Amir Raza Husain, a noted theatre actor and director,  has passed away. He was 66.  Hussain was known for his large outdoor stage productions such as "The Fifty Day War" based on the Kargil War and "The Legend of Ram". 

He was also the Creative Director of the Stagedoor Theatre company, established in 1974, which has presented over 91 productions and more than 1,100 performances.  The actor was known for his unforgettable stage plays like ‘The Fifty Day War’ (2000) and ‘The Legend of Ram’. He is survived by his wife, muse, and creative partner, Virat Talwar.

Veteran actor Sulochana, who featured in more than 250 Hindi and 50 Marathi films, passed away in Mumbai on Sunday due to age related issues. She was 94.

The industrial revolution, growing urbanisation, and population, as we know, have led to the steady disintegration of our natural world. As such, World Environment Day, hosted under the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), marks a day to raise awareness and action about the environmental catastrophes of the modern world. A major initiative of this day is to encourage people to live sustainable lifestyles.

Held on June 5 each year, World Environment Day has a specific host country and a theme. For 2023, the host is the West African country of Côte d’Ivoire, in partnership with the Netherlands; while the theme is preventing plastic pollution.

New York/Pimpri Chinchwad, 2nd June 2023: Pimpri-Chinchwad has been announced as a winner of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Cycling infrastructure (BICI). Pimpri-Chinchwad is among only 10 cities chosen from 275 applications across more than 60 countries and is being recognized for its innovative vision of creating safe and efficient cycling infrastructure. Pimpri-Chinchwad will use the money to launch a neighborhood model for a 15-minute city, starting with cycling.

In celebration of World Bike Day on June 3, Bloomberg Philanthropies has unveiled the inaugural winners of the Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure (BICI). This initiative aims to assist ten global cities in developing innovative cycling infrastructure and sustainable mobility options for their residents.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that Chhatrapati Shivaji was a beacon of bravery and courage and showed us self-governance.

In his video message on 350th year of The Coronation ceremony of Shivaji Maharaj, Mr Modi said, when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's coronation took place, it carried the slogan of Swaraj. He said, Chhatrapati Shivaji continues to inspire us. Mr Modi said, Shivaji was a great soldier as well as a great administrator and he ended the mindset of slavery.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday released the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023 in New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Pradhan said that these regulations will facilitate creation of many more quality-focused deemed to be universities in an objective and transparent manner. He said, the new simplified guidelines will encourage universities to focus on quality and excellence. This will also strengthen the research ecosystem and have a long-term impact in transforming the higher education landscape. The Minister complimented UGC for this timely reform aligned with the National Education Policy 2020.

With the aim to empower youth in India with future-ready skills, Microsoft has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), to train students and educators at government-led Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and National Skills Training Institutions (NSTIs). As part of this collaboration, Microsoft will offer a wide range of courses, including training in AI, cloud computing, web development and cybersecurity skills for nearly 6000 students and 200 faculty members.

The Cabinet today approved to establish Regional Office of the Universal Postal Union, UPU, in New Delhi.  The aim is to undertake UPU’s development cooperation and technical assistance activities in the region by entering into an agreement with UPU.
 
The approval enables India to play an active role in multilateral organizations in postal sector with an emphasis on South-South and Triangular cooperation.  India will provide a Field Project Expert, staff, and office, set up for UPU’s regional office. 

Regular physical activity of moderate intensity – such as walking, cycling, or doing sports – has significant benefits for health. At all ages, the benefits of being physically active outweigh potential harm, for example through accidents. Some physical activity is better than none. By becoming more active throughout the day in relatively simple ways, people can quite easily achieve the recommended activity levels.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), safe infrastructure for walking and cycling is also a pathway for achieving greater health equity. For the poorest urban sector, who often cannot afford private vehicles, walking and cycling can provide a form of transport while reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, and even death. Accordingly, improved active transport is not only healthy; it is also equitable and cost-effective.