India secures over 5.5 lakh MTPA green hydrogen offtake commitments

India has secured firm and signed green hydrogen offtake commitments totalling 5,55,610 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) as of October 2026, positioning the country among the leading players in the global green hydrogen market, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Indian companies signed 18 new offtake agreements in 2026 for the supply of more than 4 lakh MTPA of green hydrogen equivalent. Since the launch of the National Green Hydrogen Mission in 2023, a total of 23 offtake contracts covering approximately 5.5 lakh MTPA have been signed, with more than 70 per cent of the contracted volumes earmarked for exports.

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India secures over 5.5 lakh MTPA green hydrogen offtake commitments

The projects are expected to attract investments of around Rs 90,000 crore, equivalent to approximately 9.5 billion US dollars, reflecting growing interest in India’s emerging green hydrogen and derivatives market. The National Green Hydrogen Mission was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2023 with an initial outlay of Rs 19,744 crore up to 2029-30. The mission aims to establish India as a global hub for the production, use and export of green hydrogen.

By 2030, the mission targets annual green hydrogen production of at least 5 million metric tonnes. Its expected outcomes include the addition of 125 GW of renewable energy capacity, investments exceeding Rs 8 lakh crore, the creation of more than six lakh full-time jobs and the avoidance of 50 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

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Banking assets in GIFT City jump 60% to $193 bn in 3 months as credit grows

Banking assets in India’s international financial hub have surged about 60 per cent since June, as growth in the nation’s credit markets boosts GIFT City that’s competing with Singapore and Hong Kong in attracting foreign capital.

Assets held by banks in the hub have reached about $193 billion as of end-September. That compares with $120.69 billion as of June, according to data published by IFSCA. The Reserve Bank of India’s special swap facility for foreign-currency non-resident deposits which ran from June till the end of August helped boost activity in GIFT City, or the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City. The rapid growth comes as authorities confront concerns over the tax policy in the financial hub. Some investment funds in GIFT City have recently received tax notices for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 assessment years despite exemptions available to such entities, raising questions over the implementation of tax incentives that are central to the hub’s appeal

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Ayushman Vay Vandana completes two years, records 23.46 lakh hospital admissions worth Rs 5,668 crore

The Ayushman Vay Vandana initiative, which provides health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of their socio-economic status, completed two years on Thursday, recording 23.46 lakh authorised hospital admissions worth Rs 5,668.80 crore.

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 29, 2024, the initiative extends the benefits of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) to elderly citizens, aiming to improve access to healthcare and reduce the financial burden of hospitalisation. Implemented by the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the scheme is designed to provide financial protection to approximately six crore senior citizens belonging to around 4.5 crore families across the country.

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Ayushman Vay Vandana completes two years, records 23.46 lakh hospital admissions worth Rs 5,668 crore

Under the initiative, all citizens aged 70 years and above are eligible for health coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation, regardless of their income or socio-economic background.

Senior citizens belonging to families already covered under AB PM-JAY receive an additional top-up cover of up to Rs 5 lakh annually, exclusively for themselves. This coverage is separate from the existing family cover available to members below 70 years of age.

According to official data, as of October 20, 2026, the scheme had recorded 23.46 lakh authorised hospital admissions, with the total value of approved hospital care reaching Rs 5,668.80 crore.

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PM-DAKSH trained 1.87 lakh candidates, placed over 96,000; merged with PMKVY to avoid duplication

A total of 1,87,305 candidates were trained and 96,162 placed under the Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) scheme between 2020–21 and 2023–24.

The scheme was subsumed under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship’s Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) from 2024–25 to avoid duplication, as its training job roles were already covered under PMKVY.

Launched in 2020–21, PM-DAKSH provided skill training to Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Economically Weaker Sections, De-notified Tribes and sanitation workers, including waste pickers. It aimed to promote self-employment and wage employment for their socio-economic development.

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PM-DAKSH trained 1.87 lakh candidates, placed over 96,000; merged with PMKVY to avoid duplication

The department reported expenditure of Rs 309.5 crore to date against total funds allotted of Rs 276.47 crore for 2020–21 to 2023–24.

The scheme was implemented through the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation, the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation and the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation.

