Dec 14 rally against vote theft a pure Congress show
NEW DELHI: INDIA bloc constituents will not take part in the December 14 rally being organised by the Congress to protest against the Election Commission of India (ECI)s alleged vote theft. Party leaders insist that it will be a purely Congress affair and the decision to go solo was firmed up at the AICC review meeting early last week. A senior Congress leader told this newspaper that the rally at Ramlila Maidan would be completely a Congress show aimed at conveying that the party has consistently been at the forefront of exposing irregularities in the electoral process. We have been campaigning on this issue for months and has collected five crore signatures from across the country against vote chori. The party has invested its organisational strength on the matter. This protest is specifically our initiative, the leader said, adding that the party is expecting a huge turnout driven by state units that have been asked to mobilise workers from constituencies where alleged irregularities have surfaced. According to sources, the decision was finalised during the AICC review meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge with key office-bearers from 12 states and Union Territories (UT), where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls is underway. The meeting was attended by former party president Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretaries, state unit chiefs, Congress Legislature Party leaders and secretaries of 12 states and UTs where the SIR is underway. The states and UTs are Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep. Among these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal will go to polls in 2026. Phase 2 of the SIR exercise began on November 4 and will continue till December 4. The party has alleged that the EC is now a blatantly partisan player that is completely destroying the very concept of a level-playing field for all political parties. After the EC rolled out the second phase of the SIR on October 27, opposition-ruled states Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Kerala have escalated their objections to the ECs move by seeking legal options. Despite being a key constituent of the INDIA bloc and a primary opposition party, the Congress had not convened a joint meeting or crafted a coordinated strategy with its alliance partners on the SIR issue until now. On Sunday, Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the EC, linking the ongoing SIR directly to the deaths of 16 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) over nearly three weeks. Gandhi alleged that the ECs rushed, paperwork-heavy process is a deliberate ploy to harass citizens and enable voter fraud. Decision finalised during AICC review meeting According to sources, the decision was finalised during the AICC review meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge with key office-bearers from 12 states and Union Territories (UT). The meeting was attended by former party president Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretaries, state unit chiefs, Congress Legislature Party leaders and secretaries of 12 states and UTs where the SIR is underway.
Guwahati Diary | Promoting human-elephant coexistence
As part of efforts to strengthen conservation awareness and encourage peaceful co-existence between vulnerable communities and wild elephants, biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak, with support from the SBI Foundation, conducted two school outreach programmes in Udalguri and Tamulpur districts. These activities were also designed to highlight the importance of adopting simple, practical measures to reduce risks for both communities and wildlife. At one school, the team delivered Gajah Katha - Part I, the organisations signature educational module that introduces students to elephant behaviour. Police buildings turn blue on World Childrens Day On the World Childrens Day, all major infrastructure and buildings of the Assam Police across the state were illuminated in blue. DGP Harmeet Singh ceremonially illuminated the Assam Police Headquarters as a part of the worldwide Go Blue campaign, symbolising a commitment to upholding childrens rights. We observe Child Rights Week every year through a series of activities aimed at reinforcing our dedication to protecting and promoting childrens rights, Singh said. The Go Blue campaign encourages communities around the world to light up public spaces in blue on the World Childrens Day. Inland water transport network to get a boost Assams inland water transport network and industrial logistics are set to get a boost. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has signed two MoU to strengthen the states inland water transport network and industrial logistics. The agreementsone with Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd and with the Government of Assamto promote movement of cargo and passengers through states extensive river systems, advancing goals of sustainable connectivity and regional growth. In view of multiple development projects in Northeast, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal chaired a comprehensive review meet. Prasanta Mazumdar Our correspondent in Guwahati prasantamazumdar@newindianexpress.com
AI creates flutter among voters in Kerala poll campaign
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: AI-generated videos of football legend Lionel Messi have been circulating among Keralites for almost a year, making the format familiar to many. Yet in November, when K P Saleem from the Otukkungal panchayat in Malappuram used a fresh Messi video as part of his campaign strategy, it created a flutter among voters. By tapping into the regions massive football fan base, Saleem managed to score a political goal or two against his opponents. This election marks the first major political contest in Kerala after the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and parties are embracing the technology like never before. From digital avatars to content tailored for specific age groups and locations, tech-driven methods have become central to campaign strategies. However, the mainstay of local body elections remains the familiarity of the candidate and the personal one-to-one connection with voters. In the second phase of campaigning, parties continue door-to-door visits to reinforce this factor. Yet, digital marketing becomes a powerful complement. It is about setting the mood among voters. Social media now influences trends across different age groups, said Robin Alex Panicker, a tech entrepreneur closely tracking these developments. This election is unlike the one five years ago. Our digital behaviour has changed a lot. Young voters consume more content from reels on social media, so this trend naturally enters the election. Those who ignore the