NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. PM Modi Inaugurates Bengaluru Metro Yellow Line: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Yellow Line of
Bengaluru Metro Phase-2, spanning over 19 km with 16 stations, valued at around
Rs 7,160 crore, increasing Bengaluru’s operational metro network to over
96 km.He laid the foundation stone for Bengaluru Metro Phase-3 project worth Rs
15,610 crore, which will have more than 44 km route length and 31 elevated
stations, aimed at improving transportation across residential, industrial,
commercial, and educational zones.PM Modi also flagged off 3 Vande Bharat
Express trains from Bengaluru to Belagavi, Amritsar–Sri Mata Vaishno Devi
Katra, and Nagpur–Pune, enhancing regional connectivity and reducing travel
time with high-speed rail service.
2. India Inaugurates First ‘Animal Stem Cell Biobank’ at
NIAB, Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Science &
Technology Jitendra Singh inaugurated India’s first Animal Stem Cell
Biobank at the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) under BRIC in
Hyderabad, to store and preserve high-quality stem cells from various animal
species.The facility is a state-of-the-art centre aimed at advancing research
in animal health, genetic preservation, and biodiversity conservation.The
Minister also launched five breakthrough animal health technologies developed
by NIAB, including BruDIVA, a diagnostic test to differentiate between brucellosis-infected
and vaccinated animals for better disease control.
3. Mumbai Hosts Largest-Ever International Astronomy
Olympiad with 288 Students from 64 Countries: The
18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) began
in Mumbai, hosted by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education,
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, with participation from 288
students representing 64 countries, including Ghana as an observer.The 10-day
event will feature diverse rounds such as theory, observation, sky map reading,
data analysis, planetarium round, and team competitions, making it the largest
IOAA ever held.The Olympiad aims to unite young astronomy enthusiasts
worldwide, encouraging academic collaboration, cultural exchange, and
friendship, while following rigorous question-setting and evaluation processes.
4. Section 498-A IPC : The Supreme Court of India recently
upheld a suspension on arrests under Section 498-A of the Indian Penal Code.
This law addresses cruelty against married women by their husbands or
relatives. The judgement, delivered in July 2025, allows a two-month ‘cool-off’
period during which no arrest or coercive action can be taken. This move has
sparked debate on criminal justice and gender equality in India. Section
498-A was introduced in 1983 to combat cruelty against women in marriage. It
covers acts like dowry harassment, physical and mental torture, and driving a
woman to suicide or injury. The law aims to protect women from domestic
violence and ensure their safety. It carries a punishment of up to three years
imprisonment and a fine.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. BSNL Partners with Global Tech Giants to Launch
Advanced 5G and AI Training Programs at Jabalpur Institute: BSNL signed MoUs with Ericsson, Qualcomm, Cisco, and Nokia
to launch advanced training programs in 5G, AI/ML, networking, and digital
technologies at BRBRAITT, Jabalpur.The initiative supports DoT’s plan to
establish a Telecom Innovation, Research, and Training Centre (TIRTC) at
BRBRAITT, aiming to train over 2,000 students annually with Phase 1 investments
exceeding ₹1 crore.Courses will range from short 2-week modules to intensive
84-hour programs, aiming to position Jabalpur as a hub for cutting-edge
technology education.
2. Kenya Becomes 10th Country to Eliminate Sleeping
Sickness as a Public Health Problem: WHO: The
World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that Kenya has successfully
eliminated sleeping sickness, also known as human African trypanosomiasis
(HAT), as a public health problem, becoming the 10th country to
achieve this milestone.HAT, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei and
transmitted by infected tsetse flies, is generally fatal without treatment and
primarily affects rural populations engaged in agriculture, fishing, livestock
rearing, or hunting.Besides Kenya, countries such as Benin, Chad, Equatorial
Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Togo, and Uganda have also
eliminated sleeping sickness, marking significant progress toward making Africa
free of neglected tropical diseases.
3. 11 August – World Steelpan Day: World Steelpan Day is celebrated every year on 11
August to honour the steelpan, the only acoustic musical instrument
invented in the 20th century.Originating from Trinidad and Tobago in the
Caribbean, the steelpan is a percussion instrument made from industrial steel
drums, known for its vibrant, melodic sound.The day recognizes the cultural and
musical significance of the steelpan, promoting awareness of its heritage and
its role in uniting communities worldwide through music.
4. 12 August – World Elephant Day: World Elephant Day, observed annually on 12 August, aims to
raise global awareness about the urgent need to protect elephants and their
habitats, addressing threats like poaching, habitat loss, and human-elephant
conflict.The day was first celebrated in 2012, initiated by Canadian filmmaker
Patricia Sims and Thailand’s Elephant Reintroduction Foundation, and is now
supported by over 100 wildlife organizations worldwide.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. India’s Defence Production Hits Record Rs 1.50 Lakh
Crore in FY 2024-25: India’s annual
defence production reached an all-time high of Rs 1,50,590 crore in FY 2024-25, marking an
18% growth over the previous year and a 90% increase since FY 2019-20,
reflecting a strengthening defence industrial base.Defence Public Sector
Undertakings (DPSUs) contributed about 77% of total production, while the
private sector’s share rose to 23% from 21% last year, showing increased
private participation and a 28% growth in private sector production.Defence
exports hit a record Rs 23,622 crore in FY 2024-25, up 12.04% from the previous
year, highlighting the success of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and
India’s growing role in global defence manufacturing and exports.
