Current Affairs Quiz – July 2025

Notes:
Recently, Indian Navy’s INS Sandhayak made its maiden port call at Port Klang, Malaysia for hydrographic cooperation. INS Sandhayak is the first indigenously designed and built Sandhayak-class hydrographic survey ship. It was commissioned in February 2024. The ship was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. It is capable of full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys and oceanographic data collection.

Notes:
Recently, a new species of dragonfly named Lyriothemis abrahami was officially discovered in Kerala, India. It was earlier misidentified as Lyriothemis flava due to similar appearance. It breeds in small water pools inside tree holes, highlighting its forest-dependent nature. It is found in lowland rainforests to mid-elevation evergreen and deciduous forests between 50 m to 1,100 m altitude. This discovery raised Kerala’s total odonate (dragonfly and damselfly) species count to 191, including 78 endemic species. It serves as an indicator of forest health, supporting the need for habitat conservation.

Notes:
The National Cybersecurity Exercise – Bharat NCX 2025 was officially inaugurated on July 21, 2025. It was launched by Deputy National Security Advisor T. V. Ravichandran at Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), with Vice Chancellor Bimal N. Patel present. The event is organised by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) in collaboration with RRU. The theme is “Enhancing the Operational Preparedness of Indian Cyberspace.” It brings together cybersecurity experts, defence forces, policymakers, and industry leaders for a two-week national cyber drill. It simulates real-world threats like critical infrastructure attacks, deepfakes, API flaws, and autonomous malware.

Notes:
United States lawmakers passed the first major national cryptocurrency law, called the Genius Act, in July 2025. The bill focuses on regulating stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency backed by assets like the US dollar. It requires stablecoins to be backed 1-to-1 by US dollars or low-risk assets. The crypto industry welcomed the bill as a way to boost mainstream acceptance and clarify rules.

Notes:
England will host the World Test Championship (WTC) Finals in 2027, 2029, and 2031, as decided by the International Cricket Council (ICC). This was confirmed at the ICC Annual Conference held in Singapore in 2025. The decision rewards the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for its success in hosting the 2021 and 2023 WTC Finals.

Notes:
Tanzania’s Vision 2050 was recently launched to address the climate crisis affecting the Great Ruaha River. The river is drying due to climate change and mismanagement, threatening agriculture, biodiversity, and livelihoods. The plan focuses on climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, and fair land governance to restore the river’s health. Great Ruaha River is a major river in south-central Tanzania and a vital water source. It flows northeast through the Usangu wetlands, crosses the Usangu plains important for farming and livestock, and passes through Ruaha National Park.

Notes:
Nagaland University has recently been selected as one of four Incubation Centres in the North Eastern region under a Central Government initiative. The initiative is titled ‘Establish, Develop, and Manage Entrepreneurship Development Centres and Incubation Centres in the Educational Institutes of the North Eastern Region’. It is sponsored by the North Eastern Council (NEC) and implemented by the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE). In the first batch, Nagaland University’s Kohima campus will incubate 44 beneficiaries. These include 16 from Arunachal Pradesh, 6 from Assam, 4 from Manipur, and 18 from Nagaland.

Notes:
Recently, a cruise liner with Israeli tourists was denied docking at Syros Island, Greece due to protests over the Gaza war, forcing it to reroute to Cyprus. Syros island is located in Greece, specifically within the Cyclades island group in the Aegean Sea. It lies 78 nautical miles (144 km) southeast of Athens, the capital of Greece.

Notes:
Recently, the Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) informed the Rajya Sabha about the India Skills Accelerator initiative. It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the World Economic Forum (WEF). It aims to bridge skill gaps through inclusive upskilling and reskilling. It promotes lifelong learning investment and government-industry collaboration. It serves as a national public-private platform to solve complex challenges through multi-stakeholder efforts.

Notes:
Recently, on July 24, 2025, the government appointed Ajay Seth as the new Chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). The appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Ajay Seth is a 1987-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Karnataka cadre. He retired as Union Finance and Economic Affairs Secretary in June 2025. He will serve as IRDAI Chairman for three years or till the age of 65 or until further orders, whichever comes earlier. He succeeds Debasish Panda, also a former IAS officer, whose term ended in March 2025.