CURRENT AFFAIRS 05 March 2025

CURRENT AFFAIRS

05 March, 2025

1.      THE 97TH OSCARS AWARDS (ACADEMY AWARDS) WERE HELD IN LOS ANGELES. FILM ‘ANORA’ BY SEAN BAKER SECURED THE MOST 5 OSCARS INCLUDING BEST FILM, BEST DIRECTOR, BEST ACTRESS, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY, AND BEST FILM EDITING –

2.      OBESITY EPIDEMIC IN INDIA –

•        A Lancet study predicts that by 2050, nearly a third of India’s population will be overweight or obese.

•        Definition- The Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) defines obesity as a chronic, relapsing, multifactorial neurobehavioral disease characterized by excessive body fat, leading to adipose tissue dysfunction and negative health effects.

•        It is officially classified as a disease by the World Health Organization (WHO).

•        Diagnosing Overweight and Obesity- BMI serves as an indicator of fatness, with additional measures like waist circumference aiding in a more accurate assessment of obesity.

•        Adults- Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 or higher, while obesity is a BMI of 30 or more.

•        Morbid obesity exists when BMI is more than or equal to 35.

•        Limitations of BMI- BMI does not distinguish between fat and muscle mass, making it an incomplete indicator of obesity.

•        It fails to reveal fat distribution, which is crucial for assessing health risks.

3.      INDIA’S FIRST RIVER DOLPHIN POPULATION SURVEY: KEY FINDINGS –

•        The first-ever comprehensive river dolphin population survey in India, conducted between 2021 and 2023, has revealed a total of 6,327 river dolphins in the country.

•        The survey, covering the Ganga and Brahmaputra river basins and the Beas river, was conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) along with state forest departments and several non-profit organizations.

•        The findings were announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 7th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife at Gir National Park.

•        Total Dolphin Population: 6,327 (6,324 Gangetic dolphins + 3 Indus river dolphins).

•        Survey Conducted by: Wildlife Institute of India (WII), state forest departments of Punjab, UP, Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and organizations like Aaranyak, WWF, Turtle Survival Alliance, and Wildlife Trust of India.

•        Survey Duration: 2021-2023

•        Total Distance Surveyed: 8,406 km (Ganga & Brahmaputra basins) + 101 km (Beas river).

•        Project Dolphin: Launched by PM Modi on August 15, 2020, to enhance conservation efforts.

4.      PM MODI INAUGURATES VANTARA, AN ANIMAL RESCUE AND CONSERVATION CENTRE IN GUJARAT-

•        Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated Vantara, an advanced animal rescue, conservation, and rehabilitation center in Gujarat’s Jamnagar district. The event was attended by Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita Ambani, their son Anant Ambani, and daughter-in-law Radhika Merchant.

•        During his visit, PM Modi explored the state-of-the-art facilities, interacted with rehabilitated animals, and observed medical procedures at the center’s wildlife hospital. His visit emphasized the importance of wildlife conservation and India’s efforts to protect endangered species.

5.      LANCET: 1 IN 3 INDIANS COULD BE OBESE BY 2050 –

•        A new study published in The Lancet predicts a significant rise in obesity in India, with nearly 44.9 crore people (21.8 crore men and 23.1 crore women) expected to be overweight or obese by 2050.

•        This accounts for almost one-third of India’s projected population. The study also highlights a global crisis, estimating that by 2050, over half of all adults and a third of children will be overweight or obese.

MCQ QUIZ

Q1.  Which ministry has launched Swavalambini initiative to promote women entrepreneurship in India ?

          a) Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

          b) Ministry of Women and Child Development

          c) Ministry of Finance

          d) Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Q2.  Manikaran pilgrimage site, which was seen in news, lies in which state ?

          a) Punjab

          b) Uttarakhand

          c) Haryana

          d) Himachal Pradesh

Q3.  Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary is located in which state ?

          a) Maharashtra

          b) Uttar Pradesh

          c) Madhya Pradesh

          d) Gujarat

Q4.  Consider the following statements:

          1. Recently, 30th International mother language day was observed at UNESCO head quarter in Paris.

          2. International mother language day observed each years on 21 February.

          3. The first international mother language day was celebrated February 21, 2000.

          How many statements are correct ?

          a) Only 1

          b) Only 2

          c) All three

          d) None

Explanation-

•        Statement 1 is incorrect: Recently, 25th International mother language day was observed at UNESCO head quarter in Paris, to celebrate the contribution of mother language in promotion of educational and cultural values in the society.

•        Statement 2 is correct. International mother language day observed each years on 21 February.

•        Statement 3 is correct. The first International Mother Language Day was celebrated on February 21, 2000, after it was established in 1999 by UNESCO. The day was created to promote multilingualism, cultural diversity, and the preservation of languages.

Q5.  What is India’s ranking in the global digital economy ?

          a) 1st

          b) 3rd

          c) 10th

          d) 28th

Explanation-

•        India is the third-largest economy in the world, but its digital user ranking is 28th due to a significant gap between the country’s overall digital infrastructure and its accessibility to the average citizen.

Answer Key