CATEGORIES

Partners In Power Games

IN July last year, I wrote in this column in response to news that author Neil Gaiman had been accused of sexual assault by two women \"I would bet my last rupee that there are more than two women out there whom he has harmed this way.\"

Consumption growth remains weak: CEO & MD

FMCG demand trends remained subdued with continued moderation in urban growth while rural sustained its gradual recovery, said Rohit Jawa, CEO and managing director of HUL.

2 more bodies found, C'garh gunfight toll 16

THE security forces engaged in the ongoing anti-Maoist campaign in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district, adjoining Odisha border, had recovered two more bodies of the red rebels, including one female, on Wednesday.

Universality in place of parochialism

Matthew Rankin's Persian-French language Canadian film Universal Language is among the fifteen shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film Oscar and perhaps the most unique of the lot in terms of form, vision, imagination and craft.

US federal staff in diversity roles sent on leave

Administration sends note to all employees at Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accesssibility offices that they be placed on paid leave as the programme is shut

The beauty of Brutalism

TAKE a walk down any Indian street at any time of the day. Go with a singular purpose to soak in the beauty of the buildings that line it.

Airtel's new tariff makes it pricier for base users

BHARTI Airtel's new plan, rolled out following the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) directive to introduce a single voice and SMS tariff pack, has made the rates 10-15% more expensive for basic phone users.

Electoral bonds scheme: Petition seeks review of SC's Aug order

A petition filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a review of its August 2, 2024 order, which dismissed earlier pleas for confiscation of ₹16,518 crore received by political parties under the 2018 electoral bond scheme.

DESIGNER DESTINATIONS!

IN recent years, luxury fashion houses have expanded their influence beyond the runway, venturing into the hospitality sector to offer exclusive hotels, spas and suites that embody their brand's essence and a piece of their history.

Woman among 2 Maoists gunned down in J'khand's Bokaro encounter

IN a breakthrough, security forces gunned down two Maoists, including an area commander, during an anti-Naxal operation in Bokaro early Wednesday morning.

Oppn says last JPC meets on Waqf Bill convened in a hurry, seeks more time

AS the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is set to hold the last round of meetings on January 24-25, DMK MP A Raja on Wednesday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and panel chairman on behalf of Opposition Parties that the sittings be postponed to the 30th and 31st of this month.

DEVISE STATE-WISE PLAN TO TACKLE FOREST FIRES

AS the winter makes its way out, Odisha needs to be on watch for the annual forest fire season.

Real estate stocks bleed amid sales slowdown

REALTY stocks are under significant pressure amid the broader market sell-off. Over the past month, the Nifty Realty Index has declined sharply by around 20%, with a single-day drop of 4.56% on Wednesday.

BSNL user base erodes by 3.4 lakh in Nov as customer migration slows down

AFTER gaining customer base for four consecutive months, the State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) lost 0.34 million subscribers in November 2024, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said.

Digital Economy to Touch 20% of GVA by 2030

INDIA'S digital economy is expected to grow almost twice as fast as the overall economy, accounting for nearly 20% of the Gross Value Addition (GVA) by 2030, according to a report prepared by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in collaboration with Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations.

Veera Dheera Sooran Part 2 gets release date

Earlier, we reported that the highly-anticipated Vikram-starrer Veera Dheera Sooran will release as two parts, with the second part opening in theaters before the first one.

2 workers die while cleaning septic tank

TWO sanitation workers from the Dalit community are believed to have died from asphyxiation while cleaning a manhole in Patdi taluka, Surendranagar district.

CB-CID to Probe Activist Jagabar Ali's Murder Case

Mining Department Inspects More Quarries for Illegal Mining in Pudukottai for 2nd Day

Liverpool Seal Last-16 Berth, Barca Post Epic Victory in CL

LIVERPOOL beat Lille 2-1 on Tuesday to maintain their perfect record in this season's Champions League and clinch qualification for the last 16, while Barcelona produced a stunning comeback to beat Benfica 5-4 in a classic to secure their own place.

Vande Bharat's 1st female loco pilot gets R-Day invite

RITIKA Tirkey, the first female tribal assistant loco pilot of the Vande Bharat Express, was left speechless when she opened her door to a team of Post Office officials who had come to deliver an invitation for the 'At Home' reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

HUL buys 90.5% stake in Minimalist

Acquisition at enterprise value of ₹2,955 crore likely to be completed by first quarter of FY26

6% Hike in Raw Jute MSP Approved

Cabinet reviews progress of National Health Mission in last 3 years after 5-year extension

Son, Ellison, Altman come together for AI

PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Tuesday talked up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank.

CBI Registers 3 FIRs to Probe K'kurichi Tragedy

The special task branch (STB) of CBI, Chennai, on Tuesday, registered three FIRs to investigate last year's hooch tragedy in Kallakurichi district where at least 68 people died after consuming the illicit liquor.

Control of Rafah crossing will stay with Israel: PMO

ISRAEL said it will maintain control of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip during the first phase of the ceasefire with Hamas. A statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Wednesday denied reports that the Palestinian Authority would control the crossing.

Tungsten: Villagers Meet Union Minister; BJP Prez Says Favorable Decision Today

Representatives of villages in Melur block in Madurai district led by BJP state president K Annamalai called on Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishen Reddy on Wednesday and demanded that the tungsten mining proposal should be given up.

HDFC Bank net profit up 2.2% in December quarter

DESPITE a sharp deterioration in the asset quality in its agri book, HDFC Bank has reported steep numbers, earning ₹16,736 crore in net income for the December quarter, up 2.2% year-on-year.

Cong will seek more seats from DMK in 2026

TAMIL Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai on Wednesday said the party will demand more seats from the DMK during the 2026 Assembly elections.

BPCL's Q3 profit up 20% on healthy sales growth

BHARAT Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) reported a 20% rise in consolidated net profit to ₹3,806 crore for the quarter ending December 31, 2024.

Sebi Moots Mini SIPs at ₹250 a Month

SEEKING to increase financial inclusion among the underserved sections and inculcate the habit of systematic saving, capital markets regulator Sebi has proposed that fund houses launch sachet-sized systematic investment plans (SIPs) starting ₹250.