PV Sindhu and Christo Popov took the singles titles at the BWF Japan Open 2026 on 19 July as they defeated local favourites Yamaguchi Akane and Watanabe Koki at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.
Indian badminton superstar Sindhu beat Yamaguchi in straight games to win her first BWF Super 750 title.
Ranked 12 in women’s singles coming into the tournament, the two-time Olympic medallist beat third-ranked, three-time world champion Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 to end an almost two-year title drought. She last won a BWF tour title at the Syed Modi International in 2024.
Sindhu took an early 3-0 lead but lost it at the mid-game interval. The two athletes then battled through a 36-shot rally to level the score with Sindhu ultimately regaining control of the opening game.
The Indian badminton ace led the second game as well, going up 8-3 over her rival.
Yamaguchi narrowed the gap with her next plays, but Sindhu still managed to hold her off through the entirety of the game to take the overall win.
Later in the day, World No.5 Popov secured a dominant 21-11, 21-19 win over Watanabe Koki in a time of 49 minutes.
Popov soared up 4-0 to start their meeting and never relinquished his lead. While Watanabe closed the gap to 11-10 later in the game, the Japanese shuttler only managed to score one point after that as Popov ran away with a 10-point lead.
The second game was tighter with Watanabe staying in the lead until Popov tied the score at 9-9.
The badminton aces then battled point for point, exchanging leads until Popov broke away from their 19-19 tie to take the win.
The victory in Tokyo marked the Frenchman’s first major title since winning the 2026 European championships in April, and his second BWF World Tour win of the year, following on his success at the German Open 2026 in March.
Consequent upon the resignation of Sanjay Kumar Jain as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC), the Ministry of Railways has entrusted the additional charge of the post of CMD, IRCTC to Rahul Himalian, Director (Tourism & Marketing), IRCTC.
A senior and distinguished officer of the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) from the 1999 examination batch, Rahul Himalian has over 26 years of rich and diverse experience in the Indian Railways and IRCTC.
He has been serving as a Whole-Time Functional Director on the Board of IRCTC, a Schedule 'A' Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Railways, since February 16, 2024.
In his capacity as Director (Tourism & Marketing), he has been providing leadership to key departments including Tourism, Information Technology, Human Resource Development, Infrastructure, Administration and Rajbhasha.
Himalian has an outstanding academic record. He was the Head Boy and Best Student at The Lawrence School. He graduated in Electrical Engineering with a Gold Medal from NIT Hamirpur and completed his post-graduation in Engineering from IIT Delhi, securing a perfect CGPA of 10.00. He was also awarded the prestigious President's Gold Medal for being the Best All-Round Student.
India's bioeconomy can expand to USD 691 billion by 2035, create over 30 million high-value jobs and position the country among the world's top three biotechnology powers, according to a roadmap unveiled by NITI Aayog, as Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said India is ready to take a leadership role in the next wave of biotechnology-driven growth.
Launching the Roadmap for Building India as a Leading Bioeconomy Powerhouse by 2035, Singh said the "fourth industrial revolution is being driven by biotechnology" and noted that the global bioeconomy market is currently valued at USD 1.4-1.8 trillion, while India already has more than 11,000 biotechnology startups.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports Mansukh Mandaviya and Badminton Association of India (BAI) President and Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma unveiled the official mascot, Peacko, and launched the official championship anthem for the BWF World Championships, New Delhi 2026, marking the final 30-day countdown to badminton's biggest tournament.
Featuring PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty and India's entire 16-member World Championships contingent, the anthem captures the energy, ambition and unity of Indian badminton as it heads into its biggest stage, according to a press release from BAI.
Featuring all 16 Indian shuttlers together off the court for the first time, the championship anthem presents a fresh, contemporary face of Indian badminton ahead of its biggest home event in 17 years.
Alongside Peacko, the official mascot inspired by the Indian Peafowl, it will spearhead BAI's nationwide fan engagement campaign in the run-up to New Delhi 2026.
The 30th edition of the BWF World Championships will bring together more than 400 of the world's finest shuttlers from over 50 countries in New Delhi from August 17 to 23, competing for the sport's most coveted honours.
The home contingent will be led by five-time World Championships medallist PV Sindhu, who could become the most successful medallist in the tournament's history with a sixth podium finish.
The official mascot, Peacko, is inspired by the Indian Peafowl--the national bird of India and a familiar sight across New Delhi's parks and monuments.
Blending the identities of India, the host city and badminton, Peacko features a skirt inspired by the opening of a shuttlecock, while also celebrating the sport's deep-rooted popularity across the capital, from neighbourhood parks to the iconic India Gate lawns.
The BWF World Championships, New Delhi 2026 will be held from August 17 to 23.
The Andhra Pradesh government on signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to promote inclusive and sustainable urban development in the State.
The agreement was formalised between the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department and UN-Habitat in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and UN-Habitat executive director Anaclaudia Rossbach, who participated virtually from Singapore.
The partnership aims to set up a Centre of Excellence for Urban Affairs in Amaravati as part of the State’s SURGE AP, RISE AP and UPLIFT AP initiatives. The collaboration will focus on alleviating urban poverty, improving the livelihoods of the urban poor, and promoting inclusive city development.
