Daily GK Update- 9th July, 2025

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Andhra Pradesh Launches AI-Powered Smart Mosquito Surveillance System to Combat Vector-Borne Diseases: The Andhra Pradesh government has launched the Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS), an AI-based initiative using sensors, drones, and real-time data to monitor mosquito species, population levels, and environmental conditions.The pilot project will be implemented at 66 locations across six major municipal corporations: Visakhapatnam (16 locations), Vijayawada (28), Kakinada (4), Rajamahendravaram (5), Nellore (7), and Kurnool (6).When mosquito density crosses safe limits, the system will automatically send alerts, prompting immediate spraying or fogging by civic teams—ensuring targeted action instead of ineffective blind spraying.Daily reports from hospitals on diseases like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya will help identify hotspots, while operations will be monitored through mobile apps (Vector Control and Puramitra) and carried out by agencies with performance-based payments.

 

2. India Launches ‘National Biobank’ to Power Personalized Healthcare and Indigenous Genomic Research: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the ‘National Biobank’ at CSIR-IGIB, marking a major step in India’s healthcare innovation through the Phenome India project, aimed at collecting genomic and clinical data from 10,000 diverse individuals across the country.The Biobank, modelled after the UK Biobank, will power AI-driven diagnostics and personalised treatment by decoding gene-environment interactions, aiding early disease detection, and addressing India-specific health challenges like central obesity, rare genetic disorders, and antimicrobial resistance.CSIR-IGIB is advancing indigenous CRISPR-based therapies for conditions like sickle cell anaemia and liver fibrosis, and expanding its research into areas like space biology, women-centric genomics, and AI-based pilot fitness in collaboration with the Indian Air Force

 

3. DEPwD and Sri Aurobindo Society Join Hands to Boost Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities: The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) signed an MoU with Sri Aurobindo Society (SAS) to promote inclusive education for children with disabilities, in line with Sections 16, 17, and 47 of the RPwD Act, 2016.Under the Rupantar Programme, SAS will implement ‘Project Inclusion’ using a mobile app and web platform toprovide training, issue e-certificates, and encourage innovative inclusive teaching practices.The initiative also includes research and development efforts and aims to expand inclusive education to remote and challenging regions such as Leh through the Leh Inclusion Initiative.

 

4. Shivraj Singh Chouhan Inaugurates 11th India Maize Summit: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the 11th India Maize Summit organised by FICCI and Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR), where he stressed the government’s core mantra: “Farmers’ sewa is our mool mantra.”He unveiled a comprehensive roadmap to boost maize production, enhance farmer incomes, and promote environmental sustainability, citing that maize output has grown from 10 Mn MT in the 1990s to 42.3 Mn MT, with a target of 86 Mn MT by 2047.Under the ‘Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan’, around 11,000 agricultural scientists and officials have been deployed to 7,000–8,000 villages to directly connect lab research with on-ground farming practices.

 

5. Retired IPS Officer V.S. Ravi Launches Book ‘Confessions of a Shakespeare Addict’: Retired IPS officer and columnist V.S. Ravi launched his book “Confessions of a Shakespeare Addict” in Hyderabad, in an event attended by former bureaucrats, scholars, and literature enthusiasts.The book, a deeply personal and scholarly tribute to William Shakespeare, reflects Mr. Ravi’s lifelong passion for the Bard’s work and was lauded for its intellectual depth and emotional connection.

In his speech, Mr. Ravi recalled memorable moments from Stratford-upon-Avon and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, sharing stories of reciting Shakespeare’s verses to audiences around the world, including Nobel laureate C.F. Powell.

 

6. 9 July – National Sugar Cookie Day: National Sugar Cookie Day is celebrated every year on 9th July, especially in the United States, to recognize the simple yet delicious sugar cookie — a beloved classic in the world of baking.Sugar cookies, made from basic ingredients like sugar, flour, butter, eggs, and vanilla, are known for their versatility and are often decorated with icing and sprinkles for festive occasions.The day encourages people to bake, share, and enjoy sugar cookies, whether homemade or store-bought, and to celebrate the joy of sweet, simple pleasures in life.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Switzerland Approves World’s First Malaria Drug for Infants Under Fast-Track WHO Partnership: Swissmedic, Switzerland’s medical products authority, has granted fast-track approval to Coartem Baby, the first malaria drug designed for infants weighing between 2 to 5 kilograms.The drug, developed by Novartis, is a lower-dose version of an existing antimalarial tablet, aimed at providing safe treatment for newborns and small infants, especially in malaria-hit African countries.This is only the third time Swissmedic has used its fast-track process in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to improve access to life-saving treatments in developing nations.

