Daily Current Affairs Quiz: April 25, 2025

Answer: C.

• World Malaria Day 2025 is observed on April 25, led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership to End Malaria.
• The theme is “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”, promoting community-driven and policy-level efforts.
• Since the late 1990s, over 2.2 billion cases and 7 million deaths have been prevented, but progress has now stalled.
• This day urges the world to recommit to malaria elimination through reinvestment, innovation, and equitable healthcare access.

Answer: B)

Current Context: India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on tourists, where 26 people were killed by Pakistani terrorists. This marks the first suspension of the treaty since its signing in 1960.

Key Highlights:

• Decision: The suspension is effective immediately until Pakistan ceases supporting cross-border terrorism.
• Diplomatic Actions: India also took actions like closing the Attari border post, cancelling visas, and expelling Pakistani personnel.
• Water Usage: India can now fully control water from the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab) and stop sharing water flow data with Pakistan.
• Implications: India may create reservoirs on these rivers and stop visits by Pakistani officials to Indian hydropower projects like Kishenganga and Ratle.
• Background on IWT: The IWT, signed in 1960, allocates waters from the Indus River system, with India having unrestricted access to the Eastern Rivers (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi) and Pakistan to the Western Rivers.

Answer: B)

Current Context: The United Kingdom (UK) Government has launched Project Sea Carbon Utilisation through Removal and Extraction(SeaCURE) in Weymouth, England to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from seawater. The initiative aims to enhance the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon and contribute to the fight against climate change.

Key Details

• Carbon Capture from Seawater: The project extracts CO₂ from seawater using acidification, converting dissolved carbon into gas for capture.
• Sustainable CO₂ Storage: Captured CO₂ is stored using bio-materials like charred coconut husks.
• Closed-Loop System: The treated seawater is neutralised and returned to the ocean, enabling continuous CO₂ absorption.
• Renewable Energy Powered: The system is powered by floating solar panels and other green energy sources.

Potential Impact

• Global Carbon Removal: Processing 1% of global seawater could remove 14 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually.
• Scalability for Climate Goals: This technology could play a key role in achieving net-zero emissions globally.

Answer: D)

Current Context: The Government of Andhra Pradesh has announced the establishment of India’s first Quantum Computing Village in Amaravati, supported by the Real-Time Governance Society (RTGS).

Key Highlights:

• Location & Scale: Spread across 50 acres in Amaravati.
• Backed By: RTGS with infrastructure collaboration from IBM (International Business Machines), TCS (Tata Consultancy Services), and L&T (Larsen & Toubro).
• Iconic Building: To be designed by IBM and house the advanced IBM Quantum System Two and a high-performance data center.
• Objective: To create a research and collaboration ecosystem for quantum computing in India.

Answer: A)

Current context: The Pink E-Rickshaw Scheme launched by the Government of Maharashtra aims to empower women by providing eco-friendly livelihood opportunities through the distribution of electric rickshaws.

Key Highlights:

• Coverage: 10,000 electric rickshaws (e-rickshaws) to be distributed across 8 districts.
• Target Group: Women aged 20–50, including widows, divorcees, and those from low-income backgrounds.
• Pilot Success: Initially tested in Pune, now expanding statewide.
• Deployment Areas: Metro stations, airports, tourist hubs as feeder services.
• Integration Plan: Tie-ups with Ola and Uber for wider reach.

Financial Support:

• Subsidies: ₹25,000 from Central Government, ₹75,000 from State Government.
• Loan Model: 10% down payment; 70% through low-interest bank loans.

Answer: A)

Current context: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts artificial intelligence (AI) will boost global GDP by 0.5% annually from 2025-2030, with growth surpassing the environmental costs of increased emissions from data centres.

About

• Launched by: International Monetary Fund (IMF)
• Energy Consumption Surge: Global electricity demand may triple to 1,500 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2030, increasing emissions by 1.2%.
• Environmental Implications: AI-related emissions could cost $50.7–66.3 billion, exacerbating climate concerns.
• Energy Efficiency Potential: AI could improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions with targeted policies and R&D (Research and Development).
• Role of Policy and Industry: Collaboration among governments, tech companies, and energy sectors is essential to ensure AI benefits the environment and addresses inequalities.

Answer: B)

Current Context: Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT (Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology) and KISS (Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences), was honored with the Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma Award 2025 in Kokrajhar, Assam.

Key Highlights:

• Award Instituted By: Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma Trust
• Purpose: The award recognizes individuals contributing significantly to education and social empowerment.
• Occasion: Presented on the 166th birth anniversary of Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma, a prominent social reformer and spiritual leader of the Bodo community.
• Prize: Dr. Samanta received a citation, memento, and a cash award of ₹1 lakh, which he donated back to the Trust for its development.

Answer: A)

Current Context: Indian shooters concluded their campaign at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Lima 2025 with a total of 7 medals — 2 gold, 4 silver, and 1 bronze  securing third place in the medal tally behind China and USA.

Key Highlights:

• Dates & Location: Held in Lima, Peru from 13-22 April 2025.

Medal Winners:

Gold Medals:

• Suruchi Singh (Women’s 10m Air Pistol)
• Saurabh Chaudhary & Suruchi Singh (10m Air Pistol Mixed Team)

Silver Medals:

• Manu Bhaker (Women’s 10m Air Pistol)
• Arjun Babuta (Men’s 10m Air Rifle)
• Simranpreet Kaur Brar (Women’s 25m Pistol, her first World Cup medal)
• Rudranksh Patil & Arya Borse (10m Air Rifle Mixed Team)
• Bronze Medal:Saurabh Chaudhary (Men’s 10m Air Pistol)

Answer: B)

Current Context: The Supreme Court of India has directed the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to assess the impact of glass industries on the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

About NEERI

• Established: 1958 in Nagpur, Maharashtra (initially as Central Public Health Engineering Research Institute – CPHERI).
• Renamed: NEERI in 1974 by PM Indira Gandhi.
• Governing Body: Operates under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology.
• Mission: Provide sustainable, science-backed environmental solutions for the government, industry, and marginalized communities.

About Taj Mahal

• Location: Agra, on the southern bank of the Yamuna River.
• Built by: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1632 in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
• Architecture: Ivory-white marble, representing the pinnacle of Mughal architecture.
• UNESCO Status: Declared a World Heritage Site in 1983.

Answer: B)

Context: Himachal Pradesh Government has banned Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles ≤500 ml in all indoor official events from June 1, 2025 due to environmental concerns.

Key Highlights

• Applies to: Government departments, boards, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), and advisory to private hotels.
• Alternatives: Glass bottles, water dispensers, steel containers.
• Mandatory ‘car bins’: In taxis, Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC), and public-private transport vehicles.
• Fine ₹1,500: For littering biodegradable waste.
• Fine ₹10,000: For non-installation of garbage bins in vehicles.