British novelist and Nobel Prize winner for Literature, Sir V. S. Naipaul died at the age of 85. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001 with an extraordinary career spanning half a century. Overall he wrote more than 30 books, and was one of the first winners of the Booker Prize, now Britain's leading literary award, in 1971 for "In A Free State."
Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) has signed an agreement with Hayre Group Ltd. to operate a Vivanta hotel at Heathrow Airport in London.
The 108-room hotel, to be located across terminals 1,2 and 3 of the Heathrow Airport, is scheduled to be operational in 2021.
IHCL was the first Indian hospitality firm to foray into the U.K. with the iconic St. James' Court hotel in 1982.
Tightening of Credit Standards
A survey conducted by FICCI and Indian Banks' Association (IBA) showed more respondents claiming they had tightened credit standards during January-June 2018.
A total of 22 public sector, private sector and foreign banks participated in the survey, which is conducted twice a year. These banks together represent 64% of the banking industry, as classified by asset size. This round has been conducted at a time when NPAs have shot past the Rs. 10-lakh crore mark and continue to rise.
As per reports, India will launch its second lunar mission on January 3 next year which will land on the moon with a lander and rover.
The Rs 800-crore lunar mission named "Chandrayaan-2" comes over a decade after India went up to the lunar orbit on November 8, 2008 after the "Chandrayaan-1" launch on October 22 onboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket from the spaceport in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
Parker Solar Probe's Journey Begins
NASA launched its ambitious Parker Solar Probe a day later than it was scheduled to after multiple checks exhausted the launch window.
The Parker probe is expected to come within 6.16 million km (3.83 mn miles) of the sun, the closest a spacecraft has ever got to the star.
The mission will last 6 years and 11 months, and in that time the Parker probe will orbit the sun 24 times.
James Anderson became only the second player to take most Test wickets at a single ground. He also became the first player to take 100 wickets at Lord's during day four of the second Test against India.
He joins the elite league of bowlers to take most wickets at a single ground, which is topped by former Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.
President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, that provides for stringent punishment, including death penalty for those convicted of raping girls below the age of 12 years.
The amendment replaces the criminal law amendment ordinance promulgated on April 21 after the rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and another woman in Unnao.
The Act will further amend the Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act, 1872, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
India Hands Over First Lot of Houses
India handed over the first lot of houses built for Indian-origin people in Sri Lanka's tea plantation areas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined a special ceremony through video conference at Dunsinane Estate, Nuwara Eliya to hand over the houses built under the Indian Housing Project in Plantation Areas.
It is the largest Indian assistance project in any country with a grant of over $350 million.
Reservation for Women in Upcoming RPF Recruitment
Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways, announced that there would be 50% reservation for women in the upcoming recruitment of up to 10,000 jawans for Railway Police Force.
This is a bid to increase women employment in Indian Railways.
Indian Railways is one of world's biggest employer with reports estimating the number of employees at around 1.308 million.
+91-85588-96644
