Top News
Tiger Population at Nameri National Park Sees Four-Fold Increase
The tiger population in Assam's Nameri National Park and Tiger Reserve has witnessed a significant increase, jumping from just three tigers in 2022 to twelve by the end of 2025. Validated by the Wildlife Institute of India, this marks a remarkable conservation success for the state. Additionally, two tigers were reported to have returned to the Sonai-Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary, which serves as the satellite core of the Nameri Tiger Reserve, after an absence of several decades.
Borjuli Wild Rice Site Accorded Biodiversity Heritage Status
Sonitpur district's Borjuli wild rice conservation site has been officially designated as a Biodiversity Heritage site. This recognition aims to preserve the genetic diversity of indigenous wild rice varieties found in the region, which are crucial for future agricultural resilience and food security. The declaration forms a key part of Assam's ongoing efforts to catalog and protect its rich, localized ecological resources.
Guwahati Airport Shifts International Operations to Terminal 2
All international flight operations at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati were transitioned to the newly inaugurated, award-winning Terminal 2. The shift is intended to streamline airport operations, improve operational efficiency, and significantly enhance the passenger travel experience. This move closely follows the commencement of Air India and Air India Express operations from the new terminal, strengthening the Northeast's connectivity.
Cachar’s Signature Pineapples Secure Export Route to Dubai
The signature pineapple harvest from Cachar district achieved a major export milestone by successfully securing trade traction in Dubai. This entry into the Middle Eastern market is expected to boost the local agricultural economy and provide farmers with a highly lucrative international platform for their produce, cementing Assam's growing footprint in the export of indigenous fruits.
State Government Announces Massive Tree Plantation Drive
The Assam government announced a massive environmental initiative to plant one crore saplings between August 10 and 14, 2026. Furthermore, the state outlined a comprehensive fruit tree mission slated to begin in 2027. These drives aim to expand the state's green cover, promote sustainable agro-forestry, and mitigate the rising instances of human-animal conflicts caused by ongoing habitat loss.
Centre Revises EPF Partial Withdrawal Norms
The Union Government formally notified the new Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme, 2026, which introduced revised provisions for partial withdrawals effective from June 29. The updated financial framework is designed to provide greater flexibility to subscribers needing emergency access to their retirement funds while maintaining the long-term stability of the overall provident fund corpus.
MeitY Issues Notices to Messaging Apps Over Anonymity Features
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) sent administrative notices to messaging platforms Telegram, Signal, and WhatsApp regarding their anonymity and username features. The government's move is part of a broader regulatory push to ensure traceability and digital accountability, asking these tech companies to address concerns over how their anonymity tools might be misused.
Election Commission Hears Trinamool Congress Rebel Faction
The Election Commission of India held a meeting with a rebel faction of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Ritabrata Banerjee. The dissenting group of Members of the Legislative Assembly formally staked a claim to be recognized as the "real" party in the West Bengal Assembly. The development highlights a critical internal fracture within the party's state political dynamics.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Make Historic Visit to New Zealand
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to make his first official visit to New Zealand. According to New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, this upcoming diplomatic trip is historic, as it will be the first time an Indian Prime Minister has officially visited New Zealand in 40 years, setting the stage for renewed bilateral economic and strategic partnerships.
India and Japan Agree on Co-development of Defence Projects
During the annual bilateral summit in New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi signed the first-ever agreement between the two nations for the co-development of defence projects. Focusing initially on naval radio antennas, the partnership aims to develop shared technologies to maintain maritime security and strengthen the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
India and Japan Ink 129 MoUs on AI and Technology
Following high-level talks, Indian and Japanese corporate leaders and government officials signed at least 129 Memoranda of Cooperation (MoUs) focusing on technology, foreign investment, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The two nations also discussed the strategic stockpiling of crude oil to secure bilateral energy needs amid the ongoing geopolitical disruptions in West Asia.
Iran Warns Oil Tankers to Follow Approved Routes in Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command issued a strict warning that all international oil tankers moving through the Strait of Hormuz must utilize its approved maritime routes or face a "forceful response." The strait, a critical chokepoint for global energy supplies, has become a major flashpoint as tensions escalate during the ongoing West Asia conflict.
Global Dignitaries Attend Funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader
The body of Iran's late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was laid in state at Tehran's Grand Mosalla following his death in US-Israeli strikes. The weeklong mass funeral ceremonies were attended by numerous foreign dignitaries, including Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is mediating US-Iran talks, and the Afghan Foreign Minister from the Taliban government.
IIT-Ropar Launches National AI Hackathon for Agriculture
ANNAM.AI, India's first Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture hosted at IIT-Ropar under the Ministry of Education, officially launched "HACK CORE 2026." Executed in collaboration with Syngenta and Google, the national hackathon invites researchers and developers to create AI-driven solutions for crop health, pest management, and climate-resilient farming.
Anthropic Explores AI Chip Collaboration with Samsung
Leading artificial intelligence firm Anthropic is reportedly in advanced talks with South Korean tech giant Samsung for a potential AI chip collaboration. The strategic move underscores the intensifying global race among tech corporations to secure robust hardware pipelines and reduce reliance on existing market monopolies for the vast computing power required to train generative AI models.
Monsoon Hits Delhi in July as Heavy Rains Lash Mumbai
The Southwest monsoon officially arrived in Delhi in July, marking the first time since 2021 that the onset in the capital was delayed past June. Simultaneously, severe monsoon fury heavily impacted Maharashtra, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an orange alert for Mumbai. Heavy waterlogging across the financial capital resulted in infrastructure hazards, including a fatal incident involving an open manhole.
Phoenix Suns Sign Former Lacrosse Star Pat Spencer
The Phoenix Suns signed 6-foot-2 guard Pat Spencer to a two-way NBA contract. Spencer, who transferred from the Golden State Warriors, possesses a highly unique athletic background; he was the first overall pick in the 2019 Premier Lacrosse League collegiate draft before switching to college basketball at Northwestern and eventually working his way into the NBA.
Belgium Completes Historic Comeback at FIFA World Cup
The Belgian national football team rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat Senegal 3-2 in extra time at the World Cup round of 16 in Seattle. Youri Tielemans secured the victory by converting a penalty kick in the 125th minute. Belgium's feat makes them only the second team in the past eleven World Cups to overcome a two-goal deficit in a knockout match.
United States Advances to World Cup Round of 16
The United States Men's National Team advanced to the World Cup round of 16 following a 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in California. Goals from Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman secured the win, marking the United States' first World Cup victory over a European opponent since 2002 and effectively snapping a long-standing 10-match winless streak against UEFA teams.
First India-England T20I Abandoned Due to Rain
The highly anticipated first T20 International match between India and England was abandoned due to incessant rains. Before the weather interruption forced the game to be called off, the Indian batting lineup had put up a strong performance, posting a formidable score of 189/7, heavily driven by aggressive knocks from Shreyas Iyer and Abhishek Sharma.
2-3 July 2026 Top News for APSC | Most Important Updates, Schemes & Reports You Must Know