Current Affair MCQ for 2025-09-03

Notes: Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) has launched Operation SWARNA (Swarnamukhi Waterbody Action for River and Nala Awareness). The plan aims to rescue Swarnamukhi River from land grabbers, revive its flow area and rejuvenate it for long-term sustenance. Swarnamukhi River is an east-flowing river in Andhra Pradesh with a catchment area of 3,225 sq.km. It originates near Pakala village, Chittoor district at 300 m elevation in the Eastern Ghats. The river runs 130 km northeast, passing through Tirupati hills before joining the Bay of Bengal. Swarnamukhi is an independent river system, relying mainly on rainfall in its upper catchment for flow.

Notes: Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2025 report by the Energy Policy Institute, University of Chicago, shows air pollution is India’s top health threat. Dirty air cuts 3.5 years from average life expectancy, higher than malnutrition (1.6 years), tobacco use (1.5 years), and unsafe water (8.4 months). All 1.4 billion Indians live in areas exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) safe PM2.5 limit of 5 µg/m³. Northern India is the world’s most polluted region. Delhi-NCR residents face the highest loss with 8.2 years of life expectancy cut due to air pollution. Bihar residents lose 5.6 years of life expectancy. Haryana residents lose 5.3 years of life expectancy. The report urges urgent emission control to prevent loss of healthy years due to toxic air.

Notes: United States (U.S.) and Japan are holding a joint military exercise where the Typhon intermediate-range missile system will be temporarily deployed in Japan. The Typhon missile system, also known as Mid-Range Capability (MRC) or Strategic Mid-Range Fires (SMRF), was developed by the United States and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. It uses a modular design that allows it to fire SM-6 missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles. SM-6 missiles can engage targets beyond 320 km, while Tomahawk missiles offer deep-strike capability up to 1,500 km. The system is containerized, road-mobile, and highly survivable, allowing rapid deployment across allied regions.

Notes: For decades, aspirin was the main drug to prevent heart attacks and strokes. A new study presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress and published in The Lancet shows clopidogrel, a blood-thinning antiplatelet drug, may be more effective. Review of seven clinical trials with 29,000 coronary artery disease patients found clopidogrel 14% more effective than aspirin in lowering major cardiovascular risks. Importantly, there was no higher risk of serious bleeding compared to aspirin. Clopidogrel (a P2Y₁₂ inhibitor) works by blocking platelet receptors to stop dangerous blood clots. It is low-cost, widely available, and safe, making it a strong candidate to replace aspirin in treatment guidelines.

Notes: Concerns were recently raised about unauthorised road construction and repair inside Srivilliputhur–Meghamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) in Theni district, Tamil Nadu. It was created in February 2021 by merging the Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary and Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary. It spans Theni, Virudhunagar, and Madurai districts in Tamil Nadu. The reserve links Kerala’s Periyar Tiger Reserve with Tamil Nadu’s Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, ensuring wildlife corridor connectivity. It depends on Vaigai, Suruliyaru, and Shanmuganathi rivers for water resources.