Ladakh Lt Governor VK Saxena has approved guided jeep safaris on snow leopard and bird-watching trails to promote sustainable eco-tourism in the Union territory. These wildlife tours will be India’s first high-altitude wildlife safaris and will provide visitors with a rare guided opportunity to witness Ladakh’s distinctive flora and fauna.

The decision was taken in the first governing body meeting of the newly constituted Snow Leopard and High-Altitude Nature (SHAN) Conservation Society, chaired by LG Saxena, on Thursday.

The Forest Department has been directed to introduce safari on the lines of popular national parks, like Kaziranga, Ranthambore and others. These safaris will use specially designed open-back vehicles, to be operated by trained local drivers and guides.

Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday launched the nationwide Har Ghar Tiranga 2026 campaign, which will be observed across the country from August 9 to 17 to encourage citizens to hoist the National Flag and participate in activities celebrating patriotism, national unity and India’s cultural heritage.

The campaign, launched in New Delhi, marks the fifth year of the Har Ghar Tiranga initiative, which began in 2022 as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations and has since evolved into one of the country’s largest public participation movements. The launch event was attended by Randhir Jaiswal, Additional Secretary (XP) and Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, and Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).

Addressing a press conference, Shekhawat said Har Ghar Tiranga has grown beyond a flag-hoisting campaign into a nationwide celebration driven by community participation, cultural programmes, heritage activities and digital engagement. He described it as a true people’s movement that inspires citizens across regions and communities to celebrate the Tricolour as a symbol of India’s unity, honour and collective national identity.

India successfully conducted a user trial of the nuclear-capable Agni-4 medium-range ballistic missile from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha, on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence said. The launch was carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command and validated all operational and technical parameters.

According to the Ministry of Defence, the test formed part of a routine user trial aimed at reaffirming the missile system's reliability and operational readiness. The successful launch further strengthens India's strategic deterrence capability and the preparedness of the Strategic Forces Command.

The Agni-4 is a medium-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a strike range of around 4,000 km. It is equipped with advanced avionics, a Ring Laser Gyro-based Inertial Navigation System and several indigenous technologies designed to improve accuracy and performance.

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has approved the proposed Andhra Pradesh Omnibus (Ease of Doing Business) Act, 2026, aimed at amending multiple laws to improve the business environment, along with the Andhra Pradesh Public-Private Partnership Policy, 2026.

The Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Amaravati on Thursday, also ratified the decision of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority to raise a ₹300-crore loan from APPFCL for payment of annual annuity to Amaravati farmers during 2026-27.

It approved the lowest bid for constructing twin office towers on either side of the Quantum Computing Centre at the Amaravati Quantum Valley Tech Park. The value of the works is about ₹1,002 crore. Revised administrative sanction of ₹206 crore was also accorded for consultancy services relating to the Assembly and High Court buildings.

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.