14, Jul 2026
Hockey India Names Squads for Maiden Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship
New Delhi, July 14: Hockey India has announced the squads for the inaugural Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship, selecting a group of talented young players to represent the country in the continental tournament.
The championship will provide an important platform for emerging hockey players to gain international experience and compete against some of the best youth teams from across Asia.
The selected squads were finalised after evaluating players’ performances, skills, and overall potential through national-level competitions and development programmes. Hockey India said the tournament will help identify and nurture future stars of Indian hockey.
With its fast-paced format and focus on skill, speed, and teamwork, Hockey5s has emerged as an exciting version of the sport, attracting growing interest among young athletes worldwide.
Hockey India expressed confidence in the selected players and said their participation in the maiden championship will contribute to the continued growth and development of hockey in the country.
- 0
- By Neel Achary
14, Jul 2026
Sensex Falls Over 560 Points as Geopolitical Tensions Weigh on Markets
Mumbai, July 14: Indian equity markets witnessed a sharp decline on Tuesday, with the BSE Sensex falling more than 560 points and the NSE Nifty slipping below the 24,100 mark amid rising geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
Investor sentiment remained subdued as concerns over escalating regional tensions triggered cautious trading across global and domestic markets. Selling pressure was seen in several key sectors, reflecting increased risk aversion among investors.
Market experts said uncertainty surrounding the geopolitical situation and its potential impact on global crude oil prices and economic stability contributed to the decline in benchmark indices.
Despite the day’s weakness, analysts believe market movements will continue to be influenced by global developments, corporate earnings, and macroeconomic indicators in the coming sessions.
Investors have been advised to remain cautious and focus on long-term investment strategies while closely monitoring international market trends and geopolitical developments.
14, Jul 2026
Long Shadow of Empire: Experts to Examine India–UK Colonial Legacy at New Delhi Dialogue
New Delhi , July 14: As India and the United Kingdom embark on a new chapter in bilateral economic relations following the signing of the India–UK Free Trade Agreement , historians, economists, trade policy experts and legal scholars will come together for a public dialogue titled “Terms of Trade: India, Britain, and the Long Shadow of Empire” on 17 July 2026 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Organised by Urzu Media Solutions Pvt. Ltd., the half-day conference will examine how history continues to shape contemporary trade, economic policy and diplomatic engagement between former colonial powers and post-colonial nations. Bringing together experts from diverse disciplines, the dialogue aims to foster informed, evidence-based discussion on the humanitarian, historical, economic and legal dimensions of India–UK relations in the context of the recently concluded FTA.
While the agreement has largely been discussed in terms of trade, investment and market access, the conference seeks to broaden the conversation by exploring how historical experiences, economic thought and public policy intersect in shaping modern international partnerships. Through expert-led discussions, participants will examine the evolving nature of bilateral relations and consider how history can inform future policymaking.
The conference will feature a distinguished panel of speakers representing economics, trade policy, history and constitutional law:
Dr. Charan Singh is an eminent economist and Founder-CEO of the EGROW Foundation. He has served as Chairman of Punjab & Sind Bank, Senior Economist at the International Monetary Fund, Research Director at the Reserve Bank of India, and faculty member at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. His work spans banking, financial sector reforms, macroeconomics and public policy.
Prof. Abhijit Das is one of India’s foremost international trade policy experts, with more than two decades of experience in WTO negotiations and trade policy. Former Head of the Centre for WTO Studies at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade , he has been part of India’s official delegations to multiple WTO Ministerial Conferences and has authored several books and research publications on international trade and multilateral negotiations.
Prasenjit K. Basu is an economist, author and public policy commentator whose work focuses on macroeconomics, financial markets and long-term economic development. Author of India Reborn and Asia Reborn, he has advised governments, multinational corporations and financial institutions on economic policy and investment strategy.
Prof. Prabhu Mohapatra is a distinguished historian and former Professor and Head of the Department of History at the University of Delhi. Widely recognised for his scholarship on labour history, migration, colonial governance and modern South Asian history, his research has significantly contributed to understanding the socio-economic dimensions of colonial India.
Colin Gonsalves is a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India and Founder of the Human Rights Law Network . One of India’s leading constitutional and human rights lawyers, he has been associated with several landmark cases relating to labour rights, social justice, civil liberties and access to justice.
