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  • Shekhar Kapur Hails A. R. Rahman’s Music Recording for ‘Masoom: The Next Generation’

    June 22: Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has expressed enthusiasm over composer A. R. Rahman recording a track for the upcoming film project “Masoom: The Next Generation.”

    The collaboration has generated strong interest within the film industry, bringing together two of India’s most celebrated creative talents. Rahman’s involvement is expected to add significant musical depth and emotional resonance to the project’s soundtrack.

    Shekhar Kapur shared his excitement about the development, noting the creative synergy and artistic vision behind the music recording. He highlighted the importance of the composition in shaping the film’s overall narrative tone.

    Masoom: The Next Generation is positioned as a continuation of the legacy of the original film, with anticipation building around its music and storytelling. The association with A. R. Rahman has further elevated expectations for the project among audiences.

    Industry observers say the collaboration reflects a meeting of strong cinematic and musical sensibilities, both known for their global recognition and artistic impact.

    Further details regarding the film’s production timeline and music release are awaited.

     

  • AI, Robotics to Strengthen Human–Machine Understanding

    June 22: Experts have highlighted that advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics are expected to significantly deepen human–machine interaction, leading to more intuitive, efficient, and collaborative systems across industries.

    According to specialists in emerging technologies, rapid progress in AI-driven automation, machine learning, and robotics is enabling machines to better interpret human behaviour, respond to complex instructions, and adapt to dynamic environments. This evolution is expected to improve productivity and decision-making across multiple sectors.

    Industry observers note that AI and robotics are increasingly being integrated into healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, education, and services, where they are enhancing operational efficiency and supporting human workers rather than replacing them.

    Experts further suggest that continued innovation in natural language processing, computer vision, and autonomous systems will play a key role in improving communication between humans and machines, making interactions more seamless and context-aware.

    The growing convergence of AI and robotics is also expected to open new opportunities for skill development and job creation in advanced technology domains, while encouraging responsible and ethical deployment of automation systems.

    However, specialists also emphasize the importance of developing strong regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines to ensure safe and transparent use of these technologies as they become more deeply integrated into everyday life.

    The overall outlook suggests that the future of AI and robotics will be defined by closer collaboration between humans and machines, reshaping industries and redefining how people work and interact with technology.

  • Odisha CM Announces 40% Hike in Welfare Assistance for Lawyers

    Bhubaneswar, June 22 (UDN): In a major relief for the legal fraternity, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved a 40 per cent increase in financial assistance provided under the Odisha State Advocates’ Welfare Fund.

    News In Pics

    Representational image

    According to a release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the enhanced assistance will be extended to practicing advocates upon retirement and to their family members in the event of the advocate’s death.

    The decision is expected to benefit thousands of lawyers practicing in courts across the state. The previous revision in the welfare assistance amount was carried out in 2021.

    Under the revised provisions, the family of an advocate with up to five years of practice will receive ₹1.05 lakh in the event of the lawyer’s death. The financial assistance will increase progressively with each additional year of legal practice.

    Advocates with 30 years of service will now be eligible for a maximum assistance of ₹6.30 lakh upon retirement. In case of their demise, the same amount will be provided to their next of kin.

    The enhancement in welfare assistance is aimed at strengthening the social security framework for advocates and providing greater financial support to lawyers and their families in recognition of their contribution to the justice delivery system.

  • EU Expresses Concern Over Growing Chinese Presence in Spain’s Strategic Ports: Report

    June 22: The European Union is reportedly concerned over China’s expanding economic and logistical footprint in key Spanish ports, amid broader debates on strategic infrastructure control and supply chain security across Europe.

    According to a recent report, increasing Chinese investment and operational involvement in port infrastructure has raised questions among European policymakers regarding long-term strategic implications for critical trade gateways in the region.

    The developments come as European economies reassess the role of foreign investment in essential infrastructure, particularly assets linked to shipping, logistics, and international trade routes. Concerns have been raised about potential dependencies and the influence of external stakeholders in strategically important locations.

    Spain’s ports play a vital role in Europe’s maritime trade network, serving as key entry and exit points for goods moving between Europe, Asia, and other global markets. Any shifts in control or influence over such infrastructure are being closely monitored by EU authorities.

