Provident Financial News

By Chirag Nangia

In this digital age, credit cards have become an indispensable financial tool as they offer convenience, security, and various rewards and benefits. However, most people tend to ignore some of the key features of credit cards. One essential feature that often goes unnoticed is the interest-free period — a grace period during which cardholders can make purchases without incurring any interest.

Meitei community people living in Mizoram have been strengthened following an appeal by a former militants’ organisation in the state (Mizoram). “In anticipation of a possible development of tension which could threaten the security of Meiteis living in Aizawl, due to the public outrage against the recent viral video of two tribal Kuki-Zo community women brutally assaulted in Manipur, security arrangement is made to ensure safety of Meiteis in Aizawl,” the order said. Peace Accord MNF Returnees' Association (PAMRA) appealed to the Meitei community from Manipur living in Mizoram to leave the state for their safety as the situation got tense due to ethnic violence in Manipur.

Luke Bryan and his wife Caroline Bryan's property in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida is up for sale. Earlier in December 2022, the beach house was initially listed for $18 million. However, the price was cut down to $16 million in February this year.

Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL), a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited. He was previously appointed as Deputy CEO of HZL in November 2019 and elevated to CEO & Whole-Time Director from August 2020. Since June 2022, Mr.

New Delhi: The COP28 UAE Presidency and the International Energy Agency (IEA) convened the first in a series of high-level dialogues in the run-up to COP28 around building a 1.5°C-aligned energy transition. The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and will be supported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The dialogues are intended to build consensus on 1.5°C-compatible energy transition pathways and the enabling conditions needed to achieve them, as well as momentum around the target energy outcomes for COP28.

Cocaine Sharks" delves into an intriguing theory that suggests sharks off the coast of Florida might be ingesting drugs discarded by smugglers in the ocean. The documentary follows the expedition of a marine biologist and an environmental scientist as they conduct experiments on sharks in Florida. Local fishermen have reported witnessing peculiar behavior among the fish in the area, piquing the curiosity of the scientific community.

BRICS Urbanisation Forum that was inaugurated in New Delhi in February 2013 will have its first in-person follow-up in the South African city of Durban next week. During the two-day gathering that begins on July 26, the delegates from the five-nation BRICS bloc will discuss some of the key urban developmental issues to understand how globally cities are becoming more resilient towards these challenges.

artificial intelligence (AI) which has permeated all sectors, should create affordances against misuse because human values and individual privacy are of paramount importance, Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said here on Saturday. Contending that «new technology cannot exist in a vacuum» and hence has to be made benign with safeguards for affable use, the CJI said technology should facilitate reliable use without causing any trepidation among the people about the possible breach of their personal liberty. «Social media has allowed us to connect with people, removing barriers of age and nationality.

Megan Rapinoe, the trailblazing soccer superstar, recently achieved a remarkable milestone, earning her 200th cap for the United States women's national team. In a thrilling 3-0 victory against Vietnam at the Women's World Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, Rapinoe added another accolade to her illustrious career. Let's delve into the journey of this iconic athlete, known not only for her exceptional skills on the field but also for her fierce advocacy for equality and inclusion.

₹1.08 trillion on Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) or rail safety-related works during 2017-18 to 2021-22. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, “RRSK was created in 2017-18 for execution of assessed safety works with a corpus of ₹1 trillion over a period of five years. The projects taken up under this fund relate to track renewal, bridges, signalling, rolling stock, training and amenities for safety critical staff.

BRICS nations will consider at their summit next month is the establishment of long-term payment systems for cross-border commerce, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. «Given the current international situation, this issue will be addressed during the upcoming meeting of the bloc's leaders,» the ministry said on Friday, referring to the summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on August 22-24, RT reported. The use of national currencies in cross-border commerce is hindered, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, by things like their restricted convertibility and higher volatility than the US dollar.

