Current Affairs Quiz – July 2025

Notes:
The United Kingdom has officially launched the Synthetic Human Genome Project, a groundbreaking effort to build human DNA from scratch. This project shifts from reading DNA, like in the Human Genome Project, to writing and assembling it synthetically. Scientists aim to create disease-resistant cells to repair damaged organs such as the heart, liver, and immune system. It could help treat genetic and age-related diseases by studying how genes control repair and development.
Critics warn about ethical concerns like designer humans and synthetic life.

Notes:
Recently, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla inaugurated the Annual Conference of Zone II of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) India Region at Tapovan, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, on 30 June 2025. Zone II includes Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab. The conference aims to strengthen democratic institutions, share best practices, and explore new ideas for better governance and legislative work. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is a global group that connects parliamentarians to promote parliamentary democracy.

Notes:
After restoring Vaan island, the Tamil Nadu government has started restoring Kariyachalli island, which is located in Tamil Nadu within the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, under the Tamil Nadu Sustainably Harnessing Ocean Resource (TNSHORE) initiative. Kariyachalli island near Thoothukudi has shrunk from 20.85 hectares in 1969 to about 3 hectares in 2025 due to erosion and loss of sediment. The ₹50 crore project is funded by the state government and the World Bank.

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Recently, the Indian Navy’s Indian Naval Ship Tabar (INS Tabar) acted quickly to rescue crew members after a fire broke out on an oil vessel in the Gulf of Oman. INS Tabar (F44) is the third Talwar-class frigate of the Indian Navy. It was built in Russia. It is one of the earliest stealth frigates of the Indian Navy. It operates under the Western Fleet based in Mumbai within the Western Naval Command.

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Recently, an eight-week study in Brazil found that Kombucha improves gut bacteria in people with obesity by increasing good microbes and reducing harmful ones. However, it did not improve blood sugar or inflammation markers. Kombucha is a fermented tea that offers complex flavors without much sugar or caffeine. It originated in northeast China around 220 BCE and was known for its energizing and detoxifying effects. Kombucha is becoming popular in India, with the market growing from $45 million in 2020 to $102 million in 2024.

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The Union Railway Minister recently launched the RailOne app in New Delhi. RailOne is a new super app to handle all railway-related passenger needs in one place. It was developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems, a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of Indian Railways. RailOne combines services like ticket booking, real-time tracking, food ordering, Passenger Name Record (PNR) status, refunds, porter booking, and last-mile taxi.

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The Central Adoption Resource Authority recently clarified that adoptive parents do not need hard copies of adoption orders as digitally certified copies sent by e-mail are legally valid. The Central Adoption Resource Authority is a statutory body under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. It was set up in 1990 as an autonomous body. Under Section 68 of the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act 2015, it became a statutory body. It is the nodal agency to monitor and regulate adoption of Indian children within the country and abroad.

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Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a five-nation tour, was awarded Ghana’s highest civilian honour, the Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana. This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Ghana in over 30 years. With this, PM Modi has now received top civilian honours from 24 countries, the highest for any Indian leader. PM Modi dedicated this award to 1.4 billion Indians, especially the youth, cultural heritage, and diversity.

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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.

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Recently, Bangladesh announced August 8 as “New Bangladesh Day” to mark the anniversary of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. This government took charge three days after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5 last year following a student-led uprising. August 5 will be observed as “July Uprising Day”.