 

2. Hardeep Singh Brar Appointed President & CEO of BMW Group India: Hardeep Singh Brar has been appointed as the President and CEO of BMW Group India, effective 1 September 2025, succeeding Vikram Pawah who will lead BMW Group Australia and New Zealand.Prior to this, Brar served as Senior Vice President and National Head of Sales & Marketing at Kia India, and has over 30 years of experience across top automotive brands including Maruti Suzuki, Volkswagen, Nissan, and General Motors.Jean-Philippe Parain of BMW Group highlighted India’s importance as a fast-growing market and praised Brar’s deep understanding of the Indian automotive sector to drive BMW’s long-term strategy.Outgoing CEO Vikram Pawah, with BMW since 2017, played a pivotal role in expanding BMW Group India’s market share and advancing its focus on electric mobility and customer-centric growth.

 

3. 7 July – World Kiswahili Language Day: World Kiswahili Language Day is celebrated every year on 7 July to honor Kiswahili, a major African language spoken by over 200 million people across East, Central, and Southern Africa.Kiswahili is recognized as an official language of major African bodies like the African Union (AU), SADC, and the East African Community (EAC), highlighting its importance in regional unity and communication.Declared by UNESCO as the first African language to receive an international day, Kiswahili promotes multilingualism, cultural diversity, tolerance, and contributes to education and socio-economic development.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy Signs Pact with BEL to Launch AI-Enabled NMDA Project for Enhanced Maritime Security: The Indian Navy has signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the implementation of the National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project to enhance maritime and coastal security.The project includes upgrading the existing NC3I (National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence) Network into an AI-enabled NMDA Network for improved data analysis and information sharing among maritime stakeholders.The Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram will be upgraded into a Multi-Agency NMDA Centre, and the entire project will be executed on a turnkey basis under Indian Navy’s administration.

 

2. Indian and Japanese Coast Guards Launch Joint Exercise ‘Jaa Mata’ Off Chennai Coast: The Indian Coast Guard and Japanese Coast Guard will conduct a joint exercise named ‘Jaa Mata’ off the coast of Chennai, aiming to enhance maritime cooperation.The Japanese Coast Guard’s ship Itsukushima, which is on a Global Ocean Voyage Training mission, arrived at Chennai Port for the exercise.This visit is part of the 2006 Memorandum of Cooperation between the two coast guards to strengthen maritime security and partnership between India and Japan.

 

SPORTS

 

1. Lando Norris Secures Emotional First F1 Victory at Historic British Grand Prix: Lando Norris clinched his first-ever Formula One victory at the 2024 British Grand Prix, marking a historic moment as it coincided with the 75th anniversary of the first F1 race held at Slverstone in 1950.The 25-year-old McLaren driver fulfilled a long-held dream by winning his maiden home race, greeted by overwhelming support from thousands of fans, especially the packed “Landostand” at Stowe corner.

 

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. MIB Launches ‘Kalaa Setu’ Challenge to Boost AI-Driven Multilingual Content Creation in India: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has launched the ‘Kalaa Setu – Real-Time Language Tech for Bharat’ Challenge through its WaveX Startup Accelerator Platform.The initiative invites AI startups across India to create indigenous, scalable solutions for generating audio, video, and graphic content from text, supporting multiple Indian languages.The challenge focuses on three key areas of AI-driven content generation: text-to-video, text-to-graphics, and text-to-audio technologies.

 

2. Jack Dorsey Launches Bitchat: A Decentralized, Bluetooth-Based Messaging App for Offline Communication: Twitter Co- founder Jack Dorsey has launched Bitchat, a decentralized peer-to-peer messaging app that works without internet, using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to send encrypted messages directly between devices.Bitchat does not require servers, accounts, emails, or phone numbers—messages are stored only on users’ devices and are automatically deleted after a short time to protect privacy.The app is currently available for iPhone users via TestFlight and is especially useful in areas with poor or no internet connectivity, offering censorship resistance and secure communication.The beta version focuses on battery efficiency and relay stability, with future plans to integrate Wi-Fi support for sharing multimedia content and expanding platform compatibility.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. India’s Invisible Trade Surpasses Merchandise Exports: India’s foreign trade has undergone transformation in recent years. Traditionally known for exporting physical goods, India now derives greater value from intangible exports. Services, remittances and other invisible transactions have become the dominant contributors to the country’s external balance of payments. This shift reflects changes in the global economy and India’s evolving role in international trade. India’s exports of physical goods rose sharply from $66.3 billion in 2003-04 to $318.6 billion in 2013-14. After a pandemic-induced slump, exports rebounded to $456.1 billion in 2022-23. However, goods exports declined slightly to $441.8 billion by 2024-25. The fluctuations mirror global economic cycles and demand for commodities. Despite this, merchandise trade continues to run a large deficit due to high imports, reaching $729 billion in 2024-25.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. PM Modi Honoured with Brazil’s Highest Civilian Award for Strengthening Bilateral Ties: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Brazil’s highest civilian honour, the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.The award recognises PM Modi’s significant role in strengthening India-Brazil bilateral ties and fostering cooperation on major global platforms.This marks the 26th international award received by PM Modi from a foreign government since assuming office in May 2014, reflecting his growing global stature.