Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the leaders of the BRICS at the venue of the Plenary session on Wednesday.

Brics Summit: PM Modi, Xi Jinping, other leaders pose for family photo in Kazan

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) has set aside hospitality major EIH Ltd's petition against an NCLT order approving the sale of Hyderabad-based Golden Jubilee Hotels.
The appellate tribunal upheld the earlier decision of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), allowing the bid of a Singapore-based entity and said the business decision by the majority of the CoC (Committee of Creditors) "cannot be questioned or looked into".
"This recent judgment leaves no doubt about reinforced faith in commercial wisdom of CoC and little scope of any judicial intervention," said a two-member bench of the NCLAT.
Earlier, the Hyderabad Bench of NCLT had approved the bids of Singapore-based BREP Asia II Indian Holding Co II (NQ) PTE on February 7, 2020, which was challenged before NCLAT by EIH, a flagship company of The Oberoi Group.
EIH, which was managing Golden Jubilee Hotels and has 16 per cent shareholding, contended that it could not be treated as a promoter and become ...

EIH, which was managing Golden Jubilee Hotels and has 16 per cent shareholding, contended that it could not be treated as a promoter and become 'ineligible' to be part of the resolution plan

Hospitality firm Sarovar Hotels is broadening focus towards highway hotels and resorts close to major cities, capitalising on the country's rapidly expanding roads network, a top official said.
The hotel chain has 80 projects in the pipeline over the next few years as part of its expansion plan, he said.
"Highway hotels and resort-concept properties close to cities, within three-four hour journey, are a new high-growth segment for hospitality, at a time when competition is getting intense in urban centres," Sarovar Hotels Chairman Ajay K Bakaya told PTI in an interview.
He said this strategic shift aligns with the ongoing road infrastructure development in the country.
Enhanced connectivity is opening up opportunities for leisure and business travel, creating demand for accessible and convenient accommodation options, he said.
"We haven't seen such development of highways in the past. Around 10,000 km of national highways are being constructed annually, which is remarkable. It is 

Enhanced connectivity is opening up opportunities for leisure and business travel, creating demand for accessible and convenient accommodation options, official said

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

Apple is one of Broadcom's biggest customers, accounting for roughly 20 per cent of revenue

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Sunday criticised the union government for demanding payment for disaster relief and rescue operations conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) during Wayanad landslides.
He described the move as "adding chilli to the wounds" of the state, already burdened by the aftermath of the disaster.
Addressing reporters here, Balagopal accused the BJP-ruled Centre of "failing" to provide even the funds it had promised to the state for disaster relief.
The Finance Minister alleged that this was akin to mocking the people of the state.
"In addition to such an approach, a new bill has been introduced in the name of the Air Force," he said.
"Really, this approach is like adding chilli to a serious wound," Balagopal added.
He also questioned the stance of BJP leaders, including Union Minister Suresh Gopi and former Union Minister V Muraleedharan, on the issue affecting Kerala.
Balagopal made these remarks in response to queries regarding a letter dated O

Addressing reporters, Balagopal accused the BJP-ruled Centre of 'failing' to provide even the funds it had promised to the state for disaster relief

Legal experts and activists have voiced the urgent need to bring political parties under the ambit of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, known as the POSH Act, citing the need for gender equality and accountability.
The reaction comes after the Supreme Court on Monday disposed of a plea seeking direction to political parties to follow the procedure for the protection of women in the workplace under the 2013 POSH Act.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Manmohan asked the petitioner to approach the Election Commission of India (ECI) with a representation for the application of the POSH Act.
Sonal Mattoo, a lawyer and director of NGO Helping Hands, called for a shift in perspective, urging political parties to focus on the spirit of the law rather than its technical definition.
"The problem is they're looking at the letter of the law as opposed to the spirit of the law. If you look at the letter of the law, yes, you will struggle w

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Manmohan asked the petitioner to approach the Election Commission of India (ECI) with a representation for the application of the POSH Act

Stakeholders from the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sought a reduction in GST, technology upgrade, and production-linked incentive scheme benefits for various segments in a pre-Budget meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday.
The meeting aimed to seek inputs and suggestions for the Budget for 2025-26, expected to be presented on February 1.
Members from the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Karnataka (AWAKE); Karnataka SC and ST Entrepreneurs' Association; Plant-Based Food Industry Association (PBFIA); Ambala Scientific Instruments Manufacturers' Association (ASIMA); Rajasthan Footwear Manufacturers' Association were among the participants at the meeting.
The All-India Plastics Manufacturers' Association; All India Manufacturers' Association; Gujarat Chamber of Small Industries Association; Federation of Associations of Cottage and Small Industries (based in West Bengal); Federation of Andhra Pradesh Small and Medium Association; and Laghu Udyog 

The meeting aimed to seek inputs and suggestions for the Budget for 2025-26, expected to be presented on February 1

Call for reining in food inflation and raising investment in pre-Budget  talks

Russia-Ukraine War

The year 2022 is coming to an end and a lot has happened that shaped the world in the year. Let's have a look at some of these significant events

In February 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine&amp;#39;s capital, Kyiv, from the north in an attempt to overthrow President Volodymyr Zelensky&amp;#39;s government. In the months following, artillery bombardment and street fighting continued, with Russia seizing multiple cities.

