Latest news with #SDR
Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Plans submitted for 66-bed Edinburgh student accommodation next to other proposed student block in Newington
Plans have been submitted for a 66-bed Edinburgh student accommodation block, directly next to another proposed student block in Newington. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... SDR Property Developments Ltd has applied for planning permission for the demolition of existing buildings and erection of a purpose-built student accommodation at 27 - 29 and 31 Ratcliffe Terrace, as well as 4 South Gray Street, Edinburgh. An artist's impression of the SDR Property Developments proposal in Newington, with the new Ratcliffe Terrace student block pictured next to the orange building. | Scott Hobbs Planning The planned new student block is directly next to 33-41 Ratcliffe Terrace, where Waugh Investments Limited submitted plans on May 1 to demolish the existing buildings to make way for a mixed-use development comprising purpose-built student accommodation with 115 beds in 31 units, and a ground floor commercial unit. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The two site owners agreed to collaborate with their respective designs to ensure each layout is compatible with the other. If both planning applications are accepted, the Newington block would be transformed, with up to 181 student beds over the two applications, altering the landscape dramatically and filling in a gap site between the existing buildings there. The SDR application site is 0.135Ha and comprises four existing industrial buildings and a stonemasons yard to the rear. The 2.5 storey building fronting Ratcliffe Terrace is currently an office space and has a pend leading to the rear of the site. The three other single storey buildings to the rear are industrial in nature and occupied by Causeways Garage. There is also an existing stonemasons yard with one to two storey structures and a yard, accessed from South Gray Street. The application site in Newington as it currently is. | Scott Hobbs Planning It is proposed that the building facing on to Ratcliffe Terrace will be demolished, along with the single storey garage to the rear. The lean-to sheds within the Stonemason's Yard will also be cleared to facilitate development of the site. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The proposed development features three distinct three, four and five-storey blocks that would be linked together through a series of communal outdoor courtyards, providing an overall pedestrian link between South Gray Street and Ratcliffe Terrace. The main entrance to the student accommodation development will be from Ratcliffe Terrace and this would also act as an entrance to the block within site C. Both the sites would be connected internally through corridors and through external courtyards. An artist's impression of how Ratcliffe Terrace would look if both student accommodation applications are approved and built. | Scott Hobbs Planning In the planning documents, the applicant said: 'The proposal seeks a redevelopment of a city centre brownfield site as purpose-built student accommodation. 'The elevations have been designed to compliment each other with matching materials. Whilst the respective ground floors are tied to the existing street levels, the upper floors are aligned, so that window placement, eaves levels and parapet heights can be seamless. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The set back areas of the top floor are finished in a dark grey metal cladding to contrast against the main stone frontage and tie-in more closely with the surrounding slated roofs. 'Both buildings offer a contemporary take on the classic tenement design which will feature complimentary tones of natural stone cladding. The scale of the proposal both compliments and ties in with the adjacent buildings to infill the street frontage and complete the perimeter block. 'The proposed development represents a high quality, innovative and respectful proposal for the redevelopment of a brownfield site which is compliant both with the Development Plan and other material considerations. The application should, therefore, be granted planning permission.' How Ratcliffe Terrace would look if both applications are approved, seen from the opposite direction. | Scott Hobbs Planning Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The proposed development consists of external and internal shared amenity spaces on the ground floor. Site B consists of an external roof terrace located on the rear block, this will act as an accessible external amenity area. The central courtyard within site B acts as a secondary amenity space and circulation route which connects internally to the external amenity area within site C to the west. Internal amenity spaces are located within the ground floor layout and comprise reception and student lounge area which has a frontage onto Ratcliffe Terrace. The proposed second amenity space is located to the rear of the site facing out onto the external courtyard. This space will provide a games hub/lounge and both the internal amenity areas will be glazed to create a visual link through the development. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The elevation of the proposed development will be a combination of predominantly light buff brick and buff stone. Grey metal cladding is proposed for the top setback floor. The ground floor amenity spaces will have glazing to the front and rear elevations, in order to enhance outlook into the street and rear landscaped external amenity areas. The City of Edinburgh Council's planning department will now decide upon this application, which has so far received 19 objections on the council's online planning portal, with the comments currently private.
Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Tanzania's policy reforms unlock $448.4 million IMF support package
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a total disbursement of about $448.4 million to Tanzania following the completion of reviews under two key lending arrangements, in recognition of the country's continued economic improvement and reform progress. The IMF approved a $448.4 million disbursement to Tanzania under key lending arrangements due to economic improvements. Tanzania's economic indicators show positive trends, including a GDP growth rate projected to reach 6.0% in 2025. Tanzania's achievements under the ECF and RSF included meeting all quantitative criteria and most structural benchmarks. The $448.4 million disbursement follows the successful completion of reviews under two key lending programmes and signals the IMF's confidence in Tanzania's macroeconomic policies and ongoing structural reforms. The IMF Executive Board on Friday concluded the 2025 Article IV consultation and completed the fifth review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement, as well as the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The move allows for an immediate disbursement of about $448.4 million (SDR 326.47 million) to Tanzania under both arrangements. The completion of the fifth review under the ECF enables the release of $155.7 million (SDR 113.37 million), representing 28.5% of the country's IMF quota. This brings Tanzania's total access under the ECF arrangement to approximately $908.3 million. Under the RSF, the completed second review unlocks $292.7 million (SDR 213.1 million), equivalent to 53.5% of quota, raising total access under this facility to around $345.4 million. The IMF said Tanzania's macroeconomic indicators have continued to improve. Real GDP growth reached 5.5% in 2024 and is projected to rise to 6.0% in 2025. Medium-term growth is forecast at 6.5%, contingent on sustained reform implementation. Inflation remained steady at 3.2% year-on-year in April 2025, staying below the central bank's target. The current account deficit narrowed to 2.6% of GDP in 2024, down from 3.8% the previous year, supported by a robust export performance. The IMF also noted that the authorities maintained a neutral or mildly stimulative monetary policy stance, alongside increased exchange rate flexibility. Tanzania's banking sector remains resilient, although the Fund warned that some vulnerabilities persist. The fiscal balance weakened markedly in the third quarter of the 2024/25 fiscal year, prompting the government to delay lower-priority spending in the final quarter. Continued reform commitment and risk outlook All quantitative performance criteria and indicative targets for end-December 2024 under the ECF and RSF were met. While two of three structural benchmarks for end-March 2025 were implemented, albeit with delays, the implementation of the Secured Transaction Act remains pending and has now been rescheduled for end-February 2026. Looking ahead, the IMF warned that while economic conditions are expected to remain favorable, risks are tilted to the downside. The Tanzanian authorities reaffirmed their commitment to reforms aimed at maintaining macro-financial stability, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth, advancing structural changes, and addressing climate-related challenges.
Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025 – Key insights for UPSC aspirants
What is the rank of India in the Sustainable Development Index? Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up on your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today. (Relevance: UPSC has asked questions on Sustainable Development Goals. This annual report of the United Nations is important in making a comparative analysis of countries in attaining these SDGs. Questions on SDGs and attempts made by India in achieving them have been asked in UPSC Mains, making this report essential for your exam.) India, for the first time, breaks into the top 100 of the Sustainable Development Index with the rank of 99 and score of 67, according to the Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025 released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. SDR reviews progress made each year on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since their adoption by the 193 UN member states. This year's SDG index covers 167 of the 193 UN member states. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the SDGs. This 10th edition of SDR focuses on 'Financing the SDGs by 2030 and Mid-Century'. 1. According to the 2025 SDR, none of the 17 Global Goals are on track to be fully achieved by 2030, and only 17 per cent of the SDG targets are progressing as planned. Conflicts, structural vulnerabilities, and limited fiscal space impede SDG progress in many parts of the world. 2. This year, for the first time streamlined SDG Index (SDGi), which uses 17 headline indicators, one per SDG, to track overall SDG progress, was introduced. The purpose is to minimise the statistical biases related to missing time series data across countries. 3. According to SDR, 'a new indicator on 'Minimum dietary diversity among children aged 6 months to 23 months' has been incorporated into the dataset under SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).' 4. According to the report, 'at the global level, SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) are particularly off track, facing major challenges (indicated in red on the dashboards) and showing no or very limited progress since 2015.' 5. The SDG Index score is presented on a scale of 0 to 100 and can be interpreted as a percentage towards optimal performance on the SDGs. The difference between 100 and the country's SDG index indicates the distance that must be overcome to reach the optimum SDG performance. 