Current Affair MCQ for 2025-10-23

Notes: The World Trade Organization (WTO) recently praised India’s liberalised Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme for boosting participation of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in international trade. The AEO programme operates under the World Customs Organisation (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate global trade. WCO adopted the SAFE Framework in June 2005 to strengthen international supply chain security. AEO is one of the three pillars of the SAFE Framework and promotes customs–trade partnership. It was launched by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) as a pilot in 2011 and revised in 2016. It is implemented by the Directorate of International Customs under CBIC.

Notes: Researchers recently discovered a new plant species named Tetrataenium manilalianum, adding to the biodiversity of the Western Ghats. It belongs to the carrot family (Umbelliferae/Apiaceae). The species was found in Eravikulam National Park, located in Idukki district of Kerala. It was named in honour of Prof. K.S. Manilal, founder president of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy. The plant grows in grasslands bordering shola forests at high altitudes. It is the first of its kind identified globally and the 48th species in the carrot family. It bears white flowers, has underground rhizomes, and blooms during the monsoon.

Notes: A rare Malabar Gliding Frog was recently spotted at Hirebagewadi near Belagavi, Karnataka. Its scientific name is Rhacophorus malabaricus. It is endemic to the rainforests of the Western Ghats in India. The frog lives on tree leaves near streams or riverbanks and breeds on overhanging trees above water bodies. It can glide through the air using the webbing between its toes, leaping up to 9–12 metres, nearly 115 times its body length. It grows up to 10 cm, with males smaller than females. It has a bright green back, pale yellow belly, and orange-red webbed toes. It is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Notes: Recently, the Prime Minister of India celebrated Deepavali aboard INS Vikrant and praised armed forces’ unity during Operation Sindoor. INS Vikrant is India’s first indigenously designed and manufactured aircraft carrier. It was designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited. The carrier was commissioned in 2022. It measures 262 metres in length and 62 metres in width, with 14 decks. Its full-load displacement is 43,000 tonnes.</p>

Notes: The spotted deer population is declining rapidly in the Konark-Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha. The sanctuary is located in Puri district, Odisha and was declared on 23 April 1984. It covers a sandy coastal tract between Puri and Konark, planted with casuarina and cashew trees. Spotted deer is the most common deer species in Indian forests. It is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).