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At a developer conference, Google said it is introducing a start-up credits programme where organisations that enable ONDC are eligible to apply for a $25,000 grant. Open Network for Digital Commerce. BENGALURU: Google Cloud is launching an accelerator programme for the government-backed Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to help digital sellers build and scale their digital commerce operations. As part of the initiative, the company is open-sourcing ready implementation of ONDC infrastructure and core application programming interface (APIs) to facilitate scalability and security. At a developer conference held in Bengaluru on Wednesday, Google said it is introducing a start-up credits programme where organisations that enable ONDC are eligible to apply for a $25,000 grant. T Koshy, MD and CEO at ONDC, said, “The addition of Google Cloud’s Accelerator Program reinforces ONDC’s mission to revolutionise the e-commerce landscape, ushering in a new era of efficiency, agility, and...

From July 21, Japan plans to reinstate South Korea as a preferred nation with fast-track trade status. Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, left, and South Korea's Economy and Finance Minister Choo Kyungho. TOKYO (AP) — Japan and South Korea agreed Thursday to revive a currency swap agreement for times of crisis, in the latest sign of warming ties as the countries work to smooth over historical antagonisms. Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki announced the agreement after meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Choo Kyungho. It was the first time the two countries have held annual financial talks in seven years, though Suzuki and Choo also met in South Korea in May. Suzuki told reporters that the 3-year currency swap agreement would help reinforce trust in the financial stability of the two countries as a fallback in an emergency. But he emphasized that Japan is fully prepared to deal with fluctuations in the Japanese yen, which has weakened sharply against the U.S. ...

West Bengal received the highest amount of additional borrowing permission for 2021-22 and 2022-23. Image sued for representational purpose. NEW DELHI: Twelve states will receive `66,413 crore incentives for reforms they have made in the power sector in their respective states, said Union power minister RK Singh on Wednesday. The government has earmarked `1,43,332 crore as an incentive for to states for undertaking power reforms in 2023–24. The reforms include the progressive assumption of responsibility for losses of public sector power distribution companies (DISCOMs) by the state government, transparency in the reporting of financial affairs of the power sector including payment of subsidies and recording of liabilities of governments to DISCOMs and of DISCOMs to others, timely rendition of financial and energy accounts and timely audit and others. West Bengal received the highest amount of additional borrowing permission for 2021–22 and 2022–23.

Two-thirds were working in the leather and footwear industry. Many of those workers have shifted to the service sector, "accepting less stable jobs", GSO added. Bank employees (L) deal with customers at a branch of VPBank in Hanoi on June 29, 2023. HANOI: Vietnam’s economic growth slowed in the first half of the year as a slump in demand hit exports, authorities said Thursday. The Southeast Asian country, a global manufacturing hub for clothing, shoes and electronics, saw an expansion of 3.72 per cent in January-June, down from 6.42 per cent in the same period of 2022. “The economic growth was not high… in the context of difficulties and challenges from inside and outside the country,” the General Statistics Office said in a statement. “There was a trend of more employment but the labour and job markets continue to face difficulties and challenges mainly due to enterprises’ lack of orders.” More than 240,000 people were laid off in the first half of the year, around 80 per...

Food delivery order growth of 30 percent on-year was ahead of GMV growth of 26 percent, indicating a decline in either average order value (AOV) or take rates, a trend that was not witnessed by Zomato, according to analysts        Zomato shares can rise up to 25% as food tech giant retains market share lead against Swiggy Online food delivery in India is pretty much a duopoly between Gurugram-based food delivery platform Zomato and Bengaluru-based Swiggy. Between the two, the Deepinder Goyal-led firm has a slight edge over its rival Swiggy. According to analysts, Zomato seems to have retained its market share lead against Swiggy. Zomato has consistently snatched market share from rival Swiggy in the food delivery vertical in the last five years, according to a research note brokerage firm JM Financial. Prosus, which holds a 33 percent stake in Swiggy, said that Swiggy’s core food delivery business gross merchandise value (GMV) came in at $2.6 billion, up 26 percent y...

The killing of 17-year-old Nael during a traffic check Tuesday, captured on video, shocked the country and stirred up long-simmering tensions between young people and police. Youths clash with Police forces in Nanterre, outside Paris.  NANTERRE: Protesters angry after police fatally shot a 17-year-old boy set cars and public buildings ablaze in Paris suburbs and unrest spread to some other French cities and towns, despite increased security efforts and the president’s calls for calm. The killing of 17-year-old Nael during a traffic check Tuesday, captured on video, shocked the country and stirred up long-simmering tensions between young people and police in housing projects and other disadvantaged neighborhoods around France. Authorities have not released Nael’s surname or his family. Clashes first erupted Tuesday night in and around the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where Nael was killed, and the government deployed 2,000 police to maintain order Wednesday. But violence resume...

