National News

RailOne App Crosses 4.76 Crore Downloads Milestone

Railways launched the RailOne App on July 1, 2025, integrating multiple passenger services.
The app offers reserved, unreserved and platform ticketing along with train and PNR enquiries.
It also integrates RailMadad and other passenger-related services on one platform.
By August 2, 2026, RailOne crossed 4.76 crore downloads and averaged about 10 lakh daily ticket bookings.
These included 2.79 lakh reserved and 7.24 lakh unreserved tickets daily.
Key Fact: NTES, operational since 2000, handles over 6 crore enquiries daily.

Parliament Monsoon Session Ends With Eleven Bills Passed

The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on July 20, 2026, and ended on August 13, 2026.
Both Houses were adjourned sine die after completing the session.
Parliament passed 11 Bills, while the Indian Statistical Institute Bill remained pending.
The session was scheduled for 19 sittings but faced repeated disruptions over political issues and the NEET-UG controversy.
Key Bills covered public examinations, taxation, MSMEs, bankers’ books, tribunals, Kerala’s name and minerals.
Key Fact: The final Lok Sabha sitting began with six stanzas of Vande Mataram.

MMDR Amendment Bill 2026 Receives Parliament Approval

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 was passed by both Houses on August 13.
It amends the MMDR Act, 1957, India’s principal framework for mineral regulation.
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy introduced the Bill in Lok Sabha on August 10.
The Bill strengthens central control over regulation of mineral-bearing lands and mineral-right taxation.
Existing leaseholders can add minerals such as lithium, cobalt, graphite, gold and silver without additional payments.
Key Fact: The Bill also removes caps on captive-mine mineral sales.

DigiLocker Crosses 72 Crore Users, UMANG Reaches 11 Crore

As of July 31, 2026, DigiLocker had more than 72.43 crore registered users.
UMANG crossed 11.66 crore users, reflecting the expansion of India’s digital public services.
DigiLocker hosted 5,437 document types and services, including Central and State Government services.
UMANG offered 2,575 active services and recorded around 798 crore transactions over three years.
As of June 30, 4,07,122 Common Service Centres were functional at Gram Panchayat level.
Key Fact: Digital India was launched in July 2015.

Parliament Passes Bill to Rename Kerala as Keralam

Parliament passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to rename Kerala as Keralam.
The Lok Sabha approved the Bill, followed by Rajya Sabha approval through a voice vote.
The move follows a unanimous Kerala Assembly resolution in 2024.
The Bill proposes amendments to the First Schedule of the Constitution.
The constitutional procedure for changing a state’s name is based on Article 3.
Key Fact: The renaming will take effect only after Presidential assent.

Lok Sabha Refers FCRA Amendment Bill to JPC

The Lok Sabha on August 12, 2026, approved a motion to refer the FCRA Amendment Bill to a JPC.
The Joint Parliamentary Committee will have 31 members.
It will include 21 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha members.
The committee’s report is due by the last day of the first week of Parliament’s Winter Session in 2026.
The Bill proposes tighter oversight of NGOs receiving foreign contributions.
Key Fact: The FCRA Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament on March 25, 2026.

State News

Uttarakhand Approves High Court Relocation From Nainital

The Uttarakhand government approved shifting the High Court from Nainital to Haldwani.
A 30-hectare site at Lamachaur was identified for the proposed new campus.
The site is located along the Haldwani-Rudrapur highway on NH-05.
The Uttarakhand Cabinet approved the transfer of forest land on August 7, 2026.
Environmental concerns have been raised regarding reserved forest land and an elephant corridor.
Key Fact: The proposed High Court campus will be established in Haldwani.

Gujarat Launches Gramin Gyan Setu Digital Library App

Gujarat launched the Gramin Gyan Setu mobile application on August 12, 2026.
The app digitally connects libraries in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
The hub-and-spoke model links village libraries with four central libraries holding around 2.80 lakh books.
Officials said 752 libraries were interconnected within three months of development.
The initial network covers 63 village libraries across Gandhinagar, Kalol and Sanand.
Key Fact: The app was launched on National Library Day, observed on August 12.

Karnataka Imposes One-Year Ban on Tobacco Products

Karnataka imposed a one-year statewide ban on tobacco and nicotine products.
The restriction covers gutkha, pan masala and separately sold tobacco or nicotine products intended for mixing.
The ban includes their manufacture, storage, distribution, transportation and sale.
It has been imposed under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The Department of Food Safety and Drugs Administration has launched special inspection drives.
Key Fact: The ban covers both packaged and unpackaged gutkha and pan masala.

Ladakh Launches First Black-Necked Crane Festival

Ladakh hosted its first Black-Necked Crane Festival from August 11 to 14, 2026.
The festival aims to promote awareness and conservation of the rare Himalayan bird.
The Black-Necked Crane is scientifically known as Grus nigricollis.
Ladakh is the bird’s key Indian breeding region, particularly around Tso Kar, Hanle and Changthang.
Major threats include wetland degradation, climate change, pollution and tourism disturbance.
Key Fact: The Black-Necked Crane is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

International News

US States Recognise August 15 as India Day 2026

Several US states recognised August 15, 2026, as India Day or India Independence Day.
Delaware became the latest state to issue such a proclamation.
New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have also recognised India’s Independence Day.
Delaware Governor Matthew Meyer highlighted the contribution of Indian-American communities.
Celebrations include flag-hoisting ceremonies, parades, cultural programmes and community gatherings.
Key Fact: Delaware was the latest US state to recognise August 15 as India Day.

