Current Affairs Quiz - February 2025

Notes:
ISRO has developed a 10-tonne vertical propellant mixer for solid motors, making India’s space sector more self-reliant. It is the world’s largest solid propellant mixing equipment, designed by Satish Dhawan Space Centre with Central Manufacturing Technology Institute. The mixer enhances productivity, quality, and efficiency in heavy solid motor production. It weighs around 150 tonnes and measures 5.4m in length, 3.3m in breadth, and 8.7m in height. It features hydrostatic-driven agitators and remote operation via PLC-based SCADA control. Solid propulsion is crucial for India’s space transportation, requiring precise mixing of hazardous ingredients.

Notes:
The Centre has extended the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) scheme until 2025-26 under the 15th Finance Commission cycle. The scheme ensures fair prices for farmers and stabilizes essential commodity prices. Under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), the government procures pulses, oilseeds, and copra at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through Central Nodal Agencies. 100% procurement of Tur (Arhar), Urad, and Masur has been approved for 2024-25 to boost domestic production.

Notes:
India’s first vertical bi-facial solar plant was inaugurated at Okhla Vihar Metro station, New Delhi by Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs & Power. A 1MW rooftop solar plant was installed at Khyber Pass depot. The bi-facial solar panels capture sunlight from both sides and use metro viaducts for power generation without occupying extra land.

Notes:
Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo set a new world half-marathon record in Barcelona. He finished the race in 56 minutes and 42 seconds, reclaiming his 2021 title. Kiplimo broke the previous record by 48 seconds, which was set by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in November 2024. This marks the greatest single improvement in the men’s world half-marathon record.

Notes:
India has been elected Vice President of the International Organization of Aids to Marine Navigation (IALA) in Singapore. T.K. Ramachandran, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, led the Indian delegation. The 1st General Assembly of IALA marks its transition from an NGO to an inter-governmental organization (IGO). IALA, founded in 1957, sets global maritime navigation standards. India will host the IALA Council meeting in December 2025 and the IALA Conference & General Assembly in September 2027 in Mumbai. This highlights India’s leadership in maritime safety and international cooperation.

Notes:
A study identified 24-hydroxycholesterol (24-OHC), a cholesterol metabolite, as a key factor in Parkinson’s disease progression. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting movement. It weakens and damages nerve cells, leading to tremors, stiffness, and balance issues. As it worsens, patients struggle with walking, talking, and daily tasks. The disease mainly affects the substantia nigra, a brain region producing dopamine.

Notes:
The 34th International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)- Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU) Asian Cup table tennis tournament is held from February 19–23, 2025 at the Shenzhen Universiade Sports Center in Shenzhen, China. Athletes from various countries are participating in the event. India’s men’s team is led by veteran player Sharath Kamal. The tournament’s mascot was “Peng Peng”, named after Shenzhen’s nickname “Pengcheng”.

Notes:
Vishvaa Rajakumar, a 20-year-old Indian student, won the Memory League World Championship 2025. He memorized 80 random numbers in 13.50 seconds and 30 images in 8.40 seconds. The Memory League World Championship is a top-level online memory competition. Rajakumar, ranked No. 1 with a score of 5,000, studies at Manakula Vinayagar Institute of Technology, Puducherry. He credits hydration for improving memory speed and clarity. His goal is to become a memory trainer and establish a memory institute in India.

Notes:
Scientists discovered deadly brine pools beneath the Red Sea that kill or stun marine life. Brine pools are hypersaline, oxygen-lacking lakes on the seafloor, denser than surrounding ocean water. They are also called “underwater lakes” because their high salt content prevents mixing with seawater. The Orca Basin in the Gulf of Mexico has the deepest known brine pool, 2,200 meters below sea level. This pool is 8 times saltier than the Gulf, with a salt content of 300 g/liter. Most sea life cannot survive in these pools, but some specialized organisms thrive.

Notes:
India’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose for the first time after three quarters. PMI measures business activity in manufacturing and services sectors through surveys. It helps assess whether market conditions are expanding, contracting, or stable. There are two types: Manufacturing PMI and Services PMI. Manufacturing PMI is based on new orders, output, employment, supplier delivery times, and stock purchases. A PMI above 50 indicates expansion, while below 50 shows contraction. PMI is released monthly by S&P Global, a global financial analytics firm.