Hamid Karzai clung tight to India but Afghanistan's new leadership may have other ideas

Sumitha Narayanan Kutty: Why we can't take Afghanistan for granted

Business Standard

Costas Simitis, former prime minister of Greece and the architect of the country's joining the common European currency, the euro, has died at age 88, state TV ERT reported.
Simitis was taken to a hospital in the city of Corinth early Sunday morning from his holiday home west of Athens, unconscious and without a pulse, the hospital's director was quoted as saying by Greek media. An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.
Simitis, a co-founder of the Socialist PASOK party in 1974, eventually became the successor to the party's founding leader, Andreas Papandreou, with whom he had an often contentious relationship that shaped the party's nature.
Simitis was a low-key pragmatist where Papandreou was a charismatic, fiery populist. He was also a committed pro-European, while Papandreou banked on strong opposition to Greece's joining what was then the European Economic Community in the 1970s, before changing tack once he became prime minister.
When the profligate first

Costas Simitis, former Greek Prime Minister

Shrinate said that Bidhuri's statement against Congress Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad, was not only shameful but also shows his 'disgusting' mentality towards women

Supriya Shrinate, Supriya, Shrinate

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has pre-paid loans of worth Rs 56,000 crore during the current fiscal, helping the state-owned agency to save interest cost of around Rs 1,200 crore, a senior government official said on Sunday.
The official told PTI that NHAI's total debt at the beginning of the current fiscal year was pegged at Rs 3.35 lakh crore, which stood at about Rs 2.76 lakh crore at the end of third quarter of 2024-25 fiscal year.
He further said that around Rs 15,700 crore has been pre-paid from the InvIT monetisation proceeds, while Rs 40,000 crore prepayment of loan has been made to National Small Saving Fund (Rs 30,000 crore) and State Bank of India (Rs 10,000 crore), which charge high interest rates.
"NHAI is successfully reducing its debt liability," the official added.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her last year's budget had retained the allocation to NHAI at Rs 1.68 lakh crore for 2024-25.

The National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) plan to switch to satellite-based toll collection system will not just eliminate the physical toll booths and the road congestion, but will also offer a significant opportunity to insurance companies

The National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) plan to switch to satellite-based toll collection system will not just eliminate the physical toll booths and the road congestion, but will also offer a significant opportunity to insurance companies

With around two weeks left in the Biden administration before Donald Trump takes office, the awards sparked controversy, particularly with recipients such as Hillary Clinton and George Soros

George Soros

Stanley E. Woodward will serve as Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor, while Robert Gabriel Jr. returns as Assistant to the President for Policy

Donald Trump, Trump

Jagdeep Singh, the former CEO of Quantumscape, has an annual salary of Rs 17,500 crore ($2.06 billion), which surpasses the revenue of several large corporations in the world

Jagdeep Singh

Travel booking major OYO has launched a new check-in policy for partner hotels, starting from Meerut, introducing guidelines effective this year whereby unmarried couples will no longer be welcome to check in.
Under the revised policy, all couples will be asked to present valid proof of relationship at the time of check-in, including for bookings made online. OYO has empowered its partner hotels' discretion to decline couple bookings based on their judgment, aligning with local social sensibility, the company said.
OYO has given the directive to its partner hotels in Meerut to ensure this with immediate effect. Based on ground feedback, the company may expand this to more cities, people familiar with the policy change said.
"OYO has received feedback in the past from civil society groups especially in Meerut urging action to address this issue. Additionally, residents from few other cities have petitioned for disallowing unmarried couples to check-in at OYO hotels," they said.
Pawa

OYO, Oyo rooms, Oyo app, Oyo logo

Health Ministry convenes monitoring group meeting over hMPV surge in China

Fever, Unwell, Cold, Unhealthy

Four Kirloskar companies on Saturday said they have filed an appeal before the Securities Appellate Tribunal challenging the SEBI letter asking them to disclose the deed of family settlement that was signed by members of the Kirloskar family on September 11, 2009.
In a joint statement, the Kirloskar companies -- Kirloskar Ferrous Industries Ltd (KFIL), Kirloskar Industries Ltd (KIL), Kirloskar Pneumatic Company Ltd, Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd -- said they have filed the appeal before SAT challenging the SEBI letter dated December 30, 2024 wherein the market regulator advised them to disclose the Deed of Family Settlement (DDS).
On December 31, these companies stated that they were preparing to legally challenge the letter by SEBI.
The markets watchdog in its letter stated that "since the DFS is subsisting in nature, indirectly creates a restriction on the listed entities managed/promoted by the parties to such DFS, warrants disclosure, regardless of whether such listed entity is a ..

