Current Affairs Quiz – July 2025

Notes:
India’s Defence Minister recently gifted a Madhubani painting to his Chinese counterpart during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, China. Madhubani painting, also called Mithila painting, comes from the Madhubani district in the Mithila region of Bihar. It is traditionally made by women using fingers, twigs, nib-pens, matchsticks, and brushes with natural dyes and bright earthy colours.

Notes:
Maharashtra has launched a hedging desk in Pune to help farmers lock in prices, reduce risks, and boost incomes under the SMART Project, which stands for Balasaheb Thackeray Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project. The desk will first cover cotton, turmeric, and maize crops to protect farmers from market price fluctuations. The initiative will expand to include more crops in the future. It is supported by the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange and its research wing National Institute of Commodity Research (NICR).

Notes:
With the monsoon season starting, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) launched the ‘Safai Apnao, Bimaari Bhagao’ (SABB) campaign from 1 to 31 July 2025. The campaign aims to reduce health risks from water-borne and vector-borne diseases by promoting hygiene and clean surroundings. Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) will focus on drain cleaning, garbage hotspot reduction, and awareness drives. It partners with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and other ministries to strengthen public health.

Notes:
Recently, the QUAD nations launched their first-ever At Sea Observer Mission to strengthen maritime cooperation. QUAD includes the Coast Guards of India, Japan, the United States, and Australia. The mission aims to boost maritime security and teamwork in the Indo-Pacific under the Wilmington Declaration. Two officers, including women, from each country have joined the United States Coast Guard Cutter Stratton, now heading to Guam.

Notes:
Recently, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development released the A World of Debt Report 2025, highlighting a global debt surge worsened by recent crises. Global Public Debt reached a record 102 trillion in 2024. It may rise to 100% of Gross Domestic Product by 2030 if current trends continue. Developing countries hold less than one-third (31 trillion) of this debt, but their debt has grown twice as fast since 2010. In developing regions, Asia and Oceania account for 24%, Latin America and the Caribbean 5%, and Africa 2% of global public debt. Developing countries face borrowing costs two to four times higher than the United States.

Notes:
Recently, the President of India inaugurated the Guru Gorakhnath AYUSH University in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. The university was described as a modern centre preserving India’s ancient health traditions and values. It is expected to become a milestone for health services in Uttar Pradesh and the entire country. The President highlighted India’s age-old yoga and health traditions and stressed carrying them forward for development by 2047.

Notes:
Recently, Lucknow became Uttar Pradesh’s first “Zero Dump City” with all three units of the Shivri waste treatment plant fully operational. The plant now processes 2100 metric tons of waste daily and has cleared two-thirds of the old waste mound. A ₹96 crore project began in 2023 under Swachh Bharat Mission by Lucknow Municipal Corporation. Pune-based Bhumi Green Energy took over in January 2024, using microbial culture and air drying methods. Each unit handles 700 metric tons per day. Waste is separated into fine soil for farming, Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) for cement and paper industries, coarse materials for land reclamation, and construction debris for infrastructure.

Notes:
Recently, Manipuri classical dancer and Padma Shri awardee Thiyam Suryamukhi Devi passed away at age 85 after prolonged illness at her home in Keishampat, Imphal West. She was one of the 113 Padma Shri recipients this year. She joined Aryan Theatre as a child artist and performed in the Soviet Union in 1954. Later, she performed in China, Japan, South Korea, and other countries. She trained under Padma Meishnam Amubi and joined Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy (JNMDA).

Notes:
Ethiopia’s Prime Minister recently announced that the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is now complete and will be inaugurated in September. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), earlier called the Millennium Dam, is built on the Blue Nile River. It is located in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz region near the border with Sudan. The Blue Nile is a major tributary of the Nile River.

Notes:
The Indian Army will soon get the first batch of Apache AH-64E attack helicopters from the United States. The Apache AH-64E, also called the Apache Guardian, is the world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopter. It is made by Boeing in the United States and used by many countries, including India, Egypt, Greece, and Japan. It can fly up to 300 kilometres per hour and has a range of 500 kilometres. It has advanced systems for communication, navigation, sensors, and weapons.