NATIONAL NEWS

Uttarakhand Cabinet Approves Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025

Uttarakhand Cabinet approved the Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025 on 17th August 2025, marking the first-of-its-kind draft legislation in the State.

The Bill will be introduced in the Legislative Assembly session beginning on 19th August 2025.

It aims to extend benefits previously available only to Muslim institutions to Sikh, Jain, Christian, Buddhist, and Parsi educational institutions.

Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board Act, 2016 and Uttarakhand Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules, 2019 will be repealed from 1st July 2026.

Study of Gurmukhi and Pali will also be recognised in minority educational institutions.

Minority status will be granted by the Uttarakhand State Authority for Minority Education, which will ensure compliance with Uttarakhand Board of School Education standards and fair student evaluations.

Institutions must be registered under the Societies Act, Trust Act, or Companies Act and hold land, bank accounts, and assets in the institution’s name.

Recognition can be withdrawn in cases of financial mismanagement, lack of transparency, or actions against religious/social harmony.

The Bill ensures a transparent recognition process, safeguards Constitutional rights of minorities, and maintains quality and excellence in education while not interfering in institutional administration.

Udyam Sakhi Portal Empowers Women Entrepreneurs To Launch, Expand And Sustain Businesses Independently

The Udyam Sakhi Portal is an initiative of the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME).

Its main purpose is to support women entrepreneurs in starting, building, and growing their businesses, helping them become self-reliant.

The portal provides information on various financial schemes (like PMEGP, CGTMSE, MUDRA, TReDS), policies, and programs for women entrepreneurs.

It also offers details on preparing a business plan, information about exhibitions and trade fairs, and contact details for nodal offices and supporting organizations.

The portal was developed in 2018 at an expenditure of ₹43.52 lakhs.

As of the report, a total of 4,535 women have registered on the portal.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Russia Set To Launch Venera-D Mission For Fresh Exploration Of Venus

Russia is preparing to launch the Venera-D interplanetary mission to revisit the planet Venus.

The launch is planned to take place before 2036 as part of Russia's new national space program.

Preliminary design work is scheduled to begin in January 2026.

The Venera-D mission will consist of a lander, a balloon probe, and an orbital spacecraft.

The mission is a follow-up to the Soviet Union's Venera probes of 1975 and 1982, which provided the only images of Venus's surface.

The project is being developed in collaboration with the Lavochkin Association.

 

BANKING

SEBI Proposes To Add Definitions Of Algorithmic And Proprietary Trading In Stock Broker Regulations

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has proposed to officially include the definitions of "algorithm" and "proprietary trading" in its stock brokers' regulations.

The current rules do not have any definition for such trades done by brokers.

Algorithmic trading would be defined as any order generated or placed using automated execution logic.

In July 2025, Sebi had temporarily barred US-based Jane Street from accessing the securities market for allegedly manipulating stock indices.

In a related move, SEBI has proposed to allow stock brokers to access the Negotiated Dealing System-Order Matching (NDS-OM) platform, which is currently used mainly by banks and primary dealers for trading in government securities.

The regulator also intends to define Execution Only Platform (EOP) as any digital or online platform that facilitates transactions like subscriptions and redemptions in direct plans of mutual fund schemes.

Furthermore, SEBI has proposed to discontinue defining "small investors" based on a trade size of a market value not exceeding ₹50,000 in a single day.

HDFC ERGO Partners with PhonePe

HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company has partnered with PhonePe to launch an affordable health insurance product.

The product is designed to serve the 'missing middle', which refers to individuals who are typically not covered by health insurance.

The affordable premiums start from as low as ₹12 per day, or around ₹4,380 annually, for a coverage of ₹3 lakh.

The policy can be purchased instantly through the PhonePe app.

The target demographic for this new solution is primarily first-time insurance buyers aged 18-30 years.

Indian Overseas Bank partners with Mumbai Metro One

Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has partnered with Mumbai Metro One Private Limited to provide ticketing solutions.

The partnership covers the issuance of smart cards for regular commuters, as well as paper tickets and QR-based ticketing solutions.

