Author: News Desk

Saudi Arabia is progressively loosening its longstanding alcohol ban as part of a broader reform and modernisation agenda. The government has begun constructing new liquor-sale outlets in the port city of Jeddah and the eastern hub of Dammam, which will be accessible to certain non-Muslim residents. This development follows the kingdom’s earlier move by the opening of an alcohol store in Riyadh, originally restricted to diplomats, but now reportedly accessible to non-Muslim expatriates holding Premium Residency. Authorities frame the policy change as a step aligned with Vision 2030, a strategic effort to reduce dependence on oil, attract foreign investment, expand tourism, and…

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has built a whole lineup of Tejas fighters over the years. Some are already in service, others are being refined, and a few are aimed at export customers who want a lighter and more affordable jet. Here is a straightforward guide to every major version. Tejas Mark 1This is the first combat ready model that joined the Indian Air Force in 2015. It runs on the GE F404 IN20 engine and uses a clean delta wing layout. The Mark 1 stepped in to replace older fighters like the MiG 21 and became the foundation for everything that…

Anand, a city in Gujarat, is globally recognized as the Milk Capital of the World, a title earned through its pioneering role in India’s dairy revolution. It is the birthplace of Amul, the cooperative that ignited India’s White Revolution, and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), which together transformed small-scale farming into a powerful economic movement. The secret behind Anand’s success lies in its cooperative model: farmers joined forces to collect milk, access fair pricing, and invest in modern infrastructure. Over time, the model evolved to include chilled transport, big processing plants, and quality control systems, helping ensure consistent, high-quality dairy production. By…

Starlink has switched on early direct to phone links that let regular 4G handsets send and receive texts through satellites. The rollout is small for now, but it introduces a new safety layer for places where phone towers do not reach. Why this matters Large parts of rural and coastal regions still face dead zones. Bad weather and power cuts can shut towers for hours. In these moments, a simple message can help with safety, planning, and coordination. That is the role of direct to phone texting. How it works Starlink satellites carry mobile radios that mimic a normal cell…

ISRO will place a US communication satellite in orbit next month using its LVM3 rocket on a commercial arrangement. Chairman V Narayanan confirmed the plan during the annual event at the Indian Railways Institute of Signal Engineering and Telecommunications in Hyderabad. He said the launch date is still being finalised but the mission will take place next month. The satellite belongs to an American customer and the launch is being carried out as a commercial service rather than a collaboration between the two countries. Strong pipeline of projects Narayanan said the agency is currently managing a wide range of new…

Chennai Metro Rail Ltd has decided to move to larger six car trainsets as daily ridership keeps climbing. The agency has begun the process to buy 168 new coaches, which will form 28 trainsets. All existing trains in service today run with four cars. CMRL has floated a tender for the new order at an estimated cost of 2036 crore rupees excluding taxes and duties. The new fleet will operate along with the current four car trains on the Phase 1 network and its extension. The work covered in the tender includes design, manufacturing, testing, commissioning, supply of spares, special…

Sobha Ltd shares traded higher on Tuesday after the company announced its entry into the Mumbai housing market with a new project featuring 310 apartments. The Bengaluru-based developer said it has launched its first Mumbai project, SOBHA Inizio, which covers just over one acre. The development is being built in partnership with the landowner, with apartment prices starting around ₹2.8 crore and going up to ₹5.75 crore. The company hasn’t revealed the project cost or the expected revenue. Sobha has already delivered more than 148 million square feet across 27 cities. It also reported its highest-ever sales bookings for the…

Apple has let go of several dozen people from its sales teams, Bloomberg reported. The company is trying to simplify how it sells to businesses, schools, and government agencies. The affected employees were told over the past couple of weeks. Broad layoffs are rare for Apple, which usually avoids them. The cuts touched different parts of the sales organisation, though some teams were hit harder than others. Apple didn’t say how many people were let go. The roles affected included account managers who handle large institutional clients and staff who run Apple’s briefing centres, where major customers get hands-on demonstrations.…

Indian tyre makers have climbed higher on the global stage, with four companies now ranked among the world’s top 20 in the latest Global Tyre Report from Tire Business, which uses CY2024 sales as its benchmark. MRF leads the Indian pack at number 13 worldwide. Apollo Tyres is right behind at 14, while JK Tyre & Industries holds the 19th spot. CEAT has also broken into the group, placing 20th. ATMA Director General Rajiv Budhraja said this recognition reflects the scale, technology focus, and global competitiveness that Indian manufacturers have built over the years. He noted that the achievement underscores…

The Adani Portfolio, one of India’s major infrastructure and utilities groups, released its H1 FY26 financials along with a credit and results compendium. The disclosures lay out the group’s performance over the past half-year and also place it in context with data going back to 2019, showing how the portfolio has strengthened over time. According to Group CFO Jugeshinder Singh, the core infrastructure businesses are still posting solid double-digit growth even as the group pushes through one of the country’s largest ongoing capex programs. He noted that the first half of FY26 saw the portfolio’s highest-ever capex for that period,…