CURRENT AFFAIRS
23 May, 2025
1. 16TH ASIATIC LION CENSUS 2025 –
• Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) population in Gujarat goes up from 674 to 891 in 5 years, according to the 16th census 2025 released by the Gujarat Forest Department.
What are the Key Findings of 16th Asiatic Lion Census 2025 ?
• Total Population: 891 Asiatic lions recorded in Gujarat, a 32.2% increase from 674 lions in 2020 (15th census).
• Population Distribution: 384 lions live inside protected forest and sanctuary areas. Lions in non-forested areas have risen from 340 in 2020 to 507 in 2025.
• 44.22% of the lion population now resides outside traditional protected habitats.
• Gir National Park and adjoining sanctuaries (Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, and Pania Wildlife Sanctuary) house 394 lions, forming the core population.
• Amreli district has the highest count with 257 lions, while Mityala Wildlife Sanctuary doubled its population to 32 lions.
• Barda Wildlife Sanctuary near Porbandar has become a newly established lion population area, with 17 lions recorded, the first since 1879.
• The 2025 census also identified new satellite populations around Jetpur and Babra-Jasdan.
2. MIZORAM: INDIA’S FIRST STATE TO ATTAIN FULL FUNCTIONAL LITERACY –
• Mizoram has exceeded the 95% literacy rate benchmark, achieving 98.20% literacy as per the PLFS Survey 2023-24, meeting the Ministry of Education’s criteria for full functional literacy under the ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society) programme.
• Prior to this, Ladakh was the first UT to be declared fully functionally literate.
• Note: Functional literacy refers to an individual’s capability to use reading, writing, and numerical skills in everyday tasks that contribute to personal growth and community participation.
What is ULLAS- Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram or New India Literacy Programme (NILP)?
• About: ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) is a centrally sponsored scheme being implemented from 2022 to 2027.
• It is designed to empower adults aged 15 years and above who missed out on formal schooling, in line with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• Implementation Mechanism: Encouraging volunteerism to foster social responsibility and a sense of duty, or ‘Kartavya Bodh’.
• Key Components: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Critical Life Skills, Basic Education, Vocational Skills, and Continuing Education.
• Key Features: Provides access to educational resources via the DIKSHA platform and ULLAS mobile/web portal, supporting content in regional languages.
• Includes the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT), conducted biannually or as required at local schools for assessment and certification.
3. ASSAM INTRODUCES ‘ANKITA’: INDIA’S FIRST AI NEWS ANCHOR IN REGIONAL LANGUAGE –
• On May 15, 2025, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma unveiled India’s first regional language AI news anchor, Ankita, to deliver Cabinet meeting highlights in Assamese via social media. This innovation reflects the increasing use of AI tools in governance and media while sparking debate over its implications for human employment.
Key Highlights
• Ankita is an AI-powered virtual anchor capable of delivering updates in Assamese.
• She made her debut by presenting highlights of the latest Assam Cabinet meeting.
Covered decisions included
• Renaming Dibrugarh Airport after Bhupen Hazarika.
• Approval of time grant for tea garden workers.
• Introduced via a video on CM Sarma’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
4. KONKAN RAILWAY SET TO MERGE WITH INDIAN RAILWAYS: WHAT IT MEANS –
• On May 23, 2025, it was reported that Maharashtra’s approval has cleared the final hurdle for the merger of KRCL with Indian Railways. The merger comes at a time when KRCL is facing financial difficulties and needs infrastructural and operational support.
• The Centre has agreed to Maharashtra’s conditions, including retaining the name “Konkan Railway” and reimbursing the state’s initial investment of ₹394 crore.
Background of Konkan Railway
• Established in 1990 as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under the Ministry of Railways.
• Operational since January 1998.
• Total route length: 741 km, connecting Roha (Maharashtra) to Mangaluru (Karnataka) and further to Kerala.
• Known for scenic beauty, complex terrain (91 tunnels and over 2,000 bridges), and strategic importance for coastal connectivity.
5. TRUMP UNVEILS $175 BILLION ‘GOLDEN DOME’: A SPACE-AGE MISSILE SHIELD FOR THE US –
• On May 20, 2025, President Trump officially unveiled the Golden Dome missile defense concept at the White House. This marks the first formal move toward space-based missile defense, involving orbital lasers and interceptors. The announcement comes amid rising global threats, including hypersonic and space-launched missile technologies being developed by Russia and China.
Objectives and Purpose
• To protect the US homeland from ballistic, hypersonic, and space-based missile threats.
• To build a multi-layered defense system with the ability to neutralize missiles during all phases of flight,
• Pre-launch
• Boost phase
• Midcourse
• Terminal phase
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. Which state has become the first fully literate state in India ?
a) Mizoram
b) Assam
c) Uttarakhand
d) Himachal Pradesh
Q2. Which city is the host of World Hydrogen Summit 2025 ?
a) New Delhi, India
b) Rotterdam, Netherlands
c) Geneva, Switzerland
d) Paris, France
Q3. The Shirui Lily Festival 2025 was held in which state ?
a) Tripura
b) Manipur
c) Assam
d) Mizoram
Q4. Consider the following statements about India’s crude oil imports:
1. Turkey is one of India’s top three suppliers of crude oil.
2. Azerbaijan contributes less than 1% to India’s total crude oil imports.
3. India is among the top buyers of crude oil from Azerbaijan.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation-
• India imports only a small percentage of its crude oil from Azerbaijan less than 1% of total imports yet is one of Azerbaijan’s top buyers, making the relationship asymmetrical.
• Turkey is not a major crude oil supplier to India. Top three crude oil importers of India include Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. Therefore, statement 1 is incorrect, while statements 2 and 3 are correct.
Q5. The ‘Unwilling or Unable’ doctrine in international law is primarily invoked to :
a) Compel a state to join international treaties against its will.
b) Justify humanitarian intervention in a state failing to protect its own population.
c) Allow a state to use force against non-state actors in another state’s territory if the host state cannot or will not suppress the threat.
d) Sanction states that are unwilling or unable to meet their financial contributions to the United Nations.
Explanation-
• The ‘Unwilling or Unable’ doctrine is a contested principle in international law that pertains to the right of self-defence. It posits that a state (State A) may be justified in using force in self-defence against non-state actors (NSAs), such as terrorist groups, located in the territory of another state (State B), if State B is either unwilling or unable to effectively suppress the threat posed by those NSAs.
• This doctrine seeks to address situations where the host state lacks the capacity or the will to prevent its territory from being used as a base for attacks against another state.
• It is controversial because it can be seen as infringing on the sovereignty of the host state. The United States has notably championed this doctrine.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
A | B | B | B | C |