medium cannot reach these voters, he added. Most candidates now have some form of digital strategy, though the scale differs. There is demand to manage the entire digital campaign of a party or assist in placing advertisements targeted to specific geographic areas, explained Sham Mohammed, director of Storycat Creative Pvt Ltd. He noted that individual candidates often want their pictures transformed into videos with constituency locations as the backdrop. Pointing out new possibilities, Midhun Mohan, managing director of Green Ads Global, said, We can make a candidate read out a script to capture lip movements, expressions, and emotions, and then create a digital twin or AI avatar. With different prompts, we can generate multiple videos. The scalability is quite high. Similarly, Tinu Easo Cherian and Kiranraj V R, co-founders of Originative Nest, observed that AI advancements have overcome earlier shortcomings. We can now create longer videos in a cost-effective manner. Soon, we will be able to upgrade the resolution to match big-screen quality, they said. At the same time, the rapid spread of these tools has also raised concerns. In a bid to address this, the State Election Commission has formed expert panels to monitor and regulate AI-generated content during the local body elections, aiming to prevent misuse and ensure a fair process. Despite these concerns, experts believe AIs role in campaigns will only grow in the upcoming assembly elections. Messi magic International football players making announcement in Malayalam, driving KSRTC bus K P Saleem from the Otukkungal panchayat uses Lionel Messis digital twin to take a dig at Sports Minister V Abdurahiman Startups/digital marketing companies working with political parties to make personalised campaign materials Benefits of using AI Personalised voter outreach based on demographics and interests Efficient resource allocation for campaign events and ads Real-time feedback from public sentiment tracking Scalable communication across platforms and languages Data-driven decision making for strategy refinement AI tools used in elections Automated content generation for campaign messaging Facial and voice recognition in voter verification systems Chatbots for voter interaction and FAQs Predictive analytics to forecast voter behaviour Risks and ethical concerns Privacy violations from data harvesting Algorithmic bias affecting fairness Manipulative targeting of vulnerable groups Lack of transparency in AI-driven decisions Spread of misinformation via deep fakes or bots
Chessboxer who blends brains and brawn on her way to glory
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: At just 20 years old, Arundhathy Raju Nair is already a force to reckon with in the rare and demanding sport that is chessboxing. A final-year BTech student at LBS Engineering College in Thiruvananthapuram, Arundhathy has managed to balance the pressures of academics with the intensity of training, and in the process, etched her name in Asia Book of Records for being the only female athlete to win the Asian Chessboxing Championship for three consecutive years: 2023, 2024 and 2025. Her journey began in Class V when she discovered chess. Representing her school at state-level competitions, Arundhathy quickly developed a reputation for her sharp mind and calm composure. However, her life took an unexpected turn when her coach, Sandhanu Vijayan, introduced her to chessboxing, a hybrid sport that demands both mental agility and physical aggression. I started with a loss after just two months of practice, she recalls. Later, I picked up momentum, winning gold or silver regularly in Asian and national championships. Unlike any other sport, the main challenge in chessboxing lies not only in mastering chess and boxing, two games at opposite ends of the spectrum, but also in switching seamlessly between them. First, a chess match is played in the boxing ring. If no decision is reached within three minutes, the players spar. The game keeps alternating until there is a winner. Unlike other combat sports such as kick boxing, chessboxing combines pure chess and pure boxing, with rules of both the disciplines enforced strictly. Usually, chess players do not take up boxing. They prefer concentrating on the board. Boxers, on the other hand, show aggression but may not think of ways to win a board game. Chessboxing shows you are both mentally and physically fit, Arundhathy explains. Arundhathy in action against Russias Oksana Komissarova during the Asian Chessboxing Championship in 2023 The toughest part, she admits, is regaining focus after a bout. You may not be in a position to think through the strategies you planned earlier. Her breakthrough moment came in 2023, during her first year of engineering, when she scored back-to-back victories against Maharashtras Madhavi Gonbare, a prominent Indian chessboxer. Those wins, first at the Asian Championship (her maiden Asian title) and then at the Indian Open World Championship, catapulted her to fame. I was just one of the players till then, she says. She has gone on to win gold at the Asian Championship in Kolkata, competing in the under-55 kg category, and has built a professional boxing record of two wins and one loss. Behind her success lies a strong support system. Arundhathy grew up in Oruvathikotta, Thiruvananthapuram, studied at GGHS Cottonhill, and comes from a family deeply rooted in academics and professional excellence. Her father, Raju N R, is a senior IT professional at Allianz Technology, while her mother, Suma M S, serves as the principal of Sholayur HSS in Palakkad. Her younger sister, Aparna N Nair, also tried her hand at boxing before Arundhathy. Her familys encouragement and example provided Arundhathy with a strong foundation of discipline, resilience and ambition, shaping her journey both inside the ring and on the chessboard. Training for her is a disciplined affair. She practises boxing at the Brothers Boxing Academy and hones her chess skills at Masters Academy. Before competitions, she follows a strict 45-day regimen that combines diet and training. I am underweight, so there isnt much weight restriction, she says with a smile, acknowledging the unique advantage she carries into her bouts. Chessboxing may still be a niche sport in India, but it is gaining recognition abroad. It was even showcased at the Paris Olympics cultural event. Arundhathy hopes to be part of the wave that brings the sport into the mainstream in India. Her next big goal is the World Championship in France, where she plans to represent the country on the global stage. Arundhathys story is not just about medals and records. It is about breaking stereotypes, proving that a chess player can throw punches, and a boxer can think several moves ahead. Her journey embodies resilience, discipline, and the courage to step into uncharted territory.
