Current Affairs 17th July, 2025

National News

India’s Second Longest Cable-Stayed Bridge Inaugurated in Karnataka

1. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the Sigandur bridge on July 16, 2025.
2. The bridge is located in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka.
3. It is India’s second longest cable-stayed bridge.
4. The bridge spans 2.44 km across the Sharavathi backwaters.
5. It has been built at a cost of over ₹470 crore.
6. The bridge connects Sagara town with Marakutika, improving connectivity.
7. It provides better access to the famous Sigandur Chowdeshwari Temple.
8. Minister Gadkari officially named the bridge after Goddess Chowdeshwari Devi.
9. The bridge restores road links that were lost after the Linganamakki dam was built.
10. Gadkari noted that National Highway length in Karnataka grew from 6,707 km in 2014 to 9,424 km in 2025.
11. The Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway is expected to be completed in six months.
12. The Surat-Chennai highway will be completed by next year, reducing travel distance to Bengaluru and Chennai.

Delhi Ranked World’s Most Affordable Student City in QS 2026 Rankings

1. The QS Best Student Cities Rankings 2026 have been released, showing strong gains for major Indian cities.
2. Delhi was named the world’s most affordable student city globally, achieving a top score of 96.5.
3. Mumbai re-entered the global top 100, securing the 98th position.
4. Bengaluru made a significant jump of 22 spots to rank 108th, while Chennai climbed to 128th.
5. The rankings evaluate cities on affordability, university quality, student diversity, and Employer Activity.
6. Both Delhi and Mumbai featured in the global top 50 for the ‘Employer Activity’ metric.
7. The progress is linked to the high quality of institutions like the IITs and central universities in these cities.

International News

Chinese Scientists Develop World’s Lightest Mind-Control Device for Bees

1. Scientists in China have developed the world’s lightest brain controller for bees.
2. The device was created by a team at the Beijing Institute of Technology.
3. Weighing just 74 milligrams, it turns bees into controllable cyborgs.
4. The device sends electronic signals to the bee’s brain to control its flight.
5. Potential applications include military reconnaissance, counterterrorism, and rescue missions.
6. The project was led by Professor Zhao Jieliang.
7. A major challenge for the device is its limited battery life.
8. The concept was inspired by earlier research in Singapore, but the Chinese device is three times lighter.

Israel Launches its Most Advanced Communications Satellite Dror-1

1. On July 13, 2025, Israel successfully launched its communications satellite, Dror-1.
2. The launch was conducted using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, USA.
3. The satellite was developed by the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
4. Dror-1 is designed to serve Israel’s national communication needs for the next 15 years.
5. It will provide secure communication for military, government, and civilian purposes.
6. It will be positioned in a geostationary orbit at an altitude of approximately 36,000 kilometres.
7. The satellite weighs 4.5 tonnes and features two 2.8-meter-wide antennas.
8. IAI confirmed that initial signals from the satellite were successful, indicating normal operation.

South Asia Achieves Highest-Ever Child Immunisation Coverage in 2024

1. A new report by UNICEF and the WHO shows record immunisation coverage in South Asia for 2024.
2. Coverage for the third dose of the DTP vaccine reached an all-time high of 92% in the region.
3. The number of ‘zero-dose’ children (unvaccinated) fell by 27%, from 2.5 million to 1.8 million.
4. India achieved a notable 43% drop in its zero-dose population, reducing it to 0.9 million.
5. Pakistan recorded its highest-ever DTP3 coverage at 87%.
6. Measles cases in the region declined by 39%, while HPV vaccine coverage rose from 2% to 9%.
7. India and Pakistan are set to launch their national HPV vaccination programs by the end of 2025.
8. Despite the progress, 2.9 million children in the region remain unvaccinated or under-vaccinated.

China Creates World’s Lightest Mind-Control Device for Bees

1. Scientists at the Beijing Institute of Technology have built the world’s lightest brain controller for bees.
2. The device, weighing just 74 milligrams, turns bees into “cyborgs” that can be remotely controlled.
3. It is strapped to a bee’s back and uses tiny needles to send electronic signals to its brain.
4. The signals can guide the bee to fly left, right, forward, or back with a 9 out of 10 success rate.
5. Potential applications include military reconnaissance, counterterrorism, and rescue operations in disaster areas.
6. The technology creates illusions in the bee’s brain, making it follow commands.
7. The primary challenge for the device is its limited battery life.
8. The design was inspired by earlier research but is three times lighter than previous models.

State News

Andhra Pradesh Revives Historic Machilipatnam Port

1. A new greenfield port is being constructed at Manginapudi, near Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
2. The port is expected to begin operations by the end of 2026.
3. Construction is being carried out by Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL).
4. The project follows the Landlord Model, where the government owns the port and private companies operate it.
5. A 2.5 km long breakwater is being built to protect the port from sea waves.
6. Special concrete blocks called tetrapods are being used for coastal protection.
7. The port will also provide significant economic benefits to the neighboring state of Telangana.
8. Telangana is planning a dry port and a freight corridor to connect to Machilipatnam.
9. The project aims to create jobs and bring economic growth to the region.

Meghalaya Celebrates Traditional Behdeinkhlam Festival

1. The annual Behdeinkhlam Festival was celebrated in Jowai, Meghalaya.
2. It is an important festival for the Pnar tribal community, a sub-tribe of the Jaintias.
3. The festival is held in July to pray for a good harvest.
4. The name ‘Behdeinkhlam’ means “driving away the plague”.
5. It is central to the traditional Niamtre religion of the Pnars.
6. A key ritual involves carrying a sacred wooden post, the ‘Symbud Khnong’.
7. A football-like game called ‘Dad-lawakor’ is also part of the celebrations.
8. The festival is now a platform to spread social awareness on issues like drug abuse and climate change.

