Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
The Telangana government recently sanctioned 10,000 Indiramma houses for Chenchu tribal families to improve their living conditions. The Chenchus are a food-gathering tribe mainly living in the Nallamalai forests of Andhra Pradesh. They are classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) by the government due to their isolated lifestyle and low development indicators. Chenchus are also found in Telangana, Karnataka, and Odisha. Their language, also called Chenchu, belongs to the Dravidian language family, and many speak Telugu as well. A Chenchu village is called a “Penta”, with huts spaced based on family closeness. They live in small families, with men and women having equal social roles.

Notes:
Japan’s Sakurajima volcano erupted recently, sending a huge ash plume 3,000 metres above its crater. Sakurajima is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan and is located on the southern tip of Kyushu Island, just 4 kilometers from Kagoshima City. It stands at an elevation of 1117 metres and has a circumference of about 50 kilometres. It is a stratovolcano, formed from layers of lava and ash at a convergent plate boundary. The volcano was once an island, but a massive eruption in 1914 connected it to the mainland. It lies on the south rim of the Aira Caldera and has two main peaks — the North Peak and the South Peak. Sakurajima erupts frequently with ash, pyroclastic flows, volcanic bombs, and poisonous gases.

Notes:
A recent large-scale study from South Korea, published in the European Heart Journal, found that people vaccinated against shingles have a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes. Shingles, or herpes zoster, is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus stays dormant in nerve cells and can reactivate later in life when the immune system weakens. Shingles appears as a painful rash with blisters, usually on one side of the body, and can cause symptoms like burning, headache, and fever. The most common complication is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a nerve pain that can last for months. Shingles is not directly contagious but the virus can infect someone who never had chickenpox. It mainly affects people over 50 or those with weak immune systems.

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:
The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has announced the first Khelo India Beach Games. It will be held in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The event is scheduled from 19 to 25 May 2025. This is part of the Khelo India initiative to promote sports across India. The announcement comes after the successful Khelo India Winter Games held in Jammu and Kashmir and Gulmarg in January–February 2025. It follows the Khelo India Para Games held in Delhi in March–April 2025. It also follows the 7th Khelo India Youth Games held in Bihar in May 2025.

Notes:
Iran and Azerbaijan launched a joint special forces drill called “Aras-2025” on May 18, 2025. The exercise involves Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Azerbaijani troops. It is being held in the Karabakh region, which Azerbaijan regained from Armenia in September 2023. The drill aims to boost border security and address potential threats.

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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.

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The Jharkhand High Court recently directed the state government to strictly enforce an old ban on meat, alcohol, and intoxicants on Parasnath Hill. Parasnath Hill, the highest peak in Jharkhand at 4,478 feet, is located in the Giridih district. It holds sacred value for both the Jain and Santal Adivasi communities. For Jains, it is a holy pilgrimage site where 20 out of 24 Tirthankaras are believed to have attained moksha, or liberation. The hill has over 40 Jain temples and dhams, attracting both Shwetambar and Digambar sects. Santals call it Marang Buru or “Great Mountain,” their most sacred spiritual site. It houses Jug Jaher Than, similar in importance to Mecca for Santals. It is also where Lo Bir Baisi, the Santal tribal council, meets to resolve key disputes.

Notes:
World Bee Day is observed globally on May 20. The day highlights how pollinators like bees support sustainable food systems, reduce hunger, and address the biodiversity crisis. In India, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) celebrated the event at its Central Office in Vile Parle, Mumbai, under the theme “Bee Inspired by Nature to Nourish Us All.” The event was held as part of the ‘Sweet Revolution Utsav’, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to turn the White Revolution into a Sweet Revolution. In Financial Year 2024–25, honey worth Rs. 25 crore was exported by KVIC-supported beekeepers. The Honey Mission, led by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, is helping rural youth, women, and farmers become self-reliant through beekeeping.

Notes:
The Indian Navy has inducted a unique stitched ship named Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Kaundinya at the Karwar naval base in Karnataka. The ship is a recreation of a 5th-century vessel inspired by the Ajanta cave murals, reflecting ancient Indian maritime traditions. It is named after the legendary mariner Kaundinya, who sailed from India to Southeast Asia. The vessel symbolizes India’s rich heritage in shipbuilding, trade, and cultural exchange across the Indian Ocean.