Women ride their way to wheeling dreams
Even before we are born, many stereotypes are attached to us. They linger in the colours were wrapped in, the toys placed in our hands and the expectations adults whisper. Even the machines we ride have assigned gender. Somewhere along the way, a gearless two-wheeler, aka scooty, became the sensible and safe choice for women, while the heavier, more powerful motorcycle was framed as a natural extension of masculinity. The road never made these rules; society did. A woman riding a bike becomes a cultural decay, and a man choosing a scooty is teased for being less manly. But slowly, and quietly, this has begun to shift. Recently, social media has been flooded with videos and advertisements about motorcycle training communities, and most of them are dedicated specially for women, opening new lanes of confidence, independence, and long-awaited freedom for many. One such reel that has been trending with nearly 290 thousand views is of a retired 60-year-old woman from Coimbatore, who took up a two-day bike-training to fulfill her desire to ride a gear-bike, thereby ticking it off her bucket list. Hitting the road The sexagenarian was trained by Caf Cruisers, founded by Abisek Shravn, who saw a gap in training. Almost no one was focusing on creating riders, he says. Riders groups welcomed those who already knew how to ride, but rarely those who didnt. His goal became clear: build riders, not just gather them. As structured riding modules took shape from slow-speed mastery to road simulations the unexpected happened. During our early sessions, we noticed many women approaching us discreetly, he says. Today, the fastest-growing group in Caf Cruisers is women aged between 28 and 45 years, with a significant rise in women aged above 40 and 50 years. Meanwhile, Nomad Bikers Club grew out of the lack of a safe, judgment-free space for women to learn and make mistakes. The founder, Mayas journey to building a for women, by women community began with her own experiences of not having that space. Male riders have had the privilege of learning to ride a bike because one of their friends or cousins would confidently give it to them, she says. But that space is not there for women. After a difficult experience in college and later an incident with a slipping clutch downhill, Maya realised women werent just denied motorcycles; they were denied the room to make mistakes. That became her fuel. What began with Sunday free-of-cost sessions on a friends Splendor slowly expanded across 20-plus cities. My motto was that people should not go through what I went through, she says. Even if they drop the bike, its fine. That is when the fear is broken. Caf Cruisers For Fais N, founder of CRF Women On Wheels, the journey began in a moment of personal darkness. He was navigating depression when teaching a woman to ride brought him a spark of joy he hadnt felt in long. The first time I saw happiness in the eyes of a woman who learnt riding from me, something changed, he recalls. From there, the community grew into an international platform. His one-day intensive training, built on trust and full refunds if a student doesnt learn, has taken women from fearing a two-wheeler to riding across India. Age is never the problem mindset is. And we help them break that mental block, he says. These origin stories may differ, but they converge at a shared purpose: dismantling a fear that was built over decades. The first gear For many women entering these riding communities, learning to handle a motorcycle isnt just about balancing a machine; its about unlearning years of conditioning and stepping into a kind of freedom they were never encouraged to claim. Aruna, a 53-year-old from Bengaluru, trained with Nomad Bikers Club after years of travelling pillion. I realised I never got the chance to learn because nobody even showed me that was an option for women, she says. Determined to change that, she signed up for training. I was afraid of fallingbut the trainers were extremely patient. I started riding within the first 30 minutes. Today, she rents bikes and goes on mountain trips, rides her kids around, and worries far less. I am not scared of anything these days, she adds, proud that her elder daughter, too, has now joined the programme. Nomad Bikers Club For Soumya, a 32-year-old from Kochi, deciding to learn to ride with the Nomad Bikers Club was tied to healing. Widowed young, she wanted to take her son on the Bullet he loved. I was scared. The bike is heavy. How will I do it? But within two days, she was riding through the streets confidently. Now she drops her son off at school on the bike. He loves to talk about the ride to everyone, she smiles. Her brother, once doubtful, is now proud. Arpita Tibrewal, a 37-year-old yoga instructor from Coimbatore who trained with Caf Cruisers, had long dreamt of riding. The biggest fear was safety. If I hurt myself, who will handle the kids? she says. The training shifted that fear. They taught me safety procedures, gear, and things about the vehicle that were important. Riding has begun to reshape her confidence. Riding makes you feel powerfreedom is a byproduct of learning it. Her husband knows shes training, but the rest of her family doesnt. Ill tell them when I go for my first bike trip, she says. Different stories, one shared outcome: the road, once off-limits, now belongs to them. For the future As these stories multiply, the communities behind them are imagining a road that looks very different from the one they first stepped onto. For Maya, the future is not about expanding aggressively but protecting the emotional core that built Nomad Bikers Club in the first place. She doesnt want the training to become mechanical or commercialised. We can have trainers in every city, but the comfort space wont feel the same, she says. Maya imagines a future where bike training becomes as normal as tuition classes, where women dont have to pay or travel miles for the chance to learn because someone at home will simply hand them the keys. These days arent far, she says. The hype will fade, and it will just become a part of life. Caf Cruisers Abisek views the road ahead through a structural lens. To him, the impact goes deeper than women learning to balance a machine; it reshapes how families understand mobility and responsibility. His vision for Chennai is a city where riding is treated as a life skill, not a risk. What inspires him most is the cultural shift already unfolding: husbands encouraging wives, daughters pushing mothers to learn, families cheering when a woman completes her first road session. This, he believes, is how confidence spreads, quietly, through shared moments. Fais brings yet another perspective one rooted in emotional transformation. His platform grew from a place of personal healing, but the mission remains unchanged. He has seen women who once trembled at the clutch ride across Himalayan passes. If that can happen, he believes, anything can. And perhaps that is the beauty of this movement. These women are not just learning to ride; they are reclaiming space, speed, and agency, one gear at a time.
Here's how a Sunday can transform perspectives of Chennai
