Nagshankar, in northeastern Assam’s Biswanath district, has been designated a model temple for turtle conservation.

Local MLA Padma Hazarika acknowledged the temple on behalf of the local authorities and communities at an event on its premises to mark World Turtle Day on Friday (May 23, 2025). The event was organised by the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, Assam State Zoo, Nagshankar Temple Committee, DBT-NER Biotech Hub Chaiduar College, and conservation groups Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) Foundation India, Aaranyak, and Help Earth.

Turtles have traditionally been conserved in several temple ponds of Assam as they are believed to be a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu. The turtles in the Nagshankar temple complex, cared for by the TSA, are among the best conserved in the State.

In December 2024, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs made an important announcement as part of its 2023-2024 annual report. It said the length of India’s coastline had increased from 7,516.6 km to 11,098.8 km, and that the length is also currently under review.

The 7,516.6 km figure was first recorded in the 1970s based on measurement techniques available at the time. The new revised figure wasn’t prompted by any territorial expansion through new land/island annexation or geological upheaval, like tectonic activity stretching the shores. The last coastal State to join the Union of India was Goa in 1961 and the only other State that joined after — Sikkim in 1975 — is landlocked. The enclaves India exchanged with Bangladesh in 2015 also lie deep inland.

Google’s annual I/O developer conference in 2025 was less a showcase of disparate product updates and more a systematic unveiling of an AI-centric future. The unspoken theme was that of a Matryoshka doll: at its core, a refined and potent artificial intelligence, with each successive layer representing a product or platform drawing life from this central intelligence. Google is not merely sprinkling AI across its offerings; it is fundamentally rearchitecting its vast ecosystem around it. The result is an increasingly interconnected and agentic experience, one that extends to users, developers, and enterprises alike, prompting a re-evaluation of the firm’s responsibilities concerning the data that fuels this transformation.

“More intelligence is available, for everyone, everywhere,” declared Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and its parent company, Alphabet. “And the world is responding, adopting AI faster than ever before.” This statement signals a push towards a more intelligent, autonomous, and personalised Google. Yet, as each layer of this AI Matryoshka is peeled back, the data upon which this intelligence is built, the copyrighted material ingested by its models, and the implications for user privacy are brought into sharper focus, forming a critical, if less trumpeted, narrative.

An underground cave in Meghalaya, in focus for a conflict over a Shivalinga-like stone formation, has yielded a new-to-science fish that adapts to streams overground.

A team of zoologists, led by Kangkan Sarma of Gauhati University’s Department of Zoology, has recorded Schistura densiclava as a new species of troglophile loach from Krem Mawjymbuin in the State’s East Khasi Hills district.

A troglophile animal is essentially a cave-dwelling animal that can thrive and reproduce in epigean, or aboveground, environments. Krem means cave in the indigenous Khasi language.

A group of artists called on the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu today (May 26, 2025) as part of the Artists in Residence programme in Rashtrapati Bhavan. The traditional art forms of India are being showcased in Artists in Residence programme - Kala Utsav in their original forms. This Kala Utsav has also provided a platform to the folk, tribal and traditional artists of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan who have continued the varied forms of art since generations.

The artists of Gond art of Madhya Pradesh and Madhubani art of Bihar are staying at Rashtrapati Bhavan from May 20 to 27, 2025 under the Artists-in-Residence programme. They are - Madhubani artists - Shanti Devi, Ambika Devi, Manisha Jha, Priti Karn, Ranjan Paswan, Shanti Devi, Urmila Devi, Shravan Paswan, Kumari Nalinee Shah and Moti Karn and Gond artists - Durgabai Vyam, Subhash Vyam, Nankusia Shyam, Ram Singh Urveti, Dilip Shyam, Champakali, Heeraman Urvety and Japani Shyam Dhurwey.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has levied fines on Union Bank of India and Transactree Technologies Pvt Ltd for breaching regulatory norms. Union Bank was fined 63.60 lakh rupees for failing to transfer eligible funds to the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund and collecting collateral on small agricultural loans, violating RBI guidelines.

Transactree Technologies Pvt Ltd was penalized 40 lakh rupees for non-compliance with P2P lending norms, including improper fund routing and lack of borrower transparency. The RBI emphasized that the penalties are for regulatory lapses and do not reflect on the validity of the institutions’ agreements with customers.

In Romania, Nicusor Dan today assumed office as President. The 55-year-old independent candidate secured 53.6 per cent of the votes in the presidential runoff on 18th of this month, defeating George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians. Dan took over from the interim President, Ilie Bolojan.

In his inaugural address after the swearing-in ceremony, Dan emphasised the need for fundamental change within the framework of the rule of law. He called on citizens to maintain positive pressure on state institutions to drive reform and pledged to remain receptive to public voices.

According to the Romanian constitution, the presidential elections are held every five years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms allowed.

Romania is a southeastern European country. It is the twelfth-largest country of Europe with a population of around one crore and 90 lakh.

Indian shooter Tejaswani claimed the gold medal in the women’s 25m pistol event to continue the country’s domination in the ISSF Junior World Cup 2025 in Suhl, Germany, here on Monday. Tejaswani aggregated 31 after firing five shots in the eight-women final.

Currently, India is leading the medal standings with 11 medals including three gold, four silver and four bronze in one of the world’s most prestigious tournament for junior shooters.

In Madhya Pradesh, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has said that today the whole country is united against terrorism. He said the country is feeling proud of the valour of our armed forces. The whole country is convinced of the lesson taught to terrorism through Operation Sindoor.
Bite-Vice President

The Vice President was addressing the inaugural session of the three-day Krishi Udyog Sammelan in Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh today. He also inaugurated and performed the Bhoomi Pujan of 86 construction works worth about 116 crore rupees during the function. MP Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav were also present on this occasion

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a two-day visit to Gujarat on Monday, during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for a series of major infrastructure and development projects across Dahod, Bhuj, and Gandhinagar. The projects, collectively worth over Rs 77,000 crore, span across sectors such as railways, power, urban development, and housing.

Day 1: Focus on Dahod and Bhuj

On Monday, the Prime Minister will begin his visit in Dahod. At around 11:15 AM, he will inaugurate a state-of-the-art Locomotive Manufacturing Plant established by Indian Railways. This facility will produce high-power 9000 HP electric locomotives for both domestic use and export. These advanced locomotives are equipped with regenerative braking systems designed to reduce energy consumption and enhance environmental sustainability. The PM will also flag off the first electric locomotive manufactured at the plant.