Euro zone bailout: The euro zone has gone for the big numbers &mdash; and it works, at least for now. European Union leaders and their finance ministers have come up with a 720 billion plan to stop contagion in sovereign debt. The European Central Bank has agreed to play ball, and will add sovereign bond-buying to its crisis-fighting tool box. The central bank is also spraying liquidity at the banks to stop the sovereign crisis turning into a new banking one.

Massive attack

Business Standard

ECB stress tests: The European Central Bank is becoming increasingly vocal in its opposition to a Greek debt restructuring. That has led many to believe that its own balance sheet would suffer a body blow in such an eventuality. But a Breakingviews analysis suggests that is not so.

Not lethal, but serious

Portugal: Moody&rsquo;s hasn&rsquo;t made any new friends in the euro zone by downgrading Portugal&rsquo;s debt by four notches to junk status. The rating agency&rsquo;s decision may look harsh and even unfair, since the Portuguese government is only a few weeks into implementing the austerity programme it agreed on in exchange for its euro 78 billion bailout by the euro zone and International Monetary Fund. But, Portugal doesn&rsquo;t have the luxury to ponder what&rsquo;s &ldquo;fair&rdquo; or not. It should listen to what its creditors are saying and act accordingly.

Beware of the risk

Euro zone governments want to save their currency. In 2012, citizens must decide whether they agree. Forget for a moment about the ECB&rsquo;s bazooka or other instruments of mass disruption. Ignore Italy&rsquo;s 7 per cent bond yields, and debt topping 125 per cent of gross domestic product. After a series of national crises or rebellions, and government changes across the European landscape, the euro zone is nearing the crucial moment when its citizens from Lisbon to Leipzig must choose whether they&rsquo;re ready to do what it takes to keep the single currency alive.

Time to choose

France is heading for a major political and financial crisis in the spring that could dwarf the big Italian euro scare of 2011. Next May&rsquo;s quasi-simultaneous elections of a new president and parliament may well spark the conflagration.

Pernicious climate

France&rsquo;s two main political parties have greeted the long-expected Standard &amp; Poor&rsquo;s ratings downgrade in a depressingly familiar way. The socialist presidential candidate Francois Hollande said that it was Nicolas Sarkozy&rsquo;s policies, not France, which was downgraded. In return, the French prime minister Francois Fillon suggested Hollande submit his electoral platform to S&amp;P for evaluation. Bickering and escapism are the order of the day, and France is on track to waste what could have been a good ratings crisis.

Missing a step

French bankers, traders and hedge fund managers should resist the urge to book a one-way flight out of Paris if Francois Hollande becomes president in May. The French socialist leader has identified the &ldquo;world of finance&rdquo; as his main adversary &ndash; simultaneously discarding outgoing president Nicolas Sarkozy and stealing a theme from his upcoming campaign. Tapping into anti-bank sentiment is a popular political strategy. But, the wrath of blind punitive socialist justice isn&rsquo;t about to descend on French finance. In fact, the serious reforms Hollande proposed aren&rsquo;t particularly scary, and the scary ones he hinted at aren&rsquo;t serious.

Don't book now

New Delhi [India], January 8: Investors have long been drawn to land and plots as a profitable avenue for long-term returns. Unlike flats, these tangible assets appreciate steadily over time.

Trust reputed developers for secure and smart plot investments

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 8: ZEISS, a globally leading player in optics and optoelectronics, conducted an eye checkup camp for drivers in partnership with Shell India. This initiative was part of the Aloka Vision Programme by ZEISS, which aims to address issues of affordability, accessibility, and availability to ensure clear vision for all. The camp successfully covered over 300 drivers and their families.

Aloka Vision Programme by ZEISS conducts eye screening camp for drivers supported by Shell India

Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], January 8: thePack.in, India's first pet parenting community and educational startup, has successfully raised $125K in its angel funding round. The round was backed by seasoned entrepreneurs as well as passionate pet parents, including Rohit Kalsi, Rushil Kalsi, apart from a network of friends and family. This round of funding will enable thePack to grow its 10k+ pet parent community, expand its library of educational content  &amp;  resources, and introduce its line of products, to help pet parents provide a happier and healthier life for their pets. 

thePack.in Raises USD 125K in Angel Round to Support First-Time Pet Parents

Lupin, headquartered in Mumbai, India, is a global pharmaceutical player with products distributed in over 100 markets

Lupin Pharma

The court has acknowledged the woman's autonomy and her right to make life choices, including her decision to carry the pregnancy to term

Maternal health, Maternal deaths, Pregnancy,

Both the Agrawal family and Temasek have signed a term sheet for a stake sale by the Agrawal family

