Two individual bike owners moved the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, challenging a recent single judge ruling that banned the operation of bike taxis in the state.

The petitioners argued that the state cannot infringe upon the fundamental right to carry on a business or choose a bike taxi over the metro or a bus.

Represented by Senior Advocate Dhyan Chinnappa, the owners argued that the prohibition not only contradicts provisions in the Motor Vehicles Act, but also severely impacts both their livelihood and public convenience.

A French woman from the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe has been identified as the only known carrier of a new blood type, dubbed "Gwada negative," France's blood supply agency has announced.

The announcement was made 15 years after researchers received a blood sample from a patient who was undergoing routine tests ahead of surgery, the French Blood Establishment (EFS) said on Friday.

"The EFS has just discovered the 48th blood group system in the world!" the agency said in a statement on social network LinkedIn. "This discovery was officially recognised in early June in Milan by the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT)." The scientific association had until now recognised 47 blood group systems.

IFFCO to set up its first overseas nano fertiliser plant in Brazil via joint venture with NANOFERT. The facility will produce 4.5 million litres annually, boosting global reach and reducing costs. Nano fertilisers show promise in boosting crop yields while cutting conventional fertiliser use.

Four years after the launch of nano urea in the country, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative IFFCO is setting up its first plant abroad for manufacturing nano-soil nutrients in Brazil.

The plant will be set up under a 7:3 joint venture between IFFCO subsidiary IFFCO Nanoventions, and Brazilian company NANOFERT. It will be producing 4.5 million litres of nano-fertilisers annually.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurates a two-day National Conference of Estimates Committees of Parliament and States and Union Territories Legislative Bodies in Mumbai. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today inaugurated the two-day National Conference of Estimates Committees of Parliament and States and Union Territories Legislative Bodies in Mumbai. Addressing the inaugural session, Mr. Birla stated that the Estimates Committees have played a crucial role in improving governance efficiency and driving administrative reforms. He noted that there have been numerous instances where these committees have made recommendations for citizen welfare, with nearly 90 per cent of them being implemented. He emphasized that the use of modern technology could further enhance the functioning of these committees.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis noted that the Estimates Committees enhance accountability and transparency in governance and ensure that public funds are spent in alignment with the policies outlined in the estimates.

Mr. Birla also released the 75th Anniversary Souvenir of the Estimates Committee of Parliament.

To foster joint research, innovation, and indigenisation for national defence applications following Atmanirbhar Bharat, Indian Army’s Western Command has signed MoUs with IIT Ropar and IIT Kanpur. This will establish a structured framework for continued engagement in defence R&D and field-ready innovation. The collaboration spans multiple disciplines including engineering, physical sciences, biomedical sciences, and cybersecurity.
These engagements signify a progressive roadmap for academic-military partnerships to address national security challenges. These coordinated efforts mark a new chapter in Army-academia synergy for transforming India’s defence innovation ecosystem.

In Badminton, Indian shuttlers won 27 medals at the Asian Para-Badminton Championship 2025 held in Thailand. The medals include four gold, 10 silver and 13 bronze. This resulted in the country’s best-ever performance at the event. Among the medallists were Paris Paralympics gold medallist Nitesh Kumar, Paris Paralympics silver medallist Thulasimathi Murugesan, and Paris Paralympics bronze medallist Manisha Ramadass. The Championships were held in Thailand from the 17th to the 22nd of this month.

India dominated the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 event, sweeping all three medals, with Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murgesan taking gold in a clinical straight-sets win over Ruthick Raghupathi and Manasi Joshi, while Chirag Baretha and Mandeep Kaur earned bronze.

The Central government on Thursday (June 19, 2025) said that over the past 11 years, Gender Budget allocations have increased by four and a half times — from ₹0.98 lakh crore in 2014-15 to ₹4.49 lakh crore in 2025-26.

Gender Budgeting has been a core element of India’s development strategy since 2005–06. Initially introduced as a fiscal reporting mechanism, it has evolved into a key governance instrument for achieving gender equality and women empowerment, Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi said at a National Consultation on Gender Budgeting here.

Senior Officers from 40 Central ministries and departments and 19 States, Representatives of UN Women, Asian Development Bank and Experts from National level Institutes participated in the day-long event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched 105 development projects valued at over Rs 18,600 crores, unveiled the "Odisha Vision Document" and flagged off new trains during his visit to the state.

He also felicitated several people, including 'Lakhpati Didis' and others.

PM Modi, who visited Odisha for the sixth time since the BJP government was formed in the state in June 2024, launched the projects at a function at Janata Maidan here.

The projects launched by the Prime Minister included drinking water and irrigation, health infrastructure, rural roads and bridges, national highways and railway infrastructure.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday eased lending norms for small finance banks by reducing their mandatory priority sector lending requirement—covering areas like agriculture and small enterprises by 15 percentage points.

RBI in a statement, said, "On a review, it has been decided that financial year 2025-26 onwards, the additional component (35 per cent) of priority sector lending (PSL) shall be reduced to 20 per cent, thereby making the overall PSL target as 60 per cent of Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) or Credit Equivalent of Off-Balance Sheet Exposures (CEOBE), whichever is higher." "The SFB shall continue to allocate 40 per cent of its ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher, to different sub-sectors under PSL as per the extant PSL prescriptions, while the balance 20 per cent shall be allocated to any one or more sub-sectors under the PSL where the bank has competitive advantage."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday (June 20, 2025) inaugurated the Gorakhpur Link Expressway built at a cost of over ₹7,000 crore. Calling the inauguration in Azamgarh a game changer, Mr. Adityanath stressed that U.P. is no longer a ‘BIMARU’ State but is emerging as an ‘Expressway State’.

BIMARU is a term used in reference to a group of States, including U.P. and Madhya Pradesh, that were historically considered to be lagging in terms of social and economic development.

The Chief Minister added that Azamgarh, which once faced an identity crisis, has now transformed into a stronghold of indomitable courage. The change witnessed in the region owing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance and the efforts of the ‘double-engine government’ has transformed Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Adityanath said.