Weekly Current Affairs Test : 8th to 14th April 2025

A rare long-snouted vine snake called Ahaetulla longirostris was recently rediscovered during a rhino release at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh. This is the first sighting in Uttar Pradesh and only the second in India, with the first being in Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar. The snake’s usual habitat is in Southeast Asia, and it was also spotted earlier in parts of Odisha. It belongs to the Colubridae family, mostly made up of non-venomous snakes, and has a long green or brown slender body for camouflage. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve lies on the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, and includes Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, and nearby forest areas.

The five-day Madhavpur Ghed fair organized in Madhavpur, Porbandar district, Gujarat, celebrating the divine union of Dwarikadhish Shri Krishna and Rukshmani ji. It promotes cultural unity between Western and Northeastern India under the vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (One India, Great India) launched by the Prime Minister. More than 1600 artists from Northeast states and Gujarat presents cultural performances.

A new study by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has used Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) barcoding to correctly identify blackfly species that spread river blindness. River blindness, also called Onchocerciasis, is caused by the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus and spreads through the bite of infected blackflies of the genus Simulium. These blackflies breed near fast-flowing rivers and streams and mainly affect people in rural and remote areas. The disease causes severe skin itching, skin damage, and in serious cases, permanent blindness. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies river blindness as a major Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), especially in sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen, and Latin America.

The Ministry of Finance is launching the One State-One Regional Rural Bank (RRB) policy to improve efficiency and cut costs by reducing RRBs from 43 to 28. This is part of the fourth phase of RRB consolidation, with 15 RRBs set to be merged across several states. Andhra Pradesh, with four RRBs, will see major restructuring, while Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, each with three RRBs, will also undergo consolidation. States like Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan, each having two RRBs, will see mergers. RRBs were created under the Regional Rural Bank Act, 1976 to support rural credit for farmers, artisans, and workers.

India’s Hitesh Gulia won the gold medal in the men’s 70 kilogram category at the World Boxing Cup 2025 held in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. He fought in the red corner and defeated Odel Kamara of England in the final match. Indian boxer Abhinash Jamwal secured the silver medal in the men’s 65 kilogram category after losing to Yuri Reis of Brazil with a score of 0-5. Earlier, Manish Rathore won the bronze medal in the men’s 55 kilogram category, adding to India’s medal tally at the international tournament.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating the 7th edition of Poshan Pakhwada from April 8th to 22nd, 2025. It aims to raise awareness about nutrition and promote healthy eating habits through public participation and involvement. The themes include focusing on the first 1000 days of life, promoting the Beneficiary/Citizen Module of Poshan Tracker, managing malnutrition through Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), and addressing obesity in children.

China has launched the “Three Gorges Antarctic Eye,” a 3.2-metre aperture radio and millimetre-wave telescope at Zhongshan Station in Antarctica. It is designed to study interstellar gas like hydrogen and ammonia and to explore star formation in deep space. The telescope can operate in Antarctica’s extreme cold and strong winds, making it a major engineering success. It builds on China’s earlier Antarctic Survey Telescopes (AST3) projects. The telescope was developed by China Three Gorges University and Shanghai Normal University to boost China’s space science research.

Ancient relics around 2,000 years old from the Megalithic Period were discovered in Manimoola village, Bandadukka, Kerala. A Megalith is a large stone used in building prehistoric monuments, either by itself or with other stones. These structures were made for burial purposes, called sepulchral, and for commemorative rituals, called non-sepulchral. Most Megaliths in India belong to the Iron Age, which lasted from 1500 BCE to 500 BCE. Some megalithic sites in India are even older and go back to 2000 BCE, showing a long history of early human settlements.

POEM-4, or PSLV Orbital Experiment Module-4, recently re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and fell into the Indian Ocean, as tracked by ISRO’s IS4OM (System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations Management). It is a space research platform developed by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) using the spent fourth stage (PS4) of the PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) rocket as an orbiting lab. POEM-4 is part of the SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission and is the fourth in the POEM series, after POEM-3. It has three times more payload capacity than POEM-3, showing major progress in reusing rocket stages for science.

Mount Kanlaon, a stratovolcano in north-central Negros Island, Philippines, recently erupted, sending a 4,000-metre ash plume into the sky. It is the highest mountain on Negros and the 42nd tallest island peak in the world. It is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines. The volcano has multiple pyroclastic cones and craters, including a northern caldera with a crater lake and a smaller, active southern crater. Its base covers 30 km by 14 km, made of lava flows, lahar, airfall tephra, and pyroclastic deposits. It supports rich biodiversity and serves as a water source for major rivers on Negros Island. Since 1866, eruptions have mostly been small phreatic explosions with light ashfall nearby.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh launched the first-ever Himalayan High-Altitude Atmospheric and Climate Centre in Nathatop, Chenani, Udhampur district, Jammu and Kashmir. This new centre will provide accurate climate and weather forecasts for the Himalayan region. It will also focus on research and study of the region’s unique high-altitude weather conditions. The project is supported by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India. It aims to improve climate monitoring and disaster preparedness in the Himalayan belt.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) notified the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme to boost India’s global position in electronics manufacturing. The scheme is horizontal, covering consumer electronics, medical devices, automobiles, power electronics, and grids for wider economic impact. It supports passive components like resistors, capacitors, relays, sensors, and more; active components are covered by the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). The scheme offers three types of incentives: turnover-linked, capital expenditure (capex)-linked, and hybrid models.

