India and Saudi Arabia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to boost cooperation on water resource management, according to an official statement on Monday.

The agreement was signed at the inaugural edition of Saudi Arabia's national water conference, Saudi Water Week, being hosted in Jeddah.

"A significant step in advancing the IndiaSaudi Arabia strategic partnership," said the Indian embassy in Riyadh on Monday.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Indian ambassador Suhel Khan and Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen AlFadley, minister of environment, water and agriculture in Saudi Arabia. Consul General of India Fahad Suri was also present during the signing.

Odisha government’s proposal to resume tiger re-introduction in Satkosia Tiger Reserve has received in-principal approval of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

The approval came after the Forest department complied with the apex body’s recommendations. The government will now assess the ground situation before proceeding on the matter, officials of the Wildlife Wing said.

PCCF wildlife and chief wildlife warden (CWW) Prem Kumar Jha acknowledged that the department has received NTCA’s in-principle approval to re-implement the project which was stalled in 2018. “The state government will assess the situation and take appropriate decision in this regard,” he said.

Ravi Agrawal has been re-appointed as Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), on contract basis, for a period of six months with effect from tomorrow till 31st December 2026 or until further orders, whichever is earlier. The appointments committee of the cabinet has approved the re-appointment.

The Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Sammelan (RGVS) 2026, organised by the Ministry of Rural Development and aligned with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of rural transformation, concluded with a shared commitment to accelerate the vision of Viksit Gram, Viksit Bharat through stronger Centre-State collaboration, community-led development and technology-driven governance.

The two-day national conclave served as a platform to review the implementation of flagship rural development programmes, exchange best practices across States and Union Territories, and deliberate on the roadmap for the next phase of rural transformation.

A primary focus of the Sammelan was the effective implementation of the VB-GRAMG Act, 2025. Deliberations also centred on strengthening rural development planning, empowering Gram Panchayats, expanding women-led livelihoods, enhancing rural housing and connectivity and promoting climate-resilient livelihoods.

The Centre has launched two major digital initiatives aimed at making government services faster and easier. Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled the FCRA 2.0 Portal and the e-OCI Card in New Delhi, saying the new platforms will simplify procedures, reduce paperwork and improve citizen services.

While the FCRA 2.0 Portal is designed to make compliance easier for organisations receiving foreign contributions, the e-OCI Card introduces a fully digital system for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders.

Bridging a critical technology gap in India's industrial automation ecosystem, the Technology Development Board (TDB), under the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, has extended financial assistance to M/s Puretronics India Private Limited, Mumbai, for the project titled “LMO – Load Measurement Overload Sensor (India’s First Fully Contactless Programmable Load Measurement System).”

The project seeks to commercialize an indigenous next-generation load sensing technology designed for elevators, material handling systems, cable machinery, industrial automation, and other safety-critical applications. Developed specifically to address the limitations of conventional strain-gauge load cells and imported sensing solutions, the technology delivers accurate, maintenance-friendly, and vibration-resistant load monitoring, thereby strengthening India's capabilities in advanced industrial electronics while supporting the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday announced the launch of two new heritage conservation schemes under 'Our Monuments, Our Pride', allowing private institutions to adopt monuments and receive financial aid up to Rs 2 crore for restoration. The initiative is aimed at boosting preservation and tourism through public participation.

In a post on X, Chief Minister Gupta said that every generation has experienced Delhi in its own unique way, with some learning about its monuments through books and others witnessing them firsthand.

"Every generation of Delhi has lived this city in its own way. Some have read about these monuments in books, while others have seen them up close. Now is the time to further nurture this heritage and pass it on to the next generation. In advancing the vision of the Prime Minister Shri narendramodi ji's 'Development as well as Heritage,' the Delhi government has approved two new schemes under the 'Our Monuments, Our Pride' campaign," Delhi CM wrote on X.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday launched the second phase of the statewide School Chalo Abhiyan from Saharanpur, reaffirming the state government's commitment to achieving 100 per cent school enrolment in the new academic session.

The campaign seeks to ensure that every eligible child is enrolled in school, with a special focus on identifying out-of-school children and integrating them into the formal education system.

Launching the initiative from the CM Model Composite School in Ismailpur village, Adityanath distributed textbooks, school bags and stationery kits to students beginning the new academic year. He also felicitated the district's best-performing headmasters for their contribution to improving school education.

Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit today assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. He succeeds Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, who retired yesterday after four decades of service.

During his nearly four-decade-long career, Air Marshal Dixit has participated in several key operations and exercises, including Operation Safed Sagar, Operation Rakshak, Cope India and Operation Sindoor.

He has held several important operational and staff appointments, including Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff and Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee. In recognition of his distinguished service, Air Marshal Dixit has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.

Indian space startup Agnikul Cosmos has partnered with Finnish Earth observation company ICEYE to explore building, launching and operating Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite systems from India, marking a major step towards strengthening the country's sovereign space capabilities.

The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to combine ICEYE's expertise in SAR satellites with Agnikul's indigenous launch vehicle technology.

The collaboration aims to establish satellite manufacturing capabilities in India while enabling responsive launches using Agnikul's rockets.