The Haryana Council of Ministers on Friday approved a uniform rate of inter-state mineral transit fee levied on all mineral laden vehicles entering Haryana.

Also, the rate of royalty levied on stone, boulder and gravel which was increased by the Council of Ministers on June 26 from ₹45 to ₹100 per metric tonne was reduced to ₹80 per metric tonne. Royalty means dues payable to the land owner (the state government) for mining rights.

An official spokesperson said now all vehicles entering Haryana and laden with minerals will have to pay a fee of ₹80 per metric tonne irrespective of the destination or point of consumption of the minerals transported. The fee will be deposited through the departmental web portal.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the merger of New India Co-operative Bank with the largest urban co-operative bank, Saraswat Co-operative Bank.

The merger will be effective from August 4, 2025. Consequently, Saraswat Bank will assume all assets and liabilities of New India Co-operative Bank, and all its branches will operate as Saraswat Bank branches.

Customers, including depositors of New India Co-operative Bank, will be treated as customers of Saraswat Bank from August 4, 2025, with their interests fully protected.

The Scheme of Amalgamation was approved by the shareholders of Saraswat Bank at its Special General Meeting held on July 22, 2025. It was also approved by the shareholders of New India Co-operative Bank at their Annual General Meeting and subsequently sent to the RBI for approval.

India and Morocco have signed a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote cooperation in judicial and legal spheres. The agreements aim to reinforce institutional linkages, facilitate legal modernization, and deepen mutual understanding between the two countries.

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, shared this information in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. He said that the partnership would allow the legal communities of both nations to share knowledge, build institutional capacity, and contribute to the rule of law through structured legal engagement.

The MLAT focuses on civil and commercial matters, enabling both countries to cooperate in the service of judicial documents, the taking of evidence through Letters of Request, and the execution of judicial judgments, decrees, settlements, and arbitral awards.

The winners of the 71st National Film Awards have been announced, celebrating the best in cinema from 2023. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting revealed the winners on Friday at a press conference in New Delhi. 

The 71st National Film Awards recognises films certified by the censor board from January 1 to December 31, 2023.

Karan Johar's Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani won big at the recently held ceremony. It bagged the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Next the award for Best Choreography for Dhindhora Baje Re! went to Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani again. Vaibhavi Merchant had choreographed the song.

Laura Dahlmeier, a two-time Olympic and seven-time world champion biathlete, tragically passed away at the age of 31 following a mountaineering accident in Pakistan’s Karakoram Mountains. Her management confirmed the news on Wednesday (July 30), leaving the sports and mountaineering communities in mourning.

Laura Dahlmeier was one of Germany’s most celebrated biathletes, earning two Olympic gold medals at the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, where she made history as the first female biathlete to win both the 7.5km sprint and 10km pursuit at the same Olympics. She also secured a bronze in the individual event, despite health challenges earlier that season.

She has claimed seven world championship titles, including five golds at the 2017 Biathlon World Championships in Hochfilzen, Austria. Notably, she was among the most successful German biathletes of the century. In 2017, her dominance earned her the title of German Athlete of the Year.

Actor KPAC Rajendran passed away in Alappuzha on Thursday (July 31, 2025). He was 74. He breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Government Medical College Hospital, Alappuzha.

Mr. Rajendran, who began his career as a theatre artist, was best known for his role in the famous play Ningalenne Communistakki. He also won acclaim from television viewers for his portrayal of Padavalam Kuttanpillai in the serial Uppum Mulakum.

Communist Party of India State secretary Binoy Viswam, who is also the president of Kerala Peoples Arts Club (KPAC), condoled Rajendran’s death. Mr. Viswam said that Mr. Rajendran had made an indelible mark on the Malayalam stage by portraying numerous memorable characters for over half a century.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has started the country’s first analog space mission at Leh in Ladakh, where space agency will simulate life in an interplanetary habitat. The move assumes significance as India is planning to send a human to the Moon in the near future.

Analog space missions are field tests in locations on Earth that have physical similarities to the extreme space environments and play a significant role in problem solving for spaceflight research.

Ladakh has been chosen for such a mission as the geographical features of the area – dry and cold climate, barren land, high-altitude terrain and extreme isolation – are considered to closely resemble Martian and lunar landscapes.

Khalid Jamil was named as the new head coach of the Senior India Men’s National Team by the AIFF on Friday, brining an end to the search for the Blue Tigers’ gaffer following the departure of Manolo Marquez.

The decision to appoint the 48-year-old to helm the Blue Tigers was made by the AIFF Executive Committee, in the presence of the Technical Committee.

In the latest development in the pursuit, United could sweeten the pot by adding current striker Rasmus Hojlund as part of the deal to make the passage for Sesko’s switch much more convenient.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday announced that it has launched a new initiative to turn cow dung from stray cattle -- 54 lakh kg generated daily -- into sustainable products like bioplastics, bio-polymers, bio-textiles, eco-friendly, clothing, paper, biogas, compost, and nanocellulose.

The government said in a statement that the initiative aims to tackle plastic pollution while promoting rural employment, organic farming, and energy self-reliance under the "Har Gaon Urja Kendra" model.

Chairman of the Gau Seva Commission, Shyam Bihari Gupta, emphasised that the scheme aligns with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's vision for rural energy and economic empowerment.

In Uttarakhand, Agniveers soldiers will be directly inducted into the Tiger Protection Force being set up at Corbett Tiger Reserve. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami made this announcement yesterday on the occasion of International Tiger Day.

The special force will recruit over 80 young personnel, aiming to safeguard tigers and their habitats, curb poaching, and combat wildlife crimes. These trained individuals will patrol forest areas, gather intelligence, and take action against poachers.

The force will also address issues like timber smuggling, illegal mining, encroachment, and human-wildlife conflict. Equipped with advanced technologies such as drones, thermal imaging, and GPS tracking, it will significantly enhance forest protection. The Chief Minister emphasized that Agniveers, with their military training and discipline, will be highly effective in this role. He called the initiative a major step toward strengthening tiger conservation.