Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently conducted multiple raids under Operation Hawk to crack down on cybercrime involving Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE) with global links. The action followed inputs from United States (US) authorities and led to the arrest of two individuals from Mangalore and Delhi.The CBI’s International Operations Division registered cases under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.This comes as part of CBI’s broader efforts under earlier operations like Operation CARBON (2021) and Operation Megh Chakra (2022)

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:
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are now working together under the wastepickers component of the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme. UNDP is providing financial support to State Project Management Units (PMUs) to strengthen the scheme’s implementation. The NAMASTE Scheme was jointly launched by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in 2023 to protect the safety and dignity of sanitation workers. Its wastepicker component was launched in 2024 with the goal to digitally profile and register 2.5 lakh wastepickers across India. It also provides health insurance under Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), and offers skill development training.

Notes:
The Prime Minister of India will officially inaugurate the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala, marking a major milestone in global maritime connectivity for the state. Vizhinjam Port is located in Vizhinjam, a coastal town in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. It is India’s first dedicated transshipment port and also the country’s first semi-automated port. The port is built at a cost of about ₹8,900 crore under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and is operated by the Adani Group, while the Kerala government holds the majority stake. It has the deepest breakwater in India, nearly three kilometres long, with a natural draft of about 20 metres. The port features India’s first home-built, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Vessel Traffic Management System, developed with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras.

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:
At the recent World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, the Prime Minister highlighted India’s growing Orange Economy driven by content, creativity and culture. The Orange Economy, also called the creative economy, covers sectors that are based on cultural and creative ideas. As per the United Nations Economic Network, it focuses on using creative assets to boost economic growth and development. It combines economic, cultural and social factors while linking with technology, intellectual property and tourism. It includes industries based on individual talent, skill and innovation that can generate jobs, income and cultural value.

Notes:
Every year on May 3, World Press Freedom Day is celebrated to highlight the vital role of the media, known as the fourth pillar of democracy. The day spreads awareness about the struggles faced by journalists and supports the free flow of information. It honours media professionals who have risked or lost their lives in search of truth. This year’s theme is ‘Reporting In The Brave New World – The Impact Of Artificial Intelligence On Press Freedom And The Media.’ The day was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1993 after a 1991 recommendation by UNESCO.

Notes:
Nepal has introduced a new draft law to allow only experienced climbers, who have scaled peaks above 7,000 metres, to attempt Mount Everest. This step comes in response to rising deaths, overcrowding, and environmental damage on the world’s tallest mountain. By restricting access, Nepal hopes to improve climber safety and promote responsible tourism. The law aims to ensure that only skilled mountaineers with proven high-altitude experience undertake such risky expeditions. The move also supports environmental conservation by addressing waste buildup and uncontrolled tourist flow in the fragile Everest ecosystem. This reflects Nepal’s growing commitment to sustainable mountaineering practices.

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:
Scientists are closely watching the Axial Seamount as it is expected to erupt for the first time in ten years. Axial Seamount is an underwater shield volcano located about 300 miles off the coast of Oregon, United States, in the Pacific Ocean. It has a large caldera at its summit and rises to a depth of 1,400 meters below sea level. The volcano was formed by a hot spot, where molten material from Earth’s mantle rises into the crust. It lies on the Juan de Fuca Ridge, the tectonic boundary between the Pacific and Juan de Fuca plates. It features hydrothermal vents, which are underwater hot springs that release mineral-rich plumes heated by magma.