Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

Notes:
India won 8 medals at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup 2025 in Buenos Aires, finishing second behind China. The medal tally included 4 golds, 2 silvers, and 2 bronzes. Golds were won by Sift Kaur Samra (women’s 50m rifle 3 positions), Rudrankksh Patil (men’s 10m air rifle), Suruchi Singh (women’s 10m air pistol), and Vijayveer Sidhu (men’s 25m rapid fire pistol). Silvers went to Esha Singh (women’s 25m pistol) and Arya Borse/Rudrankksh Patil (mixed 10m air rifle). Bronzes were claimed by Saurabh Chaudhary/Suruchi Singh (10m air pistol mixed team) and Chain Singh (men’s 50m rifle 3 positions).

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Chhattisgarh has laid the foundation stone for India’s first Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based semiconductor plant in Raipur, marking a major step in electronics manufacturing. Gallium Nitride (GaN) is a wide bandgap semiconductor material made from gallium and nitrogen, known for better performance than traditional materials like silicon. A semiconductor is a material that partly conducts electricity, used to control signals in all electronic devices. GaN provides high efficiency, thermal stability, and fast switching speeds, lowering system and operation costs. It powers next-generation 5G and 6G networks, advanced laptops, defence tech, data analytics, and power electronics.

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Telangana has become the first state in India to implement the Scheduled Caste (SC) Categorisation of Reservations Act 2025. The implementation coincided with the birth anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, a symbol of social justice. A Government Order (GO) was issued after receiving the Governor’s approval for the Bill passed last month. The state has divided 56 SC communities into three groups to ensure fair distribution of reservation benefits. This categorisation will influence future policies in education, jobs, and political representation. It is seen as a key step towards social justice for long-neglected SC sub-groups in Telangana.

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The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) launched the STELLAR Model, a new software tool for planning power generation, transmission, and storage with demand response. STELLAR stands for State-of-the-art, Totally indigenously developed Resource adequacy model. It helps Indian states and power distribution companies (discoms) create resource adequacy plans as per Ministry of Power’s June 2023 guidelines. The model ensures reliable electricity supply through smart planning of power resources. It supports integrated planning with demand response and meets changing yearly requirements. The tool is transparent, user-friendly, and made in India under CEA’s guidance. It is available free of cost to all states and discoms. It was developed with support from The Lantau Group (TLG) and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Notes:
The Cheetah Project Steering Committee, set up in May 2023 by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), approved relocating some cheetahs from Kuno National Park to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh The project began in 2022, with 8 cheetahs from Namibia and 12 from South Africa being translocated to Kuno The relocation faces challenges, as 8 adult cheetahs and 5 cubs have died so far Gandhi Sagar is part of a cheetah meta-population plan of 60–70 cheetahs across the Kuno-Gandhi Sagar landscape in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan Currently, 26 cheetahs are at Kuno, with 17 in the wild and 9 in enclosures Prey species at Gandhi Sagar include chinkara, chousingha, nilgai, and chital

Notes:
Two people in the United States are believed to have died recently from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), a rare and incurable brain disorder. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) causes dementia and belongs to a group of diseases called prion disorders or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Its symptoms are similar to Alzheimer’s disease but progress much faster and lead to death. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) is very rare, with only 1 to 2 cases diagnosed per million people each year worldwide. It mostly affects older adults and is always serious. The disease is caused by abnormal proteins called prions, which damage the brain by turning healthy prions into harmful ones. These abnormal prions clump together in the brain, leading to nerve cell loss and severe brain damage.

Notes:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched Operation Chakra-V to tackle transnational organized cybercrime and digital arrest scams. This is a follow-up to Operation Chakra-IV, which targeted cyber-enabled financial crime networks through a globally coordinated law enforcement effort using INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organization) channels. A digital arrest is a type of cybercrime where fraudsters pose as law enforcement officials through audio or video calls. They scare victims by claiming they are involved in crimes and demand personal information or money as bail or bribe. This operation aims to stop such international cyber scams effectively.

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Bank of Maharashtra, a public sector bank, has become the first bank to install an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) on a train in India. The ATM was installed on the Mumbai-Manmad Panchavati Express. This is the first time an ATM has been introduced on an Indian Railway train. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared this update through his social media account. According to Indian Railways, this was a pilot project aimed at improving passenger convenience. The ATM was placed in a modified pantry car cubicle at the rear end of the coach. The cubicle has a shutter door for safety and easy access. If successful, this facility will be expanded to other trains. The initiative is part of the Indian Railway’s Innovative and Non-Revenue Ideas Scheme.

Notes:
The European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) under Operation ATALANTA has proposed a joint naval exercise with the Indian Navy. The exercise is planned to take place around the end of May 2025 in the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. The main aim is to strengthen maritime cooperation and coordination between European forces and the Indian Navy. The proposal comes due to rising piracy and instability in the Red Sea region, especially near the Horn of Africa. Unlike regular Passage Exercises (PASSEX), this drill will include tactical manoeuvres, counter-piracy actions, and communication training. Operation ATALANTA, launched in 2008, is the European Union’s mission to fight piracy near Somalia.

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Kerala has become the first state in India to launch Online Permanent Lok Adalat Services. Permanent Lok Adalat is organized under Section 22-B of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. It has the same powers as a Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. It acts as a compulsory pre-litigation mechanism for conciliation and settlement of disputes related to Public Utility Services like transport, postal, and telegraph. The judgment given is final and binding on all the parties involved.