The collaboration is expected to boost commuter convenience and promote digital payments in public transport.

Mumbai Metro Line 1 connects the Varsova-Andheri-Ghatkopar areas of the city.

 

DEFENCE

China Hands Over Third Of Eight Advanced Hangor-Class Submarines To Pakistan

China has delivered the third of eight new "advanced" Hangor-class submarines to Pakistan.

This delivery is part of China's efforts to enhance Pakistan's naval strength and support its presence in the Indian Ocean.

The launching ceremony for the third submarine took place in Wuhan, Hubei province, Central China.

The second Hangor-class submarine was delivered in March of the current year.

The Hangor-class submarines are based on China's Type 039B Yuan-class diesel-electric attack submarine.

They are equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, which provides extended underwater endurance.

This order for eight submarines is one of China's largest military export transactions.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China supplies over 81% of Pakistan’s military hardware.

The remaining five submarines are scheduled for delivery by the end of the decade.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla Assigned Additional Charge As Nagaland Governor

Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has been given the additional charge of performing the duties of the Nagaland Governor following the death of L. Ganesan.

L. Ganesan, who was serving as the Governor of Nagaland since February 2023, passed away on August 15, 2025.

The appointment of Ajay Kumar Bhalla was made by the President of India on August 16, 2025.

Ajay Kumar Bhalla, a retired IAS officer and former Union Home Secretary, was appointed as the Governor of Manipur in 2024.

This type of additional charge appointment is a common constitutional practice in India to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of a gubernatorial office during a sudden vacancy.

Odisha Names Madhuri Dixit As Brand Ambassador For Handloom Sector

The Odisha government has appointed Bollywood actor Madhuri Dixit as the brand ambassador for the state's handloom industry.

The announcement was made by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi during the inauguration of 'EKTA' (Exhibition-cum-Knowledge Sharing for Textile Advantage), an initiative to promote handloom products.

The event was held to mark the 11th National Handloom Day celebrations in the state.

The 'EKTA' initiative is designed to provide market access, training, and financial support to local handloom artisans.

During the Odisha Textile Conclave, 33 MoUs were signed, valued at ₹7,808 crore, with the potential to create 53,300 employment opportunities in the textile sector.

 

SPORTS

India to Host Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy 2025

India will host the Asian Open Short Track Speed Skating Trophy 2025 for the first time, the country’s biggest international winter sports event.

The event will be held from 20 to 23 August 2025 at Maharana Pratap Sports College, Raipur, Dehradun.

Amitabh Sharma, President of the Ice Skating Association of India (ISAI), announced the competition details.

More than 11 Asian countries will participate, including China, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and India.

Athletes will compete in 9 different events, ranging from the 222-meter sprint to the 5000-meter relay.

Devika Sihag Wins Malaysia International Challenge 2025

Indian shuttler Devika Sihag clinched her first International Challenge title by winning the women’s singles event at Malaysia International Challenge 2025 in Ipoh.

The 20-year-old defeated compatriot Isharani Baruah (5th seed) 15-7, 15-12 in the final.

Tournament followed BWF’s experimental 3×15 scoring format (games to 15 points instead of 21).

This win adds to her successful 2024 season, where she won the Swedish Open and Portugal International (International Series level).

The Malaysia International Challenge is a Grade 3, Level 1 event in the BWF Continental Circuit.

Sihag also clinched the Senior National Badminton Championship 2024 in Bengaluru, marking her rise in Indian badminton.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Photography Day

World Photography Day is celebrated on August 19 every year.

World Photography Day 2025 is a Worldwide celebration of the art, crafts, science, and history of photography.

World Photography Day also encourages photographers from around the globe to share a single photo that encapsulates their World.

The theme for World Photography Day 2025 is "MY FAVORITE PHOTO".

The first World Photography Day was held on August 19, 2010.

On World Photography Day nearly 270 photographers shared their pictures in a global online gallery.

People from over 100 countries visited the online gallery. This event marked the first official World Photography Day.

World Photography Day commemorates the importance of cameras and photography in our lives.

The first digital photograph was created in 1957, two decades before the digital camera was invented.