Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
India has once again been placed on the ‘priority watch’ list in the Special 301 Report by the United States Trade Representative (USTR). It is an annual review published under the Trade Act of 1974. It identifies countries that do not provide adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) or fair access to US rights holders. The report has been released every year since 1989. It classifies countries as “priority foreign country”, “priority watch list”, or “watch list”. Countries on the priority watch list, like India, have serious IPR issues needing greater US attention.

Notes:
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, Ghaziabad issued India’s first Certified Green Municipal Bond, raising ₹150 crore for a Tertiary Sewage Treatment Plant (TSTP). This bond marks a major shift towards sustainable urban infrastructure and financial innovation. The Tertiary Sewage Treatment Plant uses advanced Membrane Filtration Technologies like microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis (RO) to treat wastewater. The plant has a treatment capacity of 40 Million Litres per Day (MLD) and is linked to a 95 km pipeline network. It supplies treated water to over 1,400 industrial units, cutting dependence on freshwater sources.

Notes:
Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, have found a new way to improve green hydrogen production. They created a special heterostructure using Copper Tungsten Oxide and Copper Oxide. This structure uses the Built-In Electric Field (BIEF) effect to boost the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER). The Copper Tungsten Oxide nanoparticles are grown over a Cu(OH)₂ base, forming a p-n heterojunction with an uneven electronic setup. This BIEF helps in better proton adsorption and desorption. Green hydrogen, made from water using clean energy, is a pollution-free fuel of the future.

Notes:
The Madhya Pradesh government has launched the Tejaswi programme to build entrepreneurial skills and confidence in students. A multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the School Education Department, State Open School, and partners Udyam Learning Foundation and The Education Alliance. The programme aims to give students knowledge about self-employment and emerging industries. It will train students in vocational skills to help them become self-reliant and handle life challenges. This initiative supports the goals of the National Education Policy 2020, which promotes vocational learning and life skills in school education.

Notes:
The Asian Games 2026 will be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. This will mark the third time the Asian Games is being hosted in Japan, after Tokyo in 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994. Cricket has been officially retained for the Asian Games 2026. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) will make its debut in the 2026 edition of the continental event.

Notes:
Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai during the WAVES 2025 event. IICT is a national-level institute focused on Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC). It has already started functioning from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) building on Pedder Road, Mumbai. It is established by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting with support from FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and CII (Confederation of Indian Industry).

Notes:
The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) has recently launched VoTAN, which stands for Victims of Terrorism Advocacy Network, to support victims and survivors of terrorism worldwide. VoTAN is the result of efforts by the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, co-chaired by Spain and Iraq, which was formed around six years ago to protect the rights of victims. This global network was a major outcome of the 2022 United Nations Global Congress on Victims of Terrorism. It aims to offer a safe platform for victims to connect, heal, build resilience, and act as educators, peacebuilders, and advocates. The network is financially supported by Spain.

Notes:
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty recently received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for their outstanding achievements in badminton. The pair reached the No. 1 rank in the Badminton World Federation rankings in 2023 and won the Asian Games gold medal in Hangzhou. The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award was originally established as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 1991–92 and renamed in 2021. It is India’s highest sporting honour, given for the most exceptional performance by a sportsperson over the last four years. Only performances in recognized international events are eligible for consideration. The award includes a ₹25 lakh cash prize, a medal, and a certificate of honour, with typically one award given each year.

Notes:
Operation Kagar has successfully encircled the last remaining Naxal strongholds in the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border regions. Operation Kagar was launched by the Ministry of Home Affairs to eliminate Maoist insurgents and dismantle the political ideology of Maoism. The operation combines military action, surveillance technology, and development outreach to combat Left-Wing Extremism (LWE). The campaign has reduced Naxal-affected districts from 106 in 2015 to just 6 in 2025. In 2024, 287 Naxals were neutralized, with over 150 already in 2025.

Notes:
The United States has recently approved a military hardware and logistics support package for India to assist in the Integrated Platform for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA). IPMDA is a technology and training initiative designed to boost maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific region and increase transparency in its vital waterways. It was announced by the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD), which includes India, Australia, Japan, and the United States, during the Tokyo summit in 2022. The initiative uses innovative technology to provide near real-time information on maritime activities to partners in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean region, and the Pacific.