NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Government reduces toll charges by up to 50% on
national highways with bridges, tunnels: The government has amended the NH Fee Rules, 2008,
introducing a new formula that
effectively reduces toll rates by up to 50% on national highway sections
featuring structures like tunnels, bridges, flyovers, or elevated roads,
helping motorists save on travel costs. Under the revised rules, tolls will be
calculated based on the lesser of two lengths: ten times the total length of
structures or five times the total length of the highway section, significantly
lowering user charges for highways with long structural stretches. This move
aims to ease the financial burden on road users, as the existing method of
charging ten times the regular toll per kilometer of structure was originally
designed to recover higher construction costs; the new rule brings much-needed
relief for commuters.
2. Puducherry becomes first one to include screening for
TB patients under initiative of Family Adoption Programme: Puducherry has become the first state to integrate TB
screening into the Family Adoption Programme, where medical students
adopting families now screen all members for tuberculosis as part of their
community outreach and long-term follow-up.Puducherry’s nine medical colleges
play a central role in TB elimination efforts, accounting for 45% of TB case
notifications and conducting Active Case Finding (ACF) drives using advanced
diagnostics like AI-enabled handheld chest X-rays and molecular NAAT tests.By
adopting Verbal Autopsy to investigate TB-related deaths and mapping vulnerable
populations as moderate or high risk, Puducherry is enhancing the effectiveness
of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) in its single NTEP
district covering 13.92 lakh people.
3. Andhra Pradesh Rated ‘Good’ in National Parks and
Wildlife Sanctuaries Management Effectiveness Evaluation 2020–25: Andhra Pradesh was
rated in the ‘Good’ category in the Management
Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) 2020–25 for National Parks and Wildlife
Sanctuaries, with a mean MEE score of 62.76% across 10 Protected
Areas, highlighting both improvements and areas needing better
governance.Papikonda National Park improved from ‘Fair’ (45.5%) to ‘Good’
(60%), while Sri Venkateswara National Park declined from 70.31% to 63.71% but
retained its ‘Good’ rating; Rajiv Gandhi National Park slipped slightly but
remained ‘Fair’.Among Wildlife Sanctuaries, Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary excelled,
rising to 78.13% and achieving ‘Very Good’ status; Nellapattu and Kolleru
Wildlife Sanctuaries also improved to ‘Good’, while Sri Lankamalleswara
Wildlife Sanctuary advanced significantly to 73.44%.However, declines were
noted in Kambalakonda, Koundinya, and Sri Penusila Narasimha Wildlife
Sanctuaries, all moving into the ‘Fair’ category, and the report emphasized the
need for stronger administrative capacity and targeted interventions for better
conservation.
4. Himachal Pioneers Aadhaar Face Authentication for
Hassle-Free Ration Delivery Under PDS: Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in India to launch
Aadhaar-based face authentication (FaceAuth) for Public Distribution System
(PDS) ration distribution, moving beyond earlier OTP and biometric
methods that often faced issues like SMS failures and fingerprint
mismatches.The new FaceAuth system allows beneficiaries to authenticate their
identity directly using a mobile camera through an app installed on the fair
price shop (FPS) owner’s smartphone, streamlining the process and improving
convenience for eligible citizens.
This
technological advancement, implemented by the Department of Digital
Technologies and Governance (DDTG), demonstrates Himachal Pradesh’s commitment
to digital innovation for better public service delivery, ensuring more
inclusive and hassle-free access to essential food supplies.
