Current Affairs Quiz – June 2025

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, three new startups were selected to build India’s own Foundation Model under the IndiaAI Mission, marking a big step in boosting local Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities. The IndiaAI Mission was launched in 2023 as a joint effort by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM). It supports startups and researchers by providing access to high-end computing power. The mission promotes “Making AI in India” by developing AI technologies locally.

Notes:
Heinrich Klaasen, the 33-year-old South African cricketer, has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket with immediate effect. Klaasen had earlier retired from Test cricket in 2023 and has now stepped away from One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) too. He represented South Africa in 4 Tests, 60 ODIs, and 58 T20Is, scoring a total of 2764 runs. Klaasen recently played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and scored a century in his last league match.

Notes:
Recently, despite the launch of the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) in 2021 and a financial aid programme, over 300 patients, mostly children with Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs), are not receiving proper medical treatment. LSDs are rare genetic disorders where harmful substances build up inside cells due to enzyme deficiencies. They are caused by mutations in the genes that produce lysosomal enzymes, which help break down waste in cells. These diseases can severely affect organs and quality of life.

Notes:
The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025 ranks countries based on their efforts to combat climate change. The top three positions are left unfilled, showing that no country is fully on track. Denmark holds the 4th position with very high performance in renewable energy, high in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate policy, and medium in energy use. India ranks 10th. India scores high in GHG emissions and energy use, medium in climate policy, and low in renewable energy.

Notes:
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has introduced a new digital reform to report voter turnout in real-time using the ECINET app. ECINET is an integrated mobile application that combines over 40 internal apps used by ECI. Presiding officers can now update voter turnout every two hours directly from polling stations using this app. The new system removes the need for manual data relay through sector or returning officers. It allows automatic and accurate aggregation of constituency-level data. It improves electoral transparency, digital governance, and public trust in the Election Commission of India.

Notes:
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Chenab and Anji rail bridges in Jammu and Kashmir, marking a major milestone in regional connectivity. The Chenab Rail Bridge is the world’s highest railway arch bridge. It is a steel-and-concrete engineering marvel spanning 1,315 meters across the Chenab River gorge. It is designed to withstand earthquakes and strong winds, and it will reduce travel time between Katra and Srinagar to just about 3 hours. The Anji Rail Bridge is India’s first cable-stayed railway bridge, located in Reasi district.

Notes:
Recently, two Chinese nationals were charged in the United States for allegedly smuggling Fusarium graminearum, an agricultural pathogen, into the country. Fusarium graminearum is an ascomycete fungus that causes Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), which affects crops like wheat, maize, barley, oats, and rice. It produces a toxin called Vomitoxin or Deoxynivalenol, which is harmful to both humans and animals. This fungus reduces crop yield and quality while contaminating grains with toxic mycotoxins. This incident raises concerns about agro-terrorism, which is the deliberate use of plant pathogens or pests to attack agriculture and create economic loss, food insecurity, and public fear.

Notes:
Recently, the Indian Army launched Operation Shiva in Jammu and Kashmir to ensure full security for the 38-day-long Amarnath Yatra beginning on July 3, 2025. This sacred pilgrimage to the Amarnath Cave shrine at 3,888 meters attracts thousands of devotees every year. The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) introduced Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards for tracking pilgrims.

Notes:
The World Energy Investment report 2025 is released by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Global energy investment in 2025 is projected to reach a record $3.3 trillion according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) World Energy Investment report. Investment in clean energy like solar, nuclear, grids, storage, and efficiency is set to hit $2.2 trillion, which is double the amount invested in fossil fuels. China leads global energy investment, spending nearly as much as the European Union and the United States combined.