Current Affairs - July 28, 2025 Current Affairs

The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched the ‘Global SPECS 2030’ initiative with the aim of making eyecare services accessible and affordable for everyone by the year 2030. The initiative focuses on addressing refractive errors such as myopia and hyperopia, which impact millions globally. It brings together a network of stakeholders committed to improving public health through coordinated advocacy, policy efforts, and collaborative actions. This initiative is part of WHO's broader vision to eliminate avoidable vision impairment and integrate eye health into universal health coverage frameworks, ensuring eye care becomes a fundamental part of global health strategies.

The ‘Veer Parivar Sahayata Yojana’ launched by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) is specifically designed to provide comprehensive legal aid to defence personnel and their families. This initiative recognises the unique challenges faced by soldiers and ex-servicemen, including legal issues like land disputes and service entitlements, which are difficult to address due to their remote postings. By integrating Sainik Boards as legal aid centres and involving defence families as paralegal volunteers, the scheme offers accessible, community-driven support. It aims to ensure that those protecting the nation’s borders receive equal protection and justice at home, reinforcing a system of respect and care.

World Hepatitis Day is observed annually on July 28 to increase global awareness about viral hepatitis, a serious disease that can lead to liver inflammation, chronic liver disease, and even liver cancer. The date was selected in honour of Dr. Baruch Blumberg, who made groundbreaking contributions to hepatitis research by discovering the Hepatitis B virus, developing its diagnostic test and vaccine, and earning a Nobel Prize for his work. The day is marked by awareness campaigns, educational programs, and initiatives around the world, and the 2025 theme is “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” emphasising the importance of simplifying prevention and treatment.

Iran successfully launched the Nahid-2 satellite as part of a multi-payload mission aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket. This marks another milestone in Iran’s growing space program, which has previously included launches of other satellites like Khayyam, Pars-1, Kosar, and Hodhod. The collaboration with Russia for launching satellites highlights Iran’s strategy to develop its space technology capabilities despite international limitations. The successful deployment of Nahid-2 showcases Iran’s ongoing efforts to enhance its telecommunications infrastructure and research capabilities through space-based assets.

Utpal Kumar Singh, a veteran administrator and the current Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha, has been appointed as the CEO of Sansad TV. With a distinguished background in the Indian Administrative Service and an academic foundation in history and public policy, Singh brings decades of experience in governance at both state and central levels. His leadership in the Kedarnath redevelopment project after the 2013 floods earned national recognition, showcasing his capability in crisis management and heritage preservation. His new role at Sansad TV signifies a continued effort to enhance parliamentary outreach and communication, reinforcing transparency and accessibility in democratic processes.

Anuradha Thakur, serving as Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, was nominated by the Central Government as a Director on the RBI Central Board, replacing Ajay Seth. Her appointment comes at a strategically important time, ahead of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting scheduled for early August 2025. With extensive experience in economic affairs and administration, Thakur's inclusion aims to bolster policy coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the RBI. Her expertise will support the Central Board’s mandate to uphold price stability, banking regulation, and monetary policy management, strengthening the RBI’s governance during a critical economic period.

England won the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 on July 27, 2025, in Basel, Switzerland, by defeating Spain in a dramatic penalty shoot-out. Despite a rough start—losing their opening match to France—England bounced back with remarkable resilience. Their journey through the knockout stages was intense, with every win coming through extra time. Coach Sarina Wiegman’s tactical brilliance and key performances from players like Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo played pivotal roles. This victory made England the first team to win the Euros after an opening game loss and marked the first major senior team trophy for the nation on foreign soil.

At the 32nd FISU Summer World University Games 2025 held in the Rhine-Ruhr region of Germany, India secured a total of 12 medals, including 2 gold, 5 silver, and 5 bronze. Although a commendable performance, it fell short of India’s best-ever tally of 26 medals achieved in Chengdu in 2021. The gold medals were won in archery by Sahil Rajesh Jadhav in the men’s individual compound event and by the duo Parneet Kaur and Kushal Dalal in the mixed team compound category. The result reflects consistent international competitiveness but also leaves room for future improvement.

World Nature Conservation Day is observed annually on July 28 to highlight the urgent need for preserving the environment and natural resources. The day serves as a reminder of the importance of sustainable practices that ensure a balance between human needs and ecological stability. Conservation plays a critical role in combating climate change, protecting biodiversity, and promoting a healthier planet for future generations. The 2025 theme, “Restoration, Resilience and Responsibility,” underscores the global commitment to reversing environmental damage, building adaptive communities, and embracing individual and collective responsibility toward nature conservation.

The United Kingdom signed a 50-year defence treaty with Australia known as the Geelong Treaty, under the AUKUS alliance. This long-term bilateral agreement focuses on cooperation in nuclear-powered submarine capabilities and reflects a strategic alignment between the two nations, even as the United States reviews its own role in the alliance. Signed in Geelong, Victoria, this pact underscores a solid commitment to deepening defence ties and advancing shared security goals in the Indo-Pacific region. It also highlights the UK's active participation in strengthening its defence partnerships post-Brexit, particularly within key alliances like AUKUS.

Divya Deshmukh made history by winning the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025, defeating veteran Koneru Humpy in the final held in Batumi, Georgia. At just 19 years old, Divya showed exceptional maturity and composure, especially in the rapid tiebreaks, where she capitalised on a key endgame error by Humpy. This victory not only earned her the prestigious World Cup title but also granted her the Grandmaster title, making her the fourth Indian woman to achieve this feat. Her win marks a generational shift in Indian women’s chess and symbolises the rise of young talent on the global stage.

Latam-GPT is the name of the large language model being developed by 12 Latin American countries as a culturally inclusive, open-source AI initiative. Scheduled for launch in September 2025, it is led by Chile’s National Centre for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA) with contributions from over 30 institutions. Built on Llama 3 technology and trained using regional computing resources and AWS cloud systems, Latam-GPT aims to support regional innovation, preserve Indigenous languages, and provide AI solutions for public services such as education and healthcare. The project addresses key challenges like linguistic diversity and digital inclusion, making it a major regional tech milestone.

Operation Mahadev was a high-intensity counter-terrorism mission launched by the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu & Kashmir Police in the Dara region near Dachigam National Park. Acting on credible intelligence, the forces engaged and neutralised three Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists suspected to be linked with the deadly Pahalgam attack of April 2025. The encounter involved drone surveillance, rapid deployment, and coordinated action, highlighting India's growing reliance on technology and joint-force synergy in counter-insurgency efforts. Operation Mahadev not only marked a tactical success but also reinforced regional security by targeting militant hideouts in challenging terrain close to Srinagar.