The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the M. S. A Research Foundation (MSSRF) entered an MoU to work together for livelihood generation among rural, tribal, and farming communities. The MoU was signed by Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, DG, CSIR and Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF. Senior officials from CSIR and representatives of MSSRF witnessed the signing of the MoU.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, DG, CSIR expressed that although CSIR labs disseminate technologies developed in the labs to potential users, the outreach, especially in the societal sector, would be enhanced through joining hands with organizations such as MSSRF, which works at the grassroot level.

Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF stated that the Foundation, in its efforts to reach out to the tribal and vulnerable communities, is seeking select low-cost, affordable and potential technologies and technical support from CSIR laboratories as a technology facilitating partner under this umbrella MoU since the tribals or various other such groups are not able to directly approach CSIR labs due to many inherent reasons such as geographical location, language of communication and lack of required resources.

The Reserve Bank has launched the next round of quarterly order books, inventories and capacity utilisation survey of manufacturing companies, a key input for the monetary policy formulation.

The 65th round of survey is for the reference period January-March 2024 (Q4:2023-24), the central bank said.

The Reserve Bank has been conducting the order books, inventories, and Capacity Utilisation Survey (OBICUS) of the manufacturing sector on a quarterly basis since 2008.

The information collected in the survey includes quantitative data on new orders received during the reference quarter, backlog of orders at the beginning of the quarter, and pending orders at the end of the quarter.

The business and expatriate community in the United Arab Emirates is mourning the loss of prominent Indian businessman and philanthropist Ram Buxani, who passed away in Dubai. Buxani, a stalwart of the Indian business community in the UAE, leaves behind a legacy of entrepreneurial success and charitable contributions.

Buxani passed away in Dubai shortly after midnight on Monday.

Arriving in Dubai in 1959 as an 18-year-old with merely five rupees in his pocket, Buxani’s remarkable journey began as an office clerk at ITL. Through sheer dedication and hard work, he climbed the corporate ladder, eventually becoming chairman of the Cosmos ITL Group in 2014. Under his leadership, the company grew into a billion-dirham enterprise. Beyond his business acumen, Buxani was widely respected for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in support of the Indian expatriate community in the UAE. His generosity extended to educational institutions and various social welfare initiatives.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has shortlisted two of its four trained Gaganyaan astronauts for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in collaboration with United States’ NASA later this year, according to officials in the know of the matter. Only one of the shortlisted astronauts will go on the mission which is supposed to take place “no earlier than October 2024,” according to the information available on NASA website.

The mission will take place “no earlier than October 2024,” according to the information available on NASA website.

The astronauts will have to go to the United States ahead of the mission to train on the specifics of the ISS, said one of the officials quoted above.

Gautam Gambhir, the former India opening batter, has been appointed Rahul Dravid’s successor as the India men’s cricket team’s head coach. Gambhir, in his first international coaching assignment, has been handed a long rope, having been handed charge of the team till the end of 2027.

“Having endured the grind and excelled in various roles throughout his career, I am confident that Gautam is the ideal person to steer Indian cricket forward,” Jay Shah, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, wrote on his personal social media handle on Tuesday.

“His clear vision for Team India, coupled with his vast experience, positions him perfectly to take on this exciting and most sought-after coaching role. The BCCI fully supports him as he embarks on this new journey.”

India will sign a global ‘High Seas Treaty’ - called Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement - that will allow the country to enhance its strategic presence in areas beyond its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Agreement is an international treaty under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. It aims to address the growing concerns over the long-term protection of marine biodiversity in the high seas.

The decision of signing the treaty by India was approved by the Cabinet on July 2.

The Agreement was agreed upon in March 2023 and is open for signature for two years starting September 2023. It will be an international legally binding treaty after it enters into force 120 days after the 60thratification. As of June 2024, 91 countries have signed it, and eight of them have ratified it.

Public art spaces of India are a reflection of our Lok Kala and Lok Sanskriti. When we talk about Public Art, it is very dynamic and is an intersection of past, present, and future. Through it, we can see the amalgamation of different ideas in various art forms like traditional and contemporary. This art form which is freely accessible to the public; attracts not only attention but even thoughts begin to gather as to why this work of art is here, what is its uniqueness, what material it is made up of, and what is the thought of the artist behind this artwork. Making it open to various interesting interpretations. These are the few aspects that make this art very special. It connects the public to the art.

With rapid urbanization, Public Art enhances a sense of distinctiveness and adds aesthetic value to the image of a city. It contributes to the visual quality of the public arena encouraging community pride with a sense of belonging. It uplifts and engages visitors or passers-by’s travel experience by leaving an imprint in their minds. The outreach of Public Art is immense and thought-provoking. It acts as a significant factor in giving visual recognition to a specific place. The public art augments and induces meaning to a public space making it an integral part of the culture and society.

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Divine Retreat Centre of Brahma Kumaris at Haridamada village near Bhubaneswar, Odisha today (July 8, 2024). She also launched a national campaign ‘Lifestyle for Sustainability’ of Brahma Kumaris.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that Mother Nature is full of bounties. Forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, rain, air - all are essential for the survival of living beings. But humans should remember that abundance in nature is for their needs, not for their greed. Human beings are exploiting nature for their indulgence and by doing this, are becoming victims of nature's wrath. She stated that establishing harmony with nature and living nature-friendly life is the need of the hour.

The President said that Indian culture has always emphasized a lifestyle compatible with nature. In our philosophy, the earth has been called mother and the sky has been called father. The river has also been given the title of mother. Water has been called life. We worship rain as Lord Indra and the ocean as Lord Varuna. In our stories, mountains and trees move and animals even talk to each other. This means that nature is not inert, it also has the power of consciousness within it. All these are beautiful thoughts of Indian philosophers for the protection of nature.

The Philippines and Japan boosted their defence ties by signing a reciprocal access agreement (RAA) on Monday, saying they were seeking stability in the region, amid rising tensions with China.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa described the pact, which eases the entry of equipment and troops for combat training and disaster response, as a “landmark achievement”.

The deal is the first of its kind to be signed by Japan in Asia and coincides with a rise in assertive actions Chinese vessels in the disputed South China Sea.

Senior IAS officer Pankaj Agarwal was appointed the chief electoral officer of Haryana on Monday. The Haryana government issued Agarwal's posting orders.

"Pankaj Agarwal (2000 batch officer) has been posted as Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana and Commissioner and Secretary to Government, Elections Department," an official statement said

The Haryana government had on July 4 transferred 12 IAS officers with immediate effect.