UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 23 July 2025

Election of Vice President of India

July 23, 2025

Election of Vice President of India Latest News

With the resignation of Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Election Commission of India will have to announce the election to fill the position with immediate effect as the constitutional post cannot be left vacant.

About Election of Vice President of India

The Vice-President is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament, in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote, and the voting in such election is by secret ballot.
The Electoral College to elect a person to the office of the Vice-President consists of all members of both Houses of Parliament.
- The electoral college for electing the President of India comprises only the elected members of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies.
The Vice-President is not a member of either House of Parliament or of a House of a Legislature of any state.
If a member of either House of Parliament or of a House of a Legislature of any state is elected as Vice-President, he is deemed to have vacated his seat in that House on the date he/she enters his office as Vice-President.
A person cannot be elected as Vice-President unless he
- is a citizen of India;
- has completed the age of 35 years, and
- is qualified for election as a member of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha).
A person is not also eligible if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or a State Government or any subordinate local authority.
An election to fill a vacancy caused by the expiry of the term of office of Vice-President is completed before the expiry of the term.
In case a vacancy arises by reasons of death, resignation or removal or otherwise, the election to fill that vacancy is held as soon as possible after the occurrence.
The person so elected is entitled to hold office for a full term of 5 years from the date he enters office.
Under Article 324 of the Constitution of India, the authority to conduct elections to the Office of Vice-President is vested in the Election Commission of India.
Other Provisions:
- The Returning Officer usually appointed to conduct the Vice-Presidential elections is the Secretary-General of either House of the Parliament, by rotation.
- Any person qualified to be elected and intending to stand for election as Vice-President is required to be nominated by at least 20 MPs as proposers and at least 20 MPs as seconders.
- A candidate seeking election as Vice-President is required to make a security deposit of Rs.15,000/-.
Disputes regarding Election of the Vice-President:
- All doubts and disputes arising in connection with the election of the Vice-President are enquired into and decided by the Supreme Court of India, whose decision is final.
- A petition challenging the election of the Vice-President is heard by a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India.

Source: TH

Election of Vice President of India FAQs

Q1: Who elects the Vice-President of India?

Ans: Electoral college consisting of all members of both Houses of Parliament.

Q2: What is the method used for the election of the Vice-President of India?

Ans: Proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.

Q3: What is the tenure of the Vice-President of India?

Ans: 5 years

Q4: Who is responsible for conducting the election to the office of Vice-President?

Ans: Election Commission of India

Q5: Who is appointed as the Returning Officer for the Vice-Presidential election?

Ans: Secretary-General of either House of Parliament (by rotation)

Tayfun Block-4

July 23, 2025

Tayfun Block-4 Latest News

Turkey recently unveiled its first hypersonic ballistic missile, the Tayfun Block-4, in Istanbul.

About Tayfun Block-4

It is the first hypersonic ballistic missile developed by Turkey.
It is the hypersonic version of the Tayfun missile, Turkey's longest-range nationally produced ballistic missile.
The term “Hypersonic” refers to a speed at least five times the speed of sound (also called Mach-5).
Tayfun Block-4 was developed by Turkish defense company Roketsan.

Tayfun Block-4 Features

It is 6.5 meters long and weighs about 2,300 kilograms.
It is distinguished by its high speed and advanced manoeuvrability.
It has an operational range of up to 800 kilometers, with plans to extend it to 1000 kilometers in the future.
The guidance system is based on GPS and GLONASS technologies combined with the inertial system (INS), which guarantees high accuracy, with a maximum error of only 5 meters per shot.
The missile is equipped with a fragmentation warhead and uses 'solid composite' fuel, making it suitable for quick and effective strikes against strategic targets such as air defense systems, command centers and critical infrastructures.

Source: N18

Tayfun Block-4 FAQs

Q1: What is the Tayfun Block-4?

Ans: Turkey’s first hypersonic ballistic missile.

