Current Affairs Quiz - April 2025

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AI Kiran, an initiative to empower women in Artificial Intelligence (AI), has been launched. The objective of AI Kiran is to create a vibrant AI community where women can thrive as innovators and leaders. It is led by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India. The initiative highlights the contributions of over 250 women driving advancements in AI in sectors like education and healthcare. The KIRAN (Knowledge Involvement in Research Advancement through Nurturing) Scheme, launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), promotes gender equality in science and technology by empowering women.

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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, former United States President Donald Trump proposed formal recognition of Crimea as Russian territory, challenging America’s long-standing opposition to the annexation. Crimea is an autonomous republic in southern Ukraine, located between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. The Crimean Peninsula connects to Ukraine through the 8-kilometre-wide Perekop Isthmus and to Russia via the Crimean Bridge across the Kerch Strait. Historically known as the Tauric Peninsula, Crimea has seen control shift between empires like the Ottomans and Russians. The region has the Crimean Mountains, rivers like Salhir and Alma, and important resources on the Kerch Peninsula.

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Recently, the global fight against malnutrition gained momentum at the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit held in Paris, where world leaders renewed their commitment to end all forms of malnutrition. The Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit 2025, hosted by France in Paris, aims to address global malnutrition and promote better nutrition. At the same time, the United Nations General Assembly extended the Decade of Action on Nutrition to 2030, aligning it with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Earlier efforts mainly focused on food access and early childhood nutrition, but now there is a shift towards strong nutrition education, especially for school children and adolescents. A key takeaway from the N4G Summit side event ‘Learn to Eat Well: Bio-diverse Diets and Youth as Agents of Change’ was to include nutrition education in school curriculums. This education should go beyond just calorie counting and teach young people to make informed, sustainable, and culturally respectful food choices.

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The government recently authorised the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to share and receive information with the Enforcement Directorate under the anti-money laundering law to better detect money trails and combat cyber frauds. Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) is established under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as the national nodal agency to fight cybercrime. It provides a framework and ecosystem for law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to handle cybercrimes in a coordinated and comprehensive way. It connects academia, industry, public, and government for prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrimes. The headquarters of I4C is located in New Delhi.

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The Delhi government recently launched the Ayushman Vay Vandana scheme, offering senior citizens aged 70 and above a health cover of up to ₹10 lakh annually. The scheme combines ₹5 lakh coverage from the central government’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) with an additional ₹5 lakh from the Delhi government. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated the scheme at Thyagaraj Stadium. They distributed the first batch of Ayushman Vay Vandana cards to beneficiaries. These cards will store complete medical records, enable regular check-ups, and provide emergency service details.

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The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is observed annually on April 28 to promote workplace safety and protect workers’ health globally. Initiated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2003, the day advocates for better workplace safety standards and employee well-being. It raises awareness about work-related casualties and health issues. This year the theme is “Revolutionising Health and Safety: The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digitalisation at Work.” The theme highlights how emerging technologies are transforming Occupational Safety and Health (OSH).

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully conducted the second short hot test of the semicryogenic engine that will power the Semicryogenic booster stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3). A semicryogenic engine uses a cryogenic oxidizer like Liquid Oxygen and a hydrocarbon-based fuel like kerosene. It combines the advantages of cryogenic and conventional engines, offering better efficiency and operational simplicity. In comparison, a fully cryogenic engine uses both fuel and oxidizer in liquid form, like Liquid Hydrogen and Liquid Oxygen, giving 100% efficiency without causing greenhouse gas emissions. This successful test marks a key step towards upgrading LVM3 for future heavy-lift missions.

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The Iranian government declared a day of national mourning on April 28 following a deadly blast at Shahid Rajaee port. The explosion occurred when a fuel tanker detonated at the port near Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan Province. The blast resulted in 28 deaths and over 1,200 injuries. The oil facilities at the port were not affected by the blast.

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The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) recently took suo moto action against five Delhi restaurants for not refunding mandatory service charges, despite the Delhi High Court’s clear judgment. This step protects consumer rights and stops unfair practices where customers are pressured to pay extra charges while dining. As per law, hotels and restaurants cannot force consumers to pay service charges, nor collect them under any other name. The CCPA was set up under Section 10 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which replaced the earlier 1986 Act. The Act was notified on August 9, 2019, and came into effect on July 20, 2020. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is the nodal ministry responsible for this authority.