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CRIF India Launches Kolkata Chapter of ‘Credit Goes to HER’ to Empower Women in the Credit Ecosystem

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KOLKATA, India, June 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — CRIF India, part of the global CRIF network, has launched the first regional chapter of ‘Credit Goes to HER’ in Kolkata, West Bengal, focused on strengthening women’s leadership and influence in the credit ecosystem.  The initiative, launched in March this year is designed to drive grassroots impact by building a community of women professionals who are both shaping credit and enabling access to credit for women across segments. This comes at a time when women are playing an increasingly significant role in India’s formal credit economy yet remain underrepresented in leadership roles that shape credit policies and products.

Insights show that nationally, women-led business loans have grown by 61.1%, and women now account for 41% of new-to-credit borrowers (up from 33% two years ago). Women borrowers also demonstrate strong credit behaviour, with lower delinquency levels compared to men, and a rising presence in secured lending segments. ‘Credit Goes to HER’ seeks to build on this momentum by bringing together women professionals across lending, risk, analytics, NBFCs, fintech, and policy, creating a platform to amplify their voice and participation in shaping the future of credit.

Kolkata has been chosen for the first regional chapter given Eastern India’s robust credit growth and lending landscape. West Bengal’s retail credit market witnessed healthy growth as of March 2026, with total retail loans rising 17.2% YoY to ₹583.9K crore, while active loans grew 8.9% YoY to 332 lakh accounts. Consumption loans stood at ₹368.4K crore, up 13% YoY, led by strong growth in Gold Loans (+54.1% YoY) and Sole-proprietor Loans (+25.2% YoY).

The Kolkata chapter will serve as a local arm of the community platform for women across banks, NBFCs, fintechs, and other financial services to share knowledge, seek mentorship and collaborate on more inclusive credit practices. The launch event in Kolkata saw participation from senior women leaders of the region’s BFSI sector, including Nina Bairagi (Deputy General Manager, State Bank of India), Arpita Sen (Senior Vice President, Bandhan Bank), Jyoti Sharma (General Manager, UCO Bank), and Sharoni Pal (Head of Credit, Arohan Financial Services Limited).

Join the community: (5) Credit Goes To HER – Women in Credit, Credit for Women (Curated by CRIF India) | Groups | LinkedIn

About CRIF:

CRIF India is a leading provider of credit information, business intelligence, analytics, software and digital solutions for banks, financial institutions, NBFCs, insurance companies, telecom providers, MSMEs, corporates, and consumers across India. Through its group entities, including CRIF High Mark Credit Information Services Private Limited and CRIF Solutions, CRIF India supports responsible lending, financial inclusion, and data-driven decision-making.

Licensed by the Reserve Bank of India under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005, CRIF High Mark operates one of India’s leading credit bureaus with data contributions from over 5,000 member institutions. Combining advanced analytics, decisioning platforms, business information, and digital solutions, CRIF India enables organizations to make faster, smarter, and more informed decisions across the customer lifecycle while contributing to a more transparent and inclusive financial ecosystem.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2991757/CRIF_India_Kolkata.jpg

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Texas Instruments board declares third quarter 2026 quarterly dividend

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DALLAS, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The board of directors of Texas Instruments Incorporated (Nasdaq: TXN) today declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.42 per share of common stock, payable August 11, 2026, to stockholders of record on July 31, 2026.   

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments Incorporated (Nasdaq: TXN) is a global semiconductor company that designs, manufactures and sells analog and embedded processing chips for markets such as industrial, automotive, data center, personal electronics and communications equipment. At our core, we have a passion to create a better world by making electronics more affordable through semiconductors. This passion is alive today as each generation of innovation builds upon the last to make our technology more reliable, more affordable and lower power, making it possible for semiconductors to go into electronics everywhere. Learn more at TI.com.

TXN-G

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SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated

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Drake Expands End-to-End Professional Services with Launch of Drake Audit Defense™

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New post-filing audit defense service extends Drake Software’s support beyond tax preparation, helping firms save time while delivering greater value to clients.