Q2: What is the current operational range of Tayfun Block-4?

Ans: 800 km

Q3: What kind of fuel does the Tayfun Block-4 missile use?

Ans: Answer: C)

Etruscans

July 23, 2025

Etruscans Latest News

A rare, untouched tomb from the Etruscans, a civilization that predated the Roman Republic, has been recently discovered in central Italy.

About Etruscans

The Etruscans were a Mediterranean civilization that flourished between the 8th and 3rd centuries BCE.
The Etruscans, also known as the Tyrrhenians, inhabited the area that is now Italy.
Their country was called Tuscia, or Etruria.
Etruria was located in the central part of the Italian peninsula.
Etruria was bounded on the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, on the north by the Arno River, and on the east and south by the Tiber River.
They had a strong navy and dominated the seas on the western coast of Italy.
The Etruscans possessed the biggest iron reserves in the whole of the western Mediterranean.
Many features of Etruscan culture were adopted by the Romans, their successors to power in the peninsula.
Etruscans were the first in the Mediterranean region to construct a city on the basis of a grid plan.
- In this plan, most of the streets were laid in a north-south direction with a few streets crossing them from the east-west direction.
- Romans later followed this plan while laying out military camps and new cities.

Etruscans Social Classes

Scholars believe that there were three social classes in ancient Etruria.
On the top was a powerful aristocratic, or noble class.
Below them was a middle class that consisted of craftsmen, merchants, and sailors.
Finally, there was a class of enslaved people.
Unlike ancient Greece and Rome, women were considered equal in status to men.
Etruscan women were often able to read and were educated.

Etruscans Religion

Etruscans believed in a universe controlled by gods. For them, the gods existed in nature as well as in all objects made by humans.
Etruscans thought that the gods revealed their presence through natural phenomena such as lightning.
Their mythology was different from the Greeks and Romans.
However, the gods that they worshiped became similar to important Greek and Roman gods such as Zeus, Hermes, and Athena.

Etruscans Decline

The decline of the Etruscan civilization began toward the end of the 6th century and the beginning of the 5th century BCE.
In 509 BCE the Etruscan kings were forced out of Rome.
Their naval superiority ended when the Greeks destroyed their fleet in 474 BCE.
By the middle of the 3rd century BCE, Etruscans were taken over by the Romans.
Latin, the language of the Romans, replaced Etruscan.
By the 1st century BCE, the Etruscan people were completely absorbed by the Roman Empire, and Etruscan culture ceased to exist as a distinct civilization.

Source: LS

Etruscans FAQ's

Q1: The Etruscan civilization flourished during which time period?

Ans: 8th to 3rd century BCE

Q2: The Etruscans were also known by which other name?

Ans: Tyrrhenians

Q3: Which modern-day country was home to the Etruscans?

Ans: Italy

Q4: Which river formed the eastern and southern boundaries of Etruria?

Ans: Tiber

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

July 23, 2025

UNESCO Latest News

The United States will once again exit UNESCO, the UN's cultural and education agency, as part of President Donald Trump’s renewed push to withdraw from global institutions.

About UNESCO

It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN).
UNESCO was started in 1945 after World War II. It took over from an older group called the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.
Its main goal is to help build world peace and safety.
It does this by encouraging countries to work together in education, arts, sciences, and culture.
Headquarters: Paris, France.
Parent Organisation: United Nations Economic and Social Council.
UNESCO has 194 member countries and 12 associate members.
UNESCO focuses on five main areas:
- Education
- Natural sciences
- Social and human sciences
- Culture
- Communication and information
It supports member states’ efforts to eliminate illiteracy, encouraging the extension of free education, and acts as a clearinghouse for the exchange of ideas and knowledge.
It also works with many other groups, including non-governmental organizations and private companies.
UNESCO designates and maintains a list of World Heritage Sites, which are places of outstanding universal value that deserve protection for future generations.
UNESCO is part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group.

