Japan's ruling coalition lost control of the Upper House in an election, further weakening Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's grip on power even as he vowed to remain party leader, citing a looming tariff deadline with the United States.
Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and coalition partner Komeito returned 47 seats, short of the 50 seats it needed to ensure a majority in the 248-seat Upper Chamber.
Uttarakhand Launches Endangered Plant Conservation Program
The Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, a region boasting 69 per cent forest cover and a strong national presence in wildlife conservation, launched a unique program to revive 14 critically endangered "Red Category" plant species.
After four years of dedicated effort, the Uttarakhand Forest Department is now ready to re-establish rare plant species in their natural habitats, a unique national initiative to save endangered flora.
This biodiversity conservation program, spearheaded by the Forest Department's research branch, is being hailed as an inspirational step towards a greener future, not just for the state but for the entire country.
India emerged as the global leader in fast payments, according to a note by the International Monetary Fund titled 'Growing Retail Digital Payments: The Value of Interoperability.'
At the heart of this transformation is the Unified Payments Interface, better known as UPI. It was launched in 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India.
ISRO Plans Space Station by 2035 and Moon Mission by 2040
India took a confident leap forward in global space exploration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) unveiling a comprehensive vision for the next 15 years. Under the leadership of its new Chairman V. Narayanan, ISRO announced its ambitious plans to establish an independent Indian space station by 2035 and execute a human moon landing mission by 2040, reaffirming the country's growing space capabilities and global leadership.
Longer Jumper Murali Sreeshankar Wins at Portugal Athletics Meet
India's long jumper Murali Sreeshankar won the Meeting Maia Cidade do Desporto 2025, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze-level meet, with a best jump of 7.75m. Poland's Piotr Tarkowski and Australia's Chris Mitrevski finished second and third, respectively.
India Creates History at FIDE Women's World Cup
In a landmark moment for Indian chess, four Indian women entered the quarter-finals of the FIDE Women's World Cup, being held in Batumi, Georgia, for the very first time. With only eight players left in the competition, India remarkably accounts for half of the remaining field.
Grandmaster Koneru Humpy, one of India's most experienced campaigners, remained rock solid throughout her match against Switzerland's Alexandra Kosteniuk.
Facing China's top seed Zhu Jiner, Divya Deshmukh stunned the favourite with a confident and fearless display, securing her spot in the last eight.
Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli edged out the Russian player. Grandmaster R Vaishali's journey to the quarters was the most dramatic of the lot.
The tournament concludes on July 25, 2025.
Japan Open 2025
China's Shi Yuqi claimed the men's singles title in the BWF Japan Open badminton championship, while Olympic champion An Se-young of South Korea secured the women's singles crown in a dominant display, emerging on top in the USD 950,000 prize money event played at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
With the increasing digitalisation of city functions, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), convened the National Conference on Making Cities Cyber Secure at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
The conference brought together key stakeholders from Central Ministries, National Cybersecurity Agencies, State Governments, and Urban Local Bodies to address the growing cybersecurity challenges facing India's cities and develop a collective roadmap for enhancing resilience.
India Taps Global Satellite Firms to Boost Military Surveillance
In a move to strengthen real-time surveillance and military preparedness, the Indian government initiated talks with global commercial satellite imagery providers. This follows intelligence reports that China supported Pakistan with live satellite inputs during Operation Sindoor in 2025. The aim is to enhance India's existing capabilities by integrating high-resolution, real-time imagery into defence operations.
India's defence forces currently rely on indigenous satellites like Cartosat and RISAT for imaging and surveillance. While effective in tracking enemy movements and confirming strike outcomes, these satellites have limitations such as lower imaging frequency and moderate resolution.
Former Kerala Chief Minister and the icon of Communist movement V. S. Achuthanandan died at the age of 101.
A lifelong fighter for the rights of disadvantaged sections and a towering presence in state politics, Achuthanandan had withdrawn from public life after he suffered a minor stroke in 2019.
He had been the Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2006, when he had spearheaded the attack on the UDF government led by AK Antony. In 2006, he led the CPM-led Left Democratic Front to victory and served as Chief Minister till 2011.
Nepal, Bhutan and USA Receive Top Honours in ICC Development Awards Ceremony
South Asian neighbours Nepal and Bhutan were among eight nations to win global honours in the 2024 edition of ICC Development Awards, cricket's parent body said.
USA Cricket received the ICC Associate Member Men's Team Performance of the Year award for its success in the last calendar year, with performances that included qualifying for the Super Eight of the T20 World Cup hosted by the USA and the West Indies.
Apart from USA, Bhutan and Nepal, other five nations to receive the awards were Indonesia, Namibia, Scotland, Tanzania, and Vanuatu.
Cricket Namibia won the ICC Development Initiative of the Year award for its Ashburton Kwata Mini-Cricket Programme, the country's flagship grassroots development initiative.
For the first time, the ICC Female Cricket Initiative of the Year award was shared by two Members—Bhutan Cricket Council Board and Vanuatu Cricket Association.
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) received the ICC Digital Fan Engagement of the Year award.
India Wins Ranks 7th at International Mathematical Olympiad in Australia
An Indian team comprising six contestants secured the 7th rank at the 66th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), held at the Sunshine Coast, Australia.
The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), under the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, is the nodal agency responsible for organising India's participation in international science olympiads, including Mathematics.
The IMO is the world's most prestigious mathematics competition for high school students.
The top eight positions went to China (1st), the United States (2nd), the Republic of Korea (3rd) and Poland and Japan (tied for 4th).
India's Tourism Sector and Vision 2047 towards a $32 Trillion Economy
The Government of India has set an ambitious target to raise the contribution of tourism to 10% of GDP by 2047, aligning with its broader goal of transforming India into a $32 trillion economy. Rich in cultural heritage, natural diversity, and spiritual wealth, India's tourism sector is poised to become a major engine of economic growth, employment, and global influence, provided structural and strategic challenges are addressed.
Currently, tourism contributes about 5–6% to India's GDP, with the country ranking 14th globally in tourism receipts (as of 2023).
Justice Vibhu Bakhru Sworn in as Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court
Justice Vibhu Bakhru was sworn in as Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court at a ceremony organised at Raj Bhavan, Bengaluru.
Governor of Karnataka Thawar Chand Gehlot, administered the oath of office in a ceremony that was also attended by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar.
The post of Chief Justice of Karnataka had fallen vacant after the elevation of then Chief Justice N. V. Anjaria to the Supreme Court.