The legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel lives on in the names of streets, public buildings and institutions across India. Today marks the 150th birth anniversary of Patel, a freedom fighter who also served as the country's first deputy prime minister and the home minister.

Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, also known as National Unity Day, is observed annually on October 31 to commemorate his birth in 1875 at Karamsad in today's Gujarat.

The nationalist leader, fondly known as the 'Iron Man of India', died on December 15, 1950, and soon after his demise, a number of public places, parks and streets in various cities were named or rechristened in his honour.

Dictionary.com announced that its 2025 Word of the Year was “67” — pronounced “six-seven” — a slang term widely used by Gen Alpha. The decision quickly drew mixed reactions across social media, leaving many older users confused about how a number had come to represent a word.

The website said that “67” had grown into a popular phrase across TikTok, memes and school conversations in the past year. The expression, now common among younger users, was said to have originated from the track "Doot Doot (6 7)" by the artist Skrilla. Its use expanded after a series of viral posts linked to basketball culture and a child now nicknamed “the 67 Kid,” helping it spread widely.

Dictionary.com noted that within weeks of the trend taking off, teachers were already discussing online how to stop students from using the phrase throughout the day.

The Ministry of Coal is set to launch the 14th round of commercial coal mine auctions on October 29 in New Delhi, marking another step towards enhancing transparency and self-reliance in India’s coal sector. Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy will preside over the event as the chief guest.

The commercial coal mine auction initiative, introduced in 2020 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has attracted wide industry participation over the years. It has played a key role in boosting domestic coal production, ensuring reliable supply for industries, and reducing import dependence.

According to the Ministry, the 14th round will offer a new set of fully explored and partially explored blocks, inviting bids from both established players and new entrants. The mines will be auctioned under liberal terms designed to promote ease of doing business, attract investment, and strengthen competition.

The world’s first universal legislative framework to combat cybercrime has moved a step closer to become legally binding after at least 72 of the 193 member states signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Saturday, October 25.

The 41-page UN cybercrime treaty proposes a legislative framework to boost international cooperation among law enforcement agencies and offer technical assistance to countries that lack adequate infrastructure for combating cybercrime. It also contains provisions addressing illegal interception, money laundering, hacking, and online child sexual abuse material.

James Anderson, England's all-time leading wicket-taker, has received his knighthood from Princess Anne during a ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Anderson, 43, was named in former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's resignation honours list in April for services to cricket, having brought the curtain down on his 21-year, 188-Test career at Lord's in July 2024.

He finished with 704 Test wickets, the most ever taken by a pace bowler, and behind only spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708). He claimed a further 269 in ODIs - still an England record, despite playing his last white-ball match in 2015.

After his international retirement, Anderson continued to play for his county Lancashire during the 2025 season, and excelled on his return to T20 cricket after a decade-long absence, as he helped take his club to Finals Day at Edgbaston.

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.