A total of 1,037 police personnel will be awarded Police Medals on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day.

The Central government on Wednesday announced 1,037 medals for police, fire, prison, home guard, and civil defence personnel of Central and state police forces on the eve of Independence Day. Out of 208 gallantry awards, 52 have been awarded to the personnel deployed in Left-wing extremism areas, 31 in the Jammu and Kashmir region, and 17 to those from Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The list published by the Union Home Ministry includes one President’s Medal for Gallantry, 213 Police Medals for Gallantry, 94 President’s Police Medals for Distinguished Service, and 729 Police Medals for Meritorious Service. Among the recipients are officers recognised for exceptional dedication and bravery, with some receiving posthumous honours for their sacrifice in the line of duty.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, once again classified Mpox as a global public health emergency. This comes after a surge in cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the virus spreading to neighboring countries.

Mpox is a viral infection typically spread through close contact. While usually mild, it can be fatal in rare instances. Symptoms include flu-like illness and a rash of pus-filled lesions.

The WHO's declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is its highest level of alert. Designating a disease outbreak as a "public health emergency of international concern" (PHEIC), the WHO can expedite research, funding, and global public health efforts to control and contain the disease.

Morne Morkel, former South Africa speedster, has been appointed as India’s men’s cricket team’s bowling coach. Morkel’s appointment completes trio suggested by the new head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Jay Shah, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, confirmed that Morkel will join for the two-Test series against Bangladesh, starting September 19. The Hindu understands that Morkel will arrive in India in time ahead of the weeklong preparatory camp in Chennai, likely to begin from September 10.

Morkel, after having been Gambhir’s teammate at the Indian Premier League franchisee Kolkata Knight Riders, was roped in as the bowling coach by Lucknow Super Giants during Gambhir’s stint as the mentor.

Besides his experience as bowling coach in franchise cricket across the globe, Morkel also worked as the bowling coach of Pakistan men’s team during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

With the aim of promoting kabaddi on a global level, the first-ever Global Women’s Kabaddi League is scheduled to take place in September 2024.

The League, known as the Global Pravasi Women’s Kabaddi League (GPKL), will bring together women athletes from over 15 nations in a first-of-its-kind tournament. This event marks a significant step towards promoting kabaddi on the international stage, furthering the goal of including kabaddi in the Olympic Games, and supporting India’s bid to host the landmark event in 2036.

The League is organized by the Holistic International Pravasi Sports Association (HIPSA) in collaboration with World Kabaddi. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was recently signed between HIPSA and the Government of Haryana. The League is set to launch in Haryana, focusing on promoting and developing women’s kabaddi globally.

The Global Pravasi Women’s Kabaddi League will feature teams from over 15 countries. Athletes from diverse backgrounds, including nations like England, Poland, Argentina, Canada, and Italy, have expressed interest in participating in the League.

India’s net direct tax collection, with refunds adjusted, grew 22.5 per cent to Rs 6.93 trillion between April 1 and August 11 of FY25.

In the same period last year, tax collection was at Rs 5.65 trillion, according to the Income-Tax (I-T) Department’s latest data released on Monday.

Of the tax mop-up, personal income-tax (PIT) outpaced corporation tax. PIT stood at Rs 4.47 trillion (net) as against Rs 3.44 trillion in the same period a year ago.

Corporation tax reported at Rs 2.2 trillion, an increase of 5.7 per cent, which is lower than the growth rate of 12 per cent set for this financial year.

Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has set up the Centre for Narmada River Basin Management (cNARMADA) at its campus to conduct the Condition Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP) of the Narmada river basin. IITGN has joined hands with Indian Institute of Technology Indore (IITI) for the assessment undertaken by the Ministry of Jalshakti.

cNARMADA, which was inaugurated Saturday, will assess and identify existing conditions affecting the river ecosystem. It will also prepare a road map for comprehensive rejuvenation and conservation of the riverine ecosystems in their entirety by analysing anthropogenic impacts on them in detail and suggest future course of actions.

The Bihar government has directed all DMs to ensure that unregistered temples, mutts, and trusts in their respective areas are registered and details of their immovable assets are submitted to the Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT) for uploading on its website.
The BSBRT operates under the state's law department.

State Law Minister Nitin Nabin on Thursday told PTI, "All district magistrates (DMs) have been directed to ensure that unregistered temples, mutts, and trusts are registered on a priority basis."
He also instructed the DMs to ensure that details of immovable assets of all registered temples and mutts are promptly provided to the BSBRT for uploading on its website.

In a significant step towards streamlining travel for passengers, the Indian Railways and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) have introduced the 'One India - One Ticket' initiative. This collaboration aims to simplify the journey for travellers on Namo Bharat trains and Indian Railways by integrating services into a seamless, user-friendly experience. Under this initiative, a unique QR code will be generated for each ticket booked, valid for up to four days. This QR code ensures a hassle-free travel experience, as passengers can easily access their Namo Bharat tickets through their booking history on the IRCTC platform. The QR code is specific to each passenger and is tied to their origin and destination stations.

Passengers can book Namo Bharat tickets up to 120 days in advance. Upon successful purchase, customers will receive an email and SMS with their unique RRTS QR code, sent to their registered email address and mobile number. The fare for the Namo Bharat train, along with a nominal IRCTC convenience fee (INR 5 + taxes), can be paid online through the IRCTC platform. In case of cancellation, passengers will receive a full refund of the RRTS fare, though the IRCTC convenience fee, payment gateway charges, and applicable taxes will be non-refundable. At station entrance gates, passengers can simply scan their RRTS QR codes using the ERS or mobile app to proceed with their journey.

State-owned Punjab National Bank has launched the PNB ANTAH DRISHTI Braille Debit Card, designed for visually impaired customers.

This contactless National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) debit card is available on RuPay network, PNB said in a statement.

The introduction of the new braille debit card reflects the bank’s commitment to inclusivity and financial accessibility, it said.

This initiative also aims to enhance financial independence and convenience for visually impaired individuals, empowering them to manage their finances with greater ease and confidence, it said.

National Institute for MSME (NI-MSME), an Organisation of Ministry of MSME, Government of India, has been awarded with Accreditation Certificate on the successful completion on National Standards for Civil Services Training Institutions (NSCSTI) process in recognition of excellent services in the field of promotion and development of MSMEs. The assessment was made based on the inspection of all Standard Operating Procedures and Methodologies followed by the Institute at different levels. The team from Capacity Building Commission (CBC) & ICARE conducted On-site assessment and awarded the Certificate of Accreditation with the grading of UTKRISHT, a 3 Star Rating.

During the Civil Services Training Institutions (CSTI) Convention, Director General, NI-MSME has received the Accreditation Certificate from Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Science and Technology; Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions; Atomic Energy; Space & Prime Minister's Office, as a part of Felicitation of Accredited Civil Services Training Institutions on 12 August, 2024 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

National Institute for MSME (NI-MSME), a pioneer institute under the aegis of Ministry of MSME is playing a major role in the field of Entrepreneurship & Skill Development for providing pro-business environment to foster the progress of MSMEs towards success and prosperity. NI-MSME’s intellectual activities are pursued by its four Schools of Excellence, viz., School of Enterprise Development (SED), School of Enterprise Management (SEM), School of Entrepreneurship & Extension (SEE) and School of Enterprise Information & Communication (SEIC).