CURRENT AFFAIRS
22 February, 2025
1. INLAND WATERWAYS IN INDIA –
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded the inauguration of the Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) Terminal at Jogighopa in Assam, highlighting India’s vast inland waterways’ (about 14,500 km of navigable waterways) potential for freight transport.
• IWT Terminal: Located in Assam, on the Brahmaputra River (National Waterway-2 (NW-2)).
• The Bangladesh Border (Dhubri) to Sadiya stretch of the Brahmaputra River (891 km) in Assam was declared NW-2 under the National Waterway Act, 1988.
• Significance: The Jogighopa IWT Terminal supports PM Gati Shakti, enhancing inland waterways for economic growth.
• It serves as an international port of call for Bhutan and Bangladesh, linking to the Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) at Jogighopa, boosting cargo movement and logistics in Assam and the Northeast.
• It boosts trade and commerce with neighboring countries. Reduces transportation costs and transit time.
• Strengthens India’s Act East Policy. Improves multi-modal connectivity by integrating road, rail, and waterways. Provides direct waterway access for Bhutan, reducing reliance on road networks.
2. INDIA-ARGENTINA LITHIUM PARTNERSHIP –
• India and Argentina signed an MoU for lithium exploration and investment opportunities in Argentina.
• Argentina is known for its vast lithium reserves and is part of the ‘Lithium Triangle’ along with Bolivia and Chile.
• About Lithium: It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal and is also known as white gold.
• It is the lightest metal and solid element, and classified as both an alkali and a rare metal.
• It is mined from ores of petalite, lepidolite, spodumene and also subsurface brines. It is highly reactive and flammable and must be stored in mineral oil.
• It is an essential mineral required for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage.
• Chile (1st), China (2nd) and Australia (3rd) have the largest reserves of lithium.
• In India, Salal-Haimna areas (Reasi district of J&K), Koderma and Giridih (Jharkhand), and Mandya (Karnataka) have lithium reserves.
3. FIRST ASTRONAUT WITH DISABILITY CLEARED FOR ISS MISSION –
• In a groundbreaking development, the European Space Agency (ESA) has medically cleared British astronaut John McFall, a former Paralympian with a prosthetic leg, for long-duration missions to the International Space Station (ISS).
• This historic decision marks a significant milestone in making space exploration more inclusive.
• John McFall, 43, hails from Cardiff, UK. At 19, he lost his right leg above the knee due to a motorcycle accident. Demonstrating remarkable resilience, McFall pursued athletics and secured a bronze medal in the 100m sprint at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.
• He later transitioned into a medical career, becoming a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon. In 2022, McFall was selected by ESA for a feasibility study aimed at assessing the potential for astronauts with physical disabilities to participate in space missions.
4. ISRO DEVELOPS WORLD’S LARGEST VERTICAL PROPELLANT MIXER –
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a significant milestone by developing a 10-tonne vertical planetary mixer, the largest of its kind globally, for solid propellant production.
• This indigenous mixer, created in collaboration with the Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) in Bengaluru, is set to enhance the efficiency and safety of solid rocket motor manufacturing, marking a substantial advancement in India’s space capabilities.
5. NEW BAT CORONAVIRUS HKU5-COV-2 DISCOVERED IN CHINA –
• Chinese researchers have identified a new bat coronavirus, named HKU5-CoV-2, which has the ability to infect human cells.
• The virus uses the ACE2 receptor, the same pathway that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, uses to enter human cells.
• The discovery has raised concerns about potential zoonotic transmission, emphasizing the need for continuous surveillance of bat-borne viruses.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. The Mising tribe is primarily found in which Indian states ?
a) Assam and Arunachal Pradesh
b) Manipur and Tripura
c) Jharkhand and Bihar
d) Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
Q2. Which state has become the first in India to have a translation system in the legislative assembly ?
a) Uttar Pradesh
b) Madhya Pradesh
c) Maharashtra
d) Bihar
Q3. Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is located in which state ?
a) Karnataka
b) Kerala
c) Tamil Nadu
d) Maharashtra
Q4. What is the IUCN status of the African Cheetah ?
a) Critically Endangered
b) Vulnerable
c) Endangered
d) Least Concern
Explanation-
• According to the table, the African Cheetah is listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List.
• However, it’s worth noting that scientists are demanding an update to “Endangered” due to declining populations.
Q5. Consider the following statements regarding Project Cheetah:
1. Project Cheetah is an initiative by the Government of India to reintroduce cheetahs, which went extinct in India in 1952.
2. The project began in 2020 with cheetahs arriving from South Africa.
3. One of the goals of Project Cheetah is to promote tourism and restore ecological balance in the areas where cheetahs are being reintroduced.
Which of the above statements are correct?
a) Only 1
b) 1 and 3
c) All three
d) Only 3
Explanation-
• Statement 1: Correct. Project Cheetah is an initiative to reintroduce cheetahs, extinct in India since 1952, by importing them from Africa.
• Statement 2: Incorrect. The project began in 2022, not 2020, with cheetahs arriving from Namibia.
• Statement 3: Correct. One of the primary goals of Project Cheetah is to restore ecological balance and promote tourism in the areas where the cheetahs are released.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
A | A | B | B | B |