Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

Notes:
Ranchi is the first district in Jharkhand to launch a large-scale screening and management campaign for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). NAFLD, now called Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), occurs due to fat buildup in the liver without heavy alcohol use. In contrast, Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease is caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Early-stage NAFLD is harmless but can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure if untreated. It increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease. Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) is its severe form, which may cause liver cancer.

Notes:
Cheiraoba is considered to be one of the most important festivals of Manipur and it marks the beginning of the lunar new year for the people of Meitei community of Manipur and across the globe. The festival is also called as Sajibu Nongma Pānba which means “First day of Sajibu Month”.

Notes:
The gates of Gangotri National Park in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, have been opened for tourists. The park is located along the upper catchment of the Bhagirathi River. Its northeastern section forms the international boundary between India and Tibet (China). It shares borders with Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and Govind National Park. The park covers 2,390 sq km of mountainous terrain in the Garhwal Himalayas. Major peaks include Chaukhamba I, Satopanth, Chaukhamba II, Chaukhamba III, and Kedarnath Main. The park houses the Gangotri Glacier, one of the primary sources of the Ganges River.

Notes:
A three-day India-Nepal Literature Festival was organized in Vrindavan, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. It was conducted by Geeta Shodh Sansthan, affiliated with Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, and Krantidhara Sahitya Academy, Meerut. More than 180 litterateurs, writers, journalists, and educationists from India and Nepal participated. The festival aimed to promote and enhance the literary and cultural heritage of both countries. It encouraged the exchange of literature and culture. Cooperation between Indian and Nepali litterateurs was strengthened. Traditional and contemporary literature gained new direction and recognition.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) released a report titled “How Does Climate Change Impact Women and Children Across Agroecological Zones”. The report shows that women and children face a higher risk of death during disasters than men due to existing social roles and responsibilities. It highlights the urgent need for gender-disaggregated data to create better disaster response and climate policies. India has 20 agroecological zones with varied climates, which affect the level of vulnerability differently across regions. States like Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh have five agroecosystems each, while zones like the North Eastern Hills (Region 17) and Western Coastal Plains (Region 19) span multiple states. This overlap calls for coordinated climate adaptation strategies across states for better protection of women and children.

Notes:
A rare long-snouted vine snake called Ahaetulla longirostris was recently rediscovered during a rhino release at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh. This is the first sighting in Uttar Pradesh and only the second in India, with the first being in Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar. The snake’s usual habitat is in Southeast Asia, and it was also spotted earlier in parts of Odisha. It belongs to the Colubridae family, mostly made up of non-venomous snakes, and has a long green or brown slender body for camouflage. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve lies on the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, and includes Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, and nearby forest areas.

Notes:
Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik became the first Indian to receive the Fred Darrington Sand Master Award for excellence in sand art. The award was presented at the Sandworld 2025 International Sand Art Festival in Dorset, England, marking the 100th birth anniversary of British sculptor Fred Darrington. To celebrate, Pattnaik made a 10-foot-high sand sculpture of Lord Ganesha with the message of “World Peace”. A Padma Shri awardee from Odisha, he has taken part in over 65 international sand art events, gaining global fame for his spiritual and social themes. The Sandworld exhibition at Lodmoor Park features global artists using only sand and water to craft giant sculptures.

Notes:
India became the third-largest producer of electricity from wind and solar energy in 2024, overtaking Germany, as per Ember’s Global Electricity Review. Wind and solar generated 10% of India’s electricity in 2024, and 15% globally. Clean energy sources like renewables and nuclear power made up 40.9% of global electricity – the highest since the 1940s. India added 24 gigawatts (GW) of solar in 2024, becoming the third-largest market after China and the US. Solar power contributed 7% of India’s electricity, doubling since 2021. India aims for 50% of installed power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030 under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). India also targets 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, but needs 20% more annual funding to meet it, according to Ember.

Notes:
Ancient relics around 2,000 years old from the Megalithic Period were discovered in Manimoola village, Bandadukka, Kerala. A Megalith is a large stone used in building prehistoric monuments, either by itself or with other stones. These structures were made for burial purposes, called sepulchral, and for commemorative rituals, called non-sepulchral. Most Megaliths in India belong to the Iron Age, which lasted from 1500 BCE to 500 BCE. Some megalithic sites in India are even older and go back to 2000 BCE, showing a long history of early human settlements.

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.