Daily News

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India's Ramsar Sites Tally Rises To 54 As Five More Indian Wetlands Get Recognition

The new sites are Karikili Bird Sanctuary, Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest, and Pichavaram Mangrove in Tamil Nadu; Sakhya Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, and Pala Wetland in Mizoram.

Sh. Bhupender Yadav made the announcement on 26 July, which happens to mark the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.

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Union Cabinet Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav.

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28 Seaplane Routes Connecting 14 Water Aerodromes Awarded By AAI Under UDAN, Says Civil Aviation Ministry

Airports Authority of India (AAI) has awarded 14 water aerodromes under the UDAN scheme across the country. This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, V. K. Singh.

A water aerodrome is an area of open water that can be used by seaplanes as well as amphibious aircraft to land and take off.

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Piramal Enterprises gets RBI nod to start NBFC business

RBI Under Section 45 IA of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, has granted Certificate of Registration to the Ajay Piramal-led Piramal Enterprises Ltd (PEL) to commence the business of non-banking financial institution without accepting public deposits.

Back in 2021, the company made an application to the RBI for an NBFC license.

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Tata Advanced Systems successfully delivered indigenously developed Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicle to Indian Army

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) said that the induction of the Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicle-Medium (QRFV) will enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Army in future conflicts.

The induction of these vehicles will enhance the operational capabilities of the Army. This 'fire & fury' vehicle has been developed by Tata Advanced Systems.

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Sukaran Singh, MD & CEO of TASL.

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Wipro wins five-year contract from Nokia for digital transformation

Tech major Wipro has announced signing a five-year contract with global networking and telecom player Nokia for digital transformation.

Wipro, as part of the agreement, will deliver global business services in support of Nokia’s renewed operating model.

The new agreement builds on a partnership originally established over 20 years ago.

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CCI approves Greenforest New Energies' stake buy in Tata Power Renewable

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves acquisition of stake in Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL) by Greenforest New Energies Bidco Limited. The proposed combination will be an acquisition of up to 11.43% of the equity share capital of TPREL by Greenforest. TPREL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Company Limited.

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CCI clears Axis Bank-Citi deal, one of India's largest financial agreements

Axis Bank will acquire Citi’s credit cards, personal loans, and wealth management businesses in a Rs 12,325 crore deal, set to be the biggest yet in India's financial sector. Deals beyond a certain threshold require approval of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which keeps a tab on unfair business practices across sectors.

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IMF cuts India's FY23 growth forecast by 80 bps to 7.4%

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut its gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for India for the current financial year by 80 basis points to 7.4%. Similarly, for FY24, the growth forecast now stands at 6.1 percent as against 6.9% earlier. IMF’s latest growth forecast for India is only marginally higher than that of the RBI's projection of 7.2%.

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ONGC inks MoU with Greenko to manufacture green hydrogen

ONGC signed an MoU with Greenko Pvt Ltd to jointly pursue opportunities in renewables, green hydrogen, green ammonia, and other derivatives of green hydrogen. This will contribute toward India’s target of producing 5 million tonnes of Green hydrogen per annum by 2030. This MoU is in line with the National Hydrogen Mission of India.

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List of top 20 busiest airports in the world released; New Delhi ranks 13th

Airports Council International has released the list of top 20 busiest airports in the world. The top 20 airports accounted for 19% of global traffic (863 million passengers) in 2021.

The top seven ranks are held by US airports, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport topping the list.

Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi ranks 13th on the list.

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HDFC Securities joins hands with Equitas Small Finance Bank to offer demat, trading services

Stock broking company HDFC Securities has partnered with Equitas Small Finance Bank to provide its clients with a demat account and broking investment services.

With this, Equitas SFB will be able to offer its customers a 3-in-1 account that helps them access the services of HDFC Securities.

The stock broking company will oversee the entire journey for customers.

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City Union Bank, Aditya Birla Health ink bancassurance pact

City Union Bank and Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co Ltd (ABHICL), the health insurance subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital Ltd, have announced a bancassurance partnership for the distribution of health insurance products of the latter through the former’s network of branches across the country.

This is the 3rd such tie-up for CUB after pacts with Star Health & Care Health

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N Kamakoti, MD & CEO of CUB, and Mayank Bathwal, CEO, Aditya Birla Health Insurance.

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First all women-run cooperative bank coming up in Rajasthan

The first all women-run financial institution in the cooperative sector is coming up in Rajasthan following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the Telangana government’s Stree Nidhi Credit Cooperative Federation. The new body will promote women’s empowerment by supporting their enterprises.

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It will be set up on the lines of the Stree Nidhi model of Telangana

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MHA gives security clearance to Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson

The home ministry has given security clearance to Air India CEO-designate Campbell Wilson, paving the way for him to take charge of the airline.

The appointment of Wilson as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India was announced by Tata Sons on May 12.

