Bengaluru-based Narayana Hrudayalaya Limited has received a license from insurance regulator IRDAI to set up its wholly owned subsidiary Narayana Health Insurance Limited. The nod from Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) will allow the healthcare provider to diversify its business into health insurance business through the subsidiary and also offer integrated healthcare.

Headquartered in Bengaluru, Narayana Health is founded by Cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Prasad Shetty.  It operates a network of 21 hospitals, heart centers, primary care facilities across the country, with a strong presence in the southern state of Karnataka and eastern India. 

The Indian economy is estimated to grow by 7.3 per cent in the 2023-24 fiscal against 7.2 per cent a year ago, mainly due to good show by mining and quarrying, manufacturing and certain segments of services sectors.

As per the first advance estimates of national income released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Jan 5 , the manufacturing sector output is estimated to grow to 6.5 per cent in the current fiscal compared to 1.3 per cent in 2022-23.

Similarly, mining sector growth is estimated at 8.1 per cent in the current fiscal against 4.1 per cent in 2022-23.

Financial services, real estate and professional services are estimated to record a growth of 8.9 per cent this fiscal compared to 7.1 per cent in FY23.

According to the statement, the growth in real GDP during 2023-24 is estimated at 7.3 per cent compared to 7.2 per cent in 2022-23.

The NSO estimates are higher than the 7 per cent GDP growth projection of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the current fiscal.

It also said that nominal GDP or GDP at Current Prices in the year 2023-24 is estimated at Rs 296.58 lakh crore against the provisional estimate of GDP for the year 2022-23 of Rs 272.41 lakh crore. The growth in nominal GDP during 2023-24 is estimated at 8.9 per cent compared to 16.1 per cent in 2022-23.

Canada-based Brookfield Asset Management is set to acquire the Indian business of American Tower Corporation (ATC) for an enterprise value of $2 billion. In a press note, the company stated that the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2024.

The telecom tower operator ATC has a portfolio of approximately 78,000 sites across India. This marks Brookfield's third acquisition in the Indian telecommunications space. In 2022, Brookfield acquired a portfolio comprising 5,000 indoor business solution sites and small cell sites.

A resurgent India Women produced a spotless effort to crush Australia by nine wickets in the first T20I and take a vital 1-0 lead in the three-match series in Mumbai on Jan 5.

It was also only the third time Australia lost a T20I by this margin.

Mandhana became only the second Indian batter after skipper Harmanpreet Kaur — and sixth overall in women's T20Is — to have crossed the 3,000-run mark.

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been released from prison on parole and is now at home.

The officials had released the world-famous double-amputee Olympic runner from the Atteridgeville Correctional Center in the South African capital, Pretoria.

Pistorius has served nearly nine years of his 13 years and five months murder sentence for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013. He was approved for parole in November.

Serious offenders in South Africa are eligible for parole after serving at least half their sentence.

Pistorius has maintained that he shot Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, by mistake. He testified that he believed Steenkamp was a dangerous intruder hiding in his bathroom and shot through the door with his licensed 9 mm pistol in self-defense.

Prosecutors said he killed his girlfriend intentionally during a late-night argument.

The much-anticipated schedule of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup is finally out as co-hosts United States of America will take on Canada in Dallas on June 1. The biggest game of the tournament — India versus Pakistan — is set to be played at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York on June 9.

The 20-team 55-game tournament is set to happen over 29 days and eight venues in the United States and West Indies. Teams are divided into four groups. India, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and the USA are in Group A. England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland and Oman are in Group B. While New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda, and Papua New Guinea are in Group C, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands and Nepal will make the Group D. Top two teams from each group with advance to the Super 8s from which the semifinalists will be selected. The final of the tournament is set to be played at Kensington Oval, Barbados on June 29.

After much delay, the Indian Olympic Association has appointed a Chief Executive Officer. The Executive Committee meeting in New Delhi finally agreed to the name of Raghuram Iyer as recommended by the three-member nomination committee. Iyer is expected to assume office on January 15.

The nomination committee comprised of IOA president PT Usha, chairperson of the Athletes’ Commission MC Mary Kom and IOC member in India Nita Ambani. The post of the CEO is crucial to the functioning of the IOA. It is a paid post and almost all day-to-day activities of the IOA will be taken by the CEO.

Iyer had been the CEO of Rajasthan Royals and RPSG Sports. He also worked with ATK Mohun Bagan.

The first person to win the FIFA World Cup as both a player and coach, Mario Zagallo was as instrumental a figure as any in Brazil's rise to prominence as a global football power.

Zagallo, who died on Jan 6  at the age of 92, was the only surviving member of the Brazil team that lifted the 1958 World Cup trophy, the country's first title and one that eased the pain of a traumatic defeat by Uruguay at the Maracana eight years prior.

His legendary teammate Pele died in December 2022.

He won five Rio de Janeiro state championships with Flamengo and Botafogo. He only made his Brazil debut at the age of 26, shortly before the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, but became an integral member of the team, winning 37 caps.