Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
During recent excavations at Nineveh in Iraq, archaeologists found a large relief showing King Assurbanipal, the last ruler of the Assyrian Empire, with two deities and other figures. Nineveh was a major city in northern Mesopotamia and became the capital of the Assyrian Empire under King Sennacherib in the 8th century BCE. It lies on the east bank of the Tigris River in modern-day Mosul, Iraq. It was once the largest and most populated city of the Assyrian Empire and an important religious center for worshipping the goddess Ishtar. Nineveh was fully developed during the Neo-Assyrian Empire (912–612 BCE) and known for its cultural beauty, gardens, and parks. The city was destroyed in 612 BCE by a coalition of Babylonians and Medes, marking the end of the Assyrian Empire.

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:
China has launched 12 satellites to begin building the world’s first space-based supercomputing network, called the Three-Body Computing Constellation. The satellites were launched using a Long March 2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre as part of a project led by Zhejiang Lab. These satellites have Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered processors and high-speed links to communicate and process data in orbit without ground stations. Once complete, the constellation will include 2,800 satellites with a combined power of 1,000 peta operations per second (POPS). The project is developed by ADA Space, Zhijiang Laboratory, and Neijang High-Tech Zone to offer real-time, autonomous data processing from space.

Notes:
The Prime Minister will soon meet the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh to review the Polavaram project. The Polavaram Project is a multi-purpose irrigation initiative built on the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh. It is located near Polavaram village in West Godavari district, close to the borders of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The project was proposed in 1980 based on the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) recommendations. It has been given national project status by the central government. The dam will help control floodwaters and improve agricultural productivity in the region. This high-level meeting highlights the importance of inter-state cooperation for completing the project efficiently.

Notes:
Shooter Kanak won India’s first gold medal at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany. She scored 239 points in the Women’s 10 metre Air Pistol final. Kanak had earlier won silver at the Junior World Championship in Lima last year. She defeated Anna Dulce of Moldova, a two-time Olympian and European Champion, by 1.7 points. Chen Yen-Ching of Chinese Taipei secured the bronze medal. Indian shooter Prachi finished fifth in the same event. Adriyan Karmakar had earlier opened India’s medal tally with a silver in the 50 metre rifle prone event.

Notes:
Government e Marketplace (GeM) celebrated its 8th Incorporation Day, showing its strong role in digital governance and inclusive growth. It was launched on August 9, 2016, by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. GeM is India’s national online public procurement platform. It aims to ensure transparency, efficiency, and fairness in government buying and selling. GeM now has over 1.64 lakh primary buyers and 4.2 lakh active sellers. It offers more than 10,000 product categories and over 330 services.

Notes:
The Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2025 shows that over 295 million people in 53 countries faced acute hunger. This marks an increase of 13.7 million people compared to 2023, showing a worsening food crisis. The report was published by the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC) with the Food Security Information Network (FSIN). The GRFC is released every year to track and analyse global food insecurity and malnutrition. It highlights that conflicts, extreme climate events, economic troubles, and forced displacement are the main causes. The report warns of a deepening global hunger and nutrition emergency.

Notes:
Recently, 52 Jenu Kuruba tribal families in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (NTR) put up a board claiming land rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA). It is located in Karnataka, specifically in the districts of Mysore and Kodagu. The reserve is an ecological meeting point of the Western and Eastern Ghats mountain ranges. It is named after the Nagarahole River, which flows inside the reserve and joins the Kabini River. Nagarahole is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is bordered by Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. The Kabini River is to the north and Moyar River to the south of the reserve.

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Recently, the Maharashtra government notified its long-awaited Aggregator Policy for app-based cab services like Ola and Uber. The policy aims to ensure fair practices and better experiences for both riders and drivers. It includes rules for fare regulation, driver training, electric vehicle (EV) adoption, and penalties for unjustified cancellations. If a driver cancels a ride without a valid reason, a penalty of 10% of the fare or ₹100—whichever is less—will be charged. If a passenger cancels without reason, 5% of the fare or ₹50 will be awarded to the driver. These penalties will be deducted automatically through the app. The policy also limits peak-hour fares to a maximum of 1.5 times the base fare, as fixed by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).

Notes:
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) recently released the first State of the World’s Animal Health report. It highlights that infectious animal diseases are now spreading to new regions and species, with 47 percent having zoonotic potential, meaning they can spread to humans. In 2024, Bluetongue virus affected 3,517 cases in 23 countries, and Germany saw its first foot-and-mouth disease outbreak since 1988. Between 2005 and 2023, nearly half the WOAH-listed diseases reported were zoonotic, posing a risk to human health. The report warns that climate change and global trade are key drivers behind the rising spread of these diseases. Preventing diseases reduces the need for antibiotics and helps fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which could cause huge losses. By 2050, AMR could result in livestock loss, threaten food for two billion people, and cause a US$100 trillion economic loss.