Daily Current Affairs Quiz: February 17, 2025

Answer: C

• World Whale Day is observed annually on the third Sunday in February. In 2025, it will be celebrated on Sunday, February 16th.
• It was founded in 1980 in Maui, Hawaii, to recognize humpback whales.
• The day was started by Greg Kauffman of the Pacific Whale Foundation.
• Its purpose is to raise awareness about the threat of extinction faced by humpback whales.

Answer: A

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron recently paid tribute to the Indian soldiers who lost their lives during the world wars, at the Mazargues War Cemetery in Marseille,France.
• The Mazargues War Cemetery, which honors soldiers who died in both World War I (1914-18) and World War II (1939-45), contains 1,487 graves from World War I and 267 from World War II.
• In July 1925, Field Marshal Sir William Birdwood unveiled the Indian Memorial at the cemetery, which spans 9,021 square meters.
• Among the World War I burials, there are 993 Indian soldiers and 465 soldiers from the UK, while World War II burials include 199 from the UK, 43 from Canada, and others from various countries.
• Over 1.3 million Indian soldiers served during World War I, with around 138,000 deployed in Europe, where they fought valiantly in key battles such as the First Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle.”

Answer: C

• According to a report by German watch an environmental think tank, India ranks as the sixth-most affected country globally between 1993 and 2022, with 80,000 fatalities and economic losses totaling around USD 180 billion.
• This highlights the growing urgency of addressing climate change and its significant impact on vulnerable regions.”
• The Climate Risk Index (CRI)ranks countries based on their vulnerability to extreme weather events.
• It assesses the human and economic losses due to climate-induced disasters.
• The countries most impacted by climate change include Dominica, China, and Honduras, which ranked as the worst-affected nations. India, Myanmar, Italy, and Vanuatu are also among the top 10 most impacted countries
• The report stresses the disproportionate effects on nations in the Global South, where data collection often lacks comprehensiveness, hindering a full understanding of the crisis.”

Answer: B

• India’s advanced BrahMos cruise missile is set for a major upgrade, with the development of the BrahMos NG (Next Generation) missile system in its final stages. The missile is expected to make its first flight run in 2026, promising enhanced capabilities.”
• BrahMos NG is an advanced supersonic cruise missile developed through the India-Russia joint venture.
• It is a lighter and smaller version of its predecessor, the BrahMos Block III.
• The BrahMos NG retains the same 290 km range and Mach 3.5 speed as the Block III but is lighter (1.6 tonnes vs. 3 tonnes) and smaller (6m vs. 9m), making it more adaptable to various platforms, such as the Sukhoi-30MKI and Tejas fighter aircraft.
• The missile will feature a domestically developed AESA radar (Active Electronically Scanned Array), with the first test flight expected sometime between in 2025-26.
• India delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines in 2024 under a $375 million deal signed in 2022.
• Advanced negotiations are underway with Indonesia for a $450 million deal. Additionally, several countries in Africa and West Asia have shown interest in acquiring the BrahMos NG.

Answer: A

• The recent discovery of the Crocodile Catfish in the Bahini River, located in the Basistha locality of Guwahati, has raised alarm over potential ecological disruptions.
• Bahini-Bharalu river is mostly popular as Bharalu river.
• The Bharalu Riveris a tributary of the Brahmaputra River in the Indian state of Assam.
• The Bharalu River originates in the Khasi Hillsof Meghalaya and flows through the heart of Guwahati before its confluence with the Brahmaputra River.
• Bharalu river is one of the most polluted riversin the state of Assam.

Answer: B

• Recently, the government is considering reviving a concept shelved in 2021 to integrate the knowledge economy as a supplementary metric alongside gross domestic product (GDP).
• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) recently held a session on the “Conceptual Framework of GDKP Measurement.”
• The Gross Domestic Knowledge Product (GDKP) concept was initially proposed by Umberto Sulpasso of the University of Southern California and Prof. Jeff Cole.
• GDKP is a proposed metric designed to measure the knowledge generated and utilized within an economy, complementing GDP.
• It evaluates a nation’s growth and future prospects based on four key pillars: Knowledge Items (Ki), the Country’s Knowledge Producing Matrix (CKPM), the Country’s Knowledge User Matrix (CKUM), and the Cost of Learning.
• This initiative aims to quantify the role of knowledge, innovation, and intellectual assets in shaping India’s economic and social landscape.

Answer: A

• The 12th World Government Summit began in Dubai, UAE, on February 10, 2025.
• India was represented by Bhupender Yadav, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change.
• He took part in the High-Level Roundtable on the Future of Mobility and the XDGs 2045 Ministerial Roundtable session.
• It is an annual global gathering that brings together world leaders, policymakers, experts, and thought leaders from various fields to discuss and address pressing global issues.
• The theme of this year’s summit is “Shaping Future Governments.”
• The summit is organized by a non-governmental organization, also called the World Government Summit, which was created in 2013 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.
• WGS 2025 hosts multiple forums, including the Future of Work Forum, Artificial Intelligence Forum, and the Future of Mobility Forum. Each forum is designed to explore emerging trends and challenges in its respective sector.

Answer: C

• Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu recently laid the foundation for North India’s first 1-MW green hydrogen plant in Dabhota, Nalagarh tehsil of Solan, Himachal Pradesh.
• The plant, which will cost Rs 9.04 crore, is expected to produce 423 kg of green hydrogen daily using renewable energy.
• This initiative supports the state’s aim to become India’s first green energy state by March 2026.
• Developed by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) and Oil India Limited, the plant is set to be completed within a year.
• By using electrolysis with renewable energy, the plant will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote cleaner energy