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INDIAN NAVY SIGNS MoU WITH BAJAJ ALLIANZ LIFE INSURANCE FOR PROVIDING INSURANCE TO NAVAL CIVILIANS.

One of the key concerns for Naval Civilians is monetary relief to the family of Civilian employees in case of untimely death of the incumbent in service. Having life insurance to support the bereaved family financially is of utmost importance.

Indian Navy has accordingly entered into an MoU with Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company to offer a diverse product portfolio,

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INDIAN NAVY SIGNS MoU WITH BAJAJ ALLIANZ LIFE INSURANCE FOR PROVIDING INSURANCE TO NAVAL CIVILIANS.

including Term Insurance to Naval Civilians at affordable premiums with various options. The insurance can be availed by Naval Civilians on a voluntary basis. This will help in providing instant financial relief in case of the death of the incumbent or any other eventuality as covered under insurance policy. 2024 has been declared ‘Year of Naval Civilians’ by Indian Navy,

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INDIAN NAVY SIGNS MoU WITH BAJAJ ALLIANZ LIFE INSURANCE FOR PROVIDING INSURANCE TO NAVAL CIVILIANS.

in order to provide thrust to new initiatives and effectively improve the overall work environment for Naval Civilians. Welfare measures to enhance quality of life is a major focus area in the Year of Naval Civilians.

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UPI transactions volume increases 52% to 78.97 bn in Jan-Jun: Report.

Instant payment system Unified Payment Interface (UPI) transaction volumes recorded a 52 percent year-on-year surge to 78.97 billion in the first six months of 2024, according to a report.

In its India Digital Payments Report for the first half of 2024 (January to June), payment technology service provider Worldline that UPI continues to rule the payment market.

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UPI transactions volume increases 52% to 78.97 bn in Jan-Jun: Report.

The number of UPI transactions rose significantly from 8.03 billion in January 2023 to 13.9 billion by June 2024. This volume growth was matched by an increase in transaction value, which climbed from Rs 12.98 trillion in January 2023 to an impressive Rs 20.07 trillion in June 2024.

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UPI transactions volume increases 52% to 78.97 bn in Jan-Jun: Report.

In terms of volume and value contribution, PhonePe emerged as the top UPI app, followed by Google Pay and Paytm. However, average ticket size (ATS) of UPI transactions saw a decline of 8 percent, the report noted.

The average ticket size (ATS) of all UPI transactions in H1 2023 was Rs 1,603, while it dropped to Rs 1,478 in 1H 2024, it said.

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UPI transactions volume increases 52% to 78.97 bn in Jan-Jun: Report.

ATS consists of person-to-person (P2P) and person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions.

ATS in P2P transactions registered an almost flat year-on-year rise from Rs 2,812 to Rs 2,836. ATS for P2M transactions dropped from Rs 667 to Rs 643, representing a 4 percent reduction.

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UPI transactions volume increases 52% to 78.97 bn in Jan-Jun: Report.

According to the research, they collectively accounted for almost 53 percent of the overall transaction value and 68 percent of the transaction volume.

E-commerce, gaming, utilities, government services, and financial services made up around 81 percent of the overall transaction volume and 74 percent of the total transaction value in the online industry.

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UPI transactions volume increases 52% to 78.97 bn in Jan-Jun: Report.

Furthermore, the report revealed that between January 2023 and June 2024, the number of POS (point of sale) terminals increased 17 per cent, rising from 7.65 million to 8.96 million.

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Nobel Peace Prize 2024 awarded to Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo for its efforts to achieve a nuclear weapons-free world.

The Nobel Peace Prize 2024 was awarded to the Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo "for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again".

The Peace Prize was awarded in Osho, Norway.

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Nobel Peace Prize 2024 awarded to Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo for its efforts to achieve a nuclear weapons-free world.

Nihon Hidankyo has been instrumental in providing countless eyewitness testimonies, drafting resolutions, and issuing public appeals for victims of the American nuclear attack on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The organisation also sent annual delegations to United Nations and various peace conferences to advocate for the urgent need for nuclear disarmament.

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Nobel Peace Prize 2024 awarded to Japanese organisation Nihon Hidankyo for its efforts to achieve a nuclear weapons-free world.

Survivors of the only two nuclear bombings in history have committed their lives to the pursuit of a world free from nuclear weapons.

All Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, except for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is awarded in Oslo, Norway. The founder of the Nobel Prize, Alfred Nobel, was a Swedish cosmopolitan.

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Han Kang's Nobel Prize spurs hope of Korean literature's global recognition.

Han Kang, South Korea's first winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, was slow to global acclaim, getting her first big international prize nine years after her best-known novel was published, and finally translated into English.

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Han Kang's Nobel Prize spurs hope of Korean literature's global recognition.

The long wait for the translation of "The Vegetarian", which won the 2016 Man Booker International prize, seemed to prove the observation of Han's father - that it was the kind of book "that goes straight into the drawer".