Under the MoU, Andhra Pradesh and UN-Habitat will work together on strategic urban planning for regional economic growth, climate-resilient and sustainable urban ecosystems, digital governance, municipal finance and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ms. Rossbach described Amaravati as a reflection of Mr. Naidu’s vision and called the MoU a milestone. She said UN-Habitat would work with the State on key areas including waste management, air pollution control, development of public spaces and sustainable urban systems. She added that the partnership would also support progress in the renewable energy sector by 2036.
Spain defeated defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the FIFA World Cup final on 19 July 2026 (local time), lifting the trophy for the second time in the nation's history.
Played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the final remained goalless for more than 100 minutes before substitute Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute
Argentina finished the match with 10 men after Enzo Fernández was sent off during extra time.
The victory gives Spain their second FIFA World Cup title, adding to their triumph in South Africa in 2010.
Argentina entered the final hoping to become the first nation since Brazil (1958 and 1962) to successfully defend the FIFA World Cup.
The victory also ended Argentina's hopes of securing a fourth World Cup title after previous triumphs in 1978, 1986 and 2022.
Before the final, England secured third place after defeating France 6-4 in one of the highest-scoring third-place matches in FIFA World Cup history.
Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick, while Declan Rice, Ezri Konsa and Jude Bellingham also found the net for England.
For France, Kylian Mbappé scored twice, with Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé adding the other goals, but it was not enough to prevent defeat.
A team of odonatologists has discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly, Lestes paloti, from the Western Ghats in Kerala. The discovery has been published in the International Journal of Odonatology, an internationally reputed peer-reviewed journal dedicated to research on dragonflies and damselflies.
The discovery marks a significant addition to odonate taxonomy. Lestes paloti is the first new species described in the genus Lestes from India since Lestes garoensis was described by Lahiri in 1987, ending a gap of nearly four decades.
It is also the first new Lestes species discovered from the Western Ghats since Lestes malabaricus was described in 1929, making it the first addition to the region’s spreadwing fauna in almost a century. Such long intervals between discoveries are uncommon in insect taxonomy and highlight the scientific importance of this finding, according to researchers.
The new species is named Lestes paloti in honour of Muhamed Jafer Palot, a scientist at the Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Indian odonatology, taxonomy, biodiversity documentation, and the study of the fauna of the Western Ghats.
The research was carried out by Vinayan P. Nair and Maya George of the Postgraduate and Research Department of Zoology, Alphonsa College, Pala; Abraham Samuel of the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences, Kottayam; and Kalesh Sadasivan of the Odonate Research Group, Travancore Nature History Society.
Although it resembles the northeastern Indian spreadwing species Lestes nodalis and Lestes garoensis.
The species has been recorded in the districts of Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, and Ernakulam in Kerala. Unlike many related species, it inhabits scrub vegetation around homesteads and on laterite hillocks, often away from open water bodies.
It changes from brown during the dry season to bluish during the monsoon. Researchers believe its cryptic habits and close resemblance to related species kept it undiscovered for decades.
With this discovery, Kerala’s odonate fauna now comprises 192 species in 87 genera and 14 families, including 81 species endemic to the Western Ghats.
The Government of India has launched Phase III of the Biomedical Research Career Programme (BRCP), an INR 1,500 crore initiative aimed at strengthening the country's biomedical research ecosystem and supporting healthcare innovation.
The programme will be jointly funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), which will contribute INR 1,000 crore, & the UK-based Wellcome Trust, which will provide INR 500 crore.
The programme seeks to nurture a globally competitive biomedical research workforce comprising basic scientists, clinician-researchers, public health experts, science communicators and research
In a significant step towards strengthening access to high-quality scientific, technical and intellectual property information, the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India,
and the CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today for participation in the National Knowledge Resource Consortium (NKRC).
The MoU signing ceremony was held at Saraswati Hall, Bouddhik Sampada Bhawan, Dwarka, New Delhi, in the presence of senior officials from both organizations.
The event commenced with a welcome to the dignitaries, followed by presentations highlighting the activities of both organizations and the role of NKRC in providing seamless access to world-class scientific and technical information resources.
NKRC also works together with PM-One Nation One Subscription for implementation and providing access to major e-resources. The presentation highlighted that NKRC currently serves 82 member institutions, including organizations under CSIR, the Department of Science & Technology (DST), and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has launched VISHWAS, 2026 to facilitate amicable settlement of disputes relating to levy of damages and penalty-related disputes.
The Labour and Employment Ministry said that the scheme is a one-time dispute resolution and it provides employers with an opportunity to settle eligible cases through a transparent, fully digital and time-bound process.It will remain operational for a period of six months from the date of notification.
The Ministry said that it has been introduced with the objective of promoting voluntary compliance, reducing litigation, and enabling speedy resolution of long-pending disputes relating to penalty and damages while safeguarding the interests of employees.
Under VISHWAS, 2026, damages and penalty for defaults pertaining to the period prior to 14th of June 2024 shall be recalculated at substantially reduced rates. The revised rates will be 0.25 per cent per month for defaults of up to two months, 0.50 per cent for defaults exceeding two months and one per cent per month for defaults exceeding four months.
