Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
Vietnam hosts the United Nations (UN) Day of Vesak in 2025 from May 6 to 8 in Ho Chi Minh City. The United Nations Day of Vesak marks the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Lord Buddha. In a historic first, the sacred Buddha Relic from Sarnath, India, will be sent to Vietnam for special exposition. The event is being organized by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, along with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC).

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Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently found 11 Satavahana-era inscriptions in the Gundaram Forest of Telangana’s Peddapalli district. Two inscriptions mention the Chutu dynasty and a Satavahana prince named Kumāra Hakusiri. These inscriptions are written in early Brahmi script and show religious and political symbols. The Satavahana dynasty was founded by Simuka after the Mauryan Empire, around mid-1st century BCE. The word “Satavahana” in Prakrit means “driven by seven,” symbolizing the chariot of the Sun God. Their main regions were Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. They ruled from capitals like Pratishthana (Paithan) and Amaravati.

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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.

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The President of India recently launched the Mediation Association of India and addressed the First National Mediation Conference 2025 in New Delhi. This event highlights the importance of the Mediation Act, 2023, which aims to revive India’s civilisational legacy of resolving disputes peacefully. The Act promotes out-of-court settlements and builds a structured system for mediation across the country. It encourages extending mediation to rural areas by legally empowering Panchayats to resolve village conflicts. This step supports social harmony, which is key to national strength and unity. Mediation reduces court burdens, speeds up justice, and strengthens the judicial system. It also boosts the ease of doing business and ease of living, helping in the journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047.

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Tissue-cultured teak is being promoted in India as a high-yield, fast-return solution to enhance timber cultivation and trade, sparking discussions on its economic and ecological impact. Teak (Tectona grandis) is renowned for its strength, durability, and resistance to pests and water, earning it the title “king of timbers.” It is a valuable tropical hardwood used in shipbuilding, furniture, and flooring. India holds 35% of the world’s planted teak forests, with Asia contributing over 95% of global teak resources. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have the largest areas of native teak forests, according to the FAO Global Teak Resources and Market Assessment 2022. Teak is native to South and Southeast Asia and grows mainly in moist deciduous forests.

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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.

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Kozhikode city has recently been honoured with membership in the Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities (GNAFCC) of the World Health Organization (WHO). GNAFCC was established in 2010 to help cities become better places for older people to live in. It has over 1300 members from 51 countries, promoting global cooperation on age-friendly policies. The aim is to connect cities, communities, and organizations to create supportive environments for ageing populations. It works to inspire change, share knowledge, and help cities find smart, practical solutions. This membership shows Kozhikode’s commitment to healthy ageing and inclusive urban development.

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Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh has recently been renamed as Veerangana Rani Durgavati Tiger Reserve. It will become the third home of cheetahs in India under the cheetah reintroduction project. This follows the earlier relocation of eight cheetahs from Namibia to Kuno National Park in September 2022. Later, twelve more cheetahs were brought from South Africa, making Kuno the first cheetah home in India. The move to expand the habitat aims to support cheetah conservation and reduce pressure on existing reserves. This development highlights India’s growing efforts in wildlife restoration and biodiversity protection.

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The Harop drone is a loitering munition developed by the MBT Missiles Division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It was recently used by the Indian Armed Forces in ‘Operation Sindoor’ to strike air defence systems in Pakistan. Harop drones can hover over target areas for up to nine hours while searching for threats. They destroy targets by crashing into them with an in-built explosive payload. These drones perform both surveillance and attack roles, unlike regular Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). They use electro-optical (EO) or infrared (IR) sensors to locate and attack enemy assets. Harop drones can operate autonomously but allow human operators to approve final strikes. They include abort features to cancel missions mid-air and prevent unintended damage.

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently met World Bank President Ajay Banga in Lucknow to launch two major projects: Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Growth and Rural Enterprise Ecosystem Strengthening (UP AGREES) and Artificial Intelligence Pragya (AI Pragya). UP AGREES will promote technology-based farming and improve agricultural productivity across 28 districts in Bundelkhand and Purvanchal. AI Pragya will train 10 lakh youth in digital fields like artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and cybersecurity. The initiative will be supported by departments like Education, Health, Agriculture, and Rural Development. These efforts aim to create jobs, support startups, and help Uttar Pradesh become a $1 trillion economy.