Current Affairs is the most important area in all competitive exams. But the difficulty level is very high. That’s why many aspirants get confused, how to select Current Affairs for Preparation of Competitive Examination? In this Post, Daily Current Affairs 14 July 2025, we have tried to cover each and every point and also included all important facts from National/ International news that are useful for upcoming competitive examinations such as UPSC, SSC, Railway, State Govt. etc.

Daily Current Affairs – 14 July 2025

Khmer Rouge Sites in Cambodia Added to UNESCO Heritage List

On July 11, 2025, UNESCO added three historic sites, associated with the Khmer Rouge’s brutal regime, to its World Heritage List. This was done during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris and commemorated approximately 50 years since the regime’s emergence. UNESCO hopes that preserving these places will allow for a reminder of the past, as well as, promote peace and education.

Sites of Brutality Become Sites of Remembrance

The three sites, that have been added are:

• Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) in Phnom Penh – a former high school repurposed as a prison where over 15,000 people were tortured.

• M-13 prison in Kampong Chhnang province – early secret prisons that were operated by the Khmer Rouge.

• Choeung Ek Killing Fields, 15km south of Phnom Penh – killing fields with mass executions and burials, recognized globally by the film The Killing Fields.

The sites represent some of the worst actions in Cambodia history where nearly 1.7 million people died between 1975 and 1979 during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Remembering the Past, Educating the Future

On Sunday morning, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet welcomed the recognition and encouraged everyone to sound the drums around the nation to celebrate. In a video message, he said, “Hopefully this listing is a constant reminder that peace must always be defended.”

Youk Chhang who heads the Documentation Center of Cambodia, explained the purpose of these locations was to change the way the younger generations view Cambodia. These historical sites are to promote healing and provide awareness of the nation’s past.

This listing, titled The Cambodian Genocide: The Choeung Ek Killing Fields, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and the associated sites under the Vann Molyvann Master Class of Modernism nomination is Cambodia’s first nomination of a modern historical site, particularly a modern historical site that relates to recent conflicts and genocide in the country. Cambodia never had a World Heritage listing for a modern historical site before – it had ancient sites listed – Angkor, Preah Vihear, Sambo Prei Kuk and Koh Ker.

International Thematic Recognition of Cambodia’s Painful History

The Khmer Rouge came to power on April 17, 1975 and displaced hundreds of thousands of people from urban into rural areas. Many of them were starved and tortured and killed. The Khmer Rouge period ended in 1979 due to the invasion of Vietnam forces. In 2022, the Khmer Rouge Tribunal announced its closure after 16 years despite having convicted only 3 leaders against a budget of $337 million.

The new UNESCO recognition is also an indication of the shift towards recognizing locations, particularly modern conflict areas, and not just ancient places on the cultural heritage agenda.

Iga Swiatek Makes History with Double-Bagel Win in Wimbledon Final

On July 12, 2025, from Poland, Iga Swiatek won her first Wimbledon title by beating Amanda Anisimova of the United States in only 57 minutes. The match score was 6-0, 6-0, making it one of the most lopsided women’s finals in tennis history. The importance of this match lies not only in adding another major title to Swiatek’s name, but also because she made history with the incredibly rare “double bagel” win.

Iga Swiatek, 24, dominated the match played on Centre Court at the All England Club, never allowing much chance for Amanda Anisimova to settle. Swiatek won 55 of 79 points and hit just 10 winners, allowing Anisimova to defeat herself with 28 unforced errors. This was the only third time a women’s final has ended 6-0, 6-0 in Grand Slam history and the first time since 1988.

With this win, Swiatek gained her sixth Grand Slam title and her first Wimbeldon win. She is now the only active female player to win a major title on clay, hard and grass surfaces. The match also marked Swiatek’s 100th match win in Grand Slam tournaments – all this in only 120 matches – quicker than most in history.

Anisimova’s Tough Day

Amanda Anisimova, 23, was playing in her first Grand Slam final and had a great tournament including a victory over world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals. But she was unable to stay with Swiatek’s pace in the final match and made way too many mistakes. After the match, she was seen crying on the bench while Swiatek was celebrating the victory with her team.

Anisimova had taken time off tennis for mental health last two years, and returned hungry to play. Last year, she didn’t even qualify for Wimbledon. Now, although she lost, she’ll enter the WTA Top 10 rankings for the first time in her entire career.

Swiatek’s Journey and Comeback

Swiatek had also not won a title since the French Open in June 2024, and was certainly out of form. At Wimbledon, she was even seeded No. 8 having not won a title in a year. Also noteworthy was her skipped opportunity in 2024, because she was handed a one-month doping ban after being exonerated for accidentally testing positive for a medical substance. Yet she made a comeback, arriving on training intently trusting what she had learned and her coach’s plans for grass courts.

