Astrophysicist Annapurni Subramaniam has been awarded the COSPAR Vikram Sarabhai Medal – 2026.

She is the director of Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, and holds the additional charge as director of the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS).

The coveted medal was presented on Monday during the ongoing 46th COSPAR Scientific Assembly underway at Florence, Italy.

This international medal is awarded to scientists from developing countries for their outstanding contributions to the field of space research. It is awarded jointly by Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), an international body affiliated to the International Science Council and United Nations (through UN-COPUS) , and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). The medal was constituted in 1990 in the honour of Vikram Sarabhai — the founder of India’s space programme and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The Telangana Police on Wednesday launched the next-generation Telangana Emergency Response Support System (TG-ERSS), integrating police, fire, ambulance, women safety, child protection, disaster response and other emergency services under the single number ‘112’ to provide a unified emergency response platform across the state.

Powered by Artificial Intelligence and advanced location technologies, the platform prioritises emergency calls based on severity, filters duplicate and non-emergency calls, identifies callers’ locations, auto matically dispatches the nearest available response unit and supports voice-to-text transcription, real-time monitoring and performance analytics. According to the police, the upgrade has reduced overall call-centre processing time by nearly 30%.

DGP CV Anand, launching the platform, said Dial 112 would serve as the first point of contact for citizens during emergencies.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu have declared August 15 as ‘India Day’, recognising the Indian-American community’s contributions and marking India’s 79th Independence Day.

The governor issued a proclamation on Aug 1 in which she also acknowledged the community’s contributions and the efforts in promoting civic engagement and cultural exchange through their annual Independence Day celebrations.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu also issued a similar proclamation declaring August 15 as India Day. She also welcomed the opening of the new Indian Consulate in Boston and celebrated INS Sudarshini’s visit at the SAILBOSTON-250 event.

Air India on Wednesday announced the appointment of former Ethiopian Airlines Group chief Tewolde Gebremariam as the next Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

He will replace Campbell Wilson, who announced his resignation in April this year.

In a release, Air India said it rigorously evaluated internal as well as highly accomplished external candidates from across the world before deciding on Gebremariam.

The appointment comes at a crucial time when the loss-making Air India is working on expansion amid multiple external headwinds.

Gebremariam has served as the CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, where he spearheaded a multi-billion-dollar expansion, transforming a regional carrier into Africa's largest and most profitable airline, the release said.

Hiroshima on Thursday (August 6, 2026) marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japanese city, with its mayor criticising major powers for waging wars and urging them to stop justifying the possession of nuclear weapons as a method of deterrence.

“Downplaying the inhumanity of nuclear weapons and accepting the use of force to pursue one's own prosperity risk cycles of violent retaliation that could ultimately result in another Hiroshima or Nagasaki,” Mayor Kazumi Matsui said.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on August 6 said Boleng in Siang district is set to host the 2026 Asian Rafting Championships from October 5 to 9, positioning the state as a premier destination for adventure sports.

Khandu held a meeting with Asian Rafting Council President Shaukat Sikand and Arunachal Pradesh Water Sports Association President Nino Dai in the presence of Sports Minister Ojing Tasing to review preparations for the international championship.

The Chief Minister said the event would provide an opportunity to showcase Arunachal Pradesh's spectacular rivers, adventure sports potential and hospitality to the international community.

He expressed confidence that the championship would strengthen the state's profile as a global adventure tourism destination while promoting water sports and boosting the local economy.

In the Lok Sabha, the Taxation and Other Laws ( Amendment) Bill, 2026 is listed for consideration and passing in today’s business of the House. The Bill seeks to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, the Income-tax Act, 2025, and the Finance Act, 2026.

In the Rajya Sabha, the Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2026 is listed in the business of the House for consideration and return. The legislation provides for the authorisation of appropriation of moneys out of the Consolidated Fund of India to meet the amounts spent on certain services during the financial year ended on the 31st of March, 2023, in excess of the amounts granted for those services and for that year. The Lok Sabha has already given its approval to the Bill.

Marking the United Nations' declaration of 2026 as the International Year of Women Farmers, the Tamil Nadu government has unveiled a series of women-centric initiatives in the revised agriculture budget for 2026-27, led by the launch of the "Vetri Vaanmagal" Scheme to create a new cadre of women drone operators in agriculture.

Under the flagship scheme, 500 eligible persons, including 100 women, will be imparted drone operator training and awarded drone pilot licences through the Remote Pilot Training Organisation of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University at a cost of Rs 1.50 crore. Of the trained candidates, 50 women will receive agricultural drones with a 50 per cent subsidy, for which Rs 2.50 crore has been earmarked. The government said the initiative would help women undertake fertiliser and pesticide spraying, crop monitoring and other precision farming operations while addressing the shortage of farm labour.

Rashtrapati Bhavan is auctioning 300 selected gift items, presented to President Droupadi Murmu during her official engagements, through an online portal called E-Upahaar from today. In a social media post, President Murmu said that the bidding will be open till 5th of next month. Interested persons can place their bids on the portal upahaar.rashtrapatibhavan.gov.in. All proceeds from the auction will be used for social cause.

Indian Railways has approved modifications in the Model Concession Agreement. Under this, Container Train Operators, or CTOs, will now be permitted to run container trains on all routes across the Indian Railways network under a single All India licence, with a uniform registration fee of 25 crore rupees. The government has also removed the earlier system of separate permissions and fees for different route categories.

The Ministry further informed that the approved amendments provide that the permission granted to a Container Train Operator may be extended for a further period of 20 years after its expiry.

The Ministry said the uniform registration fee and removal of extension fees are expected to reduce regulatory costs and simplify the approval process, encouraging greater private participation and expansion of container train operations. It added that a higher shift of container traffic from road to rail will help ease highway congestion, reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and promote sustainable freight transportation. The approved amendments also provide for the extension of a Container Train Operator’s permission for a further period of 20 years after its expiry.