Although the novel went on to be translated into dozens of languages, "The Vegetarian" had sold fewer than a million copies back home before,

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Han Kang's Nobel Prize spurs hope of Korean literature's global recognition.

Nobel announcement by the Swedish Academy, largely because of relatively low literature readership among South Koreans and a languishing publishing industry.

Han, 53, the 18th woman to win the literature prize, was born in Gwangju, where she lived until age 10, when her father, himself an esteemed writer domestically, moved the family to the capital Seoul.

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UNGA elects 18 members to Human Rights Council.

The UN General Assembly elected 18 members to the 47-member Human Rights Council for the 2025-2027 term. The 18 countries, including Benin, Bolivia, Colombia, Cyprus, Qatar, and Thailand, were elected by a secret ballot yesterday. The elected members will serve three-year terms beginning on January 1 next year.

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UNGA elects 18 members to Human Rights Council.

The Geneva-based Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system, responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world. About a third of its 47 members are replaced every year, ensuring that council members serve staggered three-year terms for the sake of continuity.

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Bihar to develop Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary as tiger reserve, gets Centre's nod.

The Bihar government will develop the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary (KWLS) as the state's second tiger reserve, Environment and Forest Minister Prem Kumar said. Kumar said the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), which is the state's only national park, has reached its capacity, and now the state government was finalising modalities for translocating the big cats to KWLS.

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Bihar to develop Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary as tiger reserve, gets Centre's nod.

The Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an area of 1,504.96 sq km.

Environment and Forest Secretary Bandana Preyashi said that the tiger population has substantially increased in the VTR over the years. The number of tigers in VTR is 54 now. It's a great achievement for Bihar."

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Bihar to develop Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary as tiger reserve, gets Centre's nod.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) at its 12th technical committee meeting gave the in-principle approval to develop KWLS as another tiger reserve, she added.

The VTR occupies a core area of 909.86 sq km of the Valmiki Sanctuary located in the West Champaran district.

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Bihar to develop Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary as tiger reserve, gets Centre's nod.

It was developed as 18th tiger reserve in 1990 and ranked fourth in the density of the tiger population.

The KWLS is bounded in the north by Bhojpur, Buxar, and parts of UP's Ghazipur, in the south by the districts of Palamu and Garhwa of Jharkhand and in west by the districts of Sonabhadra and Varanasi of UP. On its east are the Aurangabad and Jehanabad districts of Bihar.

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India Participates in 44th Session of Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses.

India participated in the 44th session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) held in Dresden, Germany from October 2 to October 6, 2024. As a key contributor, India made pivotal interventions on significant agenda items.

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India Participates in 44th Session of Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses.

It provided valuable insights on nutrient reference values for persons aged 6 to 36 months and extended its support to frame harmonized probiotic guidelines for foods and food supplements. Countries like Canada, Chile, New Zealand, and several others backed India's views.

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India Participates in 44th Session of Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses.

In the general principles for establishing nutrient reference values, India opined that the combined NRV-R value for persons from 6-36 months should be determined by calculating the mean value of the two age groups 6 – 12 months and 12 – 36 months, the same was considered and agreed by the committee.

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India Participates in 44th Session of Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses.

It noted that in the absence of a harmonized method, ISO 5495 or other available methods could still be used.During the session, FAO/WHO announced plans for a Joint Statement on Healthy Diet Principles and shared updates on reviewing the benefits and risks of Alternative Animal Source Foods (A-ASFs). FAO also introduced the new “Food and Diet” domain on its FAOSTAT database

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LAUNCH OF LSAM 12 (YARD 80).

The launch of ‘Missile Cum Ammunition Barge, LSAM 12 (Yard 80)’, the Sixth Barge of 08 x Missile Cum Ammunition Barge project, built by MSME Shipyard, M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd (SEPPL), Visakhapatnam for Indian Navy, was undertaken on 10 Oct 24 at M/s Vinayaga Marine Petro Ltd, Mira Bhayandar, Maharashtra (launch site of M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd).

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LAUNCH OF LSAM 12 (YARD 80).

The launching Ceremony was presided over by Cmde MV Raj Krishna, CoY(Mbi).

The contract for building 08 x Missile Cum Ammunition Barge was signed between MoD and M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, Visakhapatnam on 19 Feb 21. The availability of these Barges would provide impetus to operational commitments of IN by facilitating Transportation, Embarkation and,

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LAUNCH OF LSAM 12 (YARD 80).

Disembarkation of articles/ ammunition to IN platforms both alongside jetties and at outer harbours.

These Barges are indigenously designed and built under relevant Naval Rules and Regulation of Indian Register of Shipping. The model testing of the Barge during design stage were undertaken at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam.

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RBI Names Partha Pratim Sengupta as MD and CEO of Bandhan Bank.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the appointment of Partha Pratim Sengupta as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Bandhan Bank for a three-year term. Sengupta will assume the role by November 10, 2024, marking a significant leadership change at the bank.

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RBI Names Partha Pratim Sengupta as MD and CEO of Bandhan Bank.

