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security checks, officials told ET. IGI Airport will build a separate, temporary enclosure for passengers stranded due to the take-off delays — expected in fog season this winter — as the Centre tweaks a key security-related rule to ease the pain of travellers and airlines. The proposed changes to the security protocol will allow the airlines to optimally use slots at India’s busiest aviation hub, saving critical time in a season when foul weather often drastically shortens effective operating hours.

Total contributions to donor-advised funds dropped 21.7% in 2023, while grants made to charities from those funds declined 1.4%, according to a new report by the National Philanthropic Trust

Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed trial court proceedings against former Union minister P Chidambaram in a money laundering case connected to the Aircel-Maxis deal. Issuing notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Chidambaram's plea, the court ordered that the proceedings against Chidambaram shall remain till the next date of hearing. Chidambaram petitioned the HC challenging the trial court order taking cognisance of the complaint moved by the ED against him and his son Karti Chidambaram in the Aircel-Maxis case.

steel imports are landing from FTA countries at nil duty and any duty hike will not have any impact on these shipments, Steel Secretary Sandeep Poundrik said on Wednesday while acknowledging that there is a genuine problem of supply glut due to increased imports. His comments have come against the background of domestic steel players raising concerns over rising cheap steel imports from select nations, affecting their competitiveness. The domestic industry has also sought an increase in customs duty on steel products to check below-cost shipments. Speaking at a Ficci event here, the Steel Secretary even if the government raises the basic customs duty on imports, the move will not have the desired impact as 62 per cent of the shipments entering India from FTA nations. There is a genuine problem and the ministry is aware of that, Poundrik said adding that there are multiple ways to protect the domestic industry but the only problem is that 62 per cent of imports are from FTA countries.

World Trade Organization (WTO) India’s quality control orders (QCO) on various products including medical textiles, footwear and viscose staple fibre, and certain measures which restrict its import of copper, wooden boards and tyres. These issues came up at a meeting on market access in WTO on Wednesday. Last year, Canada, Japan, the UK and the EU had raised concerns at India’s QCOs terming them protectionist. “Some new trade concerns pertaining to India’s QCOs were raised at the meeting,” said a Geneva-based official.

Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said India was focussed on developing the content creators' economy, showcasing the country's rich heritage and culture, and diversity of languages and literature. In his video address at the inaugural event of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here, Vaishnaw said with the addition of technology and development of creators' ecosystem, India can play a major role in the media and entertainment sector globally. «We in India at this point in time are very much focussed on developing content creators' economy. We have a very vibrant creators' economy where people are coming up with very innovative content showcasing some of the very rich heritage of India, the cuisines of India, the culture of India and the gems of Indian language and literature,» he said. The 55th edition of IFFI began here with a glittering opening ceremony at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium here.

insurtech sector has mobilised USD 2.5 billion over the years and the industry is expected to attract more investment in the future as there are significant growth opportunities in the space, a report said on Wednesday. According to Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and India InsurTech Association (IIA) report, India has about 150 insurtech companies, with 10 unicorns and «soonicorns» and over 45 «minicorns» with a 12 times increase in revenue over the past five years to reach USD 750 million. Cumulative funding has surpassed USD 2.5 billion, bringing the total ecosystem valuation to over USD 13.6 billion, the report said. While global insurtech funding has slowed down, the report said, APAC's insurtech sector has shown resilience.

Asked when the fund would be made operational before February 1, 2025, Seth said, «In the next couple of months». Seth said R&D investment by the private sector has not picked up despite giving tax exemption for R&D and hence the government has decided to be a partner in R&D and nudge the private sector to take the risk.

However, as of now, the show is taking a brief hiatus, leaving viewers wondering when the next batch of episodes will air.

Saira Banu, after nearly 30 years of marriage, drawing attention to his immense wealth. Recognized as one of India’s most influential and highest-earning musicians, Rahman has an estimated net worth of Rs 1,728 crore to Rs 2,000 crore, as reported by DNA and other outlets. Dubbed the country’s richest male singer, he charges a staggering Rs 3 crore per song and is considered the highest-paid music composer in India, earning up to Rs 10 crore per film. Rahman’s fortune stems from a diverse range of endeavors, including scoring films, creating original music, global concert tours, brand endorsements, and entrepreneurial ventures. This multifaceted career has secured his place as the wealthiest musician in India. Beyond his financial success, the Oscar-winning maestro is also among the most decorated artists, boasting accolades such as National Film Awards, Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, and the prestigious Padma Bhushan. As Rahman and Saira’s separation continues to make headlines, speculation has arisen about whether their divorce could rank among the costliest in the entertainment world. In an official statement, Saira’s lawyer, Vandana Shah, addressed the couple’s decision to part ways.

GNFC) on Wednesday said it will form a 50:50 joint venture with Britain's INEOS Acetyls International to build and operate a world-scale acetic acid facility in India. The joint venture will oversee both the plant's operations and coordinate marketing efforts for domestic distribution of acetic acid produced at the facility, the company said in a regulatory filing. The memorandum of understanding, signed on November 20, provides for equal representation on the board of directors and equivalent subscription rights in the new entity, the company said. A formal joint venture agreement is expected to be finalised at a later date.

