This New Year’s Eve marked a remarkable recovery for the restaurant industry, with occupancy rates 15-30% higher than last year, defying concerns of low consumer spending amidst persistent inflation. Many dining spots reported record-breaking sales and packed houses, especially on December 31. Zorawar Kalra, founder of Massive Restaurants Pvt., mentioned that several of their chains achieved "all-time high" sales. Rajit Shetty from the Ramee Group of Hotels also note

The University of Hyderabad (UoH) has opened applications for the 2025-27 MBA programme. Interested candidates can apply via the official websites acad.uohyd.ac.in and uohyd.ac.in. The deadline for submission is January 15, 2025. Applicants must have a minimum of a three-year first-class Bachelor's degree, with 60% marks or equivalent, and must have appeared for CAT 2024. Shortlisted candidates will undergo a Grou

Ahead of the Union Budget 2025-26, the government is expected to introduce measures to aid small businesses, farmers, and the export sector. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently held her fourth pre-budget consultation, where she discussed key economic policies and priorities with stakeholders. Sources suggest that the government may announce tax relief for middle-class citizens to help revitalize the slowing economy, along with support for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

On Sunday, US President-elect Donald Trump announced the appointment of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author, as the Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Krishnan, who has held leadership roles at major tech companies such as Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo!, Facebook, and Snap, will work alongside David O. Sacks, who will serve as the White House AI & Crypto Czar. Krishnan's role will involve ensuring that

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will chair the 55th GST Council meeting in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on Saturday, December 21. This meeting will focus on several important discussions related to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India. The agenda includes deliberations on taxability issues concerning food delivery platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato, and potential changes to GST rates on products like health insurance premiums, life insurance, wristwatches, shoes, and apparel. The cou

Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has linked corruption under the UPA government as the primary cause of non-performing assets (NPAs) in Indian banks. In a recent interview, Rajan explained that following the global financial crisis, several projects began facing severe delays due to corruption scandals, land acquisition issues, and other regulatory obstacles. These factors, he argued, significantly contributed to the rise of NPAs. Rajan praised the

The United States imposed sanctions on four Pakistani entities on Wednesday, including the National Development Complex (NDC), a key state-owned aerospace and defense agency responsible for Pakistan's ballistic missile program. The sanctions, announced by US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, target entities involved in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, specifically missiles. These sanctions freeze US property linked to the targeted co

In a recent statement to Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shared significant developments regarding the government's efforts to recover assets from fugitive businessmen. Properties worth ₹14,131 crore that once belonged to Vijay Mallya have been seized and handed over to public and private sector banks. This is part of the larger ₹22,280 crore recovered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to settle debts of fugitive businessmen, including Mallya, Mehul Choksi, and Nirav

Vikram Ashok Deshmukh, a 31-year-old software engineer, tragically passed away from a heart attack while playing cricket at Mumbai's Azad Maidan last Sunday. Deshmukh, who worked in an IT company, was an avid cricket player and participated regularly in matches at the popular ground. On the day of the incident, he was playing in a 25-over practice match where his team was chasing a target of 159. During the match, Deshmukh complained of chest pain in the 10th over but continued pla

Finance Minister’s View on GDP Growth: In a recent statement, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the lower-than-expected growth in India’s GDP for the September quarter, calling it a "temporary blip." She emphasized her confidence that India’s economy will regain strong growth in the upcoming quarters. Despite the slowdown in the second quarter, she highligh

On Monday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu visited the Polavaram project in Eluru district to review its progress. During his inspection, he sought details from the officials overseeing the project. The officials informed him that more than Rs 1,200 crore would be needed for constructing the diaphragm wall and guide bund, crucial components of the project. Speaking to the media, CM Naidu highlighted that the government aims to finish the entire Polavaram project b

In a heated debate in the Rajya Sabha marking the 75th anniversary of India’s Constitution, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched a scathing attack on Congress, accusing the party of repeatedly undermining the Constitution through amendments during its rule. Sitharaman specifically targeted India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, referring to the first Constitutional amendment in 1951 that aimed to curb freedom of speech, despite Nehru's public support for press fr

In a politically charged move, the West Bengal BJP's Murshidabad unit has announced plans to construct a Ram temple in Berhampore, following a proposal by TMC MLA Humayun Kabir to build a mosque in Beldanga, located in the same district. The BJP's proposed Ram temple, which will be modeled after the Ram temple in Ayodhya, is scheduled to begin construction on January 22, 2025, marking exactly one year after the inauguration of the Ayodhya temple. Shakharav Sarkar, the BJP&rs

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board, under the leadership of BR Naidu, has brought in notable improvements to the operations and management of the Tirumala temple. From cleaner pathways and better quality of services to addressing long-standing concerns like non-Hindu workers in Tirumala, the board has been making strides in maintaining the temple's sanctity. However, one major issue remains unresolved: the rise of Instagram reels and dance videos filmed in front of t

India's Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, made a day-long visit to Dhaka on Monday for crucial talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Mohammad Jashim Uddin. The visit comes amid deteriorating relations between India and Bangladesh, following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August due to a massive uprising. Mr. Misri arrived in Dhaka on an Indian Air Force jet, marking the first high-level visit from New Delhi since the political upheaval in Bangladesh. He was receiv

During the 15th VTB Russia Calling Investment Forum, President Vladimir Putin praised India’s economic progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, particularly the "Make in India" initiative. Putin emphasized how this initiative has helped strengthen India’s manufacturing sector and attracted foreign investments, which have significantly contributed to India’s growing global economic position. He drew parallels between India's Make in India

US President-elect Donald Trump has announced key appointments to his upcoming cabinet, featuring several Indian-origin figures. Among them are Kash Patel, Tulsi Gabbard, and Vivek Ramaswamy, all of whom have drawn attention for their accomplishments and their open embrace of Hindu heritage. 1. Kash Patel: FBI Director Nominee Kash Patel, a 44-year-old with roots in Gujarat, is set to replace Christopher Wray as the FBI Director, pending Senate confirmat

The New Pamban Bridge, inaugurated by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, is a groundbreaking feat of modern engineering, representing India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge. This bridge, located in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, replaces the century-old Pamban Rail Bridge, which had been in operation since 1914. The old bridge was decommissioned in December 2022 due to corrosion, paving the way for this state-of-the-art structure. Stretching 2 kilometers, the new Pamban Bridg

A controversy has erupted surrounding director Ram Gopal Varma (RGV), with reports claiming that the Andhra Pradesh police are searching for him, suspecting him of evading arrest. However, RGV has strongly denied these rumors. In a recent statement, he clarified that he is not absconding but is working on film-related tasks. He went on to state that no one had attempted to arrest him and that the police had never raided his office, famously known as 'Den' in Hyderabad. Addre

In a significant development in the custodial torture case involving Telugu Desam Party MLA Raghu Rama Krishna Raju (RRR), the Andhra Pradesh police have arrested former Additional Superintendent of Police Vijay Paul. Paul, who retired from his post, was arrested by Prakasam district police after a nearly ten-hour interrogation at the SP office in Ongole. This arrest follows the rejection of Paul's bail petition by the Supreme Court earlier this week. The case stems from a compl