Page 2 - Bs Reads

Jill Biden's new memoir shows off a sharp eye, if not a sharp elbow

Beyond a few pointed digs at her husband's successor, 'View From the East Wing' largely sticks to the head-spinning details of first lady-hood

A Fire Over Mount Everest: Revisiting India's landmark 1984 expedition

This absorbing and revelatory book goes beyond the expedition to trace the post-Everest trajectories of the protagonists and is an invaluable account of the realities of the pre-commercial era of Ever

The Liver Doctor: Finding humanism and empathy beyond social media battles

In The Liver Doctor, the hero is not the doctor, but the liver itself: One of the least understood yet endlessly fascinating organs in the human body, and the only one capable of regenerating itself

Enshittification: How Big Tech went from innovation to digital feudalism

The mischievous quality of the book's title or the emoji on its cover might mislead readers into dismissing it as lightweight reading

Open Intelligence: AI demands a rethink of human learning for digital age

Popularly known as "the Godfather of AI", Dr Hinton notes that humanity "is just a passing phase in the evolution of intelligence"

India Out of Work: Hurdles in the Viksit Bharat race for growth and jobs

The book holds the slowdown in the growth of non-farm jobs as a key reason for inadequate demand

How to Rule the World: The secret elite one freshman discovered at Stanford

Baker pursues the story like a campus reincarnation of Woodward and Bernstein

The Ghosts of Indian Small Towns: Ruskin Bond's journey through time

Ruskin Bond's reflective essays revisit vanished small-town India, blending nostalgia, memory, humour, and the quiet ghosts of changing landscapes

Chapal Rani: A poignant portrait of gender and exclusion in folk theatre

Through the story of a female impersonator in theatres, this book offers a commentary on how queerness exists around us in different shapes, forms, words, and feeling

River Traveller: Hazarika brings alive the Tsangpo-Brahmaputra ecosystem

Mr Hazarika's book will appeal to environmentalists, historians, diplomats, anthropologists, political scientists, bureaucrats, and activists as well as readers who enjoy reading travelogues

Iran threatens war 'beyond the region' as Trump hints at new strikes

Six weeks since Trump paused Operation Epic Fury for a ceasefire, talks to end the war have largely stalled

Rupee hits record low of 96.96/$ on oil, US Treasury yield strain

The rupee slid to ‌96.96 per dollar, breaching its previous record low of 96.6150 hit in the prior session, and ended the day at 96.82

London Falling: Deception and a death without answers in a gilded city

How a teenager in London crafted a double life as the son of a Russian oligarch, and paid for it with his life under suspicious circumstances

Naxalism eradicated before March 31 deadline due to forces' sacrifice: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said Naxalism has been completely eradicated from the country ahead of the March 31 deadline due to the valour, courage and supreme sacrifice of the security forces. Addressing a press conference here, Shah said certain dates hold historical significance in the "Naxal-Free India Campaign" -- December 13, 2023, when the BJP government in Chhattisgarh took oath, the resolute campaign for the complete eradication of Naxalism began. The second date is August 24, 2024, when a meeting of the directors general of police (DG) from all states was convened to resolve to make the country Naxal-free by March 31, 2026, Shah said. "The third date, which you all know - March 31, 2026 (deadline set by the Centre to eliminate Naxalism from the country). Due to the valour, courage, and supreme sacrifice of the security forces, Naxalism has been completely eradicated from the country ahead of the set deadline," Shah told reporters. The home minister said he co

The Good Reporter: Rural women's stories, uninterrupted amid media clutter

In a crowded media world, a women-led newsroom offers a refreshing breather

Niti Aayog urges raising R&D spend from 0.64% to 2% of GDP in 4-5 years

India should significantly enhance its investment in research and development from the current level of 0.64 per cent to at least 2 per cent of GDP in the next four to five years to strengthen the country's R&D ecosystem, Niti Aayog said on Monday. The Aayog, in a report titled Ease of Doing Research & Development in India - Removing Obstacles, Promoting Enablers, said the government should consider restoring a 5 per cent GST slab for R&D procurement. "To strengthen India's R&D (research and development) ecosystem, there is an urgent need to significantly enhance the national investment in R&D, from the current level of 0.64 per cent to at least 2 per cent of GDP in the next four to five years," it noted. The report also suggested that India needs to introduce time-bound, incremental fiscal incentives to boost private sector investment in R&D. According to the report, adding the reporting head of R&D expenditure under Schedule III (Balance Sheet & ...

Fuel price hike cuts OMC losses by 25%; daily loss drops to ₹750 cr

A Rs 3-per-litre increase in petrol and diesel prices has helped state-run oil marketing companies trim daily losses by nearly a quarter, reducing overall losses to around Rs 750 crore per day from Rs 1,000 crore, a senior oil ministry official said Monday. However, elevated global crude prices and a weak rupee continue to keep pump rates below cost-recovery levels. At a news briefing, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said a bailout package, in the form of a government subsidy to make up for losses state-owned oil companies are incurring on selling petrol, diesel and cooking gas LPG below cost, is "still not on the table". International oil prices rose sharply after the US-Israeli war against Iran triggered the largest-ever oil supply disruption. To keep the domestic market insulated, the state-owned oil companies continued to sell fuel at two-year-old rates till May 15, when prices of petrol and diesel were raised by Rs 3 per litre. The

PM Modi conferred Norway's top civilian honour, his 32nd global award

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Monday conferred with Norway's highest civilian honour, the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. This is Prime Minister Modi's 32nd international honour. The Grand Cross is the highest grade of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. It is awarded for exceptional service in advancing Norway's interests and international relations. A day earlier, Modi was awarded Sweden's prestigious 'Royal Order of the Polar Star, Degree Commander Grand Cross,' in recognition of his exceptional contributions to bilateral ties and his visionary leadership. The award is Sweden's highest honour conferred on foreign Heads of Government. PM Modi arrived here earlier in the day on a two-day visit from Sweden. This is Modi's maiden visit to Norway, and marks the first visit by an Indian prime minister to the country in 43 years.

Gunveer Singh appointed RBI Executive Director with immediate effect

The Reserve Bank on Monday promoted Gunveer Singh as Executive Director (ED), the central bank said in a statement. Prior to this, Singh was serving as Chief General Manager-in-Charge of Department of Payment and Settlement Systems of the central bank. His appointment as ED is effective from Monday. As Executive Director, Singh will look after the Department of Payment and Settlement Systems, the RBI said. Singh has over three decades of experience in the Reserve Bank having worked in areas of payment and settlement systems, banking and non-banking supervision, risk monitoring, government banking and other areas. He has also served as a payment systems expert at the Central Bank of Oman. Singh is a Chartered Accountant and a Cost and Works Accountant.

Delhi govt cuts VAT on ATF from 25% to 7% to benefit airlines, passengers

The reduction comes against the backdrop of uncertainty in global fuel supplies linked to the ongoing conflict in West Asia