Manipur / The Economic Times
Tragedy struck a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany. A car plowed into the crowd, leaving five dead and 200 injured. A 50-year-old doctor is in custody. The motive is under investigation. The incident brought grief and shock. Several Christmas markets closed in solidarity. Berlin increased security at its markets. This attack follows a history of extremist violence in Germany.
States will receive interest-free 50-year loans for disaster-related programs, including infrastructure rebuilding and mitigation measures. An additional 5,000 crore incentive will encourage urban planning. The Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) will provide up to 100% additional funding for eligible states, prioritizing disaster-affected districts and future catastrophe mitigation.
The return of Solo Leveling is finally approaching. With the release of a new trailer, excitement for the second season of this hit anime series has reached new heights.
Allu Arjun has responded to the allegations surrounding the tragic stampede at the premiere of his film Pushpa 2 at Hyderabad's Sandhya Theatre. Addressing the media, the actor denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing that he had obtained permission from both the police and the theatre management. He expressed regret over the incident, which resulted in the death of a woman and left her son critically injured, and condemned the spread of misinformation aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
US stock market, Wall Street predictions for S&P 500 are getting released.
Delhi police will investigate the Parliament scuffle. Two injured MPs will give statements. The Crime Branch will review CCTV footage. The incident involved a clash between BJP and Congress MPs. Rahul Gandhi faces accusations of assault. Congress alleges BJP MPs misbehaved with Mallikarjun Kharge.
Aston Villa delivered a thrilling performance to defeat Manchester City 2-1 at Villa Park, extending Citys poor run of form.
Actor Allu Arjun denied allegations of inciting a stampede at a theater during his film's release. Telangana Congress leader Revanth Reddy criticized Arjun for allegedly causing chaos, but the actor clarified he merely waved to fans. Arjun expressed frustration over the exaggerated accusations, stating he did not organize a roadshow and his actions were misrepresented.
Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy has criticized actor Allu Arjun for attending the Pushpa 2 screening at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad despite the police denying permission due to crowd management concerns. The screening led to a deadly stampede, resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to others. Reddy condemned Allu Arjun for waving to the crowd, which intensified the chaos. He also criticized the film industry for showing more sympathy towards the actor after his arrest than to the victims.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday provided a significant relief to payment aggregators. While announcing the decision of the 55th GST Council Meeting, she said that payment aggregators who do less than Rs 2,000 transcation are eligible for exemption.
As Christmas Day 2024 draws near, Americans are preparing for a day filled with celebration, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones.
Squid Game season 2: More than three years after bursting onto screens, Squid Game is finally returning for a second season. Squid Game became a global phenomenon when it debuted in 2021, going on to become Netflixs most-watched series of all time. The season will feature seven episodes and will be available for streaming worldwide on December 26, 2024.
The NYT word game, Connections, continues to enchant puzzle enthusiasts around the globe with its distinctive mix of logic, vocabulary, and wordplay.
Housing supply in India's top nine cities is projected to decline 33% and sales by 21% in Q4 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to PropEquity. However, both supply and sales saw a quarter-over-quarter increase. Delhi-NCR was the only city to experience year-over-year growth in both categories, defying the national trend.
Indian wealth soared in 2024. Billionaires' net worth increased substantially. Luxury real estate boomed, with significant domestic and international investments. Indians indulged in high-end goods and experiences. The Ambani family's extravagant events exemplified this trend. Wealthy Indians focused on investments, favoring equity, debt, and real estate. Portfolio Management Schemes yielded high returns. Philanthropy and ESG investments gained traction.
Bhima Jewellery celebrated its 100th anniversary with a record-breaking single-day turnover of 200 crores in Keralas Thiruvananthapuram, earning a Guinness World Record. The milestone saw sales of over 250 kg of gold and 400 carats of diamonds across three showrooms, driven purely by customer trust and loyalty. Bhima now plans ambitious expansions to take its legacy of purity and trust to a global audience.
The popular Netflix series Stranger Things has finished filming its fifth and final season. The show will return in 2025. The cast includes Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard. Actor Jamie Campbell Bower hints at an exciting and intense final season. The story continues the adventures of a group of friends in Hawkins, Indiana.