Bandhan Bank confirmed that Sengupta accepted the position on October 9, 2024, and has committed to stepping down from other engagements to meet the RBI’s terms and conditions for his appointment. This follows the April announcement from Bandhan’s founder and former MD & CEO, Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, who retired unexpectedly.

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RBI Names Partha Pratim Sengupta as MD and CEO of Bandhan Bank.

Ratan Kumar Kesh, an executive director at the bank, has been serving as the interim CEO.

Sengupta brings nearly four decades of banking experience, having previously served as Deputy Managing Director and Chief Credit Officer at the State Bank of India (SBI) before becoming the MD & CEO of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) in 2020.

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Mastercard partners with ADM to boost digitalization and financial inclusion among farmers in India.

Mastercard announced a collaboration with Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM), a global leader in innovative natural solutions, to improve the digitalisation of ADM’s Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and farmer partners in Maharashtra, India. ADM would register FPOs, collection centres, and farmers to participate in Farm Pass, a Mastercard-powered system.

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Mastercard partners with ADM to boost digitalization and financial inclusion among farmers in India.

The agreement intends to increase ADM’s direct sourcing from smallholder farmers via the farmer-FPO channel. ADM would also use current Farm Pass programs to encourage more FPOs in the region to participate in their oilseed sourcing program.

As part of the agreement, ADM plans to engage with Mastercard Community Pass card issuers to expand its provision of,

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Mastercard partners with ADM to boost digitalization and financial inclusion among farmers in India.

unique financial inclusion and loyalty solutions, which could reach around 250,000 farmers. These financial inclusion cards would give farmers access to credit and government welfare systems, with the potential to facilitate $30 million in welfare and credit flow over the following five years.

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Ageas Federal Life Insurance Names Jude Gomes as the MD & CEO.

Ageas Federal Life Insurance Company Limited has named Jude Gomes as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, with the consent of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

Jude Gomes has over 30 years of experience in senior insurance and banking positions, both locally and internationally.

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Ageas Federal Life Insurance Names Jude Gomes as the MD & CEO.

He formerly served as CEO of Manulife China Bank in the Philippines and, most recently, Union Assurance PLC in Sri Lanka. Prior to that, he worked as the Chief Partnership Distribution Officer for Manulife in Vietnam and at HSBC’s Hong Kong headquarters.

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Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for decoding protein design and structures.

The 2024 Nobel Prize for chemistry was shared by David Baker “for computational protein design” along with Demis Hassabis and John Jumper “for protein structure prediction,” the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced.

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Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for decoding protein design and structures.

Baker led a team that in 2003 designed a new protein using bespoke software methods. They and others have since refined these methods to be able to point the way to ‘designer’ proteins intended for specific applications.

Hassabis and Jumper received the other half of the prize for their hand in developing an artificial intelligence model called AlphaFold 2,

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Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for decoding protein design and structures.

that could predict the structures of millions of proteins. Human scientists had done that for only around 1.7 lakh proteins until then, although the structures and patterns therein were used to train AlphaFold.

The Nobel Prize for Hassabis and Jumper comes relatively quickly after the corresponding work, around four to six years.

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Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for decoding protein design and structures.

There is usually a gap of a few decades between the work and the prize because the former doesn’t immediately prove to be of “greatest benefit to humankind” -- a criterion for winning.

The chemistry prize this year also continues a relatively new tradition in this category of the prize going to non-chemists -- although 1981 chemistry laureate Roald Hoffmann has interpreted,

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Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for decoding protein design and structures.

this to be a mark of chemistry’s “far and influential reach”, especially in biochemistry and molecular biology.

Baker works at the University of Washington in Seattle and Hassabis and Jumper work at Google DeepMind in London.

The prizes carry a cash award of 10 million Swedish kronor (nearly $900,000) and will be awarded on December 10.

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Taking governance closer to people: Assam launches unique ‘co-district’ initiative.

Inaugurating three co-districts under Kamrup (Metropolitan) district here, the chief minister said that Assam is the first state to operationalise the concept of co-districts which will revolutionise governance at the grassroots level by taking administration to the doorsteps of the people.

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Taking governance closer to people: Assam launches unique ‘co-district’ initiative.

Earlier, Assam's administrative machinery was modelled on that of West Bengal and other developed states as the British governed the region as a single administrative unit but "now we have adopted several landmark schemes which are inspiring the other states.

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Taking governance closer to people: Assam launches unique ‘co-district’ initiative.

The co-districts will be centres of administration which will provide government services to the people in a hassle-free manner and strengthen the administrative framework. There are 35 districts in Assam currently and there has been regular demand of people for creation of more districts and sub-divisions.

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Taking governance closer to people: Assam launches unique ‘co-district’ initiative.

The co-districts have been set up with the objective of timely access to essential government services by citizens, improving efficiency bringing governance to the grassroots and streamlining citizen-centric services. There is a need for 78 co-districts but in the first phase, 39 have been rolled out while the remaining will be created in the second phase by Jan or Feb NY.

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