Daily Current Affairs Quiz: September 13, 2025

Answer: b

Celebrated every year on 13 September.

• Aim : To commemorate the birth of Milton S. Hershey — American chocolatier, businessman, and philanthropist who founded the Hershey Chocolate Company.
• Celebrated to honour the cultural and economic impact of chocolate worldwide.
• Established by the S. National Confectioners Association.

Answer: c

Current Context: Kerala’s maternal mortality ratio has risen from 18 to 30 per 100,000 live births as per the Sample Registration System (SRS) 2021–2023 bulletin.

• This rise is linked to COVID-19-related maternal deaths and demographic shifts, though Kerala still shares the lowest MMR in India (along with Andhra Pradesh).

ABOUT MMR TRENDS IN KERALA

• Earlier stable at 30–32 per 100,000 live births from 2014 to 2019.
• Spike to 51 in 2021-22 due to 220 maternal deaths linked to COVID-19.
• Now stabilised at 30, though higher than 18 reported previously.

DECLINING LIVE BIRTHS & ITS IMPACT

• Annual live births declined from 5–5.5 lakh earlier to below 4 lakh now.
• 3,93,231 live births in 2023, expected to drop to ~3.54 lakh in 2024-25.
• MMR = (Maternal Deaths ÷ Live Births) × 100,000 → fewer births make the ratio more sensitive to each death.

DEFINITION & CLASSIFICATION OF MATERNAL MORTALITY

• MMR = Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
• Maternal death = Death during pregnancy or within 42 days after termination, from causes related to pregnancy or its management (not accidents).
• ICD codes: O00–O96, O98, O99, A34.
• ICD-11 (2022) updated terminology but statistics remain comparable.

RELATED TERMS

• Live birth: Any baby showing signs of life at birth, regardless of gestation.
• Late maternal death: Death after 42 days but within 1 year post-pregnancy.
• ICD-11 combines early and late maternal deaths as comprehensive maternal deaths.

Answer: b

Current Context: The Union government has licensed five Indian firms to manufacture and commercialise AdFalciVax, India’s first indigenous multi-stage malaria vaccine, developed by ICMR.

ABOUT ADFALCIVAX

• Type: Recombinant chimeric multi-stage vaccine
• Target: Blocks infection and transmission of Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite
• Developed by: ICMR–RMRC Bhubaneswar with support from ICMR–NIMR (Delhi) and NII (Delhi)

SIGNIFICANCE

• India bears 4% of global malaria cases and 66% of Southeast Asia’s burden
• Supports Atmanirbhar Bharat in health R&D
• Reduces dependence on imported vaccines
• Supports India’s Malaria Elimination Goal 2030

Answer: b

Current Context: Ethiopia inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) — Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam, despite Egypt protesting at the UN citing water security threats.

ABOUT GERD

• Location: Blue Nile River, near Guba in Ethiopia (~30 km from Sudan)
• Started: 2011 by Ethiopia
• Purpose: Power generation, national development, regional energy trade
• Height: ~170 m
• Length: ~2 km
• Reservoir Capacity: 74 billion cubic metres
• Flooded Area: ~1,874 km²
• Power Capacity: 5,150–6,450 MW (largest in Africa)
• Designed to trap ~100 years’ worth of sediment inflow

ABOUT BLUE NILE RIVER

• Known as Abay River in Ethiopia
• Length: ~1,460 km
• Origin: Lake Tana (Ethiopian Highlands, ~1,800 m elevation)
• Flows through Ethiopia → Sudan → joins White Nile at Khartoum
• Provides ~70–85% of Nile’s total flow
• Major tributaries: Dinder River, Rahad River

Answer: a

Current Context: The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) launched two key schemes to expand social security and simplify compliance for industries.

