NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. IEPFA Launches 100-Day “Saksham Niveshak” Campaign to
Help Investors Reclaim Unclaimed Dividends and Update KYC Details: The Investor Education and
Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) under the Ministry of Corporate
Affairs has launched a 100-day
nationwide campaign titled “Saksham Niveshak”, running from 28th
July to 6th November 2025, to create awareness about unclaimed dividends and
promote KYC and nomination updates.The campaign encourages companies to
proactively help shareholders recover unclaimed dividends and avoid the
transfer of shares and dividends to IEPFA by ensuring timely KYC compliance and
record updates.IEPFA aims to empower investors and promote financial literacy
through initiatives like Niveshak Didi, Niveshak Panchayat, and Niveshak
Shivir, while also ensuring direct dividend payouts to the rightful
shareholders.
2. PM Modi Releases ₹1,000 Coin to Commemorate 1,000th
Anniversary of Rajendra Chola I’s Naval Expedition: Prime Minister Narendra Modi released
a ₹1,000 commemorative coin in
Gangaikonda Cholapuram to mark the 1,000th anniversary of the naval expedition of King Rajendra
Chola I, celebrating India’s rich maritime history.The proposal to release the
coin was made by R. Komagan, chairman of the Gangaikondacholapuram Development
Council Trust, who also designed the coin featuring King Rajendra Chola I on
horseback with a ship in the backdrop.
3. Jyotiraditya Scindia Launches Sanchar Saathi App in
Hindi: Communications Minister Jyotiraditya
Scindia launched the Sanchar
Saathi mobile app in Hindi and 21 regional languages, aiming to expand
its accessibility and utility across India’s diverse linguistic population.The
app, originally launched in January, enables users to report suspicious
communications, block or trace lost/stolen phones, and detect unauthorized
mobile connections, and has already crossed 46 lakh downloads.The relaunch took
place during a stakeholders’ meeting in New Delhi focused on combating
telecom-related cyber frauds, with participation from law enforcement agencies,
telecom providers, financial institutions, C-DOT, RPF, and civil society.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Australia bans Youtube for children under 16 to
protect from harmful online content: Australia has expanded
its child online safety law to ban
YouTube for users under 16, adding it to the list of restricted
platforms alongside Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.The inclusion of
YouTube came after a survey revealed that 37% of minors encountered harmful
content on the platform, despite its earlier exemption for educational
purposes.The law, effective from December 10, 2025, imposes fines up to 49.5
million Australian dollars on companies that fail to comply, reinforcing
Australia’s strict approach to protecting teenagers from online harm.
2. Australia’s First Homegrown Orbital Rocket ‘Eris’
Crashes 14 Seconds After Liftoff in Test Flight: Australia’s first homegrown orbital
rocket, Eris, crashed just 14 seconds after liftoff during its
maiden test flight from a spaceport near Bowen, Queensland.The rocket, developed by Gilmour Space
Technologies, was designed to carry small satellites into orbit and marked a
significant milestone as the first Australian-made orbital launch
vehicle.Despite successfully clearing the launch tower, the 23-meter Eris
rocket failed mid-air, with videos showing it hovering briefly before crashing
and smoke rising from the site.
3. Indian-Origin Nikhil Ravishankar Appointed as New CEO
of Air New Zealand: Indian-origin
Nikhil Ravishankar has been appointed as the new CEO of Air New Zealand, succeeding Greg Foran, who is set to
step down on October 20, 2025.Ravishankar currently serves as Air New Zealand’s
Chief Digital Officer and has been instrumental in enhancing digital
infrastructure, customer experience, and loyalty systems during his nearly
five-year tenure.
4. Indian-Origin Executive Shailesh Jejurikar Appointed
CEO of Procter & Gamble: Indian-origin executive Shailesh Jejurikar has been appointed
as the next President and CEO of
Procter & Gamble (P&G), effective January 1, 2026, becoming
the first Indian to lead the global consumer goods giant.Currently serving as
Chief Operating Officer, Jejurikar has been with P&G since 1989, holding
key leadership roles across regions and categories like fabric care and home
care, and playing a major role in global business transformation and supply
chain innovation.Current CEO Jon Moeller will transition to Executive Chairman,
while Jejurikar has also been nominated to stand for election as a Director at
the October 2025 annual shareholder meeting.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Lt. Gen. Pushpendra Singh Appointed as Vice-Chief of
Army Staff: Lieutenant General
Pushpendra Singh, a decorated officer of the Parachute Regiment
with over 35 years of service, has been appointed as the new Vice-Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) and
will assume charge, succeeding Lt. Gen. NS Raja Subramani.An alumnus of the
Indian Military Academy, he was commissioned into 4 Para (Special Forces) in
1987 and has participated in several key operations, including Pawan, Meghdoot,
Rakshak, and Orchid, as well as UN Peacekeeping Missions in Lebanon and Sri
Lanka.In other appointments, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan will become the
next FOC-in-C of Western Naval Command, while Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan is
set to take over as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS) on August 1, 2025.
