Thailand's Parliament elected Paetongtarn Shinawatra as their youngest Prime Minister, days after her father Thaksin Shinawatra was removed by a court order.
The 37-year-old Shinawatra received 319 votes, which is nearly two-thirds of the house. With this victory, she became the second female to hold the prime ministerial position after her aunt Yingluck Shinawatra.
In April 2023, she was formally nominated as one of the three prime minister candidates, along with Srettha Thavisin -the 30th Prime Minister of Thailand, and Chaikasem Nitisiri -the Minister of Justice in her aunt's cabinet. The brief political journey leaves Paetongtarn with limited to no administrative experience with an elected government position she has never held before. Previously she has been remarked to be inexperienced as she received backlash when she criticised the Bank of Thailand's independence as an "obstacle" to resolving economic problems.
Axis Bank and Visa Launch Exclusive 'PRIMUS' Credit Card for India's Elite
Axis Bank, in partnership with Visa, unveiled the 'Primus' credit card, an ultra-premium offering tailored exclusively for India's ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs). This invite-only card is designed to meet the discerning needs of the wealthy elite, offering unparalleled luxury, exclusivity, and personalised services. With a joining fee of Rs. 5 lakh and an annual fee of Rs. 3 lakh, the Primus card is positioned as a symbol of ultimate prestige.
The launch of the Primus credit card aligns with Axis Bank's strategic focus on premiumization, building on the success of its Burgundy Private offering. By introducing a product that caters specifically to the unique needs of UHNWIs, Axis Bank aims to solidify its position in the ultra-premium segment.
Adani-led Ambuja Cements Completes Acquisition of Penna Cement Industries
Ambuja Cements Limited, a subsidiary of Adani Cement, completed its acquisition of Penna Cement Industries Limited (PCIL). With this acquisition, Penna Cement has officially become a subsidiary of Ambuja Cements, bolstering its capacity and market presence, particularly in southern India and marking a significant milestone in Adani Group's strategic expansion in the cement sector.
Ambuja Cements' board of directors had approved the acquisition of 100 per cent stake in Penna Cement at an enterprise value of Rs. 10,422 crore. This move aligns with Ambuja's ambitious goal of reaching a cement production capacity of 140 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2028, further establishing its position as a leading player in India's cement industry.
Fintech Co Navi Partners with Karnataka Bank to Introduce Credit Line on UPI
Fintech firm Navi announced a partnership with Karnataka Bank to roll out a credit line on UPI product for customers on the platform.
At present, the Sachin Bansal-founded fintech company has introduced the offering to a closed group of select users. It plans to launch it to a wider user base based on feedback.
The announcement came as credit transactions on India's flagship payments platform, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), are reaching Rs. 10,000 crore each month, out of which about Rs. 100 to 200 crore come from the credit line on UPI product.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the petition from wrestler Vinesh Phogat to be awarded a joint silver medal at the Paris Olympics. This move came just a day after the CAS had bought itself more time to decide the fate of Vinesh Phogat's silver medal.
After she was heartbreakingly disqualified from competing in the final of the 50kg weight class for being 100 grams over the permissible limit, Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from sport. But not before deciding to fight for her medal, this time in the court: assisted by the Indian Olympic Association, Vinesh Phogat knocked on the doors of the CAS to be awarded a shared silver medal.
Union Jal Shakti Ministry Launches FloodWatch India 2.0 App
The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, C. R. Patil, launched the 2.0 version of the 'FloodWatch India' mobile app, developed by the Central Water Commission (CWC). This upgraded app provides an enhanced and detailed overview of flood conditions across the country.
The latest version of the app offers real-time flood forecasts from 592 monitoring stations, a significant increase from the 200 stations in the earlier version. It also includes data on the storage positions of 150 major reservoirs, aiding users in understanding potential flood situations in downstream areas.
'FloodWatch India' 2.0 utilises advanced technologies such as satellite data analysis, mathematical modelling, and real-time monitoring. This allows for accurate and timely flood forecasts, helping to mitigate damage to lives and property.
Haryana, Maharashtra, Jammu & Kashmir Election Dates Announced for 2024
Assembly elections for Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir will be held from September 18 to October 1, the Election Commission announced. While polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be held across three phases, Haryana will have one phase. The counting of votes will take place on October 4, 2024. Maharashtra and Jharkhand are the other States that will go to polls this year.
The assembly elections for 90 seats of Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases – September 18, 25 and October 1.
The assembly election in Haryana will be held in single phase on October 1. The results of both the elections will be declared on October 4.
First Defence Minister-led Joint Commanders' Conference to Discuss Security Challenges, Future Warfare
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to address all the top military commanders during the first ever Joint Commanders' Conference planned to be held on September 4-5 in Lucknow.
