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As a child growing up in the 1980s on the outskirts of London, they appeared for a month or so to herald the arrival of the hottest time of the year. Their air of rare luxury during the brief height of the English summer helps explain their indelible association with the Wimbledon tennis tournament, where more than two million are consumed each year. How things have changed. My own children are likely to grow up thinking of them the way I think of apples or bananas — affordable, year-round fruits, barely more exotic than potatoes. This is all due to remarkable innovation in recent decades that has turned a once-rare crop into a harvest on the scale of the global coffee or leather trades. It’s also a sign of how such progress can make efforts to protect the environment harder.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney called for elections on April 28, 2025. (Photo by Andrej Ivanov/Getty Images) New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called for a snap election in late April as the country steels itself to respond to President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs and repeated calls for it to become the U.S.’s “51st state." Carney was sworn in less than two weeks ago to succeed Justin Trudeau.

Goli Soda is witnessing strong consumer response in key international markets, including the US, UK, Europe, and the Gulf, driven by strategic expansion and innovative reinvention, an official statement said on Sunday. Under a strategic partnership with Fair Exports, India has ensured steady deliveries of Goli Soda, rebranded as Goli Pop Soda, to Lulu Hypermarket, one of the largest retail chains in the Gulf region, the commerce ministry's arm Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) said. «This iconic beverage, once a household staple, is making a remarkable comeback on the global stage, driven by its innovative reinvention and strategic international expansion,» it said, adding the product has already made strong inroads in global markets, with successful trial shipments to the USA, UK, Europe, and Gulf countries. The revival of this beverage, which had nearly disappeared due to the dominance of multinational beverage companies, marks a significant milestone in India's efforts to promote and export authentic, homegrown food and beverage products in the global markets, it said.

SUNDAY Hotels have opened in 10 countries across the globe including India, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Vietnam. SUNDAY Hotels, a premium brand of four-star and five-star hotels, was originally launched in May 2023 through a joint venture between the SoftBank Group and Oravel Stays. The initiative is part of Oravel's ongoing programme to spread its premium hotel footprint around the globe.

Shaheed Diwas, observed annually on March 23, is a solemn occasion to pay tribute to the martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice for India’s freedom. This day is particularly significant for remembering the courage and sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, who were hanged by the British colonial rulers on this day in 1931. Their sacrifice, which was a turning point in India’s struggle for independence, continues to inspire generations of Indians to uphold the values of nationalism and patriotism.

freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev on Sunday, remembering their supreme sacrifice for India's freedom. PM Modi took to social media platform X and said their «fearless pursuit of freedom and justice» continues to inspire everyone. «Today, our nation remembers the supreme sacrifice of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev. Their fearless pursuit of freedom and justice continues to inspire us all,» the Prime Minister wrote, reflecting on their significant contributions to India's independence movement. Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi also paid tributes to the three martyrs on, remembering their contributions to India's fight for freedom. «On the martyrdom day of Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, I pay my humble tribute to them,» he posted on X.

Trump administration, triggering macro-economic uncertainties and fears of a potential recession. “Demand uncertainties from the second half of calendar year 2024 (2HCY24) have trickled into calendar year 2025 estimated (CY2025E) budgets, implying continued weakness in financial year 2026 estimated (FY2026E),” Kotak Institutional Equities said in a report on the IT sector. The IT services industry clocked the healthiest earnings rebound in six quarters in the October-to-December period backed by a modest uplift in business led by the key banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) vertical. This had raised hopes of a likely boost in revenue growth from the low to high single digits in 2025 at top-tier firms such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys and HCLTech.

Vodafone Idea (Vi) chief executive Akshaya Moondra has appealed to Department of Telecommunications (DoT) secretary Neeraj Mittal to urgently allow equity conversion of the telco’s upcoming adjusted gross revenue (AGR) and purchase dues relating to the 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016 spectrum auctions as the cash-strapped company braces for a spike in regulatory payouts. If DoT backs Moondra’s call, the government holding in Vi could jump to 49%, from 22.6% at present. The telecom JV between UK’s Vodafone Plc and India’s Aditya Birla Group has also told DoT that its current financial position does not allow it to furnish a Rs 6,091 crore bank guarantee (BG) or make a cash payment of Rs 5,493 crore towards a shortfall in the 2015 spectrum auction. Under these circumstances, it has asked the DoT not to take “any coercive action” against the company.

US State Department's decision to freeze funding for Fulbright and other scholarships has left thousands of Indian students in limbo, stripping them of an opportunity that once changed lives, said study abroad consultants. Apart from taking away financial support, the stoppage has effectively blocked academic exposure for a host of students who are capable but with limited means, and stranded some mid-course. Shreya Mudgil was pursuing an MPhil in English from Kurukshetra University. As a 2019 Fulbright scholar, she spent a year primarily at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with all expenses covered and a stipend to boot. It was an opportunity she could only dream of till then. More than just academic exposure, it reshaped her introvert personality. Mudgil, head of marketing at food startup Conosh, now moves effortlessly in elite culinary circles, rubbing shoulders with celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs. «A hundred percent of that transformation came from the exposure Fulbright gave me,» she said.

