The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) and Israel's Finance Ministry successfully completed the proof of concept phase for a digital Israeli Bond traded on a dedicated blockchain platform, the TASE announced on Tuesday. The development positions Israel to release the world's first digital government bond.

The collaboration between the TASE and the Finance Ministry's Office of the Accountant General "marks a significant milestone in revolutionizing the settlement and issuance processes in traditional capital markets," the TASE said.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), one of the leading oil manufacturing companies (OMC) has launched pilot study on vehicles using E27 fuel and ethanol-blended diesel fuel.

Under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, HPCL becomes the first OMC in India to initiate such a research program, in line with the ‘Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India by 2025,’ which aims to promote the adoption of ethanol blending in petrol.

The first loss default guarantee (FLDG) programme which allows fintech companies in India to form partnerships with banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) has been approved by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Previously, the RBI had expressed openness to the concept of FLDG in its digital lending Guidelines. However, this is the first explicit approval of such a product by the banking regulator. The RBI has set a cap on the FLDG amount, limiting it to 5 per cent of the total loan value.

According to the RBI circular, the FLDG programme helps banks and NBFCs mitigate potential losses and gain confidence in fintech companies' understanding of credit risk. Under this programme, fintech's assist in recovering losses incurred when customers default on payments.

New Delhi on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Amazon Kisan to combine strengths and create synergy between the two organizations for guiding the farmers on scientific cultivation of different crops for optimum yield and income.

"ICAR will provide technological backstopping to the farmers through Amazon's network. It will improve farmers' livelihood and boost crop yield. This MoU in farmer's partnership with Amazon Kisan program will help ensure access to high-quality fresh produce for consumers across India, including through Amazon Fresh," an official statement said.

On the occasion, Dr Himanshu Pathak, Secretary DARE and Director General ICAR highlighted the present scenario of Indian agriculture and emphasized secondary agriculture for better remuneration for the farmers.

In a significant development, “KISAN SAMPARK ABHIYAN” in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has reached out to more than two lakh farmers, with just seven rounds completed so far.

The programme, which still has 12 more rounds to go till the 31st of August 2023, has sprung a surprising number of farmers who are converging at the venues to listen and watch what is going to be the most pragmatic programme ever envisaged in agriculture and allied sectors not only in the Union Territory but in the whole of the country.

Trawling operations by mechanised boats along the Kerala coast will come to a standstill with the 52-day ban on fishing activities taking effect from midnight tonight. The ban will remain in force till the 31st of next month, July.

More than 4000 fishing boats operating from the State's harbours will cease fishing activities during the ban period. Traditional inboard fishing boats have been exempted from the purview of the ban. The State government has instructed fishing vessels from other States to leave the Kerala coast before midnight.

Round-the-clock control rooms have been set up in coastal districts. The fishers will be provided free rations during the ban period.

The Government has spent 450 crore rupees in the current Olympic cycle on training, equipment, and facilities so far and it will provide more assistance if needed to ensure India makes a new record in the Paris Olympics 2024.

This was stated by Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur while addressing a function organised in New Delhi yesterday, June 8, to send off the Indian contingent of 198 athletes to the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2023 to be held in Berlin this month, June. He said, India has given the best-ever performance at the last Olympics, Paralympics, and Commonwealth Games with improvements in facilities.

The DARPG and Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh with Knowledge Partner CGG, Hyderabad jointly released the first District Good Governance Index of Arunachal Pradesh on 8th June 2023.

DGGI Arunachal Pradesh was designed and developed after extensive consultations with 7 rounds of meetings between DARPG, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh, District officials and other stakeholders.

The Districts of Arunachal Pradesh have been ranked Division-wise as East, West and Central Divisions.

The DGGI represents Next Generation Administrative Reform in Benchmarking Governance at District level. The index benchmarks governance in all the 25 districts of Arunachal Pradesh on 136 data points under 65 indicators spread across 8 sectors. It is uniform tool across Districts of Arunachal Pradesh to assess the status of governance and impact of various interventions taken up by the Central and State Governments. It is expected to provide guidance to the State Government and the District administration in their efforts to address existing gaps, plan to bridge these gaps and aid as decision making tool. The rankings bring healthy competition amongst districts in their quest to provide citizen centric administration and good governance.

India finished on top of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup with an overhaul haul of 15 medals, including six gold, six silver and three bronze medals, here on Thursday.

In a commendable achievement, India have now finished on top of all the ISSF Junior World Cups and World Championships held since 2019.

Veteran theatre actor-director Farrokh Mehta died in his sleep early Thursday morning. He was 91 years old.

He is survived by his wife – a noted Marathi film and theatre director-actor Vijaya Mehta, daughter Anahita Uberoi – last seen in web series Rocket Boys, and Vijaya’s sons from her first marriage, Ravi and Deven Khote.

“His spirit and curiosity were such that he was probably the youngest member of our family,” said Anahita, adding that Farrokh was a really positive and forward-thinking person, with an amazing sense of humour. Anahita and her father were due to give a virtual talk on ‘English Theatre in Mumbai’ next weekend. “I am going to do it for him.”