6. Finland is ranked first this time with a score of 87, and 19 of the top 20 countries in the index are in Europe. India is ranked 99th with a score of 67, achieving a significant milestone by entering the top 100 for the first time. India has improved steadily over the past four years, rising from 109th in 2024, 112th in 2023, 121st in 2022, and 120th in 2021. 7. In regional comparison, India still trails several of its neighbours. Bhutan is ranked 74th (70.5), Nepal 85th (68.6), and the Maldives 53rd. Sri Lanka stands at 93rd, while Bangladesh and Pakistan lag behind at 114th and 140th, respectively. The United Nations defines sustainable development as 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'. The SDGs build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were adopted in 2000 and were to be achieved by 2015. 📍The Index for SDGs evaluates progress of states and Union Territories (UTs) on various parameters including health, education, gender, economic growth, institutions, climate change and environment. First launched in December 2018, the index has become the primary tool for monitoring progress on the SDGs in India. 📍The SDG India Index scores range between 0–100, higher the score of a State/UT, the greater the distance to target achieved. States and UTs are classified in four categories based on their SDG India Index score — aspirant: 0–49; performer: 50–64; front-runner: 65–99, achiever: 100. According to the NITI Aayog SDG index, India's score for 2023-24 was 71. 1. The UN member states reaffirmed their commitment to the SDGs and effective multilateralism at the UN Summit of the Future held in September 2024. The Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact, and Declaration on Future Generations were adopted by consensus. 'UN can't build a future for our grandchildren with the institutions of our grandparents.' -UN Secretary-General 2. The Summit of the Future (SoTF) took place on September 22-23, before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The theme of the Summit was 'multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow'. 3. UN Secretary General António Guterres has called the Summit a 'once-in-a-generation UN Summit'. It is being projected as an important milestone in the history of the UN as it has entered its 80th year of establishment this year. 4. In the 2025 Index of Countries' Support to UN-Based Multilateralism (UN-Mi), Barbados was ranked 1 with a score of 92, followed by Jamaica. India was ranked 113 with a score of 63.8. This index tracks countries' support for UN-based multilateralism. The efforts made in regional and bilateral fora, or within the BRICS, G20, G7, OECD and other groups, are not considered. 'Multilateralism describes international politics and diplomacy, where many countries with different views and goals work together. The United Nations system is the principal multilateral forum where countries come together to solve global problems.' – United Nations 5. According to SDR, 'The Pact calls for 56 actions related to SDG implementation, peace, and collective security, including the transformation of the multilateral system and reform of the international financial architecture (United Nations 2024).' (1) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016) 1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the 'Club of Rome'. 2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (2) Sustainable development is described as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In this perspective, inherently the concept of sustainable development is intertwined with which of the following concepts? (UPSC CSE 2010) (a) Social justice and empowerment (b) Inclusive Growth (c) Globalization (d) Carrying capacity (Source: Humanity's success lies in our collective strength, not in the battlefield: PM Modi at Summit of the Future at UN, UN Sustainable Development Goals Index 2025) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Qualified Unveils Piper for Slack, Enabling Real-Time Human and Agent Collaboration for B2B Sales and Marketing Teams
Piper, the #1 AI SDR agent, now collaborates directly in Slack SAN FRANCISCO, June 26, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Qualified, the leader in agentic marketing, today announced the launch of Piper for Slack, a breakthrough integration that brings its industry-leading AI SDR agent directly into the world's most popular productivity platform. As AI-powered sales agents rapidly become essential to B2B go-to-market teams, seamless integration with Slack is now a critical requirement for maximizing productivity and collaboration. Piper for Slack delivers on this demand, enabling real-time, two-way conversations between human teams and AI, and setting a new standard for transparency and trust in the agentic marketing era. "We're squarely in the era of agentic marketing, where teams are hiring AI agents to autonomously generate pipeline," says Kraig Swensrud, Founder and CEO for Qualified. "Now that Piper is in Slack, she can carry out the promise of a truly autonomous, collaborative AI SDR agent. Piper for Slack represents the future of human and agent teamwork." Bridging the Trust Gap in AI Adoption While AI SDR agents offer the promise of autonomous pipeline generation, many businesses remain cautious due to a lack of transparency and collaboration—often referred to as the "black box" problem. According to recent industry data, 40% of businesses that have not yet adopted AI cite a lack of trust as a primary barrier. Piper for Slack addresses this challenge head-on by making AI actions visible and interactive, fostering an open, real-time dialogue that empowers teams to embrace AI as a true