SPORTS
1. Annu Rani Clinches Women’s Javelin Title, Murali
Sreeshankar Wins Long Jump at Indian Open 2025: In Athletics, Olympian Annu Rani won the women’s javelin throw
title at the Indian Open 2025 World Athletics Bronze Level Continental
Tour at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.She recorded a best
throw of 62.01 meters, comfortably beating Sri Lanka’s NDL Hatarabag Leka 56.27
meters and India’s Deepika 54.20 meters.In the men’s javelin throw, India’s
Shivam Lohakare secured the silver medal with a throw of 80.73 meters. Sri
Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage claimed the gold with an impressive throw of 86.50 meters,
surpassing the World Championships qualifying mark of 85.50 meters. Another Sri
Lankan, Sumeda J Ranasinghe, took bronze with a throw of 80.65 meters.
2. Ramesh Budhial Becomes First Indian to Win Asian
Surfing Championship Medal, Clinches Bronze: Ramesh
Budhial became the first Indian ever to win a medal at the Asian
Surfing Championships by clinching the bronze in the Open Men’s
category held in Chennai, scoring 12.60 points.The men’s gold medal was
won by Korea’s Kanoa Heejae with 15.17 points, while Indonesia’s Pajar Ariyana
secured silver with 14.57 points.In the Open Women’s category, Japan’s Anri
Matsuno won gold, and Korea’s Kanoa Heejae also took the Under-18 boys’ gold,
showcasing strong performances across categories at the event.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. TCS Partners with Now Telecom to Boost Digital
Infrastructure and Financial Inclusivity in the Philippines: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has signed an MoU with NOW Corporation’s telecom arm, Now Telecom, to strengthen the
Philippines’ digital infrastructure, enhance financial inclusivity, and promote
national digital sovereignty through secure and trusted networks.Under the
partnership, TCS will provide sovereign cloud technology, a cyber-defence
suite, and citizen-centric services in healthcare and digital banking, while
also supporting operational interoperability and safeguarding national data
from external threats.Both TCS and Now Telecom are part of the Trusted Network
Alliance under the Trusted Network Initiative (TNI), working to develop secure
telecom networks, bolster cyber-digital cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, and
ensure sovereign control over critical systems during crises.
2. Rajasthan Pioneers Drone-Based Artificial
Rain Trial: Rajasthan has
initiated India’s first drone-based artificial rain trial at Ramgarh Dam. This
marks shift from traditional aeroplane-assisted cloud seeding to the use of
unmanned aerial vehicles. The trial involves around 60 drones and is a joint
effort by the state agriculture department and GenX AI, a technology firm based
in the US and Bengaluru. The experiment aims to enhance rainfall using advanced
cloud seeding techniques. The project was originally scheduled for July 31 but
was postponed due to heavy rain alerts. Since then, multiple tests have been
conducted in Jaipur to ensure the drones’ operational readiness. The initiative
has received approvals from the Directorate
General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),
the India
Meteorological Department,
district authorities, and the agriculture department. The launch event near
Ramgarh Dam is open for public viewing and will be inaugurated by the state
agriculture minister Kirodi Lal Meena.
3. NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory: Recent developments in
2025 show NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) missions are at risk of termination.
The Trump administration’s budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year excludes
funding for these satellites. Despite their critical role in climate
monitoring, NASA plans to end the missions citing budget priorities. This has
sparked concern among scientists and lawmakers about the future of space-based
carbon dioxide observation. The original OCO mission failed at launch due to a
technical fault in 2009. Its replacement, OCO-2, launched in 2014, has since
provided precise data on atmospheric carbon dioxide. A second instrument was
added to the International
Space Station (ISS) in 2019. These
missions monitor global carbon fluxes and plant health, vital for understanding
climate change dynamics.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. RBI approves Equirus Finance NBFC launch: The Reserve Bank of India has approved Equirus Group to
enter the non-banking financial sector with its new lending arm, Equirus
Finance, operating as a non-deposit-taking NBFC focused on customised
lending solutions.Equirus Finance will offer products like Loan Against
Securities (LAS), ESOP financing, market-linked debentures, and structured
finance, targeting high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and corporate
promoters with a goal to build a ₹3,000 crore loan book.Leveraging Equirus
Wealth’s $2.2 billion asset management expertise, the NBFC aims to provide
integrated financial advice and funding, emphasising transparency, regulatory
compliance, and ethical lending to lead the premium lending segment in India.
2. EQBAC Launches in India with Partner-First Platform to
Simplify Cross-Border Investing:
EQBAC, headquartered in Mauritius, has launched operations in India with a
partner-first approach to simplify cross-border investing, enabling retail
and high-net-worth investors to access global assets through a secure and
regulated digital platform.Founded by Satinder Aggarwal, EQBAC offers
plug-and-play access to fractional global equities, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds,
pre-IPOs, and structured products, focusing on supporting financial advisors
without competing with them.The platform acts as an execution broker with
white-label and API integrations, allowing partners to retain client
relationships, revenue, and branding, while investments are held in segregated
accounts via top global banks like Citibank and Standard Chartered.
3. ICICI Bank raises minimum balance requirement for savings accounts: ICICI Bank has increased the minimum monthly average balance (MAB) for new savings bank accounts opened on or after August 1, 2025, by five times to ₹50,000 in metro and urban locations; semi-urban MAB is now ₹25,000, and rural MAB is ₹10,000.Customers failing to meet the required MAB will face penal charges of 6% of the shortfall or ₹500 (whichever is lower), with an annual interest rate of 2.5% applicable on savings balances.Certain accounts such as salary accounts, PM Jan Dhan Yojana accounts, and basic savings deposit accounts remain exempt as they are zero-balance accounts; higher MAB holders get benefits like free NEFT transfers and 3 complimentary cash transactions per month.The revision comes as public sector banks like SBI, PNB, Canara Bank, and Indian Bank have waived or reduced MAB penalties, contrasting with ICICI Bank’s sharp hike for new accounts.
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