India will host the 18th BRICS Summit on the 12th and 13th of next month at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The Summit will bring together leaders of BRICS Member and Partner Countries, along with Outreach Invitees.

India’s BRICS Presidency is guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a people-centric approach rooted in the spirit of “Humanity First”. In addition to these areas, the leaders will exchange views on strengthening intra-BRICS cooperation on common priorities and share perspectives on global and regional matters of mutual importance.

Under India’s Chairship this year, over 350 meetings and high-level engagements have been held in over 25 cities across the country to further strengthen the BRICS strategic partnership across three fundamental pillars. These include political and security, economic and financial, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges. Through these engagements and business-to-business and people-to-people initiatives, India’s BRICS Chairship has contributed to advancing BRICS cooperation through practical and development-oriented outcomes.

Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, who became famous for her colourful polka dot-covered sculptures and installations, has died at the age of 97.

Kusama, who had voluntarily lived in a psychiatric hospital for decades, was known for her bright red wig and her giant, quirky creations.

Her exhibitions drew large crowds around the world, and her vibrant works fetched some of the highest ever prices for a female artist.

A statement from her company said: "Throughout an extraordinary lifetime devoted entirely to artistic creation, Kusama pursued an internationally acclaimed career as a pioneering avant-garde artist whose creative practice encompassed visual art, performance, fiction, and poetry."

The Telangana government has launched a gold and copper mining exploration programme at the Devadurga block in Karnataka, where the former's SCCL has secured exploration rights.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka launched the initiative on Thursday at the gold and copper mining block in Devadurga by the state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) at Lingadahalli village of Raichur district, an official release said.

Following the launch, he inspected the mineral exploration sites on the ground.

The Tamil Nadu government has notified three elephant corridors in the Cauvery North Wildlife Sanctuary in Hosur forest division, which will strengthen habitat connectivity and ensure the safe movement of elephants between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Kakarla Usha, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forests Department, issued the notification recognising the Jawalagiri–Ulibanda–Thaggatti, Jawalagiri–Panai–Anchetty and Billikkal Jawalagiri elephant corridors.

The three corridors, located within reserve forests and sanctuary areas, are spread over a combined extent of more than 10,300 hectares. The largest among them, the Jawalagiri–Panai–Anchetty corridor, covers 6,881.47 hectares and extends for 20.90 km.

Clearing the deck for Andhra Pradesh’s footprint in frontier technology, the State government has approved the establishment of India’s first dedicated Quantum and Artificial Intelligence University campus in Amaravati.

The facility will be set up by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), a Deemed-to-be University under the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

The project will be built on an 8.5-acre plot in Amaravati with a 100 per cent Grant-in-Aid of Rs 730.70 crore from MeitY over five years. The decision was formally taken at a Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the Secretariat.

India has signed a deal with the US for the acquisition of Javelin anti-tank guided missile systems for the Indian Army. This marks India’s formal entry as a customer of the famed shoulder-fired weapon even as both countries work towards its eventual joint production in India. The US Embassy & Consulates in India, in a statement yesterday, said that the Indian Army had signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the purchase of the Javelin.

The embassy also said that the United States welcomes the Indian Army’s signing of a Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the purchase of the Javelin. US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, said the agreement demonstrated the depth of American support for the Indian Army and created new opportunities for our defence industries to work together.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America, a change he said would take effect immediately.

A White House aide said the order directs the Department of the Interior and Secretary Doug Burgum to make the change.

One of the five Great Lakes of North America, Lake Ontario borders both the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of New York.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trade talks between the U.S. and Canada collapsed last week with each side ‌blaming the ⁠other for derailing three days of intensive negotiations.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG) held their seventh High-Level Meeting in Chennai on Tuesday, focusing on strengthening cooperation in maritime search and rescue, law enforcement, marine pollution response and capacity building.

The meeting, held on August 25 under the framework of the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Coast Guard Cooperation, was co-chaired by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani and VCG Vice Commandant Major General Luong Dinh Hung.

The two sides reviewed ongoing bilateral engagements and discussed ways to further strengthen operational cooperation and interoperability between the two maritime security forces.

Key areas of discussion included Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), Maritime Law Enforcement, Marine Pollution Response and capacity building. The delegations also reviewed professional exchanges and ship visits undertaken as part of the ongoing bilateral engagement.

The Delhi Government today handed over the approval letters to the 4 thousand eligible women beneficiaries under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana out of which 2 thousand 500 letter given at the formal ceremony.

Under the scheme, eligible women will receive financial assistance of 2 thousand 500 rupees every month. Speaking on the occasion, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu said that this initiative is a significant step towards women’s welfare, empowerment, and dignity. He also highlighted the importance of empowering women and ensuring their rightful place in the social and economic development of the nation.

Our correspondent reports that the monthly assistance will strengthen financial security, everyday choice and self-reliance.

The Meghalaya government launched the CM-IMPACT Read & Rise Meghalaya programme to improve foundational reading skills and address learning gaps among schoolchildren.

The goal is that every child should be able to read and write by the age of seven. A part of Meghalaya Universal Reading Readiness Mission, the initiative focuses on improving learning outcomes, particularly in rural and remote areas, and strengthening reading readiness across the State.

State Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui attended the launch, where a Teacher Training Guide for Universal Reading Readiness was also released.

The programme is expected to strengthen foundational education and improve overall academic outcomes in Meghalaya.