UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 17 July 2025

Grandala

July 17, 2025

Grandala Latest News

A Rare 'Grandala' electric-blue bird was recently spotted in Sainj Valley, Himachal Pradesh.

About Grandala

It is a species of bird in the thrush family Turdidae.
Scientific Name: Grandala coelicolor
It is the only species placed in the genus Grandala.
It is an arboreal insectivore.

Grandala Distribution

It ranges across the northeastern Indian Subcontinent and some adjoining regions, existing primarily in the low-to-mid altitudes of the Himalayas.
It is found in Bhutan, India, Myanmar, and Nepal, as well as Tibet and other areas of China.
Habitat: Alpine and subalpine regions, typically found at elevations between 3,000 to 5,000 meters.

Grandala Features

Body length - 20.5-23 cm, weight from 38 to 52 g.
The plumage of the male is blue-gray, only the tail and wings are black.
The plumage of the female is brownish with white stripes; rump gray-blue; the tip and underside of the wing feathers are white.
They are known for their unique flock-forming behavior during non-breeding seasons. These spectacular flocks can sometimes be composed of up to 200 individuals.

Grandala Conservation Status

It is classified as 'Least Concern' under the IUCN Red List.

Source: TIMESN

Grandala FAQs

Q1: Grandala belongs to which bird family?

Ans: Turdidae

Q2: In which habitat is the Grandala typically found?

Ans: Alpine and subalpine regions

Q3: What is the conservation status of the Grandala according to the IUCN Red List?

Ans: Least Concern

YD One

July 17, 2025

YD One Latest News

In a major mobility breakthrough, IIT Madras recently launched YD One, India's lightest wheelchair.

About YD One

It is India’s lightest active wheelchair and the country’s first indigenously developed precision-built mono-tube rigid-frame wheelchair.
It was developed by IIT Madras’ TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) in collaboration with the startup Thryv Mobility.
It is fully customised for each user's body, posture, and daily mobility needs.
It is built with aerospace-grade materials weighing just nine kilograms, its ultra-lightweight and precision-engineered design delivers maximum strength and energy efficiency.
It can support up to 120 kg.
The compact frame allows the wheelchair to be easily lifted and accommodated in vehicles such as cars, auto-rickshaws, and public transport, addressing longstanding concerns around portability and access.
YD One aims to provide high-performance mobility at a fraction of the cost of expensive imports, enabling greater independence and dignity for users.

Source: IT

YD One FAQs

Q1: What is YD One?

Ans: It is India’s lightest active wheelchair and the country’s first indigenously developed precision-built mono-tube rigid-frame wheelchair.

Q2: Which institution developed the YD One wheelchair?

Ans: It was developed by IIT Madras’ TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research and Device Development (R2D2) in collaboration with the startup Thryv Mobility.

Q3: What is the approximate weight of the YD One wheelchair?

Ans: 9 kg

Pavana River

July 17, 2025

Pavana River Latest News

Citizens, including local youth and residents, recently gathered at Akurdi to express their disapproval of the Pavana River rejuvenation project.

About Pavana River

It is situated in the west of Maharashtra state, in the Pune District.
The river is a notable river crossing Pune city and divides Pune City and the Pimpri-Chinchwad area.
Course:
- Origin: It originates from the Western Ghats, about 6 km south of Lonavala.
- The river originates south of Lonavala from the Western Ghats and flows a total of nearly 60 km to meet the Mula River in Pune.
- The Mula River, which later merges with the Mutha River, forming the Mula-Mutha River, ultimately drains into the Bhima River (the largest tributary of the Krishna River).
A dam is built on this river at Pavana Nagar, called the “Pavana Nagar Dam”.
- It is an earth-fill gravity dam.
- It is 1,329 m (4,360 ft) long and 42.37 m (139.0 ft) high, with a gross storage capacity of 30,500.00 km3.
- It is built with the purpose of providing sufficient water to the nearby localities.
- It provides drinking water to Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Source: HT

Pavana River FAQs

Q1: In which Indian state is the Pavana River located?

Ans: Maharashtra

Q2: What is the origin point of the Pavana River?

Ans: It originates from the Western Ghats, about 6 km south of Lonavala.

Q3: The Pavana River flows into which river in Pune?

Ans: Mula River

Q4: What is the approximate total length of the Pavana River?

Ans: 60 km

Tanimbar Islands

July 17, 2025

Tanimbar Islands Latest News

Recently, an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Tanimbar Islands region.

About Tanimbar Islands

Location: The Tanimbar Islands are in the Indonesian province of Maluku, at the end of the long arc of islands that stretches from Sumatra through Java, Bali, Lombok and down through Timor.
These Islands are a group of around 30 islands lie between the Banda and Arafura seas.
It is part of Kei Archipelago and it belongs to Southeast Maluku Regency
The largest island in the group is Yamdena, some seventy miles long and forty miles wide at its widest.
Vegetation: This island has thickly wooded hills along its eastern coast, while its western coast is lower and often swampy.
Seismic activity in Indonesia: Indonesia straddles the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly seismically active zone, where different plates on the Earth’s crust meet and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Source: TH

Tanimbar Islands FAQs

Q1: Where is Tanimbar island?

