Daily Current Affairs Quiz: May 16, 2025

May 16, 2025

National Dengue Day is observed on 16 May in India. Which of the following statements about its 2025 theme and objectives is/are correct?
1. The 2025 theme is “Act Early, Stop Dengue: Clean Environment, Healthy Life.”
2. It is organized by the World Health Organization in collaboration with UNICEF.
3. It aims to promote awareness about dengue prevention particularly before the monsoon season.
Options :

(A) 1 only
(B) 1 and 3 only
(C) 2 and 3 only
(D) 1, 2 and 3

Show Answer

Answer: B

Observed annually on May 16.

Aim :to raise awareness about dengue fever and its prevention.

Key Points:

Organized By: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Theme for 2025: “Act Early, Stop Dengue: Clean Environment, Healthy Life.”
Purpose: To promote awareness about dengue prevention, early detection, and control measures, especially before the onset of the monsoon season.

The International Day of Light (16 May) commemorates the first successful operation of the laser in 1960. Which UN body proclaimed this observance, and what is its primary purpose?

(A) UNESCO; to celebrate advances in renewable energy technologies.
(B) UNDP; to highlight the role of sunlight in climate adaptation.
(C) UNESCO; to emphasize the importance of light in science, culture, art, education and sustainable development.
(D) UNGA; to promote awareness of optical telecommunications.

Show Answer

Answer: C

Celebrated on May 16 each year.

Aim : to commemorate the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist Theodore Maiman.

Key Points:

Organized By: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Purpose: To highlight the role of light in science, culture, art, education, and sustainable development.

National Endangered Species Day (third Friday of May) in the U.S. was established by:

(A) U.S. Congress in 2006 to promote awareness of species protection under the Endangered Species Act.
(B) IUCN in 1998 to highlight the Red List and habitat conservation.
(C) UNEP in 2010 to coincide with World Biodiversity Day.
(D) U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 2001 to launch captive-breeding programs.

Show Answer

Answer: A

Observed annually on the third Friday of May, which falls on May 16 in 2025.

Aim : to raise awareness about the importance of protecting endangered species.

Key Points:

Established By: United States Congress in 2006.
Purpose: To educate the public about the need to protect endangered species and their habitats.

At the Archery World Cup Stage 2 (Shanghai, May 2025), India’s medal tally included:
1. Two golds, one silver, and four bronzes.
2. Deepika Kumari’s 18th World Cup medal, a bronze in Women’s Recurve.
3. Gold in the Men’s Recurve Team event.
4. First senior-level individual medal for Parth Salunkhe, a bronze in Men’s Recurve.
Which combination is correct?

(A) 1, 2 and 4 only
(B) 1, 3 and 4 only
(C) 2 and 4 only
(D) All of the above

Show Answer

Answer: A

Current Context: At the Archery World Cup Stage 2 held in Shanghai in May 2025, India secured a total of seven medals, including two golds, one silver, and four bronzes.

Notably, Deepika Kumari clinched her 18^th World Cup medal, and Parth Salunkhe earned his first senior-level bronze, highlighting India’s growing prowess in archery.

Key Highlights:

Total Medals: 7 (2 Gold, 1 Silver, 4 Bronze)
Individual Achievements:
- Deepika Kumari won bronze in Women’s Individual Recurve.
- Parth Salunkhe secured bronze in Men’s Individual Recurve.
Team Success: India’s men’s compound team clinched gold.

Consider the following statements regarding the Chief Justice of India (CJI):
1. Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai is the first Dalit and the first Buddhist to be appointed as the Chief Justice of India.
2. Article 124(2) of the Constitution provides for the appointment of the CJI by the President of India.
3. The tenure of the Chief Justice of India is fixed at six years from the date of appointment.
4. The office of the CJI is covered under the Right to Information Act, 2005.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 1 and 4 only
(C) 2 and 4 only
(D) 1, 2, and 3 only

Show Answer

Answer: C

Current Context: Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn in as the 52^nd Chief Justice of India (CJI), becoming the first Buddhist and only the second Dalit to hold this esteemed position.

About Justice B.R. Gavai:

Birth and Early Life: Born on November 24, 1960, in Amravati, Maharashtra.
Judicial Career:
- Appointed as a judge of the Bombay High Court in 2003.
- Elevated to the Supreme Court in 2019.
Notable Contributions:
- Authored approximately 300 judgments, including landmark verdicts on Article 370 and demonetization.
Tenure as CJI: Will serve until November 23, 2025.

Constitutional Provisions:

Article 124(1): Establishes the Supreme Court of India, comprising the CJI and up to 33 other judges.
Article 124(2): Provides for the appointment of the CJI by the President.
Tenure: CJI serves until the age of 65 years.
Oath: Administered by the President of India.
First CJI: Harilal J. Kania.
Transparency: The office of the CJI falls under the purview of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

Buddhavanam in Telangana, visited by Miss World delegates in 2025, exemplifies India’s “Buddhist Circuit” initiative. Which features does it include?

(A) Jataka Park, depicting Buddha’s previous births.
(B) A Grand Chaitya Hall housing relics of the Buddha.
(C) Dhyana Vanam for meditation and the Maha Stupa.
(D) Both A and C

Show Answer

Answer: D

Current Context: The contestants of Miss World 2025 from 22 countries visited Buddhavanam, a Buddhist theme park in Telangana, to celebrate Buddha Purnima.

