Usha Mangeshkar to get 1st Bhupen Hazarika national award: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday announced that the closing ceremony of Bhupen Hazarika's birth centenary celebrations will be held on November 29 in Delhi. Sarma said the state Cabinet had also approved the institution of a national-level award named after the legendary singer-composer.

The inaugural 'Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika National Award' will be presented to eminent singer Usha Mangeshkar in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Indian music, the CM said.

"It will be conferred once every three years to an internationally or nationally recognised figure in music, arts or cinema," Sarma said, adding that the award will include a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a citation.

MHA to build civil defence network in 12 states, UTs

The Union Home Ministry will conduct a first-of-its-kind joint training with the Army to build a civil defence network of around 60,000 volunteers in 12 states and Union Territories (UTs) as part of a pilot project.

In the first phase, a three-day specialised training will be given for civil defence master trainers from the participating states and UT's, the ministry said. 

Oskar Klein medal for physicist Ashoke Sen, first Indian to be honoured with top prize

Noted Physicist Ashoke Sen has been awarded the prestigious Oskar Klein medal, one of the highest honours in theoretical physics, the Bengaluru-based International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS), where Sen is a professor, announced.

A decorated scientist, Sen is the first Indian to win this medal, awarded every year since 1988 by the Stockholm University and the Nobel Committee for Physics of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. 

Cyclone forming in Bay of Bengal, landfall likely on October 28: IMD

India's East coast is bracing for what is building up to be the year's first cyclone - Arnab.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the low-pressure area that has formed in the southeast Bay of Bengal is forecast to intensify into a depression and, ultimately, a full cyclonic storm in the coming days. 

India, Azerbaijan seek to reset ties after Operation Sindoor fallout

A year after ties between India and Azerbaijan soured over Baku's alignment with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar met with the country's top leadership in an attempt to reset bilateral relations. 

Childhood obesity deepens the nutrition challenge

On October 7, the WHO issued the firstever guidelines for integrated management of obesity in children aged 29 days to under 10 years. The evidence-informed recommendations include guidance on dietary interventions, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep, behaviour-changing interventions, digital health interventions, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery.

The signs and science of the Shamonda virus

France has confirmed the first known human case of Shamonda virus in a patient who died at a Lyon hospital earlier in October. In a joint statement, the country's health and agriculture ministries said that there was "no health risk to the general public identified at this time". The reported infection appeared to be "an exceptional case in-volving a severely immunocompromised patient" hospitalised for a serious medical condition, the statement added.

The Shamonda virus is a vector-borne virus belonging to the genus Orthobunyavirus in the family Peribunyaviridae. It is part of the Simbu group of viruses.

First isolated in cattle in Nigeria in 1965 and since identified in parts of Africa, Asia, and Europe, the virus is understood to spread through bites from Culicoides midges (small fly-like insects). Although recent reports have primarily concerned cattle, cases have also been reported in sheep, goats, horses, and even alpacas. 

The debates around Legislative Councils, their functions today

What are Legislative Councils?

Just as the Indian Union has a bicameral legislature, comprising the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, some states have a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council. Six states the four mentioned earlier plus Telangana and Andhra Pradesh-have them. 

India resilient to global shocks: RBI Bulletin

India's Economy has remained resilient to global shocks, supported by robust domestic demand, sustained manufacturing and services activity and improving exports, but rising inflation and geopolitical uncertainties pose key risks to the outlook, according to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) October Bulletin.

Labour survey changes planned to gauge gig, unpaid house work

THE MINISTRY of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) plans to make changes to its Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) to better represent gig workers and understand the amount of unpaid household work done and whether it is out of choice.

FSDC discusses ways to boost investment

Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC), headed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Friday deliberated on strengthening the domestic investment ecosystem, enhancing capital flows and deepening financial sector reforms.

India attracts $11 bn gross FDI in August

India received foreign direct investment (FDI) worth $11.07 billion in August, taking the total for the first five months of 2026-27 to $54.93 billion, up 21% year-on-year, RBI data released Friday showed. Net FDI-calculated after subtracting money repatriated home by foreign investors and overseas investments by Indian companies - was 43% higher, standing at $13.79 billion in April-August.