Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
Ayushman Bharat Diwas is celebrated every year on April 30 to honour the achievements of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, also known as Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). PM-JAY is a government health insurance scheme that offers up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization care. The scheme targets over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families in India who cannot afford expensive medical treatment. It provides cashless and paperless treatment at any accredited hospital across India. On Ayushman Bharat Diwas, events are held nationwide to spread awareness and celebrate the scheme’s impact. The day also recognises the efforts of frontline workers and healthcare professionals involved in delivering quality services to beneficiaries.

Notes:
Kamla Persad-Bissessar has been elected as the next Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago after her party, United National Congress, won the parliamentary elections. This marks a strong comeback for the 73-year-old leader who earlier served as Prime Minister from 2010 to 2015. She remains the only woman ever to have led the Caribbean nation. Trinidad and Tobago is a twin-island country in the Caribbean with its capital at Port of Spain.

Notes:
Odisha Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra launched SAHAJOG to help urban poor access government welfare schemes. SAHAJOG stands for a unique initiative that identifies eligible urban poor and connects them to social schemes through awareness, doorstep services, and better local implementation. In the first phase, it covers 44 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in 8 districts and aims to reach over 15 lakh people. The initiative will run in a fast-track campaign mode till June 20 and aligns with “Viksit Odisha” and “Vikasit Bharat” goals. An app will soon be launched to help connect beneficiaries, and rural areas will be covered in the next phase.

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:
A new non-contact wearable device developed by researchers from the United States and South Korea can monitor health by measuring skin flux without touching the skin. The device is about the size of a smartphone and tracks molecular movements like vapour leaving the body and chemicals entering through the skin. It was developed under the leadership of Professor John A. Rogers at Northwestern University, USA. It creates a small sealed microclimate next to the skin and uses wireless electronics and tiny sensors to detect water vapour, carbon dioxide (CO₂), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A remote-controlled valve adjusts the chamber’s openness for accurate comparisons.

Notes:
The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) has reported major damage to the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) barrages after the 2023 floods. NDSA is India’s national safety regulator for large dams and was established under the National Dam Safety Act, 2021. KLIP is a multi-purpose irrigation project built on the Godavari River in Kaleshwaram, Telangana. The Godavari River, also called Dakshin Ganga, is the largest river in Peninsular India and originates from the Western Ghats in Nasik, Maharashtra. KLIP is set to become the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project, using pumps to lift water to high points for irrigation.

Notes:
Scientists from the University of Oxford have suggested a new way to monitor volcanic eruptions using a method called shear-wave splitting. Shear-wave splitting happens when seismic waves travel at different speeds depending on their direction, especially through rocks with tiny cracks. This technique was studied at Mount Ontake in Japan, which is an active stratovolcano located on Honshū Island, near Tokyo. Mount Ontake is Japan’s second-highest volcano and lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Notes:
Santhara, also known as Sallekhana, Pandit-maran, or Sakham-maran, is a Jain religious ritual in which a person voluntarily ends their life through fasting. It has been practised since the origin of Jainism and is mentioned in Jain scriptures called agams. There are two main types: Trivihar, where the person gives up food but not water, and Chauvihar, where both food and water are given up. According to Jain belief, Santhara is followed when death is near or religious duties cannot be performed due to age, illness, or extreme hardship. In 2015, Rajasthan High Court declared Santhara illegal, calling it suicide under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), but this decision was later stayed by the Supreme Court (SC). The practice has recently come back into news, drawing attention to its religious, ethical, and legal aspects.

Notes:
The Pulitzer Prizes 2025 were recently announced by the Pulitzer Prize Board to honor excellence in journalism and the arts. The Pulitzer Prize is considered the most prestigious award in journalism in the United States. It was established in the year 1917 and is administered by Columbia University. The award is overseen by the Pulitzer Prize Board, which consists of judges appointed by Columbia University. The prize is named after Joseph Pulitzer, a famous newspaper publisher who left funds in his will to create the School of Journalism and the Pulitzer Prize.

Notes:
Public trespassing in the ecologically sensitive Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) in Khanapur taluk has raised major concerns among conservationists recently. Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Western Ghats in the Belgaum district of Karnataka. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in December 2011 to protect its rich biodiversity. The sanctuary is named after the historic Bhimgad Fort, built by Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century to defend against Portuguese forces. It borders Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary, Mollem National Park, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, and Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.