SPREE-2025

• Full Form: Scheme for Promoting Registration of Employers and Employees
• Validity: Up to 31 December 2025
• Key Features:
  • Allows unregistered employers/employees to enrol via ESI Portal, Shram Suvidha Portal, or Company Affairs Portal
  • No demand for old dues during registration
  • Coverage starts from registration date or declared earlier date
  • Immediate ESI benefits to newly registered employees
• Objective: Promote voluntary registration, reduce litigation, build trust, and simplify compliance

AMNESTY SCHEME-2025

• Duration: 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026
• Purpose: One-time settlement of pending disputes related to damages, interest, and coverage under ESI Act
• Benefits:
  • Dispute resolution and compliance improvement
  • Reduces lawsuits and ensures uninterrupted social security benefits
• Goal: Provide legal relief to industries and expand ESI coverage to more workers

Answer: b

Current Context: Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh virtually flagged off ‘Samudra Pradakshina’ on 11 September 2025 from Mumbai — the world’s first Tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition.

 ABOUT SAMUDRA PRADAKSHINA

• Type: First-ever Tri-Service (Army, Navy, Air Force) all-women sailing circumnavigation expedition.
• Vessel: Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni – indigenously built.
• Team: 10 women officers from Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Route & Duration:
  • Will sail ~26,000 nautical miles on an easterly route.
  • Will cross Equator twice and round the three Great Capes: Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn, and Cape of Good Hope.
  • Will cover all major oceans including the Southern Ocean and the Drake Passage.
  • Expedition will last 9 months (Sep 2025–May 2026) with 4 international port calls.
• Scientific Component:
  • Will conduct research with National Institute of Oceanography (NIO).
  • Study microplastics, document ocean life, and raise awareness on marine health.
• Norms: Will follow World Sailing Speed Record Council rules — must cross all longitudes, equator, and complete >21,600 nautical miles under sail alone (no canal or engine use).
• Challenge: Rounding Cape Horn in Southern Ocean (Dec 2025–Feb 2026) — considered the toughest test of seamanship.
• Indian Navy all-women circumnavigation expeditions on INSV Tarini.

Answer: a

Current Context: The 48th Annual Conference on Oceans Law & Policy (COLP48) was hosted for the first time in the Indian subcontinent, with participation from governments, international agencies, and maritime experts.

ABOUT COLP48

• Theme: Developing World Approaches to Ocean Governance: Perspectives from the Indian Ocean Rim
• Organisers:
  • Stockton Center for International Law (U.S. Naval War College)
  • Gujarat Maritime University
  • Supported by India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences
  • Traditionally organised by Center for Oceans Law & Policy, University of Virginia (USA)

INDIA’S 5 PRIORITY AREAS FOR OCEAN GOVERNANCE

• Ensure livelihood & food security through sustainable fisheries.
• Deepen regional cooperation among Indian Ocean Rim nations based on South-South solidarity.
• Blend traditional knowledge and participatory governance with modern science.
• Promote climate resilience & ecosystem-based approaches for biodiversity protection.
• Mobilise innovative finance & build research and technology capacity.

ABOUT INDIAN OCEAN

• Covers ~1/5th of world ocean area.
• Boundaries:
  • North: Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh
  • East: Malay Peninsula, Sunda Islands (Indonesia), Australia
  • South: Southern Ocean
  • West: Africa, Arabian Peninsula

Answer: c

Current Context: ISRO signed an agreement with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to transfer technology for Small Satellite Launch Vehicles (SSLV) production.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Marks a major step in industry participation in space sector.
• This is the 100th technology transfer facilitated by INSPACe (space sector promoter).
• ISRO will complete the transfer process within 24 months, with training and technical support to HAL.
• HAL will then be able to independently build and sell SSLVs in domestic and international markets.

ABOUT SSLV

• Type: 3-stage, all-solid fuel launch vehicle
• Payload: Up to 500 kg into Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
• Purpose:
  • Quick turnaround, on-demand launches
  • Industry-friendly production design
  • Targeted at global small satellite launch market