Name cards of the political dignitaries were displayed in both English and their respective regional languages. While Stalin addressed the gathering in Tamil, Kanimozhi and Udhayanidhi spoke in English, and Kerala and Telangana CMs also spoke in English. «Delimitation will affect states that have successfully implemented family planning. We are not against delimitation; we are demanding a fair delimitation,» Stalin said. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said the delimitation exercise was «hanging over our heads like the sword of Damocles.» He added that the exercise would disproportionately benefit northern states, where the BJP has greater influence. Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar too said that the proposed delimitation would be a political assault on southern states. He added that when Karnataka and Tamil Nadu stood together, no power could break the states. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann claimed that the BJP's aim is to reduce parliamentary seats of states where the party is losing and to increase it in states where it is winning.

licence plates “all manner of alphabetical permutations and combinations were on view”. This included JA (Jamaica), WAG (West Africa and Gambia), FM (Federated Malay States), BI (British India), M (Mandatory Palestine), EA (Kenya and East Africa) and SAU (South African Union). ToI explained that the UK allowed drivers from most countries to use their cars without paying any charge for 90 days, but because the US had not signed the relevant international convention: “American cars are required to be registered with British number plates and this is done at the ship’s side.” Licence plate-spotting goes back a while.

London Heathrow’s unprecedented blackout on Friday has put the airport’s reliance on potentially vulnerable infrastructure into focus, at a time when the biggest UK hub is lobbying for an ambitious expansion plan. A fire late Thursday at a nearby electrical substation cut off the power supply to Heathrow, bringing flights to a standstill for almost all of Friday. While backup systems kicked in, they only allow the hub to land some aircraft and evacuate passengers, but not to support full operations. Only by late on Friday did a few flights resume, mainly to repatriate dislocated passengers. Smoke from a fire at North Hyde Electricity Substation near London Heathrow Airport in London on March 21. The public blowback to the outage was swift, with Willie Walsh, the former chief executive officer of British Airways parent IAG SA and now IATA director, saying it’s “yet another case of Heathrow letting down both travelers and airlines.” Walsh said it’s a “clear planning failure by the airport” if critical national infrastructure relies on one energy source without an alternative.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Private credit funding, in which lenders and borrowers directly negotiate financing without engaging an intermediary, is increasing in size and complexity, as companies look to diversify their source of funding, Pramod Kumar, chief executive officer and head of investment banking - India at Barclays Plc. Barclays, which has been quite active in the private credit space over the past few years, is looking at big-ticket transactions.

Donald Trump, on Friday, said that he loves King Charles in a social media post. His post was a response to a report which stated that the US should be given associate membership in the British Commonwealth. The 47th US President said that the idea sounded “good”. An associate membership could be on the agenda if Donald Trump meets with King Charles later this year. The British monarch had sent an invite to Trump for a meeting, which he accepted. As Trump’s comment gains attention, here is everything you need to know about the Commonwealth.

AstraZeneca said on Friday it will spend $2.5 billion on a research and development hub in Beijing, as the drugmaker scrambles to revive business in its second-biggest market after scandals including the arrest of its China president last year. Chief executive Pascal Soriot was in Beijing and met with the city's mayor to reveal the investment, along with two licensing deals with Chinese companies, saying they all showed the company's commitment to the world's No. 2 economy. «This $2.5 billion investment reflects our belief in the world-class life sciences ecosystem in Beijing, the extensive opportunities that exist for collaboration and access to talent, and our continued commitment to China,» Soriot said in a statement. The R&D centre «will partner with the cutting-edge biology and AI science in Beijing and be a critical part of our global efforts to bring innovative medicines to patients worldwide,» Soriot said. The Chinese government has launched several investigations into AstraZeneca's executives and activities in the country, where it has invested billions of dollars to build factories and license experimental drug candidates from Chinese biotech firms.

The disruption could go on for days, Heathrow said, as it warned passengers not to travel to the airport «under any circumstances» until it reopens. More than 1,300 flights have been affected, tracking website Flightradar24 said, and passengers have been told not to travel to the airport until further notice. Thousands of passengers faced inconvenience after the power outage and their travel plans were thrown into disarray after Heathrow Airport shut on Friday. Many passengers who were already in the air spoke about the massive disruption that ensued after they were diverted to other airports, or turned back to where they had departed from.

Indriatti van Hien, co-fund manager and Hermon's co-managing partner for the past nine years, will continue to manage the trust's portfolio. Van Hien joined Janus Henderson in 2011 as a UK equities analyst in 2011, having become deputy fund manager of Henderson Smaller Companies in 2016, and co-fund manager in January 2025. Henderson Smaller Companies names Indriatti van Hien as co-manager She also manages the Janus Henderson UK Smaller Companies fund and Janus Henderson UK Alpha fund. Hermon will stay in his role until the retirement date, working closely with van Hien and...

In its annual review published today (21 March), the OFSI said the UK and its allies have imposed «the most severe sanctions Russia has ever faced», depriving Moscow of over $400bn since 2022, «equivalent to four years of Russia's military spending». The agency added that 2,001 Russian individuals and entities fell under the UK sanctions regime as of March this year. How the Russia-Ukraine war has reshaped the defence and energy sectors in Europe The latest figures came as US President Donald Trump rushes to negotiate a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine without consulting...

According to the BRC-Opinium poll, the respondents' perception of the state of the UK economy rose to -35 in March, up from -37 in February, while their personal financial situation improved to -10 in March, compared to -11 a month prior. OECD downgrades UK growth forecast to 1.4% for 2025 On the retail personal spending front, scores rose to 0 in March from -5 in February, with overall personal spending rising from +4 in February to +11 this month. Helen Dickinson, BRC chief executive, said the stabilisation of consumer confidence this month came «coupled with an increase in spend...

Heathrow Airport, which caused a full-day shutdown of the UK’s busiest travel hub. Over 1,300 flights were disrupted, and thousands of homes lost power after an explosion ignited a transformer at the North Hyde substation. Officials are probing potential links to Russian sabotage campaigns, following accusations of Kremlin-backed efforts to destabilize European infrastructure.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Attempts to build a global auto empire hark back to the 1910s and 1920s, when Henry Ford set up factories in Britain and Germany for the Model T, and General Motors responded by buying foreign carmakers. A century later, this ambition remains at risk of being run off the road.