Haldiram

Stock Market Highlights, January 8, 2025: The benchmark equity indices showed great resistance on Wednesday as the BSE Sensex reovered around 650 points from its day's low to settle at 78,141.06, down

Stock market

The changes involve simplifying the language and rationalizing information by using formulas and tables, and won't include any adjustments to tax rates and policy, the people said

Nirmala Sitharaman, Sitharaman

Optimism on revenue growth based on projected improvement in technology spending in CY25

IT industry, IT companies, IT sector, Jobs, IT jobs

Stocks to Buy Today: Narayana Hrudalaya and Pfizer shares have been rising with heavy volumes

stock market, Indian stock market, National stock exchange, NSE

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has revoked the Stage-III actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in Delhi-NCR following a significant improvement in the air quality index (AQI).Stage-I and Stage-II measures, however, will remain in effect, officials said on Sunday.The decision comes after the Sub-Committee on GRAP reviewed the air quality data and the IMD/IITM forecasts, noting a downward trend in AQI levels.Owing to the favourable meteorological conditions and better wind speed, the AQI of Delhi has been continuously improving and has been recorded as 339 at 4:00 PM and 335 at 5:00 PM and the trend/ forecast indicates the AQI levels to further go down_ As per the Air Quality  &  Weather, forecast provided by IMD/ IITM, there is a further likelihood of AQI of Delhi to remain in 'Poor' category in the coming days owing to favourable meteorological conditions, a release said.The CAQM had on Friday invoked Stage-III curbs under the GRAP across the ...

Pollution, Gurugram Pollution

Haryana minister Rao Narbir Singh has said that the foundation for Gurugram's prosperous future will be laid over the next five years through improved connectivity and a robust road network, officials said on Sunday.
Badshahpur MLA Singh, who is the minister for industries, commerce, environment, forests, and wildlife, said as part of the ongoing efforts to develop infrastructure in the district, an elevated road will be built from the Gurugram-Jaipur National Highway to Vatika Chowk, along with four flyovers from Vatika Chowk to Ghata at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore.
According to an official statement, Singh said a detailed project report (DPR) for this crucial project to be executed by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is currently being prepared, and work on the ground will commence soon.
The minister was addressing a gathering during a visit to Vatika City in Sector 49.
"It is our collective responsibility to turn Gurugram into a beautiful and clean ci

Nabard chair Shaji KV says rise shows declining reliance on informal sources

NABARD Chairman Shaji K V

PM Modi also inaugurates Delhi Metro's Phase-IV stretch

Delhi Meerut

Persistent weak urban demand could impact firms' performance in Q3FY25

Weak Urban

Challenging the decision of the Biden Administration to investigate the activities of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and his companies, an influential Republican lawmaker on Tuesday said such selective actions risk damaging critical alliance partners.
In a strongly worded letter to US Attorney General Merrick B Garland, Congressman Lance Gooden, member of the House Judiciary Committee, demanded answers on the Justice Department's selective prosecution of foreign entities and the potential harm such actions pose to US's global alliances and economic growth and that if there is any Geroge Soros connection to it.
The Department of Justice's selective actions risk damaging critical alliances with key partners like India, one of America's strongest allies in the Asia-Pacific region, Gooden said in his letter dated January 7.
Instead of pursuing cases with tenuous jurisdiction and limited relevance to US interests, the DOJ should focus on punishing bad actors at home, rather than chasing

Gautam Adani, Adani

Battery swapping will only increase the cost for a consumer to run the vehicle, say e2W players

electric two wheeler

The temporary work permits are the only real way to employ Indian immigrants in the US, since national caps make it nearly impossible for them to get a green card

H-1B Visa

In smaller Indian cities and towns, where opportunities for advancement are few and dwindling, the nounis emerging as something of a social and cultural phenomenon

Phone, social media, mobile phones

The visit is private and Trump has scheduled no official meetings, Kleist said. Trump Jr. does not have an official role within his father's incoming administration

Pierre Briancon

Pierre Briancon

Page 4 - Pierre Briancon

Massive attack

Not lethal, but serious

Beware of the risk

Time to choose

Pernicious climate

Missing a step

Don't book now

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Trust reputed developers for secure and smart plot investments

Aloka Vision Programme by ZEISS conducts eye screening camp for drivers supported by Shell India

thePack.in Raises USD 125K in Angel Round to Support First-Time Pet Parents

Lupin gets clearance from USFDA for its Pithampur manufacturing facility

Does below-average intelligence mean no right to motherhood, asks Bombay HC

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