    Officials are reportedly evaluating regulatory frameworks and security considerations to ensure that foreign participation in critical infrastructure aligns with the bloc’s economic and strategic interests.

    While investment in port infrastructure is seen as important for modernization and efficiency, the balance between openness to foreign capital and safeguarding strategic autonomy remains a key policy discussion within the EU.

    The report highlights ongoing geopolitical and economic tensions surrounding global infrastructure investment and the increasing scrutiny of cross-border strategic assets.

  • Odisha Disburses April–May Pensions to Over 17.6 Lakh Beneficiaries

    Bhubaneswar, June 22: The Government of Odisha has released pensions for the months of April and May to over 17.6 lakh beneficiaries, covering nearly 91.5% of eligible recipients under various social security schemes.

    According to Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Minister Nityananda Gond, a total of 17,60,435 beneficiaries out of 19,22,525 have received their pension amounts directly into their bank accounts.

    The beneficiaries include senior citizens, widows, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups covered under multiple welfare programmes aimed at providing financial support and social security assistance.

    The Minister stated that the remaining beneficiaries will receive their pending payments once banking and technical processes are completed. He added that the government is working to ensure that all eligible recipients are covered without further delay.

    The state government has also initiated the process for June pension disbursement and reiterated its commitment to ensuring timely and uninterrupted payments going forward.

    Officials noted that minor delays had occurred due to technical issues in the payment system, but corrective measures are being implemented to streamline future disbursements.

    The initiative reflects the government’s continued focus on welfare delivery and financial support for vulnerable sections of society.

     

  • Metro Brands Ltd. Strengthens Leadership Team; Appoints Atul Sinha as President for Core Business

    June 22: Metro Brands Ltd., one of India’s footwear retailers, today announced the appointment of Atul Sinha as President – Core Business.

    Metro Brands Ltd. Appoints Atul Sinha as President - Core Business

    Sinha brings over two decades of leadership experience across retail, consumer goods and brand management, with deep expertise in sales, merchandising, category management, marketing and business strategy. He has a proven track record of building and scaling consumer businesses, driving profitable growth and delivering superior customer experiences across omnichannel environments.

    In his new role as President – Core Business at Metro Brands Ltd., Sinha will lead the strategy and growth of the company’s Metro and Mochi Shoe stores. He will focus on strengthening brand equity, deepening consumer engagement and driving operational excellence across channels for this division.

    Commenting on the appointment, Nissan Joseph, CEO, Metro Brands Ltd. said,

     “Atul brings a unique blend of expertise across brand building, merchandising, retail operations and customer experience. Having successfully scaled large consumer businesses and led transformation across multiple functions, he will play a key role in sharpening the execution and positioning of our Metro and Mochi banners, accelerating performance and advancing our consumer proposition across the portfolio.”

    Sharing his thoughts on the new role, Atul Sinha, President – Core Business, Metro Brands Ltd. said,

    Metro Brands Ltd.’s strong brand legacy and deep understanding of the Indian consumer have created a solid foundation for long-term growth. I look forward to partnering with the team to further strengthen the core business, elevate consumer experiences and unlock new growth opportunities across markets and channels.”

    Prior to joining Metro Brands Ltd., Sinha served as Chief Operating Officer at CaratLane, where he oversaw key functions including sales, merchandising, category management, marketing and international business. Earlier, he held leadership roles across category management, marketing and sales at Hindustan Unilever Limited. Sinha holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

     
  • Prosper AI raises $30M from Andreessen Horowitz to scale the first AI platform to run the entire patient journey

    Working across 150,000 healthcare providers, Prosper AI is the first platform built to combine patient scheduling, insurance verification, and patient billing while coordinating voice interactions with both patients and insurers.

    NEW YORK, US – June 22: Prosper AI, the leading AI platform to run the entire patient journey, today announced a $30 million Series A financing led by Andreessen Horowitz (“a16z”), with participation from Base10 and continued support from Emergence Capital, Y Combinator, and Company Ventures

    The financing follows a period of rapid adoption and market acceleration. Since its last funding announcement six months ago, Prosper AI has grown revenue 5x, added more than 40 healthcare organizations as customers, expanded across more than 150,000 healthcare providers, and become the platform powering more than $1.3 billion in patient care. Today, Prosper AI wins 80% of competitive evaluations.