FRANKLIN, N.C., July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Drake Software, a leader in professional tax preparation solutions, today announced the launch of Drake Audit Defense™, a new post-filing audit defense service designed to help tax professionals better support their clients after a return is filed. The new offering represents another step in Drake’s continued investment in delivering integrated products and services that support tax professionals throughout the entire client journey—from intake to post-filing.

Enrollment for Drake Audit Defense is available now for Drake Software customers for Tax Year 2026 returns. Customers can enroll by logging into their account at DrakeSoftware.com

Drake Audit Defense provides tax professionals with an easy-to-offer service that helps clients navigate eligible IRS and state tax notices, audit assistance, and qualifying tax-related identity theft assistance. By reducing the administrative burden associated with post-filing issues, firms can spend less time managing notices and audits while providing additional value and peace of mind to their clients.

“Tax professionals are looking for more than software—they’re looking for solutions that help them run more efficient practices and deliver exceptional client experiences,” said Alice Curry, Chief Customer Offer. “Drake Audit Defense is another example of how we’re expanding the Drake ecosystem with integrated services that support firms before, during, and after tax season.”

“Our goal is to make it easy for firms to manage the products and services they rely on in one connected Drake experience,” said Curry. “By integrating Drake Audit Defense alongside our growing portfolio of workflow solutions and enhancements, we’re giving customers greater visibility into their practice, fewer administrative tasks, and a simpler way to manage their business while delivering even more value to their clients.”

Drake Audit Defense is designed specifically for Drake Software customers and integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, making it simple to enroll clients during the tax preparation process while providing trusted support by credentialed tax experts when post-filing issues arise.

About Drake Software

For more than four decades, Drake Software has provided innovative tax preparation and practice management solutions that help tax professionals serve their clients with confidence. Today, Drake continues to expand its ecosystem with integrated products and services that support firms from client intake through post-filing, helping practices work more efficiently while delivering exceptional client experiences.

Media Contact:
Colleen Woods Heikka
Sr. Director, Product Marketing
Colleen.woods@Taxact.com

+1-781-588-6339

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SOURCE Drake Software, LLC

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IronSpark Studios Launches in Birmingham, AL

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IronSpark is a new creative studio focused on animation, game development, and interactive experiences.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Storytelling has a new home in Birmingham, Alabama, with the launch of IronSpark Studios, a creative media company focused on animation, game development, and interactive experiences. Guided by its mission to build stories that engage, excite, and entertain, IronSpark Studios develops original and client-driven intellectual property and digital experiences.

Production is shifting away from traditional big studios and moving rapidly toward independent creators and agile, small studios. Founded on the belief that world-class creative belongs in Birmingham, IronSpark Studios collaborates with local creatives, businesses and organizations while working to attract animation, game development and interactive media production to the region.

“Our vision is to create experiences that inspire audiences, spark imagination and leave a lasting impact,” said Brass Bralley, co-founder and managing director. “We believe Birmingham is a place where creative talent can grow, collaborate and help shape the future of storytelling.”

The studio operates through three divisions—Animation, Games and Interactive—creating content for film, commercial projects, video games, immersive exhibits and emerging digital experiences.

IronSpark Studios is partnering with clients and intellectual property owners while developing original projects of its own, helping bring more animation, game development, and interactive media production to Birmingham.

“I’ve chosen to build many businesses in the Birmingham ecosystem, and the choice to build IronSpark here was a simple one,” said Mazi Rasulnia, co-founder and consulting partner.  “Birmingham has a vibrant community of innovators and creators, and IronSpark will be a great addition.”

Among those projects is its first original animated short film, The Purple Sky Peanut Butter Club. Based on a true story of heroism and sacrifice, the dialogue-free animated short explores the power of small traditions and their ability to provide healing through grief and transcend generations.

“The stories we create are meant to connect people,” said Wink Winkler, co-founder and head of creative. “Whether that’s through film, series, a video game or an interactive experience, at the end of the day, the story is at the heart of everything we create.” 

Contact: Brass Bralley, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Brass@ironsparkstudios.com

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SOURCE IronSpark Studios

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