Current Affairs Quiz - March 2025

Notes:
An armoured vehicle of central security forces was attacked by Kuki protesters in Manipur amid efforts to restore free movement. The Kukis are an ethnic group spread across Northeast India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. They are closely related to the Chin of Myanmar and the Mizos of Mizoram, collectively known as the Zo people. The term “Kuki” was assigned during British rule, dividing them into ‘old Kukis’ and ‘new Kukis.’ They have cultural institutions like Sawm (boys’ learning center) and Lawm (youth club). Their shifting (Jhum) cultivation led to land conflicts with Nagas and Meiteis.

Notes:
No Smoking Day is observed on the second Wednesday of March each year. In 2025, it falls on March 12. The day aims to raise awareness about the dangers of smoking. The theme for No Smoking Day 2025 is “Unmasking the Appeal.” This theme highlights the attraction of smoking and its hidden risks. No Smoking Day began in 1984 in the United Kingdom.

Notes:
NASA launched the SPHEREx and PUNCH space missions on March 12, 2025 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, after multiple delays. SPHEREx successfully separated from Falcon 9 in the second stage and entered a sun-synchronous orbit 650 km above Earth. It will study 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars, creating a 3D map of the sky to understand the history of the universe. PUNCH, a solar mission with four satellites, will study the solar corona, solar winds, and coronal mass ejections to improve space weather predictions.

Notes:
The Jammu and Kashmir government has allocated ₹3 crore annually for each MLA under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) scheme. MLAs can recommend development projects in their constituencies, focusing on infrastructure, public welfare, and essential services. Funds will support projects like roads, irrigation, power infrastructure, and housing for the underprivileged. Projects must be completed within a year, with exceptions for high-altitude areas. Certain projects, like government offices and places of worship, are not eligible for funding. The fund encourages projects costing up to ₹10 lakh per work.

Notes:
The Union Home Minister addressed the 57th annual conference of the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) in Kokrajhar, Assam. He highlighted the success of the Bodo Peace Accord (2020). The accord aimed to bring peace and stability to Bodo-dominated areas, especially the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). It was signed by the Government of India, the Assam Government, and Bodo organizations, including the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB). Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) was renamed BTR with greater autonomy. Non-Bodo villages in BTC were excluded. BTC’s powers were expanded under the Sixth Schedule. Bodo was recognized as an associate official language of Assam.

Notes:
The Five Eyes intelligence alliance faces challenges due to shifts in U.S. foreign policy under Donald Trump’s presidency. It is a secretive and powerful intelligence-sharing alliance of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It was formed after World War II, based on the UK-USA Agreement of 1946. The alliance is known for global surveillance using satellites, telephone networks, and fiber optic cables.

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Artists performed the ‘Gomira’ dance during the Chanchala Kali Mata Puja in West Bengal. In West Bengal, the Chanchala Kali Mata Puja, a 300-year-old tradition, is celebrated after Holi (Dol). The Gomira masked dance is a traditional folk performance of the Rajbongshi and Polia communities in North Bengal. It is influenced by Mahayana Buddhism, Tantric Buddhism, and Shaivite and Shakta traditions. The dance originated from a fusion of these spiritual influences. Masks used in the dance are made from papier-mâché, sholapith, bamboo, wood, sponge wood, clay, and paper. The dance is performed to the rhythmic beats of traditional percussion instruments like Dhak and Kansar.

Notes:
In March 2025, scientists in France discovered a massive, naturally occurring white hydrogen deposit in the Moselle region, estimated to be worth $92 trillion and containing 46 million tons of hydrogen, potentially revolutionizing the clean energy sector. White hydrogen is naturally occurring, formed by geochemical reactions in hard rock, similar to oil and gas. It is small, light, and escapes cap rocks easily, making extraction a challenge. The industry is nascent, with only a few innovators exploring its potential. This discovery could have a significant impact on the global energy transition, potentially helping countries reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and transition to cleaner energy sources.

Notes:
India has identified the Northeast as the next saffron cultivation hub after Jammu & Kashmir’s Pampore. Mission Saffron was launched in 2010-11 to promote saffron farming with financial, technical, and infrastructural support. Since 2021, the initiative expanded to the Northeast (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya) under the “Saffron Bowl Project” by NECTAR (North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach). The Northeast offers suitable agro-climatic conditions for saffron cultivation.

Notes:
Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel inaugurated the India Innovation Summit – Pioneering Solutions to End Tuberculosis (TB) at Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre, New Delhi. The summit is jointly organized by the Department of Health Research-Indian Council of Medical Research (DHR-ICMR) and the Central TB Division (CTD), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW). It aims to accelerate India’s goal of TB elimination by 2025. Over 200 innovations, including handheld X-ray devices, AI-powered diagnostic tools, and molecular testing technologies, are showcased.