The Seventh Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly will be inaugurated at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today. The ISA Assembly will deliberate on initiatives of International Solar Alliance, ISA that impact energy access, security and traditions with a focus on empowering member countries to adopt solar energy and mobilise finance to speed up solar deployment. The seventh session of the International Solar Alliance is going to be held under the presidency of India and co-presidency of France.

Ministers, mission heads, and delegates from 120 Member and Signatory Countries, along with partner organisations and stakeholders, will come together in the Assembly. During this three-day assembly, the major Focus will be on the initiatives to improve energy access, security, and transition. At this assembly, the fulcrum of the discussions will be the means and modes that will be adopted to accelerate solar deployment across Member Countries, especially in regions with limited energy access. Additionally, updates on ISA’s flagship initiatives for entrepreneurs, skill enhancement and capacity building, mobilising finance, and advocacy for solar as energy as a choice will be presented.

State Bank of India (SBI) on Saturday said it has appointed Debasish Mishra as the Chief General Manager of its New Delhi Circle.

The appointment is effective November 1, 2024, SBI said in a statement.

He replaces Kalpesh K Avasia who recently retired.

Mishra brings a wealth of experience across credit, operations, forex, IT, HR, and MSME sectors, both in India and overseas, it said.

SBI's New Delhi circle comprises over 1,700 branches.

Vipin Kumar, an IAS officer from the 1996 Bihar cadre, has officially assumed the role of Chairman at the Airports Authority of India (AAI) today. Before his appointment to AAI, Kumar served as Additional Secretary in the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, where he oversaw key initiatives such as the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, National Education Policy-2020, and the PM-SHRI Scheme. He has also held several prominent roles in Bihar, including District Magistrate across multiple districts, Chairman of Bihar Bridge Construction Corporation, Managing Director of Bihar Milk Cooperative Federation (SUDHA), and Director of the Mid-Day Scheme in Bihar.

With a background in Electronics & Communication Engineering, Kumar brings both technical and administrative expertise to his new role at AAI. His leadership is expected to support the organization’s goals of expanding world-class airport infrastructure, enhancing air navigation services, and improving passenger amenities nationwide. His focus will align with the Prime Minister’s vision of “Viksit Bharat-2047,” propelling the Indian aviation sector forward.

Amitabh Bachchan recently felicitated Chiranjeevi at the ANR National Awards 2024. The award instituted by the Akkineni International Foundation annually honours artists for their lifetime contribution to cinema. While praising Chiranjeevi, Amitabh Bachchan expressed his gratitude towards him and the Telugu film industry.

During the heartfelt on-stage moment, Chiranjeevi touched Amitabh Bachchan's feet after he presented the award to him. The latter also gave an emotional speech on late Tekugu actor-producer Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Telugu cinema.

The organisers of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) are proud to announce that PKL has been honoured with the prestigious 'Best Sports League of the Year' award at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Sports Business Awards 2024.

The award ceremony was held as part of the CII Score Card 2024 event in New Delhi on Friday, October 18, coinciding with the launch of the PKL's 11th season.

The CII Sports Business Awards, a pioneering initiative, recognises excellence and innovation in the sports business sector. The Pro Kabaddi League's win in this highly competitive category highlights its impact on the Indian sports landscape and its role in the growth of kabaddi as a sport.

A passionate conservation scientist of global repute from Assam Bibhab Kumar Talukdar has been conferred 'The Harry Messel Award' for Conservation Leadership by the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The award was presented to him on Friday at the 5th IUCN SSC Leaders' Meeting that is underway in Abu Dhabi. About 300 conservation experts have come together in the IUCN SSC meeting to tackle the intertwined crises of biodiversity and climate change.

The award has been presented for Talukdar's contribution to species Conservation on the ground and through leadership, as part of the work of the Species Survival Commission.

The country’s first ‘Writer’s village’ was jointly inaugurated by former President Ram Nath Kovind, Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (retd) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami here on Friday.

Located in Thano village, about 24 km from Dehradun, the ‘Writer’s village’ is the brainchild of former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, a distinguished writer himself.

He claims that in this village, writers will get a calm and creative environment necessary for the creation of their works.

On this occasion, during the three-day International Literature, Culture and Art Festival ‘Sparsh Himalaya Mahotsav-2024’, the first work of Writer’s village, ‘Ram in the Himalayas’, written by Nishank, was also released.

State Bank of India (SBI) was recognised as the Best Bank in India for 2024 by Global Finance Magazine of the US at its 31st Annual Best Bank Awards event held during the sidelines of Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank in Washington.

SBI Chairman CS Setty received the award in recognition of the bank's unwavering commitment to providing exceptional services and promoting financial inclusion nationwide by winning the trust of its customers, the bank said in a statement.

For decades, Global Finance's Best Bank Awards have set the trusted standard for evaluating the world's financial institutions, making them invaluable to corporate decision-makers, especially as the global economy faces significant challenges.

In a sweeping cyberattack that has compromised key telecommunications networks, a sophisticated breach, allegedly linked to the Chinese group "Salt Typhoon," has hit American infrastructure — even reaching the presidential campaigns of both major parties. National security experts are now racing to assess the scope and implications of this unprecedented hack.

"Salt Typhoon," a codename assigned by Microsoft for a group of Chinese cyber operatives, has reportedly infiltrated major American telecom companies, including Verizon, according to a report by The New York Times. The group is suspected of employing advanced techniques to access systems that may house valuable intelligence on high-profile targets, notably staff members connected to former President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. The breach has stirred alarm among national security officials as it posses potential vulnerabilities within critical US infrastructure.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Monday simultaneously launched two Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) 'Adamya' and 'Akshar', with over 60% indigenous content, built by Goa Shipyard Ltd. (GSL).

The ICG in a statement said, "These advanced FPVs will help ICG protect offshore assets and island territories, with their primary role of protection, monitoring, control and surveillance."

The vessels are part of the contract signed with GSL for eight such FPVs to be built at a cost of Rs 473 crore.