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AI-powered startups are emerging across the Indian heartland in places ranging from Shillong in the NorthEast to Raipur in central India and across Coimbatore and Kochi in the south. These ventures are riding on local talent, cost efficiency and the need for diverse inputs to build the curated, Indic language technology models and services that the AI revolution is seeding. With access to cheaper talent, lower rentals and operational expenses, better quality of life than the metros and remote working arrangements, these companies do not feel the need to migrate to the metros as yet. Tech knows no bounds

Ever since the magnificent win in the US Presidential elections this year, Donald Trump is having a Gala time with those who have been close to his campaign right from the start, and now he is seen sharing some light moments with his prospective Cabinet member, RFK Jr, who has been tapped by the President-elect to run the Department of Health and Human Services, when the next administrative term begins at the White House. RFK Jr. has already been talking about health and safety issues surrounding the American population, and is working on remedies to cater to them, as per reports. However, there is nothing stopping him from gulping down some cheat meals in the interim, and is already beginning to earn the 'cool kids' tag on social media, based on the latest posts.

MicroStrategy (MSTR) made a massive addition to its bitcoin (BTCUSD) holdings over the past week. Over the six days ending on Sunday, the technology company acquired 51,780 BTC for approximately $4.6 billion, according to a recent regulatory filing.

Quebec’s public pension fund manager has grown its quantitative equity team to more than US$14 billion of assets in less than four years, and one of its top executives is bullish on doing even more.

value creation strategy. It directed them to cough up an annual dividend of at least 30% of their net profit or 4% of their net worth, whichever is higher. As per the earlier norms, the dividend payment requirement was 30% of the profit after tax or 5% of net worth, whichever was higher. The latest norms, however, specify that financial sector CPSEs like non-banking financial companies need to pay a minimum annual dividend of 30% of their profit after tax, subject to any limit under any extant legal provisions, according to the revised guidelines issued by the Department of Investment and Capital Asset Management (DIPAM). There was no separate directive for financial sector CPSEs in the guidelines issued in 2016. Any exemption from this requirement has to be sought from the finance ministry.

House of Anita Dongre (HOADPL) is initiating a buyback of its nearly 40% stake from US private equity firm General Atlantic (GA), executives aware of the development said. GA had acquired the stake in the owner of brands such as AND and Global Desi in the women's wear category about nine years ago. According to reports then, the PE firm had invested nearly ₹150 crore in Dongre's company in 2015. «There is continued uncertainty over recovery in revenue and earnings in the coming quarters due to weak demand growth outlook and reduction in Anita Dongre's scale of operations,» rating agency ICRA said in a January report on HOADPL. The report expects the company's revenue to decline to ₹500-₹550 crore in FY24 and FY25, from ₹606 crore in FY23, with an annual operating profit margin of 19-20%. The company is yet to file its FY24 earnings. A fashion retail veteran said brands like AND and Global Desi went from premium to mass and discounted heavily on online channels. «The product was reengineered as a result and lost its lustre in the process. Profit margins in the fashion industry should be robust so that it can be reinvested in the brand,» the person said.

RML started a pollution clinic last year. However, this year the number of patients is already up, highlighting the severity of air pollution across North India, especially the capital city, New Delhi. «We are seeing patients with breathlessness, blocked nose, itching in eyes and sore throat post Diwali,» said Dr Amit Jindal, consultant in respiratory medicine, RML hospital. «In the last few weeks, we are seeing a significant increase in respiratory complaints like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and bronchitis. „The number of patients are going up, already its more than last year,“ added Dr Ajay Shukla, Medical Superintendent, RML hospital.

Jake Paul celebrated his recent victory over Mike Tyson with a lavish after party in Dallas which was held at a $9 million mansion. According to Express U.S., the star-studded event featured numerous celebrities, athletes and influencers who enjoyed an evening filled with luxury and entertainment. Express U.S. reported that the guests eventually received wristbands upon arrival and were greeted by a spacious foyer and a well-stocked bar serving various canned alcohol. The outdoor area was lively with a DJ spinning popular hip-hop and EDM tracks from artists like Drake and Kanye West while a dancing robot really entertained the crowd, asserted Express U.S. The open bar by the pool offered premium drinks which included El Tequileno Platinum Tequila and Fix Alkaline Vodka alongside food from Dog Haus which eventually included sliders and chicken wings.

air purifiers, indoor plants, remote work and online classes are all back in Delhi-NCR, as the thickening smog cover has once again left the national capital gasping for clean air in what has become an annual ordeal. Almost all companies including Deloitte, Coca-Cola, KPMG PepsiCo, Panasonic and Acer are encouraging work from home and/or have installed air purifiers and indoor plants at workplaces to keep employees safe. Companies selling air purifiers or air-conditioners fitted with air purifiers such as Panasonic, Acer and Sharp Business have seen a rise in demand not only from the metros but also tier-2 and 3 cities in neighbouring states like Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, their executives told ET.

