Daily Current Affairs and GK | 17 July 2025

Topic: Important Days

1. World Day for International Justice: 17 July

• World Day for International Justice is observed every year on 17 July.
• The day is also called International Justice Day or International Criminal Justice Day.
• This day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute on 17 July 1998.
• The day provides the platform to unite all those who support justice, promote victims' rights, prevent crimes against humanity, etc.
• International Criminal Court (ICC):
  • It is an intergovernmental organization that can prosecute individuals for international crimes like war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, etc.
  • Its headquarters are located in The Hague, Netherlands.
  • It started functioning in 2002 when the Rome Statute came into force.
  • Current President: Judge Tomoko Akane
  • Members: 125 (October 2024)

Topic: Sports

2. India's Deepika won the Poligras Magic Skills Award for her brilliant goal.

• Indian hockey forward Deepika has been honoured with the Poligras Magic Skill Award 2024-25 for her spectacular solo goal against the world No. 1 Netherlands in the FIH Hockey Pro League.
• The award was decided through a global fan vote held from July 4 to 13, recognising extraordinary moments in international hockey.
• Deepika’s goal, scored in February during the FIH Pro League at Bhubaneswar, featured an agile dribble past defenders and a finish from a tight angle.
• Her strike in the 35th minute helped India level the match 2-2, which India eventually won via shootout at Kalinga Stadium.
• Other nominees included Spain’s Patricia Alvarez and Australia’s women’s team, who delivered technically skilled performances.
• In the men’s category, Belgium’s Victor Wegnez won the award for orchestrating a brilliant team goal against Spain.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

3. PM Modi launched major agriculture reforms with the PM Dhan-Dhanya Yojana.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming the lives of farmers in India.
• A major step toward this transformation has been taken through the launch of the “Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana,” aimed at boosting agricultural growth in lagging districts.
• The Union Cabinet has approved the scheme for six years, beginning in 2025–26, to benefit 100 underperforming districts in agriculture.
• The initiative draws inspiration from the Aspirational Districts Programme by NITI Aayog, with a focus on agriculture and allied sectors.
• The scheme is designed to boost agricultural productivity by promoting crop diversification, sustainable farming practices, and improved irrigation.
• It also aims to enhance post-harvest storage at the Panchayat and block levels while ensuring access to both long-term and short-term credit.
• These 100 districts will be selected based on indicators like low productivity, low cropping intensity, and insufficient credit disbursement.
• Implementation of the scheme will be ensured through the convergence of 36 ongoing schemes from 11 departments and collaboration with the private sector.
• The Cabinet has also approved expanded investment powers for NTPC Ltd., allowing it to invest up to ₹20,000 crore in renewable energy through NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd. and joint ventures.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

4. Leila Aboulela awarded the PEN Pinter Prize for literature on migration and faith.

• Sudanese author Leila Aboulela has been announced as the recipient of the 2024 PEN Pinter Prize for her literary contributions centered on faith, migration, and women’s lives.

• The prize is awarded to a writer who, in the words of the late British playwright Harold Pinter, casts an “unflinching, uncompromising” gaze upon the world and “shows a fierce intellectual determination to define the real truth of our lives and our societies.”
• Aboulela grew up in Khartoum, Sudan, and has lived in Aberdeen since 1990.
• Her six novels and two short story collections include The Translator, Elsewhere, Home, and, most recently, 2023’s River Spirit.
• Her work has been praised for dignifying the experiences of Muslim women and offering nuanced insights into faith, migration, and displacement.
• The official award ceremony will take place on 10 October at the British Library in London, where she will also announce the winner of the Writer of Courage Award.
• Previous winners of this prestigious award include literary figures such as Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, and Arundhati Roy.
• The prize is annually awarded to writers from the UK, Ireland, the Commonwealth, or former Commonwealth countries.

Topic: Reports and Indices

5. Delhi declared the most affordable student city in the QS Global Rankings 2026.

• Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai have improved their positions in the “Best Student Cities” ranking for 2026.
• It is compiled by global higher education consultancy QS-Quacquarelli Symonds after evaluating 150 cities across the world.
• Seoul, Tokyo, and London are the top three cities in this ranking.
• Mumbai re-entered the top 100 by rising 15 spots to 98th place, while Delhi climbed to 104th, and Bengaluru reached 108th.
• Chennai made significant progress, advancing 12 places to rank 128th globally.
• While Delhi has emerged as the most affordable student city in the world, Mumbai and Bengaluru are in the top 15 in this criterion.
• Delhi and Mumbai both entered the global top 50 in terms of employer activity, reflecting growing job prospects for graduates.
• Bengaluru made the most significant leap in this dimension, climbing 41 positions to rank 59th.
• India has witnessed a 390% rise in the number of institutions featured in QS World University Rankings over the last decade.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

6. India and Argentina strengthen agricultural ties at the 2nd Joint Working Group meeting.

• On 15 July, the second Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting between India and Argentina was held to enhance bilateral cooperation in agriculture.

