Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa won the Superbet Chess Classic held in Bucharest, Romania. He secured the title after a close tiebreak round against Alireza Firouzja and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. All three players had 5.5 points in nine rounds, which led to a three-way playoff. The first two tiebreak games ended in draws—first between Praggnanandhaa and Firouzja, then between Vachier-Lagrave and Firouzja. Praggnanandhaa won the third and final game against Vachier-Lagrave to claim the title. World Champion D Gukesh finished ninth with 4 points, drawing his last match with Fabiano Caruana. The next event of the Grand Chess Tour, the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz, will begin in Croatia on July 1.

Notes:
Israel launched a major military operation called Operation Gideon Chariots in the Gaza Strip. It was initiated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) after ceasefire talks in Doha failed. The main goal is to secure the release of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas. A secondary aim is to weaken Hamas’s operational strength through intense military pressure. Northern Gaza, including the Jabaliya refugee camp, has seen heavy bombing under this operation. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 150 people were killed within 24 hours. More than 3,000 people have died since the escalation began in March 2025.

Notes:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) launched the e-Zero initiative to auto-register high-value cybercrimes. Cyber financial crimes above ₹10 lakh reported via the 1930 helpline or National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) will now be automatically converted into First Information Reports (FIRs). This system is currently launched as a pilot project in Delhi and will soon be expanded nationwide. The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) under MHA designed this system to speed up the crackdown on cybercriminals.

Notes:
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation recently launched the new Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Portal in New Delhi. The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Scheme was introduced in August 2005 by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955. A foreign national can apply for OCI if they were an Indian citizen on or after 26th January 1950, or were eligible to become one on that date. OCI status is also open to those whose ancestors belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15th August 1947. The new OCI portal aims to simplify and modernize the application process for eligible foreign nationals.

Notes:
Dr M.R. Srinivasan, a key architect of India’s civilian nuclear programme, passed away at the age of 95 on 20 May. He was a technocrat with strong engineering skills and a vision for building scientific institutions. He joined the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in 1955, just a year after it was formed. He worked closely with Dr Homi Bhabha, the father of India’s nuclear programme, to develop Apsara, India’s first nuclear research reactor, which became operational in 1956. In 1959, he became Principal Project Engineer and led India’s early efforts in nuclear power generation. He received the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, for his contributions to nuclear energy. His legacy reflects excellence in engineering and dedication to national scientific self-reliance.

Notes:
The World Hydrogen Summit 2025 was held in Rotterdam, Netherlands from May 20 to 22. At this global event, India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) showcased its green hydrogen plans under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). India targets the production of 5 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) of green hydrogen per year by 2030. This mission aims to reduce carbon emissions, attract investments worth 100 billion US dollars, and generate employment. Major focus areas include building electrolyzer manufacturing capacity, developing green hydrogen hubs at ports, and encouraging state-level policies to support the transition.

Notes:
The Justice P. C. Ghose Commission is currently investigating irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Telangana. The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) is a large multi-purpose project built on the Godavari River in Kaleshwaram, Bhupalpally district. It begins at the confluence of the Pranahita and Godavari rivers. The project aims to supply irrigation water to vast farmlands and also meet drinking water needs. KLIP is a lift irrigation project, where water is lifted using pumps instead of flowing by gravity. The lifted water reaches a high delivery point, from where it is sent to the fields for irrigation.

Notes:
Sub Inspector Geeta Samota has become the first personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to climb Mount Everest in the 56-year history of the force. She reached the summit of the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, which stands at 8,849 metres, on Monday. This achievement marks a proud moment of courage and strength for both the CISF and the nation. Geeta is from Chak village in Sikar district, Rajasthan, and started her journey as a hockey player during college. She joined CISF in 2011 and is currently posted at the Udaipur airport unit.

Notes:
Veteran Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina has officially retired from professional football at the age of 42. He began his career at FC Barcelona in 2000 and later helped Villarreal qualify for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League. His most memorable spell was at Liverpool, where he played 394 matches, won the Football Association (FA) Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and received the Premier League Golden Glove three times. He made nearly 1,000 professional appearances and kept over 300 clean sheets in his 26-year career. Internationally, Reina earned 36 caps for Spain, winning the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup in 2010 and UEFA European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

Notes:
Researchers from Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany), New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, Kakapo Recovery, and University of Otago have successfully used artificial insemination (AI) to breed the critically endangered Kakapo. The Kakapo is the world’s largest flightless parrot, native to New Zealand. It is nocturnal, herbivorous, and the only lek-breeding parrot, where males display together to attract females. Kakapo breed only in years when native fruits like rimu berries are plentiful. Threats include predation by invasive mammals, infertility, high embryo death, and diseases like aspergillosis. Due to these threats, it is listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.