The Nagaland government has imposed a one-year ban on the manufacture, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of all food products containing tobacco or nicotine across the state. An order issued by the Commissioner of Food Safety said the ban has been enforced in the interest of public health and in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, relevant regulations and directions of the Supreme Court.

The ban covers all forms of gutkha, pan masala, flavoured and scented chewable products, as well as any other food items containing tobacco or nicotine. It also applies to packaged and unpackaged products sold separately but intended to be mixed or consumed together by users.

The Health and Family Welfare Department said the widespread consumption of such products poses serious health hazards, particularly among children and young adults. The government said the measure aims to protect public health and curb the use of harmful tobacco-based food products in the state.

President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Padma awards to 65 eminent personalities for the year 2026 at the second civil investiture ceremony on the 23rd of this month. Earlier last month, the President had presented Padma Awards to 66 eminent personalities at the 1st Civil Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. This year, the President has approved the conferment of 131 Padma awards, including five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri awards.

The awards are announced on the occasion of the Republic Day every year. The prestigious civilian honours are given in various fields – art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service. Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service, while Padma Bhushan is for distinguished service of high order, and Padma Shri is for distinguished service in any field.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, along with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, today inaugurated eighteen Namo Oxygen Parks in New Delhi on the occasion of World Environment Day. The Union Minister also launched a series of environmental initiatives under the nationwide campaign ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Yadav said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has emerged as a global leader in environmental action.

It has achieved major milestones, including becoming one of the world’s leading nations in solar capacity addition, establishing the International Solar Alliance, launching the International Big Cat Alliance and achieving several Nationally Determined Contribution targets ahead of schedule under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Referring to the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, the Union Minister said the campaign has transformed tree plantation into a people’s movement rooted in gratitude, responsibility and environmental consciousness. He urged citizens not only to plant trees but also to nurture and protect them for future generations.

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, the current Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, has been appointed as the next Vice Chief of Air Staff. He will take charge on July 1.

Considered to be an ace fighter and test pilot, Air Marshal Dixit has played a significant role in enhancing the jointness of the tri-services as the Ministry of Defence pushes for early rollout of theaterisation. During his different stints in the Air Headquarters, he has also aggregated efforts towards indigenous fighter projects, besides playing a role in force modernisation.

He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on December 06, 1986 after passing out from the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla. The Air Marshal has done Defence Services Staff College (Bangladesh) and National Defence College, New Delhi.

Poet, writer and academic A.C. Sreehari passed away following a heart attack on Friday night. He was 56. He was a former head of the Department of English at Payyanur College and had retired from service on April 30.

A noted voice in contemporary Malayalam literature, several of his poems are included in university curricula across Kerala. Among his well-known works are Yuva Kavithakkoottam (1999) and Kavithayude Noottandu (2001), which earned wide recognition among readers and scholars.

Born on November 24, 1969 at Alappadamba near Payyanur in Kannur district, he was a son of A.C. Damodaran Namboothiri and Savithri Antharjanam. He received his primary education at Kuruveli Vishnusharma ALP School and later studied at Government Higher Secondary School, Mathil, and Nehru Arts and Science College, Kanhangad. Mr. Sreehari graduated in English from Payyanur College and obtained his postgraduate degree from St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri.

Alphabet Inc’s Google has agreed to pay Elon Musk’s SpaceX $920 million a month for computing power as part of a cloud services deal that runs through mid-2029, its second such agreement with an AI competitor in a matter of weeks.

Google will pay SpaceX the monthly fee from October this year through June 2029, SpaceX said in the filing Friday. That amounts to about $30 billion through the time of the agreement.

If SpaceX fails to deliver access to Nvidia Corp chips as part of the deal by September 30, Google has the right to terminate the contract, with a one-month grace period, the filing shows.

Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation has received UPERC approval to source electricity from the 511-MW hydro project of Khorluchu Hydro Power in Bhutan, as the state looks to strengthen its regional energy supplies.

Khorluchu Hydro Power is a joint venture between homegrown Tata Power and Druk Green Power Corporation.

According to sources, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) had approached Uttar Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (UPERC) to seek its approval to source power from the Khorluchu Hydro Power Ltd (KHPL) project at a flat tariff of Rs 6.75 per unit for a period of 30 years.

"The body UPERC has given its approval to the request through its order dated May 27," they said.

A power sale agreement is expected to be signed between KHPL and UPPCL in due course.

The Government of India has announced the winners of the 29th National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2026, recognizing 17 outstanding digital governance initiatives across seven award categories. The awards celebrate excellence in leveraging technology to improve public service delivery, enhance transparency, and strengthen citizen-centric governance.

This year's awards include 10 Gold Awards, 6 Silver Awards, and 1 Jury Award, showcasing innovative projects from central ministries, state governments, local bodies, public institutions, and gram panchayats.

Among the prominent winners are Agri Stack by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, e-Jagriti by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Mahakumbh 2025 by the Prayagraj Mela Authority, and the AI-enabled Clinical Decision Support System integrated into the eSanjeevani telemedicine platform by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has notified the Food Safety and Standards (Vegan Foods) Amendment Regulations, 2026, making it mandatory for all approved vegan food packages to display a specified 'Vegan' logo. The regulation, aimed at ensuring standard compliance and boosting consumer trust, will come into effect from July 1, 2027.

According to the notification, published in the Gazette of India on May 25, 2026, every package of vegan food will now be required to carry the specified green "VEGAN" logo featuring a leaf symbol, once approval is granted.

Detailed diagrams specifying the logo, including size, placement, and colour standards, were provided in the notification to guide manufacturers.

The Andhra Pradesh government has finalised the arrangements for its first semiconductor project under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). The groundbreaking ceremony for the Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility, proposed by M/s. Advanced System In Package Technologies Private Limited, is scheduled for June 8.

The project, proposed at Tarluvada village of Anandapuram mandal in Visakhapatnam district, envisages a total investment of ₹2,387.81 crore. The investment will be executed in two phases. The first phase will involve an outlay of ₹542.19 crore, followed by ₹1,845.61 crore in the second phase.

“To ensure the rapid grounding of this high-tech facility, the State government has approved the allotment of 30 acres of land to the firm at a nominal rate of ₹1 per acre. This is a special case and a maiden project sanctioned to the State under the Union government’s India Semiconductor Mission,” a higher official told The Hindu on Wednesday (June 3, 2026)