🇮🇳 National News
The Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) has launched the country’s first 1MW green hydrogen plant under the “Make in India” initiative at Kandla port.
Initial applications:
- Green fuel for buses
- Lighting at the port
Plans are in place to scale up production to 10MW by the next fiscal year. This development marks a critical move toward maritime decarbonization.
The Western Railway has resumed operations of a heritage train along the 155-year-old Patalpani–Kalakund route in Madhya Pradesh.
The railway line was constructed in 1878 during Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar II’s rule as part of the Holkar State Railways. It later merged with the Rajputana-Malwa Railway.
Route details:
- Spans 9.5 km through scenic hill terrain
- Connects Mhow and Khandwa
- Holds historical and tourism significance
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has amended the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, with the new regulations taking effect from July 29, 2025.
Key updates:
- Clear differentiation between “use before” and “expiry date”
- Mandatory batch-wise testing and maintenance of detailed documentation
- Designation of CDL as the Central Cosmetics Laboratory
- Exporters will have the flexibility to align with importing countries’ standards
These changes aim to boost consumer safety, enhance regulatory clarity, and elevate India’s global presence in the cosmetics sector.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched the ‘Apna Ghar’ initiative to improve welfare facilities for truck drivers.
368 rest units constructed | 4,611 beds available along Indian highways
Facilities include:
- Dormitories
- Food outlets (dhabas)
- Clean toilets and bath areas
- Cooking spaces and drinking water
A dedicated mobile app supports the initiative, furthering the government’s goal of enhancing highway logistics and driver comfort.
Sikkim has pioneered a Sabbatical Leave Scheme for its government employees, the first of its kind in India.
Key features:
- Eligible employees: Both permanent and temporary
- Leave duration: 365 to 1,080 days
- Employees receive 50% of their basic pay
- Retain seniority and continuity of service
- Decentralized approval system, reducing bureaucratic delays
The scheme exemplifies progressive governance and employee-centric reform in India.
India has received the final Airbus C-295MW transport aircraft from Spain, completing the first batch of 16 aircraft under the 2021 contract.
Aircraft specifications:
- 11-hour endurance
- Payload capacity of 5–10 tonnes
- Set to replace the IAF’s ageing Avro fleet
The remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured in India at the TATA Aircraft Complex in Vadodara—marking the country’s first private military aircraft assembly line.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Telangana Government have signed an MoU to launch India’s first FIFA Talent Academy for girls.
Location: Gachibowli Stadium Complex, Hyderabad
The MoU was finalized during the Telangana Sports Conclave on August 2, 2025.
Roles and responsibilities:
- AIFF and FIFA: Technical operations, talent scouting, and training programmes
- Telangana Sports Authority: Infrastructure, logistics, education, finances, and athlete welfare
💼 Business & Economy
ICICI Bank will introduce handling charges on UPI transactions done via Payment Aggregators (PAs), effective August 1, 2025.
This aligns with similar measures recently implemented by Yes Bank and Axis Bank.
| Escrow Account Status | Fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| With Escrow Account at ICICI Bank | 2 bps | ₹6 |
| Without Escrow Account at ICICI Bank | 4 bps | ₹10 |
Exemption: If the transaction is settled directly into a merchant’s ICICI Bank account, no fee will be levied.
While UPI payments are subject to zero Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) to foster digital adoption, banks are not restricted from imposing service charges on intermediaries like PAs.
BSNL and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) have signed an MoU to establish India’s first 5G Captive Non-Public Network (CNPN) in the refinery sector.
Technologies to be leveraged:
- IoT
- Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR)
- Digital Twins
- Big Data Analytics
Objectives:
- Enhancing operational efficiency
- Strengthening cybersecurity
- Driving innovation, skilling, and employment
It reflects the Whole of Government approach towards developing a digitally self-reliant India under Industry 4.0.
🌐 International News
The IBRRI (Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative), backed by Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, and supported by IUCN, promotes wetland conservation via cross-border cooperation.
During Ramsar COP15, the group unveiled its Strategic Plan (2025–2030).
Key goals:
- Preventing further wetland loss
- Strengthening climate resilience
- Ensuring sustainable management of wetland ecosystems
The initiative emphasizes community involvement, strong governance, and ecological security in the Indo-Burma region.
Lando Norris secured a dramatic win at the Hungarian GP 2025, narrowly defeating Oscar Piastri by 0.698 seconds.
This was Norris’s fifth win of the current F1 season. Piastri’s championship lead has narrowed to just nine points.
Top finishers:
- 1st – Lando Norris
- 2nd – Oscar Piastri
- 3rd – George Russell
- 4th – Charles Leclerc (after penalty)
🔬 Science & Technology
A Crew Dragon capsule from SpaceX, carrying four astronauts, has safely docked with the International Space Station over the southeast Pacific.
Crew members:
- Zena Cardman (USA)
- Mike Fincke (USA)
- Kimiya Yui (Japan)
- Oleg Platonov (Russia)
The launch took place at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, atop a Falcon 9 rocket. The mission highlights ongoing international cooperation in space exploration.
Following the successful NISAR mission, ISRO is gearing up to launch the BlueBird satellite.
Satellite details:
- 6,500 kg communications satellite
- Developed by AST SpaceMobile (USA)
- Launch scheduled from Sriharikota using the LVM3 rocket
The mission enhances Indo-U.S. space collaboration, aligns with India’s Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme, and supports the vision of building the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035.
🕊️ Obituaries
M.K. Sanoo, a celebrated Malayalam critic, biographer, orator, and former Kerala MLA, passed away at 96 years old.
About M.K. Sanoo:
- Born on October 27, 1928, in Thumpoly, Alappuzha (then part of the Travancore Kingdom)
- Deeply influenced by Kerala’s renaissance movement
- Inspired by literary icons Kumaran Asan and Sree Narayana Guru
📤 Found this useful? Help your friends stay updated too!
