A task force on monkeypox has been constituted to closely monitor the emerging situation in the country and decide on response initiatives to tackle the spread of the disease.

It will also provide guidance to the government on expansion of diagnostic facilities in the country and explore emerging trends related to vaccination for the disease.

A 22-year-old man, who recently returned to Kerala from the UAE, allegedly died due to monkeypox on july 30.

India has reported a total of four cases of the disease so far.

The decision to constitute the task force was taken at a high-level meeting held on July 26 at the level of the principal secretary to the prime minister to review the ongoing public health preparedness in the country.

The task force will be headed by Dr V K Paul, NITI Aayog member (health).

The National Aids Control Organisation and the Directorate General of Health Services in the Health Ministry have been asked to work on a targeted communication strategy to promote timely reporting, detection of cases and management of cases.

After claims that Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had been arrested by the ED, Shiv Sena MP Vinayak Raut on july 31 extended his support and said that the party will not bow down in front of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

His remarks came after the ED officials seized Rs 11.50 lakh in unaccounted cash from the residence of Raut and the Shiv Sena MP said that he was unsure about Sanjay Raut's arrest.

In a new development in the late wee hours of July 31, an FIR was registered against Sanjay Raut in Mumbai for allegedly threatening Swapna Patkar, wife of Sujit Patkar who is a close aide of the Shiv Sena leader.

The case was registered at the Vakola police station under sections 504,506 and 509 of IPC.

An audio clip of Swapna had gone viral in which Raut was allegedly heard threatening her.

Notably, Swapna Patkar is a witness in the Patra Chawl land case, for which the Enforcement Directorate detained Raut on july 31  after hours of raids at his residence.

On June 28 this year, Sanjay Raut was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the prevention of the money laundering case pertaining to the Rs 1,034 crore Patra Chawl land scam.

Refusing to join the probe and citing the Monsoon Session of Parliament as a reason for not joining the probe, he had then dared the probe agency to arrest him. Later, he went to the ED office.

The ED, which took Pune-based businessman Avinash Bhosale into custody earlier in connection with the DHFL-Yes Bank case, wants to grill Raut in this matter too. They claimed that the Patra Chawl case is also linked to the DHFL case.

Bill Russell, a dominating center who won a record 11 NBA crowns as cornerstone of a Boston Celtics dynasty, overcame racism to become the league's first Black superstar and civil rights activist.

Russell, who died JULY 31  at age 88, was a five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and captain of the 1956 US gold medal team at the Melbourne Olympics who revolutionized defensive play in the NBA, taking rebounding and shot blocking to epic new levels.

He won eight consecutive NBA titles from 1959-1966. As a player-coach in his final three seasons, Russell was the first Black coach in North American sport and the first to win a title, doing so in 1968 and again in his 1969 farewell campaign.

In its bid to bolster military ties, Indian Army soldiers are scheduled to hold exercises with the Army personnel of Oman and Vietnam, the two countries which are strategically significant for India.

As per the Indian Army 4th edition of the exercise AL Najah with the Royal Army of Oman will be held at the foreign training node of Mahajan Field Firing ranges (Rajasthan) from 1 to 13 August in which 60 personnel from Sultan of Oman Parachute Regiment will hold exercise with Indian troops from 18 Mechanised Infantry Battalion.

The exercise aims to enhance defence cooperation and will further manifest in enhancing bilateral relations.

These exercises with the two countries will add to the existing strong defence ties.

The Sultanate of Oman is a strategic partner of India in the Gulf and an important interlocutor at the Gulf Cooperation Council (AGCC), the Arab League, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) fora.

India-Oman Defence cooperation has emerged as a key pillar of the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The other exercise is with Vietnam which “is an important partner in India’s Act East policy and Indo-Pacific policy", the Army said.

Tata Group is planning to spend Rs 3,000 crore on R&D by FY26 and is set to roll out the 'First in India' seating system for Vande Bharat Express trains from Sept 2022.

The steel-to-salt conglomerate is also targeting to be among the top 5 technology firms in the steel industry globally by 2030.

Tata Steel's Composites division bagged a Rs 145 crore bulk order for seating systems of the Vande Bharat express that includes the supply of complete seating systems for 22 train sets, with 16 coaches in each train set.

India's lawn bowls team assured itself a historic first-ever Commonwealth Games medal after defeating New Zealand 16-13 in the semi-final of the women's fours event.

This will be India's maiden final appearance in the women's fours format of the competition.

The women's fours team comprising Lovely Choubey (lead), Pinki (second), Nayanmoni Saikia (third) and Rupa Rani Tirkey (skip) will face South Africa in the gold medal clash on Aug 2 .

Two-time Olympian Mairaj Ahmad Khan and Raiza Dhillon claimed gold medals in men's and women's skeet events respectively in the inaugural Digvijay Singh Memorial Shooting Championship (Shotgun) in  New Delhi  .

Mairaj had become the first Indian to win skeet gold at the ISSF World Cup earlier this month

In the women's competition, Dhillon had a similar story as she qualified in the fifth spot before piping favourite Ganemat Sekhon in the medal match to emerge triumphant.

Mirabai Chanu bossed the 49kg field as expected to defend her Commonwealth Games title and give India the first gold medal of the Birmingham edition on july 30 .

The Olympic silver medallist aggregated 201kg (88kg + 113kg ) to stamp her authority in the competition and achieve a Commonwealth Games record in the process.