These corporations reimbursed training costs to empanelled institutes in accordance with scheme guidelines and work orders. Institutes were required to facilitate wage employment or self-employment for at least 70 per cent of trained candidates. Failure to meet this requirement resulted in forfeiture of the third instalment, equivalent to 30 per cent of the training cost.

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JioBlackRock International AMC launches ‘Advantage World Equity Fund’ in GIFT City

JioBlackRock International AMC (IFSC), a wholly owned subsidiary of JioBlackRock Asset Management, has launched a new Fund of Fund that will invest in BlackRock Advantage World Equity Fund.

The newly launched open-ended fund, ‘Advantage World Equity Fund (IFSC), will broaden access to investment opportunities for Indian investors by providing a gateway to international markets through GIFT City. The fund has been designed to provide investors access to global equity markets through a feeder-fund structure that will invest primarily in a globally diversified active equity strategy.

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JioBlackRock International AMC launches ‘Advantage World Equity Fund’ in GIFT City

The underlying strategy combines human expertise with systematic research, advanced data analytics, machine learning, alternative data and disciplined risk management to identify investment opportunities across global developed-market equities.

It is managed by BlackRock’s Systematic Active Equity team, which brings more than four decades of experience in systematic investing. Sid Swaminathan, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, JioBlackRock Asset Management, said the fund launch in GIFT City represents a significant step in democratising access to global investing opportunities. The minimum initial investment will be $5,000. The indicative total expense ratio for direct plan will be 0.90 per cent and 1.40 per cent for regular plan. The fund will invest 90-100 per cent in units of the underlying BlackRock Advantage World Equity Fund.

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US Wealthtech firm AssetMark opens Global Capability Centre in Hyderabad

AssetMark, a US-based wealth management platform serving more than 10,000 financial advisors, has opened AssetMark Global Wealth, its Global Capability Centre (GCC), in Hyderabad. Equipped to house approximately 500 employees, the centre strengthens AssetMark’s global technology and business operations, while further expanding AssetMark’s presence in India and creating opportunities to attract and nurture local talent. AssetMark has operated in India through an outsourcing model for nearly a decade. The Hyderabad GCC represents the next phase of the company’s commitment to the country, bringing a dedicated team in-house. Led locally by Joshi Alaparthi, Vice President, Head of India GCC, the Hyderabad team will work closely with US-based colleagues to drive technology and engineering initiatives across AssetMark’s wealth management platform.

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Lou Maiuri - Chairman and Group CEO, AssetMark

AIIA-iCAINE Marks Sixth Foundation Day with Launch of National Ayurveda AI Challenge in Collaboration with Techfest, IIT Bombay

The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, celebrated the sixth Foundation Day of its incubation centre, AIIA-iCAINE, with the launch of a national innovation challenge in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Ayurveda, the signing of two strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), the launch of an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Facility for Ayurveda and a capacity-building workshop on entrepreneurship and design thinking. The highlight of the celebration was the launch of AyushTech Innovate: National Open Ayurveda AI Challenge, organised by Techfest, IIT Bombay, in collaboration with the Ministry of Ayush and AIIA. Leveraging AyurParam, IIT Bombay’s open-source Ayurveda Large Language Model, the challenge aims to encourage the development of trustworthy, transparent, safe and practical AI solutions for Ayurveda.

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AIIA-iCAINE Marks Sixth Foundation Day with Launch of National Ayurveda AI Challenge in Collaboration with Techfest, IIT Bombay

The MoU with the World Ayurveda Foundation (WAF) will facilitate the establishment of “AI in Ay – Secretariat for Artificial Intelligence in Ayurveda”, a collaborative platform to advance AI-driven research, innovation and entrepreneurship. The collaboration will support joint research, funding and CSR proposals, capacity-building programmes, hackathons and startup incubation. The MoU with Reliance Retail Limited (Pahadi Local) will facilitate the translation of classical Ayurvedic knowledge into commercially viable skincare products through formulation advisory.

About AIIA-iCAINE : Established on October 29, 2021, under the mandate of the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, AIIA-iCAINE is recognised as India’s first public-sector Ayurveda business incubator.