Key Reports Published by UNESCO

Global Education Monitoring Report
The United Nations World Water Development Report
World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development

Source: MINT

UNESCO FAQs

Q1: What is UNESCO?

Ans: It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN).

Q2: When was UNESCO established?

Ans: 1945

Q3: Where is the headquarters of UNESCO located?

Ans: Paris, France

Q4: What is the main goal of UNESCO?

Ans: How many member countries does UNESCO currently have?

Winter Fog Experiment

July 23, 2025

Winter Fog Experiment Latest News

The Winter Fog Experiment (WiFEX), has completed a remarkable milestone of ten successful years of dedicated research into North India’s dense winter fog.

About Winter Fog Experiment

It was launched in the winter of 2015 at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), New Delhi.
It was led by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), with support from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF).
WiFEX is one of the world’s few long-term open-field experiments focused solely on fog — an elusive winter hazard that regularly disrupts air, rail, and road transport across the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
Objectives
- The objectives of the Winter Fog Experiment (WiFEX) are to develop better now-casting (next 6 hours) and forecasting of winter fog on various time and spatial scales.
- To help reducing fog’s adverse impact on aviation, transportation and economy, and loss of human life due to accidents

How was it Conducted?

WiFEX scientists have deployed advanced instruments, micrometeorology towers, ceilometers, and high-frequency sensors to collect detailed data on temperature layers, humidity, wind, turbulence, soil heat, and aerosols — building an unmatched dataset that reveals how dense fog forms and disperses.
These insights have powered the development of a high-resolution (3 km) probabilistic fog prediction model, which now stands among the region’s most advanced tools for operational forecasting.
Benefits: This model can reliably predict when fog will begin, how dense it will be, how long it will last, and when it will clear — achieving more than 85% accuracy for very dense fog (visibility below 200 meters).

Source: PIB

Winter Fog Experiment FAQs

Q1: What is the scientific explanation for fog?

Ans: Fog appears when water vapor (water in its gaseous form) condenses. During condensation, molecules of water vapor combine to make tiny water droplets that hang in the air.

Q2: In which city is the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology situated?

Ans: City of Pune

Ambrosia Beetle

July 23, 2025

Ambrosia Beetle Latest News

Rubber plantations in Kerala have been under threat since an ambrosia beetle-fungus alliance has been attacking trees, causing severe leaf fall and rapid drying.

About Ambrosia Beetle

Ambrosia beetles get their name from the ambrosia fungi that call the beetle their home. The name ‘ambrosia’ is not taxonomic but ecological.
These beetles are native to Central and South America.
They were first reported in India in the cashew trees of Ponda, Goa, in 2012.
The beetle has been reported to share a mutualistic relationship with two fungal species, Fusarium ambrosia and Fusarium solani.

How it Affects Rubber Tree

These beetles attack dead or infected trees, although they’re also known to attack stressed trees.
At times, the stressed trees release ethanol, a volatile compound that the ambrosia beetles can sense and attack.
The beetles don’t feed on the woody bark of trees; the fungi do.
The beetles bore tunnels called galleries in the bark, carry fungi into the galleries, and farm the fungi to concentrate nutrients.
The beetles and their larvae feed on nutrient-rich fungal mycelia. The fungi also release enzymes that weaken the wood, allowing beetles to penetrate deeper.
In other insect hosts, the fungi are present in sacs called mycangia.
The beetle-fungus association harms trees in many ways. Aside from weakening the structure, the duo causes severe leaf fall, trunk drying, and in some cases even tree death.
The infection also affects total latex production from rubber trees, causing economic and agricultural losses.
Prevention Techniques: To combat the infection, experts follow specific methods, such as using antifungal agents, removing the infected part of trees, burning or chipping away any part that displays holes, and preventive measures such as using traps for ambrosia beetles.

Source: TH

Ambrosia Beetle FAQs

Q1: What are ambrosia beetles?