Best gaming laptops: Top 8 choices with the latest processor for an ultimate gaming experienceThe Amazon Gadget Awards 2024 showcases the best gaming laptops, designed for ultimate performance and immersive experiences. Whether you're a casual gamer or a pro, these nominees deliver power and precision. Vote for your favourite and grab yours now!Also read: Laptop buying guide for students: How to find the best laptops for students and our top picksThe Amazon Gadget Awards 2024 features the best tablets of the year, offering sleek designs, powerful performance, and versatile functionality.

This new direct service between Chennai and Penang, caters to the growing demand for travel between the two cities, offering both business and leisure travelers a convenient and affordable option, IndiGo said in a statement.

Sanjay Dutt’s premium Scotch whisky brand, The Glenwalk, has achieved a significant milestone by selling over 50,000 cases (600,000 bottles) in the first seven months of the current financial year. The brand has established a strong presence in India’s spirits market, operating across 10 states. Maharashtra leads The Glenwalk’s sales, contributing over 45%, followed by Haryana at 25% and Uttar Pradesh at 20%. Currently available in Maharashtra, Haryana, Goa, Daman and Diu, Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, the brand plans to expand to five additional states by next month. Looking to capitalize on this growth, The Glenwalk aims to increase sales by 500%, targeting 300,000 cases while expanding to over 18 states and five countries. To cater to diverse consumer preferences, the brand introduced 1-litre bottles in October 2024 and plans to launch 200ml nips in November 2024, aiming to quadruple sales.

Sula Vineyards Ltd CEO Rajeev Samant hopes that the current slowdown in urban discretionary demand is «more of a temporary blip and not structural» one. In the second quarter of the fiscal year, the company's net revenue declined 1.2 per cent to Rs 142 crore as compared to Rs 143.7 crore in the year-ago period, while profit after tax dipped 37.3 per cent to Rs 14.5 crore as against Rs 23.1 crore in the same quarter last fiscal year. Samant told analysts that in the second quarter the company witnessed «a temporary slowdown in consumer demand across discretionary categories, including alcoholic beverages, particularly within urban India, which does represent more than 90 per cent of Sula's customer base». Post-Covid, he said, «We saw a surge in domestic wine consumption which lasted until last year, as the consumer did a bit of cocooning at home and splurged on creature comforts.»

Datta Power Infra on Wednesday said it has signed an initial agreement with the Rajasthan government to invest around Rs 5,000 crore in the renewable energy sector. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between company representatives and officials of the state government in Jaipur, Datta Power Infra said in a statement. Datta Power Infra looks to set up 1,000 MW renewable energy capacity, including solar, wind and hybrid projects. The projects across across Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Nagaur, Pratapgarh and Jodhpur districts would generate jobs for 500-750 people, the company said.

Coal import by non-regulated sectors (NRS) dropped 9.83 per cent to 63.28 million tonnes (MT) in the April-September period of the ongoing financial year, the government on Wednesday said. The coal import by NRS was 70.18 MT in year-ago period. The coal import by domestic thermal power plants for blending purpose also declined 8.59 per cent to 9.79 MT in the April-September period from 10.71 MT a year ago. «This demonstrates an increased reliance on domestic coal supplies for these sectors,» the coal ministry said in a statement.

Equity investments in Indian real estate may rise 49 per cent to USD 11 billion this calendar year amid strong demand for properties, according to CII and CBRE. In 2023 calendar year, the equity investments in real estate stood at USD 7.4 billion. Industry body CII and real estate consultant CBRE on Wednesday released a joint report titled 'Leading the Charge: Crafting the Skylines of Tomorrow' at the annual CII Realty 2024 conclave. Equity capital inflows touched USD 8.9 billion between January and September, registering a 46 per cent year-on-year growth.

Skill Development Fund (NSDF) will soon invest its surplus funds in term deposits to get better returns on the corpus used for imparting skills training in the country. The fund has invited expressions of interest from public sector banks to invest around Rs 900 crore in fixed deposits for a period of one year, the ministry of skills development and entrepreneurship said in a notification. The plan is to prepare a panel of banks for investment of surplus funds in fixed deposits.

NoBroker, the online real estate platform, faced significant obstacles in its early days, including physical threats from traditional brokers angered by the company's disruptive business model, CEO Amit Kumar Agarwal revealed at the Technovate for India program in Bengaluru. In 2015, a group of brokers attacked NoBroker's office, assaulting employees and attempting to force their way into the building. This incident, Agarwal shared, forced the company to relocate overnight and keep their office locations unlisted on Google Maps for safety. Despite these challenges, NoBroker has grown significantly, now boasting a valuation of over $1 billion. “We’ve gone from zero to over 30 mn cumulative users and now add half a million new customers every year,” stated Agarwal at the event, organized by The Times of India and Talrop.