The Registrar General of India (RGI) has warned government and private hospitals for not reporting births and deaths on time, which is legally required. The Registrar General of India (RGI) is a permanent body under the Ministry of Home Affairs, created in 1949 by the Government of India. It is headed by the Registrar General and Ex-Officio Census Commissioner, usually a Joint Secretary-rank officer. The RGI manages the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969, to ensure accurate civil registration. It also conducts the Census of India, providing data on population size, growth, and characteristics. Along with the Census, the RGI handles demographic and language surveys across the country.

World Homeopathy Day, observed on April 10, marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. The day honors homeopathy’s contributions to medicine and raises awareness about this alternative healing system. Homeopathy is based on the principle of “like cures like,” using highly diluted natural substances to stimulate the body’s healing abilities. In India, the Ministry of AYUSH observes the day to promote awareness and research in homeopathy. World Homeopathy Day emphasizes homeopathy’s natural healing methods, minimal side effects, and its integration into mainstream healthcare.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) to measure the development of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) in line with Localized Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs). Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) assesses progress across nine themes like poverty-free, healthy, child-friendly, water-sufficient, clean and green, women-friendly, and well-governed Panchayats. Gujarat leads with 346 Front Runner Gram Panchayats, followed by Telangana with 270. Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2022–23 shows 699 GPs as Front Runners, 77,298 as Performers, 1,32,392 as Aspirants, and 5,896 at Beginner level. The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) uses 435 indicators aligned with the National Indicator Framework (NIF) by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).

The 9th Global Technology Summit was inaugurated in New Delhi by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on 10 April 2025. It is a three-day event from 10 to 12 April and is India’s main platform to discuss geo-technology. The Global Technology Summit brings together leaders from government, industry, academia, and civil society from India and other countries. They discuss how technology is changing and how it affects global politics. The summit aims to build a shared approach that supports innovation while addressing everyone’s concerns. The theme of this edition is “Sambhavna,” which means possibility.

The Government of India launched the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in 2025 to reduce import dependence and promote self-reliance in critical minerals. The mission supports India’s clean energy goals by ensuring a steady supply of key raw materials. Critical minerals are important for making modern technologies like batteries, electronics, and renewable energy systems. These minerals are also vital for national security and economic development. They are called “critical” because their supply is limited or controlled by few countries, creating risks. Their importance can change over time based on new technologies and global supply-demand shifts.

A study in Madagascar found that hantavirus is carried only by black rats, also called Rattus rattus, in rural areas. These rats came from Asia and were introduced to Madagascar between the 10th and 14th centuries, spreading widely since then. Researchers tested around 2,000 animals, but no native rodents, bats, or other small animals had the virus. Hantavirus is a rare but deadly virus spread by infected rodents. It transmits through contact with rodent urine, feces, or saliva, mainly through air particles or direct contact. Human-to-human spread is extremely rare, so environmental exposure is the key risk.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), led by the Prime Minister, approved a ₹63,000-crore deal to buy 26 Rafale-M fighter jets from France for the Indian Navy. Earlier, India planned to buy 126 jets under the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender in 2007, but it was cancelled in 2015. A 2016 deal brought 36 Rafale jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF), delivered from 2019 to 2022. The new deal includes 22 Rafale-M single-seater jets for aircraft carriers and 4 twin-seater trainers for practice. These jets will fly from INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant. Rafale is a 4.5 generation, twin-engine, delta-wing, multirole fighter made by Dassault Aviation. It can fly at Mach 1.8 and has a combat range of over 1000 kilometers, useful for various missions like air combat, ground attacks, and naval strikes.

The National Tribal Youth Festival is celebrated in Mizoram at the State Tribal Resource Centre, Kelsih, near Aizawl, starting from April 8. It is a four-day festival held to mark the 150th birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. The festival aims to honour tribal heroes and inspire patriotism among the youth and the general public. Top Mizo artists and members of the Mizo Zaimi Insuikhawm (MZI) are performing at the event. Cultural shows by the Mizo Cultural Organisation and other groups showcase a “Mosaic of Cultures.” Artists like Imnainla Jamir from Nagaland and Vawnchawi Vaiphei from Manipur are also part of the celebrations.

