NATIONAL NEWS
India 9th most valuable nation brand in the world; US, China lead the list
Even though India slipped by one spot, it was still ranked one of the 10 most valuable nation brands in the world. Brand Finance's annual Nation Brands report measures nations' brands based on the country's image and the economy as a whole.
- India was ranked 8th in last year's report but slipped by a spot to the 9th rank. Despite its brand value rising 5% from last year, India has slipped one rank for the second consecutive year. India's brand value was $2,046 billion in 2017 and has increased to $2,159 billion in 2018.
- Topping the list and maintaining its lead is US with a brand value of $25,899 billion which rose by 23% from last year. Following US is China in the second spot with a brand value of $12,779 billion.
India, Japan, U.S. plan joint air exercise, Cope India
India, Japan and the U.S. are set to elevate the bilateral ‘Cope India’ air exercise to a trilateral format. The three countries already conduct naval war games under the expanded Malabar naval exercise.
- This elevation of the air exercise is similar to the Malabar naval exercise. Malabar began in 1992 as a bilateral naval exercise between India and the U.S. and has over time grown in scope and complexity. In 2015, it was expanded into a trilateral format with the inclusion of Japan.
India's first domestic cruise Angria started between Mumbai and Goa
Union minister for shipping Nitin Gadkari and Mahrashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis flagged-off India’s first luxury cruise ship, "Angriya" which will operate between Mumbai and Goa. The commercial operations will begin from October 24.
- Named after the first Maratha Navy Admiral Kanhoji Angre and the Angria bank coral reef near Vijaydurg, the luxury ship has 104 rooms.
- It can accommodate 399 passengers and will have 67 crew members including hospitality and marine crew. The ticket price ranges from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 depending on the room category with breakfast, dinner and snacks thrown in.
President Kovind inaugurates three-day 'Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan'
President Ram Nath Kovind arrived at Nashik to inaugurate the three-day “Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan” at Mangi Tungi in Satana taluka, about 125 kilometres from Nashik.
- After inaugurating the “Vishwa Shanti Ahimsa Sammelan”, organised by the Bhagwan Rishabhdev Murti Nirmaan Samiti, Kovind will present the first international “Bhagwan Rishabhdev Award” to Teerthanker Mahaveer University, based in Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh.
Nasscom, Dubai Internet City sign MoU to attract Indian enterprises
The National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Internet City (DIC) to facilitate expansion of Indian businesses in the Middle East.
- The agreement, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, is aimed at attracting Indian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Panel recommends UNCITRAL model for cross-border insolvency
A committee to look into amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) recommended the adoption of the UNCITRAL Model Law of Cross Border Insolvency to deal with cross-border insolvency issues.
- The Insolvency Law Committee constituted by the Corporate Affairs Ministry also recommended some changes to ensure there was no inconsistency between the domestic insolvency framework and the proposed cross-border insolvency framework. The committee submitted its report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
- The UNCITRAL model law, which is adopted in as many as 44 countries, focuses on authorising and encouraging cooperation and coordination between jurisdictions, rather than attempting the unification of substantive insolvency law.
India to host global meet on maternal, child health in Dec: UNICEF
India will be the global host of UNICEF's Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health stakeholders meeting, including participation from nearly hundred countries, this December.
- The Forum will be hosted by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH).
Paytm launches ‘PayPay’ mobile wallet in Japan in JV with SoftBank, Yahoo Japan
Paytm has launched a QR-based smartphone payment settlement service in Japan in collaboration with SoftBank and Yahoo Japan Corporation.
- Paytm had formed a joint venture called ‘PayPay’ corporation with SoftBank and Yahoo Japan, and its first offering is a smartphone-based settlement service that allows users to store money from a bank account in their “PayPay” wallet and make payments with it. Paytm said it is built around its QRtech which it has deployed in India to allow customers to make offline payments.
- In addition, for sellers and establishments, “PayPay” will not charge any fee for user scan type settlement till the end of September 2021.
Varanasi: PM Modi inaugurates 36th Indian Carpets Expo
The 36th edition of India Carpet Expo, organised by Carpet Export Promotion Council at Trade facilitation Center and Craft Museum, Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) was inaugurated by Narandra Modi, Prime Minister through video conferencing at Amphitheatre near the museum.
- The ongoing expo, which is organised under the aegis of Government of India focuses on the highly labour intensive 'Indian handmade carpet industry' and, aims to provide employment to about 20 lakhs workers/ artisans especially women directly or indirectly in the rural areas.
- With the participation of over 305 exhibitors, India Carpet Expo is one of the largest handmade carpet fairs in Asia with a unique platform for the buyers to source the best floor coverings under one roof.
