India will host the second BRICS Culture Working Group (CWG) Meeting in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on June 4–5, 2026, as part of its BRICS Chairship for 2026. The announcement was made by Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal during a press conference in New Delhi attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Culture and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). The two-day meeting will bring together representatives from BRICS member nations to strengthen cultural cooperation and promote dialogue under India’s BRICS 2026 theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” The discussions will focus on three key priority…
Author: Aditi
The Ministry of Education marked World No Tobacco Day by recognising schools that demonstrated outstanding efforts in promoting tobacco-free environments under the “Towards a Tobacco-Free Generation: School Challenge 2025.” The National Meet, organised by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) in New Delhi, brought together education officials, school leaders, and representatives from states and union territories. Secretary of School Education and Literacy, Sanjay Kumar, presented awards to the winning schools and praised their commitment to creating healthy, substance-free learning environments. More than 17,000 schools from across the country participated in the challenge, highlighting growing awareness and engagement in…
India will host the 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum in New Delhi on June 11–12, 2026, bringing together ministers, policymakers, urban experts, and senior officials from BRICS member nations to discuss sustainable and inclusive urban development. The announcement was made by Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal during a pre-event press conference. Held under the theme “Cities for People: BRICS Cooperation for Inclusive and Resilient Urban Futures,” the forum is a key ministerial event under India’s BRICS Chairship in 2026. The event aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of “Humanity First” and the Chairship theme, “Building for Resilience,…
The Government of India has reassured citizens that essential supplies, food security, fuel availability, fertilizer stocks, and maritime operations remain stable despite the ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia. During an inter-ministerial media briefing in New Delhi, officials from multiple ministries outlined measures being taken to safeguard the economy and maintain uninterrupted supply chains. A key announcement was the approval of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0 by the Union Cabinet. The scheme aims to provide additional liquidity support to businesses affected by the West Asia crisis, with a targeted credit flow of ₹2.55 lakh crore, including ₹5,000…
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF), hosted the High-Level Roundtable of the India Skills Accelerator (ISA) in New Delhi under the theme, “From Insight to Action: Closing Skills Gaps for Growth.” The event brought together senior representatives from government, industry, academia, international organizations, and development partners to discuss strategies for addressing India’s evolving workforce needs. Launched in January 2026 following Union Cabinet approval, the India Skills Accelerator is part of the World Economic Forum’s Global Accelerators Network and is hosted by MSDE. The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration between the…
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced a major expansion of his cabinet, with 35 ministers set to take oath on Monday. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Lok Bhavan at 11 am and will be administered by Governor RN Ravi. Making the announcement through a social media post on Sunday evening, Adhikari said the formation of a full-fledged Council of Ministers marks an important step in establishing the new government elected by the people of West Bengal. He stated that the cabinet expansion would strengthen governance and help the administration effectively implement its agenda across the state.…
The Government of India has announced a temporary exemption on customs duties for cotton imports from June 1 to October 31, providing significant relief to the domestic textile industry. The decision, notified by the Ministry of Textiles, is aimed at ensuring adequate cotton availability during the off-season while supporting the entire cotton value chain. According to the ministry, the duty waiver has been introduced with the interests of cotton farmers, textile manufacturers, and related stakeholders in mind. The move is expected to improve the supply of raw cotton to textile mills, helping manufacturers manage rising input costs and maintain production…
Global oil prices surged on Monday as escalating tensions between the United States, Iran, and Israel heightened concerns over potential disruptions to energy supplies from the Middle East. The latest developments overshadowed weak economic data from China and pushed crude prices sharply higher. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures climbed more than 2.6% to $89.65 per barrel, while Brent crude futures gained 2.25% to reach $93.17 per barrel. The rally followed a weekend exchange of strikes between the U.S. and Iran, alongside Israel’s decision to expand military operations in Lebanon against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. The United States said…
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) delivered a dominant performance in the IPL final, defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) with ease to claim the title. What was expected to be a closely fought contest turned into a one-sided affair as GT struggled to cope with RCB’s well-executed short-ball strategy on a challenging pitch. Playing on a mixed-soil surface with a significant red-soil component, the pitch offered extra bounce and movement throughout the match. Recognising the conditions, RCB’s bowlers repeatedly targeted the short length, making life difficult for GT’s batters. Nearly 40 percent of RCB’s deliveries were bowled short, a tactic that proved highly…
Commercial LPG cylinder prices have been increased across major cities from June 1, with Delhi witnessing a hike of Rs 42 in the price of a 19 kg cylinder. The revision comes as the government intensifies efforts to strengthen fuel security, build strategic reserves, and curb hoarding of petroleum products. Following the latest increase, the retail price of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi has risen to Rs 3,113.5. In Kolkata, the same cylinder now costs Rs 3,255.5 after a hike of Rs 53.5. Additionally, the price of a 5 kg Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinder has been…