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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is making headlines, not just for her political role but also for her ability to balance motherhood and a high-level career. On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt brought her eight-month-old son Nicholas to work so she could attend the inaugural MAHA Commission Meeting, as per a report. As she brought her eight-month-old son Nicholas to a White House meeting, fans praised her as the embodiment of the "American dream." Her role in the administration, combined with her ability to balance work and motherhood, has sparked both praise and criticism—particularly following a heated discussion about Donald Trump's tariff policies.

legal guarantee for MSP and loan waivers for farmers. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that the Parliament Standing Committee of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food Processing under the chairmanship of Charanjit Channi has released its Demand for Grants report for 2025-2026. «It has made some key recommendations — Reiteration of its earlier recommendations on legal guarantee for MSP and a loan waivers for farmers; extension of MSP to organic crops; financial assistance to farmers for crop residue management to avoid stubble burning,» Ramesh pointed out. The panel has also recommended universal crop insurance for small farmers and renaming the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare as Department of Agriculture, Farmers and Farm Labourers Welfare to acknowledge the role of farm labourers, he said. The panel has also reiterated its earlier recommendation of incentives for farmers and farm labourers to care for non-productive cattle, Ramesh said. It has called for increasing the procurement limit under the Market Intervention Scheme from the current 25 per cent to 50 per cent of the total estimated production, the Congress leader said.

Vasanta Purnima, is one of the most sacred days, marking the arrival of spring and the end of winter. This auspicious day is celebrated with the vibrant festival of Holi, the festival of colors. On Purnima, devotees worship Lord Vishnu in his form as Satyanarayana and often observe fasts to seek his blessings. This year, Phalguna Purnima will be celebrated on March 14, 2025.

Members of Canada’s dairy industry say they’re less worried about the threat of steep United States tariffs than about a looming battle over supply management.

Haldiram Snacks Food, India's biggest maker of bhujia and other ethnic snacks, Singaporean private equity firm Temasek signed a definitive agreement to buy 10% in the company at a valuation of $10 billion on Tuesday night, ET has reported based on information from executives directly aware of the developments. To command such a high valuation, Haldiram promoters, the Agarwal family, had been sprucing up its operations. The two business branches of the Haldiram group, Delhi and Nagpur, are being merged through a plan approved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). The promoter family also roped in a professional CEO in May 2023, a first for the company. Yet, the $10 billion ask by the promoters was not found convincing by several interested parties even though the iconic brand that started in 1937 with a tiny shop in the city of Bikaner in Rajasthan has grown into a mega business sprawling across products as well as territories, commanding leadership in a highly fragmented sector of ethnic savouries and snacks.

economy? check. As you continue to gather your gulal and stock up on sweets, there is another reason to celebrate Holi this year—the Indian economy is bringing its own splash of colors to the festival. With inflation cooling, EMIs likely to get cheaper, and a fresh dose of tax relief from the government, there’s more than just festive spirit in the air. So, as you vibe on “Balam Pichkari" or «Do me a favor, let’s play Holi!”—here’s how the economy is setting the perfect backdrop for a vibrant, cheerful celebration.

Keki Mistry, Former VC & CEO, HDFC & Independent Director in Several Companies, says he would be surprised if India’s growth is not 7% or very close to 7% by the second half of the year. If monsoons are good, food prices continue to remain low, and there is low geopolitical uncertainty, then we can cross 7% in the latter part of the year. Mistry also says that the risk to India from tariff threat is far lesser than the risk to countries like China, Canada or any of these European countries. India is hugely dependent on the domestic economy though exports make for 22-23% of GDP and the US accounts for 16-17% of total exports. So, the proportion of the impact it will have on India will be lesser than in most other countries. FMCG, retail, also the IT sector will do well because of rupee depreciation.

Diwekar, who advises Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan, suggests adding two simple yet effective ingredients to your lunch—ghee and chutney.

Bitcoin and major cryptocurrencies surged on Thursday after softer U.S. inflation data eased economic concerns. U.S. consumer prices rose 0.2% in February, slowing from 0.5% in January. Excluding food and energy, core CPI also increased 0.2%, down from 0.4% the previous month. The data was closely watched amid softer economic indicators and the potential inflationary impact of Trump's tariff policies.

Jaggery and honey are often considered healthier alternatives to white sugar. Jaggery, a natural sweetener rich in iron, minerals, and antioxidants, is known to boost immunity, aid digestion, and detoxify the liver. It also helps prevent anaemia and provides a steady energy release without causing sudden sugar spikes. Regular consumption of jaggery is believed to improve haemoglobin levels and naturally cleanse the liver. However, recent reports suggest that adulterated jaggery sold in markets could pose serious health risks.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. As President Donald Trump ramps up his trade war with the rest of the world, there’s a message for the CEOs of European companies that have struggled to keep up with U.S. peers: Time’s up.