A red building stretching along the road opposite Marina Beach is unlikely to be missed. The Public Works Department office stands there with its long corridor of arches and an occasional splash of green from the bushes that border the pavement. If you paused for a moment to take it all in, what would you notice? The rhythm of those arches? A dragonfly prancing between the shrubs? A bus rumbling past and cutting the frame of your view? On a Sunday morning, a group decides to freeze that moment. They sit on portable stools or simply settle on the opposite pavement. Sketchbooks open. Pencils and brushes move quickly. The city slowly turns into lines, curves and blocks of colour on paper. This is the routine of Urban Sketchers Chennai (USK Chennai). With no entry fees or prerequisites, the group focuses on one mission: to come together and enjoy different pockets of the city. It is a simple effort that has made art accessible to many who once thought that galleries and studios were not for them. USK Chennai began in 2020, when filmmaker Mohan Krishnan discovered the global Urban Sketchers network, started in Seattle in 2011. Growth was quiet in the early days, especially with the pandemic pausing gatherings. Among those seeking community was Namita Prasanna, a visual communication graduate with around two decades in design. She had heard of groups like Pencil Jam in Bengaluru and yearned for something similar here. When she found the Chennai chapter, she joined, and the meets slowly became regular. By August 2023, after months of meeting around the city, we finally received recognition as an official chapter, she says. Now, every alternate Sunday, around 45 to 50 people gather at a new location. One building often has 50 different perspectives. Drawn with curiosity Choosing a spot isnt just about architectural heritage. It is also about small things like the vendor at the corner, or the sight of schoolchildren rushing by. Their sketch meets read like a visual diary. At Broadway Junction, buses and bicycles weave through the frame; outside Sir Mutha Concert Hall, music floats through windows; at the Sunshine House in Adyar, members sketched local singers and a small pop-up of art for sale. Even a busy fish market or a roadside temple becomes a subject worth pausing for. We choose locations that are a mix of heritage and everyday life. A tea shop can be as interesting as a grand building. You start seeing beauty in small things, Namita says. Some of the places they sketched no longer look the same. Adyar Gate Hotel has vanished. Besant Nagar Beach has changed. The SBI building on Mount Road is under restoration. As urban sketchers, our job is to create a reportage of how the landscape is changing. What is here today may not be there tomorrow, she says. The only rule is to sketch on location. You bring your own perspective. Some draw the whole building, some only a corner, some add the autos, the vendors or a patch of leafy shade. It is a judgement-free space where each person sees differently, and that is the beauty, Namita adds. Their meets end with a throwdown. Sketchbooks are placed on the ground, side by side, forming a colourful mosaic of styles. They take pictures. People walk around admiring each others work, not measuring talent but celebrating effort. Art shouldnt feel exclusive. Anybody can pick up a pencil and paper and join us. We have engineers, filmmakers, government employees, fourth-graders and even people in their eighties. It has made art feel approachable and joyful, Namita says. Fear fades in company Sketching in full public view can feel intimidating. That first moment when someone looks over your shoulder or asks what you are doing can make your hands shake. But it doesnt last long. In a group, there is comfort. People laugh, share techniques. Slowly, you stop worrying about who is watching. Those two-and-a-half hours become meditation, Namita says. They have sketched in places loaded with stereotypes. Busy market streets. Narrow lanes where people rarely see artists sitting with sketchbooks. We dont go by stereotypes. We have sketched in every nook of the city and never felt unsafe. People are always curious, sometimes even offering us chairs. They want to see their city through our eyes, she says. The citys art scene is spilling out onto the streets, pavements, and bus stops. And USK Chennai has emerged as one of the most inviting doors into that world. Just a few weeks ago, USK chapters from across India met in Goa for a national sketch carnival. The Chennai team returned with new friendships, techniques and people eager to join them. Next Sunday, the group will gather again at a different corner of Chennai. The intent remains the same. To look closer and tell a story through your eyes. If you wish to give the city a place in your sketchbook, join USK for their next meetup. Follow @uskchennai on Instagram for more updates.
Counselling a boon to many Goa school students
Panaji: Playing a crucial role in supporting students by providing them with a safe space to express their feelings, counselling has emerged as a boon to many students in the state who are struggling to cope with the difficulties in their school life. Over 60% of the cases handled by counsellors in schools across the [] The post Counselling a boon to many Goa school students appeared first on The Navhind Times .
Meraki by the Sea, which is part of the Goan Films section at IFFI, traces Marius Fernandes efforts to showcase Goan culture through festivals CHRISTINE MACHADO Marius Fernandes needs no introduction. Fondly known as Goencho Festakar, Fernandes has promoted Goas culture and traditions through grassroots festivals such as Matiechem Fest, Ambeachem Fest and Baattachem Fest. [] The post The Festakar goes to IFFI appeared first on The Navhind Times .
Seasons first cruise liner docks at Mormugao port
Vasco: Goas cruise tourism season began on Monday with the arrival of the international cruise liner MV Celebrity Millennium at Mormugao Port, bringing 2,078 passengers from countries including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and India. The vessel, which sailed from Singapore and called at Cochin en route, will continue to Mumbai before returning to [] The post Seasons first cruise liner docks at Mormugao port appeared first on The Navhind Times .
Prioritise strays over pedigreed dogs, urges Mission Rabies director
Panaji: Adopting local indie dogs can significantly improve animal welfare and strengthen community well-being, said Mission Rabies director Murugan Appupillai, who urged Goans to choose Indian stray dogs over foreign breeds. He said widespread adoption could drastically reduce the number of dogs on the streets. While Mission Rabies and several private organisations conduct adoption camps, [] The post Prioritise strays over pedigreed dogs, urges Mission Rabies director appeared first on The Navhind Times .
Goa to meet 100% agri water needs by 2026: Min
Panaji: Availability of water will never be a hurdle for the growth of agriculture in the state, as the government is ready to provide as much water as demanded by the farmers, said WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar on Monday. He said that Goan farmers face several challenges in continuing with agriculture; however, water is not [] The post Goa to meet 100% agri water needs by 2026: Min appeared first on The Navhind Times .
Prime Minister to unveil Ram statue in Partagali, Goa, on November 28
PSU oil companies hit 54% of FY26 capex goal
State-run oil and gas companies have spent 71,000 crore, 54% of their annual capex target, with ONGC leading spending. This investment covers drilling, exploration, and recovery projects. Indian Oil Corp and BPCL also reported significant expenditures, though at different paces, while Oil India showed the fastest spending utilization.
Bizman From Hyderabad Goes Missing in Goa, Police Clueless
MBT president Mohammed Amjadullah Khan urged officials concerned from the state government to speak to Goa DGP in order to intensify Parvezs search operation.
