Current Affair MCQ for 2025-04-06

Notes: The Union Cabinet approved the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) with an outlay of ₹6,839 crore for border villages. Vibrant Villages Programme was launched in 2023 for the all-round development of villages near the International Border. The first phase covered villages in 46 blocks along the northern border in 19 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh. Under the programme, 17 border villages will be developed as tourist destinations. The second phase will cover Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Punjab to boost livelihood, prosperity, and safety. Vibrant Villages Programme is implemented by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

Notes: The United States President imposed a 10% tariff on imports from Heard and McDonald Islands, even though these islands have no known exports to the US. Heard and McDonald Islands are remote volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about 4,100 km from Perth, Australia, and 1,600 km from Antarctica. They are one of Australia’s seven external territories and are directly governed by the Australian government. Heard Island has Big Ben volcano with Mawson Peak, the highest mountain in Australia outside mainland and Tasmania. McDonald Island is smaller but has doubled in size due to volcanic eruptions in the 1990s and 2000s. These are the only volcanically active sub-Antarctic islands and are used to study earth’s crust, climate change, and glaciers. They are part of a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site since 1997

Notes: On 3rd April 2025, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that Hungary is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), becoming the first European country to do so. The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 to prosecute individuals responsible for serious global crimes. It is the only permanent international criminal tribunal. The ICC was created by the Rome Statute, an international agreement adopted on 17 July 1998. The Rome Statute defines the Court’s powers, structure, and responsibilities and came into force on 1 July 2002. The ICC investigates and prosecutes genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression.

Notes: Kannadippaya, a traditional tribal handicraft from Kerala, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which protects its unique identity and origin. The name “Kannadippaya” means ‘mirror mat’ due to its shiny, reflective design. It is made from the soft inner layers of reed bamboo, giving it excellent thermal qualities—warm in winter and cool in summer. This craft is mainly done by tribal communities like the Oorali, Mannan, Muthuva, Malayan, Kadar, Ulladan, Malayarayan, and Hill Pulaya in Idukki, Thrissur, Ernakulam, and Palakkad districts.

Notes: Delhi’s forest and wildlife department will install 45 motion-based camera traps in Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary to monitor and collect data on wildlife. Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is in the South Delhi Ridge of the Aravalli hill range, on the Delhi-Haryana border. It forms part of the Southern Ridge and connects with the Indo-Gangetic Plain, making it rich in biodiversity. The sanctuary is a key segment of the North Aravalli Leopard Wildlife Corridor, which begins at Sariska National Park in Rajasthan, passes through Haryana districts, and reaches the Delhi Ridge.