Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

Notes:
Russia warned Germany that if Ukraine uses Taurus missiles, it will be seen as direct involvement in the ongoing war. The Taurus KEPD-350 is a long-range cruise missile launched from aircraft. It is capable of hitting fortified and high-value targets with high precision. The missile was jointly developed by MBDA (Matra BAE Dynamics Alenia) and Saab Bofors Dynamics from Germany and Sweden. It is specially designed for deep strikes on bunkers, bridges, and command centres. This warning reflects growing tensions over Western military support to Ukraine in the conflict.

Notes:
Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22 and is one of the largest global movements for environmental protection. The theme for Earth Day 2025 is “OUR POWER, OUR PLANET,” calling for a major shift to renewable energy. It urges individuals, businesses, and governments to triple clean energy production by 2030. The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970, led by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson to raise awareness about environmental issues. Around 20 million Americans joined that day, making up 10% of the U.S. population. In 1990, Earth Day became a global event with over 200 million people from 141 countries participating. It reminds us of our shared duty to care for nature and tackle climate change.

Notes:
The Poas volcano in Costa Rica, one of the country’s top tourist spots, erupted recently, drawing global attention. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Costa Rica and is located inside the Poás Volcano National Park. The volcano is a composite stratovolcano with an irregular shape and a base covering around 400 square kilometers. It stands 2,708 meters above sea level and features a huge main crater about 1.5 kilometers wide and 300 meters deep. This crater is one of the largest active volcanic craters in the world.

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The 2024 report titled “Plant Breeding Programmes in Indian Zoos: Assessment and Strategic Actions” by the Central Zoo Authority highlighted a gap in conservation breeding for the endangered Himalayan Musk Deer in Indian zoos. The Himalayan Musk Deer (Moschus leucogaster) is native to the Himalayas and can be found in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, and China. It inhabits alpine forests and scrublands. Known for being solitary, nocturnal, and territorial, the males have curved canines and a musk gland, making them vulnerable to poaching. The species is listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and is under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

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Madhya Pradesh government has announced that farmers who burn crop residue, also known as narwai, will be denied benefits under the Chief Minister Kisan Kalyan Yojana. They will also not be allowed to sell their crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in the following year. The Mukhyamantri Kisan Kalyan Yojana was launched by the Madhya Pradesh government. This scheme aims to financially assist farmers in the state, particularly those with limited economic resources, to improve their farming capabilities and increase their income.

Notes:
Recently, the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), successfully conducted a ground test of a Scramjet Engine for over 1,000 seconds in Hyderabad. A Scramjet (Supersonic Combustion Ramjet) is an air-breathing engine designed to operate efficiently at hypersonic speeds, Mach 5 and above. Unlike traditional jet engines, Scramjets do not use rotating compressors; instead, they rely on the vehicle’s high speed to compress air. Scramjets enable supersonic combustion, making them ideal for Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCMs).

Notes:
The State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples Report, released by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA), reveals that Indigenous people receive less than 1% of international climate funding and are often excluded from climate solutions. Indigenous economies, which depend on agriculture, fishing, and forestry, face growing uncertainty, undermining economic self-sufficiency and sustainability. Disruption of ancestral lands and ecosystems affects traditional land-based practices, threatening environmental stewardship and sovereignty. Indigenous people are increasingly vulnerable to climate-related health issues due to limited access to healthcare and traditional food sources. Climate change also threatens the preservation of Indigenous languages, traditions, and cultural identities.

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Recently, delegates met in New York for the first session of the Preparatory Commission to frame rules for the High Seas Treaty and prepare for the first Conference of Parties (COP1). The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, also called the High Seas Treaty, is a United Nations (UN) treaty under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It is the first treaty aimed at protecting ocean areas beyond national borders and is often called the Paris Agreement for the Ocean. It legally binds countries to protect marine biodiversity and promote sustainable use through international cooperation. The treaty will help achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and will become effective 120 days after 60 countries ratify it.

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Recently on Earth Day, 22nd April 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Nature Restoration (AIM4NatuRe) initiative. AIM4NatuRe aims to improve the monitoring and reporting of global ecosystem restoration efforts in a better and faster way. The initiative uses advanced technology, standardized data frameworks, and capacity development to help restore at least 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, as per Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). AIM4NatuRe is a part of FAO’s AIM4Forests Programme but now expands its focus beyond forests for a holistic approach to nature restoration.

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Recently, the SMILE scheme (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) has shown progress in identifying and rehabilitating beggars in urban areas but still faces challenges like underreporting and limited scale. It was launched in 2022 by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It focuses on addressing beggary mainly in religious, tourist, and historical cities. The scheme also includes a sub-scheme for the empowerment of transgender persons. By December 2024, it identified 9,958 individuals involved in begging across 81 cities and successfully rehabilitated 970 individuals, including 352 children.