Goa government does a U-turn on tiger presence in State
The State, which claimed in 2018 that there is no permanent presence of tigers, has stated the opposite in the Mahadayi sharing dispute issue before Supreme Court
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These days, Black Friday is the longest day of the year. We're a week out from the big day, but amazing deals are already popping up for some of our favorite subscription services. This is a great time to lock in a long-term deal on a streaming platform like Apple TV or HBO Max, but there's even more to explore beyond that, from a big discount on MasterClass (to pick up a new hobby with all the money you're saving) and one of the best offers I've ever seen for DeleteMe (which cleans your personal data off the internet while you kick back with your new Amazon Prime Video subscription. We'll update this list for the rest of the month as new deals go live. Best Black Friday subscription deals Quicken Simplifi (one year) for $36 (50 percent off) : We named Quicken Simplifi the best budgeting app this year largely because it lives up to its name. This is the cleanest budgeting app on the market, with an interface designed to welcome newcomers and no key information more than a scroll away. 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It's a pretty steep cost for an individual, but puts a one-year subscription well within reach of a creative business. Best Black Friday streaming deals Apple TV+ (6 months) for $36 ($42 off): Apple TV+ is offering a six months of access for only $36 for Black Friday , which comes out to only $6 per month. The deal is live now for new and returning subscribers. Through December 1, you've got a great chance to stream shows like Severance , The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less just remember the deal only applies if you subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service. Fubo Pro (first month) for $55 (35 percent off): Fubo is the live TV service that helps sports lovers cut the cord . When you sign up, it asks you your favorite teams, then automatically records every game they play. Fubo Pro includes 249 channels, covering everything from your local NFL and NBA networks to real ESPN8 (The Ocho) content like PowerSports World. There are even plenty of non-sports channels, and with 10 allowed screens per subscription, your whole family can enjoy the selection at once. Sling TV Orange Day Pass for $1 (80 percent off) : Sling TV is one of the best live streaming services , and has one of streaming TV's most unique deals: a commitment-free day pass that lets you stream whatever you want for 24 hours, including cable channels and exclusive sports. Normally, a day pass costs $5, but this Black Friday deal knocks that all the way down to $1. Plex (lifetime pass) for $150 (40 percent off) : Plex offers personal media servers you can use to organize your digital collection imagine your own curated Netflix homepage that nothing ever vanishes from. It's also a streaming platform in its own right, with movies and TV from all genres and eras. Plex did just raise its prices , so now's your chance to get a lifetime pass for close to what it used to cost. Walmart+ (one year) for $49 (50 percent off) : No, Walmart hasn't started its own streaming platform, but it would probably have some pretty great drama. What you do get with Walmart+ is free shipping on carts over $35, exclusive deals, drone delivery in some cities and more. And if you did come here for streaming, Walmart+ also comes with your choice of Peacock Premium of Paramount+ Essential (we recommend Peacock Premium because it's more expensive on its own). Best VPN deals for Black Friday ExpressVPN Basic (15 months) for $52.39 (73 percent off) : ExpressVPN may be the most user-friendly VPN for sale right now, with fast download speeds (only 7 percent losses in our last test), quick connections and apps designed to stay out of your way. It's not the most feature-rich, but it excels at any bread-and-butter VPN task, staying leak-free and unblocking Netflix everywhere. You also get access to server locations in 105 countries. Surfshark Starter (27 months) for $53.73 (87 percent off) : According to the tests we ran for our latest review , Surfshark is the fastest VPN right now, with its download speeds, upload speeds and latencies all beating out competitors. It has more to offer beyond speed, too, as it's able to constantly rotate your IP address and generate double VPN paths between any two servers you choose. NordVPN Basic (27 months) for $80.73 (74 percent off) : NordVPN got very positive marks in our last review , where we called out its fast internet speeds, wide network of server locations and selection of exclusive features. It comes with a range of dedicated servers for obfuscation, onion routing, torrenting and more. Plus, it's one of the first VPNs getting a jump on post-quantum encryption. CyberGhost VPN (28 months) for $56.84 (84 percent off) : CyberGhost is always cheap in fact, we named it the best budget VPN but it's never behaved like an economy option. Its Smart Rules automation controls are the deepest in the industry, and its server network reaches 100 countries. Speeds are also quite good, though connections occasionally take a moment to establish. Private Internet Access VPN (40 months) for $79.20 (83 percent off) : Although we weren't wholly positive about Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) in our recent review , we can't deny it's a worthwhile choice for an affordable VPN. Although speeds can fluctuate, it comes with lots of desirable features on all platforms, like port forwarding (which makes torrents more stable) and two kinds of split tunneling. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-subscription-deals-include-discounts-on-hbo-max-apple-tv-masterclass-rosetta-stone-and-more-180000748.html?src=rss
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup : Why India-Belgium rescheduled to Tuesday
India's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey clash with Belgium was postponed due to heavy rain, initially halted after three minutes and then rescheduled for Tuesday, November 25th. The Indian team, returning after a six-year break, had previously secured a 1-0 win against Korea, with Mohammed Raheel scoring the decisive goal.
47.35% SIR enumeration forms digitised, says Election Commission
At 76.89%, Goa reports highest digitisation, only 23% data, the lowest, uploaded from Kerala, says poll body; BLOs race against time, several find process confusing
2nd Test: Washington Sundar Remains positive Despite Indias Struggles Against South Africa
Washington Sundar: As India fell into serious trouble in the second Test match against South Africa in Guwahati on Monday, Washington Sundar expressed cautious optimism, stating that the team must stay positive despite giving up a huge first-innings deficit. On Monday, South Africa took a commanding 314-run lead after India was bowled out for just 201, giving up control of the game. India's lineup struggled against a disciplined and tenacious Proteas attack on nearly perfect batting conditions, mostly due to poor shot selection. Got to stay positive in life. You never know what will happen, Sundar said when asked about Indias chances after a difficult Day 3 at the Barsapara Stadium. India's innings was further derailed when captain Rishabh Pant and wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel fell while attempting aggressive strokes against left-arm quick Marco Jansen. However, Sundar believed that blaming the collapse solely on those decisions would be unjust. On another day, both those shots would have gone into the stands, and all of us would have appreciated and clapped. Thats how it is, he said at the post-day media interaction. Sometimes you just have to back their plans and their skill sets as well, given the fact that they have shown a lot of proof and evidence in the past as well. Obviously, execution didnt go the way we wanted, he added. India had a great start to the day thanks to a 65-run opening partnership between KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Except for Sundar's own tough 48 from No. 8, the highest score of the innings, the hosts were reduced to 122 for seven due to a barrage of wickets. Only one game had passed since he finished that Test as India's top run scorer while batting at No. 3 in Kolkata. I would say I am happiest to bat wherever the team wants me to bat. That way, it is a lot more exciting. This is a team game. There are a lot of strategies that go into the game depending on the conditions, depending on the opposition. It is very tactical at times. Even in football, if you see good players, they might only get to play 2030 minutes. Thats how the game is, he said. Sundar acknowledged that there was no set strategy for session goals or scoring rates when considering India's batting strategy. I would say I am happiest to bat wherever the team wants me to bat. That way, it is a lot more exciting. This is a team game. There are a lot of strategies that go into the game depending on the conditions, depending on the opposition. It is very tactical at times. Even in football, if you see good players, they might only get to play 2030 minutes. Thats how the game is, he said. Also Read: Live Cricket Score If we were in a scenario where we only lost 45 wickets today, then we can always plan tomorrow, and we bat quite deep as well. Going into the day-to-day, I dont think there was any plan as to how much we need to get today or probably in the first innings as well. Article Source: IANS
India's sugar export quota at risk as mills avoid low-priced global market
The export landscape for Indian sugar mills is looking increasingly tough, with global sugar prices trailing behind domestic market rates, hindering the initiation of fresh contracts. As a result, the ambitious goal of exporting 1.5 million tons appears out of reach. Nonetheless, this scenario could help stabilize global sugar pricing.
