator Land Academy will train youth in digital media and content creation. This initiative is expected to significantly boost the digital economy of Andhra Pradesh and enable global partnerships.