• The Indian delegation was led virtually by Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi, while Mr. Sergio Iraeta co-chaired the session from Argentina.
• A shared commitment to collaboration in agricultural innovation, mechanization, and sustainable farming was reaffirmed during the session.
• The Indian side highlighted opportunities in pest control, climate resilience, and credit support to farmers.
• Argentina expressed strong interest in cooperation in areas such as genome editing and plant breeding technologies.
• The meeting was regarded as a milestone in deepening the agricultural partnership between the two nations.
• Both sides agreed on the importance of technology exchange and joint research to boost productivity and farmer welfare.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

7. President Droupadi Murmu presented the Kalinga Ratna Award 2024 to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

• She paid tribute to Adikabi Sarala Das on his 600th birth anniversary.
• Murmu praised his lasting contributions to Indian literature.
• She highlighted his work in translating the Mahabharata into the Odia language.
• The event was held at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cuttack.
• It was organized by the Sarala Sahitya Sansad.
• The President appreciated the Sansad’s efforts in promoting literary heritage.
• She acknowledged their role in honoring Sarala Das's legacy.
• Murmu congratulated Shri Bijaya Nayak for receiving the 'Sarala Samman' literary award.
• She emphasized the tradition of Indian epics being composed in multiple regional languages.
• The Kalinga Ratna Award honors exceptional contributions to education, literature, culture, or public service.

Topic: National Appointments

8. Sanjay Kaul has been appointed as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of GIFT City Company Limited in Gandhinagar.

• He is a 2001-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre.
• The Gujarat government's General Administration Department issued an official notification regarding his appointment.
• Kaul is currently on central deputation.
• He is serving as Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Culture.
• In this role, he handles international cultural cooperation and UNESCO-related matters.
• He also oversees intangible cultural heritage, library systems, cultural schemes, and key institutions.
• These include The Asiatic Society and the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies.
• According to the notification, he will serve at GIFT City for three years or until further orders.
• Tapan Ray is the outgoing MD and CEO of GIFT City.
• He is a retired IAS officer from the Gujarat cadre.
• Ray will continue in the role until Kaul officially assumes charge.

Topic: Reports and Indices

9. India has reduced the number of zero-dose children by 43% in one year.

• The number dropped from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024.
• This improvement was reported by WHO and UNICEF in new data.
• South Asia reached its highest-ever immunization levels in 2024.
• DTP3 vaccine coverage in the region rose to 92%.
• This marks a 2% increase from 2023 and exceeds pre-pandemic levels.
• The DTP vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
• Nepal reduced its zero-dose child population by over half.
• Pakistan achieved a record 87% DTP3 coverage.
• Afghanistan recorded the lowest immunization rates in the region.
• It also experienced a slight decline compared to last year.
• Measles vaccination coverage improved significantly.
• About 93% of infants received the first dose. Around 88% got the second dose.
• Measles cases in the region dropped by 39% in 2024.
• Bangladesh vaccinated more than 7.1 million girls against HPV. Its HPV program began last year.
• Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka also reported higher HPV vaccination numbers.
• India and Pakistan are expected to start HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccination campaigns later this year.
• Despite the progress, over 2.9 million children in South Asia remain un- or under-vaccinated.
• WHO and UNICEF report praised leadership from governments, and the better use of data and technology.

Topic: National News

10. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the University of Southampton’s India campus in Gurugram.

• This is the first foreign university to establish a campus in India under the UGC’s new framework.
• Pradhan described the launch as a major step in internationalising education under the National Education Policy 2020.
• He said the initiative also strengthens the India–UK education partnership outlined in the India–UK Roadmap 2030.
• The campus will give Indian students access to world-class education at a lower cost and closer to home.
• The launch was attended by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
• Other guests included Lord Patel OBE, British High Commissioner Lindy Cameron, and UGC Chairman Dr. Vineet Joshi.
• Pradhan praised the university for building a state-of-the-art campus within a year of receiving approval.
• The campus will offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs based on UK academic standards.
• Subjects will include Computer Science, Business Management, Economics, and Accounting & Finance.
• Students will have the option to complete parts of their studies in the UK or Malaysia.
• Courses are scheduled to begin in 2025.
• The first batch will include students from India, the UAE, and Nepal.
• Postgraduate degrees will include MSc in Finance and MSc in International Management.