Current Affairs - July 14, 2025

A quick overview of important events and news from July 14, 2025:

National News

  • The Ministry of Culture announced India will host its first Global Conference on Manuscript Heritage in New Delhi from September 11-13, 2025.
  • The Maharashtra government officially recognized Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav as the State Festival of Maharashtra. Restrictions on Plaster of Paris (POP) idols were re-evaluated.
  • The Indian Army launched 'Operation Shiva' with 8,500 troops and drone defense systems to secure the Amarnath Yatra. Geo-fencing, advanced surveillance technologies, and facial recognition systems were implemented along the route. Solo travel for pilgrims was banned, requiring participation in security convoys.
  • The Enforcement Directorate arrested two Sahara Group officials, Anil Vailaparampil Abraham and Jitendra Prasad Verma, in a money-laundering probe. The ED alleged the group was running a "Ponzi" scheme.
  • The Election Commission of India reported identifying people from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar during the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, {Link: according to The Hindu https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/bihar/bihar-sir-people-from-nepal-bangladesh-myanmar-found-during-drive-will-not-be-included-in-final-voter-list-election-commission/article69806751.ece}. Opposition parties raised concerns about the revision process.
  • India launched its first e-truck incentive scheme under the PM E-DRIVE program, offering incentives up to ₹9.6 lakh per vehicle in the N2 and N3 categories and targeting 5,600 electric trucks nationwide. Eligibility requires scrapping old diesel trucks and providing a warranty for batteries and vehicle components.
  • The Reserve Bank of India imposed penalties on HDFC Bank (₹4.88 lakh) for non-compliance with Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) regulations regarding foreign investments, and on Shriram Finance (₹2.70 lakh) for violating digital lending rules by routing loan repayments through third-party accounts.
  • DRDO's Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) and AIIMS Bibinagar unveiled India's first cost-effective advanced Carbon Fibre Foot Prosthesis, named ADIDOC. It is expected to significantly reduce costs and improve accessibility for amputees.
  • Harikrishnan A became India's 87th Grandmaster in chess.

International News

  • Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited China to enhance trade relations. He met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The visit focused on deepening trade ties and reviewing the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
  • North Korea warned the US, South Korea, and Japan, stating its readiness for military action following a recent aerial drill by the allies.
  • China rejected the Philippines' statement referencing the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling, calling it "absurd and politically motivated".

Science & Technology

  • Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla returned to Earth on July 15, 2025, after successfully completing his 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
  • The third-ever interstellar object, 3I/Atlas, was discovered and confirmed to be older than the Solar System.

Sports News

  • Jannik Sinner won his first Wimbledon men's singles title, defeating Carlos Alcaraz.
  • Chelsea F.C. won the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final.
  • Oliver Rowland clinched the Formula E World Championship.
  • Iga Świątek won the Wimbledon Women's Singles Title for the first time.