PPF vs FD: Where will your money grow faster over 1015 years?
PPF and FD both offer safe returns, but tax-free compounding gives PPF a clear lead over 10-15 years, especially for long-term goals. FDs still work for medium-term needs, monthly income and senior citizens.
Novo Nordisk says Alzheimer's drug trial fails to meet main goal
Novo Nordisks shares fell 10% after the company said its oral semaglutide drug Rybelsus failed to meet the main goal in late-stage trials testing whether it could slow cognitive decline in early Alzheimers patients. The setback dims hopes for expanding GLP-1 medicines into a major new market beyond obesity and diabetes, reinforcing scepticism over Novos Alzheimers ambitions.
New menu incorporates Indian and global influences, and geo-specific star dishes The food will be sourced, prepared, packed and handled with care for the environment and community Air India , India’s leading global airline, announced the introduction of its new global menu across its fleet. The menu draws inspiration from India’s diverse culinary tapestry, from the royal kitchens of Awadh to the coastal flavours of southern India, while incorporating global influences through Pan-Asian, European Bistro, and geo-specific star dishes. The new menu has been introduced on most international ex-India routes, including flights from Delhi to London Heathrow, New York, Melbourne, Sydney, Toronto and Dubai; from Mumbai and Bengaluru to San Francisco; and from Mumbai to New York, to name a few. It will be progressively rolled out across all international sectors as well as on domestic routes. Chicken Roulade Filled with Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese The menu weaves a delicious story that combines the flavours of India with influences from global cuisines. To strike a chord with every traveller, there is a portfolio mix of region-inspired meals and global cuisines such as European bistros and pan-Asian. The region-inspired meals like south-Indian cuisine brings alive the heritage of India giving the travellers an authentic dining experience. Guests travelling First Class will enjoy gourmet meals, artisanal breads, signature desserts, and bespoke wine and champagne pairings. Business Class offers multi-course gourmet meals with customisable options and curated beverage pairings, while Premium Economy and Economy feature upgraded meal trays with balanced, wholesome options with familiar regional flavours and enhanced presentation. Highlights of the new menu includ e: Signature Indian dishes : Awadhi Paneer Anjeer Pasanda (Veg Awadhi Thali), Murgh Massalam (Non-veg Awadhi Thali), and south Indian platter in First and Business Class. Rajasthani besan chilla, malabari chicken curry, and malai palak kofta in Premium Economy International cuisine : Japanese Teppanyaki Bowl, citrus tiger prawns, and oriental napa cabbage and tofu rollmops in First Class and Seoul flamed prawns, manicotti forestiere, and Mediterranean tapas in Business Class GenZ Delights : chicken bibimbap and matcha delice in Business Class Home-made comfort food : homestyle masala dal khichdi and homestyle stuffed parantha in Business Class Plant-Based & Special Dietary Options : A dedicated vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-conscious menu The exquisite new menu has been curated by Chef Sandeep Kalra, who joined Air India recently as the airline continues with its transformation programme, with new and upgraded aircraft joining the fleet and the introduction of new cabin and the new Air India experience across its fleet. The new menu has taken inspiration from the diverse culinary experiences that India offers from the classic Delhi Street food to the real southern India tiffin, apart from international cuisine that appeal to today’s young travellers such as Korean Bibimbap and Matcha. The Air India cabin crew have also gone through specialised training to enhance customer experience onboard. South Indian Platter including Malgapodi Idli, Cashew Upma, Mini Mysore Masala Dosa and Sambar “ At the very core, the new food and beverage enhancements draw inspiration from Air India's commitment to continuous innovation and transforming the customer experience. We are reimagining the inflight dining experience that resonates with the tastes and preferences of global travellers. Our thoughtfully curated menu caters to guests from different cultural affinities who prefer delectable gourmet meals. We endeavour to master the art of menu design and presentation to ensure every inflight meal goes beyond taste into serving care and culinary excellence, ” said Mr. Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Air India. Air India will also offer over 18 special meal types, one of the few airlines worldwide to do so, accommodating modern travellers’ lifestyles and dietary preferences for a truly inclusive and personalised experience. Guests can choose from thoughtfully curated choices ranging from international cuisine, homestyle comfort food, to health-conscious fare that caters to contemporary dietary lifestyles. Guests can also pre-select meals online using the Air India app with chef's notes, allergen information, and customisation capabilities. The airline is also trying to reduce its environmental impact across the cycle such as in responsible sourcing, packaging, and waste reduction. Using locally sourced seasonal food to support local farmers and keep food miles down, Air India also ensures freshness of ingredients from the time of produce till the final serving onboard. There is also increased emphasis on environmentally friendly initiatives such as compostable utensils, paper meal boxes, less single-use plastics, and segregation of onboard waste for recycling and composting to reduce the carbon footprint. About Air India group The Air India group – comprising of full-service global airline, Air India, and value carrier, Air India Express – is spearheading a new era of Indian aviation. The Air India story began in 1932 when JRD Tata piloted the airline’s inaugural flight and opened the skies for aviation in India. Today, Air India group employs more than 30,000 people, operates over 300 aircraft and carries customers to 57 domestic and 48 international destinations across five continents. Returning to the Tata Sons in 2022 following 70 years under Government ownership, Air India group is in the midst of a five-year transformation program, Vihaan.AI. As part of the transformation, Air India has placed an order for 570 new aircraft. In 2024, sister airlines Air Asia India and Vistara were successfully merged into Air India Express and Air India, respectively, and the Airline opened South Asia’s largest aviation training academy. A new flying school is scheduled to open in 2025, and construction of a greenfield maintenance base, to be operational in 2026, is underway. In addition to receiving new aircraft, all existing aircraft are progressively undergoing a full interior refit. www.airindia.com/newsroom .
