1 UNESCO removes three African sites from its list of World Heritage in Danger
The World Heritage Committee has removed three African heritage sites – Madagascar, Egypt and Libya – from UNESCO’s list of threatened sites and praised successful efforts to reduce threats to these sites and restore their cultural and ecological integrity.The decision was taken on July 9 during the ongoing 47th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in Paris , the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a statement. The sites removed from the threatened list include the Atsinanana rainforest in Madagascar , Abu Mena in Egypt and the ‘Old Town’ of Ghadames in Libya . The Atsinanana rainforest was added to the “World Heritage in Danger” list in 2010 due to increasing incidents of illegal logging, reckless deforestation and loss of endangered species such as lemurs. These forests are home to plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Abu Mena in Egypt, an ancient Christian pilgrimage site, was added to the list in 2001 after flooding caused by irrigation damaged its foundations and caused many parts to collapse. Libya’s old city of Ghadames was added to the list in 2016 after suffering severe damage from war, forest fires and floods.
2 India to host first global conference on manuscript heritage
India will host its first International Conference on Manuscript Heritage from 11-13 September 2025 at Bharat Mandapam , New Delhi . This landmark event announced by the Ministry of Culture is being held with the aim to preserve, promote and share India’s ancient manuscript-knowledge tradition on a global platform. It was announced on the occasion of Guru Purnima, which marks the respect for India’s Guru-Shishya tradition and knowledge-culture. The three-day conference titled “ Recovering India’s Knowledge Tradition through Manuscript Heritage ” will be attended by over 500 delegates from India and abroad, including 75 eminent scholars and cultural experts. The event will be held in a hybrid format, allowing participants from across the globe to join either online or face-to-face.
3 Operation Shiva started for security of Amarnath Yatra
The Indian Army has launched “ Operation Shiva 2025 ” to ensure safe and smooth conduct of Shri Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir . The operation, announced on Friday, involves deployment of large number of troops, modern surveillance equipment and disaster response measures. This security operation has become extremely important this year due to the increased threat from Pakistan-backed terrorist groups. Under Operation Shiva 2025, the Army has deployed over 8,500 jawans on the north and south routes of the yatra. The effort has been done in coordination with the civil administration and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). A multi-layered anti-terror security mechanism and advanced surveillance systems have been put in place to monitor any suspicious activity.
4 Arthunkal Police Station becomes India’s first ISO-certified station
Arthunkal Police Station in Alleppey (Alappuzha) district of Kerala has become the first police station in the country to receive the IS/ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) certification . The certificate was formally awarded by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) on 10 July 2025. The honour is given for outstanding service quality in policing and public safety. Shri Praveen Khanna, Deputy Director General (Standardisation), BIS handed over the certificate to Shri Ravada Azad Chandrasekhar, State Police Chief of Kerala.
5 Cambodian Khmer Rouge sites added to UNESCO heritage list
UNESCO on 11 July 2025 added three historic sites in Cambodia to the World Heritage List, which are associated with the brutality of the Khmer Rouge regime . The decision was taken during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Paris, on the 50th anniversary of the rise of this dictatorial regime. The move aims to preserve these sites as a reminder of the tragedy and to promote peace and education. The three sites included in the UNESCO list are: Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), Phnom Penh : An old school converted into a prison, where more than 15,000 people were tortured. M-13 Prison, Kampong Chanang Province : An early secret prison run by the Khmer Rouge. Choeung Ek ‘Killing Fields’ : Located 15 km from Phnom Penh, this area is notorious for mass killings and burial sites.
6 The Railway Department has decided to install CCTV cameras in all the coaches of trains
The Railways Department has decided to install CCTV cameras in all the coaches of trains to increase the safety of passengers. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav and Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu have reviewed the progress of installing CCTV cameras in railway engines and coaches . Installing cameras in coaches will improve the security system of passengers. These will help in identifying miscreants. Keeping in mind the privacy of passengers, these cameras will be installed near the doors of the coaches. Mr. Vaishnav has approved the installation of CCTV cameras in all 74 thousand coaches and 15 thousand rail engines . Four dome type CCTV cameras will be installed in each coach and six CCTV cameras in rail engines . The Union Minister emphasized on installing high quality equipment. He also appealed to the officials to use AI.
7 New Caledonia located in the South Pacific Ocean will be France’s new state
New Caledonia, located in the South Pacific Ocean , will be the new state of France . According to the agreement reached in Paris in this regard , the citizens of New Caledonia will also be given French citizenship . According to the agreement, the nickel processing agreement with New Caledonia will also be renewed. French President Emmanuel Macron has called it a historic agreement, although it is yet to be approved in New Caledonia. New Caledonia was a French colony in 1850 and after the Second World War it was like a part of France in the Pacific region where its citizens were given French citizenship.
