Blog - The Purbottar

10 Jul

Assam CM urges Assam youth to learn new technologies

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged the youth of the state to actively embrace emerging technologies and become key contributors to India’s future development. Addressing a large gathering during the closing ceremony of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Goreswar College in Tamulpur, the Chief Minister said that the new generation must equip themselves with modern skills to take advantage of the country’s evolving technological landscape. In his speech, Sarma underlined the need for educational institutions to not only serve as traditional centers of learning but also act as engines of socio-economic progress for the communities they are part…

10 Jul

Britain Leads Europe with Balanced Approach to AI Oversight

Mohini BarmanUK

The United Kingdom has unveiled a new regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, aimed at promoting innovation while ensuring public safety. Rather than introducing a single AI law, the UK will allow individual regulatory bodies—such as those in healthcare, finance, and education—to tailor rules according to sectoral needs. The move is being closely watched by countries including India and the U.S., where AI regulation is still in discussion. British officials say the plan will help both local startups and international companies feel confident about deploying AI solutions. With global concerns about job loss and misinformation driven by AI, the UK's decentralized…

09 Jul

Union Bank of India shares downturn 6% as lender sees weakest loan growth in four quarters

editorBusiness, News

Shares of Union Bank of India fell nearly 6% to a low of ₹141.54 per share after the state-run bank shared its business updates for the April-June quarter of FY2025-26. The bank has witnessed the lowest loan growth in four quarters. The total global business of this public sector bank stood at ₹22.14 lakh crore, up 5.01% to ₹22.14 lakh crore from ₹22.08 lakh crore in Q1 FY2024. Sequentially, it has witnessed a decline of 1.80%. On the deposit front, the total global deposits of Union Bank grew 3.63% year-on-year to ₹12.39 lakh crore in Q1 FY2026. However, it declined…

09 Jul

OnePlus declares the launch of OnePlus Nord 5 Series

Business BureauBusiness

OnePlus is set to launch three new products—OnePlus Nord 5, OnePlus Nord CE5, and OnePlus Buds 4—on July 8, 2025, at 2 PM IST, continuing its push to deliver flagship-level performance at accessible prices. The devices will be available for purchase starting July 9 and July 12. The OnePlus Nord 5 debuts with the powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset and Cryo-Velocity VC cooling, promising peak mobile gaming with up to 144fps gameplay. It also features a dual 50MP Ultra-Clear camera setup with 4K video recording on both front and rear, mirroring high-end flagship performance. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Nord CE5…

09 Jul

Aviva Life Insurance bags ‘Product of the Year 2025’ in two key categories

Business BureauBusiness

Aviva Life Insurance has won the prestigious Product of the Year 2025 title in two significant categories—Life Insurance – Retirement Income and Life Insurance – ULIP. The recognition came following a nationwide consumer survey conducted by NielsenIQ for the 17th edition of Product of the Year India. The awarded products—Aviva Signature Increasing Income Plan and Aviva Signature Investment Plan—were voted as the most innovative in their segments. Asit Rath, CEO & MD, Aviva India, called the win a “powerful validation” of the company’s customer-centric product design. Raj Arora, CEO of Product of the Year India, highlighted that Aviva stood out…

09 Jul

Bangladesh Expands Metro Rail Network in Dhaka

Mohini BarmanBangladesh

Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka has inaugurated the extension of its Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6, connecting Motijheel to Kamalapur. This extension is expected to serve more than 60,000 daily commuters and reduce traffic congestion significantly. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina emphasized the importance of modern urban infrastructure in keeping pace with economic growth. The project is part of a broader plan to build five metro lines across Dhaka by 2030, funded in part by Japanese assistance. Given Dhaka’s demographic and urban challenges, Indian cities such as Kolkata and Guwahati—which face similar congestion issues—may draw valuable insights from Bangladesh’s metro rail planning.

09 Jul

Negligence won’t be tolerated: Nagaon DC warns govt employees after surprise visits

editorAssam

On Tuesday morning, Nagaon District Commissioner Debashish Sarma made unexpected trips to a number of Nagaon district offices. Sarma examined the offices of the District Inspector of Schools, the Deputy Inspector of Schools of the District Primary Education Department, and the Superintendent Engineer of the Public Works Department during the visits. He also confiscated the attendance records of the officials and other staff members working in those offices. Sarma was disappointed by how few officials and staff were present in these offices. He underlined that it is intolerable for public servants and authorities to neglect their responsibilities, particularly when the…

09 Jul

HP launches affordable AI-powered OmniBook laptops in India

Business BureauBusiness

HP today announced the launch of its most affordable next-generation AI PCs in India, unveiling the HP OmniBook 5 and OmniBook 3 series. Aimed at students, professionals, and everyday users, the new laptops are packed with cutting-edge AI capabilities including a dedicated NPU capable of 45–50 trillion operations per second (TOPS), promising seamless responsiveness and efficiency. The HP OmniBook 5, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus processors, boasts the world’s longest battery life in an ultra-slim design — up to 34 hours. Meanwhile, the OmniBook 3 series is equipped with AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors and offers robust AI-powered collaboration…

09 Jul

Canada Battles Record Wildfire Season in British Columbia

Mohini BarmanCanada

Canada’s British Columbia is grappling with one of its worst wildfire seasons on record, as more than 150 active fires threaten homes and ecosystems. Thousands have been evacuated, with emergency crews working around the clock. The dry weather, combined with unusually high temperatures, has created a perfect storm for the rapid spread of fires. Canadian authorities have requested assistance from neighboring provinces and even international partners. The country’s wildfire management agencies are also using satellite monitoring and drone surveillance to predict hotspots. South Asian countries like Nepal and India, which also face increasing wildfire threats in hilly and forested regions,…

09 Jul

All 6 Sikkim districts shine in 2023–24 SDG index

Sonakshi SarkarSikkim

Sikkim has emerged as a regional leader in sustainable development, with all six of its districts securing the prestigious ‘Front Runner’ status in the North Eastern Region District Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index 2023–24. The state now stands among the best-performing states in the Northeast, alongside Mizoram and Tripura, showcasing a balanced and inclusive approach to development. The index, released on July 7 by NITI Aayog in collaboration with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), evaluates the performance of districts across 16 thematic SDG areas, including health, education, gender equality,…