Not just play: Why Physical Education may be the smartest learning hour in school
A new meta-analysis finds that turning school Physical Education from lonely laps into structured, team-based activities can sharply improve childrens thinking skills, social confidence, physical competence and emotional resilience. With shared goals, clear roles and quick reflection built into games, the PE period becomes a powerful lab for better classroom learning, focus and engagement for children in todays schools everywhere.
KOCHI: Aiming to regain control of Keralas local bodies, the United Democratic Front (UDF) on Monday released its election manifesto, outlining a tight, five-year action plan centred on waste management, housing, public health, and strengthened local governance. The manifesto, unveiled in Kochi, places immediate emphasis on the growing threats posed by stray dogs and wild animals. Leader of the Opposition V D Satheeshan said the front focused on accurate planning and clear timelines, adding that every project is implementable. We have proposed projects that can be implemented and completed within five years. Our focus while preparing the manifesto was accurate planning and clear timelines, he said, addressing a news conference here. Against the backdrop of rising humanwildlife conflict and a spike in stray dog attacks, the document promises amendments to laws to deal firmly with stray dogs, strict enforcement of Animal Birth Control measures, and monthly sterilisation drives. It also seeks to cut off food sources by regulating slaughterhouse waste and ensuring 100% collection of biodegradable waste from households. The UDF highlights the severity of the issue, noting that 3.16 lakh people were treated for stray dog bites at government hospitals in 2024. For increasingly frequent wild animal intrusions, every local body will form special squads and maintain a dedicated fund for victim compensation and crop protection. Waste management forms one of the most ambitious pillars of the manifesto. Along with promoting source-level segregation, the UDF proposes deploying plasma technology used in several developed countries to break down waste into syngas and reusable slag. The front also promises value-added products from waste, new waste-to-energy plants, and biogas plants in all cities within a year, with active involvement of NGOs and community organisations. Housing receives equal priority through the proposed Home for All scheme, which aims to ensure a house for every eligible family by integrating central projects and completing the programme in five years. With 5.91 lakh extremely poor Yellow Card ration card holders in Kerala, the UDF says its core goal is to make their life prosperous. Public health measures also occupy a central part of the manifesto, particularly as Kerala grapples with rising cases of amoebic meningoencephalitis, jaundice, typhoid, cholera and leptospirosis. Local bodies will be equipped with rapid-response squads for health emergencies and disasters. ASHA workers, who recently staged protests, are promised a monthly allowance of 2,000 from local self-government funds. The front will also relaunch Asraya 2.0 first introduced under Oommen Chandy to strengthen poverty eradication efforts. The manifesto further lays out initiatives for youth development, elderly welfare, SC/ST communities, women, migrants, and the fisherfolk. Tourism and entrepreneurship receive a significant push, with region-specific plans for ecotourism, agritourism, literary tourism, Ayurveda, adventure, and water tourism. Local markets will be modernised with Western technologies, and investment meetings will be held in a PPP model. Reaffirming the need for greater local autonomy, Satheeshan said panchayats, municipalities and corporations must be strengthened with adequate powers and resources. The UDF promises unlimited ward-level development funds and more efficient financial management to ensure truly decentralised governance. The event was attended by the KPCC state president Sunny Joseph, AICC general secretary Deepa Dasmunshi, UDF convenor Adoor Prakash, IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty, and other leaders.
SBI Ventures plans to launch Rs 2,000 crore climate-focussed fund in Jan-March
SBI Ventures is set to launch a Rs 2,000 crore fund in the first quarter of next year. This fund will invest in early and growth-stage climate startups, focusing on frontier climate technologies and AI-enabled innovations. The initiative aims to unlock green growth and address India's significant financing gap in climate goals.
The best laptop power banks for 2025
Laptop power banks hit a happy medium between capacity and portability. Capacity is usually below 100-watt hours to comply with TSA requirements for carry-on luggage. Since most batteries are listed in milliamp hours, that works out to around 27,000mAh or less but not too much less. Anything below 20,000mAh wont be able to give any meaningful charge to a laptops battery. Other than that, these larger portable chargers dont differ all that much from any other battery and there are thousands of options out there with varying degrees of value, utility and function. We tested dozens to help you pick out the best laptop battery for your next trip away from an outlet. Table of contents Best laptop power banks for 2025 What to look for in a laptop power bank How we test portable laptop chargers Other laptop power banks we tested Laptop power bank FAQs Recent updates Best laptop power banks for 2025 What to look for in a laptop power bank Flying with a laptop power bank Most portable batteries top out at around 27,000mAh so you can fly with them. The TSA currently limits the capacity carry-on batteries to 100Wh, which works out to around 27,500mAh for 3.6 volt lithium-ion batteries. Note that youre not allowed to pack any batteries in your checked luggage, regardless of capacity. The TSA rules are intended to limit fire danger and some airlines are implementing further restrictions due to recent on-board incidents. In March 2025, a Hong Kong flight was grounded after a battery pack caught fire in an overhead bin. A similar situation happened in July on a domestic Delta flight, and again in August on a transatlantic KLM flight . As a result, some airlines, including Emirates , Southwest and others have announced further restrictions on flying with battery packs. Rules include limiting the number of allowed portable chargers and requiring flyers to keep power banks in clear view when using them to recharge a device. If the battery pack isnt actively in use, however, most rules allow them to stay in your carry-on bag in the overhead bin. Before flying, its wise to check your airlines policies. Capacity If you just need to keep a smartphone from dying before you can make it home, just about any of the best power banks will do . But if you need to revive multiple devices or the substantial battery of a laptop, youll want something with a high milliamp-hour (mAh) capacity. A power bank capable of delivering enough power to a laptop will have a capacity between 20,000 and 27,000 mAh. If you want something even bigger than a laptop power bank, and dont need to fly with it, youll likely want to look into portable power stations. These can be the size of a car battery or