Current Affairs Quiz - February 2025

Notes:
The Ministry of Railways has launched the ‘SwaRail’ SuperApp, designed to streamline various railway services. The app offers services like reserved and unreserved ticket bookings, as well as platform ticket bookings. A major focus of the app is enhancing user experience with a clean and seamless interface. It has been developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS).

Notes:
Camp Hill virus, a henipavirus related to Nipah, has been detected in North America, raising outbreak concerns. Henipaviruses are zoonotic RNA viruses from the Paramyxoviridae family, naturally hosted by fruit bats (Pteropus species). They can cross species barriers, infecting mammals, including humans, causing severe respiratory illness and encephalitis. Transmission occurs through infected animals, contaminated food/water, and human-to-human contact. Symptoms range from fever and headache to severe encephalitis, seizures, and coma. Henipaviruses block the innate immune response, aiding viral replication. No vaccine or antiviral drug is available; treatment is only symptomatic.

Notes:
Iran has unveiled two new missiles: Etemad and Ghadr-380. Etemad is a ballistic missile with a range of 1,700 km. It measures 16 meters in length and 1.25 meters in diameter. It is equipped with a precision-guided warhead for accurate targeting. Ghadr-380 is an anti-warship cruise missile with a range of over 1,000 km. It features anti-jamming capability, making it resistant to electronic warfare.

Notes:
Chhota Bheem, a famous tiger from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, recently died while being treated for multiple fractures in Bhopal’s Van Vihar. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is located in Madhya Pradesh’s Satpura and Vindhya ranges, covering 1536 sq. km. The reserve includes a 716 sq. km core zone and an 820 sq. km buffer zone. It has one of the highest tiger densities globally and features a landscape with valleys, hills, and the Bandhavgarh Fort. The reserve’s flora includes Sal forests and grasslands, while fauna includes tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and other species.

Notes:
The 38th Surajkund International Crafts Fair 2025 held from February 7 to 23 in Surajkund, Faridabad, Haryana. It is organized by the Union Ministries of Tourism, Culture, External Affairs, Textiles, and the Haryana government. The fair showcases India’s and other countries’ crafts, textiles, culture, and cuisine. The 37th edition in 2024 saw participation from 45+ countries, 592 foreign artists, and 1.3 million visitors. For 2025, BIMSTEC is proposed as the partner organization, enhancing international collaboration.

Notes:
The Guru-Shishya Parampara Scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Culture to promote traditional performing arts. It offers financial assistance to cultural organizations for training artists under the guidance of a Guru. Cultural organizations across India that follow the Guru-Shishya tradition can apply. The scheme supports shishyas aged 3 and above in music, dance, theatre, and traditional arts. It provides Rs. 15,000 per month for each Guru/Director, with up to 18 shishyas in theatre and 10 in music/dance. The objective is to ensure regular training in the traditional Guru-Shishya system.

Notes:
The Madhya Pradesh cabinet approved key policies, including the Semiconductor Policy and Drone Policy, ahead of the Global Investor Summit (GIS) on February 24-25 in Bhopal. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, after his visit to Japan, announced Japanese cooperation in metro rail, smart transportation, urban planning, and waste management. A special channel will be created to promote Japanese investment. The Semiconductor Policy aims to make Madhya Pradesh a hub for electronics and semiconductor manufacturing. The Drone Policy seeks to attract investments in multiple sectors. The cabinet also approved PM Awas Yojana (Urban) 2.0 to build 10 lakh houses in five years.

Notes:
Black kites were recently found nesting in a tower structure in Chennai. They are medium-sized birds of prey from the Accipitridae family. Unlike other raptors, they are opportunistic hunters, often gliding in thermals to search for food. They have brown plumage, dark wingtips, bead-like dark brown eyes, and a hooked black beak. Their habitat ranges from wetlands and coasts to grasslands and woodlands. They are mainly found in tropical regions of Australasia, Eurasia, and Africa. They are monogamous and form lifelong pair bonds.

Notes:
The government posthumously honored Chaman Arora with the Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 in the Dogri language category. He received the award for his book Ik Hor Ashwthama. The Ministry of Culture confirmed the selection based on a unanimous jury recommendation. Sahitya Akademi President Madhav Kaushik approved the decision. The award includes a casket with an engraved copper plaque and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. Arora’s family will receive the award at a special event on March 8 in New Delhi.

Notes:
The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the Central government on using Gambusia affinis (Mosquitofish) and Poecilia reticulata (Guppy) for mosquito control. Gambusia affinis is native to the southeastern United States and has been used globally for over a century. The IUCN lists it among the 100 worst invasive species due to its impact on ecosystems. Poecilia reticulata is a non-migratory fish from South America that threatens native species. These fish have been released in multiple Indian states for mosquito control, raising ecological concerns.