Chandini Jaswal is a Communications Team Member at the Museum of British Colonialism, a Core Team Member at Karwaan Heritage, India, and a Graduate Associate with the Association for Global Political Thought at Harvard University. Her research and public history work explore the intertwined histories of colonialism, memory, and the Indian subcontinent, with a particular focus on women’s histories in early modern India, visual and material culture, and documented oral histories of the 1947 Partition.
The conference will be conducted as an interactive panel discussion followed by a moderated audience and media question-and-answer session. The event is expected to bring together policymakers, academics, researchers, diplomats, industry representatives, students, civil society organisations and members of the media for a multidisciplinary exchange of ideas.
Attendance is by prior registration and confirmed invitation.
14, Jul 2026
Philips Unite LED brings new energy and seamless collaboration capabilities to government offices with a 135” All In One display solution
The municipal government offices in Leer, Germany, selected the award winning Philips Unite LED 6000 Series All In One display from PPDS to transform their meeting room capabilities. Elevating presentations, council sessions, and hybrid collaboration, the solution delivers a high performance visual experience that takes communication to the next level
Amsterdam, July 14: PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips Professional Displays, is excited to announce that its advanced Philips Unite LED 6000 Series All In One solution has been selected to deliver ‘transformational’ meeting room capabilities and experiences at the upgraded Leer Municipal government offices in Germany.
Leer Municipal – based in the Rathaus – serves as the central administrative hub for the town of Leer, a short drive from the Dutch border in the historic region of East Frisia. It serves as the seat of local government where the mayor and administration oversee key decisions, manage local services, and handle civic matters for the community.
As part of its ongoing focus on improving operational performance and workplace efficiency, the Leer Municipal team set out to modernise its central meeting room with a new visual solution that leverages the latest innovations in display technology and collaboration functionalities. Working with local integrator, LS IT & Media, the requirements were clear: to take presentations, council work, and hybrid meetings to the next level.
Future ready
Concluding extensive fact finding and site visits, the 135” Philips Unite LED 6000 Series All In One display from PPDS was immediately identified as the standout choice to achieve the team’s high expectations and ambitions.
Built for reliability, the Philips Unite LED 6000 Series AIO – which is designed for fast and hassle free installation – was selected, in part, due to its outstanding image quality, reliability, and focus on energy efficiency and business sustainability.
With full HD resolution, 900 cd/m² brightness, and a fine 1.5mm pixel pitch, the display delivers outstanding image quality even in bright environments, with even the smallest details – such as numbers on a spreadsheet – presented with crystal clear quality.
Seamless flexibility, usability, and sustainability
The rich colour depth, wide viewing angles, and durable design offered by the Philips Unite 6000 Series All In One make it particularly well suited for municipal meeting spaces with demanding visual requirements.
The integrated media player, broad connectivity options – including HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, and audio – and the included wall mounting system ensure flexible use and smooth integration into existing setups.
Supporting the Leer Municipal team’s focus on sustainability, the 135” Philips Unite LED 6000 Series AIO has been created with business sustainability in mind, consuming less energy versus comparable models, including just 0.5 watts in ‘ultra low’ standby mode. This feature not only helps in lowering operational costs but also supports sustainability goals by reducing environmental impact and total cost of ownership.
PPDS Partner, LS IT & Media, oversaw the entire process, from planning and component selection through to installation and commissioning, ensuring seamless alignment with the full meeting room solution.
Advanced audio and video conferencing
Providing an unmissable and highly versatile centrepiece, the overall solution also incorporates a professional AVer PTZ camera for hybrid collaboration, two Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling Medium ceiling microphones for comprehensive room audio coverage, a high performance conferencing PC, and Dante audio technology for lossless signal transmission. Together, these elements create a meeting environment that combines exceptional visual performance with advanced audio and video conferencing capabilities.
The installation has added significant value for the city of Leer, including enhanced visibility for all participants, seamless hybrid meeting support, clear voice capture without the need for table microphones, and expanded functionality such as recording and AI powered transcription via tools like tucan.ai.
The modular and scalable AV infrastructure also ensures the system is well prepared for future needs.
Eckhard Groen, a member of the management team at LS IT & Media, commented: “With the Philips 135” Unite LED wall as the visual centrepiece, a modern, high performance meeting room was created that sets new standards for the Leer Municipal committee work.