    Providers increasingly recognize that scheduling is only the first step in the patient journey. As healthcare organizations look to automate insurance verification, and patient billing alongside scheduling, Prosper AI is emerging as the platform of choice to power financially cleared appointments.Today, Prosper AI’s customers span some of healthcare’s most influential organizations, including PE-backed outpatient groups such as Preferred Dermatology, health systems such as Jackson Memorial Hospital—the second-largest hospital in Florida—and healthcare technology leaders such as Athenahealth, one of the largest ambulatory EHR platforms in the United States.

    Healthcare’s Next AI Platform Won’t Stop at Scheduling

    Every patient appointment depends on workflows that occur before and after care is delivered, from scheduling and insurance verification to patient billing and collections. Historically, these processes have been fragmented across disconnected teams and point solutions, creating +$450B in administrative waste while making healthcare more expensive and less transparent for patients.

    Where first-generation healthcare AI stopped at scheduling, Prosper AI manages the broader patient journey. The platform answers patient calls, schedules appointments directly in the EHR, verifies insurance benefits, automates patient billing, and contacts insurers on the phone when additional information is needed. By automating the patient journey end-to-end, Prosper AI helps providers lower administrative costs by +40% while giving patients visibility into their coverage and financial responsibility before care is delivered. The result is a single platform that manages both patient and payer workflows from appointment request through reimbursement.

    Winning the Most Competitive Evaluations in Healthcare AI

    As provider outpatient groups and health systems evaluate AI platforms, Prosper AI is increasingly emerging as the preferred solution.

    “We evaluated seven different vendors through an extensive RFP and live demonstration process and concluded that Prosper AI had the most comprehensive platform” said Jonathan Banta, CEO of The 44 Group, and Co-founder of The Executive Roundtable, a provider consortium representing more than 600 physicians. “The difference wasn’t simply scheduling. Prosper AI was the only platform capable of handling insurance verification, patient financial responsibility, and the broader workflows required to support the entire patient journey.”

    “Out of the gate, Prosper AI was handling more than 50% of our patient conversations end-to-end, including complex cases involving real-time benefits verification,” said Noah England, COO of Piedmont Dermatology. “Many organizations using other AI solutions remain stuck at 20–30% automation because those systems stop at scheduling.”

    Enterprise Healthcare Platforms Are Choosing Prosper AI

    The shift toward comprehensive AI solutions beyond voice AI for scheduling is no longer limited to provider groups. Some of the largest healthcare technology companies have also selected Prosper AI following side-by-side evaluations against competing AI platforms.

    Athenahealth, one of the largest ambulatory EHR platforms in the United States covering +60M lives, selected Prosper AI after evaluating multiple AI solutions for internal voice AI workflows. Imagine Software, a leading healthcare software company serving more than 100,000 physicians and processing over $65 billion in claims annually, also selected Prosper AI after conducting a competitive evaluation.

    “We reviewed multiple AI platforms, and Prosper AI consistently delivered the strongest performance, now handling thousands of conversations per day across multiple clients on our platform,” said Sam Khashman, CEO of ImagineSoftware. “In repeated side-by-side evaluations, Prosper AI achieved the highest accuracy and completion rates.”

    Why Andreessen Horowitz and Base10 Invested

    “AI should make healthcare infinitely accessible,” said Jay Rughani, Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. “Prosper AI stood out because of the scope of their ambition: they want to eliminate every administrative friction point between a patient and the care they need. What convinced us was the pattern we kept hearing from customers — providers would deploy Prosper AI for scheduling, then quickly ask them to take on insurance verification, then billing, and so on. That pull-through only happens when your technology can consistently guide patients through the care journey end-to-end. It’s no surprise Prosper AI is winning the vast majority of competitive evaluations they enter.” 

    Adeyemi Ajao, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Base10 Partners “Prosper AI is leveraging agentic AI to transform the way provider groups and hospitals engage with patients, driving not only savings, but increased revenue and better patient experience”.

    Building the AI Workforce for Healthcare Operations

    With the new funding, Prosper AI will expand its engineering and customer-facing teams, deepen integrations across the largest EHR platforms, and accelerate adoption across provider groups and health systems.

