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.

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The National AYUSH Mission (NAM) Conference 2025 takes place on May 1-2 at Kaivalyadhama in Lonavala, Maharashtra. The event is organized by the Ministry of Ayush to strengthen the integration of traditional Indian medicine systems into mainstream healthcare. The conclave aims to foster a collaborative ecosystem, discuss latest developments, research innovations, and sectoral collaborations across various AYUSH systems.

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Less than 1% of doctors in India have registered with the National Medical Register (NMR) eight months after its launch. National Medical Register (NMR) is a centralized digital database that includes all licensed allopathic (MBBS) doctors in India. It was launched in August 2024 under Section 31 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, is the nodal ministry for the NMR. The NMR aims to create a comprehensive registry of all allopathic doctors in India, ensuring transparency and accountability in the medical field. It also enhances public trust, helps in credential verification, and aids in policy planning for healthcare.

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Rajasthan has joined India’s first inter-state cheetah conservation corridor with Madhya Pradesh. This wildlife corridor is designed to connect protected areas in both states, allowing reintroduced cheetahs to roam safely across a vast ecosystem. The corridor covers 17,000 square kilometers, with 10,500 square kilometers in Madhya Pradesh and 6,500 square kilometers in Rajasthan. Key locations include Palpur Kuno National Park and Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, which will serve as cheetah habitats. Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, along with several districts like Kota and Sawai Madhopur, has been identified as a cheetah habitat.

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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.

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A massive explosion recently hit Iran’s Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas, causing a huge fire and leading to many deaths and injuries. The blast is suspected to have been caused by sodium perchlorate, a chemical used in ballistic missile propulsion. Shahid Rajaee Port is Iran’s largest and most advanced commercial port. It is located near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route through which about 26% of the world’s oil is transported. The port manages 85% of Iran’s container cargo, 52% of its oil trade, and over half of its total maritime cargo. It lies along the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), linking the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea, Russia, and Northern Europe.

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The Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) recently scaled Mt. Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world. Mt. Makalu stands at 8,485 meters above sea level and is located in the Mahalangur range of the Nepal Himalayas on the Nepal-Tibet border. It lies 23 kilometers southeast of Mount Everest and is part of the Makalu Barun National Park. The mountain is famous for its pyramid-like shape with sharp ridges and includes two subsidiary peaks, Makalu I and Makalu II.

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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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Recently, scientists observed repeated unrest at Campi Flegrei between 1982–1984 and 2011–2024, involving land uplift, earthquakes, and underground rumbling due to rising fluid pressure. Campi Flegrei, also called the Phlegraean Fields, is an active volcanic system located near Naples, Italy. Unlike single-cone volcanoes like Mount Vesuvius, Campi Flegrei is a large caldera, which is a sunken volcanic area formed after a huge eruption. The caldera spans about 12 to 15 kilometers and was formed by a massive eruption nearly 39,000 years ago. That eruption may have triggered climate changes that contributed to the decline of Neanderthals.

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been re-elected, becoming the first leader in decades to win a second term, marking a major political milestone. With around 70.8% of votes counted, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reports that the Labor Party is set to win 85 seats, well above the 76 needed for a majority. The Opposition Liberal National Coalition is likely to secure 36 seats, while Independents are expected to get 10. After his win, Albanese called being Prime Minister the greatest honour of his life while addressing supporters in Sydney.