BANKING & FINANCE
SBI launches its first "Wealth Hub" in Mangaluru
The nation’s largest bank, State Bank of India launched its wealth business services by opening “SBI Wealth Hub” at the Lalbagh branch in Mangaluru. The wealth hub was inaugurated by SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar.
- SBI is the first PSU bank in the country to introduce comprehensive wealth business services for its clients. The bank has re-branded its wealth business as “SBI Wealth” offering best-in-class personalised banking and investment services to its elite High Net worth Individual (HNI) clients through a dedicated team of relationship managers.
- SBI Wealth has presence in 20 major centres with a network of 90 Wealth Hubs in the country. It is targeting to take its wealth business service to 50 centresby 2020.
- The bank has also launched Wealth Business services for NRIs and is in the process of setting of a state-of-the-art global e-Wealth centre at Kochi.
SPORTS
Denmark Open: Top-seeded Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan defeats Saina Nehwal in women's singles final
In Badminton, a valiant Saina Nehwal went down fighting to world number one Tai Tzu Ying in the 2018 Denmark Open final match.
- Saina last defeated Tai Tzu in 2013. This year, world number 10 Saina has lost all her four matches against Tai Tzu before this final, the last being the semifinal clash in the Asian Games in Jakarta in August.
Kimi Raikkonen wins US Grand Prix
Kimi Raikkonen won the United States Grand Prix, his first Formula One victory since 2013, from Ferrari put on hold Lewis Hamilton’s bid for a fifth career championship.
- Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished second while Hamilton finished third.
Marc Marquez wins 2018 MotoGP World Champion At Japanese GP
Marc Marquez won the hard-fought battle with Andrea Dovizioso at Motegi to win Japanese Grand Prix. With this win, Repsol Honda rider Marquez clinched his seventh World Title and fifth Premier Class Title equaling the record of Mike Dohan.
- The 25-year-old Spaniard is now only behind Valentino Rossi(7 titles) and Giacomo Agostini(8 titles) in the Premier Class.
Barca Trashes Reports Of Re-Signing Neymar
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu clarified that the club has no plans of signing the Paris Saint Germain striker Neymar again. The French club had bought Neymar in August of 2017 paying a world record €222 million. He was part of the fearsome attacking troika along with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.
Sri Lankan Spinner Herath To Retire After First England Test
Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath, the most successful left-arm spinner in test history, will retire after the series opener against England in Galle next month.
- Herath has taken 430 wickets in 92 tests and is 10th on the list of most successful bowlers in the five-day format. He has 34 five-wicket hauls and has taken 10 wickets or more on nine occasions.
APPOINTMENTS
Suresh Nambath appointed as the next Editor of 'The Hindu'
The Board of Directors of The Hindu Publishing Group unanimously appointed Suresh Nambath as Editor of The Hindu with effect from March 1, 2019. He will succeed Mukund Padmanabhan, who has been Editor of the newspaper from March 2016.
- Over the past 22 years, Mr. Nambath has engaged himself in various aspects of bringing out an iconic newspaper, which is now 140 years old. He has played a coordinating and leadership role on the news as well as editorial and opinion sides.
AWARDS
US-based Dalit Writer Sujatha Gidla Wins Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize
A New York subway conductor’s story of growing up in a Dalit community in India won the Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize 2018. Fifty-five-year-old Sujatha Gidla’s electrifying debut, Ants Among Elephant: An Untouchable Family And The Making Of Modern India, published by HarperCollins India, beat five other titles in the shortlist to claim the prestigious award.
- Instituted in memory of editor Shakti Bhatt, the prize honours first-time writers for an outstanding work of fiction or non-fiction. The winner receives a cash award of Rs2 lakh and a trophy.
Haryana girl wins Miss Deaf Asia crown
Haryana girl Nishtha Dudeja has proved that disability cannot come in the way of success. She has won the 18th Miss Deaf Asia 2018 title at an international pageant held in Prague recently. She is the first Indian to have won any title at the Miss Deaf World Pageant.
- She is the brand ambassador for Sivantos India Pvt Ltd. (Formerly Siemens hearing Instruments Pvt Ltd.), the world’s leading brand of hearing aids.
BOOKS & AUTHORS
Statistician Vijayan Bala comes up with new book
Veteran commentator and cricket statistican Vijayan Bala has come up with his new book "Indian Sports: Conversations and Reflections", a compilation of interviews of eminent sportspersons he has conducted since 1971.
- Bala has earlier published a book on Statistics called 'Indian Test Cricket back in 1974'. In 2016, he authored a second book "The Complete Indian Sports Quiz" inaugurated by sports minister Rathore.
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