Digital Financial News

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will be available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ instead of the widely anticipated platforms like Netflix or Disney+. Fans of the blue blur will be able to enjoy the high-speed action and adventures directly from their Paramount+ subscriptions, as per a report. While an exact release date for «Sonic the Hedgehog 3» has not yet been confirmed, we can make an educated guess based on the release patterns of previous Paramount films. «Sonic the Hedgehog 2» was in theaters for just over six weeks before moving to streaming, and similarly, films like «Smile 2» and «A Quiet Place: Day One» followed a comparable timeline. Given this trend, it’s reasonable to expect that «Sonic the Hedgehog 3» will likely arrive on Paramount+ by mid-February 2025, following a similar theatrical-to-streaming window, IGN reported. Paramount's new action comedy «Sonic the Hedgehog 3» sped to the top of the North American box office this weekend, outdoing predictions with an estimated take of $62 million, one of the best December openings in years, industry watchers said Sunday, as per AFP report.

Digital Vishwavidyalaya Bill — a budget 2022 promise to set up a digital university — has gone through legal vetting but is yet to be approved by the Union Cabinet. The other is the plan to set up a single higher education regulator under the National Education Policy 2020. Temple Run Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren was on a temple-visiting spree after taking oath as chief minister.

The Last of Us" season 2 on HBO Max is happening but fans are curious about the release date. It is known that «The Last of Us» season 2 will premiere in 2025. The second installment features Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. «The Last of Us» season 2 is likely to premiere on Max in Spring 2025, The Direct reported. After becoming known for cinematic storytelling and heartbreaking realism through franchises such as The Last of Us and Uncharted, Neil Druckmann said his next video game would take place in the fantastical reaches of space, where a tattooed bounty hunter watches anime and drives a Porsche-branded rocket ship, NYT News Service reported.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) imposed another set of financial penalties on telcos last week for their failure to curb spam, officials aware of the details told ET. «The penalties have been imposed on all the four major mobile operators-Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi) and BSNL-as well as some smaller firms, as part of the TCCCPR rules,» an official said on condition of anonymity. The regulator had earlier imposed penalties on telcos too, but it had not realised any sum as operators contend they should not be held accountable for something which they don't control or perpetuate.

Data centre capacity addition in the colocation space is expected to reach approximately 230 MW (IT load) by the end of 2024, with a similar or higher capacity addition anticipated in 2025, according to Cushman & Wakefield data. In 2025, while the majority of capacity creation will occur in Mumbai, other cities such as Delhi-NCR, Kolkata, and Chennai are also expected to see significant growth. India has the potential to become a global data centre hub due to its low construction, land and power costs compared to other countries, coupled with a well-established IT and digitally enabled services ecosystem. According to Cushman & Wakefield, the median cost of constructing a data centre in India is estimated at $6.8 million per MW of capacity, significantly lower than most APAC nations-Australia is at $9.17 million, Japan is at $12 million.

differential pricing quietly infiltrates the digital economy. The image going viral on social media-showcasing a prominent ride hailing service's fare disparity based on device type-is a stark reminder that the smartphone you use has become an indicator of how much you are charged. This practice, not limited to ride-hailing apps, extends to q-comm platforms, where the cost of groceries or delivery services can subtly shift based on perceived consumer affluence. It's an opaque-and arguably discriminatory-trend that demands scrutiny. At the heart of this issue is algorithmic pricing, a powerful tool in the arsenal of tech firms. These analyse consumer data-from purchasing history and location to device type and spending patterns. Ostensibly, the goal is to optimise pricing to maximise profits. But the process often veers into discriminatory territory. An iPhone signals a consumer's purchasing power, leading the algorithm to nudge prices higher under the assumption that such users are willing to pay more.