She said after match, “I didn’t even dream of this. My team believed in me more than I did.” The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, was also present under the Royal Box and shared in the prize ceremony.

President Murmu Nominates Four Members to Rajya Sabha

President Droupadi Murmu appointed four eminent individuals to the Rajya Sabha, or Upper House of Parliament. These appointments are made by the advice of the Council of Ministers under Article 80 of the Constitution. This approach not only increases representation and presence, but emphasizes diversity from different professions such as law, education, diplomacy, and social service.

Who Are the New Rajya Sabha Members?

The four new members are;

• Ujjwal Nikam – A famous lawyer known for being involved in several high-profile criminal cases.
• C. Sadanandan Master – A teacher and social worker known for his indefatigable resilience and painstaking work for youth empowerment.
• Harsh Vardhan Shringla – A senior diplomat and previous Foreign Secretary, Shringla was deeply involved in working with India’s G20 Presidency.
• Dr. Meenakshi Jain – A prominent historian and academic in education, political science and literature.
• The appointments are to fill retired nominated members’ vacated positions, and bring renewed perspective to the Rajya Sabha.

What Does the Constitution Say?

The appointments were made under Article 80(1)(a) and allow the President nominate up to twelve people to the Rajya Sabha who have made distinguished contributions in the fields of,

• Art
• Literature
• Science
• Social service

These appointments affirmance and acceptance, and the hope is to bring different skills and knowledge brought into Parliament that committee members would be able to include, utilize, and work within their deliberation to conduct substantial debate and legislating.

Sonali Mishra Becomes First Woman to Lead RPF

Sonali Mishra, a senior IPS officer of the 1993 batch, has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of Railway Protection Force (RPF).  She will be the first woman to lead the RPF, which is responsible for ensuring the security of railway passengers and property. The appointment has been made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, and she will serve in that capacity until October 31, 2026.

A Historic Appointment

On July 13, 2025, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of Sonali Mishra as the new DG of RPF.  She will replace Manoj Yadava, who retires on July 31, 2025.  This is the first-time lady has been chosen as leader of the RPF since the inception of the RPF.  Her appointment was formalized with an order from the Personnel Ministry.

About Sonali Mishra

Sonali Mishra is an IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre and is currently serving as Additional Director General (Selection) in Madhya Pradesh police.  She has served in a variety of important roles including,

• First lady BSF commander along Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab (2021)

• Chief of the BSF establishments in Kashmir as Inspector General

• Led the BSF intelligence wing and served as ADG later

She has been conferred with the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and Police Medal for Meritorious Service for sustained distinguished work in policing.

Assam Cabinet Clears New Schemes for Villages, Workers, and Students

Assam Cabinet green-lighted several welfare measures aimed at improving rural livelihood, education of youth, and revitalization of traditional industry. These decisions include new pay structures for the Gaon Pradhans and Anganwadi workers, the introduction of the Gaja Mitra Scheme to curb human-elephant conflict, and resources for students and artisans. These actions are part of the state government’s overarching goals for the state-wide Budget 2025–26.

Hike in Pay for Gaon Pradhans and Anganwadi Workers

The Cabinet announced a pay hike for Gaon Pradhans from ₹9,000 a month to ₹14,000, effective on October 1, 2025. The increase will also apply for Gaon Pradhans in forest villages.

Likewise, the honorarium for Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Workers (Helpers) was increased. Anganwadi Workers will receive ₹8,000 a month and Anganwadi Worker (Helpers) will receive ₹4,000 a month. The program is intended to improve the livelihood and livelihood of the rural service delivery teenage population.

Gaja Mitra Scheme to Combat Human-Elephant Conflicts

To mitigate the growing trend in human-elephant conflict, the Cabinet approved the Gaja Mitra Scheme in eight districts that have experienced human-elephant conflict, including Goalpara, Udalguri, Nagaon, Baksa, Sonitpur, Golaghat, Jorhat, and Biswanath. The scheme will include the establishment, training, and awareness of 80 community-based monitoring and response teams to manage the movement of elephants during the paddy season (the time when human-elephant conflicts rise) with a focus on human safety and wildlife conservation.

Aid for Monks and Scholar

A monthly stipend of ₹1,500 will now to celibate monks (Udasin Bhakats) residing in Satras (religious monasteries) towards preserving Assam’s rich cultural and spiritual legacy.

In terms of education, the Cabinet approved the Prerona Aasoni Scheme, in which Class X students of ASSEB (Div-1) schools will be granted ₹300 per month commencing November 1, 2025, until their HSLC exams in 2026.