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After a slew of scandals in his term spanning three years, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned from office in July. Johnson was succeeded by Liz Truss, who took over the office in September.
						
						But after 45 days in the office, she resigned, becoming the shortest-serving PM in UK history. Her budgetary plans, at the centre of which were tax cut plans, had crashed the markets, making her lose the confidence of almost all her own MPs.
						
						In the days that followed, Rishi Sunak took over as Britain&amp;#39;s 57th prime minister and vowed to fix the mistakes made by his predecessor, Liz Truss.

Russia Invades Ukraine

In April, protests began in the nation following a sharp rise in food and fuel costs. Thousands demanded the resignation of now-ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The people faced long power cuts daily and shortages of basics, including fuel and food. Sri Lanka&amp;#39;s doctors said they were nearly out of life-saving medicines.
						
						Rajapaksa&amp;#39;s government was being blamed for the chronic mismanagement of the country&amp;#39;s finances. In July, protestors stormed Rajapaksa&amp;#39;s home, pushing him to flee the nation before resigning from office.

UK&amp;#39;s political crisis

In September, 22-year-old Iranian girl Mahsa Amini died after being detained for allegedly violating Iran&amp;#39;s laws requiring women to wear a headscarf. Authorities said she died of illness, but her family claimed she fell into a coma after being mistreated by the police. Sources said the police beat Amini with a baton and banged her head against a vehicle. At her funeral on September 17 in Saqez, women protested by ripping off their hijabs. Protests sparked by her demise have since roped in ethnic minorities and even school children. Thousands of women since then have been showing solidarity by cutting their hair and burning their hijabs in public.
						
						Now, the unrest has spread beyond a women&amp;#39;s right to a movement that is calling for an end to theocratic rule. The protests are now the most broadly supported movement in Iran in over four decades.

Sri Lanka economic crisis

In October, Chinese President Xi Jinping was handed a historic third term in office. He became the first leader of the ruling Communist Party after party founder Mao Zedong to get a third term in power.
						
						This came as China&amp;#39;s economy was running out of steam after decades of high growth. Many expect Xi&amp;#39;s third term may see China revert to more old-school economic management, focusing on shoring up the heavy industry and continuing a crackdown on big tech.

Uprising mounts again in Iran

In a historic first, rich countries agreed to pay for losses and damages caused by climate change. For 30 years, developing nations have been calling for developed countries to compensate for the costs of climate disasters caused by climate change. And rich nations that caused the pollution resisted the demand. But this changed in 2022.

Chinese President Xi Jinping starts record third term in power

In 2022, inflation was rising worldwide, with food and energy prices hitting record highs. The hike was mainly driven by pent-up consumer demand after the pandemic and Russia&amp;#39;s invasion of Ukraine. As the pandemic waned, people wanted to return to normalcy and spend more. This led to companies demanding higher prices. Companies also hired more to serve the pent-up demand. They had to increase wages to attract workers and raise prices to compensate for that.

A landmark deal UN Climate Change Conference (COP27)

In September, Queen Elizabeth II, Britain&amp;#39;s longest-serving monarch, died at 96 after reigning for 70 years. Many said her death would mark a turning point for commonwealth nations as many may disassociate themselves.

The global economy at crossroads

In October, Brazil&amp;#39;s former president, Luiz In&amp;aacute;cio Lula da Silva beat Jair Bolsonaro in the country&amp;#39;s closest presidential race in history. Silva&amp;#39;s win marked Latin America&amp;#39;s shift to the left and pointed to an extraordinary comeback for a man in jail for corruption three years ago.

Queen Elizabeth II dies

In October, billionaire Elon Musk closed his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter after months of dilly-dallying, drama and a lawsuit. The Tesla owner&amp;#39;s Twitter takeover is also one of the biggest tech acquisitions of all time. May fear that Musk&amp;#39;s takeover may turn the social media giant into a hotbed of hate speech.
					
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Brazil elections

Google Messages

In January, Google rolled out end-to-end encryption in group chats for messages app users enrolled in the beta programme

Blend launches Blend Studio: AI tool for ecommerce photography

New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI/PNN): Blend, an AI-powered design and photography application for DTC brands and ecommerce sellers, recently launched Blend Studio - the Chat GPT for product photos.

Celebrity and Travel Photographer Rahul Lokare from Flamingo Productions creates waves of change in the world of photography.

Xiaomi 13 Pro

Priced at Rs 79,999 for the 12GB RAM and 256GB on-board storage, the Xiaomi 13 Pro offers a novel imaging experience on top of a premium package

Brics Summit: PM Modi, Xi Jinping, other leaders pose for family photo in Kazan

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the leaders of the BRICS at the venue of the Plenary session on Wednesday.

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