Jitendra Singh will inaugurate the National Workshop on 'Good Governance' practices tomorrow in New Delhi. The workshop will take place at Bhim Auditorium, Ambedkar International Centre. According to a statement from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, the minister will also inaugurate an exhibition showcasing the best practices of the Swachhata Campaign 4.0, curated by various ministries, and release the assessment report.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his «politically convenient» position on restoring temples. Avimukteshwaranand said a list of temples destroyed in the past by invaders be prepared and archaeological surveys of the structures be carried out to «restore Hindu pride». «When he wanted power, he went around speaking about temples. Now that he has power, he is advising not to look for temples,» he said on Bhagwat's remarks. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Bhagwat recently said that it was not acceptable that new temple-mosque disputes are raked up after the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday hit out at the Congress, saying their «leadership is frustrated as they have been rejected by the people again and again.» Responding to Mallikarjun Kharge's statement after the Centre amended the rule to restrict access to certain poll documents, the Union Minister for Education told ANI, «The condition of the Congress is very bad. They are going through a phase of disappointment. Their leadership is frustrated because they have been rejected by the people again and again. »They round up any work of a constitutional body with their allegations," he added. «They win the elections and see EVMs alright. They lose the polls and raise questions about the EVMs».

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has recently come under fire for his outspoken views on UK politics, but his ties to his British family have also raised eyebrows. While Musk has strong familial connections to Liverpool, the birthplace of his late grandmother, a family member has shared how Musk dismissed their attempts to contact him. Cousin Shares Social Media Interaction with Musk Marshall Robinson, Musk’s 86-year-old cousin, spoke to Daily Mail about their family’s efforts to reach out to the billionaire. Robinson revealed that one family member sent Musk a social media message, to which he replied bluntly, «What do you want?» Robinson said, “I have never been in touch” with Musk directly, emphasizing that this was the only interaction they had.

Haryana government has notified the procurement of 24 crops at a minimum support price (MSP), extending the list of 14 farm produces that were earlier eligible for guaranteed rates under public procurement system. The state cabinet of the previous government, which was also headed by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, already approved the proposal of buying 10 additional crops at MSP. The decision on MSP for additional crops was announced on August 5, months before the assembly polls in October. Till August, government agencies used to procure 14 crops at MSP. According the latest notification dated December 19, the then Council of Ministers, in its meeting held on August 5, decided to purchase ragi, soybean, nigerseed, safflower, barley, maize, jowar, jute, copra and summer moong at the minimum support price.

Jagjit Singh Dallewal's fast-unto-death entered its 27th day on Sunday, doctors termed his health condition «critical». Doctors attending to him at the Khanauri border protest site reiterated that Dallewal is at the risk of cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure. Dallewal, 70, has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP on crops. A statement issued by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha said following the advice of doctors, the veteran farmer leader did not come on stage on Sunday.

Firhad Hakim on Sunday said that the Centre should be held responsible for unabated illegal migration from Bangladesh. His assertion came in the wake of the BJP attacking the West Bengal government following the arrest of suspected Ansar-al-Islam Bangladesh members who were allegedly trying to spread the terror outfit's network in the eastern state. He was asked about reports that two of the eight arrested terrorists were working to set up a sleeper cell in Murshidabad district and one of them, a Bangladeshi national, had even procured fake identity card and passport to carry on subversive activities. «The onus lies with the Union Home Ministry which is helmed by Amit Shah. Why is he not taking steps to strengthen security along the Bangladesh border? Why is the Border Security Force not succeeding to stop infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals?

orange alert for severe cold in Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur and Mandi districts for four days from Monday. The meteorological department also predicted light rain and snowfall at a few places in the mid and higher hills till Thursday. While the minimum temperatures stayed below normal, the weather remained dry and day temperatures dropped by two to three degrees. Tabo was coldest in the state with a low of minus 11. 6 degrees, while Sumdo, Kusumseri and Kalpa recorded a low of minus 5.3 degrees, minus 4.8 degrees and minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The Japan Fair Trade Commission(JFTC) will soon issue a cease and desist order asking Google to halt its monopolistic practices, the report added. Google did not immediately respond to request for comment while the JFTC could not be reached for comment.

