Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush Prataprao Jadhav on Friday inaugurated Yoga Mahotsav 2026 in New Delhi, marking the 100-day countdown to the 12th edition of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2026.

During the event, the minister launched 10 Yoga Protocols for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Target Groups, designed to support people across various age groups and health conditions.

Speaking at the event, Jadhav said the International Day of Yoga has grown into a global movement over the past decade. “Yoga has evolved into a global celebration of wellness. It is a powerful discipline that promotes mental clarity, physical health and emotional balance,” he said.

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), an autonomous telecom research and development institution under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), organised a Demo Day for 18 startups under Cohort-II of the ‘Samarth’ incubation programme at the NBCC Convention Hall in New Delhi on Thursday.

The event showcased technological innovations developed by startups working in areas such as telecom applications, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, IoT, 5G/6G technologies and quantum technologies.

Launched in March 2025, the Samarth incubation programme aims to support startups in the telecom and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors. The programme is structured into two cohorts of six months each, accommodating up to 18 startups per cohort, thereby supporting a total of 36 startups under the initiative.

Home Secretary Govind Mohan today inaugurated the National Dialogue on Online Crimes Against Women and Children in New Delhi. Addressing the gathering, Mr Mohan highlighted the growing challenges posed by online crimes in an increasingly digital ecosystem. He emphasised the need for strengthening institutional capacities at the State and Union Territory (UT) level to combat such offences effectively. The Home Secretary stressed that States and UTs must develop robust, specialised units and coordinated response mechanisms to ensure timely investigation, victim support, and swift action against perpetrators. He also directed law enforcement agencies to accord priority to online crimes against women and children, ensuring a prompt and coordinated response to such cases. The event was organised by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre with the objective of bringing together key stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening coordinated mechanisms to prevent and effectively respond to online crimes targeting women and children.

The Indian Army today participated in the National Additive Manufacturing Symposium 2026 in New Delhi. The symposium brought together representatives from government, the armed forces, academia and industry to deliberate on the growing role of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in strengthening India’s manufacturing ecosystem and enhancing strategic capabilities. The Ministry of Defence said that the symposium provided an important platform for the Indian Army to engage with national stakeholders and explore pathways for accelerated adoption of additive manufacturing technologies. The deliberations reinforced the importance of collaborative innovation between government, industry and academia to develop a resilient and self-reliant manufacturing ecosystem capable of supporting future defence requirements. The Ministry informed that the Indian Army delegation was led by Director General of the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (DG EME) Lieutenant General Gen Rajiv Kumar Sahni.

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has received the Governance Now 12th PSU National Award in the “Excellence in Innovation” category for its “Dhwani Spandana” initiative aimed at assisting visually impaired passengers.

The “Dhwani Spandana, Onboard Bus Identification and Navigation System” has been implemented in 200 Mysuru City Transport buses with support from GIZ Germany. “The system helps visually impaired passengers identify buses and navigate their journey more independently, significantly reducing their dependence on others,” according to officials.

The officials added that the initiative has improved the confidence, safety, and freedom of mobility for visually impaired commuters using public transport.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) launched its first structured Bug Bounty Programme to further strengthen the security of the Aadhaar system. The Programme adds another layer of protection by inviting independent experts to help identify any hidden risks. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said that the programme allows cyber security experts to look for possible weaknesses in some of UIDAI’s key digital platforms.

The new initiative reaffirms UIDAI’s continuous efforts to further strengthen and ensure that its platforms remain secure for residents and stakeholders. The Ministry informed that a panel of 20 experienced security researchers and ethical hackers has been selected to take part in the initiative. It added they will examine UIDAI digital assets such as UIDAI official website, myAadhaar portal and the Secure QR Code application.

The Delhi Cantonment Board has launched Swachhata Monitoring and Automated Reporting Tool (SMART) for enhanced effectiveness and transparency in the monitoring of sanitation and civic services across the cantonment area.

Ministry of Defence said that this innovative digital solution addresses the challenges faced by the board due to manual reporting, delayed data collection, and fragmented monitoring. It added that to further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the SMART software, AI-enabled analytical capabilities are being integrated into the system as a pilot initiative. The Ministry added that these capabilities will enable SMART to minimise human intervention, analyse operational data, identify recurring issues and support proactive decision-making.

A groundbreaking study has revealed that NASA’s historic asteroid-deflection experiment did more than scientists initially realised. The agency’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) not only altered the motion of a small asteroid within its system but also slightly changed the orbit of the entire asteroid pair around the Sun.

The finding highlights the powerful potential of spacecraft impacts as a planetary defence strategy to protect Earth from hazardous asteroids.

The DART spacecraft was deliberately crashed into Dimorphos, a small asteroid that orbits the larger asteroid Didymos.

Dimorphos measures about 170 metres in diameter, while Didymos is about 805 metres wide. Together they form a binary asteroid system that orbits the Sun.

Mark Zuckerberg's tech giant Meta Platforms has acquired Moltbook. It is designed as a social network where AI agents can interact with each other, exchange information, and coordinate tasks.

"The Moltbook team joining MSL opens up new ways for AI agents to work for people and businesses," said a Meta spokesperson, as reported by Business Insider.

The platform was previously mocked and dismissed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Altman earlier made light of the idea while discussing AI agents and the acquisition of OpenClaw. "Moltbook may be (is a passing fad), but OpenClaw is not," he said at the time of acquiring OpenClaw.

US and Israeli strikes on Iran have damaged four cultural and historical sites, including palaces and an ancient mosque. Although the buildings have not been hit by missiles directly, the shock waves from blasts and missile debris have damaged glass, tiles and stonework.

Golestan Palace's archways are broken, windows blown out, and glass from its mirrored ceilings broken.

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi blamed Israel for bombing Iranian historical monuments and wrote on X, "It's natural that a regime that won't last a century hates nations with ancient pasts."