Ans: Ambrosia beetles are members of two weevil subfamilies — Scolytinae and Platypodinae — which share a common ecological strategy: fungus farming.

Q2: What is the Asia ambrosia beetle?

Ans: Asian ambrosia beetles are tiny brownish beetles somewhat resembling the Southern Pine Beetle.

IUCN World Conservation Congress

July 23, 2025

IUCN World Conservation Congress Latest News

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress 2025 will be hosted in Abu Dhabi to decide on use of genetic tools in conservation.

About IUCN World Conservation Congress

It is the largest gathering of nature conservation experts, leaders and decision-makers in the world.
It will help shape global priorities for nature conservation and climate change for the coming decade and beyond.
It is held once-every-four-years.
It has three components
- Forum: It is the largest knowledge marketplace for conservation and sustainable development science, practice and innovation.
- Exhibition: In the Exhibition, IUCN Members and Commissions, businesses, partners, and academia host pavilions, booths and events.
- Member’s Assembly: It is IUCN’s highest decision-making body. During the Assembly, IUCN’s Member organisations vote on pressing conservation and sustainable development issues.
Theme of IUCN Congress 2025: Under the theme “Powering transformative conservation”, the IUCN Congress 2025 will tackle five critical themes, each driving the bold, transformative change needed to secure a sustainable future for both nature and humanity.

What is IUCN?

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is a membership Union of government and civil society organisations.
It was created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources.
Governance of IUCN
- President and Council: The council is IUCN’s principal governing body in between sessions of the World Conservation Congress. The IUCN President presides over the IUCN Council.
- IUCN World Conservation Congress: The Members’ Assembly of the IUCN World Conservation Congress is IUCN’s highest governing body. IUCN Members discuss strategic topics, adopt motions defining IUCN’s general policy, approve the IUCN programme, amend IUCN’s statutes and elect the IUCN Council.
- IUCN Statutes: It lays out the governance of IUCN.

Source: DTE

IUCN World Conservation Congress FAQs

Q1: Which country will host the 2025 World Conservation Congress of the IUCN?

Ans: United Arab Emirates

Q2: Where is IUCN headquarters?

Ans: Gland, near Geneva, Switzerland

Fusariosis in Pineapple

July 23, 2025

Fusariosis in Pineapple Latest News

Indian researchers have identified a key gene in pineapple that may offer a strong, local solution against destructive fungal infection Fusariosis.

About Fusariosis in Pineapple

Fusariosis is caused by the aggressive fungus Fusarium moniliforme and one of the biggest threats to pineapple farming.
The fungus warps the plant’s stem, blackens the leaves and rots the fruit from the inside out. For farmers, this means heavy losses and unreliable harvests.

Highlights of the Research

For years, traditional breeding techniques have struggled to keep up with the fast-evolving onslaught of such fungal foes.
Scientists have identified the gene behind Somatic Embryogenesis Receptor Kinase (SERK) that can activate host defences against plant diseases.
Focusing on the AcSERK3 gene, part of the pineapple’s genetic code, known for helping plants both reproduce and survive stress, enhanced—or "overexpressed" the gene in pineapple plants.
This genetic tweak charged the plant’s natural defences, allowing it to fight off the Fusarium fungus far more effectively than ordinary varieties.

Key Facts about Pineapple

The pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merr.) is the most economically significant fruit of the Bromeliaceae family.
Required climatic conditions:
- It is mostly grown at low elevations in areas with a temperature range of 15 to 30ºC.
- It is tolerant to drought because of the special water storage cells.
- Rain: It can be grown with a wide range of rainfall from 600-2500 mm/ annum, the optimum being 1000-1500 mm.
- Soil: It can be grown in a wide range of soils, but does not tolerate water logging.
- It can be grown as a pure crop on plantation scale or as an intercrop in coconut gardens.
- Major Pineapple producing states: The states where pineapple is grown include Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Goa.
- Countries like Thailand, Philippines, Brazil, China, Nigeria, Mexico, Indonesia, Colombia and the USA produce pineapple.