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India Post and UTI Mutual Fund Strengthen Partnership to Expand Pan-India KYC Verification Services

India Post and UTI Mutual Fund have further strengthened their longstanding partnership to expand investor outreach and improve access to mutual fund services across the country. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) extending the existing agreement was signed by Shri Adnan Ahmed, Chief General Manager, Parcel & CCS Directorate, Department of Posts, and Shri Vetri Subramaniam, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, UTI Asset Management Company Limited, at the corporate office of UTI AMC in Mumbai. The partnership reflects the shared commitment of India Post and UTI Mutual Fund in expanding access to financial services across the country. Under the Pan-India KYC Verification Project, India Post will leverage its extensive postal network and last-mile connectivity to facilitate Know Your Customer (KYC) verification at investors’ doorsteps, including in remote and underserved areas. The initiative aims to make the verification process more convenient while supporting compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

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INS TRISHUL Concludes Port Call at Civitavecchia, Italy

Indian Naval Ship Trishul concluded her port call at Civitavecchia, Italy, on 28 Oct 2026, as part of her ongoing operational deployment in the Mediterranean Sea. The port call provided an opportunity to further strengthen maritime engagement between the Indian Navy and the Italian Navy through professional interactions, cross-deck visits and cultural exchanges. H.E. Ms Vani Rao, Ambassador of India to Italy, and Vice Admiral Aurelio De Carolis, Fleet Commander and CINCNAV, Italian Navy, visited INS Trishul and interacted with the ship’s crew. As part of the professional interactions, the Commanding Officer of INS Trishul called on the Fleet Commander of the Italian Navy. The ship’s crew also visited the Italian Navy’s aircraft carrier ITS Cavour at Civitavecchia. These engagements provided opportunities for professional interaction and an exchange of experiences between the two navies.

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Cloud Ecosystem in India

India’s rapid digitalisation is driving demand for secure, scalable and reliable cloud infrastructure. Cloud computing is becoming an important foundation for digital governance and public service delivery. India is building domestic cloud capabilities through initiatives such as MeghRaj and the expansion of indigenous data centre capacity. Policy measures, institutional mechanisms, and public-private collaborations further drive cloud adoption across sectors in India.

Seeding Cloud for Data Sovereignty : The country’s internet subscriber base reached 1,092.79 million in March 2026. Rising digital adoption is also driving higher data consumption, with average wireless data usage reaching 25.51 GB per subscriber per month. Total wireless data usage rose to 285,376 petabytes in FY 2025–26.

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Cloud Ecosystem in India

Digital payments generate transaction records, online public services create digital records, and artificial intelligence applications generate and process vast amounts of information. Meeting these requirements demands more than storage space. Organisations also need computing power to process information, run applications and deliver digital services reliably. Maintaining physical servers and other equipment independently can be expensive and difficult to expand. Cloud computing addresses this challenge by providing computing resources over the internet, whenever required. Cloud computing enables users to access computing resources, including data storage, servers, software and processing capabilities, over the internet. Instead of purchasing and maintaining their own servers, organisations can use these resources as needed.

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Smit Machchhar gets UAE’s First Class Order of Zayed II

UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed Al-Maktoum present Order of Zayed II, First Class, to Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar, as he and other crew members of Flight 1073 are honoured in Abu Dhabi. Before Machchhar, two Indian diplomats had received the same honour for their contributions to strengthening bilateral relations between India and the UAE. They are former Indian ambassadors Navdeep Singh Suri and Sunjay Sudhir, who were recognised in 2019 and 2025, respectively.

Navdeep Singh Suri, who served as India’s ambassador to the UAE from December 2016 to September 2019, became the first of the two Indian diplomats to receive the First Class Order of Zayed II. Sunjay Sudhir, who served as India’s ambassador to the UAE from November 2021 to September 2025, received the First Class Order of Zayed II on September 17, 2025.

Machchhar’s recognition followed a cockpit attack aboard FlyDubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026.

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UAE President - Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Four new faces join Omar Abdullah’s Cabinet in J&K

The government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Jammu and Kashmir inducted four new faces into the Council of Ministers, including an old hand from Srinagar, Ali Muhammad Sagar, and a female face, Shameema Firdous, taking the total strength of the Cabinet to nine in the Union Territory. The J&K Lieutenant Governor administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Sagar, Ms. Firdous, Mir Saifullah, and Altaf Kaloo at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar. Satish Sharma, an Independent legislator from Jammu province, was dropped from the Cabinet. Mr. Sharma was holding the portfolios of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports, and Science and Technology.

