World No Tobacco Day is observed every year on 31 May to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use and to promote efforts aimed at protecting future generations from its health risks.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 37 million children between the ages of 13 and 15 use tobacco products worldwide. In response to the growing threat, WHO observes World No Tobacco Day every year on this day to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco and to encourage stronger global efforts to curb its use.

In addition to awareness efforts, the day also brings attention to the challenges faced by those trying to quit tobacco. Common withdrawal symptoms such as cravings and irritability can make the process difficult. Your kitchen cupboard and refrigerator, however, can help because some foods can lessen the craving to smoke, alleviate withdrawal symptoms, and even help heal some of the harm that tobacco does; let's know more about it, too.

Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya on Friday inaugurated 34 digital courts at the Rouse Avenue District Courts complex here to try cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act exclusively in the national capital.

Justice Upadhyaya urged the judicial officers to work towards people’s cause and said the “kind of infrastructure created here, the use of technology especially is laudable”.

He urged the judges to exercise their jurisdiction and the power vested in them by being “duty conscious” instead of being “power-charged”.

“If you (judges) work with a feeling that you are wielding some power, you won’t be able to do justice to the person coming to you,” he said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the grant of “Miniratna” status Category-I for Munitions India Limited (MIL), Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) & India Optel Limited (IOL), the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Thursday.

The move comes amid the Centre’s larger effort to push indigenous defence manufacturing and enhance the autonomy and competitiveness of state-run defence firms. All three companies were carved out of the erstwhile Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) in October 2021 as part of a structural overhaul of the sector.

Singh commended the firms for significantly increasing turnover and indigenisation levels. He termed their evolution from government departments into revenue-generating enterprises as a sign of “mature and self-reliant defence manufacturing”.

Goa, famous for its stunning beaches and as a sought-after tourist destination, is the smallest state in India by area. Located on the west coast of India, Goa was a Portuguese colony for over 450 years until it was liberated by India in December 1961 and given the status of a union territory along with Daman and Diu.

However, Goa attained full statehood on May 30, 1987, and became the 25th state of the Republic of India, which is why we celebrate its statehood day on May 30 every year. This year, we will be marking the 39th Goa Statehood Day, falling on Friday, May 30, 2025.

Goa’s history goes back to 1510, when Alfonso de Albuquerque captured the peninsula and defeated Adil Shah of Bijapur. For the following 400 years, Goa was under Portuguese control.

Potato is one of the most consumed vegetables on the planet, with nearly two-thirds of the world population consuming it, according to the United Nations. Resistant to drought, cold and barren land, potatoes have wide adaptability. To celebrate this versatile vegetable, the world marks International Day of Potato on May 30 every year.

History of the International Day of Potato
In December 2023, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to designate May 30 as the International Day of Potato to raise awareness of the multiple nutritional, economic, environmental and cultural values of the potato.

Prior to the International Day of Potato, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in 2007, officially announced 2008 as the International Year of the Potato (IYP). The initiative for an IYP came in 2005, when Peru and a group of Latin American and Caribbean countries requested FAO's collaboration in having an IYP declared.

Sri Lanka has crossed the one million mark in international tourist arrivals this year, nearly a month earlier than last year, signalling a strong post-pandemic recovery. Provisional data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) showed 1,006,097 visitors recorded between January 1 and May 25.

India continued to lead as the top source market in May, contributing 35.8% of arrivals, followed by the UK and China. Sri Lanka has now met 33.5% of its 3 million visitor target for the year.

The last time the one million mark was achieved in May 2018, which was before the Easter attacks and the Covid pandemic that slowed down the tourism market. Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath marked the achievement on social media platform X, thanking industry stakeholders.

Elon Musk has stepped down as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), ending a dramatic tenure marked by deep budget cuts and a rare public break with President Trump.

Musk announced his departure Thursday, thanking the president for the "opportunity to reduce wasteful spending" and predicting that DOGE will evolve into a “way of life” in Washington.

The move comes just a day after Musk criticized Trump’s latest spending bill, calling it counterproductive. “A bill can be big, or it can be beautiful. But I don't know if it can be both,” Musk said. His remarks marked his first direct swipe at the president he helped elect.

India moved back to second place in the medals tally on the third day of the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, Korea.

Avinash Sable (men’s 3000m steeplechase), Jyothi Yarraji (women’s 100m hurdles) and the women’s 4x400m relay team grabbed three more gold medals for India, overtaking Japan which has four.

China leads with 21 medals (12 gold), followed by India, Japan and others. The event ends on May 31.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to confer an honorary rank on personnel below officer rank in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles (AR). The honorary rank is one rank higher which will be conferred on the day of their retirement. Our correspondent reports that to receive this honorary rank the concerned personnel must meet all promotion criteria at the time of retirement. They must have a good and clean service record.
The decision aims to boost the self-respect, pride, and morale of personnel retiring from the rank of Constable to Sub-Inspector. The honorary rank shall be granted based on the recommendation of the concerned commanding officer. No financial or pension benefits will be admissible along with the honorary rank.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed the launch of the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan via videoconferencing, describing it as a significant initiative for farmers and a unique effort to support agricultural development.

Highlighting the timely nature of the initiative with the monsoon season approaching and preparations for the Kharif season underway, the Prime Minister said that, over the next 12 to 15 days, around 2,000 teams—comprising scientists, experts, officials, and progressive farmers—will travel across more than 700 districts and reach millions of farmers in villages. He extended his best wishes to all participating farmers and teams, acknowledging their dedication to strengthening India’s agricultural sector.

Noting that agriculture has traditionally been a state subject, with each state formulating its own policies and welfare schemes, PM Modi emphasised the need for transformation in the sector in response to changing times. While Indian farmers have achieved record levels of production, he said that evolving market dynamics and consumer preferences require modern reforms in agriculture, undertaken in collaboration with both state governments and farmers.