CURRENT AFFAIRS
18 January, 2025
1. 2025 AS INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF GLACIERS’ PRESERVATION –
• The United Nations will observe 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, with 21st March marked annually as World Day for Glaciers starting in 2025.
• Glaciers are large, slow-moving masses of ice formed from compacted snow over centuries. They form on land and move due to gravity, slowly moving downward.
• Historical Context: Most glaciers today are remnants of the massive ice sheets that covered Earth during the Ice Age (around 10,000 years ago).
• During Earth’s history, there have been glacial periods (or ice ages) when glaciers formed and interglacial periods when glaciers melted.
• Global Distribution: Most glaciers are found in polar regions such as Greenland, the Canadian Arctic, and Antarctica because of low solar insolation received in higher latitudes.
• Tropical glaciers exist in mountain ranges near the Equator, like the Andes in South America at high altitudes. Approximately 2% of the Earth’s water is stored in glaciers.
2. BLOOD MONEY AND PLEA BARGAINING –
• The death sentence of an Indian nurse in Yemen for allegedly murdering her business partner, along with efforts involving blood money (diya under Sharia law) for her acquittal, has reignited debates over its implications.
• Blood money refers to money paid as compensation for unintentional murder, culpable homicide, or when victims’ families forgo retribution (qisas).
• Even after reconciliation, the state retains the right to impose penalties.
• India’s Position: India does not formally recognize blood money.
• The legal system offers ‘plea bargaining’ as a negotiation tool but it is not available for crimes against women or children aged below 14, heinous crimes such as murder or rape etc.
• It outlines a procedure where the accused pleads guilty in exchange for concessions from the prosecutor, potentially including victim compensation.
• It was introduced through the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2005 to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (BNSS).
• It can be taken up only for offences that are penalised with imprisonment of less than 7 years.
3. INDIA’S FY25 GROWTH FORECAST CUT TO 6.5% BY IMF –
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised India’s economic growth forecast for FY25, reducing it to 6.5%, down from earlier projections. Despite this downward revision, the IMF retained a stable growth outlook for FY26.
• The adjustment reflects current challenges, including global economic uncertainties and domestic inflationary pressures, which may impact India’s growth trajectory.
• This revision comes in the context of the country’s ongoing recovery post-pandemic, with the IMF also citing inflation, investment slowdown, and geopolitical risks as key factors that could affect economic momentum.
4. DJOKOVIC BREAKS FEDERER’S RECORD FOR GRAND SLAM MATCH COUNT –
• Novak Djokovic, one of tennis’ greatest players, added another milestone to his illustrious career on January 17, 2025, by breaking a tie with Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam matches played in tennis history.
• The Serbian tennis star achieved his 430th Grand Slam match during the second round of the Australian Open, where he won a challenging match against Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria. This victory added to Djokovic’s growing list of records, highlighting his unparalleled success in tennis.
5. RBI’S RECORD FOREX INTERVENTION IN NOVEMBER 2024 –
• In November 2024, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sold a record $20.2 billion in the foreign exchange market to stabilize the rupee amid significant foreign portfolio investor (FPI) outflows.
• This intervention increased the RBI’s net short position in the forward market to $58.9 billion by the end of the month, up from $49.18 billion in October.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. What is the name of the major military exercise conducted by the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force to enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces ?
a) Exercise Shatrujeet
b) Exercise Vayu Shakti
c) Exercise Devil Strike
d) Exercise Yudh Abhyas
Q2. Who has been appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education ?
a) Rajesh Kumar
b) Alok Sharma
c) Vineet Joshi
d) Anil Chauhan
Q3. The Gaan Ngai festival commemorates the end of the harvest season and is celebrated in Manipur. Which community celebrates the Gaan Ngai festival in Manipur?
a) Meitei
b) Kuki
c) Kabui/Rongmei Naga
d) Tangkhul
Q4. With reference to ‘Siachen Glacier’, consider the following statements:
1. It is located in the Eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas to the northeast of Point NJ9842.
2. It lies immediately south of the great drainage divide that separates the Eurasian Plate from the Indian subcontinent.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 Only
b) 2 Only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation-
· In a groundbreaking achievement for the Indian Army, Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest and coldest battlefield, has now been equipped with high-speed 4G and 5G connectivity.
· This milestone, announced on the eve of Army Day, January 15, 2025, marks a significant leap in communications for soldiers deployed at this extreme and isolated location.
· Siachen Glacier is a Piedmont glacier; the Second-Longest glacier in the World’s Non-Polar areas after Fedchenko Glacier in Tajikistan.
· It is considered as the world’s highest and coldest battlefield.
· Statement 1 is correct: It is located in the Eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas just northeast of Point NJ9842, where the LOC between India and Pakistan ends, forming part of the Union Territory of Ladakh
· The entire Siachen Glacier, with all major passes, has been under the administration of India since 1984 (Operation Meghdoot).
· Statement 2 is correct: It lies immediately south of the great drainage divide that separates the Eurasian Plate from the Indian subcontinent in the extensively glaciated portion of the Karakoram sometimes called the Third Pole.
· Located North of Nubra Valley.
· Nubra river, a tributary of the Shyok River, originates from Siachen Glacier.
· The Shyok River is part of the Indus River system.
Q5. Consider the following pairs:
Significant Addition to Indian Navy | Project |
INS Surat | Project 17A |
INS Nilgiri | Project 15B |
INS Vaghsheer | Project 75 |
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched ?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None of the above
Explanation-
· For the first time in Indian Navy history, a frigate, a destroyer, and a submarine were commissioned on the same day, marking a significant leap toward achieving self-reliance under the “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” initiative.
· Pair 1 is not correctly matched: INS Nilgiri is a stealth frigate built under Project 17A, a follow-on project of the Shivalik-class frigates currently in service.
· Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
· It is critical for anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare missions.
· Pair 2 is not correctly matched: INS Surat is guided missile destroyer
· It is the fourth and final stealth guided missile destroyer under Project 15B, following INS Visakhapatnam, INS Mormugao, and INS Imphal.
· It is the first Indian Navy warship to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) for enhanced operational efficiency.
· Pair 3 is correctly matched: INS Vaghsheer is a Submarine of Sixth and final submarine of the Kalvari-class built under Project 75.
· It was designed and developed by French defence major Naval Group and Spanish state-owned entity Navantia.
· It is named after Vaghsheer, a type of sandfish found in the Indian Ocean.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
C | C | C | C | A |