“The high quality image quality of the Philips Unite LED All In One, combined with professional audio and video technology, enables efficient, transparent, and contemporary council work.”
14, Jul 2026
Europe Heatwave Claims Over 10,000 Lives in a Week, Elderly Most Affected
New Delhi, July 14: An intense heatwave that swept across Europe during the last week of June has claimed more than 10,650 additional lives across 27 countries, raising fresh concerns over the growing impact of extreme weather events.
According to scientific estimates, the excess deaths were recorded between June 22 and June 28, a figure experts say is significantly higher than what is normally expected during this period.
The elderly were the worst affected, with over 9,000 of the deaths reported among people aged 65 years and above. Health experts said older adults are more vulnerable to prolonged exposure to extreme heat, especially those suffering from heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and other chronic health conditions.
The record-breaking temperatures disrupted normal life in several European countries and prompted authorities to issue heat alerts, strengthen emergency health services, and advise people to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun.
Climate experts have warned that the increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves underline the growing impact of climate change, highlighting the need for stronger preparedness and public health measures to protect vulnerable populations during extreme weather events.
14, Jul 2026
Rungta Tea Brings Business Coach CA Rahul Malodia to Train 250 Trade Partners on Profitability
New Delhi, July 14: Rungta Tea Private Limited recently hosted a virtual training session, bringing together 250 stakeholders from across its distributor network, retail partners, and internal team for a three-hour capability-building programme led by CA Rahul Malodia, a business coach and chartered accountant known for his work with small and mid-sized enterprises. The session, titled Business Mein Profit Kaise Badhaayein, focused on practical approaches to improving profitability and building more structured, less owner-dependent business operations.
Rahul Malodia is widely recognised for his Vyapari to CEO framework, a transformation model that trains business owners to move from hands-on, transaction-by-transaction management toward a more strategic leadership approach. The framework addresses four core areas of business operation, including building independent teams that do not require constant owner supervision, strengthening cash flow and financial discipline, structuring sales and marketing processes rather than relying on individual relationships, and shifting the underlying mindset from daily firefighting to long-term planning.
For Rungta Tea, the session forms part of a broader effort to invest in the commercial capability of the network that carries its brand to market. Many of the company’s distributor and retail partners operate as small, family-run businesses themselves, and the training was designed to give them practical tools to manage their operations more efficiently, independent of the specific product categories they deal in. Internal stakeholders from Rungta Tea also took part, reflecting the company’s view that the principles of structured growth apply equally within its own organisation.
“Our distributors and retailers are not just business partners, they are family-run enterprises navigating the same challenges we once did. Bringing in a coach of CA Rahul Malodia’s calibre was a deliberate decision. If a session can give even a handful of our partners the tools to run their businesses with more structure and less daily firefighting, the impact will far outlast the four hours we spent together.”— Girjesh Rungta, Founder and Managing Director, Rungta Tea
The session included four hours of live training, access to future live sessions, lifetime access to a community of participants, more than three business e-books, and a live question and answer segment, giving attendees both immediate learning and continued access to resources beyond the day of the session.
Rungta Tea has built its multi-state presence across North and East India over 25 years on a distribution model rooted in long-term trade relationships. The decision to sponsor a dedicated training session for its partner network reflects the same underlying philosophy that has shaped its expansion to date, that the strength of the brand is tied directly to the strength and capability of the people who represent it in the market.
14, Jul 2026
India Joins Global Shift Towards Higher Ethanol-Blended Fuel
New Delhi, July 14: India is among several countries accelerating the adoption of higher ethanol-blended fuels, with the transition to E20 emerging as a key step towards enhancing energy security, reducing fuel imports, and promoting cleaner transportation.
Several nations across the world have increased ethanol blending in petrol as part of their efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and support sustainable energy goals. India’s move towards E20 aligns with this global trend and reflects its commitment to expanding the use of renewable fuels.
Experts believe that higher ethanol blending offers multiple benefits, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, improved energy independence, and increased demand for agricultural produce used in ethanol production, providing additional income opportunities for farmers.
The transition is also expected to strengthen India’s biofuel ecosystem by encouraging investments in ethanol production, fuel infrastructure, and compatible vehicle technologies.
As countries continue to adopt cleaner energy solutions, India’s E20 programme is expected to play a significant role in supporting the nation’s long-term energy transition while contributing to global sustainability efforts.