SBI research ecowrap predicts 75 basis points rate cut this fiscal. Experts believe that CPI inflation will be 3.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of FY25 and will average at 4.7 per cent for the entire year. However, looking ahead to FY26, inflation is expected to remain between 4.0 per cent and 4.2 per cent, with core inflation ranging from 4.2 per cent to 4.4 per cent. Given this trend, analysts anticipate at least a 75-basis-point rate cut during this cycle, with back-to-back reductions expected in April and June 2025. Another round of rate cuts could follow in October 2025. «With benign inflation this month and going forward, we expect a cumulative rate cut over the cycle could be at least 75 basis points, with successive rate cuts in next policy April and June 2025. With an intervening gap in Aug'25, the rate cuts cycle could restart from Oct'25, says the report. India's consumer price index (CPI) inflation dropped to a seven-month low of 3.6 per cent in February 2025, mainly due to a sharp decline in food prices.

Mrs. Bectors Food Specialities Ltd.(up 5.13%), Umang Dairies Ltd.(up 3.47%), Varun Beverages Ltd.(up 2.70%), Vadilal Industries Ltd.(up 1.65%), Nakoda Group Of Industries Ltd.(up 1.62%), Nakoda Group Of Industries Ltd.(up 1.62%), JHS Svendgaard Laboratories Ltd.(up 1.52%), Parag Milk Foods Ltd.(up 1.24%), Dodla Dairy Ltd.(up 1.20%) and Tata Consumer Products Ltd.(up 0.96%) were among the top gainers.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Retail inflation in February eased to under the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) 4% target for the first time in six months, government data released on Wednesday showed. The consumer price index was up only 3.6% from the same month in 2024.

tariffs on imports like cocoa and fruit, according to a letter seen by Reuters. PepsiCo, Conagra and J M Smucker, are requesting that Trump exempt ingredients not available from U.S. sources to protect manufacturers who otherwise buy from domestic farmers and suppliers, according to the letter, sent on Monday by a consumer products trade group representing the companies, the Consumer Brands Association. Coffee, oats, cocoa, spices, tropical fruit and tin mill steel, used for specialty food and household goods, are among the imports listed as unavailable domestically in the letter. «We believe targeted and carefully calibrated removal of these ingredients and inputs from tariffs is appropriate to best protect U.S. manufacturers and support (Trump's) efforts to lower consumer inflation,» the letter said. PepsiCo and Smucker, which have executives sitting on the executive committee of the Consumer Brands Association, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

With Mexico and Canada as two of America's biggest suppliers of food items and beverages, the tariffs will soon drive prices up and may cause supply chain disruptions while demand stays high, New York Post reported.

Inflation showed signs of cooling in February, offering some signs of relief for Americans who were squeezed by rising costs. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), a key measure of living costs, climbed 2.8 per cent compared to last year, with monthly growth slowing to 0.2 per cent down from January’s sharper 0.5 per cent jump and beating economists’ forecasts. Even the “core” inflation rate, which ignores food and energy prices, eased slightly to 3.1 per cent annually. While progress toward the Fed’s 2 per cent target remains uneven, the dip suggests some pressure is lifting, as per NY Times.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Inflation may have finally eased to below 4.0% in February, thanks to a continued correction in vegetable items, but high inflation in several items may continue to pinch consumers. A Mint analysis of item-wise inflation shows that despite the headline inflation easing to 3.61% in February, over one-fifth of the items in the basket still recorded inflation above 6%.

Last year saw a boom in India's concert economy with big names such as Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Dua Lipa Diljit Dosanjh and Maroon 5 drawing big crowds. The success of large-scale concerts highlighted India's untapped potential as a global entertainment destination. According to BookMyShow's year-end report, 30,687 live events took place in 319 cities, marking an 18% increase in consumption compared to the previous year. Zomato Live, the ticketing arm of the food delivery company, has noted that India is becoming a hotspot for international music tours due to its growing economy and enthusiastic fanbase. After Coldplay's successful tour in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India has a massive scope for live concerts. «You must have seen fabulous pictures of Coldplay concert organised in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. It shows that India has a massive scope for live concerts. Big artists from around the world are attracted towards India… I expect the state and the private sector to focus on needed infrastructure and skills,» he said. India's emerging concert economy boosts tourism and hospitality business while also generating a large number of jobs. The

Patanjali Foods Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of Manipur to implement an Oil Palm Plantation Programme under the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP). The agreement, signed in Imphal on Wednesday marks a significant step in boosting oil palm cultivation in the state, covering four districts in a phased manner. The MOU was formally signed by Peter Salam, Director of Agriculture Manipur and Ashok Kumar Singh, Head of Northeast Oil Palm Operations, Patanjali Foods Limited, in the presence of Arun Kumar Sinha, Principal Secretary of Agriculture Government of Manipur.