2. Sanjay Singhal Appointed as DG of SSB: The Central Government has
appointed BSF’s Special Director
General Sanjay Singhal as the new Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal
(SSB). He is a 1993-batch IPS officer from the Uttar Pradesh
cadre.Sanjay Singhal will assume charge on September 1, 2025, and serve until
his superannuation on December 31, 2028, or until further orders, whichever is
earlier. He will succeed Amrit Mohan Prasad, who is set to retire on August 31,
2025.
3. INS Satpura Reaches Singapore to Participate in 32nd
SIMBEX-25: INS Satpura has
reached Singapore to take part in the 32nd edition of SIMBEX-25, the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral
Exercise, reinforcing the strong and strategic maritime partnership between the
Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).The Harbour Phase of the
exercise includes Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs), professional
interactions, and operational-level discussions, promoting knowledge sharing,
doctrine alignment, and deck familiarisation visits aboard RSN ships Vigilant
and Supreme.SIMBEX-25 aligns with India’s ‘MAHASAGAR’ vision and Act East
Policy, symbolising growing trust and operational synergy between the two naval
forces in the Indo-Pacific region.
4. Goa Shipyard Launches ICGS ATAL, Sixth Indigenous Fast
Patrol Vessel to Boost Coast Guard Capabilities: Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) launched ICGS ATAL (Yard 1275), a Fast Patrol Vessel
(FPV), in Vasco-da-Gama, Goa, reinforcing India’s push for
indigenous defence production and maritime self-reliance under Aatmanirbhar
Bharat.ICGS ATAL is the sixth of eight indigenously designed state-of-the-art
FPVs being constructed by GSL for the Indian Coast Guard, with the vessel
measuring 52 meters in length, 8 meters in beam, and 320 tonnes in
displacement.These high-speed vessels are equipped for coastal patrol,
anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, island security, and offshore asset protection,
significantly boosting India’s maritime domain awareness and national security
capabilities.
5. Operation Shiv Shakti: The Indian Army launched
Operation Shiv Shakti in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The
operation successfully eliminated two terrorists attempting infiltration across
the Line
of Control (LoC). This came
shortly after Operation Mahadev neutralised three terrorists involved in the
deadly April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. These operations show
India’s intensified efforts to counter cross-border terrorism and secure
vulnerable regions. Operation Shiv Shakti was initiated following precise
intelligence inputs from the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police. The
operation targeted Lashkar-e-Taiba militants trying to infiltrate via the
Maldivalan sector of Degwar in Poonch. This region is prone to militant
activity due to its challenging terrain and proximity to the LoC.
SPORTS
1. MS Dhoni Joins ACKO as Brand Ambassador: MS Dhoni has partnered with ACKO as both a
brand ambassador and a strategic investor, marking a significant collaboration
with one of India’s fastest-growing digital insurance companies.Dhoni’s
investment in ACKO comes through his family office, Midas Deals Pvt Ltd,
reflecting his confidence in the company’s vision of transforming insurance
through technology and customer-first solutions.The partnership aims to
simplify and modernise insurance for urban India, making it more accessible,
intuitive, and aligned with the evolving digital expectations of consumers.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. 2023 Marine Heat Waves: The year 2023
witnessed marine
heat waves (MHWs) of
unprecedented scale and intensity. Covering 96 per cent of the global ocean
surface, these events lasted four times longer than historical averages.
Scientists warn that such extreme ocean warming may indicate a climate tipping
point. This could lead to irreversible damage to marine ecosystems and threaten
global marine industries. Marine heat waves are prolonged periods of unusually
high ocean temperatures. They occur in various ocean regions and have become
more frequent and intense over recent decades. These events disrupt marine
ecosystems, affect fisheries, and impact human livelihoods dependent on the
sea. In 2023, MHWs reached new extremes in intensity, duration, and geographic
extent. The total marine heat wave activity amounted to 53.6 billion °C days
square kilometre. This figure exceeds the historical norm by more than three
standard deviations since 1982. MHWs lasted four times longer than the average
duration recorded over the past 40 years.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Anju Rathi Rana Appointed as Ex-Officio Member of
IBBI: Anju Rathi Rana, the current Law Secretary and the first woman to hold the post of
Secretary, Legal Affairs, has been appointed as an ex-officio member of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
(IBBI) by the central government under Section 189 of the
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016.This appointment provides
representation to the Ministry of Law & Justice on the IBBI Board, which
already includes members from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Corporate
Affairs, Reserve Bank of India, and legal and financial experts.Anju Rathi
Rana, a senior officer of the Indian Legal Service, previously served as a
public prosecutor for 18 years and joined the law ministry in 2017 as a Joint
Secretary before becoming Law Secretary in March 2025.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Suhani Shah Becomes First Indian
to Win Best Magic Creator Award at FISM World Championship 2025: Suhani Shah has
made history by winning the Best
Magic Creator award at the FISM World Championship of Magic 2025, becoming
the first Indian—and one of the very few women—to be recognised at this
prestigious global platform often called the “Olympics of Magic.”She triumphed
over globally renowned magicians like Jack Rhodes, Jason Ladanye, and Mohammad
Imani, earning the award in the newly introduced Online Magic Awards category,
which celebrates digital innovation in magic through platforms like YouTube and
Instagram.Shah’s win is a landmark moment for Indian magic and women in
performance arts, spotlighting India’s magical heritage and modernising the art
form through digital storytelling, psychological illusion, and human-centric
performances.
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