India will host the Chess World Cup 2025, scheduled for October 30 to November 27. Announcing it today, the world body for the sport, FIDE said that the announcement of the host city will be released in due course.

The top three finishers of the 2025 World Cup will earn direct qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which determines the challenger for the World Chess Championship. The FIDE World Cup 2025 will feature 206 players competing in a knockout format, a dynamic and unpredictable system, where the losing player in each round is eliminated for the coveted title and qualification spots in the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation, attributed to health reasons, has left the Opposition in disbelief and fuelled a flurry of speculation in political circles. Despite interacting with several senior leaders just hours before his announcement, Dhankhar gave no indication of any health concerns or plans to step down.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who has often sparred with Dhankhar in the Rajya Sabha, revealed that he spoke with the 74-year-old on the phone two hours before the resignation news broke. Ramesh said Dhankhar was with his family and appeared to have no immediate concerns, planning to continue discussions the following day.

Earlier in the day, around 5 pm, Ramesh, accompanied by Pramod Tiwari and Akhilesh Prasad Singh, met Dhankhar. According to Ramesh, the meeting appeared routine, with no indication of the impending resignation. Dhankhar had even mentioned an upcoming business advisory committee meeting scheduled for 10 am on Tuesday, suggesting all was normal.

Bihar has become the first state in the country to ensure that all polling stations have fewer than 1,200 electors, a move aimed at reducing overcrowding and enhancing voter convenience. The Election Commission has added 12,817 new polling stations across the state, raising the total number of polling stations from 77,895 to 90,712.

This development follows the State Instructional Representation (SIR) order issued on June 24, 2025, which revised the earlier ceiling of 1,500 electors per polling station to 1,200. The model is expected to serve as a template for other states and Union Territories ahead of future electoral exercises.

In preparation for the publication of the Draft Electoral Rolls on August 1, 2025, electoral officers at various levels—Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs), District Electoral Officers (DEOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and Booth Level Officers (BLOs)—have held extensive consultations with representatives of all 12 major political parties.

The Ministry of Tourism has rolled out operational guidelines for the ‘Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment – Development of Iconic Tourist Centres to Global Scale’ (SASCI) scheme, aimed at transforming select tourist destinations into globally competitive attractions.

Under the scheme, the Centre intends to provide funding support for comprehensive development of iconic sites, with a focus on enhancing the end-to-end tourist experience. This includes strengthening the entire tourism value chain—from infrastructure to branding, sustainability, and operations.

Project proposals submitted by state governments were evaluated based on parameters such as site connectivity, ecological sustainability, existing tourism infrastructure, carrying capacity, management models, potential impact, and marketing plans. Final selection and approval of projects have been made in line with the institutional framework laid out in the SASCI guidelines.

National Mango Day 2025 is marked on July 22, This day honours the “king of fruits" and recognises its historical and cultural importance in India and around the world. National Mango Day is a celebration of taste, tradition, nostalgia, and enduring cultural ties rather than just a fruit.

Here is a tasty exploration of its history, health benefits, interesting trivia, and delightful ways to enjoy it.

Mangoes play a big role in the history and culture of several countries. They are culturally significant in South Asia, particularly India, where they have been cultivated for about 4,000–5,000 years.

Its roots are reflected in its biological name, Mangifera indica. The fruit’s popularity grew through exploration and trade. Mangoes were introduced to the world by traders, and it made its way to the Americas in the 18th century.

Every year on July 22, India commemorates National Flag Day, also known as Tiranga Adoption Day. This year, it’s being observed on July 22, 2025, falling on Tuesday.

On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly of India officially adopted the Indian National Flag, known as the Tiranga, which means Tricolour.

The Indian flag evolved over time, with various designs proposed and used during the freedom struggle, with the earliest flag, created by Sister Nivedita in 1904, featuring red and yellow colours symbolising victory and power, with “Vande Mataram” inscribed in Bengali.

Pi Approximation Day is celebrated every year on July 22nd because the date (22/7) is commonly used as an approximation for the mathematical constant π (pi).

This fundamental constant represents the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter. Since π is irrational, it cannot be expressed as a simple fraction, and its decimal form is infinite and non-repeating.

A casual and enjoyable approach to honouring mathematics and the intriguing characteristics of π is to observe Pi Approximation Day.

India on Thursday successfully test-fired two key strategic ballistic missiles – the short-range Prithvi-II and Agni-I – from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Odisha, the Ministry of Defence announced.

According to the Ministry, the launches were conducted by the Strategic Forces Command as part of routine training and validation exercises. Both missiles met all mission objectives and technical parameters, reaffirming their accuracy and operational readiness.

“These tests validate key capabilities of India’s nuclear-capable delivery systems and demonstrate the robustness of its indigenous missile arsenal,” the Ministry said in a statement.

The Prithvi-II and Agni-I are part of India’s domestically developed strategic missile systems and play a crucial role in maintaining the country’s defence preparedness.

India has registered a stellar performance at the 57th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) held in Dubai, UAE, from July 5 to 14. All four Indian students who participated in the global competition secured medals – two gold and two silver – bringing international recognition to the country. The medal winners are Devesh Pankaj Bhaiya from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, and Sandeep Kuchi from Hyderabad, Telangana, who both won gold medals. Debadatta Priyadarshi from Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, and Ujjwal Kesari from New Delhi were awarded silver medals.

This year’s Olympiad witnessed the participation of 354 students from 90 countries, including five observer nations. India ranked sixth in the overall medal tally, alongside Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Israel. This appearance marks India’s 26th participation in the IChO. Over the years, Indian students have consistently excelled, winning 30% gold, 53% silver, and 17% bronze medals. Notably, in the last ten editions alone, the proportion of gold and silver medals has increased to 38% and 58% respectively.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Saturday inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth ₹1,271 crore in Uttarakhand, during the ‘Uttarakhand Investment Festival 2025’ held in Dehradun. The event also marked the realization of ₹1 lakh crore worth of investment in the hill state, following commitments made during the 2023 Global Investors Summit.

The event was attended by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan, Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta, and Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, among other dignitaries.

Speaking at the event, Shah praised the state government for successfully translating investment MoUs into action. “At the 2023 Global Investors Summit, Uttarakhand received MoUs worth ₹3.56 lakh crore. Today, ₹1 lakh crore worth of investments have materialized, creating over 81,000 jobs. Ancillary industries are expected to generate another 2.5 lakh employment opportunities,” he said.