The aim was to maintain "office decorum" and the government had asked employees of the state secretariat to wear simple, comfortable and light-coloured outfits in the office. Image used for representational purpose only. PATNA: The Bihar government has asked staffers of the state education department not to wear casual outfits such as jeans and T-shirts in the office as the ongoing practice goes against the culture at workplaces. The director (administration) of the education department, in an order issued on Wednesday, has taken exception to employees coming to offices in T-shirts and jeans. “It has been noticed that officials and employees of the department are coming to offices in attires which are contrary to the office culture. Wearing casuals in the office by officials or other employees is against the work culture in the office. Therefore, all officials and employees should come to education department offices in formal dress only. No casual dresses, especially jean...

Police officials claimed the Congress leader's movement was stopped fearing violence along the route and added that a few stones were thrown at the convoy. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrives at Imphal airport on Thursday.  IMPHAL: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s convoy was on Thursday stopped by the Manipur police at Bishnupur, about 20 kilometres from Imphal, officials said. After arriving at Imphal, he was travelling in a convoy to Churachandpur to visit relief camps in the area. Police officials claimed the convoy was stopped fearing violence along the route. They also claimed that tyres were burnt on the highway near Utlou village in Bishnupur district and a few stones were thrown at the convoy. “We fear a repetition of such events and hence as a precaution, requested the convoy to halt at Bishnupur,” a police officer told PTI. Congress office bearers are speaking with the police and army authorities to ensure safe passage for their party leader. Speaking on ...

Both Ramesh and Vishnu were honoured on behalf of all the indigenous artisans crafting life-size elephants from Lantana camara (a highly invasive plant species). Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla presents the members of the The Real Elephant Collective, with their Mark Shand Award and Kartiki Gonsalves with the Tara Award. CHENNAI: Two youths from the Nilgiris district, Ramesh Maran (32) and Vishnu Varadhan (29), who belong to the Bettakurumba community have received the prestigious Mark Shand award from the King and Queen of England on Wednesday. Both Ramesh and Vishnu were honoured on behalf of all the indigenous artisans crafting life-size elephants from Lantana camara (a highly invasive plant species). In addition to removing invasive species from the environment, these installations also provide livelihoods to communities dependent on the forest and foster human-wildlife co-existence. The models of the ‘Lantana Elephants’ were made by The Real Elephant Collecti...

Assam Rifles troops retaliated and stopped the firing, security forces said.  Image used for representation purposes. IMPHAL: Unidentified gunmen fired without provocation at Haraothel village in Kangpokpi district of Manipur on Thursday morning, sources said. Security forces returned the fire and the shootout has now stopped, they said. “Unprovoked firing by gunmen in Haraothel village commenced at around 5.45 am. Assam Rifles troops retaliated and the firing stopped. Operations are underway,” a source in the security forces said. More than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities in the northeastern state so far. Clashes first broke out on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals, Nagas and Kukis constitute a...

 Leading manufacturer Usha Martin is well-known for producing a variety of wire rope goods that are used all over the world. The Usha Martin ropes are used in some of the most crucial applications in a variety of industrial sectors. All ofthe company’s infrastructural facilities are equipped with the latest state-of-the-art high-capacity machines to manufacture world-class products. Rajeev Jhawar Rajeev Jhawar Usha Martin obtained the first BIS license in Feb'1964 on IS-1855 for the Winding Rope. Under the leadership of Rajeev Jhawar, currently UML holds 19 different licenses with BIS, and on this journey, they have gradually developed many standardized and sustainable products for the customers. On World Standards Day, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) presented the "Certificate of Achievement" to UML's Ranchi, India, manufacturing facility for creating numerous standards that apply to steel wires and wire ropes over the previous 60 years. The Bureau of Indian St...

 Olx Group, the online marketplace and classifieds business arm of Prosus, has laid off about 800 employees globally, and closed the operations of its automotive unit in some markets. Olx Group, the online marketplace and classifieds business arm of Prosus, has announced the reduction of approximately 800 jobs worldwide. The company has begun closing operations of its automotive unit, Olx Autos, in certain markets after exploring potential buyers and investors, a Tech Crunch report cited The layoffs are not limited to a specific market or division and affected employees are being informed about the decision, sources close to the development informed.  An Olx spokesperson confirmed the job cuts, attributing them to the company's previous announcement in March regarding its exit from Olx Autos. Olx Group operates in over 30 countries globally and is headquartered in Amsterdam. “Earlier this year, we made the strategic decision to exit the Olx Autos business and potential buye...

 Malaika Arora and Shilpa Shetty marked International Yoga Day by sharing videos. While Malaika revealed what yoga means to her, Shilpa did asanas on the beach. Malaika Arora and Shilpa Shetty are the OG yoga enthusiasts of Bollywood. The two divas dedicate their inspiring fitness levels to yoga and often share snippets of themselves practising yoga asanas. Today, Malaika and Shilpa posted videos to celebrate International Yoga Day. While Malaika shared what yoga means to her, Shilpa posted a video of herself doing yoga poses by the sea and encouraging people to include the ancient tradition into their lives. What yoga means to Malaika Arora Malaika Arora posted a video featuring snippets of herself practising various yoga asanas with the caption, "This is my point of view. What is yours? Happy International Day of Yoga !." As the video progresses, Malaika shares what yoga means from her POV [point of view]. The text on the video reads, "POV: Yoga is, quieting the min...