Justin Baldoni has been dropped by his agency, WME, following sexual harassment accusations from Blake Lively, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Lively, who co-stars with Baldoni in the upcoming film "It Ends With Us," filed a complaint on Friday detailing the alleged harassment. Both Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, are also represented by WME. The complaint accuses Baldoni and his company, Wayfarer Studios, not only of harassment but also of attempting to damage Lively's reputation. Lively claims the situation escalated to a meeting involving Sony Pictures, producers, publicists, and others to address the alleged «inappropriate conduct.» She presented a list of 30 demands to resume production after the actors' strike, including stipulations about discussions of pornography and genitalia, displaying explicit videos, and improvising kissing scenes. The complaint also alleges that Baldoni deviated from the agreed-upon marketing plan, which emphasized the character's strength and resilience rather than focusing on domestic violence. Lively contends Baldoni used «survivor content» to protect his image after cast and crew members unfollowed him on social media. The complaint states, “What the public also did not know was that this was the beginning of a multi-tiered plan that Mr. Baldoni and his team described as ‘social manipulation’ designed to ‘destroy’ Ms. Lively’s reputation. That plan was backed by virtually unlimited resources.”

RBI under former governor Shaktikanta Das resisted pressures to cut interest rates through 2024 as it kept its 'Arjuna's eye' trained on inflation, but the central bank under a new detail-oriented head will soon have to take a call if it can continue sacrificing growth. Das, a career bureaucrat who in 2016 oversaw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's highly disruptive demonetisation move, left a lasting legacy as he demitted office towards the end of 2024 after expertly navigating monetary policy for six years, the highlight of which was steering India's recovery through the pandemic. Sanjay Malhotra, another civil servant, was named as Das' successor barely 24-hour before the latter's second three-year term came to an end.

Sobha group, plans to set up homes under Devi Home in Moolamcode, Palakkad. This philanthropic initiative is designed to provide a safe housing facility for orphaned girls aged 10 years and below and elderly women aged 50 years and above. Spread over 26,000 sq ft of land, the facility of 42,000 sq ft of built-up area will provide necessities like food, clothing, and shelter. In addition, it will offer educational support for young girls and skill-training workshops for elderly women, enhancing their productivity and overall well-being. PNC Menon, Founder & Chairman Emeritus of Sobha Limited said, «The name ‘Devi’ stands for resilience, care, and the nurturing spirit, which is the very foundation of this project. Devi Home is our endeavour to provide a safe and compassionate philanthropic home for young girls and elderly women who are often overlooked by society. At Sobha, we believe in creating meaningful opportunities for those in need, and this initiative embodies our vision of fostering dignity, respect, and a sense of belonging.»

In absolute terms, the jump to 1.78 million from 1.16 million active companies is the highest for any five-year period, with officials and analysts attributing the surge to the country’s robust economic growth prospects over the medium-to-long term and greater ease of doing business. The decriminalisation of dozens of minor offences under the Companies Act since 2019 also helped, they added.

Arguing that current Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) like SIDBI and NaBFID (National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development) have their roles cut out as they have earmarked sectors to finance, the chamber also suggested setting up of a high level committee to look at the revision of PSL norms and explore the need for any new DFIs to cater to some of the new and emerging sectors. Priority Sector Lending is a policy tool aimed at ensuring that key sectors crucial to the nation's development receive adequate financial support. Mandated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), PSL obligates banks to allocate a specified proportion of their loans to sectors such as agriculture, education, housing, and small industries.

Delhi Police on Sunday said that bomb threat emails sent to two schools in Rohini were sent by their own students. According to the police, both students sent threat emails as they wanted to postpone their exams because they were unprepared. «After investigation by the Special Cell of Delhi Police, it was found that the emails were sent to both schools by two different students of the same school. Both students had sent this email to stop the exam because they were not prepared for the exam paper,» Delhi Police said.