The Bihar government has doubled the pension given under the JP Senani Scheme to political prisoners who were jailed during the Emergency. The state cabinet approved this decision today. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Under the decision taken, the JP Senani pension for prisoners who were jailed for one month to six months during the Emergency has been increased from 7,500 rupees to 15,000 rupees, and for those jailed for more than six months, the pension has been raised from 15,000 rupees to 30,000 rupees.

In another decision, the cabinet increased the annual honorarium for more than 90,000 BLOs (Booth Level Officers) in the state from 10,000 rupees to 14,000 rupees. Similarly, the annual honorarium for BLO Supervisors has been increased from 15,000 rupees to 18,000 rupees. There are more than 8,400 BLO Supervisors in the state.

Haryana’s young boxing brigade delivered a stunning all-round performance at the 4th Sub Junior (U-15) Boys and Girls National Boxing Championships, clinching the overall team titles in both the categories. Competing against the best emerging talent from across India at Galgotias University, Haryana’s boxers combined skill, power and consistency to finish atop the standings ahead of Services in the boys' division and girls' competition.

The championship took place in the presence of SpiceJet’s Chairman and Managing Director, Ajay Singh who also honoured Dr. Dhruv Galgotia, CEO of Galgotias University. The event was also graced by Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education and Olympic medalist Vijender Singh, along with other dignitaries who witnessed the spirited contests from ringside.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Constitutional Authority, will be marking 100 years of its existence with a year-long series of events and activities. The Centenary Year celebrations will begin on 1st October 2025 and continue until 1st October 2026. The decision in this regard was taken in the recent Commission meeting held under the chairmanship of Shri Ajay Kumar, Chairman, UPSC.

Subsequent to the provisions of the Government of India Act, 1919, and the recommendations of the Lee Commission (1924), the Public Service Commission was established in India on 1st October 1926. Later named the Federal Public Service Commission (1937), it was renamed the Union Public Service Commission with the adoption of India’s Constitution on 26th January 1950.

“Since its inception, UPSC has been a symbol of transparency, fairness, and meritocracy, ensuring the selection of the most deserving candidates through a rigorous and impartial process for senior-level positions in Government services,” said Shri Ajay Kumar, Chairman, UPSC.

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) is expected to fast-track plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030. The reactor is said to be part of the country’s broader ambitions to set up a permanent base for humans to live on the lunar surface.

Plans to expedite the lunar reactor emerged after US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has been appointed as the temporary head of Nasa by President Donald Trump, sent a directive to the space agency.

In the directive, Duffy has ordered Nasa to call for proposals from commercial companies to build a reactor on the moon that could generate at least 100 kilowatts of power, according to a report by Politico.

In a significant step forward in the global fight against antibiotic resistance, IIT-Roorkee researchers have developed a new drug candidate, Compound 3b, that can restore the effectiveness of a potent antibiotic against deadly drug-resistant bacteria, an official release said.

Led by Ranjana Pathania from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, an IIT Roorkee team including Mangal Singh and Perwez Bakht, along with Norwegian collaborator Annette Bayer and her team from UiT Tromso, has designed a novel molecule that works alongside the antibiotic Meropenem to treat infections caused by KPC-2-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, a superbug listed among the World Health Organization's top-priority threats, the release said.

Tata Group’s satellite communication arm, Nelco on Monday said that it has signed an agreement with Eutelsat to roll out OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity services across India.

Under the pact, Nelco will work with OneWeb India Communications, Eutelsat’s local operating entity, to provide secure, low-latency satellite internet for customers on land, at sea, and in the air. The service will cover India’s landmass, territorial waters, and remote regions, enabling a range of government and enterprise applications.

The move aims to strengthen India’s digital infrastructure, bolster national security, and extend reliable connectivity to underserved and hard-to-reach areas. Nelco said it is prepared to offer the service as soon as OneWeb’s LEO network becomes commercially operational in the country.

In a groundbreaking display of collective innovation, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, today hosted ‘Mega Tinkering Day’, India’s largest-ever school-based tinkering event, bringing together students from over 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) across all 35 states and union territories.

Held virtually and simultaneously in schools nationwide, the event saw participation of 4,73,350 students from 9467 ATL equipped schools who engaged in a hands-on project to design and build a DIY vacuum cleaner, using everyday materials available in their labs. The activity was guided by a step-by-step instructional session streamed online, enabling students to learn scientific concepts and collaborate in real time no matter where they were.

Schools from Northern most region of India like Leh, Ladakh & Kargil, Kashmir, from Remotest villages of Aspirational Districts like Virudhunagar, North East regions like Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and from southern regions like Kanniyakumari, & westernmost regions of Bhuj & Kutchh. AIM team also joined the action, tinkering side-by-side with students across India and built a vacuum cleaner too.

North Korea has denounced a major joint exercise planned by the South Korean and U.S. militaries as “direct military provocation” and warned of counteraction, despite signs of easing tension across the border under a new leader in Seoul.

North Korea’s Defence Minister No Kwang Chol said its military has an “absolute mission” to defend national security against the large-scale 11-day drills by South Korea and the United States, which he said posed a real and dangerous threat.

“The armed forces of the DPRK will cope with the war drills of the U.S. and the (South) with thoroughgoing and resolute counteraction posture and strictly exercise the sovereign right,” No said in a statement issued via the KCNA state news agency on Monday.

The Border Security Force (BSF) has launched 'Operation Alert' along the Rajasthan border to strengthen security measures ahead of Independence Day, with intensified patrols, drills, and a review of standard operating procedures to counter potential threats, a senior official said.

Speaking to ANI, BSF DIG sector south, MK Negi, said, "The operation Alert commenced on 11 August and will continue until 12 am on 17 August. During the operation, we will implement strict border management and rehearse and improve our SOPs and drills. We are reviewing all SOPs, instructions, and drills to prepare for border management and upcoming challenges."

India is set to host the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in Mumbai from August 11 to 21 with over 300 high school students from 64 countries. Organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), a division of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, the event will begin with an opening ceremony on August 12 at the Jio World Convention Centre.

The ceremony will have Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the presence of guests including principal scientific advisor Ajay Sood and Ajit Kembhavi, former vice president of the International Astronomical Union. The closing ceremony, scheduled for August 21 at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, will be presided over by ISRO chairman V Narayanan and Anil Kakodkar, chancellor of the Homi Bhabha National Institute.