Tata Sons took over the loss-making carrier on January 27.

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Tata Motors partners Indian Bank to provide retail car loans

Tata Motors has inked a new pact with Indian Bank to facilitate financing for its passenger vehicles customers.

The company says the partnership will see car loans with interest rates starting at 7.8% with an option to avail up to 90% financing of the PVs. The customers can repay the loans by up to 7-years and will be able to foreclose or provide partial payments.

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Northern Irish Nobel Peace Prize Winner David Trimble Dies At 77

David Trimble, Northern Ireland's Nobel peace prize-winning former first minister, has died at the age of 77, his Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) said.

Trimble helped forge the landmark 1998 peace deal in the troubled UK province which ended decades of conflict, and won the prize along with his republican counterpart John Hume that year.

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ECGC Launches Scheme to Provide Enhanced Export Credit Risk Insurance Coverage of up to 90% to Small Exporters

ECGC Ltd. has introduced a scheme to provide enhanced export credit risk insurance cover to the extent of 90% to support small exporters.

In this regard it has signed up State Bank of India (SBI) under the Export Credit Insurance for Banks Whole Turnover Packaging Credit and Post Shipment (ECIB- WTPC & PS). SBI has agreed to provide export credit at repo rate plus 1.3%.

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Defence ministry approves arms procurement proposals worth Rs 28,732 cr

Defence ministry approved the procurement of military equipment and weapons worth Rs 28,000 crore, including swarm drones and close-quarter battle carbines, to bolster the overall combat prowess of the armed forces along the northern and western borders.

The procurement proposals were cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

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Ministry of Defence's iDEX-DIO signs its 100th innovation contract

iDEX signed its 100th contract in New Delhi with a firm called Pacify Medical Technologies Pvt Ltd.

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) is the flagship initiative of the Department of Defence Production.

iDEX is funded and managed by the “Defence Innovation Organization” (DIO)

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“iDEX” was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018.

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JICA extends ODA loan of ₹6,000 crore for Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed a loan agreement with the Centre to provide an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan of about ₹6,000 crore or 100 billion Japanese Yen as the third tranche for the construction of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR).

Loan agreement comes after a ₹18,000 crore package commitment by JICA in 2017.

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Russia will withdraw from International Space Station project after 2024

Russia will pull out of the International Space Station after 2024 and focus on building its own orbiting outpost.

The space station is jointly run by the space agencies of Russia, the U.S., Europe, Japan and Canada. The first piece was put in orbit in 1998, and the outpost has been continuously inhabited for nearly 22 years.

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India lost 329 tigers in 3 years, including 29 due to poaching: Govt

India lost 329 tigers in the last three years due to poaching, natural and unnatural causes,according to data presented by Union Minister of State for Environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey in Lok Sabha.

As many as 307 elephants have died in this period due to poaching, electrocution, poisoning and train accidents, it added.

96 tigers died in 2019, 106 in 2020 and 127 in 2021.

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'The Life and Times of George Fernandes' by Rahul Ramagundam

“The Life and Times of George Fernandes”, written by Rahul Ramagundam, was released under Penguin’s ‘Allen Lane’ imprint on July 25.

This “first comprehensive biography” on the veteran socialist leader, widely considered an anti-Emergency hero, marks the 47th anniversary of the Emergency.

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India to host 2025 women’s ODI World Cup

India will host the women’s 50-over World Cup in 2025 as the BCCI successfully bid for the mega event during the ICC Annual Conference that concluded in Birmingham.

India had previously hosted the event in 1978, 1997 and 2013.

Bangladesh will host the 2024 T20 World Cup, England the 2026 edition, and Sri Lanka the inaugural T20 Champions Trophy in 2027.

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World Athletics Championships 2022: Armand Duplantis Breaks Own Pole Vault World Record En Route Gold

Sweden's Armand Duplantis added a new world record to his pole vault world title, clearing 6.21m in a virtuoso performance in Oregon.

The 22-year-old Olympic champion had gold secured with a first-time clearance of 6m. None of his rivals managed higher than 5.94m.

Duplantis then beat his own world record of 6.20m - set in Belgrade in March - at the second attempt.

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This marked the first time a record has been set outdoors since Sergey Bubka in 1994.

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US win most gold medals at World Athletics Championships 2022,India at 33rd.

The US finished on top of the medal standings at the World Athletics Championships 2022, winning 13 gold, nine silver and 11 bronze medals.

US are followed by Ethiopia, who bagged four gold, four silver and two bronze medals. Jamaica came third, followed by Kenya, China, Australia, Peru and Poland.

India finished joint 33rd with one silver medal.

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European Investment Bank joins India-led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

The European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union (EU), has joined the India-led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) as part of efforts to limit damage caused by climate change.

EIB has also announced plans to double its annual investments in India from the current level of about €500 million in the next two years.

Did you Know

CDRI was launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019.