Daily Current Affairs UPSC Exam - July 21, 2025

Current affairs July 2025 cover key topics including the discovery of Lyriothemis abrahami dragonfly in Kerala, Slovenia's assisted dying law, ESA's INVICTUS hypersonic aircraft programme, Tuvalu's climate migration visa, Rajendra Chola I's 1000th anniversary, sighting of Pale-Capped Pigeon in Assam, India's 7th rank in IMO 2025, and PM Modi's visits to the UK and Maldives.

1. Lyriothemis abrahami

Context

A new species of dragonfly, Lyriothemis abrahami, has been discovered in the forests of Kerala and Western Ghats. Previously mistaken for Lyriothemis flava, it was officially documented after detailed larval and morphological studies.

Features & Habitat:

• Breeds in small pools of water found in tree holes (phytotelmata).

• Exhibits strong sexual dimorphism.

1. Males: Uniquely shaped hamules.
2. Females: Jet-black body with yellow triangular spots.

• Found in both lowland rainforests and mid-elevation evergreen and deciduous forests (50-1,100m elevation).

• The species is named after Abraham Samuel, an odonatology pioneer from Kerala.

Ecological Significance:

• Serves as an indicator of forest health.

• Dragonflies are apex insect predators crucial for regulating mosquito and pest populations

2. Slovenia Approves Assisted Dying Law

Context

Slovenia has passed a law permitting assisted dying for terminally ill adults suffering from unbearable, untreatable physical illnesses, joining countries such as Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Details:

• The law was approved by 50 in favour, 34 against, and three abstentions.

• Supported by the results of a 2023 referendum, where 55% of Slovenians endorsed legalization.

• Eligibility: Lucid, terminally ill adults whose suffering is not due to mental illness; all treatment options must be exhausted.

• Implementation is expected within weeks. The move is hailed as a victory for compassion and human dignity by supporters, though it faces opposition from conservative groups

3. ESA-Frazer-Nash INVICTUS Research Programme

Context

The European Space Agency (ESA) and UK-based Frazer-Nash have launched the INVICTUS research programme to design a Mach 5-capable hypersonic aircraft, targeted for test flights by 2031.

Key Points:

• Budget: €7 million funded by ESA.

• Goal: Develop a reusable spaceplane capable of horizontal runway take-off and Mach 5 flight at the edge of space.

• Technology: Will use hydrogen-fuelled, precooled, air-breathing propulsion systems.

• Consortium includes partners such as Spirit AeroSystems and Cranfield University; Reaction Engines' legacy pre-cooler technology is contributing.

• The INVICTUS contract currently covers the system's preliminary flight design over a 12-month period, envisioning the demonstration of horizontal space access for Europe.

4. Tuvalu "Climate Migration" Visa

Context

More than 5,000 Tuvalu citizens have applied for Australia's new "climate visa," a first-of-its-kind migration pathway that offers permanent residency to Tuvaluans facing existential risk from climate change.

Context & Details:

• Tuvalu, a Pacific island nation of just over 10,000 people, is highly vulnerable to rising sea levels, with much of its territory at or near sea level and facing frequent flooding.

• Under the 2023 Falepili Union Treaty, Australia agreed to provide up to 280 visas annually to Tuvaluans for migration, work, and study.

• The initiative is seen as a dignified response to climate-driven displacement, with about a third of Tuvalu's population applying in the first round.

• The programme enables family support, education, healthcare, and freedom of movement and may allow roughly 40% of Tuvalu's population to migrate over the next decade if the scheme continues

5. PM to Attend 1000th Anniversary of Rajendra Chola I's Gangetic Conquest

Context

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the millenary celebrations of King Rajendra Chola I's Gangetic conquest in Tamil Nadu.

Event Details:

• Venue: Brihadisvara temple, Gangaikondacholapuram, Ariyalur district (UNESCO World Heritage site).

• The PM may release a commemorative coin and attend a photo exhibition on Rajendra Chola I's expeditions and Chola art.

• The celebrations highlight the emperor's expansive reign, naval prowess, temple-building achievements, and the cultural impact of the Cholas in Southeast Asia.

• The anniversary event underlines Rajendra Chola I's legacy as Gangaikonda Cholan ("Bringer of the Ganges") and a powerful maritime ruler whose territories reached the Ganges in North India and beyond to Southeast Asia

6. Pale-Capped Pigeon

Context

The elusive Pale-Capped Pigeon was recently photographed in Dehing Patkai National Park in Assam, marking an important conservation sighting.

Key Facts:

• Scientific name: Columba punicea

• Also known as the purple wood pigeon, it is a large, dark purplish-maroon bird found in parts of Northern and Northeastern India and Southeast Asia (Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam).

• Habitat: Prefers primary or secondary evergreen forests, bamboo groves, and nearby agricultural fields. Its altitude range extends up to 1,600 m.

• Physical Features: Brown above and chestnut below with green or amethyst sheen; males have a whitish-grey cap, females a brownish-grey cap.

• Diet: Primarily frugivorous, foraging in small groups in tree canopies and sometimes feeding on seeds and fallen fruit on the ground.

• Conservation Status: Classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss and fragmentation.

About Dehing Patkai National Park:

• Located in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts, Assam.

• Situated at the foothills of the Patkai Hill Ranges, on the banks of River Dehing (tributary of Brahmaputra), adjacent to Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary.

• Known as the 'Amazon of the East', it harbors India's longest stretch of tropical lowland rainforests.

• Area: 231.65 sq. km; Annual Rainfall exceeds 4,000 mm; predominantly tropical climate.

• Home to over a dozen ethnic groups including Tai Phake, Khamyang, Khampti, Singpho, and others.

• Dense semi-evergreen forests with dominant flora like Hollong, Nahor, Mekai, Paroli, Simul, orchids, ferns, cane, and bamboo.

• Fauna includes slow loris, pig-tailed macaque, capped langur, Indian leopard, Asian elephant, royal Bengal tiger, gaur, Himalayan black bear, clouded leopard, barking deer, and Chinese pangolin.

2. India's Performance at International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2025

• India achieved 7th rank globally among 110 participating countries.

• Indian team won 3 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 1 bronze medal, setting a new national score record of 193/252.

• Supported by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) and guided by experts like Professor Shanta Laishram.

3. Upcoming PM Narendra Modi's Foreign Visits (July 23-26, 2025)

• Prime Minister will undertake a two-nation visit to the United Kingdom and the Maldives.

• In the UK: Engage in talks with PM Keir Starmer and King Charles III focusing on trade, technology, defence, and climate cooperation.

• In Maldives: Strengthening maritime security partnership.

4. Birth Anniversary of Mangal Pandey (19 July)

• The Prime Minister paid tributes to Mangal Pandey, a freedom fighter born on 19 July 1827 in Nagwa village, Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh.

• Known for his pivotal role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, often regarded as the First War of Indian Independence.

Important Terms & Facts