    “Healthcare providers don’t want separate tools for scheduling, insurance verification, and billing,” said Xavier de Gracia, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Prosper AI. “They want a single platform capable of managing the workflows that determine whether care happens and whether providers ultimately get paid. That’s what we’ve built, and it’s why providers, health systems, and healthcare technology companies are choosing Prosper AI.”

    Over time, Prosper AI aims to build the AI workforce that powers healthcare’s administrative engine, eliminating waste, expanding access to care, and enabling providers to focus more of their time on patients.

     

     

     

  • Assam Products Gain Global Reach, Says Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

    Guwahati, June 22: Himanta Biswa Sarma has highlighted the growing global presence of products from Assam, stating that items “made in Assam” are now being enjoyed by consumers across international markets.

    Speaking on the state’s expanding trade footprint, the Chief Minister noted that Assam’s traditional and locally produced goods are gaining wider acceptance abroad, reflecting improvements in branding, quality enhancement, and market access initiatives.

    He said that the state’s focus on promoting indigenous products has helped local industries and artisans reach new markets beyond India, strengthening rural livelihoods and supporting small producers.

    Officials pointed out that Assam’s export potential has been growing steadily, driven by sectors such as tea, handicrafts, agricultural products, and processed goods. Efforts to improve packaging, certification, and global outreach have further supported this expansion.

    The government has also been working to promote local entrepreneurship and strengthen supply chains, enabling small businesses and self-help groups to connect with national and international buyers.

    Industry observers say the increasing global visibility of Assam-made products reflects a broader trend of regional brands from India gaining traction in overseas markets.

    The statement underscores the state’s continued push to position itself as a key contributor to India’s growing export ecosystem while preserving its cultural and artisanal identity.

  • TenderCuts launches its Flagship Meat & Seafood Showroom in Chennai

    Chennai, June 22 : TenderCuts, India’s first omnichannel fresh meat and seafood brand, has announced the launch of its newest and largest meat & seafood store in Chennai. Spread across 2,100 sq. ft., the new store is designed to offer customers a comprehensive and convenient shopping experience with an extensive selection of fresh seafood, chicken and mutton all under one roof.TenderCuts launches its Flagship Meat & Seafood Showroom in Chennai

    The store has been designed to accommodate a wider assortment of meat and seafood products and includes facilities for customised cutting and processing. TenderCuts through this new store design places emphasis on freshness, quality and customer satisfaction. 

    Speaking on the launch, Mr. Sasikumar Kallanai, Co-founder & CEO, TenderCuts, said,

    “The launch of this store is part of our broader expansion strategy. We see continued demand for organized retail meet. This flagship retail further enhances our reach in Chennai and supports our efforts to make fresh meat and seafood products more accessible to consumers. As part of our long-term plans, we intend to open 40 stores by next 8 to 9 months.”

    Marking the launch, TenderCuts hosted a unique Thiruvizha-inspired celebration that brought together the spirit of community and local culture. The opening of the Madanandapuram, Porur, destination marks a significant step in TenderCuts’ ongoing mission to bring fresh, high-quality meat and seafood closer to consumers across Chennai.

  • Baba Ramdev Mesmerised by Lord Jagannath’s Darshan at Puri Srimandir

    Puri, June 22 (UDN): Renowned yoga guru Baba Ramdev visited the sacred Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri on Sunday and offered prayers to Lord Jagannath on the occasion of the International Day of Yoga.

    Baba Ramdev Mesmerised by Lord Jagannath's Darshan at Puri Srimandir

    During his visit to the 12th-century shrine, Baba Ramdev had darshan of the Holy Trinity and sought blessings from Lord Jagannath. He also interacted with temple officials and servitors during his visit.

    Marking the occasion, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration felicitated the yoga guru with the sacred Khandua Pata and offered him Mahaprasad as a mark of reverence and tradition.

    Speaking to the media after offering prayers, Baba Ramdev expressed deep spiritual satisfaction over his visit to the Srimandir.

    “I am mesmerised by the divine darshan of Lord Jagannath on the occasion of International Yoga Day. I prayed for the good health, happiness and prosperity of the people of the country. India has already emerged as a global leader in yoga, and I pray that the nation continues to progress in every sphere,” he said.

    Baba Ramdev also urged people to make yoga an integral part of their daily lives, stressing that regular practice of yoga is essential for maintaining physical and mental well-being.