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Four new faces join Omar Abdullah’s Cabinet in J&K

Ms. Firdous, a party loyalist who represents Srinagar’s Habba Kadal constituency, is the second woman Minister in the Cabinet after Sakin Itoo from south Kashmir’s Kulgam. The induction of Mr. Kaloo, a legislator from Pahalgam, gives additional representation to south Kashmir, while Mr. Saifullah, a legislator from Trehgam constituency, is aimed at strengthening the party’s stronghold in north Kashmir.

Under Section 53 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the Council of Ministers in the Union Territory cannot exceed 10% of the 90-member Assembly. For the past two years, Mr. Abdullah had only five Ministers in his Cabinet — two from the Kashmir division and three from the Jammu division, including the Hindu belt of the Jammu division.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, who has been retained, remains the sole Hindu face in the Cabinet. The NC failed to win any seat in the Hindu belt of the Jammu division in the Assembly election.

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Government extends new ESIC amnesty scheme by three months till Dec 31

The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has extended the New Amnesty Scheme, 2025, for three months till December 31, 2026, giving employers and insured persons more time to resolve pending cases. The 'New Amnesty Scheme 2025' is a one-time dispute resolution initiative aimed at reducing the backlog of court cases and promoting compliance under the erstwhile ESI Act. It provides a structured mechanism for employers to resolve legal disputes with ESIC for an out-of-court settlement. The scheme allows settlement of ad-hoc assessments by paying actual contributions and interest, without damages being levied, and withdrawal of cases where employers have already paid dues, subject to payment of 10% of disputed damages.

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Government extends new ESIC amnesty scheme by three months till Dec 31

Court cases filed up to March 31, 2025, are eligible under this scheme, and with the extension, eligible employers and insured persons will have additional time to avail the benefits.

The 'New Amnesty Scheme, 2025' is a practical and employer-friendly route to dispute resolution and supports the government's broader goal of enhancing ease of doing business while upholding the rights of citizens served by ESIC.

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Government notifies National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig & Platform Workers under the Labour Codes

In a landmark step toward ensuring comprehensive social security for India's massive informal workforce, the Ministry of Labour & Employment has notified the official constitution of the National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig & Platform Workers. Established under the statutory framework of the Code on Social Security, these Boards mark a historic shift by integrating digital gig and platform professionals into India's formal welfare architecture. The Boards will be presided over by the Union Minister for Labour & Employment and comprise representatives from Central and State Governments, prominent aggregator companies, employers, civil society organizations, workers' unions and gig & platform Associations. The Boards are mandated to design, monitor, and recommend targeted welfare schemes to bridge the social security gap for millions of gig & platform workers alongside traditional unorganised workers.

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Government notifies National Social Security Board for Unorganised Workers and Gig & Platform Workers under the Labour Codes

The National Social Security Boards shall meet at least thrice a year and shall observe rules of procedure relating to the transaction of business at its meetings, as prescribed by the Central Government.

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Government Introduces Concessional Local Pass for NH Users Living Near Fee Plazas

The Government has introduced a Concessional Local Pass for eligible non-commercial vehicle owners residing within 20 kilometres of a National Highway fee plaza. The annual fee for the concessional Local Pass will be 1,500 rupees for fee plazas located outside municipal or local town area and three thousand rupees for for toll plazas situated within these limits. Under the new provision, eligible non-commercial vehicle owners with a valid and functional FASTag, residing within 20 kilometres range can choose between the existing monthly pass and the concessional Local Pass for commuting through a specific fee plaza. The pass will be valid only for that fee plaza and will not be transferable to any other plazas. The concessional Local Pass will not be available on National Highways or Expressways where toll fee collection is based on a closed user-fee collection system. The rule will come into effect from 1st of next month.

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Museum Ranking 2026: Bihar museum secures top position in Asia, ranks 9th globally

The Bihar Museum in Patna has earned international recognition after securing the ninth position in the World’s 100 Best Museums 2026 list published by travel platform Worth a Journey. The museum has also been ranked the best in Asia, placing Bihar’s rich historical and cultural heritage in the global spotlight. According to the ranking, Bihar Museum is the only Indian institution featured among the 100 museums selected worldwide. Its ninth-place finish puts it among some of the world’s most prominent cultural institutions, highlighting its role in preserving and showcasing India’s heritage. The 2026 list features museums dedicated to art, history, science, technology and open-air collections across different continents. Mexico City’s Museo Nacional de Antropología secured the first position, followed by Spain’s Museo del Prado in second place and Denmark’s Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in third.

