All arrangements are in place for the 69th edition of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race (NTBR) on Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha on Saturday. As many as 72 boats including 19 chundan vallams (snakeboats) will participate under nine categories in this year’s race.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, District Collector Haritha V. Kumar said the inaugural function would begin at 2 p.m.

Appu Series, the front-runner in children's edutainment, proudly announces the launch of ‘APPU’ - India's first-ever 4K animated feature film. This momentous cinematic creation is all set to captivate audiences with its spellbinding narrative and visually stunning animation.

Diving into an enchanting world, ‘APPU’ follows the adventures of Appu, the lovable elephant calf, whose mischievous spirit wins the hearts of children and adults alike. When faced with the heart-wrenching loss of his mother and the capture of his father by poachers, Appu embarks on a heroic journey, discovering his powers and a newfound strength to protect his family and species.

Myra Grover, author and secretary of the New Delhi Social Workers Association (NDSWA), has been awarded with the esteemed Women Icon Award as author on Mental Wellness by the House of Lords, UK Parliament. The award ceremony, held recently, was a remarkable recognition of her contributions to society.

The award ceremony took place at the distinguished House of Lords, UK Parliament, symbolizing its international significance. The event received the support of Meenakshi Lekhi, the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Government of India, as the Chief Guest. The organizing entity behind the event, Confluence NGO, is renowned for its efforts in promoting Indian Craft & Culture and facilitating significant meetings.

Amid the tension prevailing since the July 31 communal violence, Haryana’s Nuh district has finally got some good news: it has risen from the 30th position to the second place among the 112 aspirational districts in the country, an official Thursday said.

“The diligent efforts made by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for the progress of Nuh under the Aspirational Districts Programme has yielded positive results as it has successfully moved from the 30th position to the second position in Niti Aayog’s Delta ranking. This is a remarkable achievement and indicates that the strategies and guidelines provided by the CM during the meeting held last month have been effective in driving positive change in the district,” a government spokesperson said, adding that the programme aimed to uplift and develop the most socio-economically challenged districts in the country.

Nagaland’s first Naga Traditional Cuisine lab has been launched at Japfü Christian College, under Kohima district. The Naga Traditional Cuisine lab was inaugurated by State Minister for Women Resource Development and Horticulture, Salhoutuonuo Kruse yesterday. 

Ms. Kruse lauded the college for the initiative. As per the skill emphasis of National Education Policy 2020, Japfü Christian College is initiating Naga traditional cuisine skill as an enhancement course under Nagaland University, wherein the main dishes of the 15 indigenous tribes of Nagaland are studied, cooked, and analyzed for retention and transmission of Naga food cultural identity. In its 16-acre campus, the college is preserving many indigenous fruit trees as well as other seasonal fruits that are adaptable to its environment. 

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023 were today introduced in the Lok Sabha. While introducing the Bills, Home Minister Amit Shah said, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 will replace the Indian Penal Code 1860 and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha, 2023 will replace the Criminal Procedure Act, 1898. He said, Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 will replace the Indian Evidence Act, 1872.
The Minister said these bills will transform the country's criminal justice system. The legislations are aimed to provide justice to the people rather than penalizing them. He said these bills have been brought after thorough deliberations. Talking about the provisions of the Bills, he said, provisions related to sedition will be repealed completely. He said, 313 changes have been made in the laws which are aimed to strengthen the criminal justice system. 

Mr. Shah said special provisions have been made to provide speedy justice to women and children. He added that special focus has been made to digitalize the entire criminal justice system. Later, the Bill was sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for further deliberations. When the Bills were introduced, opposition members raising the issue of the suspension of Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury staged a walkout from the house.

In Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has launched the Indira Gandhi Smart Phone Scheme in a program organized in Jaipur today. Under this scheme, free smart phones with three years of data facility will be distributed to 1.3 crore women of the state. In the first phase, there is a plan to provide smartphones to 40 lakh women. More than 400 mobile distribution camps are being organized in the state. Mr. Gehlot launched the ‘Digital Sakhi Book’ at the event.  The Chief Minister said that this is the era of technology and smartphones will play an important role in women empowerment.

Akashvani correspondent reports that in the first phase, smartphones will be distributed to girl students studying in class 9 to class 12 in government schools, college students, single women and widows. Women heads of households who worked 100 days under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA and 50 days under Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme, have also been selected in the first phase. Beneficiary women will be able to choose smartphones of their choice in the camps. Rupees 6 thousand 800 will be deposited in e-wallet through DBT for the purchase of these smart phones and SIM.

Jio Haptik has been honored with the Tech Startup of the Year (Artificial Intelligence) award at the prestigious 13th Annual Entrepreneur India Awards. Swapan Rajdev, Haptik’s co-founder & CTO, received the award as the ceremony organized by Entrepreneur India, in media partnership with Entrepreneur magazine and Entrepreneur.com, was held at the Hotel JW Marriott, Aerocity, New Delhi.

Jio Haptik emerged as the winner of the Tech Startup of the Year in AI from 1000 other entries for the same award, highlighting the company’s distinctive contribution to the technology landscape. It is testament to Jio Haptik's commitment to developing groundbreaking AI-driven solutions that set the industry benchmark for innovation and transformation.

To reinforce its value of 'Consumer Obsession', Tata AIA Life Insurance (Tata AIA) has introduced digital payments via WhatsApp and Unified Payment Interfaces. This industry-first feature provides an instant premium payment facility through WhatsApp and UPI-enabled payment options.

The newly added payment option is first-of-its-kind in the insurance industry. The agile, seamless process allows consumers to pay premiums digitally and receive a quick premium payment confirmation and acknowledgement. In addition to being easy to use for both tech and non-tech-savvy consumers, it also offers a hassle-free premium payment experience.

Subhash Runwal, Chairman – Runwal, a leading real estate developer with a legacy of over four decades, was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the first-ever RICS South Asia Awards. RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) is a global industry body representing professionals across the country. Hosting its first-ever awards, it aimed to recognize global and Indian industry-leading achievements and demonstrate the upholding of the highest standards of professionalism and ethics by individuals and teams across built and natural environments. The award ceremony was graced by Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Govt. of India at The Lalit, Delhi.