Aid for Artisans and the Renaming of University

In an effort to help local artisans, the government has launched the Assam amsst GST Reimbursement Scheme for Indigenous Bell Metal Industries, 2025, to provide a refund of SGST paid by such traditional bell metal manufacturers to assist themactually compete.

In addition, the Cabinet approved the name change of the Rabindranath Tagore University name to Rabindranath Thakur Vishwavidyalaya name, honoring the Assamese pronunciation of Tagore and the cultural identity of Assamese.

India Launches World’s First Traditional Knowledge Digital Library

India became the first nation in the world to establish a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL). This initiative seeks to protect and propogate India’s wealth of traditional medicine systems using technologies of the new age including Artificial Intelligence (AI). The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged all of India’s actions here are significant moments for global healthcare innovation.

A New Digital Step In The Life Of Traditional Medicine

Each country’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) is a new online repository model for the academia and collect and protect the ancient knowledge of the systems like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, Homoeopathy or any health care paradigm in the developing world. TKDL uses AI-based tools to catalogue and decipher old texts and texts of practices, simplifying the process and incoporating them into the current definition of health care.

This library creates a barrier against misappropriation of India’s traditional medicine and ASHTAIDAK is committed to research in science and gives researchers access to ancient knowledge in a modern approved process.

The World Health Organization (WHO), published a report titled Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine, acknowledged India for exploring new initiatives, as AI in AIYUSH. The report demonstrated acceptance in India, as the examples were varied in the application of AI, and include, examination of pulse, analysis of tongue, and example of Prakriti utilizing machine learning.

One example is Ayurgenomics, which is a new sector that considers the areas of genomics with Ayus and provides personcentred health recommendations. While there is more to be discovered, AI implementation is being utilized to identify additional indications for herbal medicines for modern diseases.

Government Leaders and Global Vision

Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsed AI for the social good – particularly in health.  During the GPAI Summit in 2023, he also shared India’s “AI for all” vision.  The Ministry of Ayush also shared how Indian scientists are realizing the possibility of modern technology and traditional wisdom coming together.

Union Minister Prataprao Jadhav said India’s work represents a strong commitment to innovating and positively impacting global healthcare through a balance of systems and ways of knowing.

What This Means for the World

The TKDL and India’s activities relating to AI in traditional medicine represent an global example of how to nurture and protect the ancient knowledge of humanity.  India is using AI to look at its own systems like Ayurveda against others such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  These activities are also resulting in the development of instruments including artificial sensors to measure the former traditional knowledges of Rasa, Guna, and Virya.  WHO also commended India’s digital platforms that offer online consultations, assist Ayush practitioners, and build bridges between traditional culture and modern health systems.

Byrnihat and Delhi Two Most Polluted Cities in India

An updated report published by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), has confirmed that Byrnihat, located on the Assam-Meghalaya border, was the most polluted city in India during the first six months of 2025, followed by Delhi in the second spot. This report is based on air quality data provided by the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMs) in 293 Indian cities. The findings pose serious credibility issues to India’s air pollution problem, and in particular, that of cities.

Conclusion: Most polluted cities

The report reveals that Byrnihat had an average PM 2.5 level of 133 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) well above the national prescribed level of 40 ug/m3. Delhi had an average of 87 ug/m3, ranking it the second-most polluted city in India.

Other polluted cities included Hajipur (Bihar) Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Gurgaon (Haryana). Other cities in the report partially included Sasaram, Patna and Rajgir in Bihar and Talcher and Rourkela in Odisha.

What is PM 2.5 and why does it matter?

PM 2.5 refers to air particles that are smaller than or equal to 2.5 micrometers, less than the width of a human hair. PM 2.5 can penetrate the lung and enter into the body’s blood stream, creating chronic health issues, such as, asthma, heart disease and respiratory infections.

According to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), an appropriate level of a safe PM 2.5 is 40 ug/m3.  Many cities levels are well above the NAAQS recommended levels.

Source of Data and Monitoring

The CREA study used data from CAAQMS which monitor air quality in 293 cities. The summary is as follows:

• 122 cities exceeded the national standards for air quality in India.

• 117 cities were under the safe limit.

• 259 cities had already crossed the yearly PM 2.5 limit by June, so it appears these cities will remain in the unsafe zone for the rest of the year.

• The National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) is monitoring 131 cities. 98 of these cities have CAAQMS installed.

The Cleanest Cities in India

On another positive note, Aizawl, the capital of Mizoram was noted as the cleanest city with an average PM 2.5 level of 8 ug/m3, although still above the WHO safe to breathe level of 5 ug/m3.

Additional clean cities included:

• Tirupur and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu

• Bareilly and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh

• Maihar in Madhya Pradesh

• Imphal in Manipur

• Chamarajanagar and Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka