Neeraj Chopra finished second at the Memorial Janusza Kusocinskiego in Chorzow, Poland. Neeraj managed an 84.14m throw in his sixth and final attempt to snatch the second spot from Grenada's Anderson Peters, who wasted his final try. Germany's Julian Weber took the top spot with a best throw of 86.12m attempt in his first throw. Last week, Neeraj came up with a personal-best throw of 90.23m in the Doha leg of the Diamond League Meeting, his first 90m+ attempt. However, it wasn't enough for him to seal top spot as Germany's Julian Weber clinched victory with a stunning 91.06m effort on his final attempt. It was also the first instance of Weber breaching the 90m mark. The Memorial Janusza Kusocinskiego is a Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level event.

Indian-origin professor Ganesh Thakur has been named president of the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST), becoming the first University of Houston (UH) faculty member to hold the position.

Thakur, a professor of petroleum engineering at UH's Cullen College of Engineering, began his term in February, the university said in a release. He aims to raise the visibility of UH's research and promote collaboration across top institutions in Texas.

TAMEST brings together top minds from UH, UT Austin, Texas A&M, and others to tackle real-world challenges, Thakur said.

TAMEST includes 350 members of the US National Academies and eight Nobel laureates. Its next annual conference, focused on climate change, will be held in San Antonio in February 2026.

Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Thursday convened a high-level meeting, ‘Kayakalp Manthan’, bringing together senior officials, representatives from Central Government hospitals, NGOs, and healthcare experts from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The meeting aimed to enhance public healthcare delivery and promote deeper community engagement in improving the quality and accessibility of health services across the country.

The discussion focused on reinvigorating the Kayakalp Scheme, a national initiative launched in 2015 to promote cleanliness, hygiene, and infection control across public healthcare institutions. Over the last decade, the scheme has grown substantially—from 10 Central Government hospitals to 25, with extended implementation across State Government hospitals through the National Health Mission (NHM).

The Maharashtra government last month officially agreed to merge the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) with Indian Railways.

With Goa, Karnataka and Kerala having already approved the merger, Maharashtra’s decision clears the way for the complete integration of one of India’s most scenic and strategically vital railway lines into the larger national network.

The Konkan Railway (KR) was established in 1990 as a special purpose vehicle in the Ministry of Railways to carry out the difficult task of constructing railway lines through the rocky Western Ghats.

Eminent economist Sachin Chaturvedi, who took charge as the Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University in Bihar on Wednesday (May 21, 2025), told The Hindu that the university expects enrolment of about 900 students in the new academic session. The university is in a “take-off mode”, Prof. Chaturvedi said, noting that 99% of the construction work has been completed.

Prof. Chaturvedi said the university, which functions under the External Affairs Ministry, is working to expand international connections by drawing students and faculty from across the globe. “Nalanda will give the message of peace and promote more rigorous research to connect Indian philosophy with the contemporary world,” he said, adding that the institution will bring together researchers, policy-makers and those in the diplomatic community.

In India, Commonwealth Day 2025 will be observed on May 24. This is different from most Commonwealth countries that celebrate it on March 10, 2025. The date in India marks the birth anniversary of Queen Victoria. She was born on May 24, 1819. This shows India’s historical link to the British Empire.

Commonwealth Day 2025 will be celebrated on May 24 in India. The day brings together 56 member countries of the Commonwealth. They come together to celebrate shared values, history, and cooperation. This year, the events will focus on unity, diversity, and sustainable development.

The official theme for Commonwealth Day 2025 is “Together We Thrive.” It highlights unity, resilience, and shared progress. The theme celebrates the collective spirit of the 56 Commonwealth nations. It also shows the power of cooperation among people across the world.

Algeria handed over the accession document to the New Development Bank (NDB), officially finalising the procedure of joining the BRICS financial institution. This was announced by NDB President Dilma Rousseff.

She noted that Algeria is a country rich in natural resources, with a dynamic economy and a strategic geographical location. Rousseff added that the NDB seeks to become a reliable partner of Algeria in the implementation of projects in the field of sustainable development. Her words were quoted on the financial organisation's website.

To mark the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) 2025, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), in collaboration with National Biodiversity Authority (NAB), Rajasthan Forest Department and the Rajasthan State Biodiversity Board, organised a National-Level celebration today at Udaipur, Rajasthan. The theme for IDB 2025 is ‘Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development’.

With this event, Shri Tanmay Kumar, Secretary (MoEFCC), also presided over the start of the fortnight-long campaign in the run-up to World Environment Day 2025, on the theme ‘Ending Plastic Pollution’. An exhibition on Biodiversity and Bioresources was inaugurated by Shri Tanmay Kumar, in the presence of Shri C. Achalender Reddy, Chairperson (NBA), Shri Sushil Kumar Awasthi, DG (Forest) and Special Secretary (MoEFCC), alongwith Shri Amandeep Garg, Additional Secretary, MoEFCC and other senior officials from the Government of Rajasthan.

Twelve State Biodiversity Boards, Forest Department of Rajasthan and NGOs exhibited indigenous biodiversity products, medicinal plants, different crop varieties, conservation measures on biodiversity and sustainable use of the same. Biodiversity Management Committee members from different States exhibited their products and interacted with the dignitaries. About 350 participants witnessed the event, comprising of State government officials, serving and retired senior forest officers, line departments, institutions, subject experts, Rajasthan state BMC members, college students, NGOs, CBOs etc.

World Environment Day, celebrated annually on 5th June, serves as the principal platform of the United Nations for encouraging global awareness and action for environmental protection. The Mission LiFE theme: ‘Say No to Single Use Plastic’, reinforces the message of this year’s WED celebrations.

The Key thrust areas of the Campaign:

Awareness and Advocacy regarding Plastic pollution
Reduced Use and Generation of Plastic waste including Single Use Plastic
Manage Plastic Waste including Single Use Plastic through Segregation, Collection, Disposal and Recycling of Plastic waste.
Promoting development of sustainable alternatives to single use plastic.
Campaign Activities and Engagement

This campaign, leading up to World Environment Day 2025, is focused on creating awareness about the hazards of plastic pollution and promoting the adoption of eco-friendly alternatives. The aim is to nudge people towards more eco-friendly lifestyles through community education, behaviour change initiatives, and innovation in sustainable materials.

The government today announced a four percent reservation in the allotment of central government housing to persons with disabilities, marking a substantial move towards equity, dignity, and accessibility in public services. The landmark step was taken by Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal in a move towards inclusive development . The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry, in a statement, informed that it issued an office memorandum to ensure fair access to central government residential accommodations for persons with disabilities. It added that the initiative reflects the government’s dedication to the empowerment of every citizen and also strengthens the foundation of an inclusive and accessible India.