Current Affairs Quiz – October 2025

Notes:
Judo player Linthoi Chanambam made history by winning India’s first-ever medal at the Judo Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru in 2025. She is 19 years old and competed in the women’s 63 kilogram category. Chanambam won the bronze medal by defeating Joni Geilen from the Netherlands. Earlier, she lost her final Group D match to So Morichika of Japan. This achievement marks a historic moment for Indian Judo on the world stage.

Notes:
Around 10 Indian marine and saline fish and shrimp varieties are soon to receive the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification is an international non-profit organisation that sets science-based standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability. Its certification recognises and rewards sustainable fishing practices to promote a sustainable seafood market. The certification is based on independent third-party assessments focusing on stock health, environmental impact, and effective management. It is voluntary, open to all fisheries regardless of location, size, or fishing gear. Astamudi clam (Paphia malabarica) was India’s first MSC-certified fishery.

Notes:
As of September 2025, Public Sector Banks (PSBs) sanctioned over 5.79 lakh loans worth ₹10,907 crore under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY). It aims to provide free electricity to households via solar rooftop installations. It was launched in February, 2024. The scheme offers 60% subsidy for systems up to 2 kW and 40% subsidy for 2–3 kW systems, capped at 3 kW. It promotes Model Solar Villages and incentivizes Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs). It is implemented by National Programme Implementation Agency (NPIA) and State Implementation Agencies (SIAs).

Notes:
Researchers recently discovered a new fungus species named Bridgeoporus kanadii in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh, Northeast India. It has exceptionally large fruiting bodies, some measuring over three meters in radius, strong enough to hold a person’s weight. The species is named after Indian mycologist Kanad Das for his work on Indian macrofungi. The only other known species, Bridgeoporus nobilissimus, found in North America, has fruiting bodies up to 1.5 meters, making B. kanadii nearly twice as large. It grows mainly on dead fir trees and helps in forest regeneration by decomposing dead wood. It is inedible and has no direct economic value.

Notes:
A week after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Washington visit, the United States (US) confirmed supplying advanced air-to-air missiles to Pakistan. Pakistan will receive AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) under a modified arms contract with Raytheon, US defence company,valued at over $2.51 billion. The AMRAAM is a beyond-visual-range (BVR) missile with “fire-and-forget” capability, speed up to Mach 4, and all-weather operation. AMRAAM is developed by the United States, compatible with F-16 jets, and also used on F-15, F-22, F-35, and other fighter aircraft worldwide.

Notes:
The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, launched the Tobacco Free Youth Campaign 3.0. This 60-day national campaign aims to achieve a tobacco-free generation by educating and empowering children and youth. The campaign focuses on preventing initiation of tobacco use, supporting those who wish to quit, and promoting health and wellness in schools and higher education institutes. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2019 reported 8.4% of students aged 13–15 use tobacco, with initiation around age 10. The campaign follows a whole-of-government approach combining awareness, prevention, and enforcement measures.

Notes:
The Odisha government announced the creation of a digital library named Gyana Yagnya Mandap to preserve rare records of the Jagannath Temple, Puri. It will be built on the site of the old Raghunandan Library, part of the Emar Mutt, near the temple premises. The original library, established in the early 20th century, housed palm-leaf manuscripts and religious texts in Odia, Sanskrit, and Bengali. The digital library will preserve Madala Panji (historic temple chronicle), ritual manuals, scriptures, and administrative/cultural documents. It will feature a modern e-library system and research centre for scholars, devotees, and the public.

Notes:
In October 2025, China inaugurated the world’s first solar thermal power station in the Gobi Desert, Gansu Province. The plant is built by China Three Gorges Corporation and uses two 200-meter-high towers feeding a single turbine system. 27,000 mirrors concentrate sunlight, storing heat up to 570°C for electricity generation after sunset or cloudy weather. The dual-tower setup is 25% more efficient than single-tower designs and reduces mirror requirements, saving costs. It complements solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind farms, addressing intermittency in solar/wind energy.

Notes:
In October 2025, Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina appointed General Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as the new Prime Minister (PM). He succeeded Christian Ntsay, who had served as PM since 2018. The appointment followed rising protests over power outages and water shortages. This marks a leadership shift, with a military officer replacing a civilian politician. Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo began military education at Antsirabe Military Academy, Madagascar in 1991. He served under High Transitional Authority (HAT) after the 2009 crisis. Madagascar’s capital is Antananarivo and currency is Malagasy Ariary (MGA).

Notes:
The Madras High Court recently ordered action against illegal resorts and tourist lodges within the prohibited zone of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve is located in the Erode District of Tamil Nadu. It lies at the junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The reserve covers an area of over 1,400 square kilometres. It connects with Mudumalai, Bandipur, and Biligiri Ranganatha (BR) Tiger Reserves, forming a large tiger landscape.