On the Trail of Genghis Khan argues that the Mongol Empire was not tyrannical as the European historians depicted in the 18th century, when the Europeans constructed their idea of the Orient. On the contrary, the author thinks the Empire was tolerant, decentralised and very well administered

In Steppe with Genghis

Business Standard

Every time I look at Mumbai I am reminded of a statue of King George V astride a black horse. This statue, which I call the Black Horseman, was demolished - and with it the city was renamed Mumbai. Mumbai was born by severing it from its history

Bharat Wariavwalla: The Black Horseman

Our Parliament is more disorderly than Westminster's, and debates here are often highly charged. But you hardly ever see a display of sharp wit

Laughter and politics

The 16th conference of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ended without a binding agreement on tackling drought, despite worsening global aridification trends threatening billions worldwide.
The 12-day talks, which concluded a day later than scheduled, saw nations defer consensus on a global drought response regime to COP17, planned for 2026 in Mongolia.
Developing nations, particularly African countries, sought a legally binding protocol for drought preparedness while developed nations pushed for a weaker "framework", leading to the deadlock.
UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said the session laid the groundwork for future discussions but acknowledged that parties need more time to agree on the best way forward.
A UNCCD statement said nations made "significant progress in laying the groundwork for a future global drought regime which they intend to complete at COP17 in Mongolia in 2026".
A UN report released during the conference ...

Sahara Desert

New Delhi [India], December 14: In a world where innovation and ambition drive progress, startups have become the epicenter of transformative ideas and groundbreaking solutions. These ventures are more than just businesses--they are catalysts of change, redefining industries and challenging the status quo. At the heart of this revolution lies real talent: visionary entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, and daring disruptors who dare to dream big and execute even bigger. In 2025, a new generation of rising stars in the startup world is making waves, harnessing creativity and resilience to build ventures that are not only thriving but also reshaping the global landscape. Join us as we uncover their inspiring journeys and explore what sets them apart as the frontrunners poised to shine in the year ahead!

Meet The Rising Stars in The Startup World Making Waves in 2025

New Delhi [India], December 14: MaitriBodh Parivaar, a socio-spiritual organization devoted to uplifting human consciousness and fostering unity, announces "Ek Bharat, Hum Bharat Padyatra". This monumental event will take place across three cities, Delhi, Mumbai, and Amritsar, on 15 December 2024. The padyatras will bring together over 1500 attendees in each city, symbolizing a unified effort to revive India's spirit of love, harmony, and togetherness.

MaitriBodh Parivaar to Host \"Ek Bharat, Hum Bharat Padyatra\", Seeks to Revive India\'s Spirit of Unity and Togetherness

New Delhi [India], December 14: Supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, BOTT is delighted to announce the BOTT Knowledge Conclave: Tourism@2025, a premier thought-leadership event, scheduled on December 18, 2024 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The conclave is aimed at unlocking the immense potential of the global travel industry with a focus on India Tourism. It will bring together leading voices in tourism to discuss opportunities, challenges, and innovations shaping the future of both inbound and outbound travel.

BOTT Knowledge Conclave: Tourism@2025 - Charting the Future of Tourism

In an unscheduled change, Moody's lowered its assessment of the euro area's second-biggest economy to Aa3 from Aa2, three levels below the maximum rating

France flag

Constitution debate 2024 LIVE updates: Stay with us for all the news updates from the ongoing Lok Sabha session

Modi, Narendra Modi

The 26-year-old Indian American had accused OpenAI of using copyrighted content to train its AI models. Details

Suchir Balaji

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has enhanced the collateral-free loan limit for farmers from Rs 1.6 lakh to Rs 2 lakh, effective January 1, 2025, a move aimed at supporting small and marginal farmers amid rising input costs.
The new directive instructs banks nationwide to waive collateral and margin requirements for agricultural and allied activity loans up to Rs 2 lakh per borrower.
According to the agriculture ministry, the decision comes in response to the rising input costs and the need to improve credit accessibility for farmers. "This measure will significantly benefit over 86 per cent of farmers who are small and marginal landholders," the statement said.
Banks have been instructed to implement the guidelines swiftly and ensure widespread awareness about the new loan provisions.
The move is expected to facilitate easier access to Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans and complement the government's Modified Interest Subvention Scheme, which offers loans up to Rs 3 lakh at a 4 per ce

