Brigadier Basant Kumar Ponwar (Retd), a decorated veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pak War and the architect of the country’s modern jungle warfare against Maoist insurgency, died here, his family said on Wednesday.

Ponwar, 77, is survived by his mother, Devika Ponwar, and two sons, both currently serving in the Army, they said.

A young officer who was part of cross-border operations during the 1971 war, leading ambushes alongside Mukti Bahini fighters and playing a vital role in the advance toward Dhaka, Ponwar dedicated over five decades to national defence across both the Indian Army and the police forces in Mizoram and Chhattisgarh. IndiaNews Portal

India has emerged as the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers, contributing 311,936 maritime professionals to the global shipping industry. According to the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026, India now accounts for 12.16 per cent of the global seafaring workforce, ranking behind only the Philippines and ahead of China, the Russian Federation and Indonesia.

The achievement marks one of the most remarkable transformations in the history of India’s maritime sector. In 2015, India contributed only 5.2 per cent of the world’s seafarers and ranked fifth globally, behind China, the Philippines, Indonesia and the Russian Federation. Six years later, in 2021, India’s share had grown modestly to 6 per cent, though it continued to remain in fifth position. The latest BIMCO-ICS report, however, records a decisive breakthrough.

The 16th Hockey India Junior Men National Championship 2026 began this morning in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The tournament features country’s finest junior men’s hockey teams who compete over 12 days till 8th of August to decide the national champions. Action on the opening day began with Assam taking on Mizoram in a Division ‘C’ Pool A match.

A total of 30 teams are participating across Division ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’, with promotion and relegation adding further significance to every fixture. While Division ‘A’ teams will compete for the championship title, teams in Divisions ‘B’ and ‘C’ will battle for promotion to the next division.

Speaking ahead of the championship, Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey said, the tournament continues to play a crucial role in strengthening India’s hockey ecosystem by providing young players with a highly competitive platform to showcase their abilities.

In Ladakh, the 6th Lieutenant Governor’s Cup Horse Polo Tournament concluded today at the Goshan International Polo Stadium in Drass. Eighteen teams, including three women’s teams, participated in the tournament, highlighting the growing popularity of the sport across the region.

The Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre of the Indian Army emerged as champions, defeating the Animal Husbandry Department team 2-0 in the final to lift the coveted trophy. Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta, who attended the closing ceremony, praised the participation of players and announced enhanced prize money for the tournament. He said, the winning prize money has been increased from 50,000 to 1 lakh rupees for this year’s tournament. From next year, the winning team will receive 2 lakh rupees, while the runners-up will be awarded 1 lakh rupees.

Speaking on the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor described the increasing participation of youth, especially women, in the tournament as highly encouraging. He said efforts are being made to promote horse polo as part of Ladakh’s cultural heritage and adventure tourism while providing players with greater national and international exposure. The Lieutenant Governor said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for sports through initiatives like Fit India and Khelo India has brought a significant change in the country’s sporting culture. He added that this vision is guiding efforts to strengthen sports infrastructure in Ladakh and promote indigenous games like horse polo to preserve the region’s rich cultural heritage.

World Nature Conservation Day is being observed today globally. This day raises awareness about protecting nature and conserving natural resources to save the earth from the dangers of adverse impacts of climate change.

In 1997, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) declared July 28th as World Nature Conservation Day. The purpose was to emphasize the significance of nature conservation and sustainable practices for the well-being of the planet.

The Centre has tightened norms governing the use of official vehicles by introducing a "One Officer, One Official Car" policy, barring senior bureaucrats from being allotted multiple government vehicles even if they hold additional charge of another ministry, department, public sector undertaking (PSU) or autonomous body. The move is aimed at curbing misuse of official vehicles, eliminating duplication and ensuring prudent use of public resources.

In a recent Office Memorandum (OM), the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance directed all Union ministries and departments to strictly enforce the revised guidelines on the use of staff cars. The order supplements and reinforces the comprehensive instructions first issued in September 2022, which consolidated rules governing the use of official vehicles across the Central government.

Iran is expected to receive deliveries of Chinese shoulder-launched missile systems within weeks, according to sources familiar with the matter, as Beijing and Tehran deepen their military cooperation amid heightened regional tensions, a Reuters report said.

The delivery of the missile systems would mark a significant escalation in military support from China to Iran, which has been engaged in a prolonged conflict with the United States and Israel. The systems are believed to be portable surface-to-air missiles capable of targeting aircraft and drones, potentially bolstering Iran's air defence capabilities.

The sources did not specify the exact type or quantity of the missile systems, but said the delivery was part of a broader military cooperation agreement between Beijing and Tehran. China has not publicly commented on the reported delivery.

Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. The Bill provides that if a birth or death is reported to the Registrar more than one year but within two years after its occurrence, it may be registered only with the approval of the District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Magistrate or an Executive Magistrate authorised by the District Magistrate, following verification of the authenticity of the birth or death.

The Bill further states that if a birth or death is reported to the Registrar after more than two years, it will be registered only on the order of a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class. As per the existing Act, registration of births and deaths is mandatory, and the certificate issued under the Act provides legal identity to an individual. The new Bill has been brought to make provisions for delayed registration more stringent and to encourage timely reporting of births and deaths.

At the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, Gulveer Singh scripted history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win a medal in the men’s 10,000-metre race after claiming a silver medal. The reigning Asian champion clocked 27:49.78 at the Scotstoun Stadium to finish behind Australia’s Ky Robinson.

Harjinder Kaur also added a silver to India’s medal tally in the women’s 69-kilogramme weightlifting event. The 29-year-old Indian weightlifter finished with a combined lift of 227 kilograms to secure India’s seventh medal from eight weightlifting events in Glasgow. This was Harjinder Kaur’s second successive Commonwealth Games medal, after she won bronze at Birmingham in 2022. With this, India’s total medal count at the Glasgow Games rose to 12, including two gold, seven silver and three bronze medals.

President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan congratulated Gulveer Singh and Harjinder Kaur on their silver medal wins at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.

Dairy farmers across North East India are set to gain new income opportunities and have greater access to international markets, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said as Assam's Purabi ice cream made its entry into Bhutan.

Taking to his official X account, Goyal added, this achievement will likely generate new income opportunities while expanding access to international markets and strengthen the livelihoods of dairy farmers across the North Eastern region.

"Facilitated by @APEDADOC , this achievement reflects the growing strength and global competitiveness of India's dairy sector while opening new avenues for our dairy farmers. The initiative will create new income opportunities, expand access to international markets and strengthen the livelihoods of our dairy farmers across the North Eastern region," Goyal said.