Ans: Eastern Indonesia

Q2: What is known as an archipelago?

Ans: An archipelago is an area that contains a chain or group of islands scattered in lakes, rivers, or the ocean.

Aspergillosis

July 17, 2025

Aspergillosis Latest News

In recent times, the blue rock pigeon — also known as Columba livia — has found itself at the center of a growing controversy due to presumed aspergillosis disease carriers.

About Aspergillosis

It is an infection caused by Aspergillus — a genus of mold that includes hundreds of species.

Transmission of Aspergillosis

The most common culprit in infections is Aspergillus fumigatus, a fungus that produces tiny airborne spores.
These spores, when inhaled in large quantities, can cause respiratory illness, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems, preexisting lung conditions, or prolonged exposure to dusty, moldy environments.
Aspergillus is ubiquitous and found in soil, decaying vegetation, compost, dust, old building materials, air-conditioning systems, bird droppings, and even in grain and spices.
It thrives in damp and poorly ventilated areas.
It is not contagious i.e it will not spread from person to person.

Symptoms of Aspergillosis

It causes different types of infections with some differences in symptoms.
Cough and shortness of breath are common symptoms among all types of aspergillosis. Some types of infections cause nasal congestion, headache, fatigue, and coughing up blood.
Treatment: Treatment depends on the type of infection and includes antifungal medications like voriconazole or itraconazole.

Source: NIE

Aspergillosis FAQs

Q1: What is the main cause of aspergillosis?

Ans: Aspergillosis is an infection caused by a type of mold (fungus).

Q2: What are four diseases caused by aspergillus?

Ans: Aspergillosis is a group of illnesses caused by Aspergillus fungi. Some types include allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), aspergilloma, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis and invasive aspergillosis.

Javelin Missile

July 17, 2025

Javelin Missile Latest News

India recently submitted a letter of request to the United States for co-production of Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) in the country.

About Javelin Missile

It is an American-made, man-portable, anti-tank guided missile.
It is developed and produced jointly by American defence majors Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
It was designed to defeat heavily armored vehicles such as main battle tanks and lighter-skinned military vehicles.
The weapon also has capability against other target types like fortifications, bunkers, and helicopters.
It first entered service with the U.S. military in 1996.

Javelin Missile Features

It has an effective range of 2.5 km, with newer models reportedly capable of reaching up to 4 kilometers.
Weight: 5.11 kg
It uses “fire-and-forget” technology to guide itself to the target without external commands or target designation.
Soldiers can reposition immediately after firing, or reload to engage another threat with the Javelin system.
It uses automatic infrared guidance that allows the user to seek cover immediately after launch.
The missile can engage targets using either a direct or top-attack mode, with the latter designed to exploit vulnerabilities in the thinner armor on the tops of tanks.

Source: TH

Javelin Missile FAQs

Q1: What type of missile is the Javelin?

Ans: Anti-tank guided missile

Q2: Which two companies jointly developed the Javelin missile?

Ans: Raytheon and Lockheed Martin

Q3: What is the effective range of the Javelin missile?

Ans: 2.5 km

Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

July 17, 2025

Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve Latest News

An artificial intelligence-based system which warns people about the movement of tigers through loudspeakers has been installed in 20 villages in the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).

About Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

Location: It is located in the Chandrapur district in Maharashtra.
It is the largest and oldest Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra.
The word 'Tadoba' is derived from the name of God "Tadoba" or "Taru," which is praised by local tribal people of this region and "Andhari" is derived from the name of Andhari river that flows in this area.
The reserves are includes Tadoba National Park and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary.
The reserve has corridor linkages with Nagzira-Navegaon and Pench Tiger Reserves within the State.
Habitat: Biogeographically, the reserve falls in the Central Plateau province of the Deccan Peninsula. The habitat has undulating topography in the north and is rich in biodiversity.
Vegetation: It consists of Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous type of vegetation.
Lakes and River: There are two lakes and one waterway in the reserve, Tadoba Lake, Kolsa Lake, and the Tadoba River.
Flora: It is blessed with thick forests covered with teak trees and other vegetation such as crocodile bark, salai, tendu, karaya gum, and mahua madhuca.
Fauna: The notable faunal species include the tiger, leopard, sloth bear, wild dog, gaur, chital, and sambar.

Source: The print

Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve FAQs

Q1: In which district Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is located?

Ans: Chandrapur District

Q2: Which river flows through Tadoba andhari Tiger Reserve?

Ans: Andhari river

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

July 17, 2025

Coronal Mass Ejections Latest News

Astronomers have unveiled the intricate tale behind a series of powerful solar eruptions called Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), that resulted in rare northern lights dancing across Ladakh's night skies in May 2024.