8 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visits Living Root Bridge in Meghalaya
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday visited the famous ‘ Living Root Bridge ‘ located in Sej village of East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya . During this, she praised the traditional ecological lifestyle there. She said that for more than a hundred years, the people of this region have been respecting nature and building bridges which are made from the roots of living trees and do not harm the environment. People of Khasi and Jaintia tribes have been building these living root bridges for generations. These bridges show a unique combination of man, nature and innovation. Such bridges are more visible in the southern areas of Meghalaya near the Bangladesh border. In 2018, the Meghalaya government sent a proposal to include these bridges in the UNESCO World Heritage List . This proposal was sent in the ‘Cultural Landscape’ category.
9 Excessive consumption of salt has become a ‘silent epidemic’ in India
The amount of salt people are consuming on an average in India is much more than the limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO) . Keeping this concern in mind, the Indian Council of Medical Research- National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE) has started a special initiative called “ Community-Led Salt Reduction ”. At present, this initiative has been started in Punjab and Telangana , which aims to reduce salt consumption . According to WHO, less than 5 grams of salt should be consumed per person per day . But in India, on an average, 9.2 grams of salt is being consumed in urban areas and 5.6 grams in rural areas per day. Excessive consumption of salt is becoming a major cause of high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack and kidney diseases. Considering this problem serious, ICMR-NIE has started a three-year project, in which advice and guidance will be given through trained health workers at Health Wellness Centers (HWCs). According to Dr. Sharan Murali, who is leading the project, “Using low-sodium salt can reduce blood pressure by an average of 7/4 mmHg, which is a small but effective step.”
10 Abhijit Kishore re-elected as Chairman of COAI
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has announced its new leadership team for the year 2025–26 . Abhijit Kishore, Chief Operating Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited has been reappointed as the Chairman, while Rahul Vats, Chief Regulatory Officer, Bharti Airtel has been appointed as the Vice Chairman. The announcement was made at the Annual General Meeting of COAI held on 9 July 2025 in New Delhi .
11 RBI fined HDFC Bank and Shriram Finance for violating rules
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed fines on HDFC Bank and Shriram Finance for violating regulatory norms. On July 11, 2025, RBI imposed a fine of ₹4.88 lakh on HDFC Bank and ₹2.70 lakh on Shriram Finance. These penalties are aimed at ensuring that all financial institutions follow the prescribed guidelines and maintain transparency.
12 Poland’s Iga Swiatek won Wimbledon women’s singles title for the first time, Italy’s Jannik Sinner won the men’s singles title
World number four tennis player Iga Swiatek of Poland has won the Wimbledon women’s singles title for the first time . In a one-sided match in London, she defeated 13th seeded Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0. This is Swiatek’s sixth Grand Slam title. On the other hand, Britain’s Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool pair have won the men’s doubles title. This is the first time since 1936 that a British pair has won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon. In the men’s singles match , world number one player Jannik Sinner created history at the All England Club by winning the Wimbledon trophy for the first time. Sinner won the title by defeating Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, who had won the title for two consecutive years on grass court , 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a final match that lasted three hours.
13 Harikrishnan became the 87th Grand Master of India
Harikrishnan A. Ra, a 23-year-old chess player from Chennai , achieved the distinction of becoming India’s 87th Grandmaster by completing his final Grandmaster (GM) norm at the La Plagne International Chess Festival held in France on 11 July 2025. He achieved this feat seven years after becoming an International Master (IM).
14 Italy and Netherlands qualify for ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Italy and Netherlands confirmed their places on the final day of the Europe Qualifiers for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka . While the Netherlands qualified by winning their match, Italy made it to the tournament for the first time on the basis of net run rate . So far, 15 teams have qualified for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Three more teams will join from the Asia-EAP Qualifier, while two more teams will be selected from the Africa Qualifier. In this way, a total of 20 teams will participate in this mega tournament. The T20 World Cup 2026 jointly organized by India and Sri Lanka is considered to be one of the biggest editions ever. This time the tournament will see the participation of many new teams, including a team like Italy, which will make its debut on the global stage for the first time.
15 Veteran Telugu actor Kota Srinivasa Rao passes away
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the demise of veteran Telugu actor Kota Srinivasa Rao . The veteran Telugu actor passed away at his residence in Hyderabad. He was 83 years old. Former BJP MLA from Vijayawada and senior actor Kota was unwell for the last few months due to age-related issues. In a career spanning over four decades, Kota acted in over 750 films and left an indelible mark in comic, villainous and character roles. His unique dialogue delivery in Telangana’s colloquial language made him a household name. Kota was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2015, and also received several awards from state governments and film associations.