NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Tamil Nadu to Set Up India’s First Hornbill
Conservation Centre at Anamalai Tiger Reserve: India’s First Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation will
be set up at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore
district, marking a major initiative by the Tamil Nadu government under
the Endangered Species Conservation Corpus Fund, with a sanctioned amount of ₹1
crore.The Centre aims to protect hornbills, known as “farmers of the forest”,
which are vital for forest regeneration but face threats from deforestation,
habitat loss, and climate change.The Centre will focus on four hornbill species
found in the Western Ghats — Great Hornbill, Malabar Grey Hornbill, Malabar
Pied Hornbill, and Indian Grey Hornbill.Conservation activities will include
habitat mapping, nest monitoring, climate impact research, and restoration of
degraded forest zones by planting native trees like fig and canarium to support
hornbill ecology.
2. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Hikes Journalists’ Pension to
₹15,000 Monthly: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar announced that
under the Bihar Journalist Samman Pension Scheme, eligible journalists
will now receive a monthly pension of ₹15,000, up from the earlier ₹6,000.In
case of a journalist’s death, their dependent spouse will now get
₹10,000/month, a significant rise from the previous ₹3,000.Nitish Kumar
emphasized that journalists are the “fourth pillar of democracy”, and their
social security and dignity post-retirement are essential for ensuring
independent and impartial journalism.
3. India’s Gig Economy Growth: India’s gig
economy has expanded rapidly
in recent years. By FY 2024–25, gig workers numbered about 12 million, up from
7.7 million in 2020–21. This sector now comprises over 2% of the total
workforce. Growth is driven by digital connectivity, urbanisation, and a shift
towards flexible work. This change marks a structural shift in India’s labour
market. Gig workers are individuals earning income without formal employment benefits.
They include cab drivers, food delivery personnel, home cleaners, and other
service providers working through digital platforms. Unlike traditional
informal workers, gig workers operate in a semi-structured system where tasks
and payments are documented. This formalisation brings transparency and some
recognition to their work.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Vaishali Nigam Sinha Becomes First Private Sector
Leader to Head UN Global Compact Network India for 2025–27 Term: Vaishali Nigam Sinha,
Co-Founder and Chairperson – Sustainability at ReNew, has been elected President of the United Nations Global
Compact Network India (UNGCNI) for the 2025–27 term.She is the
first private sector leader in over two decades to hold this position, which
has traditionally been occupied by officials from public sector enterprises
like ONGC.Her appointment reflects a strategic shift toward private sector
leadership in promoting ESG goals and acknowledges her expertise in corporate
strategy and sustainability.
2. 28 July – World Nature Conservation Day: World Nature Conservation Day is
celebrated every year on 28th
July to raise awareness about the importance of protecting nature
and conserving natural resources.The day emphasizes the importance of
preserving forests, water bodies, wildlife, soil, and all natural ecosystems to
maintain ecological balance.
3. 28 July – World Hepatitis Day: World Hepatitis Day is
observed every year on 28th July.Objective
– To raise awareness of viral hepatitis and to promote access to testing,
treatment, and prevention services globally.The date commemorates the birth
anniversary of Dr. Baruch Blumberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus and
developed the first hepatitis B vaccine.Theme 2025 – Hepatitis: Let’s Break It
Down
4. What is Hepatitis?:
Hepatitis is a medical condition characterized by inflammation of the liver. It
can be caused by viral infections, but may also result from alcohol use,
toxins, medications, or autoimmune diseases.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. DRDO Conducts Successful Flight Trials of ULPGM-V3: DRDO has successfully conducted flight trials of the Unmanned
Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 at the National
Open Area Range (NOAR), Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, marking a major
advancement in India’s indigenous defence capabilities.The ULPGM-V3 missile
features a high-definition dual-channel seeker, supports day-and-night
operations, and is capable of being launched from both plain and high-altitude
terrains with a two-way data link for post-launch target updates.The missile is
designed with three modular warhead configurations:Anti-armour warhead for
targeting advanced armoured vehicles with RHA and ERA,Penetration-cum-blast
warhead for anti-bunker operations,Pre-fragmentation warhead for creating a high
lethality zone.ULPGM-V3 is a joint development of multiple DRDO laboratories
including Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research and Development
Laboratory (DRDL), Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), and others
involved in missile, electronics, and materials research.
2. India and Singapore Begin 14th Edition of Joint
Military Exercise ‘Bold Kurukshetra’ in Jodhpur: The 14th edition of India-Singapore Joint Military Exercise –
Bold Kurukshetra began in Jodhpur and will continue till 4th
August 2025.The exercise includes a tabletop simulation and computer-based
wargame, focusing on validating mechanised warfare operational procedures and
will conclude with an equipment display by the Indian Army.Participating units
include the 42 Singapore Armoured Regiment (4 Singapore Armoured Brigade) and
the Indian Army’s Mechanised Infantry Regiment, highlighting deepening
strategic and tactical ties between the two nations.
