Current Affairs Quiz – July 2025

Notes:
Recently, the Union Minister for Education distributed Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) footballs under the Football for Schools (F4S) programme at PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) Kendriya Vidyalaya, Fort William, Kolkata, West Bengal. It is run by FIFA in collaboration with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It aims to help educate, develop, and empower about 700 million children. In India, it runs through the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) with help from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Sports Authority of India (SAI).

Notes:
Recently, the Union government ordered fast-tracking of 52 surveillance satellites under the Space-Based Surveillance-III (SBS-III) programme. The SBS-III was approved in October 2023 by the Cabinet Committee on Security led by the Prime Minister. It plans 21 satellites by Indian Space Research Organisation and 31 by private companies. The first launch is due by April 2026, with the full network ready by 2029. The Defence Space Agency under Integrated Defence Staff leads this project and coordinates with Indian Space Research Organisation, Defence Research and Development Organisation, and the armed forces for space security.

Notes:
World Sports Journalists Day (WSJD) is celebrated annually on July 2nd to recognize and honor the contributions of sports journalists. The official theme for World Sports Journalists Day 2025 is “Championing Fair Play: Reporting with Integrity and Impact.” Its objective is to respect the professional integrity and courageous reporting of sports journalists. It also aims to highlight the role of communication media in promoting sports culture. The day acknowledges how journalism helps maintain transparency in sports.

Notes:
Recently, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh approved a ₹1,894-crore plan for the Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu. This supports the state’s goal to become India’s textile powerhouse. The PM MITRA Scheme aims to strengthen the Indian textile industry by enabling larger-scale operations. It seeks to reduce logistics costs by housing the entire value chain at one location.

Notes:
Recently, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) conducted Operation MED MAX to stop illegal pharmaceutical drug trade. Under this operation, NCB dismantled a transnational drug trafficking syndicate. The syndicate smuggled controlled medicines across four continents. They used encrypted digital platforms, drop shipping models, and cryptocurrency for smuggling. This network shows the growing link between digital platforms, cryptocurrency, and global logistics in modern illegal trade.

Notes:
Municipal corporations of Lucknow, Pune, and Indore were awarded as best-performing Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) at the first National Level Conference of ULBs in Gurugram, Haryana. Urban Local Body means local government institutions managing urban areas. Lucknow showcased e-vehicles for waste collection, big waste processing plants, and converting dumping sites into inspirational points. Lucknow also developed urban forests using the Miyawaki method and built eco-tourism parks like Mango Museum Park. Pune showed ward-level waste collection, biogas plants for power, slum redevelopment, Triple R centres for reusable items, and a “tree ambulance” service.

Notes:
Recently, the Prime Minister said descendants of Girmitiyas are now known for their success, service, and values instead of struggle. Girmitiyas were Indian indentured labourers who left India in the 19th century to work in British colonies. The term Girmitiya comes from the word “girmit”, an Indian pronunciation of “agreement”. These labourers signed agreements hoping for better wages and jobs. They travelled on old slave ships and lived in poor slave-like barracks. They faced a practice called “blackbirding”, meaning forced or deceptive recruitment for cheap labour abroad.

Notes:
World Zoonoses Day is observed every year on July 6th to raise awareness about zoonotic diseases. In India, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) highlighted the need to fast-track efforts to eliminate dog-mediated rabies by 2030. Around 9.1 million animal bites happen in India every year. The study used a decision tree model to estimate animal bites and rabies deaths.

Notes:
Scientists, policymakers, and activists from India have raised concerns about proposed amendments to Annex I of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The treaty was adopted on 3 November 2001 by the Thirty-First Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It recognises farmers’ contributions to global crop diversity. It sets up a worldwide system giving farmers, plant breeders, and scientists access to plant genetic materials. It ensures benefit-sharing from the use of these materials.

Notes:
On July 6, 2025, Suriname’s Parliament elected Jennifer Geerlings-Simons as the country’s first female President. She was elected unopposed by a two-thirds vote of the National Assembly after forming a coalition following an inconclusive May election. Geerlings-Simons leads the National Democratic Party and will take office on July 16, 2025. Her election comes as Suriname prepares for expected oil wealth from major offshore oil deposits, with production starting in 2028. She aims to stabilise national finances, focusing on improving tax collection, especially in small-scale gold mining.