The conference will be held with the theme "Sashakt aur Surakahit Bharat: Transforming the Armed Forces' (String and Secure India: Transforming the Armed Forces').
The Joint Commanders' Conference led by the Defence Minister would be held every year by the forces, while the Combined Commanders' Conference headed by the Prime Minister would be held every two years.
The last CCC meeting was held in Bhopal in March 2023 and the next one is expected to be held in March 2025.
Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Salseng C. Marak Passes Away
Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Salseng C. Marak passed away aged 83. Marak died due to age-related ailments.
Marak was also known as 'Mr Clean' for his relentless pursuit of a corruption-free and progressive Meghalaya.
He was the Chief Minister of the state from 1993 to 1998, becoming the first leader to serve a full 5–year term without changing party. He became the Chief Minister when the state was going through political instability during the early 1990s, when regional forces were at the forefront of government formations and takedowns.
Marak graduated from Kolkata's Scottish Church College. He was also made the president of Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) in 2003.
He had represented the Resubelpara constituency in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly consecutively from the 1970s till 2008.
The Independence Day of Indonesia (in Indonesian formally known as Hari Ulang Tahun Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia shortened "HUT RI", or simply Hari Kemerdekaan, and colloquially referred by the people as Tujuhbelasan, meaning "the Seventeenth") is a national holiday in Indonesia commemorating the anniversary of Indonesia's proclamation of independence on August 17, 1945. It was made a national holiday by government decree in 1946.
Ceremonies and festivities are held throughout the country to celebrate this national day, including the flag hoisting ceremony conducted nation-wide and at Indonesian diplomatic installations abroad, local community competitions, with patriotic and cultural parades.
Gabon Independence Day
Gabon Independence Day is observed every year on the 17th of August. This day honours the country's independence in 1960. It is a national holiday in Gabon and is celebrated in numerous ways including parades, concerts and fireworks.
Parades feature marching bands, floats, and traditional dancers. Concerts feature a variety of musical genres, from traditional Gabonese music to international pop music.
Gabon Independence Day is an event for all Gabonese people to come together and celebrate the sacrifices of people who gained freedom for the country. It is a day for all the Gabonese people to be proud of their heritage.
India, Israel Join Hands for New Water Technology Centre at IIT Madras (17)
India and Israel joined hands for the establishment of a new water technology centre at IIT-Madras, which is expected to serve as a key contributor to India's efforts to achieve sustainable water supply for all.
The Embassy of Israel in India in its statement termed the deal a "significant milestone" in the ongoing collaboration between the two countries in the field of integrated water resource management.
This tripartite agreement, signed by the Embassy of Israel, IIT Madras, and the AMRUT mission of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, reflects a shared commitment to address the critical challenges of water management in India.
The Center of Water Technology aims to become a hub for innovation, research, and capacity-building in water technologies, particularly focusing on sustainable solutions for urban water supply.
To kickstart this initiative, a capacity-building course on '24/7 Water Supply in Urban Areas' was organised at IIT-Madras.
UGC Introduces New Enrolment Process for ODL and Online Programmes
The University Grants Commission (UGC) unveiled a new enrollment process for students seeking admission to Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and Online Programmes, starting from the academic year 2024-25. This change, effective from September 2024, aims to ensure that students enroll only in approved Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) and to enhance transparency in the admissions process.
UGC Chairman, Professor Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, announced the new procedure, emphasising that it aligns with the UGC (ODL Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, which set the minimum standards for such programmes. He noted that recent issues with unrecognised institutions admitting students prompted the need for a standardised admission procedure to safeguard student interests.
Under the new system, students must register on the UGC-DEB web portal and create a unique DEB-ID using their Academic Bank of Credit (ABC)-ID. This DEB-ID will be mandatory for all students enrolling in recognised ODL and online programmes, except for foreign learners, and will remain valid for their lifetime. HEIs are urged to implement and promote this new admission process efficiently to ensure its successful adoption.
Justice B. R. Gavai Inaugurates Country's First Digital Court for NI Act Cases in Kerala
Supreme Court judge Justice B. R. Gavai inaugurated various digital initiatives at the Kerala High Court.
Justice Gavai inaugurated the country's first exclusive Digital Court for Negotiable Instruments Act Cases in Kollam. Other digital initiatives of the Kerala High Court were: Online Dispute Resolution System, Model Digital Court Room concept, Learning Management System of the Judicial Academy, Digital Library and Research Centre, restoration project of Ram Mohan Palace and the announcement of Digital District Courts.
The Digital Court for Negotiable Instrument Act Cases is an initiative to reduce the pendency of cases under Section 138 of the NI Act of cheque dishonour cases. The idea is to launch '24*7 ON Courts' (Open and Networked) that enable integration, participation and collaboration. This would enable the transferring of requisite documents by the litigants to other agencies. It would enable litigants to track the progress of their cases and thus integrate the whole process.