Russia Appoints D.Y. Chandrachud in Ukraine Arbitration Case

Russia appointed former Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud as its arbitrator in an investment dispute.
The case was filed by Ukraine’s state-owned Oschadbank.
The dispute concerns assets and operations allegedly lost in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
The case is being heard under the 1998 Russia-Ukraine investment protection agreement.
The three-member tribunal also includes Stavros Brekoulakis and Dyalá Jiménez.
Key Fact: Chandrachud retired from India’s Supreme Court on November 10, 2024.

Turkey Pakistan Saudi Arabia Strengthen Defence Cooperation

Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7, 2026.
The agreement establishes political and military coordination mechanisms among the three countries.
An armed attack against one member would be regarded as an attack against all.
The arrangement is broadly comparable to NATO’s Article 5 collective-defence principle.
The countries are also planning joint military exercises and defence-industrial cooperation.
Key Fact: The agreement was signed on August 7, 2026.

Iran Rejects Trump Claim of Total Hormuz Control

Iran rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that the United States has “total control” over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority said the strategic waterway would remain blocked.
Trump described the US naval deployment as a “wall of steel.”
Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei demanded an end to the war and blockade.
Hormuz remains strategically important for global energy supplies and maritime security.
Key Fact: The Strait of Hormuz carries nearly 20% of global petroleum trade.

Economy News

July Retail Inflation Rises Marginally as Food Prices Increase

India’s retail inflation increased to 4.45% in July 2026, from 4.38% in June.
The data was released by MoSPI under the new CPI series with 2024 as the base year.
Consumer Food Price Index inflation increased to 5.52%.
Rural food inflation stood at 5.79%, while urban food inflation reached 5.05%.
Telangana recorded the highest inflation among major states at 6.32%.
Key Fact: Silver jewellery recorded 109.84% inflation in July.

Business News

Google Announces New Undersea Cables Across Americas

Google announced three new undersea cable systems to strengthen digital connectivity across the Americas.
The Alisios cable will connect Chile, Panama and the Dominican Republic.
Canoa will connect the Dominican Republic with Bermuda.
OlaLuz will connect the Dominican Republic with Florida.
Google is also supporting the Humboldt cable, connecting Chile and Australia.
Key Fact: The three new systems are designed to improve digital connectivity across the Americas.

Vijay Singh Steps Down From Sir Ratan Tata Trust

Tata Trusts Vice-Chairman Vijay Singh stepped down as a trustee of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust.
He will not seek renewal when his current term expires on August 14, 2026.
Singh will continue as a trustee of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.
His departure comes amid reported differences among SRTT trustees.
The Maharashtra State Charity Commissioner has barred SRTT from holding board meetings pending an inquiry.
Key Fact: Vijay Singh will continue serving as a trustee of SDTT.

Defense News

India Malaysia Begin Udara Shakti Air Exercise 2026

The Indian Air Force and Royal Malaysian Air Force began Udara Shakti 2026 on August 10.
The five-day bilateral exercise is being conducted at Subang Air Base, Malaysia.
India deployed four Rafale fighters and two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
Malaysia deployed Su-30MKM and F/A-18D fighters along with an A400M transport aircraft.
Training includes air-combat manoeuvring, air-to-air refuelling and strategic airlift operations.
Key Fact: The exercise involves 83 personnel from both air forces.

Ranks & Reports News

Top 10 Indian Family Businesses Show Massive Valuations

The 2026 Hurun India family business ranking highlights India’s most valuable family-run businesses.
The Ambani family ranked first with Reliance Industries valued at ₹25,82,800 crore.
The Birla family ranked second at ₹8,13,700 crore, followed by the Jindal family at ₹8,01,800 crore.
Bajaj ranked fourth at ₹7,70,400 crore, while Mahindra ranked fifth at ₹5,14,600 crore.
The Anil Agarwal family, linked to Vedanta, ranked sixth with ₹4,45,500 crore.
Key Fact: The Ambani family topped the 2026 ranking.

Science & Technology News

IIT Guwahati Develops Two-Stage Microalgae CO₂ Capture

IIT Guwahati developed a two-stage microalgae process for CO₂ capture, biomass production and bioenergy generation.
The research was led by Professor Kaustubha Mohanty and research scholar Deepesh Singh Chauhan.
The first stage uses 15% CO₂, while the second reduces it to 5%.
Experiments produced 25.7% higher biomass and 35.4% greater CO₂ fixation.
Calcium-assisted self-flocculation achieved a 98.46% harvesting recovery rate.
Key Fact: The research was published in the journal Renewable Energy.

JWST Identifies Possible Black Hole Star in Early Universe

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) helped identify a possible “black hole star” named MoM-BH-1*.
The object is located in the constellation Cetus.
It existed approximately 660 million years after the Big Bang.
Researchers believe it may contain a central black hole surrounded by extremely hot, dense gas.
Its brightness may result from gas falling toward the black hole rather than nuclear fusion.
Key Fact: MoM-BH-1* is reported to be roughly Solar-System scale.

Important Days News

World Organ Donation Day Highlights Life-Saving Importance

World Organ Donation Day is observed annually on August 13.
The day promotes awareness about organ donation and addresses misconceptions surrounding transplantation.
Major transplantable organs include kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and intestines.
Ronald Lee Herrick became the first successful living kidney donor in 1954.
In India, National Organ Donation Day began in 2010 and was shifted to August 3 in 2023.
Key Fact: Ronald Lee Herrick donated a kidney to his twin brother in 1954.