Union Minister of Mines G Kishan Reddy said the Geological Survey of India, GSI will give forecasts on landslides from Saturday in Darjeeling and Kalimpong in West Bengal and Nilgiri in Tamilnadu. The landslide forecast system will be available all over India by 2030.

The minister inaugurated the landslide forecast system in Kolkata on Friday. The forecast will be generated by the GSI and will be transmitted to the state government, which will then disseminate it to the district administration for spreading the information among the people. Total 36 centres which are land-slide prone will be covered by the landslide forecast system. Mr Reddy also inaugurated a portal and mobile app related to landslides.

The Uttar Pradesh government Friday notified the formation of the State Capital Region' (SCR) on the lines of the National Capital Region (NCR).

Governor Anandiben Patel also approved the establishment of Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region Development Authority (UP-SCRDA).

The Housing and Urban Planning Department issued the notification following her approval to the proposals.

The notification said the newly formed Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region includes Lucknow and the adjoining districts of Hardoi, Sitapur, Unnao, Rae Bareli and Barabanki.

According to the notification, a total area of 27,826 square kilometres will be included in the SCR.

PwC India announced on Friday that Sanjeev Krishan has been re-elected as its chairperson for a second term. Krishan, 53, will hold the post for four years beginning April 1, 2025.

The consultancy said that Krishan would continue to represent it externally and internally. He will also continue to serve on the PwC Global Strategy Council.

Krishan's first term as chairperson started on January 1, 2021. He joined PwC in 1991 as an articled trainee. In 2006, he became a partner and led the firm's Deals, Transactions, and Private Equity business.

India and Mumbai City FC winger Lallianzuala Chhangte and national women’s team midfielder Indumathi Kathiresan won the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) male and female Player of the Award respectively here on Friday.

The awards were given at a function organised by the national football federation.

The 27-year-old Chhangte recently extended his contract with Mumbai City FC until the end of the 2026/27 season.

President Droupadi Murmu presented 94 Distinguished Service Awards to the serving and retired personnel of the Armed forces and Indian Coast Guard on Friday. She conferred 31 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, two Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medals and 57 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals.

The President conferred the award during Defence Investiture Ceremony-2024 (Phase-2) at Rahsrtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi today.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena were among those present in the function.

India has officially announced that former Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra is India’s Ambassador to the USA.

He is expected to assume charge shortly. Kwatra was working on an extension post-retirement as the Foreign Secretary until July 14th, following which Vikram Misri was appointed as Foreign Secretary.

Kwatra is a career diplomat, however, he is a political appointee for his upcoming assignment.

India’s last Ambassador to the US was Taranjit Singh Sandhu who retired in January this year and since February the position has been lying vacant.

In a major boost to its defence capabilities, India on Thursday approved a major plan to build military airfields in Lakshadweep island territories to keep an eye on growing Chinese activities in the region and expand its reach.

The Central government, at a high-level meeting held on Thursday, cleared the proposals, defence sources told ANI.

The proposal from the three services led by the Department of Military Affairs is to build a new airbase in Minicoy islands and extend the existing air field on Agatti island in the Arabian Sea on western side of India, they said.

The dual-purpose airfields, which would also be used by commercial airlines, would be capable of deploying and operating all types of fighter and transport aircraft, along with long-range drones and would give an edge to the Indian forces in the region.

A new study carried out by a group of 32 scientists from 10 countries including India spotted the smaller black hole of a pair, establishing the ‘sight’ of an orbiting blackhole for the first time.

The other countries from where scientists include the mission are Finland, Poland, China, USA, Czech Republic, Japan, Germany, Spain, and Italy.

Several international research groups have already confirmed the theory that there are two black holes at the center of the four billion light years distant galaxy OJ 287, first suggested by astronomers at the University of Turku, Finland.

India saw the highest 163 per cent growth globally in generating electronic waste from screens, computers, and small IT and telecommunication equipment (SCSIT) between 2010 and 2022, according to a United Nations Trade and Development (Unctad) report.

The ‘2024 Digital Economy Report: Shaping an environmentally sustainable and inclusive digital future’ notes that India doubled its share in SCSIT waste generation in the world from 3.1 per cent in 2010 to 6.4 per cent in 2022. The report states that developing countries in Asia generated most of such waste in 2022, with China contributing almost half of it.

The book ‘Wings to Our Hopes, Volume I,’ which compiles 75 significant speeches from the first year of President Droupadi Murmu’s tenure, will be released in New Delhi today. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will release the e-book in the presence of Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The Publication Division has published this book. The book will be released in Hindi and English.