Shipping Minister Sonowal launches ‘Cruise Bharat Mission’ to boost tourism

Housing Sales Down 20% in India, MMR Drops 25%

Housing sales across seven Indian cities fell by 20% in Q2 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, according to Anarock. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) witnessed the sharpest drop, plunging 25% year-on-year to 31,275 units.Overall, 96,285 homes were sold between April and June 2025, down from 120,335 units in 2024. Geopolitical tensions and surging prices contributed to buyer hesitation, although Chennai, NCR, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru saw sales upticks.Anarock Chairman Anuj Puri noted, “Domestic tensions have eased and RBI’s rate cut is reviving buyer sentiment.” Despite setbacks..

Servotech EV Infra, NPCL to Expand Charging in Noida

Servotech EV Infra (Incharz) has signed an MoU with Noida Power Company Ltd (NPCL) to scale up electric vehicle charging infrastructure across Greater Noida.Under this collaboration, the firms will jointly identify key urban locations such as commercial complexes, residential societies, and hospitals for EV charger deployment. Initial installations include chargers at Stellar Jeevan and Ace Divino.The project supports India's clean mobility goals, with NPCL facilitating DISCOM coordination and Incharz focusing on execution. The partnership aims to make Greater Noida a model EV-ready city. ..

100K EVs Retire in US; Batteries Enter Second Life

As over 100,000 electric vehicles retire in the US this year, their lithium-ion batteries are finding second lives in energy storage systems (ESS) rather than landfills.Many retain over 50% capacity, making them ideal for grid reliability and renewable integration. Redwood Materials, led by former Tesla CTO JB Straubel, repurposes 20 GWh of battery capacity annually.ESS built from these batteries stabilise power grids and support solar and wind infrastructure, especially in remote regions. While recycling is still dominant, the second-life battery market is projected to reach $5.2 billion by 2..