Current Affairs Quiz - February 2025

Notes:
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated Project Abhay, an initiative to boost truck drivers’ health and safety. The project, developed by IIT Delhi’s Centre for Rural Development & Technology (CRDT), screens truck drivers’ health. Over 50,000 truck drivers across six states were screened, focusing on health and vision issues. More than half of drivers had vision problems, and the project successfully corrected many. The initiative improved drivers’ social security benefits and quality of life.

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The US President signed an executive order to prepare a large-scale migrant detention center at Guantánamo Bay. Guantánamo Bay, located in southeastern Cuba, is a sheltered inlet with strategic importance, near the Windward Passage. It is served by the ports of Caimanera and Boquerón. “Gitmo” has housed terrorism suspects since 9/11 and has a Migrant Operations Centre for migrants from Haiti and Cuba. The current facility is small and cannot accommodate the 30,000 detainees expected in the new center.

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Tata Steel has become the first Indian company to develop hydrogen-compliant pipes for transporting hydrogen. This is a major step in supporting India’s clean energy transition and aligns with the National Hydrogen Mission. These pipes meet all critical requirements for safe hydrogen transportation. This innovation strengthens Tata Steel’s role in sustainable energy and infrastructure development. It supports the global push for clean energy solutions and reinforces India’s commitment to hydrogen as a future energy source.

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Gujarat declared the inland mangrove in Guneri village, Kutch, as its first Biodiversity Heritage Site. It is 45 km from the Arabian Sea and 4 km from Kori Creek, with no seawater inflow. The site is a rare inland mangrove forest, one of only eight globally. It may have originated after the Miocene marine transgression or along the lost Saraswati River. Limestone deposits in the region help sustain groundwater flow for the mangroves. The site was designated under The Biodiversity Act, 2002, after consultation with local bodies.

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Japan successfully launched the Michibiki 6 satellite on the new H3 rocket, aiming to improve its navigation system. The launch occurred at the Tanegashima Space Center, and the satellite separated successfully 29 minutes after liftoff. Michibiki 6 will be the fifth satellite in Japan’s quasi-zenith satellite system (QZSS). The system supplements US GPS and improves positioning for various devices. Japan plans to expand to seven satellites by 2026 and an 11-satellite network by the late 2030s. The launch was the fourth successful flight for the H3 rocket system.

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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.

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United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Suzetrigine, a new non-opioid painkiller. Opioids are drugs derived from the opium poppy plant or designed to mimic them. Examples include oxycodone, morphine, codeine, heroin, and fentanyl. They bind to opioid receptors in the brain, blocking pain signals and creating euphoric sensations. While effective for pain relief, opioids carry a high risk of addiction and dependence. Suzetrigine offers an alternative to opioids, reducing the risk of opioid addiction.

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The Department of Biotechnology launched the GARBH-INi-DRISHTI data repository at Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI). It provides clinical data, images, and biospecimens from over 12,000 pregnant women, newborns, and postpartum mothers. It is one of South Asia’s largest maternal and child health databases. The repository will help researchers worldwide improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes. THSTI also inaugurated a Ferret Research Facility with high biosafety standards. The facility will support vaccine development, therapeutic testing, and research on emerging infectious diseases.

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Budget 2025-26 expanded the Tonnage Tax Scheme to include inland vessels under the Indian Vessels Act, 2021. Previously, the scheme was only for sea-going ships. The Indian Vessels Act, 2021 promotes safe, economical inland water transport and ensures legal uniformity. The scheme falls under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. It was introduced in 2004 under the Indian Finance Act. The expansion encourages cargo movement and incentivizes shipping companies to invest in inland waterways vessels.

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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.