The Union government is working on guidelines for investigating agencies to handle and seize documents while excluding personal, unrelated data to protect privacy. The guidelines came into focus following cases involving lottery king Santiago Martin and Amazon, where claims of unrelated personal data being at risk were raised.
Rajagopala Chidambaram, India's leading nuclear weapons designer and key figure in the Pokhran nuclear tests, passed away at 88. He contributed significantly to India's nuclear programme and scientific advancements. Tributes poured in from top scientists and political leaders, acknowledging his groundbreaking work and immense impact on India's strategic capabilities and scientific community.
Isro is preparing to launch Mission ShakthiSAT in Sept 2026, featuring 12,000 talented girls from 108 countries. The mission aims to encourage young female participation in space exploration. Selected participants will gather in Chennai to build payloads for scientific experiments. This initiative highlights the potential of untapped talent among young girls worldwide.
India has become the second highest target for cyber attacks globally in 2024, with 95 entities affected by data theft, following the United States. Key sectors impacted include finance, banking, and government. Major breaches involved millions of records and ransomware incidents were significant.
In a bid to support farmers, the NDA government extended the crop insurance scheme for another year and increased its outlay to Rs 69,515 crore over five years. Additionally, the government approved a Rs 825-crore innovation and technology fund and a Rs 3,850 crore subsidy for Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP).
The state animal resources development department in Bengal is conducting a survey on domesticated animals as part of the Centre's 21st livestock census. Officials face challenges as some pet owners hide their pets, fearing additional taxes. The survey deadline, originally set for Dec, has been extended to Feb.
A leopard was sighted at Infosys' high-security campus in Mysuru, leading to a search by foresters and police. CCTV confirmed its presence near the hostel. Although not spotted during the day, combing operations will continue. Drones with thermal cameras are deployed to ensure the leopard doesn't enter nearby human habitats.