Current Affairs Quiz – June 2025

Notes:
The Central Government recently declared an Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Tral Wildlife Sanctuary in Jammu and Kashmir. Tral Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Pulwama District and plays a key role as a wildlife movement corridor. It is one of the rare places outside Dachigam National Park where the critically endangered Hangul deer is still found. The sanctuary has typical Himalayan moist temperate, sub-alpine, and alpine forest types.

Notes:
Recently, the ‘Yashoda AI: Your AI SAKHI’ event was held at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly to promote women’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy and digital awareness. It is an initiative of the National Commission for Women (NCW) in collaboration with Future Shift Labs (FSL). The mission is to empower women, especially from rural and semi-urban areas, with skills in AI, cybersecurity, and digital safety. The Yashoda AI Abhiyan aims to support a Viksit Bharat by making women active contributors in a tech-driven future. The program includes discussions on AI-driven crimes, digital privacy, and safety strategies. It involves students, educators, and women from the police force to promote community-based digital education and leadership.

Notes:
Odisha government launched ANKUR – Atal Network for Knowledge, Urbanisation and Reforms – to drive smart and citizen-friendly urban growth. The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with six key organisations to support this initiative. ANKUR aims to build resilient, livable, and future-ready cities as Odisha’s urban population is expected to triple by 2036. It supports four pillars – capacity building, knowledge and research, implementation support, and innovation – and aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

Notes:
China recently launched the Tianwen-2 probe to collect samples from the asteroid 2016HO3 and explore the distant main-belt comet 311P. It was launched using the Long March 3-B rocket. The mission will continue till the end of 2027. Earlier in 2021, China’s Tianwen-1 mission landed on Mars with an orbiter, lander, and the Zhurong rover. Tianwen-3 is planned for launch around 2028 to collect and return samples from Mars. Tianwen-4 is expected to explore Jupiter around 2030.

Notes:
Recently, flamingos have arrived in large numbers at the Chhaya pond in Porbandar town of Gujarat, creating a stunning natural spectacle. Flamingos are tall birds known for their pink feathers, long legs, and curved necks, though they hatch with grey feathers. They are social birds and live in large colonies, often gathering in thousands. Their habitats include salty water bodies like lagoons, estuaries, lakes, and mudflats. Greater Flamingos migrate to India from Israel, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and are the State Bird of Gujarat. Lesser Flamingos migrate from Siberia to Mumbai through the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.

Notes:
Recently, the President of India presented the National Florence Nightingale Awards for the year 2025 to nurses at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The National Florence Nightingale Award was started in 1973 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. It is a prestigious national honour given to outstanding nursing personnel from Central Government, State and Union Territories, and Voluntary Organizations. The award recognizes the meritorious services of nurses in hospitals, communities, education, or administration. The award includes a Certificate of Merit, a Cash Award of ₹1,00,000, and a medal.

Notes:
Recently, Calotes zolaiking, a rare garden lizard species, was recorded for the first time in Meghalaya. It was first described in 2019 from Aizawl district in Mizoram by a team of scientists. This lizard is about 5 inches long and has green shades with dark patches and sharp ridged scales called “strongly keeled” scales. Calotes belong to the Agamidae family and are arboreal, meaning they live in trees. India is home to 14 Calotes species, found in gardens and forests across India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and some Pacific islands.

Notes:
World Milk Day is celebrated every year on June 1 to highlight the importance of milk in our lives. It was established in 2001 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to promote milk as a global food. The theme for World Milk Day 2025 is “Let’s Celebrate the Power of Dairy,” focusing on its role in nutrition, livelihoods, and the economy.

Notes:
Luis Montenegro has been reappointed as the Prime Minister of Portugal after the recent general elections. He leads the centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the Democratic Alliance (AD). He aims to focus on improving Portugal’s economy, public services, and the national health system. His return marks a period of political adjustment under a minority government.

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed $10 billion to boost India’s urban development and metro expansion. It will support India’s Urban Challenge Fund to increase private investment in cities. It promotes inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific region. Its headquarters is in Manila, Philippines.