Daily Current Affairs Quiz 29th January 2025

**Notes:**

• A recent study by K. Rajan and R. Sivanantham suggests that the Iron Age in Tamil Nadu began in 3345 BCE.
• This challenges previous estimates, which placed the Indian Iron Age around 1500-2000 BCE.
• The findings are based on advanced radiometric dating techniques.

**Notes:**

• The festival, organized by Nepal Pashmina Industries Association, highlights the significance of Nepali Pashmina.
• Pashmina is a fine fiber obtained from the Chyangra goat, known for its warmth and softness.
• The event promotes Nepal’s expertise in traditional Pashmina weaving techniques.

**Notes:**

• DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, surpassed ChatGPT as the most downloaded free app in the US.
• The company was founded in 2023 and has quickly gained prominence in AI research.
• Its R1 model is considered a strong competitor to OpenAI’s technology.

**Notes:**

• Belarus held a presidential election on January 26, 2025, where Lukashenko claimed victory with nearly 87% of the vote.
• International observers and opposition groups have denounced the election as fraudulent.
• Lukashenko has been in power for 30 years and is often criticized for his authoritarian rule.

**Notes:**

• Jannik Sinner secured his first Grand Slam title by winning the Australian Open 2025.
• He defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final, marking a historic moment for Italian tennis.
• Sinner has been a rising star in ATP, known for his aggressive baseline play.

**Notes:**

• Samudrayaan is India’s first manned deep-sea exploration mission.
• The project is led by NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology) under the Deep Ocean Mission.
• It aims to explore mineral resources and biodiversity at depths of 6,000 meters in the Indian Ocean.

**Notes:**

• SBI launched the Udaan Savings Account, tailored for non-resident Indians (NRIs).
• It offers easy online access, competitive interest rates, and no minimum balance requirements.
• The account aims to attract more foreign remittances and enhance banking convenience for NRIs.

**Notes:**

• The US government passed the AI Accountability Act in January 2025.
• The law aims to regulate AI-generated content, improve transparency, and protect user data.
• It mandates companies to disclose AI usage and implement ethical AI standards.

**Notes:**

• The Tamil Nadu government launched the “One Student One Laptop” initiative to provide free laptops to students.
• The program aims to enhance digital learning in government schools and colleges.
• It benefits students from economically weaker sections, improving access to technology.

**Notes:**

• Covispray is an anti-viral nasal spray developed for COVID-19 protection.
• It prevents viral entry by forming a protective layer in nasal passages.
• Regulatory agencies approved it for emergency use to reduce infection rates.

**Notes:**

• The Mukhyamantri Krishi Samriddhi Yojana aims to provide financial support to farmers in Madhya Pradesh.
• It offers incentives for high-yield crops and promotes modern agricultural techniques.
• The scheme aligns with the government’s focus on boosting rural income and food security.

**Notes:**

• Meera Khadka became the first female Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court.
• She has been a strong advocate for judicial reforms and women’s rights.
• Her appointment marks a significant milestone in Nepal’s judiciary.

**Notes:**

• The 2025 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting focuses on “Rebuilding Trust.”
• Discussions include global economic recovery, digital governance, and sustainability.
• Leaders from politics, business, and academia gather to address global challenges.

**Notes:**

• China launched the world’s first quantum internet satellite, advancing secure communication.
• It uses quantum entanglement to prevent cyber threats and hacking.
• The satellite marks a major step in next-generation secure data transmission.

**Notes:**

• India signed a trade deal to export premium basmati rice to Egypt.
• This move strengthens agricultural trade ties between the two nations.
• Egypt is a growing market for high-quality rice due to increasing demand.

Four new emperor penguin colonies were recently discovered in antarctica through satellite imagery the emperor penguin aptenodytes forsteri is the largest penguin species inhabiting the antarctic continent and sub-antarctic islands during breeding months april to november colonies are found along the antarctic coastline

” Notes:all india presiding officers’ conference concludes in mumbai. prime minister narendra modi addressed the 84th all india presiding officers’ conference, emphasizing the ‘one nation, one legislative platform’ through e-vidhan and digital sansad. he commended the government’s removal of 2,000 outdated laws over the past decade. lok sabha speaker om birla, inaugurating the conference, expressed concerns about indiscipline in legislatures. the all india presiding officers’ conference, celebrating its centenary in 2021, plays a crucial role in shaping legislative governance in india.”

” Notes:the new mahindra armado, india’s first armoured light specialist vehicle (alsv), debuted at the republic day parade. designed and built by mahindra defence systems, it’s intended for the indian armed forces in counter-terrorism, special forces, reconnaissance, and border patrolling. with a seating capacity of six (expandable to eight), it boasts a 1,000 kg load capacity, b7-level ballistic protection, and a 3.2-liter diesel engine generating 216 hp. armado accelerates from 0 to 60 kmph in 12 seconds, reaching speeds exceeding 120 kmph, equipped with self-cleaning exhaust and air filtration for extreme climates.”

” Notes:champion trap shooter preeti rajak made history as the first woman subedar in the army, promoted from havildar. this marks a significant milestone as the army recently opened soldier ranks to women in the corps of military police (cmp). subedar rajak, a meritorious sportswoman in shooting, joined the army in 2022 based on her trap shooting prowess. currently, the cmp is the only army branch with enlisted women, offering opportunities for aspiring female agniveers.”

” Notes:ahead of the interim budget 2024, exporters are urging the government to allocate $3.88 billion for the market access initiative (mai) scheme. mai is an export promotion initiative aimed at catalyzing sustained growth in india’s exports. the scheme focuses on specific products and countries, supporting activities like marketing projects abroad, capacity building, statutory compliances, and more. eligible entities include government departments, trade promotion organizations, exporters, research institutions, and others. funding is on a cost-sharing basis, administered by the ministry of commerce and industry through directorate general of foreign trade (dgft).”

” Notes:union home minister amit shah addressed the 5th international and 44th all india criminology conference at the national forensic science university in gandhinagar, gujarat. the conference focused on forensic behavioural science, an emerging field highlighted by shah. emphasizing the role of behavioral science in crime prevention, he inaugurated a digital forensic excellence centre for capacity building and investigations, underscoring its importance alongside a robust administration and judiciary.”

” Notes:india recently overtook hong kong as the world’s fourth-largest equity market, boasting a total market value of $4.33 trillion, surpassing hong kong’s $4.29 trillion. the leading global stock markets are currently the u.s., china, and japan. this milestone underscores india’s rising prominence in the global financial arena, propelled by a robust gdp, political stability, foreign investments, and its appeal as an alternative to china. meanwhile, hong kong grapples with challenges like covid-19 restrictions, regulatory crackdowns, a property crisis, and geopolitical tensions, affecting its attractiveness to investors.”

The two states argue that the decision to expand the border security force from 15 km to 50 km violates federal principles and encroaches on state law and order powers bsf established in 1965 after the indian-pakistan war is a vital part of

” Notes:the zombie virus is related to global warming and the thawing of arctic permafrost. the rising temperatures caused by global warming have led to the thawing of previously frozen ice, which could unleash “zombie viruses”. the zombie virus is an amoeba virus that scientists have revived from the melted ice. the new strain has one of 13 viral genomes, with pandoravirus yedoma, 48,500 years old, being the longest frozen virus to become infectious. scientists are developing an arctic surveillance system to detect and contain outbreaks.”