Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
Indonesia officially joined BRICS as a full member, announced by Brazil. Indonesia called its membership a strategic step for partnerships with developing nations. As the fourth most populous country, Indonesia aimed to strengthen Global South alliances. BRICS focuses on strengthening cooperation among nations in the Global South. BRICS has recently expanded its membership. New members include Indonesia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the UAE. This expansion showcases BRICS’ increasing influence among developing nations.

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The Supreme Court suggested setting up Benches of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh to address growing defence-related case pendency. AFT is a military tribunal established under the Armed Forces Tribunal Act, 2007. It functions under the Ministry of Defence. It resolves military-related disputes, including service matters and appeals from court-martial decisions. The suggestion aims to speed up the resolution of defence cases in these areas.

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South Africa’s High Court blocked a 1,500 MW coal power plan, supporting constitutional rights and sustainable energy. The ‘Cancel Coal’ case, led by civil society, challenged the government’s 2019 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to add 1,500 MW of coal power. The youth-led protest opposes the expansion of coal, citing environmental and health concerns. South Africa relies on coal for 71% of its energy supply. The ruling emphasizes the constitutional duty to protect the environment and sets a global precedent for transitioning to renewable energy.

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Researchers discovered two rare Neuroptera species, Indophanes barbara and Glenochrysa zeylanica, in Kerala. Indophanes barbara, an antlion from the Myrmeleontidae family, does not build pits like other antlion larvae and lives in loose soil for protection. Adult Indophanes barbara resemble damselflies but can be identified by their long antennae and belong to holometabolous Neuroptera insects, unlike hemimetabolous damselflies. Glenochrysa zeylanica, a green lacewing from the Chrysopidae family, was rediscovered in Wayanad after 111 years and reported for the first time in India. Neuroptera, commonly called lacewings, are terrestrial insects with complex wing vein patterns.

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Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of hospital registrations under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, with 5,834 hospitals, including 2,949 government and 2,885 private facilities. The state has issued Ayushman cards to 5.13 crore beneficiaries out of 7.43 crore eligible individuals. 53.93 lakh patients have received free treatment worth Rs 8,483 crore. All state-run medical colleges, district hospitals, and community health centers are enlisted. The government aims for at least one member from 92% of eligible families to receive the “golden card.”

Notes:
The overestimation of gold import figures from April to November was due to a data migration error. The error occurred during the shift from the SEZ Online system to ICEGATE, causing double counting of imports into Special Economic Zones and domestic zones. As a result, the gold import figures for November were revised down by $5 billion, from $14.8 billion to $9.9 billion. ICEGATE (Indian Customs Electronic Gateway) is an online portal that offers electronic services for customs-related activities. It is a part of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). It facilitates the electronic filing of import and export documents.

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India will host the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments (CSPOC) of Commonwealth Countries in 2026. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced this at the CSPOC Standing Committee Meeting in Guernsey. The event will focus on artificial intelligence, social media, and their role in parliamentary processes. India previously hosted CSPOC in 1970-71, 1986, and 2010, showcasing its cultural heritage and modern development.

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India celebrates National Youth Day on January 12, honoring Swami Vivekananda’s legacy of youth empowerment. The National Youth Festival (NYF) 2024, held on January 10-12 at Bharat Mandapam, is reimagined as the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue. It is organized under the National Programme for Youth and Adolescent Development (NPYAD) by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, with shared costs between the Centre and the host state/UT. The festival includes cultural events, youth conventions, exhibitions, and adventure activities, involving around 7,500 delegates.

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Union Minister of Commerce and Industry launched the Bharat Cleantech Manufacturing Platform at the Bharat Climate Forum 2025 in New Delhi. The initiative aims to strengthen India’s cleantech sectors, including solar, wind, hydrogen, and battery storage. The platform will help Indian firms collaborate, innovate, secure financing, and share technologies. India aims to achieve 500 GW of clean energy by 2030, with 200 GW already in place. India leads globally in renewable energy progress and has the largest interconnected grid.

Notes:
Zoran Milanovic was re-elected as President of Croatia for a five-year term, securing 74% of the run-off vote. The first round of the presidential election on 29 December 2024 saw Milanovic win 49.1% of votes, necessitating a second round on 12 January 2025. Milanovic, backed by the opposition Social Democratic Party, is a critic of the EU and NATO but condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while criticizing Western military support for Ukraine. The Croatian Democratic Union, the ruling party since 1991, had its candidate, Dragan Primorac, secure 19.2% of votes. The President in Croatia is the Head of State with limited executive powers, while the Prime Minister holds real executive authority. Croatia is located on the Balkan Peninsula along the Adriatic Sea.