Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang launched ‘Nari Adalat’ today on the occasion of the first Amma Samman Diwas at Rongpo. ‘Nari Adalat’ is a community-based forum run by women to provide accessible and informal justice, especially in rural and semi-urban areas of Sikkim.

The idea behind ‘Nari Adalat’ is to empower women to address disputes and social issues that directly affect them, without having to depend entirely on the formal court system. Akashvani Correspondent reports that the primary aim of ‘Nari Adalat’ is to offer a supportive, non-intimidating environment where conflicts can be resolved locally. It focuses on minor disputes such as family disagreements, non-severe domestic violence cases, marital issues, among others. Unlike regular courts, which involve formal legal procedures, official judges, and lengthy processes, ‘Nari Adalat’ works in a flexible and dialogue-based manner.

In Madhya Pradesh today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the BEML Rail Hub for manufacturing project worth 1,800 crore rupees.

The facility, described as the ‘Brahma’ of rail coach manufacturing, will be set up on over 60 hectares of land in Umaria village of Raisen district. It is expected to provide employment to more than 5,000 people.

The unit will manufacture coaches for Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat, and Metro trains. Speaking on the occasion, the Defence Minister said the unit has been named ‘Brahma’, after the creator in Indian tradition, and the high-speed trains in India will be equipped with coaches made here.

Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav today highlighted India’s global leadership in environmental initiatives. During the state-level celebration of World Lions Day in Devbhoomi Dwarka, Gujarat, Mr. Yadav mentioned several key projects spearheaded by Prime Minister Modi such as the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, International Solar Alliance, and the International Big Cat Alliance.

With five out of seven big cat species found in India, ongoing efforts like Project Lion, Project Tiger, and Project Cheetah continue to reinforce India’s eco-centric conservation model, which is now serving as an inspiration for the world. Mr. Yadav said that the Barda area of Gujarat has become the second habitat of lions.

During this programme, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various projects worth 179 crore rupees. Mr.Patel said that the lions of Gujarat have become the symbol of pride of the country today. He said that in a historic and emotional development, lions have naturally started living again in Barda Dungar after a gap of 143 years, marking a major milestone in India’s wildlife conservation journey.

Indian Railways has rolled out a brand-new Vande Bharat Express in Maharashtra, connecting Ajni (Nagpur) to Pune.

Covering 881 kilometres, this is now the longest Vande Bharat route in the country, surpassing the New Delhi–Varanasi record.

Not only is it the longest, but it is also the fastest train between Nagpur and Pune, clocking an impressive average speed of 73 kmph despite ten scheduled stops.

For the first time, several regions between Wardha and Manmad will be connected by a Vande Bharat service. The train will halt at Wardha, Badnera, Akola, Shegaon, Bhusaval, Jalgaon, Manmad, Kopargaon, Ahmednagar, and Daund Chord Line.

The Maharashtra Government has decided to provide each of the 60 prison libraries in the state with one bookcase and one bookrack under the Matching Fund Scheme of the Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had issued instructions to follow up on this matter so that inmates develop an interest in reading, get an opportunity to read, and develop a positive outlook towards life.

A decision on how libraries in the state could avail themselves of the various schemes of the Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation, Kolkata, was taken at the meeting of the State Library Planning Committee held on 13th December 2024. Accordingly, the state government pursued the matter with the Foundation.

As a result, approval has been granted for providing each of the 60 prison libraries in the state with a bookcase and a bookrack, which will soon be supplied to them.

In the World Games 2025, Rishabh Yadav etched his name into the history books by clinching India’s first individual medal, securing a bronze in the men’s compound archery event, yesterday in Chengdu, China. The 22-year-old, seeded 10th, outclassed senior teammate and multiple World Cup gold medallist Abhishek Verma 149–147 in a high-quality bronze medal match. Yadav maintained a slender lead from the opening end, showing remarkable composure to finish with nine consecutive perfect 10s.

In the women’s compound category, the challenge ended in the quarterfinals, with Parneet Kaur and Madhura Dhamangaonkar bowing out to higher-seeded opponents. The biggest setback came in the compound mixed team event, where top seeds Verma and Dhamangaonkar—favourites after topping qualifications—were stunned in the opening round by South Korea’s Moon Yeeun and Lee Eunho. A 17-member Indian team is competing in these games, running until August 17.

US President Donald Trump presided over a landmark moment on Friday as the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement to formally end more than three decades of conflict. The deal, signed at the White House by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, marks a dramatic diplomatic win for the Trump administration and ushers in a new era of cooperation in the South Caucasus.

Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity

At the center of the deal is a major infrastructure initiative dubbed the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, a transit corridor that will connect mainland Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory. The corridor is intended to boost regional connectivity and symbolizes a new chapter of economic integration and diplomatic normalization between the two former adversaries.

Astronaut Jim Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13 Moon Mission, who guided the Apollo 13 safely back to Earth in 1970, has died on Thursday in Lake Forest, Illinois, US. He was 97.

NASA said in a statement that he had turned a potential tragedy into a success after an attempt to land on the Moon was aborted because of an explosion onboard the spacecraft while it was hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth. Acting NASA head Sean Duffy said Lovell had helped the US space programme to forge a historic path.

Tens of millions watched on television as Lovell and two other astronauts splashed back down into the Pacific Ocean, a moment which has become one of the most iconic in the history of space travel.

History was made on Sunday as India’s Ramesh Budihal secured the bronze medal in the Open Men’s category at the Asian Surfing Championships in Mahabalipuram.

This was India’s first-ever individual medal in the history of the competition.

He scored 12.60 points in the final, finishing behind Indonesia’s Pajar Ariyana (14.57) and South Korea’s Kanoa Heejae (15.17).

Budihal started strong, catching the opening wave of the heat and scoring a 6.17. His opponents also showcased their skills, putting in high scores. Budihal was in second after the first waves, with the young South Korean taking the lead.

Punjab has become the first state in India to empanel sign language interpreters, translators, and special educators under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 to ensure accessible and sensitive justice for all, particularly children with hearing and speech impairments.

The announcement was made by Dr Baljit Kaur, Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development. These experts will be deployed district-wise to provide support services to children in need.

This landmark step, undertaken under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is designed to empower children with special needs by eliminating communication barriers in legal, educational, and daily life settings. The move is also aligned with the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.