1. Goa to host Chess World Cup in November, 2025

Goa has been named as the host for the FIDE World Cup 2025 which will take place from 30th October to 27th November. World Cup is a knockout event where not only World's best players but the respective country's best players can also face a World-Class player, something that may not happen in other events except Olympiad. A total of 206 players will take part. Out of them, 20 Indians have already qualified via various path.

D Gukesh became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion. India’s national teams won the Chess Olympiad 2024 in both Open and Women’s categories. Divya Deshmukh clinched the Women’s World Cup 2024. The country now consistently ranks among the top global chess powers.

2.  Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Launches ₹1 Crore Insurance Scheme for Municipal Workers
Chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu announced a comprehensive insurance scheme for municipal staff, during the Swachh Andhra–Swarna Andhra campaign at Peddapuram, Kakinada district. The scheme provides ₹1 crore life insurance cover for regular municipal workers in case of accidental death.
Families of outsourced workers will receive ₹20 lakh cover in case of accidental death. In cases of permanent disability, the same compensation amounts will apply. The scheme also offers education assistance up to ₹8 lakh for children of both municipal and outsourced workers. The initiative aims to ensure financial security for families of civic workers who face high-risk working conditions.

Foot Notes:- 
About Andhra Pradesh:
Chief Minister: N. Chandrababu Naidu
Governor: S. Abdul Nazeer
Capital: Amaravati
 

3. India Hosts 3GPP RAN Working Group Meetings in Bengaluru for the First Time
The 3GPP Radio Access Networks (RAN) Working Group meetings (RAN1–RAN5) were inaugurated at Whitefield, Bengaluru, and will continue till 29th August 2025.
The event is supported by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, and hosted by the Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI). This is the first time in India that discussions on 6G standardization under 3GPP Release 20 are being held, along with the finalization of Release 19 (5G Advanced) specifications.

TSDSI is India’s recognized Standards Development Organization (SDO) and one of the seven organizational partners of 3GPP, the global body responsible for framing specifications for 5G and 6G technologies. The Bengaluru meetings mark a historic milestone as they host the highest-ever participation in any 3GPP Working Group meeting, with over 1,500 delegates from more than 50 countries.

4.  India Releases First-Ever National Guidelines for Veterinary Blood Transfusion Services
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying issued the first national guidelines for veterinary blood transfusion services. The framework standardizes animal blood donation, storage, and transfusion to improve animal welfare, biosafety, and One Health integration.

Earlier, transfusions were done without protocols, with no proper donor screening, blood typing, or biosafety measures, often leading to adverse reactions. The guidelines mandate blood typing, cross-matching, donor health checks, and vaccination status. India has 537 million livestock and 125 million companion animals; the sector contributes 5.5% of national GDP and over 30% of agricultural GDP. The guidelines will strengthen animal healthcare, rural livelihoods, food security, and India’s agrarian economy.

5. Government e Marketplace (GeM) Crosses ₹15 Lakh Crore Cumulative GMV Since 2016
Government e Marketplace (GeM) achieved ₹15 lakh crore (US$ 171.3 billion) cumulative Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) since its launch in 2016.
It is a digital procurement platform connecting government departments with MSEs, startups, women-led businesses, SC/ST enterprises, and Self-Help Groups (SHGs). GeM facilitates online procurement of common use Goods & Services required by various Government Departments / Organisations / PSUs.
The initiative was launched in August 2016, by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. The current version of GeM, i.e., GeM 4.0 was launched on September, 2020.  GeM contributes to Atmanirbhar Bharat and aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

6.  AU Small Finance Bank unveils UPI for NRE, NRO account holders

AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB), which recently got an approval from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approval to turn into universal bank has launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services for its Non-Resident External (NRE) and Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) account holders with international mobile numbers. 

This rollout follows the National Payments Corporation of India’s directive allowing UPI transactions through international mobile numbers.  With this, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) across 12 countries including: Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and the USA, can now link NRE/NRO accounts to UPI without an Indian SIM card.

7.  Nepal becomes member of India-led International Big Cat Alliance                                     
On August 24, 2025, Nepal officially joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), an India-led initiative for the conservation of seven major big cat species globally.
The IBCA is a coalition aimed at protecting and conserving seven species of big cats: tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma. India, which has a successful history with its Project Tiger, launched the IBCA on April 9, 2023, in Mysuru, Karnataka.
India’s long-standing experience in tiger conservation and other species serves as a foundational model for the alliance. The alliance provides a platform for big cat range countries and other interested nations to share experiences, mobilize resources, and work together on conservation efforts. It currently includes a coalition of over 90 countries.

Foot Notes:- 
About Nepal :
President : Ram Chandra Poudel
Prime Minister : K. P. Sharma Oli
Capital : Kathmandu
Currency : Nepalese rupee

8.  IndusInd Bank board names Rajiv Anand as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer                                   
The IndusInd Bank board has approved the appointment of Rajiv Anand as the new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
His three-year tenure officially began on August 25, 2025. Following his assumption of charge, the bank’s Committee of Executives and the Oversight Committee of the board have been dissolved.

Rajiv Anand is a qualified Chartered Accountant with a degree in Commerce. Prior to this appointment, he was the Deputy Managing Director at Axis Bank, where he was in charge of the wholesale banking business and the bank’s digital strategy. He previously served as the founding MD & CEO of Axis Asset Management Company in 2009. He then transitioned to President of Retail Banking at Axis Bank before being inducted into the board and heading wholesale banking.

Foot Notes:- 
About IndusInd Bank:
Headquarters: Mumbai
Founded: April 1994

9.  PhonePe launches affordable home insurance product for homeowners                                                
PhonePe has introduced a new home insurance product line designed to be a simple and affordable solution for homeowners. The plan is an end-to-end digital offering available directly on the PhonePe app. This app has premiums start at just ₹181 per year, including GST. The coverage ranges from ₹10 lakhs up to ₹12.5 crore, allowing customers to select a plan that fits their specific home and budget.
The policy covers both the structure and contents of the home against more than 20 risks, including fire, floods, earthquakes, riots, and theft. It is available to all homeowners, with or without an existing home loan, addressing a gap in the market where most plans are bundled with loans at a higher cost.

Foot Notes:- 
About PhonePe:
Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
Founded: 2015
CEO: Sameer Nigam

10.  Ravichandran Ashwin announces retirement from IPL

Veteran India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League, bringing the curtains down on a 16-year-long association with the tournament within months of calling it quits from international cricket. Ravichandran Ashwin leaves behind a legacy of skill, adaptability, and professionalism.

According to BCCI rules, Indian players can only play in foreign T20 leagues after retiring from both international and IPL cricket. Ashwin retired from international cricket in December 2024 after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.