Page 19 - Notifications

Strict action against polluting industries, ban violators in Delhi: Sirsa

With the air quality in Delhi remaining close to 'severe' category, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Saturday said strict action will be taken against polluting industries and those violating construction ban in the national capital. Sirsa, citing forecast of the India Meteorological Department, said that a western disturbance is likely to impact Delhi on Sunday, which could lead to unfavourable weather conditions, further worsening air quality. He said GRAP 4 restrictions are currently in force across the city. The minister said authorities are receiving several complaints about construction activities taking place despite the ban, and warned that strict action will be taken against violators. Sirsa directed all industries in Delhi to strictly comply with pollution control norms, stressing that no polluting industry should function during the enforcement period. "We cannot compromise with the health of Delhi residents. Any industry found polluting or operating illega

India must lead in AI while prioritising empathy in tech adoption: Ambani

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani on Saturday said India must become a world leader in artificial intelligence, but stressed the need for greater empathy in adopting new-age tech. The Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries said the largest Indian corporate is at the "doorstep" of solving India's energy challenge with solar energy and storage solutions. Speaking at an event here on the occasion of the International Human Solidarity Day, Ambani said RIL's telecom arm Jio has catapulted India into the digital mainstream of the world by laying the foundation with its services. "... of course we need AI. We (India) must become world leaders in AI. But above all, we need empathy and compassion even more," Ambani said. "By combining intelligence with empathy, prosperity with purpose, India can present a new model of development to the rest of the world," the richest Indian said. He said there were many "disbelievers" about the telecom business even within RIL. In an apparent refe

'No embargo' on Imran Khan's sons meeting him in jail: Pakistan govt

Pakistan government said on Saturday that there is "no embargo" on former prime minister Imran Khan's sons meeting their incarcerated father if they travel to the country. Pakistani authorities have reportedly imposed unannounced restrictions on meetings with Khan on the grounds that the visitors use such meetings for political ends. Following the move, his family and party members have expressed concerns about the conditions in which he is being kept inside the prison. "There has been no embargo on Suleman Khan and Kasim Khan to meet their father, Imran Khan, at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi," Interior State Minister Talal Chaudhry told reporters here. Suleman and Kasim, who currently live in London, are Khan's sons from his first marriage with British TV personality Jemima Goldsmith. Chaudhry's statement comes days after the brother-duo in an interview with Sky News earlier this week said they fear they might never see their jailed father ever again.

Delhi's air on verge of severe; AQI at 398 as thick haze shrouds capital

The sky remained shrouded in dull grey, while a thick haze descended upon the capital on Saturday, with the air quality on the brink of "severe". At 4 pm, Delhi's 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 398 -- just two points shy of the threshold -- while several monitoring stations across the city reported readings in the 'severe' category. Meanwhile, hourly AQI readings from the CPCB's SAMEER app showed that air quality worsened during the evening hours, slipping into the severe category at 401, at 5 pm. Of the 40 monitoring stations across the city, 22 recorded air quality in the severe range, while 17 logged readings in the 'very poor' category. Chandni Chowk reported the worst air quality, with an AQI reading of 464, in the 'severe plus' category. With the sun largely obscured by clouds and suspended pollutants, visibility was greatly reduced. Amid prevailing cold-wave conditions, the average air quality in the capital deteriorated to 398 on Saturday, compare

Nirav Modi's Bank of India trial adjourned over UK prison paperwork delays

A London court has allowed a plea by fugitive diamond merchant Nirav Modi, wanted in India on fraud and money laundering charges, to adjourn a trial in an unrelated Bank of India unpaid loan case until March over UK prison delays. The 54-year-old accused, fighting extradition to India in the estimated USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) loan scam, was shifted from Thameside prison in south London to HMP Pentonville, north London, in October to facilitate an appearance at the High Court in London. At an online review hearing for the USD 8-million Bank of India case on Friday, Judge Simon Tinkler partially granted Nirav's application to adjourn the eight-day January trial by a few weeks until March 23 next year following delays by UK prison authorities in providing access to important legal paperwork. There must, in my judgment, be some doubt as to whether those papers will ever make their way to Mr Modi if they indeed currently still exist, Justice Tinkler noted. It does seem t