It contains detailed provisions regarding adjustment of amounts already paid towards damages or penalty, regulation of statutory pre-deposits made for filing appeals, and settlement of pending cases in a fair and transparent manner. Applications under VISHWAS, 2026 shall be submitted online through the EPFO Employer Portal using Digital Signature Certificate or e-Sign.
To facilitate smooth implementation, EPFO has issued detailed operational guidelines to all its Zonal, Regional and District Offices. Dedicated VISHWAS Cells are being established across field offices to assist employers, process applications expeditiously and ensure timely disposal.
In a landmark milestone in India’s clean energy mission, Lieutenant Governor, Shri VK Saxena commissioned India’s first and deepest two geothermal wells at Puga Valley in Ladakh, executed by ONGC Energy Centre. The development is a big stride towards the establishment of India’s first-ever Geothermal Power Plant in Ladakh.
The commissioning of the two 1000-meter-deep wells, at a high altitude of over 14,000 feet, would significantly advance Ladakh’s journey towards becoming a clean energy hub, powered by renewable sources, as envisaged by Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.
The project also fulfils the Hon’ble PM’s vision of Carbon-neutral Ladakh and the call to harness alternative, renewable energy sources for our future security.
The two geothermal wells are critical for the successful implementation of the 1 MW pilot geothermal power project at Puga, which will be India’s first demonstration-scale geothermal power project.
Notably, the geothermal power project had suffered a major setback following the expiry of the earlier tripartite MoU between the Ladakh Administration, LAHDC Leh and ONGC Energy Centre, resulting in critical delays of several months in project execution.
Telangana government in partnership with Microsoft, 1M1B Foundation and MeitY Startup Hub is setting up a Green Skills & Applied AI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Hyderabad with a focus on green pharma.
Expected to become operational by August, the CoE will prepare youth with future ready skills at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and sustainable manufacturing, create a talent pipeline for the rapidly evolving green economy and AI-driven industrial ecosystem, Telangana IT Department said.
Coming amid Telangana’s intent to facilitate creation of more than five lakh jobs across the Life Sciences ecosystem, it will help build the AI-enabled workforce required to accelerate the transformation, the Department said after a team involved in setting up of the facility briefed IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu.
The Hyderabad centre is one of five such being established across the country by 1M1B Foundation and Microsoft in collaboration with MeitY Startup Hub.
Bengaluru, Lucknow, Noida and Shillong are the other locations where such facilities will be set up as part of a national initiative seeking to engage 1,00,000 youth in Applied AI and Green Skills by 2030, while creating pathways to 50,000 jobs, internships, apprenticeships and entrepreneurial opportunities.
The initiative aligns with Telangana’s Next-Generation Life Sciences Policy 2026–30 and the State’s vision for Green Pharma City, which aims to position Telangana as a global hub for sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing through clean technologies, innovation and advanced manufacturing.
Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester and dubbed ‘the King of the North’, has become the new prime minister of the United Kingdom, the seventh British PM in a decade. Keir Starmer formally resigned after meeting King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.
Burnham is officially the 59th prime minister of the UK. He has been invited by King Charles to form a government in a private meeting at Buckingham Palace.
One of Burnham's biggest tasks on his first day was to appoint a Cabinet. The key post of chancellor of the exchequer went to John Healey, the former defense secretary who quit the previous government a few weeks ago over funding plans for his department. His appointment as Treasury chief was a surprise.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband was given the role of foreign secretary. He replaces Yvette Cooper, who was appointed health secretary, a demotion but a hugely important post for the Labour Party's reelection prospects. Shabana Mahmood remains as home secretary.
India recorded its best-ever performance at the 58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2026, with all four members of its team winning gold medals. The country secured the joint top rank alongside China, Vietnam and an Individual Participant (Russia).
The competition was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from July 10 to 19. A total of 363 students from 93 countries participated in this year's edition of the Olympiad.
This was India's 27th participation in the International Chemistry Olympiad and its best performance so far.
India has won one gold medal at the 37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) 2026, bringing pride to the nation. The gold medal was won by Bhavyaa Gunwal, a talented student from Haryana, making the country proud with her outstanding achievement. India also secured three silver medals, making it another successful year for the Indian team.
The silver medals were won by Soumil Maity from West Bengal, Nishit Kalani from Rajasthan, and Anmol Kumar from Punjab. All four members of the Indian team returned home with medals, showing India's strong performance in the prestigious global competition.
The 37th International Biology Olympiad was held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from July 12 to July 19, 2026.
This year, 307 students from 78 countries participated in the event. The competition included two challenging six-hour examinations, one practical and one theory, covering different areas of biological sciences.
According to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), a total of 31 gold, 61 silver, and 91 bronze medals were awarded during the Olympiad.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state government is making the skill development system completely digital and transparent while equipping the youth with skills.
In this sequence, at the state-level celebration of World Youth Skills Day-2026 held at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Vocational Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Kapil Dev Aggarwal, inaugurated two significant digital initiatives.
