Current Affairs Quiz – June 2025

Notes:
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed globally on 17 June to raise awareness about land degradation neutrality (LDN). This year’s theme is “Restore the land. Unlock the opportunities,” which highlights how restoring land can create jobs, improve food and water security, and support climate action. The day is coordinated by the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). In India, Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Union Minister of Culture and Tourism inaugurated a National Workshop at the Arid Forest Research Institute, Jodhpur, focusing on land restoration and climate resilience.

Notes:
A major milestone was achieved with the launch of Garuda Aerospace’s Agri-Drone Indigenization Facility in Chennai, supporting India’s goal of becoming a global drone hub. The facility, spread across 35,000 square feet, is the first of its kind in the country for designing, manufacturing, and testing advanced Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). A total of 300 Centres of Excellence (CoEs) were also launched across India to promote drone innovation, research, and skill development through academic and industry collaboration.

Notes:
Recently, Mount Lewotobi Lakilaki in Indonesia erupted, sending an ash cloud up to 11 kilometers high. It is located in East Nusa Tenggara province on Flores Island, Indonesia. The volcano lies along the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, a zone of high volcanic activity.

Notes:
India has appointed Aliawati Longkumer as its next Ambassador to the North Korea. He is a 2008 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and is currently Charge d’affaires at the Indian Embassy in Asuncion, Paraguay. This move marks India’s diplomatic return to Pyongyang after a four-year gap since the embassy closure in July 2021 due to the pandemic.

Notes:
India ranked 71st in the World Economic Forum (WEF) Energy Transition Index 2025, showing improvement in energy efficiency and investment capacity. The index assessed 118 countries, with Sweden ranked first, followed by Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland. China ranked 12th, the United States (US) 17th, and Pakistan 101st, while Congo was the lowest. India’s rank dropped from 63rd in 2024, but WEF said India showed one of the strongest improvements among large economies.

Notes:
The Bajau tribe, also known as the Sama-Bajau, lives in coastal areas of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines and depends entirely on the sea. They are excellent free divers, diving 20–30 meters deep and holding their breath for 5–13 minutes without equipment. Recent research shows that the Bajau have spleens that are 50% larger than average, helping them dive longer and deeper. This adaptation is linked to a variation in the PDE10A gene.

Notes:
A rare oarfish, often called the “doomsday fish” in Japanese culture, was recently seen off the coast of Tamil Nadu, India. In the past 20 days, oarfish sightings were also reported in Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico’s Baja California Sur. The oarfish is a deep-sea fish that lives between 200 and 1,000 meters below the ocean surface. It has a long, ribbon-like body and can grow over 30 feet (9 meters) in length, making it the longest bony fish in the world. It is called the “doomsday fish” because its appearance is believed to warn of natural disasters.

Notes:
Shri Ram Bahadur Rai, a renowned journalist and President of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) Trust, was recently awarded the ‘Padma Bhushan’ by Shri Satpal Chauhan, Director General, Ministry of Home Affairs. As Shri Rai could not attend the official ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the award was presented at the IGNCA office in the presence of Director Shri Pandey Pradeep Kumar and senior officials. The award included a citation with the signature and seal of the President of India and a medal. Shri Rai also serves as Chancellor of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, Gurugram, and guides many other institutions.

Notes:
Recently, Arunachal Pradesh declared the years 2025–2035 as the Decade of Hydro Power to harness its hydropower potential of 58,000 megawatts (MW). The government will promote mega, large, and small hydroelectric projects and build a strong policy and regulatory framework. About 19 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower projects worth over ₹2 lakh crore are under development, with expected annual revenue of ₹4,525 crore from 2035 through free power share.

Notes:
India ranks 99th in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index 2025 with a score of 67 as per the recently released Sustainable Development Report 2025. It is India’s first time entering the top 100 out of 193 United Nations (UN) member countries. The report is published by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and tracks yearly progress since 2015. Finland, Sweden and Denmark top the index, despite facing environmental issues from high consumption.