70% of realtors expect over 5% growth in housing prices next year: Survey

Nearly 70 per cent of real estate developers expect housing prices to rise by more than 5 per cent during the 2026 calendar year on strong demand, according to a survey by CREDAI and CRE Matrix. Realtors' body CREDAI and real estate data analytics firm CRE Matrix have done a sentiment survey of real estate developers. As many as 647 developers participated in the survey conducted in November and December. According to the findings of the survey, 68 per cent of respondents expect home prices to rise above 5 per cent in the next calendar year. The survey report was released at a CREDAI conclave held in the national capital on December 19-20. As per the survey report, 1 per cent of respondents believe prices will rise by more than 25 per cent, while 3 per cent expect the prices to rise between 15 per cent and 25 per cent. As much as 18 per cent of respondents expect housing prices to appreciate between 10 per cent and 15 per cent, while 46 per cent of participants see rates to move u

AgustaWestland case: Court orders Christian Michel's release from custody

However, he will remain in jail as he is also an accused in a separate corruption case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the matter

Akhilesh calls for bulldozer action on codeine mafias, even if linked to SP

Escalating the war of words over allegations linked to the illegal codeine cough syrup trade, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday hit back at Yogi Adityanath with a poetic riposte, a day after the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister targeted him through a couplet. Addressing a press conference at the SP headquarters here, Yadav accused the government of trying to divert attention by circulating photographs and making political allegations instead of acting against the guilty. He called for 'bulldozer action' against all those involved, irrespective of political affiliation, noting that the issue concerns not just Uttar Pradesh but also the prime minister's parliamentary constituency, Varanasi. Referring to Adityanath's poetic remark on Friday, Yadav said he was not a poet himself, but party veteran Uday Pratap, seated beside him, was a well-known literary figure. Quoting from one of his works and targeting the chief minister, Yadav recited: "Apna chehra na ponchha gaya ..

Did MGNREGA act as safety net for casual labour during sowing, harvest?

Civil society groups say the VB-G RAM G Bill could weaken casual labour's bargaining power, as MGNREGA served as a safety net and fall back option when farm wages turned unattractive

Google warns staff with US visa to avoid int'l travel amid embassy delays

Some US embassies and consulates face visa appointment delays of up to 12 months, the memo said, warning that international travel will 'risk an extended stay outside the US'

Air India Express suspends pilot for 'physically assaulting' passenger

Passenger Ankit Dewan has alleged that he was physically attacked by an off-duty Air India Express pilot at Delhi airport's Terminal 1, leaving him injured and his seven-year-old daughter traumatised

US trade chief criticises India, EU as negotiations drag on into 2026

He also said negotiations with India that began earlier this year still haven't resulted in an agreement - noting that the US had concluded deals with a slew of other partners

Oil makes a comeback amid transition hype, with India driving demand

After years of forecasts predicting an imminent peak in oil demand amid a swift shift to renewables, oil and gas made a quiet but unmistakable comeback, with India emerging as a central driver of global consumption. Major energy outlooks - from BP and McKinsey to the IEA - pushed peak oil into the 2030s and revised 2050 demand upward. And every forecaster said India will emerge as the epicentre of global demand growth, with its rise in appetite for energy outpacing that of China and Southeast Asia combined. The revival of the 'Oil is King' narrative in 2025 was fuelled by policy delays, infrastructure bottlenecks, and geopolitical tensions. European nations, long champions of the clean energy transition, leaned more heavily on fossil fuels as supply shortfalls and high prices persisted amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. In the US, President Donald Trump's fossil-forward policies reinforced this trend. The result: oil was back on the centre board. India's oil and gas sector in 202

US launches retaliatory strikes on 70 targets in Syria after Trump threat

The US Central Command said that fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery targeted ISIS infrastructure and weapon sites

Tesla CEO Musk recovers $55 billion pay package in Delaware court ruling

Elon Musk, already the world's richest man, scored another huge windfall Friday when the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a decision that deprived him of a USD55 billion pay package that Tesla doled out in 2018 as an incentive for its CEO to steer the automaker to new heights. Besides padding Musk's current fortune of USD 679 billion, the restoration of the 2018 pay package vindicates his long-held belief that the Delaware legal system had overstepped its bounds in January 2024 when Chancellor Kathaleen St Jude McCormick rescinded the compensation in a case brought by a disgruntled Tesla shareholder. Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment late Friday. McCormick's ruling so incensed Musk that it spurred him to spurn Delaware and reincorporate Tesla in Texas. That decision also caused Tesla's board to scramble for ways to keep its CEO happy, including a successful effort to persuade the company's shareholders to reaffirm the pay package, which was valued at USD 44.9

IMD issues orange alert for Delhi as fog, cold wave grip North India

With December 18 recorded as the coldest day so far, winter conditions are set to intensify across north India as the IMD forecasts dense fog, cold wave conditions and snowfall in the Himalayan region

Smartphones fuel 38% jump in electronics export in FY26, shows data

India's electronics exports surged 38% to $31 billion in April-November FY26, led by smartphones and Apple iPhones, narrowing the gap with petroleum exports

Dhurandhar marks the arrival in Bollywood of a new-generation soft power

If Pathaan gave both conservatives and liberals room to hide, Dhurandhar extends no such courtesy. Aditya Dhar ripped open that tent of hypocrisy and turned the knife

Will FM Nirmala Sitharaman table the Union Budget on Sunday, February 1?