About Coronal Mass Ejections

These are massive ejections of magnetized plasma from the Sun’s corona.

How are Coronal Mass Ejections formed?

They form similarly to solar flares—a result of the twisting and realignment of the sun’s magnetic field, known as magnetic reconnection.
When magnetic field lines “tangle” they produce strong localized magnetic fields which can break through the surface of the sun at active regions, subsequently generating CMEs.
CMEs usually take place around sunspot groups and are often accompanied by a solar flare, though the two don’t always occur in tandem.
CMEs travel outward from the sun at speeds ranging from slower than 250 kilometers per second (km/s) to as fast as 3000 km/s.
The fastest Earth-directed CMEs can reach our planet in as little as 15-18 hours.
They expand in size as they propagate away from the Sun, and larger CMEs can reach a size comprising nearly a quarter of the space between Earth and the Sun by the time they reach our planet.
CMEs, like solar flares, are most common during the solar maximum, a period in the sun’s 11-year cycle of activity when the star is at its most active.
Impact on Earth: When such solar blasts are directed toward the Earth, they can cause geomagnetic storms capable of disrupting satellite operations, communication systems and power grids.

Source: PIB

Coronal Mass Ejections FAQs

Q1: What is the danger of a solar storm in space?

Ans: Very high-energy particles, such as those carried by CMEs, can cause radiation poisoning to humans and other mammals.

Q2: Which ISRO mission aims to study solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and their effect on Earth's magnetic field?

Ans: Aditya L1 Mission

Antimatter

July 17, 2025

Antimatter Latest News

Recently, an international collaboration of scientists based in Europe reported that they had, for the first time, observed that the matter and antimatter versions of a type of subatomic particle called a baryon decay at different rates.

About Antimatter

Antimatter is the same as ordinary matter except that it has the opposite electric charge.
The antimatter particles corresponding to electrons, protons, and neutrons are called positrons (e+), antiprotons (p), and antineutrons (n); collectively they are referred to as antiparticles.
The electrical properties of antimatter being opposite to those of ordinary matter, the positron has a positive charge and the antiproton a negative charge; the antineutron, though electrically neutral, has a magnetic moment opposite in sign to that of the neutron.
Matter and antimatter cannot coexist at close range for more than a small fraction of a second because they collide with and annihilate each other, releasing large quantities of energy in the form of gamma rays or elementary particles.
Antimatter was created along with matter after the Big Bang. But antimatter is rare in today's universe.
Humans have created antimatter particles using ultra-high-speed collisions at huge particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider, which is located outside Geneva and operated by CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research).

Source: TH

Antimatter FAQs

Q1: What is the main difference between matter and antimatter?

Ans: Antimatter has the opposite electric charge compared to matter.

Q2: What is the antimatter equivalent of an electron called?

Ans: Positron

Q3: What happens when matter and antimatter come into close contact?

Ans: They annihilate each other and release energy.

Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana

July 17, 2025

Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana Latest News

Recently, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister approved the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana.

About Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana

It is first of its kind focusing exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors.
It aims to enhance agricultural productivity, increase adoption of crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices, augment post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block levels, improve irrigation facilities and facilitate availability of long-term and short-term credit.

Implementation of Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana

It will be implemented through convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 Departments, other State schemes and local partnerships with the private sector.
Under this scheme 100 districts will be identified based on three key indicators of low productivity, low cropping intensity, and less credit disbursement.
The number of districts in each state/UT will be based on the share of Net Cropped Area and operational holdings. However, a minimum of 1 district will be selected from each state.
Committees will be formed at District, State and National level for effective planning, implementation and monitoring of the Scheme.
A District Agriculture and Allied Activities Plan will be finalized by the District Dhan Dhaanya Samiti, which will also have progressive farmers as members.
The District Plans will be aligned to the national goals of crop diversification, conservation of water and soil health, self-sufficiency in agriculture and allied sectors as well as expansion of natural and organic farming.
Monitoring: Progress of the Scheme in each Dhan-Dhaanya district will be monitored on 117 key Performance Indicators through a dashboard on monthly basis.
NITI will also review and guide the district plans. Besides, Central Nodal Officers appointed for each district will also review the scheme on a regular basis.
As the targeted outcomes in these 100 districts will improve, the overall average against key performance indicators will rise for the country.
Significance: The scheme will result in higher productivity, value addition in agriculture and allied sector, local livelihood creation and hence increase domestic production and achieving self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat).

Source: PIB

Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana FAQs

Q1: What is the Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana?

Ans: The PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana is a new scheme launched by the Government of India to enhance agricultural productivity and livelihood of small and marginal farmers.

Q2: How will the scheme benefit farmers?

Ans: PMDKY will provide farmers with better crop management, financial assistance, and irrigation support to improve productivity.