teammate. Piper for Slack: Where Work Happens Piper for Slack enables sales and marketing teams to collaborate with their AI SDR agent directly within Slack, the platform where they already spend much of their day. Teams can receive proactive alerts, ask questions, strategize, and monitor Piper's performance—all without leaving their primary workspace. "The fact that I can now talk to Piper in Slack like one of my colleagues and get immediate insight into meetings she's booked, prospect details, and pipeline generated is truly remarkable. She's a powerhouse teammate I rely on daily," says Melanie Nelson, CMO at Rightsline. A Teammate for the Entire Go-to-Market Organization Piper for Slack transforms Piper from a background tool into a responsive, interactive teammate available 24/7 across the go-to-market organization. For Sales Teams: Sales teams can accelerate the path to "closed-won" as Piper proactively alerts reps to notable events, such as meetings booked or website conversations with priority accounts. Piper also responds to ad hoc requests for insights—like "@Piper give me the rundown on the Brex account before my 2PM call" or "@Piper show me contacts at my target accounts who have visited our pricing page this week." For Marketing Teams: Marketers gain full visibility into Piper's performance, with instant access to data and analytics. They can simply ask, "@Piper, how much pipeline did you generate this week?" or "@Piper, how many emails did you send that resulted in meetings booked?" and receive answers in seconds, enabling data-driven optimization of their pipeline engine. Availability Piper for Slack will be available in August 2025 for customers on Qualified Agentic Marketing plans. To learn more, visit Learn more about Piper, the #1 AI SDR agent and Piper for Slack. About Qualified Qualified is the Agentic Marketing Platform with the world's #1 leading AI SDR agent, Piper. Marketing teams trust Piper to autonomously drive inbound pipeline at scale, delivering real-time engagement and conversion. Trusted by top brands such as Asana, Box, Brex, Clari, GE Healthcare, Grubhub, Lattice, Outreach, and more, Qualified is redefining how companies generate pipeline in the age of AI. Rated as the #1 AI SDR Agent on the G2 Leader Quadrant, with over 1,500 five-star reviews on G2 and the Salesforce AppExchange, Qualified is the trusted agentic marketing solution for B2B companies looking to maximize efficiency and pipeline generation. For more information, visit View source version on Contacts The ColabPR for Qualifiedqualified@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Two parallel compensations at work for domestic, international services in case of airline accidents in the country
Although many airlines have been using the same aircraft for the operations of domestic and international services, two 'parallel systems of compensation' — one for the domestic and the other for the international — are at work in the country. For instance, in the event of an accident, compensation to the victims varies depending on whether the flight was international or domestic. For death or serious injury, international passengers may receive up to 1,13,100 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) (around ₹1.25 crore), while the compensation for the same in the domestic sector is limited to just ₹20 lakh. The SDR is the global currency for airline compensation under the Montreal Convention, valued daily by the IMF based on five major currencies and published as the official exchange rate. Similarly, baggage claims are capped at 1,131 SDR in international flights, but only ₹20,000 in domestic. For cargo loss or damage, the limit is 19 SDR per kg internationally, compared to just ₹350 per kg on domestic flights. Equal compensation Speaking to The Hindu, Biji Eapen, president, Airline Users Rights and Grievances Redressal Forum (AURGRF) which submitted a representation to the Union Minister of Civil Aviation seeking to fix the anomalies in the compensation rules, said equal compensation is the right of all passengers, regardless of route or carrier type. Further, the adoption of the International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) revised compensation limits under the Montreal Convention 1999 (MC99), effective 28 December 2024, will address some of the major gaps in the area, he said. Though the Air Passengers Rights Charter, 2019, was a positive move, the revised Montreal Convention Compensation Limits were not adopted by the country. The 1999 Montreal Convention (MC99), framed by the ICAO and International Air Transport Association (IATA), establishes a uniform global liability standard that applies equally to domestic and international airline operations worldwide. Under MC99 As per the ICAO's revised compensation limits under the MC99, death or serious injury will attract a compensation of 151,880 SDR ($2,02,500) followed by 6,303 SDR ($8,400) for passenger delay, 1,519 SDR ($2,000) for baggage loss/damage/delay, and 26 SDR/kg ($35/kg) for cargo loss/damage. In the aftermath of the Ahmedabad plane crash, the Air India and the Tata Group announced ₹1 crore in compensation per victim, along with an interim ₹25 lakh payment. If the revised compensation limit is adopted, the compensation would be around ₹1.72 crore, said Mr. Eapen. Considering that Indian carriers frequently operate the same aircraft across both the domestic and the international routes and participate in code-sharing with foreign airlines, a unified regulatory framework is essential. Hence, the Union government should be ready to ratify the ICAO's updated MC99 limits without delay, along with amending the 2019 Air Passengers Rights Rules to reflect international standards, said the representation submitted to the Centre.