The Union Budget has been presented on February 1 since 2017, and 2026 will be the first occasion since then that it falls on a Sunday

Tejas Networks' D2M tech gaining ground, in talks with global players

Globally, we are in talks with a couple of operators, but those negotiations are at fairly initial stages of understanding the technology, said Arnab Roy

In the upcoming auctions, telcos seek spectrum locked in insolvency

In representations to the regulator, Bharti Airtel has noted that if included, the airwaves would enable telcos to use the spectrum more efficiently and may provide revenue to the exchequer

At $4.4 bn, Shriram Finance to get India's largest financial-sector FDI

Japan-based Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group will invest nearly Rs 39,618 crore to acquire a 20 per cent stake in Shriram Finance through a preferential share issue

SAT to hear Avadhut Sathe appeal against Sebi's interim order on Jan 9

SAT will hear on January 9, 2026, Avadhut Sathe Trading Academy's appeal against Sebi's interim order impounding Rs 546 crore and barring it from the market

Corporate governance can't just be reactive: Sebi chief Tuhin Kanta Pandey

Even small corporate governance lapses can trigger outsized market consequences, SEBI chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey warns, urging proactive oversight and ethical judgment

Cert-In flags multiple vulnerabilities in Apple's iPhone, iPad OS

These vulnerabilities, Cert-In said, could leave Apple users at risk of unauthorised access to sensitive data on their devices, cause service disruptions, and compromise the entire device

Festive cheer fuels premium push as alcobev cos bet big on launches, growth

For Pernod Ricard India, this is a continuation of the festival season and the year-end festivities make for good business

Stock Market Highlights: Sensex jumps 447 pts, Nifty atop 25,950; ICICI Pru AMC gains 19% on debut

Sensex Today | Stock Market Highlights on December 19, 2025: The broader indices - BSE MidCap and SmallCap outran the benchmark Sensex and gained around 1.3 per cent each on Friday.

Shriram Finance jumps 5% as MUFG set to acquire 20% stake in ₹39.6k-cr deal

Shriram Finance said its board has approved entering into definitive agreements with MUFG Bank Ltd for an investment of ₹39,618 crore, or about $4.4 billion

Trump's year-end speech: US invaded by 25 mn immigrants, Biden made a mess

From border control claims to visa curbs and travel bans, Trump laid out his immigration record and agenda in a televised address

What we get wrong about blood pressure: Doctors bust 13 persistent myths

From stress and salt to medicines, age and alcohol, an internal medicine specialist explains why blood pressure myths can quietly harm your health

Lok Sabha adjourned sine die, Winter Session of Parliament concludes

Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday, drawing curtains on the 19-day-long Winter Session of Parliament. During the brief session with 15 sittings, key Bills were passed, including the one to open up the civil nuclear sector for private companies. Another Bill to replace the MNREGA with a new law the VB-G RAM G Bill assuring 125 days of guaranteed jobs for rural India was passed amid opposition protests on Thursday, including tearing of papers. The House also took up two debates on 150 years of Vande Matram and election reforms which witnessed a politically charged atmosphere. A Bill to set up a higher education regulator was referred to a joint committee of the two Houses. Another Bill on the market securities code was introduced and referred to a department-related standing committee for further examination. As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker Om Birla adjourned Lok Sabha sine die (for an indefinite period). The House saw productivity of 111 per cent during

Adani's airport unit plans $11 bn investment, seeks partner ahead of IPO

Adani Airport Holdings currently operates seven airports, including those in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, and is now targeting 11 more airports slated for privatisation, Jeet Adani said

Green card lottery suspended as Trump orders USCIS to pause DV scheme

The US diversity visa lottery has been paused after Homeland Security cited security concerns and ordered USCIS to stop processing applications