5. IIT Guwahati’s Sukanya Sonowal Appointed Commonwealth
Youth Peace Ambassador: Sukanya
Sonowal, a 4th-year B.Tech student in Biosciences and Bioengineering at
IIT Guwahati, has been selected as
the Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassador, serving as Lead – Communications &
Public Relations for the 2025-2027 term in the Commonwealth Youth
Peace Ambassadors Network (CYPAN).CYPAN is a youth-led initiative across 56
Commonwealth nations that promotes peace, respect, understanding, and counters
violent extremism, selecting ambassadors based on peacebuilding experience and
commitment to Commonwealth values.Sonowal is the co-founder of STEMvibe – STEM
for Viksit Bharat Empowerment, a nationwide STEM outreach platform engaging
over 3,000 students, and she has been a key contributor to IIT Guwahati’s
Techniche festival’s Media and Branding team.Her selection followed a rigorous
three-stage process, including application and interviews, where her experience
in communications, outreach, and leadership in community service made her a
standout candidate from Assam’s Lakhimpur district.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India signs 6 agreements with Trinidad & Tobago to
enhance cooperation in several sectors including infrastructure,
pharmaceuticals: India and Trinidad and Tobago signed six agreements in Port of Spain during Prime
Minister Modi’s official visit, covering cooperation in infrastructure,
pharmaceuticals, sports, education, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic
training, marking the first Indian PM visit to the country since 1999.The pacts include an MoU on Indian pharmacopoeia
for enhanced pharmaceutical collaboration, an agreement on Indian grant
assistance for quick impact projects, and cultural exchange programmes for
2025-2028, alongside MoUs on sports and diplomatic training.India will
re-establish two ICCR chairs in Hindi and Indian studies at the University of
the West Indies, while both nations will explore cooperation in implementing
India’s digital public infrastructure solutions like DigiLocker; Trinidad and
Tobago also requested support to digitize its state land registration
system.India announced major gifts to Trinidad and Tobago, including 2,000
laptops for education, $1 million worth of agro-machinery for food security, 20
haemodialysis units, two sea ambulances, and a prosthetic limb camp for 800
people, further cementing bilateral ties.
2. World Bank ranks India 4th among the world’s Most Equal
Societies: The World Bank has ranked India as the fourth most equal society
in the world with a Gini Index of 25.5, placing it in the “moderately
low” inequality category, just behind the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, and
Belarus.India’s Gini score of 25.5 is significantly better than China’s 35.7
and the United States’ 41.8, highlighting India’s stronger income equality
compared to these major economies. India’s steady improvement in equality is
evident as its Gini Index dropped from 28.8 in 2011 to 25.5 in 2022, reflecting
consistent progress in reducing income disparity alongside economic growth.With
a better Gini score than 167 other countries for which the World Bank has
released data, India is only a fraction away from joining the “low inequality”
group, signaling remarkable strides toward social equity.
3. 6 July – World Zoonoses Day: World
Zoonoses Day is observed every year on 6 July to raise
awareness about zoonotic diseases—those that can be transmitted from animals to
humans—and to highlight the importance of prevention and control measures to
reduce the risk of such diseases.This day commemorates the first successful
administration of the rabies vaccine by Louis Pasteur on 6 July 1885, marking a
milestone in the fight against zoonotic diseases.Zoonoses include diseases like
rabies, plague, brucellosis, leptospirosis, anthrax, avian influenza, and many
others. They pose significant public health risks, especially in regions with
close human-animal contact, and can cause widespread outbreaks.
4. 7 July – World Chocolate Day: World Chocolate Day is celebrated every year on July 7, marking the
date when chocolate is believed to have been introduced to Europe in 1550.This
day is dedicated to celebrating everyone’s favourite sweet treat – chocolate –
in all its forms: dark, milk, white, or anything in between!The day is observed
globally by chocolate lovers, chocolatiers, and brands with special events,
discounts, and fun activities.
5. 7 July – Global Forgiveness Day: Global Forgiveness Day is observed every year on July 7 as a
reminder of the power and importance of forgiveness in personal relationships,
communities, and societies worldwide.The day encourages people to let go of
past grudges, mend broken bonds, and promote peace and understanding.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Vaibhav Suryavanshi Smashes Fastest Youth ODI Century
as India Close in on Series Win Against England: India’s 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashed the fastest known
century in Youth ODIs, reaching 100 in just 52 balls against England in
Worcester, hitting 13 fours and 10 sixes.Suryavanshi and Vihaan Malhotra shared
a massive 219-run partnership for the second wicket, with Malhotra remaining
unbeaten on 100, helping India post a huge total of 393/9 in 50 overs.India,
already leading the five-match series 2-1, are now in a strong position to
clinch the series with another win in Worcester.