3. 27 July – CRPF Raising Day: CRPF Raising Day is celebrated every year on 27th July, and in
2025, the force marked its 87th Raising Day. It commemorates the formation of
the Crown Representative Police in 1939, which later became the CRPF.It was
renamed as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in 1949 after the enactment
of the CRPF Act, and functions as a key central armed police force under the
Ministry of Home Affairs.CRPF plays a crucial role in maintaining internal
security, conducting anti-Naxal operations, counter-insurgency, and assisting
states and union territories in law and order management.The CRPF is the only
paramilitary force in India with six all-women battalions, showcasing its
commitment to gender inclusion and the evolving role of women in India’s
security forces.
SPORTS
1. Anahat Singh Wins Historic Bronze at World Junior
Squash Championships 2025: India’s
Anahat Singh won the bronze medal at the World Junior Squash Championships 2025 held in New Cairo, Egypt,
ending India’s 15-year medal drought at this prestigious U-19 event.The
17-year-old, seeded second in the women’s singles draw, lost in the semi-finals
to Egypt’s Nadien Elhammamy in straight games (11-6, 14-12, 12-10); she is
currently ranked 54th in the senior world rankings. A rising star in Indian
squash, Anahat has recently won the U-19 Asian title, several PSA Challenger
titles, and Asian senior doubles golds, and had earlier debuted at the World
Championships in Chicago.
2. Shubman Gill Creates History with 4 Centuries in Debut
Test Series as Captain Against England: Shubman Gill scored a brilliant
century on Day 5 of the fourth
Test against England at Old Trafford, becoming the first-ever batter to score
four centuries in his debut Test series as captain. He broke the
previous joint record held by Warwick Armstrong, Don Bradman, Greg Chappell,
Virat Kohli, and Steven Smith, all of whom had scored three centuries in their
debut series as Test captains.With his latest century, Gill now holds the record
for the most 100-plus scores by a captain in a Test series against England,
joining legends Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar who also scored four centuries
in a single Test series.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Revamped Mission Vatsalya Portal Launched to
Strengthen Child Protection Services with Unified Digital Platform: The Ministry of Women and
Child Development has launched the revamped Mission Vatsalya Portal, an integrated and secure
digital platform for all stakeholders involved in child protection services at
both State and district levels.The portal brings together previous platforms
Khoya-Paya and TrackChild into a single unified system, ensuring elimination of
duplication, enhanced monitoring through MIS Dashboards, and efficient resource
utilisation.
Key
stakeholders using the portal include State Child Protection Society, State
Adoption Resource Agency, District Child Protection Unit, Child Welfare
Committee, Juvenile Justice Board, and others involved in juvenile and child care
services.The Toll-Free Child Helpline (1098) continues to provide 24x7x365
emergency outreach, and is now integrated with ERSS-112 (Ministry of Home
Affairs) and Women Helpline (181) for coordinated response to children in
distress.
2. NASA’s Arsenic Life Claim Retracted After
Fifteen Years: Recent developments marked
the formal retraction of a controversial 2010 NASA-funded study that claimed
discovery of a microbe, GFAJ-1, capable of substituting arsenic for phosphorus
in its DNA. The initial announcement suggested a radical revision of biology
and hinted at alien-like life chemistry. However, after years of scrutiny and
failed replication, the scientific community and the journal *Science* withdrew
the paper. This event marks challenges in scientific communication, peer
review, and interdisciplinary research. In 2010, researchers studying Mono Lake
in California reported finding a bacterium that could incorporate arsenic, a
toxic element, instead of phosphorus in its DNA. This claim, if true, would
have rewritten fundamental biological principles. The announcement received
widespread media attention and sparked excitement about alternative
biochemistries and astrobiology.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IRDAI Imposes ₹3.39 Crore Penalty on Star Health
Insurance for Cyber Security Violations: The Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority of India (IRDAI) has imposed a ₹3.39 crore penalty on Star Health and Allied
Insurance for multiple violations of the Information & Cyber
Security Guidelines, 2023, and also issued a formal warning to the
insurer.Despite regulatory action, Star Health Insurance remains a major player
in the sector with a strong distribution network comprising 913 offices, over
14,000 network hospitals, 7.75 lakh+ licensed agents, and 17,000 employees.
2. NSDL Payments Bank Added to RBI
Second Schedule: NSDL Payments Bank has been officially
included in the Second Schedule of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934,
after receiving the ‘Scheduled Bank’
status from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) through a notification
issued on June 19, 2025.The bank is now working towards establishing itself as
a ‘capital market bank’ by offering a 3-in-1 account and partnering with
brokerage firms that lack the backing of traditional banks.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Panaji Declared Cleanest City in Swachh Survekshan 2024–25: Panaji, the capital of Goa, has been awarded the cleanest city in India in the population category of 20,000 to 50,000 under Swachh Survekshan 2024–25, presented by President Droupadi Murmu at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.Goa CM Dr. Pramod Sawant and Panaji Mayor Rohit Monserrate credited the award to the sanitation workers, women leaders, councillors, and citizens, acknowledging their key role in transforming Panaji’s waste management system.
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