RBI, Reserve Bank of India

Paracetamol, a common over-the-counter medication, may increase the risk of gastrointestinal, heart- and kidney-related complications among adults aged 65 and above, a new study has found.
Taken commonly for treating mild-to-moderate fever, paracetamol is also the first drug recommended for treating osteoarthritis -- a chronic condition causing pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints due to wear-and-tear -- as it is considered effective, relatively safe and accessible.
However, some studies have provided evidence to contest the effectiveness of paracetamol in relieving pain while others have shown increased risks of gastrointestinal side effects, such as ulcers and bleeding, from prolonged use.
The latest study, conducted by researchers from the University of Nottingham, UK, found that paracetamol use was linked to a 24 per cent and 36 per cent increase in risk of peptic ulcer bleeding (bleeding due to ulcer in the digestive tract) and lower gastrointestinal bleeding, ...

paracetamol, pharma, drugs, medicine, health

After spending the night in a local prison after being arrested in connection with the death of a woman in a stampede during the
premiere of his latest film, , actor Allu Arjun walked out of jail on Saturday following an interim bail granted by the Telangana High Court.
Arjun had to spend Friday night in prison despite the HC relief, as the authorities had not received a copy of the bail order until late last night.
"He has been released," Ashok Reddy, his counsel, told reporters at the Chanchalguda prison.
Reddy claimed the prison authorities did not release the actor despite having got the High Court order copy.
"You should question the government and the department why they have not released the accused. The High Court order is very specific. Forthwith, the moment you (prison authorities) receive the order, ( they should) release him. Despite the clear order, they have not released, they have to answer. This is an illegal detention. We will take legal steps, Reddy said.
Accord

Allu Arjun

For the first time in history, the luxury car market is poised to cross the sales mark of 50,000 units in 2024, with Mercedes-Benz leading the way

As Mercedes completes  three decades in India, its  three-pointed star sits atop the luxury table. What drives it?

Gandhi alleged on X that the Narendra Modi government has turned PSBs ("lifelines of the masses") into private financiers for only the rich and powerful corporations

Nirmala Sitharaman, Nirmala

A special CBI court on Wednesday awarded separate jail terms to the senior officials of Abhijeet Infrastructure Ltd in an alleged case of irregularities related to the allocation of three coal blocks in Jharkhand.
Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj handed out a four-year jail term to the company's then managing director Manoj Kumar Jayaswal and a three-year imprisonment to then director Ramesh Kumar Jayaswal.
A fine of Rs 30 lakh was imposed on the Nagpur-based company in the case related to irregularities in the allocation of Brinda, Sisai, and Meral coal blocks in the state.
The court on December 9 held that forged documents were used by the convicts to secure the recommendation of the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, for the allocation of the coal blocks.
The judge on Wednesday passed the order on sentence for the offence of cheating, criminal conspiracy and using forged documents as genuine.
"Manoj Kumar Jayaswal is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for four years for

coal india, CIL, Coal Bhawan, coal India office

The present Congress government has taken Rs 28,000 crore loan in the past two years out of which over Rs 11,200 crore was spent to pay interest on loan taken by the previous governments since 1971, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Wednesday.
He also said that Rs 7,800 was spent on repaying the principal amount of loan while Rs 9,000 crore on development.
Speaking at a programme to mark completion of two years of Congress government in office in Bilaspur, Sukhu said that this is not a celebration
"It is just a programme and we would celebrate when Himachal Pradesh becomes self-reliant in 2027," he said.
The chief minister reiterated the challenges of financial crunch, worst monsoon disaster in 2023 and "political conspiracy" leading to bypolls on nine assembly seats faced by the Congress government in the past two years.
Sukhu said that 75,000 tourists were rescued during the monsoon disaster last year.
"I am aware of the Union government's step-moth

Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu

In yet another case of suspected hooch tragedy in dry Bihar, two persons have died in Begusarai district with locals alleging that they had consumed spurious liquor and police admitting that it was conducting raids jointly with the Prohibition Excise & Registration department.
The two - identified as Hareram Tanti (50) and Chunchun Prasad Singh (60) - died on Wednesday.
Both deaths have been reported from Mehda Shahpur village under the jurisdiction of Cherriabariyarpur police station.
The district police have so far maintained that it was not in a position to confirm that the deaths were caused by liquor consumption.
In a statement, the police claimed that one of the deceased, Hareram Tanti, had been admitted to a hospital with "breathing trouble", while the family members of the other person, Chunchun Prasad Singh, did not agree to a post-mortem examination and claimed that he died of "cold".
"The exact cause of death of Tanti can only be known after the post-mortem examination.

liquor Incident, Bihar liquor case, Bihar liquor, Saran liquor case

Despite the growth slowdown, a rate cut-cycle is unlikely to start anytime soon

Policy

The new system will introduce dedicated PF withdrawal cards, functioning like regular bank ATM cards

ATM, Money, Transaction

In the past two occasions, Britannia share price more-than-doubled after the stock tested its super trend line support on the monthly scale. Will history repeat itself? Chart check here

Britannia Industries

The programme spared India from famine and the humiliation of its ship-to-mouth existence from Public Law or PL480 wheat shipments from the US