The Ministry of External Affairs celebrated Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Day under India's SCO chairmanship and also released a postage stamp to commemorate the occasion here on Thursday. An event was organised to mark the day in which Ambassadors of SCO Member States, observers and dialogue partners took part. MEA Secretary (ER), Dammu Ravi and Secretary (Posts) and Chairperson of Postal Service Board, Vineet Pandey, launched the commemorative postage stamp.

Last week, after she drove the state transport bus from Saswad to Nira, a distance of about 35 km, Archana Atram (30) became the first woman driver in the history of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). Although the MSRTC had been reserving seats for women for all posts, including drivers, for a long time, they would remain vacant and later get allotted to male job seekers.

Atram is among six women drivers who have joined the MSRTC staff last week. She hails from a village in Kinwat taluka in Nanded district.

Russia’s No. 2 lender VTB on Thursday said it would increase the number of countries to which retail clients can send money to 25 from 11, with India and Turkey the key, new destinations.

VTB was particularly hard hit by sweeping Western sanctions, cut off from transactions in major global currencies and blocked from the international SWIFT payments system soon after Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

“The key destinations in the outlook of this year will be India and Turkey, with whom our country has established partnership relations and where the tourist flow is now directed,” said Deputy President-Chairman of VTB’s management board Anatoly Pechatnikov.

Panaji (Goa) [India], June 14: In a remarkable achievement, the Goa Institute of Management (GIM) has been recognized as a 'pioneering' school in the prestigious Positive Impact Rating 2023 Report. The latest report evaluates business schools based on their commitment to responsible and sustainable practices, with GIM emerging as one of the top-ranking institutions globally.

In the world of greed, where even the smallest act can have far-reaching consequences, author Alekhya Talapatra presents a captivating story in his remarkable novel, "The Art of Plunder." With its suspenseful and thrilling narrative, this book takes readers on a gripping journey through the lives of its main characters and the events that shape their destinies. Talapatra's clever storytelling draws readers deep into the storyline, immersing them in a world filled with suspense and intrigue.

Vaishno Devi devotees will now get a "speedy delivery" of prasad boxes to their homes through the DTDC courier service, officials here said on Wednesday.

Acting on a suggestion by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has partnered with courier service DTDC Express Limited to expedite the delivery of prasad boxes, they added.

Uttar Pradesh Government is all set to celebrate the 9th International Yoga Day on a grand note. As per the government's directive, schools across the state will reopen during the summer vacation on June 21 for one day, wherein students of primary and secondary schools in the state will participate in various yoga activities, an official release from the government said on Wednesday.
Besides practising Yoga, children will also be provided with sweets, fruits, and clean drinking water on the occasion. Moreover, various educational competitions will be organized for children on this day and the top 3 winners of the competitions will also be rewarded, said the officials.

The World Bank (WB) launched its first dedicated road safety project in South Asia with a USD 358 million financing agreement signed in Dhaka with the government of Bangladesh on Wednesday. The project seeks to improve road safety and reduce fatalities and injuries from road crashes in selected cities, high-risk highways, and district roads. 

Two national highways of Bangladesh, Gazipur-Elenga (N4) and Natore-Nawabganj (N6), will be taken up for the implementation of this project. The project will pilot comprehensive road safety measures, including improved engineering designs, signage and marking, pedestrian facilities, speed enforcement, and emergency care. These measures will help reduce road traffic deaths by more than 30 percent on these two highways.

India is participating at the Annecy International Animation Festival (AIAF) for the first time this year in France. An Indian delegation led by the Secretary, Information and Broadcasting Apurva Chandra with eminent personalities of the animation industry have been showcasing India's prowess in creating animation and VFX content for global audiences at the AIAF.  India has lately emerged as a preferred destination of VFX and animation content for global production houses.

Speaking about India's participation,  Mr.  Chandra said, the Animation, Gaming, Visual Effects, and Comics (AVGC) Sector in India is making progress with the adoption of world-class techniques and innovative technologies, coupled with a pool of immensely talented professionals.  He said India is one of the few countries providing cash incentives to foreign companies for making AVGC content in India.

The third and final working group on W-20 began today at Mahabalipuram near Chennai. The first session was on the road to achieving sustainable development goals, the intersection between women’s health gender equality social and economic development.

Addressing the participants, Andrea Wojner, country representative UNFPA-India said that around the world 270 million people are without family planning, and there was a need to prevent maternal deaths. She said that early marriage and mutilation in female bodies raised concerns. She wanted that governments should come forward to address them.