Kirloskar Industries Ltd (Photo: Kirloskar)

Kirloskar Industries Ltd

Adani Wilmar, which sells edible oils and other food items, on Saturday reported a 6 per cent annual growth in sales volumes and a 33 per cent increase in revenue in the December quarter.
Adani Wilmar, established jointly by Adani Group and Singapore Wilmar Group in 1999 markets its products mainly under Fortune brand.
Adani Group recently announced its exit from the joint venture by divesting its entire 44 per cent stake to Wilmar group as well as open market sale.
In a regulatory filing on Saturday, Adani Wilmar said the company "achieved a healthy volume growth of 6 per cent year-on-year in Q3 (December quarter), despite significant price hikes driven by surge in raw material costs".
Revenue grew 33 per cent year-on-year, it added.
"In the edible oils segment, although there was downtrading among consumers, the company maintained its market share by its strategy of having a diverse portfolio of brands at various price points," Adani Wilmar said.
The company reported 4 per cent

result, q1, q2, q3, q4

The higher financing costs are posing a challenge for the RBI to support an economy that's witnessing a slowdown in manufacturing activities

RBI, Reserve Bank of India

Afcom Holdings hit a new high of Rs 1,014.65, and was trading higher for the fourth straight day, surging 17 per cent during the period.

The number of active investors on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) have jumped 44 per cent over the past one year to 47.9 million at the end of September 2024. The surge in active clients is underpinned by the rally in the markets, with the Nifty 50

Here are various home loan rates from various public and private sector lenders

Loan, Home Loan, Money

With the advent of a slew of foreign makes, Indian bikers are now spoilt for choice, and the growing numbers of riders point to the emergence of a proper riding culture in the country

biking, motorcycles, motor bikes

First brought into public focus by investigative journalism in 2012, the Rotherham scandal involved the systematic abuse of at least 1,400 children over 16 years in the UK

Crime, Prison, Law, Arrest, Punishment

Regulator has barred the infamous stock operator for front-running trades pertaining to a US based FPI, directed disgorgement of illegal gains of Rs 66 crore

sebi

Singh spoke about the major trends that dominated the insurance space in 2024 and the trends to look forward to in the new year

Sarbvir Singh, CEO, Policybazaar.com

Once the pride of Indian Railways, the Rajdhani Express hasn't lived up to its speed promises decades later. The train seems to be stuck in a slow-motion time loop

Train, Indian Railway

A lot has changed. Both nations are more than a little concerned about how they will revive slowing growth

India China

The matter pertains to alleged violations of LODR regulations

Sumitha Narayanan Kutty

Sumitha Narayanan Kutty

Sumitha Narayanan Kutty

Sumitha Narayanan Kutty: Why we can't take Afghanistan for granted

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Costas Simitis, former Greek prime minister and socialist, dies at 88

Congress slams BJP for Ramesh Bidhuri's sexist remark on Priyanka Gandhi

NHAI prepays Rs 56,000 cr to lenders in FY25 to save Rs 1,200 cr interest

Why was George Soros awarded Medal of Freedom by Biden administration?

Donald Trump announces appointments to White House ahead of inauguration

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Indian-origin CEO is world's highest paid person, earns Rs 48 crore per day

Unmarried couples no longer welcome, OYO changes check-in policy

No unusual rise in flu-like cases in India, says govt amid China HMPV surge

Kirloskars challenge Sebi letter asking family settlement deed disclosure

Adani Wilmar sees 6% rise in sales volume in Q3, revenue grows 33%