3M, the global firm found that 80 per cent of Indian respondents believe that shortage of 'skilled' trade workers in the country could have a negative economic impact, and lead to decline in overall quality of life and neglected public infrastructure. Skilled trade workers include electricians, carpenters, plumbers, steamfitters, pipefitters, welders, heavy equipment operators and painters. The State of Science Index-2023, released by the American multinational, it also found that 85 per cent of respondents said shortage of skilled trade workers was on account of parents discouraging children from pursuing opportunities in the sector. «Eighty per cent believe there is a negative stigma around being a skilled trade worker,» the SOSI-2023 said referring to the findings of the survey in India. This survey was conducted in 17-countries during September to December last year among 1,000 general population consumers in each country. It explored the future of science and captures sentiment related to STEM equity, skilled trades, sustainability, health and future innovation. «Eighty per cent of the respondents say that if the country cannot find a solution to this shortage soon, there could be consequences such as negative economic impact, decline in overall quality of life, safety risks, neglected public infrastructure and supply chain challenges,» it said.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at the previous regime under the United Progressive Alliance government, saying while it destroyed the banking sector with “scams" his dispensation has restored good financial health, with India now known for the sector’s strength. Addressing a Rozgar Mela after giving appointment letters to over 70,000 recruits virtually, PM Modi said a large number of them have been employed in the banking sector as he highlighted how it was “destroyed“ under the previous dispensation before his government took corrective measures. “Today, India is among the countries whose banking sector is considered to be the strongest," said he said while recalling the journey of the last nine years.

New Delhi: In a significant move towards green energy growth and transition, India is set to achieve 50 percent non-fossil installed capacity by 2030, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday. Virtually addressing the G20 energy ministers via meeting, PM Modi highlighted the importance of energy in shaping the future, sustainability, growth, and development of both individuals and nations. He expressed that despite different realities and pathways for energy transition, the ultimate goal of every country remains the same.

Education Policy, 2020, which aims to introduce education in multiple languages. CBSE Director (Academic), Joseph Emmanuel, highlighted the importance of this initiative and suggested that Indian languages listed in Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution could be used as mediums of instruction from the foundational stage up to the end of secondary education (from pre-primary classes to class 12), in addition to the existing options.  The board emphasised the need for schools to collaborate and pool available resources to effectively implement multilingual education.

Ambikapur in Chattisgarh faced a pressing challenge in plastic waste management, with over 2 lakh people uncertain about the proper disposal of plastic waste. Additionally, public facilities like roads lacked adequate funding. To tackle these issues, municipal officials devised a brilliant plan.

We spoke to Kirti Seth, CEO of IT/ITES Sector Skills Council, Nasscom, to understand how the skilling ecosystem is shaping up to meet this challenge. The question that often arises for professionals looking at tech jobs is where can they get access to the right quality of skilling programmes that are demand-led and that can enable practical job readiness.The tech skilling opportunities Industry has been investing a lot in upskilling and internal training, especially in the IT/ITeS sector. Apart from that, there are many government programmes for skilling, in the ITeS area. Today, there are also more collaborations among industry and the skilling ecosystems. One such skilling option is through the Future Skills Prime Platform, which outlines different pathways for job roles based on detailed competency frameworks.

eInfochips, a global product engineering and digital transformation services player, says it now offers a full set of innovative solutions for the future in India. According to a statement, the company's constant push on the boundaries of technology has led to an innovative, non-invasive incontinence monitoring and detection device.

Healthcare focussed venture capital firm W Health Ventures recently invested $30 million in Healthcare Venture Studio 2070 Health. The studio will invest in 15-20 start-ups in the health tech space over the next four to five years. 2070 Health will help founders test, launch, and iterate their ideas.

«Barbie» showcases the iconic Mattel doll's pink-themed universe, while «Oppenheimer» delves into the story of the architect behind the atomic bomb. Despite their distinct themes, the two films have become intertwined in a conjoined hype cycle, resulting in a surge in ticket sales. AMC Entertainment reported that over 40,000 people purchased tickets for a double feature of both films, amounting to five hours of movie viewing. Although the films are expected to perform well, «Barbie» is projected to outshine «Oppenheimer» at the box office. Analysts predict that «Barbie» has the potential to rake in an impressive $158 million in the United States and Canada through the opening weekend. On the other hand, «Oppenheimer» is estimated to bring in approximately half of that amount, around $50 million in domestic sales. Warner Bros., the studio behind «Barbie,» cautiously tempered expectations, suggesting a more conservative estimate of around $75 million.