Source: PIB

Fusariosis in Pineapple FAQs

Q1: What is the mealybug disease in pineapple?

Ans: Mealybug wilt of pineapple (MWP) is a destructive disease worldwide caused by a parasitic complex that includes Pineapple Mealybug Wilt-associated Viruses (PMWaVs) and mealybugs (Dysmicoccus brevipes).

Q2: What is the most serious disease in pineapples?

Ans: Heart-rot

SASCI Scheme

July 23, 2025

SASCI Scheme Latest News

Recently, the Ministry of Tourism issued operational guidelines for the SASCI Scheme.

About SASCI Scheme

‘Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment– Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale’(SASCI) has the objective to comprehensively develop iconic tourist centres in the country, branding and marketing them at global scale.
Salient features of SASCI Scheme: It has an endeavor of developing end to end tourist experience, funding support to the shortlisted proposals, strengthening all points of the tourist value chain, harnessing quality expertise for design and development, sustainable operations and maintenance etc.
Under this scheme projects have been identified based on the project proposals submitted by the concerned State Governments.
Parameters: Examination on the prescribed parameters such as connectivity to the site, tourism eco-system, carrying capacity, sustainability measures, sustainable operation and management, project impact and value created, tourism marketing plans etc.
Time Period: The projects are implemented and managed by the concerned State Government and projects are to be developed and completed within maximum 2 year’s period
Funding: Government of India will release funds under this scheme up to 31st March, 2026.

Source: PIB

SASCI Scheme FAQs

Q1: What is the scheme for special assistance?

Ans: It aims to stimulate economic recovery by providing interest-free assistance to states specifically for capital investment.

Q2: What is the definition of tourism?

Ans: Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes.

Stable Coins

July 23, 2025

Stable Coins Latest News

The US House of Representatives recently passed the Genesis Act, a bill to regulate US dollar-pegged stablecoins.

About Stable Coins

Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to another asset, such as a fiat currency or gold, to maintain a stable price.
They strive to provide an alternative to the high volatility of popular cryptocurrencies, making them potentially more suitable for common transactions.
Stablecoins can be utilized in various blockchain-based financial services and can even be used to pay for goods and services.
Although the term “stablecoin” is commonly used, there is no guarantee that the asset will maintain a stable value in relation to the value of the reference asset when traded on secondary markets or that the reserve of assets, if there is one, will be adequate to satisfy all redemptions.
Types of Stablecoins: There are primarily three types of stablecoins: fiat-collateralized, crypto-collateralized, and non-collateralized (algorithmic).
- Fiat-collateralized stablecoins are pegged to a specific asset, such as a fiat currency. The entity behind the stablecoin maintains a reserve of the asset or assets backing the stablecoin, supporting the value of the digital currency.
- On the other hand, non-collateralized (algorithmic) stablecoins use software algorithms to automatically adjust the supply of the stablecoin based on demand, aiming to maintain a stable price.

What is Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrencies are digital or virtual currencies in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of their units and verify the transfer of funds.
These currencies operate independently of a central bank.
The economic transactions underlying cryptocurrency are decentralized, distributed, and disbursed.
The first and most famous cryptocurrency, Bitcoin was introduced in 2009.
Technology:
- Most cryptocurrencies are built on blockchain technology.
- Blockchain is a decentralized and distributed database on a peer-to-peer network which works on the basis of a consensus mechanism involving every node (computer) on the network.
- Blockchain is a peer-to-peer distributed network that records a public history of transactions without actually recording identities of the parties or the transaction details.

Source: NOA

Stable Coins FAQs

Q1: What are Stable Coins?

Ans: Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to another asset, such as a fiat currency or gold, to maintain a stable price.

Q2: What is the primary goal of stablecoins?

Ans: To maintain a stable value by pegging to another asset.

Q3: What are stablecoins typically pegged to?

Ans: Assets like fiat currencies or gold.