The Hyderabad City Security Council (HCSC) hosts the second edition of the STREE (Safety, Training, Respect, Empowerment and Equality) Summit to empower women in safety and security. The summit aims to tackle key safety challenges faced by women and promote a culture of respect, equality, and empowerment. The event includes panel discussions, keynote speeches, and workshops. Experts like lawyers, journalists, and health professionals will share insights to improve women’s safety and support their entrepreneurship.

Health authorities in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, have issued a public alert after a rise in Legionnaires’ disease cases in Sydney, raising fears of contamination in air conditioning systems. Legionnaires’ disease is a serious lung infection caused by Legionella bacteria, usually found in natural water bodies but can also grow in man-made systems like cooling towers. The bacteria can lead to two illnesses: Legionnaires’ disease, a severe pneumonia, and Pontiac fever, a mild flu-like illness. Common symptoms include cough, fever, muscle pain, shortness of breath, and sometimes confusion or diarrhea. It spreads by inhaling contaminated water droplets, not from person to person. There is no vaccine, but antibiotic treatment is effective once diagnosed.

Recently, bioluminescent blue waves appeared in the backwaters of Kochi, Kerala, drawing tourists but causing concerns about environmental degradation among ecologists and fishers. Bioluminescence is the natural light produced by organisms like bacteria, fungi, and algae when coastal waters are disturbed. The main cause of this glow is Noctiluca scintillans, a type of plankton known as “sea sparkle”. This glow happens due to chemical reactions in parts called scintillons, and it is usually blue but can appear red or brown depending on the plankton’s concentration. The phenomenon is most commonly seen between March and May, known locally as “Kavaru” in Malayalam.

World Parkinson’s Day is observed every year on April 11 to spread awareness about Parkinson’s Disease, a brain disorder that worsens over time and affects movement and coordination. The day was established in 1997 by Parkinson’s Europe and the World Health Organization (WHO) to honour Dr. James Parkinson, who first described the disease in 1817. Parkinson’s Disease affects over 10 million people globally, with nearly 1 million cases in India. The 2025 theme focuses on early diagnosis, understanding symptoms, and managing lifestyle for better outcomes.

India recently showcased the BM-04 missile at the Vigyan Vaibhav 2025 defense exhibition in Hyderabad, highlighting its growing strength in conventional counterforce weapons. The BM-04 is a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is 10.2 meters long, 1.2 meters in diameter, weighs 11,500 kg, and carries a 500 kg conventional warhead. With a range of 1,500 km and 30-meter circular error probability (CEP), it uses a two-stage solid-fuel system. It is canisterized and launched from a six-wheel indigenous transport erector launcher (TEL). It features a Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) for evasive flight paths and can be upgraded regularly to face evolving threats.

The Government of India has granted Geographical Indication (GI) tags to Ryndia Silk and Khasi Handloom from Meghalaya, boosting their cultural identity, legal protection, and market reach. Ryndia Silk is hand-spun, naturally dyed, and organically made, linked to Umden-Diwon, Meghalaya’s first Eri Silk Village. Khasi Handloom showcases the Khasi community’s rich weaving tradition using natural dyes. The GI tag was officially granted with support from the Meghalaya Textiles Department, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Dr. Rajnikanth, and the Meghalaya Ryndia Producers Association.

Dozens of small earthquakes have been shaking Mount Spurr, raising concerns that the 11,000-foot volcano in Alaska, United States, may erupt soon. Mount Spurr is a snow- and ice-covered stratovolcano located about 100 kilometers west of Anchorage in the Cook Inlet region, United States. It lies at the southern edge of a gap in the Alaska Range and is mostly made of andesite rock. The volcano includes a lava dome, a breached stratovolcano, and the Crater Peak vent, a small volcanic cone. It has a 3,000-meter elevation with a 5×6 km caldera, formed after a crater collapse 10,000 years ago creating Chakachamna Lake. The caldera holds an active icefield and many glaciers. Mount Spurr last erupted in 1992, causing major ashfall and disrupting air travel.

The Madhya Pradesh government has declared 258.64 square kilometers of forest in Sagar district as a wildlife sanctuary named Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Abhyaran, ahead of Dr B R Ambedkar’s 134th birth anniversary on April 14. The sanctuary spans across North Sagar forest division, including Banda and Shahgarh forest areas. This makes it the 25th wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, a state known for its rich tiger reserves. The sanctuary will support wildlife conservation, strengthen the ecosystem, and also boost tourism and create employment for local communities.

Industrial output grew by only 2.9% in February 2025, the slowest in six months and below the market expectation of 4%. The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) measures short-term changes in industrial production and is published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). The current base year is 2011–12 to reflect the modern industrial structure.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted release trials of the Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB) named Gaurav. Gaurav is a 1,000-kg class bomb developed indigenously by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad. It is a glide bomb without an engine, designed to travel long distances using wings and momentum after release from a high-flying aircraft. This allows safe and precise attacks while keeping aircraft out of enemy radar and air defence range. The project saw collaboration with private firms like Adani Defence Systems, Bharat Forge, and various Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).