VB-G RAM G Bill 'anti village', Modi govt destroyed MGNREGA: Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused the Modi government of demolishing 20 years of MGNREGA in a single day, and dubbed the new VB-G RAM G legislation as anti village. Noting that the VB-G RAM G Bill is not a revamp of MGNREGA, Gandhi said in a post on X, Last night, the Modi government demolished twenty years of MGNREGA in one day. It demolishes the rights-based, demand-driven guarantee and turns it into a rationed scheme which is controlled from Delhi. It is anti-state and anti-village by design. The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also said that MGNREGA gave the rural worker bargaining power. With real options, exploitation and distress migration fell, wages increased, working conditions improved, all while building and reviving rural infrastructure. That leverage is precisely what this government wants to break, Gandhi alleged. He said by capping work and creating more ways to deny it, the VB-G RAM G Bill weakens the one instrument the rural poor had. We saw what

Bharti Airtel partly paid-up shares zoom 10%, trade at new high; here's why

Bharti Airtel board approves first and final call for partly paid-up equity shares; trading in latter to be suspended with effect from February 06, 2026.

ICICI Pru AMC makes solid D-St debut; lists at 20% premium on bourses

ICICI Prudential AMC shares listed at ₹2,600 on the NSE, a premium of ₹435 or 26 per cent from the issue price of ₹2,165

Ola Electric hits 10% upper circuit after promoter completes stake sale

The buying on the counter came after the company promoter, Bhavish Aggarwal, completed the one-time, limited monetisation of a small portion of his personal shareholding

Bangladesh rocked by protests after death of student leader in Singapore

Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the July Uprising who was shot last week, died on Thursday while undergoing treatment at a Singapore hospital after fighting for his life for six days. Hadi, also a candidate in the scheduled February 12 general elections, was shot in the head by masked gunmen on Friday as he initiated his election campaign at central Dhaka's Bijoynagar area. The interim government of Muhammad Yunus on Monday sent Hadi to Singapore in an air ambulance for advanced treatment as doctors in Dhaka described his condition extremely critical. In a televised address to the nation late Thursday night, Chief Adviser Yunus announced Hadi's death and promised swift action to catch his killers. "Today, I came before you with very heartbreaking news. Sharif Osman Hadi, the fearless frontline fighter of the July Uprising and spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha, is no more among us," Yunus said. He vowed to bring those involved in this brutal murder to justice quickly, say

Asia sees Mexico's sweeping 50% tariffs as building Trump's new trade wall

For the countries affected by the new rates out of Mexico City, this is a sobering reminder that they have more than just the US president to deal with

Why China rose and India lost ground in the global middle-class map

An unambitious elite spoiled by finance - plus a working class held back by inadequate education and inequities of caste and gender - are stymying the emergence of a global middle class in India

BP's sudden CEO change shocks investors, signals shift in company strategy

Auchincloss had been in the chief executive role less than two years and just this February had unveiled a strategic reset. His replacement will be Meg O'Neill

Australia to start gun buyback programme after Bondi Beach terror attack

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday announced the government will introduce legislation to help fund the buyback

Amid ₹1.85-trn fund raise, here are 5 lessons from IPO investing in 2025

The year 2025 has seen over 100 mainboard, and 250+ SME IPOs. From frenzied demand to aggressive pricing among others, here are the key learnings from IPO investing as per experts.

Export dilemma: The 'shrimp vs smartphone' debate in India-US trade

How US tariffs are forcing India to weigh exports of labour-intensive products against technology-intensive ones. One is a job creator, the other a sunshine industry. It is not an easy choice

Mumbai airport to shut cargo flights for 10 months from August 2026

In FY25, Mumbai airport handled 8.9 lakh tonnes of cargo, accounting for nearly a quarter of India's total air cargo handled that year

Passengers must pay: Rail freight revenue can increase, but so must fares

A parliamentary panel has urged Indian Railways to diversify freight beyond coal, revisit tariffs and confront passenger fare subsidies to keep the system financially viable

FDI for growth: Foreign participation in insurance should raise competition

Even as the sector opens up to greater competition and foreign investment, long-standing challenges continue to constrain its reach and credibility

Weak regulation hurt public policy in 2025; fixing it is 2026's big task

From aviation to finance, regulatory failures marked India's economy in 2025, exposing weak state capacity and the urgent need to redesign how regulators function

Hotels, villas cash in as pet parents spend more on 'paw-cations'

Pet-inclusive accommodations, curated road trip packages on offer

UK immigration 2025: Tougher work rules, tighter student visas & fees hikes

A sweeping reset under UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer reshaped work visas, student rules, settlement timelines and business mobility through 2025