Current Affairs Quiz - May 2025

Notes:
Saudi Arabia launched TOURISE, a global platform for the next 50 years of tourism. TOURISE unites public and private leaders in tourism, technology, investment, and sustainability. It aims to unlock high-value investment and reset the tourism industry. The platform includes digital collaboration, working groups, and partnerships for long-term transformation. TOURISE will publish white papers and global indices on tourism, sustainability, and the economy. Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, emphasized adapting to technology and sustainability. The inaugural TOURISE Awards will honor achievements in sustainability and tourism innovation. The first TOURISE Summit will be held in Riyadh in November 2025.

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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) will soon start using the Bharat Forecast System (BFS) for improved weather predictions. BFS is an indigenously developed advanced forecasting model created by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune. It offers a 6-kilometre resolution, the highest in the world, allowing better prediction of small-scale weather events. This is a major upgrade from the earlier 12-kilometre Global Forecast System (GFS) used in India. The higher resolution will help forecast localised events like heavy rainfall and cyclones more accurately. BFS is powered by the Arka supercomputer, which has 11.77 petaflops of speed and 33 petabytes of storage. The supercomputer is based at IITM, Pune, and will significantly reduce forecast processing time compared to the older Pratyush system.

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Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay have developed a new high-efficiency tandem solar cell with nearly 30% power conversion efficiency compared to the current 20%. This innovation was developed at the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education (NCPRE) and uses a four-terminal (4T) tandem structure. The top layer is made of semi-transparent halide perovskite, while the bottom layer uses traditional silicon, allowing both to work independently for better efficiency. Perovskite materials, known for excellent light absorption and low cost, now have improved durability of up to 10 years. The new design also works well in heat and low-light, making it ideal for India’s climate and helping reduce solar energy costs to ₹1 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This breakthrough boosts India’s clean energy goals by enhancing output and land-use efficiency.

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A special event was recently held in Madhya Pradesh to showcase the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme. NAMASTE is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. It focuses on improving the safety, dignity, and livelihood of sanitation workers in India. The National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) is the implementing agency. The scheme promotes the use of machines in sanitation work and provides safety gear, health insurance, and skill training. It aims to end manual scavenging and ensure cleaner, safer cities.

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On May 23, 2025, Chennai-based startup Agnikul Cosmos successfully test-fired India’s first electric motor-driven semi-cryogenic engine. This marks a major step for private players in advancing Indian space technology. The engine uses electric motors instead of traditional gas generators to power fuel pumps, allowing precise thrust control and quick response. It runs on semi-cryogenic propulsion using liquid oxygen (LOX) and refined kerosene, balancing performance and cost. This innovation boosts engine reliability and suits future sub-orbital missions.

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Recently, the Department of Posts under the Ministry of Communications launched two digital platforms — ‘Know Your DIGIPIN’ and ‘Know Your PIN Code’ — to modernise India’s address system. These platforms align with the National Geospatial Policy 2022, aiming to improve geospatial infrastructure and public service delivery. The DIGIPIN (Digital Postal Index Number) is a geo-coded, grid-based digital address system developed with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). DIGIPIN enables users to find digital addresses using location coordinates and improves delivery, emergency services, and logistics. The ‘Know Your PIN Code’ app uses Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to identify exact PIN codes based on user location. Users can give feedback to help refine PIN Code accuracy through the geo-fenced dataset now uploaded on the Open Government Data Platform.

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Scientists have recently discovered a new extinct species named Mosura fentoni, an early marine predator from the Cambrian period around 506 million years ago. It was found in the Burgess Shale fossil site in British Columbia, Canada, which is known for preserving ancient marine life. Mosura fentoni belongs to the group Radiodonta, which are extinct stem-group arthropods and distant relatives of modern insects, spiders, and crustaceans. Although small in size, ranging from 1.5 to 6 centimetres, it had highly specialised body features. This discovery adds to our understanding of early marine ecosystems and arthropod evolution.

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The Uttar Pradesh Forest and Wildlife Department has launched the ‘Buffer Mein Safar Yojana’ to boost sustainable tourism and protect wildlife. The scheme focuses on turning buffer zones of tiger reserves into eco-friendly tourist spots while helping local communities. It will be implemented in regions like Dudhwa, Pilibhit, Lakhimpur Kheri, Sohagibarwa, and Kartaniya Ghat, all known for rich biodiversity. Semrai Lake, a key site for migratory birds, is being developed as a birdwatching destination under the eco circuit. Local villagers are being trained as guides, cooks, and safari staff to create sustainable jobs and support conservation.

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Delhi recently witnessed intense storms that appeared in the shape of a crescent or archer’s bow, technically known as bow echoes. A bow echo is a line of thunderstorms that appears curved like a bow on weather radar, also called a squall line. Sometimes, this bow echo can be part of a larger squall line system. It usually stretches from 20 to 100 kilometres and lasts for three to six hours. The term bow echo was introduced in the 1970s by Ted Fujita, a meteorologist famous for creating the Fujita Scale to measure tornado intensity.

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The Sirkari Bhyol Rupasiya Bagad Hydroelectric Project in Uttarakhand has received in-principle approval from the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC). The FAC works under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). This approval allows the diversion of 29.997 hectares of forest land for the project. The project is located on the Gori Ganga River in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. It is planned to generate 120 megawatts (MW) of electricity. This project highlights the government’s push for clean energy while balancing forest conservation. The recent approval marks a key step toward project execution.