14, Jul 2026
Google Deepens AI Push in India with New Tools and Strategic Partnerships
New Delhi, July 14: Google has announced a series of new artificial intelligence (AI) tools and strategic partnerships to accelerate AI adoption and innovation across India, reinforcing its commitment to the country’s rapidly growing digital ecosystem.
The technology giant said the new initiatives are aimed at empowering developers, startups, businesses, researchers, and students with advanced AI capabilities. The partnerships will focus on expanding access to AI technologies, promoting responsible AI development, and supporting the creation of innovative solutions for real-world challenges.
Google noted that the initiatives will help strengthen AI applications across key sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, financial services, and public administration, enabling organisations to improve productivity and deliver better digital services.
The company also plans to work closely with industry partners, academic institutions, and the startup ecosystem to enhance AI research, encourage skill development, and prepare a future-ready workforce equipped with emerging technologies.
The latest announcements underscore Google’s long-term commitment to India’s digital transformation and are expected to boost innovation, create new opportunities for entrepreneurs and developers, and further position India as a leading global hub for artificial intelligence.
14, Jul 2026
MRF Secures a Place Among the World’s Top 3 Strongest Tyre Brands While Retaining Its Position as India’s Most Valuable & Strongest Tyre Brand
Brand Finance India 100 – 2026 report places MRF among the nation’s most valuable and strongest tyre brands and in the Global Tyres 2026 ranking confirms MRF in the world’s Top 3 strongest tyre brands
CHENNAI, July 14 –MRF Tyres, India’s largest tyre manufacturer, has been ranked as India’s Most Valuable and Strongest Tyre Brand, also features as the 3rdStrongest Tyre Brand in the World and among the Top 50 most valuable brands in India across all industries – from Automobiles, Hospitality, Banking. Foods, Oil and Gas categories – in the Brand Finance India 100- 2026 report, launched on 13 July 2026 at a landmark event held at The Taj Mahal Palace & Towers, Mumbai. The report, unveiled under the theme “Powering India’s Global Ascent,” recognises the country’s most influential and valuable brands, with the combined value of the Top 100 crossing USD 236.5 billion this year.
The recognition caps a defining year for the brand. In Brand Finance’s dedicated global Tyres 25- 2026 report, MRF was named amongst the TOP 3 strongest tyre brand in the world, with a Brand Strength Index score of 87.7 out of 100. In India, MRF continues to stand unmatched as the country’s Most Valuable and Strongest Tyre Brand, a position built on decades of consumer trust, product performance and engineering excellence.
“This recognition belongs to every Indian who has trusted MRF. To be named as India ‘s Most Valuable and Strongest Tyre Brand in India, amongst India’s Top 50 brands across all sectors, and among the world’s Top 3 Strongest tyre brands, is both an honour and a responsibility. It reaffirms our commitment to safety, innovation and the everyday journeys of millions of families and businesses across the country,”said Mr. K. M. Mammen, Chairman and Managing Director MRF Tyres Chennai.
Brand Finance’s methodology, grounded in international standards (ISO 10668 and ISO 20671), evaluates brands on both financial brand value and brand strength – assessing consumer trust, familiarity, reputation, marketing investment and business performance. MRF’s strong showing was attributed to its expansive distribution network, deep OEM relationships, Brand Reputation built over the years with World class Products, Involvement with Cricket and motorsport pedigree, and consistently high recall and loyalty among consumers.
14, Jul 2026
India’s Financial Sector Sees Strong Investor Interest as BFSI Deals Rise 58 pc
New Delhi, July 14: India’s Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector witnessed a significant rise in deal activity during the second quarter of 2026, with the total deal value increasing by 58 per cent to $3.2 billion.
The growth highlights the growing confidence of investors in India’s financial ecosystem, driven by digital transformation, technology adoption, and the expanding reach of financial services.
Companies in the BFSI space continued to attract investments through strategic partnerships, mergers, acquisitions, and expansion initiatives aimed at strengthening their capabilities and market presence.
Experts said the surge in deal value reflects the sector’s strong fundamentals and the increasing role of innovation and digital solutions in reshaping banking and financial services.
With continued growth in digital banking, fintech adoption, and financial inclusion, India’s BFSI sector is expected to remain an attractive destination for investors in the coming years.