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Museum Ranking 2026: Bihar museum secures top position in Asia, ranks 9th globally

Established in Patna, Bihar Museum is a modern state museum that traces the region’s history from the Stone Age to contemporary times. Its collection includes ancient sculptures, coins, manuscripts, archaeological artefacts and regional folk art.

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Uma Kashvi, the Youngest Player In WPL Auction History Signed By Delhi Capitals

Fifteen-year-old Karnataka all-rounder Uma Kashvi became the youngest player to be sold at a WPL auction after Delhi Capitals secured her services for Rs 10 lakh . She broke the record held by Deeya Yadav, who was picked by DC last year at the age of 16. Kashvi is a right-handed batter who also bowls off-spin. She scored 516 runs at an average of 172 in the latest BCCI Women's Under-15 One-Day Tournament, including three centuries and a half-century. According to Sportstar, Kashvi also played for India Under-19 against Sri Lanka Under-19. She took four wickets in three T20 matches and two more in the one-day games.

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Brook makes ODI history with record-fastest double ton

Harry Brook scored the fastest-ever double century in ODI cricket history as England amassed a whopping 429/4 against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi. Brook (202) clinched his maiden double ton in the format off 114 deliveries, surpassing India captain Shubman Gill’s recent feat (117) against the West Indies. Meanwhile, Brook also became the first-ever England batter to score a double ton in the format. The previous highest individual score for England belonged to Ben Stokes (182 against New Zealand in 2023).

The innings will provide a big boost to England as attention turns to next year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027. The team total marked the highest-ever in Men’s ODIs in Pakistan, and is also the fourth-highest score for England in the format.

Coming on the back of a defeat against hosts Pakistan in the ongoing tri-series, England scripted a power-packed effort with the bat.

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FICCI names Sanmar Group Chairman Vijay Sankar President-Elect for 2026-27

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has named The Sanmar Group Chairman Vijay Sankar as its President-Elect for 2026-27. The decision was taken at a meeting of FICCI's National Executive Committee. Sankar, currently the industry's body’s Senior Vice President, will succeed Anant Goenka as President after the conclusion of its Annual General Meeting and Annual Convention on November 18-19, 2026, in New Delhi. Sankar chairs the Chennai-headquartered Sanmar Group, a global industrial conglomerate with interests spanning chemicals, speciality chemicals, engineering, steel foundries and shipping. He is also an independent director on the boards of TVS Motor Company Ltd and Larsen & Toubro Ltd. In addition, he serves as chairman of Chemplast Sanmar Ltd.

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Patrick Stewart, Shakespearean actor turned 'Star Trek' and 'X-Men' star, dies at 86

Patrick Stewart who rose from poverty in England to become an accomplished Shakespearean stage actor and then achieved global stardom as the erudite Captain Jean-Luc Picard in TV’s Star Trek: The Next Generation and the telepathic Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men movies, has died at ​the age of 86. Stewart became an actor at age 18 and gained acclaim on the stage as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company beginning in the 1960s. But it was not until after he was hired at age 47 for Star Trek: The Next Generation - a TV series that ran from 1987 to 1994 as a sequel to ‌the original 1960s Star Trek - that he gained mainstream fame, acting into his 80s. He became a ‌critical part of another big-money franchise starting with the first entry “X-Men” in 2000 and followed by several more.

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SC asks RBI to make banks compensate victims of digital arrest, cyber fraud

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) proposed regulations to tackle digital arrests and cyber fraud must hold financial institutions accountable for the losses suffered by customers due to their failure to exercise due diligence. The court said the proposed framework required banks and other financial institutions to compensate victims in cases where inadequate safeguards or failure to exercise due diligence contributed to the fraud. The compensation should not be less than the amount the customer lost. The Bench called for mandatory safeguards, including temporarily suspending suspicious transactions, automated reporting and physical verification to establish whether a transaction is genuine. The court also discussed measures such as an optional WhatsApp “kill switch”, extended call warnings, and simultaneous alerts to prevent cybercrime.

