Current Affairs 15 July 2025

International Agreements and Diplomacy

India Signs 5-Year Fertilizer Deal with Saudi Arabia
India has signed a major 5-year agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Maaden company to secure 3.1 million metric tons of DAP fertilizer each year from 2025 to 2030. This deal, finalized during Minister JP Nadda’s visit to Saudi Arabia (July 11-13), marks a big increase from last year’s 1.9 million tons. Both nations will also explore cooperation in Urea supply, investments, and research for India-specific fertilizers. The agreement could extend for another five years if both sides agree.

Health and Pharma Cooperation
During the same visit, India and Saudi Arabia also discussed collaborations in digital health, pharma production, and healthcare services. A previously signed MoU on Health was highlighted as a foundation for deeper cooperation.

Governance and Appointments

Sonali Mishra Becomes First Woman to Head RPF
Sonali Mishra, a 1993-batch IPS officer, has been appointed as Director General of the Railway Protection Force (RPF). She is the first woman to hold this position. Her service will run until October 31, 2026. Mishra has earlier served in senior roles in BSF and intelligence units and has received several police honors.

President Murmu Appoints New Governors and LG
President Droupadi Murmu has appointed:

• Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh as Governor of Haryana
• Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju as Governor of Goa
• Kavinder Gupta as the new LG of Ladakh
  These appointments aim to enhance governance across states and UTs.

President Nominates Four Rajya Sabha Members
The President nominated four eminent personalities to the Rajya Sabha:

• Ujjwal Nikam (lawyer)
• C. Sadanandan Master (teacher and social worker)
• Harsh Vardhan Shringla (former diplomat)
• Dr. Meenakshi Jain (historian)

State Developments

Gujarat Joins Cruise Bharat Mission
Gujarat became the first state to support the Cruise Bharat Mission to promote cruise tourism. It plans to develop terminals and circuits connecting coastal attractions like Dwarka, Diu, and Porbandar. The project aims to boost jobs and tourism by 2029.

Assam Approves Welfare Schemes
Assam has increased pay for Gaon Pradhans and Anganwadi workers. It also launched the Gaja Mitra Scheme to handle human-elephant conflicts in eight districts. Students and monks will receive stipends, and artisans will benefit from tax reimbursements. Rabindranath Tagore University was renamed Rabindranath Thakur Vishwavidyalaya.

Sports

Wimbledon 2025 Results and Prize Money

• Men’s Singles: Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz (4–6, 6–4, 6–4, 6–4)
• Women’s Singles: Iga Swiatek beat Amanda Anisimova (6–0, 6–0)
• Men’s Doubles: Julian Cash/Lloyd Glasspool beat Hijikata/Pel (6–2, 7–6)
• Women’s Doubles: Kudermetova/Mertens beat Ostapenko/Hsieh (3–6, 6–2, 6–4)
• Mixed Doubles: Verbeek/Siniakova beat Stefani/Salisbury (7–6, 7–6)

Wimbledon Prize Money 2025

• Singles winners: £3 million each
• Doubles winners: £680,000 per team
• Mixed Doubles: £135,000 per team
• Total event fund: £53.5 million

India Joins Australia’s Military Exercise
India joined Exercise Talisman Sabre for the first time. This is Australia’s largest warfighting drill, involving 19 nations including the US. Over 35,000 troops are participating across Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Economy and Global Wealth

Millionaire Migration 2025
A record 142,000 millionaires are relocating globally in 2025. The top countries gaining HNWIs are:

1. UAE (9,800)
2. USA (7,500)
3. Italy (3,600)
4. Switzerland (3,000)
5. Saudi Arabia (2,400)
6. Singapore (1,600)
7. Portugal (1,400)
8. Greece (1,200)
9. Canada (1,000)
10. Australia (1,000)
    India ranks 57th with a net outflow of 3,500 millionaires.

Environment and Climate

India’s Most Polluted Cities in First Half of 2025
Byrnihat (Assam-Meghalaya border) is the most polluted city (PM2.5 = 133), followed by Delhi (87). Other polluted areas include Hajipur, Ghaziabad, and Talcher. Aizawl is the cleanest with PM2.5 at 8.

Antarctic Sea Ice at Record Lows
Studies show summer sea ice in Antarctica is melting faster than ever. Ocean temperatures are rising, ecosystems are suffering, and ice recovery is slowing down. This could have major global climate impacts.

Science and Innovation

India Launches Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL)
India launched the world’s first digital library to protect and share traditional medicine. The library uses AI to study Ayurveda, Unani, and other systems. WHO praised this effort as a step toward merging traditional knowledge with modern healthcare.

New Butterfly Discovered in Kerala
A new species, Zographetus mathewi, was discovered in the Western Ghats. Known as the Sahyadri Spotted Flitter, it was named in honor of entomologist George Mathew.

Entertainment and Celebrities

Highest Paid Actors of 2024
Top 10 highest-paid actors globally:

1. Dwayne Johnson ($103M)
2. Kevin Hart ($108M)
3. Ryan Reynolds ($100M)
4. Jerry Seinfeld ($70M)
5. Hugh Jackman ($50M)
6. Brad Pitt ($42M)
7. Nicole Kidman ($41M) – only woman on the list
8. George Clooney ($31M)
9. Adam Sandler ($35M)
10. Will Smith ($30M)

Obituaries

Veteran Actor Kota Srinivasa Rao Passes Away
Kota Srinivasa Rao, known for his work in Telugu cinema and politics, passed away at 83. He acted in over 750 films and won several awards including the Padma Shri.

Legendary Actress B. Saroja Devi Dies at 87
B. Saroja Devi, iconic star of Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Hindi cinema, died in Bengaluru. She was known for her roles in over 190 films and received honors like the Padma Bhushan.

Former Nigerian President Buhari Dies at 82
Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s former military and elected president, passed away in London. He was a key political figure known for his discipline and anti-corruption campaigns.

Migration and Billionaire Watch

African-born Billionaires in US
Eight African-born billionaires are now among America’s richest immigrants, including Elon Musk, Patrick Soon-Shiong, and Adebayo Ogunlesi. Immigrants now make up 14% of US-based billionaires, most of whom are self-made and work in tech and finance.