Barkha Mathur

Why blocking sunlight to cool Earth is becoming a global policy concern

Solar radiation modification could temporarily cool the planet by reflecting sunlight, but uncertain effects on rainfall, ecosystems and geopolitics are raising governance concerns

GST Council meet: Industry seeks smoother refunds and fewer notices

As the GST Council prepares to meet, businesses want the next phase of reform to focus on getting stuck credit moving, reducing repeated scrutiny and making compliance simpler

RBI policy highlights: Repo rate rises 25 bps as inflation risks broaden

The RBI raises the repo rate to 5.5% as inflation risks broaden, while keeping its growth outlook firm. Here are the key takeaways from Governor Sanjay Malhotra's statement

Paramount-Warner merger: How the year-long Hollywood bidding war unfolded

What began as Warner Bros Discovery's plan to split its studios from its declining television networks turned into a bidding war involving Paramount, Netflix and other buyers

India nears cold-storage goal, but first-mile gaps remain: Ficci-GT Bharat

With 40.22 million tonnes of cold storage capacity, India is near its long-term target, but three-quarters is used for potatoes and losses remain high before produce reaches the first cold point

Russia plague scare: Nearly 200 face quarantine after lab worker dies

A suspected plague case in Siberia has prompted quarantine measures after a 28-year-old worker at an anti-plague research institute died. Here's all you need to know

IndianOil brings packaged water to the pump in a non-fuel revenue push

State-owned IndianOil has invited expressions of interest from aggregators to manufacture, distribute and roll out its own packaged drinking water brand across its nationwide retail network

All Saturdays bank holidays? PIB flags fake Gazette notification online

The viral document, dated September 30, claims the Finance Ministry declared every Saturday a public holiday for public sector banks. PIB says no such notification was issued

India wants foreign capital, but US investors see hurdles at the gate

A new US report says India has eased some investment rules, but foreign investors still face sectoral restrictions, FDI-FPI limits, import hurdles and corruption risks in the regulatory system

WhatsApp Business pricing changes from today: What Indian firms should know

Businesses using WhatsApp Business Platform in India will have to pay for service messages beyond 1,000 free replies per phone number each month from October 1

As smartphone prices rise, how retailers plan to keep festive deals alive

Smartphone prices have risen sharply this year, forcing retailers to balance thinner margins, cautious inventory and consumer demand for the deep festive deals they have come to expect

India's next investor wave will come from smaller cities, youth: EY

India has built digital rails for financial access, but EY says the next phase requires a wealth infrastructure that links identity, data, AI, advice and investor protection mechanisms

Why Tata Sons faces a listing mandate and how Tata Trusts hopes to avoid it

After the RBI classified Tata Sons for listing in 2022, Tata Trusts first sought to end its NBFC status and, after that bid failed, proposed merging two operating businesses into the holding company

Heart risk before 35? Nearly 6 in 10 young workers show warning markers

World Heart Day 2026: A report by digital health benefits platform ekincare found that 58.5% of employees under 35 had at least one flagged cardiovascular risk marker in 2026 year-to-date data

Trump's 100% pharma tariff kicks in today, select Indian drugs get relief

Specified speciality drugs from India and 19 other jurisdictions qualify for zero duty as the US extends its 100% pharma tariff to more companies; generics remain outside its scope

Why ACs, TVs and smartphones are set to get costlier before Diwali

From copper and aluminium to memory chips and freight, several cost pressures are converging just before India's biggest shopping season

Going public: How listing changes company's compliance, governance, culture

Once shares begin trading, management must report to investors through financial results, material disclosures and regular shareholder communication

Oracle job cuts hit middle managers, workers over 40 in cloud unit

Middle managers and employees aged 40 and above reportedly bore a significant share of Oracle's latest layoffs in its cloud infrastructure unit

Amazon reaches out to former workers for AI, cloud jobs after mass layoffs

The outreach includes a recruiter-led initiative for former AI and machine learning staff, while the company says former employees can be considered for other open roles as well

Why Hyderabad is seeing a fresh wave of global capability centres

With more GCCs expected to arrive, Hyderabad's established technology, BFSI and life-sciences ecosystems are becoming an increasingly important part of its appeal