2. Gukesh Dommaraju Triumphs in Rapid Section of Grand
Chess Tour 2025 as Blitz Battle Begins in Zagreb: Reigning World Champion Gukesh
Dommaraju clinched the rapid
title at the 2025 Grand Chess Tour’s Rapid and Blitz tournament in Zagreb, Croatia,
by defeating America’s Wesley So in 38 moves to secure his seventh win and
finish with 14 points out of 18.The blitz section of the tournament begins
today, featuring 18 rounds with four of the world’s top five players: Gukesh,
Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu; combined points
from rapid and blitz will decide the overall champion.This is the third event
of the Grand Chess Tour 2025 calendar, following Poland and Romania; the tour
will continue with two US tournaments in August and conclude with the final leg
in Brazil from September to October, featuring classic, rapid, and blitz
formats.
3. Neeraj Chopra Wins Inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic
2025 with Stunning 86.18m Throw in Bengaluru: Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra won
the inaugural Neeraj Chopra
Classic 2025, a World Athletics Gold-level event held at the Sree
Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, with a best throw of 86.18 metres.Kenya’s
Julius Yego secured second place with a season-best throw of 84.51 metres,
while Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage finished third with 84.34 metres.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Ananth Tech to Launch India’s First Private Satellite
Broadband, Challenging Global Giants with GEO Strategy: Ananth Technologies has received approval from
IN-SPACe to launch India’s first private satellite broadband service, positioning
the country to compete globally with established players like Starlink, OneWeb,
and Amazon’s Kuiper.The company plans to deploy a 4-tonne geostationary (GEO)
satellite capable of delivering up to 100 Gbps broadband across India, backed
by an investment of ₹3,000 crore, with service rollout expected by 2028.Unlike
low Earth orbit (LEO) systems requiring hundreds of satellites, Ananth’s single
GEO satellite at 35,000 km altitude can cover the entire Indian subcontinent,
providing wide regional coverage ideal for India’s vast and dense population.
2. New Cyprinid Fish Species: The discovery of a new
cyprinid fish species in the Brahmaputra river at Maijan, Dibrugarh, marks
addition to the ichthyofaunal diversity of Northeast India. Named *Pethia
dibrugarhensis* after its type locality, this species enriches the
understanding of freshwater biodiversity in the region. The finding emerged
from a systematic freshwater survey led by scientists from ICAR-Central Inland
Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CIFRI) and Manipur University. It puts
stress on the urgent need to explore and conserve aquatic ecosystems amid
environmental challenges. Scientists from ICAR-CIFRI’s Guwahati and Barrackpore
centres, in collaboration with Manipur University experts, conducted the
survey. The research was published in the international journal National
Academy Science Letters by Springer Nature. The team included taxonomists
specialising in cyprinid fishes. Their work marks the unexplored biodiversity
within the Brahmaputra basin, a vital freshwater system supporting diverse
aquatic life.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. SBI accounts for 1.1% of India’s 6.7% share in global
economy’s incremental growth: Report: India contributed approximately 6.7% to the world’s incremental
GDP growth in FY25, adding $297 billion out of the total $4,118 billion
increase in global GDP, highlighting India’s expanding role in the global
economy.The State Bank of India (SBI)
alone added $44 billion through its asset size, accounting for around
1.1% of the total rise in global GDP in FY25, a contribution comparable to the
GDP additions of some small countries.SBI’s performance represents about 16% of
India’s total GDP addition in FY25, emphasizing its pivotal role as a key
driver of India’s economic growth engine.SBI’s Gross Value Added (GVA) in
financial services grew by 5% year-on-year to ₹1,38,533 crore in FY25,
contributing 8.7% to India’s financial services GVA and underlining the bank’s
strong impact on the sector.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Deepika Padukone Becomes First Indian Actress Honored on Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2026: Deepika Padukone has been named an honoree for the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2026 in the Motion Pictures category, becoming the first Indian actress ever to receive this prestigious recognition, joining a list of international stars like Demi Moore, Emily Blunt, and Timothée Chalamet. Before Deepika, the only Indian name to appear on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was Sabu Dastagir, an Indian actor whose Hollywood career began with the 1937 film Elephant Boy. Later, Mindy Kaling became the first South Asian woman to receive a star, but Deepika is the first Indian actress to be honored.
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