Current Affairs Quiz – June 2025

Notes:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has launched the Honorary Rank Promotion Scheme for retiring personnel of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles. This scheme, led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, grants a one-rank honorary promotion from Constable up to Sub-Inspector. It is given on the retirement day to boost morale, pride, and self-respect of the personnel. The promotion is symbolic and does not involve any financial or pension benefits. It applies only if the higher rank exists within the service’s structure. The promotion does not affect the seniority of personnel. This move recognises dedicated service and aims to honour commitment with dignity.

Notes:
Recently, a United States federal court blocked President Donald Trump’s broad tariffs, stating that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not allow him to impose sweeping import taxes. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) was legislated on 28 October 1977. It gives the US president the power to regulate financial transactions after declaring a national emergency. The IEEPA allows the president to act against unusual and exceptional threats to national security, foreign policy, and the economy, especially if the threat comes from outside the country. It empowers the president to freeze assets and restrict transactions.

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:
Hawaii became the first U.S. state to introduce a climate impact fee called the Green Fee. The fee applies to hotel stays, short-term rentals, and, for the first time, cruise ship passengers who were previously exempt. The Green Fee aims to fund climate resiliency, environmental protection, invasive species control, wildlife conservation, and sustainable tourism.

Notes:
The Perito Moreno Glacier, also called the ‘White Giant’, is located near El Calafate in Santa Cruz, Argentina. It lies in the Andes Mountains of South America and is part of the Los Glaciares National Park, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. The glacier was formed about 18,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. It is now rapidly crumbling due to global warming and rising temperatures.

Notes:
The Archaeological Survey of India recently found one of the earliest rock grooves in Kanniyakumari district, made during the Neolithic Age to sharpen weapons. The Neolithic Age, also known as the New Stone Age, was the last phase of prehistoric human development. It marked the shift from hunting and gathering to farming and animal domestication. This period began around 10,000 BCE during the Holocene Epoch. The Neolithic Revolution started in the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East and later spread to India and other regions.

Notes:
More than 60 Indian athletes took part in the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 held in Gumi, Republic of Korea, from May 27 to 31. Indian athletes competed in 30 medal events, including 15 men’s, 14 women’s, and one mixed team event. India secured second place in the overall medal tally. The People’s Republic of China topped the medal table. India won a total of 24 medals – eight gold, 10 silver, and six bronze.

Notes:
Mock drills were recently held in states and Union Territories near India’s western border under Operation SHIELD. The main goal is to check and improve India’s readiness against external threats. The drills simulate emergencies like enemy air raids, drone attacks, missile strikes, and mass evacuations. It includes silent and general recall of civil defence volunteers to test quick response. This helps authorities prepare better for real security situations along the border.

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:
The central government recently notified 34 biostimulants to boost their production and use in agriculture. Biostimulants are natural substances or microorganisms applied to plants or soil to enhance the plant’s natural growth and stress-resistance processes. They help reduce dependence on fertilizers by improving nutrient use efficiency, root growth, and resistance to drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures. In India, biostimulants are regulated under the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985.