BJP Jiribam Mandal have resigned, citing the deteriorating situation in Jiribam and Manipur. Led by the BJP president of Jiribam Mandal, the group submitted their resignation letters expressing deep concern over the current political and social climate in the region. The Governor has constituted an Inquiry Committee to study the cause of the incident and the circumstances leading to it. The Committee has to submit its findings within 30 days.

As per the estimate by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), production at over 3.4 million micro, small and medium enterprises in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, employing about 7 million workers have taken a hit due to the smog. «In view of the same, the enforcement of Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the National Capital Region (NCR) has affected the transportation, halting all construction and demolition activities in the area, impacting the industrial activities, leading to rise in costs of production and delay in supply chains,» Hemant Jain, president, PHDCCI told ET.

US President Joe Biden for undermining US Vice President Kamala Harris's Presidential campaign after he dropped out of the US Presidential race in July, reported Huffpost. In a blog post on FiveThirtyEight, Nate Silver noted that Joe Biden assigned Kamala Harris pretty challenging tasks related to the US border and US voting rights while disrupting her campaign schedule which he eventually described as detrimental to her messaging. According to Huffpost, Nate Silver also pointed out that even as Joe Biden's internal polling indicated he was losing significantly in the US Presidential Election, at the same time, the White House reportedly suggested to reporters that Kamala Harris was a far weaker candidate than Joe Biden. Also Read: Cancer-stricken King Charles unable to control his son Prince William and brother Prince Andrew; here's what reports say

Donald Trump's audacious win over Kamala Harris and the sweep of both Houses of the US Congress by the Republican Party, two significant developments have set the stage for an emboldened Trump 2.0 administration: Trump's cabinet appointments have set off shock waves across Washington, underscoring his trademark unpredictability. These choices signal his intent to shake up the established order and reinforce his disruptive approach to governance — something cut short by his loss to Joe Biden in 2020. With far-reaching implications, Elon Musk has officially joined the Trump administration. Musk's inclusion comes as little surprise, considering his public support for Trump during the campaign, including a reported $100 mn-plus in campaign contributions.

Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday expressed concerns over the mis-selling of products, particularly insurance, stating that it adds to the customers' borrowing costs. Speaking at the State Bank of India Economist Conclave, on whether there is a case for a policy rate cut, the FM said «banks’ interest rates will have to be far more affordable» while adding that she does not want to get into the debate about whether perishables should be part of the inflationary measure index. Banks have facilitated the distribution of insurance project products, Sitharaman said. «While this model has significantly contributed to improving insurance penetration across the country, it has also raised concerns about instances of mis-selling … I would say, it added or contributed in indirect ways to the increased cost of borrowing for the customers.»

Nagaraju M on Monday said he is «sceptical» about cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and stressed on the need to adopt a cautious approach on such assets. Speaking at an event organised by SBI, Nagaraju backed the Reserve Bank's «careful» stance on such assets. It can be noted that the RBI has been vehemently opposing any recognition of crypto over the years on a slew of factors, primarily stemming from the financial stability concerns. «I am also very sceptical of cryptocurrency. Not now, not after becoming the financial secretary. Even as an individual, I am very doubtful of the entire scheme of cryptocurrency,» Nagaraju said speaking at an event organised by SBI.

Spirit Airlines, the US' biggest budget airline, has filed for bankruptcy protection. Spirit has lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020 and faces looming debt payments totaling more than $1 billion over the next year. The airline will attempt to reboot as it struggles to recover from the pandemic-caused swoon in travel and a failed attempt to sell the airline to JetBlue, AP reported. The Florida-based airline said it had pre-arranged a deal with its bondholders to restructure its debts and raise money to help it operate during the bankruptcy process, which it expects to exit in the first quarter of 2025. The carrier said it expected to continue operating its business as normal through the proceedings and customers could book and fly without interruption.

Sabarmati Aviation and JetAir 17 against budget carrier Spicejet at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on Monday. The NCLT issued a notice to the airline over the plea by operational creditor Sabarmati Aviation while asking another complainant, JetAir 17, to file additional documents in support of its claims of USD 27 million. During the proceedings, senior advocate Krishnendu Datta representing SpiceJet submitted that a reply would be filed over the plea of Sabarmati Aviation. However, he opposed the plea of JetAir 17 contending that their claims as an operational creditor are disputed.

initial public offering (IPO) of Zinka Logistics, the parent company of Flipkart-backed trucking aggregator BlackBuck, sailed through on the last day of its public issue, with bids exceeding more than 1.86 times the shares the company has put up for sale. According to data from the BSE, the public issue received bids for 4.19 crore shares against the 2.25 crore shares on offer. Qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) bid 2.76 times the shares reserved for them, while retail investors subscribed to their portion 1.66x. Employee bids reached 9.88 times, whereas non-institutional investors (NIIs) subscribed 0.24 times.

Mutual Fund on Monday divested 6.6 per cent stake in MedPlus Health Services for Rs 552 crore through open market transactions. MedPlus Health Services is a retail pharmacy and diagnostics chain in India. Billionaire Azim Premji's PE firm Premji Invest, through its arm PI Opportunities Fund — I, sold 68.93 lakh shares or 5.77 per cent stake in MedPlus Health Services and exited the firm, according to the block deal data on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).