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PM Modi releases Rs 19,000 crore under 24th instalment of PM-KISAN

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched and laid the foundation stones for sweeping development projects valued at over Rs 14,400 crore in Gujarat's Banaskantha district and celebrated the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. PM Modi also released around Rs 19,000 crore as the 24th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. In Banaskantha, the Prime Minister dedicated the Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Centre (BBBRC) at Bhildi to the nation. Spread over 127 acres, the facility is designed to strengthen bovine breeding, genetic improvement and advanced reproductive technologies. He also laid the foundation stones for two Bio-CNG plants of Banas Dairy at Tharad and Radhanpur, with capacities to process 75 metric tonnes and 100 metric tonnes of cattle dung per day, respectively.

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PM Modi releases Rs 19,000 crore under 24th instalment of PM-KISAN

Among the major infrastructure projects, the prime minister laid the foundation stone for the extension of Ahmedabad Metro Phase-2 to the airport and GIFT City. In the social infrastructure sector, PM Modi laid the foundation stone for 4,030 new child-friendly Anganwadi centres and inaugurated 361 completed centres across Gujarat. The initiative involves an investment of Rs 800 crore and is expected to benefit more than four lakh people. PM Modi also dedicated 521 projects completed under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to the nation.

The Prime Minister flagged off the Ahmedabad (Sabarmati)-Varanasi Express and the Mehsana-Becharaji-Sabarmati MEMU service to strengthen rail connectivity. He will also lay the foundation stone for projects involving the development of Gora-Bhandra Road, an integrated zero-waste smart solid waste management system, Khalwani eco-tourism and integrated development of the Cactus and Butterfly Garden. The celebrations commemorating Sardar Patel's 151st birth anniversary will feature a parade by the Central Armed Police Forces, state police forces and central police organisations.

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Centre approves 3% dearness allowance hike, effective July 1, 2026

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved an additional 3 per cent instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners, effective from July 1, 2026.

With this increase, DA and DR will rise from the existing rate of 60 per cent to 63 per cent of Basic Pay and Pension, respectively. The move aims to compensate employees and pensioners for the impact of rising prices.

According to the government, the combined annual financial impact of the increase on the exchequer will be Rs 10,016.10 crore.

The decision is expected to benefit around 48.54 lakh Central Government employees and 68.71 lakh pensioners.

The increase has been approved in accordance with the accepted formula based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission.

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Prince William’s Earthshot Prize 2026 to Debut in Mumbai

The Earthshot Prize, widely regarded as the world’s most prestigious environmental honour, is making its way to India for its 2026 edition. Founded by Prince William, the global event will host its landmark Awards Night on 17 November 2026 in Mumbai. Sponsored by the Serum Institute of India, the event will see Take That and Shashwat Sachdev share the stage with prominent figures across sports, cinema, and global activism. Among those confirmed to attend are Sachin Tendulkar, Alia Bhatt, Rami Malek, Shreya Ghoshal, Sonam Kapoor, and Simone Ashley. Renowned filmmaker Karan Johar will serve as the host for the night, joining Earthshot Ambassadors Robert Irwin and Nomzamo Mbatha alongside an audience of 5,000 distinguished guests at the Mumbai venue. Marking a major milestone for Indian fans, legendary British pop band Take That will take the stage in India for the very first time in their 35-year history.

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Prince William’s Earthshot Prize 2026 to Debut in Mumbai

At the core of the ceremony remain the 15 Earthshot Finalists, representing solutions ranging from indigenous conservation models and corporate climate strategies to AI-driven tech. During the event, five winners will be announced across five core categories: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate. Each winner will be awarded a £1 million grant to scale their groundbreaking environmental solutions worldwide.

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Almost all shallow-water coral reefs now face extinction risk

Almost all of the world’s shallow-water coral reefs face an extremely high risk of collapse in the next 50 years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has warned in a new global assessment.

In a report , the world authority on threatened wildlife classified 96 percent of the planet’s coral reef systems as “critically endangered”, its highest risk category, with total extinction possible by 2075. The emergence this year of a “super” El Nino, the natural warming phenomenon, also presents a risk to corals, in a conference at the UN’s COP17 biodiversity summit in Yerevan, Armenia. Most of the world’s famous reef systems – including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Coral Triangle in the Western Pacific Ocean and Southeast Asia, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System and the Red Sea coral reefs – are critically endangered, according to the assessment.

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