In early December, 83% of FPI inflows targeted financial services (Rs 7,424 crore), IT (Rs 6,754 crore), and real estate (Rs 4,689 crore). Meanwhile, FPIs offloaded Rs 5,337 crore in oil and gas, Rs 1,823 crore in auto, and Rs 1,655 crore in FMCG stocks.
The UAE and Kuwait will clash in the Gulf Cricket T20I Championship 2024 final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on December 13. The UAE previously defeated Kuwait in the tournament by 11 runs, with Tanish Suri's 77 and Junaid Siddique's 3/24 proving crucial. Oman won the inaugural championship in September 2023. The final will be live-streamed on FanCode.
Indian equity markets delivered strong gains in 2024, though momentum eased in the final quarter amid global macroeconomic headwinds. Looking ahead to 2025, Mirae Asset Sharekhan forecasts a phase of consolidation, with midcap and smallcap stocks, including HAL and IPCA Laboratories, expected to take the lead.
After a muted earnings performance in the first half of FY25, a recovery is anticipated in H2, fueled by higher rural spending, a strong wedding season, and increased government expenditure. MOFSL projects earnings to grow at a 16% CAGR over FY25-27E.
As 2024 comes to a close, PSU stocks have outshined, with the BSE PSU index delivering nearly 29% returns over the past year, far exceeding the BSE Sensex's 11% gain. Among these, the top 10 stocks posted impressive returns ranging from 48% to 139%.
The top 10 performers came from sectoral/thematic, ELSS, flexicap, smallcap, and large & midcap categories.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kuwait on a two-day visit, marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister in 43 years. He will engage in discussions with Kuwaiti leaders, including the Emir, Crown Prince, and Prime Minister, focusing on strengthening bilateral ties and regional cooperation.
The Hockey India League (HIL) is returning after seven years, kicking off on December 28 in Rourkela. Free tickets are available via Ticketgenie. Bollywood star Sara Ali Khan and music artist King will headline the opening ceremony. The Hockey Ka Jashn initiative will promote the sport nationwide. The league aims to provide an unparalleled fan experience.
Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light has topped former US President Barack Obama's list of recommended films for the year 2024. The other movies that topped his list include The Piano Lesson and Dune: Part Two. Obama also shared a list of his recommended songs and books for 2024.
The Winter Solstice arrives on December 21, 2024. It marks the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. India will experience the solstice around 2:30 pm. The Northern Hemisphere will see longer nights and shorter days. The Southern Hemisphere will experience shorter nights and longer days.
Former US President Barack Obama unveiled his 2024 favorite films list, topped by Payal Kapadia's Cannes Grand Prix winner All We Imagine As Light. The list includes acclaimed international films like Conclave, The Piano Lesson, and Dune: Part Two. Kapadia's film, about three women in Mumbai, also earned nominations for Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards.
A Pakistan military court sentenced 25 people to prison. They attacked the military in May 2023. Sentences range from two to 10 years. The military media wing called it a milestone in justice. They warned against political exploitation and violence. The military urged people to respect the law.
Christmas is celebrated on December 25. The date links to Roman and pagan winter solstice traditions. Early Christians adopted the date to celebrate Jesus' birth. Christmas traditions include nativity scenes, Santa Claus, and decorated trees. Feasts and family gatherings are common. Christmas is now a global holiday observed by many cultures and faiths.
Defence and space leaders will gather in India next month for the DefSat Conference and Expo to discuss the growing role of space technology in modern warfare. The conference will explore topics such as quantum key distribution, non-kinetic warfare, and AI-powered solutions, with a focus on homeland security applications.
India's green cover expanded. Forest and tree cover grew by 1,445 sq km, now covering 25.17% of the nation. Forest cover increased by 156 sq km. Tree cover rose by 1,289 sq km. Madhya Pradesh has the most forest cover. Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Rajasthan saw significant gains.
