The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a star-studded list of commentators for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales. The female-led commentary team features several Indian names, including former captain and international stars like Mithali Raj, Anjum Chopra, and Veda Krishnamurthy. Dinesh Karthik will join the commentary box as a male counterpart, as also India’s Jatin Sapru. The 10th edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup will kickstart on Friday with hosts England facing Sri Lanka in the opener at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said Assam’s renowned GI-tagged Tezpur litchi is reaching international markets. He said the first export shipment of Tezpur litchi departed for Dubai with the support of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, APEDA. 

In a social media post, Mr. Goyal stated that the initiative will give the region’s litchi global recognition, help farmers secure better prices, and create new opportunities for agricultural products from Northeast India.

The Prime Minister noted that as a result of these tireless efforts, today the country has gained a new identity on the global stage, from infrastructure to the digital revolution. Mr Modi underlined that to realise the resolve of a developed India, the Government will continue to move forward relentlessly on this path of service, good governance, and prosperity.

The Ministry of Coal has notified the Coal Exchange Rules, 2026, paving the way for the establishment of Coal Exchanges in the country to enable transparent and market-driven coal trading. According to the Ministry, the new framework will transform coal marketing from the traditional one-to-many sales model to a competitive many-to-many trading platform, improving price discovery and efficiency.

The Coal Controller Organisation will regulate and register the exchanges. The Ministry said the initiative is expected to strengthen energy security, support industrial growth, and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat through a more competitive and efficient coal market. The rules are available at the website <www.coal.gov.in>.

The Union Home Minister paid tributes to Lord Birsa Munda on his death anniversary today. In a social media post, Mr Shah said, Lord Birsa Munda sounded the conch of freedom against British rule through the Ulgulan Movement. Calling him the immortal symbol of tribal pride, patriotism, and cultural consciousness, the Home Minister noted that Birsa Munda organised tribal society to protect their rights and heritage and gave the conservation of water, forests, and land the form of a people’s movement. He further underlined that even today, the struggles of Birsa Munda against religious conversion and his dedication to tribal glory remain an inspiration for millions of countrymen.

Sector-wise, selling pressure was seen across realty, metal, auto and information technology stocks, which witnessed the sharpest declines. Realty stocks fell nearly 2 per cent, while metal, auto and IT indices lost over 1 per cent each.

Weakness extended beyond frontline indices, with broader market indices under pressure as Nifty Midcap 100, Midcap 150 and Smallcap indices declined close to 1 per cent each.

Meanwhile, crude oil prices traded higher, with international benchmark Brent crude rising 4 per cent to 96.90 US dollar. US WTI gained 4.64 per cent to 94.75 US dollar. Asian markets largely traded in the negative territory, with Japan’s Nikkei falling nearly 4 per cent, South Korea’s KOSPI plunging 5 per cent, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declining about 1 per cent.

 Union Minister Jitendra Singh has said India’s space economy, currently close to 9 billion dollars, is expected to expand to about 45 billion dollar over the next seven to eight years. The Minister also stated that India’s space startup ecosystem has grown from a single-digit number of startups a few years ago to around 400 today. He made these comments while reflecting on the last 12 years of the Modi government during an interaction with the media. The Minister said the change of mindset that has happened in the last 12 years under Prime Minister Modi is one of the biggest hallmarks.  He added that this shift was visible in the growing number of civil services toppers emerging from small towns and non-metropolitan backgrounds, reflecting the democratisation of opportunity through technology, transparency and fair competition. Mr Singh also noted that India’s successful landing near the Moon’s south pole had strengthened public interest in science.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has asserted that the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 can only be realized through public participation, innovation, entrepreneurship, and collective resolve. Addressing a conclave in New Delhi, he emphasized that entrepreneurship and nation-building must progress hand in hand to ensure that the benefits of development reach every section of society. Lok Sabha Speaker noted that India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation must be guided by inclusive growth, social responsibility, and active citizen engagement. Highlighting the role of youth in shaping the future, Mr Birla stated that educated, skilled, and technology-enabled young people constitute the greatest strength of Viksit Bharat 2047. He urged the younger generation to embrace innovation, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies to position India as a global leader. Mr Birla observed that the coming era will be driven by knowledge and innovation, calling upon the youth to become job creators rather than job seekers.

During this period, India has achieved a sustained environmental transformation through deliberate policy action and consistent implementation. The country has expanded forest and tree cover, restored wetlands, mangroves, and coastal ecosystems, and advanced river rejuvenation through the Namami Gange Programme. To reduce pollution and restore the ecological health of the River Ganga and its tributaries, the Namami Gange Programme was launched in 2014. A total of 524 projects have been sanctioned, out of which 355 projects have been completed till February this year. 

    The Green India Mission launched in 2015 is a flagship initiative dedicated to forests and ecosystem restoration. India’s forest and tree cover stands at 8.27 lakh square kilometer, accounting for over 25 percent of the country’s geographical area. India has achieved a significant milestone in global forest statistics by advancing to the 9th position worldwide in terms of total forest area. In 2024 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a campaign Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam, which has emerged as one of the world’s largest public environmental movements. A total of over 262 crore saplings were planted till December last year. 

The Mission LiFE, launched in 2022 has strengthened India’s international standing by positioning it as a global leader in lifestyle-based climate action. India achieved its target of reducing emissions intensity by 33 to 35 percent from 2005 levels eleven years ahead of schedule. The International Solar Alliance launched in 2015 has significantly enhanced India’s international credibility by positioning it as a global agenda-setter in climate action and clean energy transition. As climate change, resource pressures, and environmental degradation intensify globally, India has adopted a balanced approach that combines conservation, sustainability, and development.