Goa Launches India’s First RoRo Ferry Service on Mandovi River

1. Goa launched India’s first RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) ferry service on July 14, 2025.
2. The service operates on the Mandovi River between Chorao Island and Ribandar.
3. Two new high-speed ferries, named Gangotri and Dwarka, were introduced.
4. The ferries were designed by Vijai Marine Shipyards.
5. Each ferry can carry 100 passengers, 15 cars, and about 30-40 two-wheelers.
6. The project operates under the Built-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model.
7. This model means the project was developed at zero cost to the state government.
8. The service reduces travel time from 30 minutes to about 12-13 minutes.
9. The initiative was launched by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.

India’s First Aqua Tech Park Inaugurated in Assam

1. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated India’s first Aqua Tech Park.
2. The park is located in Sonapur, near Guwahati, Assam.
3. It will promote modern fish farming technologies like aquaponics and the biofloc system.
4. The park was established by the NGO Kolong Kopili with support from NABARD and ICAR-CIFA.
5. The initiative aims to boost fish production and farmers’ income in the state.
6. Between 2019 and 2024, Assam doubled its fish production to 4.99 lakh metric tonnes.
7. This makes Assam the fourth-largest fish-producing state in India.
8. The state has also launched 10 fishery cluster development projects worth ₹8 crore.

Himachal Pradesh Launches ‘My Deed’ NGDRS Pilot Project

• The project was launched on July 11, 2025, by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
• Its primary objective is to modernise the process of land registration in the state.
• The initiative uses the NGDRS (National Generic Document Registration System) platform.
• The pilot project is active in ten tehsils across ten different districts.
• It enables online applications, requiring citizens to visit the tehsil office only once for finalisation.
• As part of the reforms, land records (Jamabandi) will now be written in simple Hindi.
• A digital diary for Patwaris, called ‘e-Roznamcha Vakyati’, was also introduced.
• The government also announced a mission for simplifying joint land ownership, called ‘Khangi Takseem’.
• The ultimate goal is to move towards a ‘Single Khata, Single Owner’ concept to reduce disputes.

Economy News

Machilipatnam Port Project to Boost Regional Economy

1. The first phase of the Machilipatnam Port project will cost ₹5,155 crore.
2. Initially, the port will have four berths for docking ships.
3. It has the potential for future expansion to 16 berths.
4. The port will have a total handling capacity of 36 million tonnes per year.
5. It is designed to accommodate large ships weighing up to 80,000 tonnes.
6. The port will handle key exports such as coal, cement, pharmaceuticals, and fertilisers.
7. The Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board is overseeing the project’s economic aspects.
8. The development is expected to significantly boost the regional economy and create job opportunities.

Indian Luxury Fashion Market Shows Strong Revival

1. India’s luxury apparel market is showing a strong rebound after a subdued performance in 2024.
2. The market was valued at $7.5 billion in 2024, according to a report by the IMARC Group.
3. Projections indicate the market will grow to $10.7 billion by 2033.
4. This growth is fueled by rising disposable incomes and growing fashion consciousness.
5. In May 2025, Aditya Birla Group demerged its fashion business for better segment focus.
6. Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. (ABFRL) will now concentrate on ethnic and luxury wear.
7. Western wear brands like Van Heusen have been moved to a new entity, Aditya Birla Lifestyle Brands.
8. The restructuring is designed to achieve targeted growth in the Indian fashion market.

Appointments News

Sanjay Kaul Appointed as MD and CEO of GIFT City

1. Sanjay Kaul has been appointed as the new Managing Director and CEO of GIFT City.
2. GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City) is located in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
3. He is a 2001-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre.
4. His appointment is on deputation for a period of three years.
5. He was previously serving as a Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Culture.
6. GIFT City is India’s first smart city focused on international finance.
7. He has prior administrative experience in Gujarat with the Tourism Corporation and Gujarat Informatics Ltd.
8. He will replace the outgoing CEO, Tapan Ray, a retired Gujarat-cadre IAS officer.

Manish Chopra Appointed as CEO of Sabyasachi Couture

1. Manish Chopra has been named the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sabyasachi Couture.
2. He was previously a key executive at Shein India and also held senior roles at Meta.
3. Sabyasachi Couture is a leading Indian luxury fashion house.
4. The brand is majority-owned by Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd. (ABFRL).
5. ABFRL acquired a 51% stake in the company in 2021 for ₹398 crore.
6. This leadership appointment is aimed at strengthening the brand for global expansion.
7. ABFRL’s portfolio also includes other designer brands like Tarun Tahiliani and Masaba.

Obituaries News

Renowned Queer Poet Andrea Gibson Passes Away

1. Celebrated American poet Andrea Gibson passed away on July 14, 2025, at the age of 49.
2. Gibson was the Poet Laureate of Colorado and a powerful voice in the LGBTQ+ community.
3. They were known for their emotional spoken-word poetry exploring themes of gender, love, and mental health.
4. Gibson identified as genderqueer and became an icon for non-binary individuals.
5. Their debut book, ‘Pole Dancing to Gospel Hymns’, was released in 2008.
6. In 2021, they were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which heavily influenced their later work.
7. Gibson was appointed Poet Laureate by Colorado Governor Jared Polis in 2023.
8. They were also recognised as an Out100 honoree in 2022 for their activism and influence.