Baba Vanga, the blind mystic from Bulgaria, left behind unsettling prophecies that continue to captivate the world. Many of her predictions for 2024, including economic turmoil, severe climate changes, and medical breakthroughs, are beginning to unfold. Among the notable developments are advancements in cancer treatment and record-breaking global temperatures. However, more troubling predictions, including bioweapons tests and genetic manipulation, still hang over the future. This article explor
The Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) will announce exam district details for the Senior Teacher (Sanskrit Edu.) Comp Exam 2024 on December 21st. Admit cards will be available for download from December 25th. The written exam is scheduled for December 28th-31st, 2024, in two shifts. Subjects include Social Science, Hindi, G.K, Educational Psychology, Science, Mathematics, Sanskrit, and English.
Pharma and healthcare funds delivered the highest average return of 38.05% in 2024. Among the 13 schemes in the category, HDFC Pharma and Healthcare Fund led with a 46.16% return, while Nippon India Pharma Fund recorded the lowest at 30.94%.
Indias forest and tree cover has increased by 1,445 sq km since 2021, according to the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023. Forest cover alone rose by 156 sq km, reaching 21.76% of the countrys total geographical area. Tree cover also expanded by 1,289 sq km. The overall green cover now stands at 25.17% of Indias land.
Higher tax on dividend: From January 1, 2025 Indians need to pay witholding tax at 10% rate instead of 5% rate in Switzerland. Experts say this may result in burden for a company's cash flow and may also result in dead loss for certain trusts and individuals investing in Switzerland. Read below to know the impact of this decision by Switzerland.
After a subdued 1HFY25, the hospitality sector rebounded strongly, fueled by a vibrant wedding season and thriving MICE activities. Key players are expected to post 10-12% YoY RevPAR growth this quarter, driven by an 8-10% rise in Average Room Rates (ARR).
Allu Arjun's Pushpa 2 continues its record-breaking run, becoming the fastest Indian film to gross 1500 crore globally. Rumors suggest the film's already impressive 200-minute runtime might be extended, a move praised by Ram Gopal Varma. The film is projected to exceed 1000 crore net in India, surpassing major Hindi releases like Baahubali 2 and KGF Chapter 2 in earnings.
Amid overall weak market sentiments, 22 smallcap stocks stood out by delivering impressive double-digit returns. Leading the pack was Fairchem Organics with a remarkable 49% gain, followed by Tanfac Industries at 28%, and Vakrangee and Five-Star Business, both posting 18% returns.
World Meditation Day, observed annually on December 21, emphasizes the significance of meditation for mental and physical well-being. The UN recognizes its benefits, including stress reduction, improved memory and focus, better sleep, and reduced anxiety and depression. The practice involves finding a quiet space, focusing on breathing, and observing thoughts without judgment.
Pushpa 2: The Rule makers dismiss OTT release rumours, confirming a 56-day theatrical run. The producers urge fans to enjoy the big-screen experience during the holidays. The film continues its box office dominance, exceeding 1500 crore globally, with the Hindi version alone surpassing Stree 2's collections. Fans and filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma praise the decision.
Voting for Punjab's Municipal Corporation elections began in Ludhiana on Saturday, with polls open from 7 am to 4 pm. AAP candidates and voters urged enthusiastic participation, emphasizing the importance of development and exercising voting rights. The elections, announced on December 9, encompass municipal corporations, councils, and Nagar Panchayats across the state.
Security forces in Manipur arrested two individuals in Churachandpur district and seized a large cache of arms and ammunition during search operations. Recovered items included a carbine, pistol, ammunition, and a vehicle. Separate operations in Churachandpur and Imphal East yielded additional weapons and a camouflage t-shirt. These operations follow ongoing ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki communities.
Pushpa 2: The Rule has shattered box office records, becoming the highest-grossing Hindi film ever, surpassing Baahubali 2 and KGF Chapter 2. The Allu Arjun-starrer has raked in over Rs 1500 crore globally in record time, potentially challenging Dangal's Rs 2000 crore record. Its success is fueled by a stellar cast, Sukumar's direction, and the iconic Pushpa Raj character.
CM Yogi Adityanath raised compensation for Jewar Airport land to Rs 4,300 per square meter. The airport, touted as Asia's largest, is set to open in April 2025. It will connect with major roads and potentially a rapid rail system. The project aims to boost the region's development and create jobs. Farmers welcomed the increased compensation.