About Buddhavanam:

Location: Situated on the northern bank of the Krishna River in Nalgonda district, Telangana.
Area: Spans 279 acres.
Features:
- Buddhacharitha Vanam: Depicts the life of Buddha.
- Jataka Park: Showcases stories from Buddha’s previous lives.
- Dhyana Vanam: Dedicated space for meditation.
- Stupa Vanam: Houses the imposing Maha Stupa.
- Buddhist Heritage Museum: Exhibits Buddhist artifacts and teachings.
Significance: Part of the Government of India’s initiative to develop an integrated Buddhist Circuit to attract domestic and international tourists, especially from Southeast Asia.

According to GRID 2025, which of the following statements about internal displacement are correct?
1. Total IDPs globally at end-2024 were 83.4 million.
2. India recorded 5.4 million disaster-related displacements in 2024.
3. Conflict-related displacements globally numbered 9.8 million.
4. Disaster displacements accounted for roughly 25% of global IDPs in the United States.
Choose the correct combination:

(A) 1 and 2 only
(B) 1, 2 and 4 only
(C) 2 and 3 only
(D) 1, 3 and 4 only

Show Answer

Answer: B

Current Context: Recently, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) released the Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID 2025), providing updated figures on people forced to flee within their own countries.

About Internal Displacement:

Definition: When people are compelled to leave their homes due to conflict, violence, or disasters, yet remain within national borders.
Terminology:
- IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons): Individuals experiencing internal displacement.
- Excluded: Those who cross international borders (refugees).

Relevant Data :

Total IDPs (end-2024):4 million globally
- Conflict & violence: 73.5 million
- Disasters: 9.8 million
Disaster Displacements: 25 percent occurred in the United States.
India’s Figures (2024):
- Conflict-related: 1,700 displacements
- Disaster-related: 5.4 million displacements

Maalvika Pathania’s appointment as national chairperson of INTACH’s Chapters Division Advisory Committee underscores INTACH’s:

(A) Role in safeguarding India’s intangible cultural heritage alone.
(B) Founding in the early 2000s as a government body.
(C) Network of over 2,000 chapters for heritage conservation.
(D) Exclusive focus on natural heritage conservation.

Show Answer

Answer: C

Current Context: Maalvika Pathania, former chairperson of the Himachal Pradesh Women Commission, has been appointed as the new chairperson of the Chapters Division Advisory Committee of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

About INTACH:

Establishment: Founded in 1984.
Objective: Dedicated to the awareness, conservation, and preservation of India’s diverse natural, built, and intangible heritage.
Structure: Operates through more than 2,000 chapters across India.
Significance: One of the world’s largest heritage organizations, leading numerous initiatives in heritage conservation over the past four decades.

The world’s first commercial-scale e-methanol plant was inaugurated in which country?

(A) Germany
(B) Denmark
(C) Sweden
(D) Norway

Show Answer

Answer: B

Current Context: On 15 May 2025, Denmark’s Green Fuel Technology inaugurated the world’s first commercial-scale e-methanol plant in Fredericia, marking a milestone in low-carbon fuel production for shipping and industry.

About e-Methanol:

Definition: A carbon-neutral fuel produced by combining green hydrogen (from water electrolysis powered by renewables) with captured CO₂ (from flue gases or direct air capture).
Production Steps:
1. Green H₂ Generation: Water electrolysis using wind or solar power.
2. CO₂ Capture: Sourced from industrial emissions or ambient air.
3. Methanol Synthesis: Reacting H₂ and CO₂ in a catalytic reactor under pressure to form CH₃OH.
Benefits:
1. Infrastructure-compatible: Can use existing methanol distribution and engine systems.
2. Stable & Storeable: Liquid at room temperature and pressure.
3. Versatile Feedstock: Can be converted into DME, gasoline, kerosene.
Applications:
1. Shipping: As a marine fuel to reduce GHGs.
2. Road & Air Transport: Via methanol-derived fuels.
Challenges:
1. Cost Premium: Higher than fossil methanol due to renewable electricity prices.
2. Scale-up Needs: Further efficiency improvements required.

‘Methanol Economy’ Program in India (NITI Aayog):

Aim: Cut oil imports, lower GHG emissions, and convert coal/biomass and MSW into methanol.
Feedstocks: High-ash coal, agricultural residues, CO₂ from power plants, natural gas.
Economic Impact:
- Employment: ~5 million jobs across production and distribution.
- Savings: ₹6,000 crore annually by blending 20% DME (a methanol derivative) into LPG.

India’s largest Conservation Reserve by area, Tsarap Chu (Spiti), was notified in 2025. Which of the following species and boundaries are correctly associated?
1. Snow leopard as the flagship species.
2. Confluence of the Spiti and Beas rivers as the location.
3. Bounded on the west by Chandratal Wildlife Sanctuary.
4. Presence of bharal (blue sheep) and Tibetan wolf.
Options :

(A) 1 and 4 only
(B) 1, 3 and 4 only
(C) 2, 3 and 4 only
(D) All four

Show Answer

Answer: B

Current Context: he Himachal Pradesh Government notified the Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve in Spiti Valley, making it India’s largest conservation reserve by area.

About Tsarap Chu:

Location: Confluence of the Unam River and Charap Nala in Spiti, bordering Ladakh to the north.
Boundaries:
- East: Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary up to Malang Nala & Lungar Lungpa
- South: Kabjima Nala
- West: Chandratal Wildlife Sanctuary

Flora & Fauna:

Flagship Species: Snow leopard (“ghost of the mountains”).
Other Mammals: Tibetan wolf, bharal (blue sheep), Himalayan ibex, kiang, Tibetan argali.
Birdlife: Rosefinch, Tibetan raven, and other high-altitude species.