The government is planning to revise the criteria for classification and performance assessment of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) by introducing two additional 'ratna' categories alongside the existing Maharatna, Navratna and Miniratna statuses.

The move is aimed at developing the next generation of CPSEs in line with India's medium- to long-term economic goals, said officials.

World Stroke Day, observed every year on October 29, aims to raise awareness about stroke, one of the world’s leading causes of death and long-term disability, and to promote timely intervention for prevention and treatment.

Globally, stroke affects about 15 million people annually, leading to five million deaths and leaving another five million permanently disabled, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In India too, stroke remains among the top causes of death and chronic disability, imposing a heavy burden on families and the healthcare system.

Reaffirming its commitment to holistic and preventive healthcare, the Ministry of Ayush on Wednesday called for an integrated approach that combines modern medicine with traditional systems to support prevention, timely care, and long-term recovery from stroke.

Uttar Pradesh is preparing to establish its 76th district, as announced by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The new district will be named Kalyan Singh Nagar, although the proposal has not yet been presented in the assembly. Given the Chief Minister’s announcement, it is expected that the proposal will soon come before the Assembly.

The new district will be formed by reallocating areas from Aligarh and Bulandshahr. This area was the birthplace and workplace of former Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, hence the district’s name.

Currently, India has 797 districts spread across 28 states and 8 union territories. When India gained Independence in 1947, there were approximately 230 districts, consisting of areas from 17 provinces of British India and numerous princely states. At the time of Independence, Uttar Pradesh, known then as the United Provinces, had 35-38 districts. It was later renamed Uttar Pradesh.

Paytm (One 97 Communications Limited), India’s leading full-stack payments and financial services distribution company, has announced that Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) can now log in to the Paytm app using their international mobile numbers to make seamless UPI payments through their NRE or NRO accounts.

With this launch, NRIs from 12 countries can make everyday payments, transfer money to friends and family, and pay at shops, restaurants, or online platforms in India — all by scanning a UPI QR code. The move eliminates the need for international payment gateways or currency conversions, allowing instant fund transfers and reducing remittance delays and forex charges.

In wrestling, India’s Sujeet Kalkal has struck gold at the Under-23 World Championships. Competing in the men’s freestyle 65-kilogram category yesterday, Kalkal dominated Uzbekistan’s Umidjon Jalolov with a 10-0 win. The bout lasted just four minutes and 54 seconds before the referee stopped the contest, declaring Kalkal the winner by superiority – a testament to his complete control on the mat. This is Kalkal’s first-ever world title. The young wrestler already had two U-23 Asian titles and one U-20 Asian Championship gold to his name.

Earlier, the Indian women’s wrestling team won 5 bronze medals and 2 silver medals, and also secured the team championship title at the same event.

Sujeet’s medal is the only medal for India in the men’s Under-23 Senior World Wrestling Championship this year. Two other wrestlers competed for the bronze medal bouts but could not succeed.

National Council for Educational Research and Training has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IIT-Madras today in New Delhi to strengthen educational research, development, training and technology integration.

In a statement, Ministry of Education said that the agreement is a step towards innovation in education. It further informed that the collaboration aligns with the vision of National Education Policy 2020 and aims to promote Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning-enabled learning solutions.

The agreement will also foster research, data analytics and multilingual platforms and resources to further learning and training of students and teachers, and development of digital content and platforms.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC-UAC) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly produce the SJ-100 civil commuter aircraft in India. The agreement was signed in Moscow, HAL said in a statement.

The SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body aircraft currently operated by more than 16 commercial airlines. Over 200 such aircraft have already been produced globally.

The aeronautics company said the partnership with UAC builds on the long-standing cooperation between the two sides and will help meet India’s growing aviation requirements, with domestic demand projected to exceed 200 jets over the next decade and an additional 350 aircraft expected to serve the Indian Ocean region and nearby international tourist destinations.

Sri Lankan author Vajra Chandrasekera’s second novel, Rakesfall, has won the 2025 Ursula K Le Guin Prize for Fiction, a $25,000 (approximately Rs 22 lakh) award recognising “writers who imagine real grounds for hope.”

Chandrasekera’s novels move between myth, politics and philosophy. In them, the ghosts of empire share space with the mechanics of faith and the ruins of progress.

The judging panel—Matt Bell, Indra Das, Kelly Link, Sequoia Nagamatsu and Rebecca Roanhorse—called the book “a titanic work of art… as fluid and changing as water,” comparing Chandrasekera’s moral clarity to Le Guin’s own.

Norris was serenely out of reach of some compelling battles and incident behind him as he kept the lead from pole position into the first corner and controlled the race from there.

Norris leads the championship by just one point from team-mate Oscar Piastri, who fought back from seventh on the grid to finish fifth.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who finished third just behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, is 36 points off the lead with four races to go.

A virtual safety car in the final two laps robbed the race of a grandstand finish, with Verstappen right behind Leclerc and Piastri chasing the Haas of Oliver Bearman, as it prevented overtaking just as both were moving into position to challenge.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday noted that the cooperation between India and ASEAN is growing rapidly in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), maritime security and blue economy and declared 2026 as ‘ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation.’

While delivering opening remarks during the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, PM Modi said, “India has stood firmly with its ASEAN friends in every crisis. Our cooperation in HADR, maritime security, and the blue economy is growing rapidly. In light of this, we are declaring 2026 as the “ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation. Along with this, we are strongly promoting bilateral cooperation in education, tourism, science and technology, health, green energy, and cyber security… 21st century is our century. It is India and ASEAN’s century.”

Calling ASEAN the main pillar of India’s Act East Policy, the Prime Minister expressed New Delhi’s support for ASEAN centrality.