Current Affair MCQ for 2025-05-26

Notes: Recently, many research scholars across India raised concerns about not receiving their INSPIRE fellowships for 8 to 13 months. This delay affects their research work and financial stability. The INSPIRE Scheme stands for Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research. It is a flagship initiative of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), launched in 2008. It aims to attract talented youth to research in basic sciences and build a strong science and technology base in India. Unlike other scholarships, it does not hold entrance exams and selects candidates based on academic merit. The INSPIRE Fellowship supports around 1,000 scholars every year for pursuing doctoral research.

Notes: The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) recently released the first State of the World’s Animal Health report. It highlights that infectious animal diseases are now spreading to new regions and species, with 47 percent having zoonotic potential, meaning they can spread to humans. In 2024, Bluetongue virus affected 3,517 cases in 23 countries, and Germany saw its first foot-and-mouth disease outbreak since 1988. Between 2005 and 2023, nearly half the WOAH-listed diseases reported were zoonotic, posing a risk to human health. The report warns that climate change and global trade are key drivers behind the rising spread of these diseases. Preventing diseases reduces the need for antibiotics and helps fight antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which could cause huge losses. By 2050, AMR could result in livestock loss, threaten food for two billion people, and cause a US$100 trillion economic loss.

Notes: Keoladeo National Park, also called Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is located in Rajasthan. It was established as a hunting reserve in the 19th century by Maharaja Suraj Mal and became a bird sanctuary in 1956. It was declared a national park in 1981 and named after a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva inside the park. The park spreads across 29 square kilometres and includes woodlands, swamps, and wet grasslands. It is a Ramsar site and a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its rich biodiversity. Recently, the park is also becoming a safe home for turtles, sheltering eight out of ten species found in Rajasthan.

Notes: New sites from China, Brazil, Mexico, and Spain have been recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). GIAHS was launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 2002. It addresses threats to traditional farming like climate change and loss of biodiversity. The program supports farmers by promoting traditional knowledge, conservation, and sustainable development. FAO’s network now includes 95 heritage systems in 28 countries worldwide. The new sites include a traditional agroforestry system growing erva-mate in Brazil. Three Chinese sites are recognized for pearl mussels, white tea, and pears. Mexico’s site conserves important food crops and biodiversity. Spain’s Lanzarote island has a unique farming system on volcanic land.

Notes: New research shows that the rare giant shrimp Alicella gigantea is found in 59% of the world’s oceans. Alicella gigantea is a giant amphipod crustacean growing up to 34 cm long. It is one of the largest deep-sea amphipods ever recorded and was thought to be very rare. An early sighting involved a 28 cm specimen found at 5,304 meters depth in the North Pacific. The new study collected 195 records from 75 locations in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. This proves that Alicella gigantea is globally distributed, not rare or local. The Pacific Ocean is its main habitat, with 75% of its seafloor suitable for the species.