larger and can potentially fuel an entire weekend away. Another thing to keep in mind is that the capacity listed in a power bank's specs is not what will be delivered to your devices. As I mentioned, the capacity of these banks is around 25,000mAh. Even the huge battery on a 16-inch MacBook Pro or a Dell XPS 16 has a mAh rating of around 5,000 - 6,000mAh, so you might think youd get five full charges but in reality, you only get about a single 70-percent charge. The voltage is different (typically 3.7V for the power bank and 11.4V for a laptop) which makes the watt-hours, or the amount of energy each battery can hold, different (working out to 92Wh for the battery and 72Wh for the built-in laptop batteries). On top of that, in order to feed a charge from a power bank to a laptop, a voltage conversion takes place and that dissipates a decent amount of energy. Without turning this into a physics lesson, this all means that a power bank with a 25,000mAh (or 92Wh) capacity will typically fill a 5,000mAh (or 72Wh) laptop battery to about 75 percent. In my tests, I averaged about a 60-percent efficiency rate between a power banks listed capacity and the actual charge delivered. Ports Every large power bank Ive tested has at least three USB ports, with a mix of USB-C and USB-A, which should cover nearly any portable device you need to recharge earbuds, phones, tablets, laptops, you name it. In addition to the different plug formats, some ports supply power at different wattages. For example, one built-in USB-C port might be rated for 60 watts, while the one next to it is rated for 100 watts. So if youve got a device thats capable of 70W fast charging, such as the new MacBook Air, youd want to opt for the 100W port to get the best charging speeds possible. Note that devices with a smaller wattage draw wont be negatively affected by connecting to ports with high ratings. For example, a Galaxy S24 Ultra, capable of 45W super fast charging, is perfectly compatible with the 100W port. A device will only draw what it can take, regardless of what a port can supply. Just remember that the port, device and charging cable need to be at or above the desired wattage rating to achieve maximum charging rates. Some of these larger batteries also have AC ports. It might seem like a natural fit to plug in your laptops power adapter for a recharge. But really, the AC port should only be for devices that cant use USB such as a lamp or a printer. Plugging a power adapter into the AC port only wastes energy through conversion. First, the battery converts its DC power to supply the port with AC power, then the power adapter converts that AC power back to DC so your laptop can take it in. And as youll remember from physics class, each time energy is converted, some is lost to heat and other dissipations. Better to cut out the middleman and just send that DC power straight from the battery to the device. Also, you can use more than one port at a time with these devices; just remember that the speed of whatever youre charging will likely go down, and of course, the battery is going to drain proportionally to what youre refilling. Wireless charging Just in the last year and a half that Ive been testing portable power banks, wireless charging capabilities have noticeably improved. The first few I tried were painfully slow and not worth recommending. Now the wireless pads built into power banks are impressively fast particularly, in my experience, when charging Samsung Galaxy phones (though the lack of a stabilizing magnetic connection like Apples MagSafe means they only work when rested flat on a pad). Most wireless charging connections can be used while other ports are also being employed, making them convenient for some mobile battlestation setups. Of course, wireless charging is always less efficient than wired, and recharging from an external battery is less efficient in general. If you want to waste as little energy as possible, youre better off sticking to wired connections. Design All power banks are designed to be portable, but theres a big difference between a pocket-friendly 5,000mAh battery and one of these laptop-compatible bruisers. Most of the latter weigh between a pound and a half to two pounds, which is a considerable addition to a backpack. Many of the options listed here have a display to tell you how much charge remains in the battery, which is helpful when youre trying to judiciously meet out charges to your devices. If a bank has a wireless connection, the pad is usually on the flat top and any available AC connection is usually at one end. Both may require you to engage those charging methods. Dont be like me and grumble loudly that you got a bum unit without pressing (and sometimes double pressing) all the buttons first. How we test portable laptop chargers For the past two years, Ive been testing and using dozens of portable batteries for our other battery guide. Some of those batteries include the higher-capacity power banks you see here. I also got a hold of a few extra banks just for this guide to make sure we covered whats available. I went for brands Im already familiar with, as well as battery packs from well-received manufacturers I hadnt tried before (like UGREEN and Lion Energy). I only considered banks with at least a 20,000mAh capacity and mostly stuck with those that rated 25,000mAh and higher. Heres everything we tested: Zendure Supertank Pro Mophie Powerstation Pro XL Mophie Powerstation Pro AC Lion Energy Eclipse Mag Lion Energy Trek Baseus Blade Laptop Anker Prime 27,650mAh Goal Zero Sherpa 100 AC Anker Retractable Cable Laptop Bank HyperJuice 245W I tested each power bank with an Apple phone (iPhone 15), an Android phone (Galaxy S23 Ultra), a tablet (M1 iPad Air) and a laptop (16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip). Even though these banks can charge multiple devices at once, I refilled one at a time, to make side-by-side comparisons more straightforward. I drained the batteries of the phones and tablets to between zero and five percent and then didnt use any device as it refilled. For the MacBook, I let it run down to 10 percent before plugging in the power bank. That's when most laptops give display a connect to power warning, as draining any battery to empty will compromise the battery life. I then used it as one might in a mobile office, with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, while connected to Wi-Fi and a VPN. For each test, I noted how long a completely charged battery took to get a device back to full and how much of the batterys capacity was used up in one charge. I also noted things like portability, apparent durability, helpful features and overall design. For reference, here are the battery capacities of the devices I used: iPhone 15: 3,349mAh Galaxy S23 Ultra: 4,855mAh iPad Air (5th gen): 7,729mAh 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro: 27,027mAh Other laptop power banks we tested HyperJuice 245W Hypers HyperJuice 245W brick looks great and has a hefty 27,000mAh capacity. The four USB-C ports can combine to output 245W of power and it got my MacBook Pro from nearly dead to 75 percent before depleting itself. When testing it with a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, the handset got back up to a full charge in just over an hour. The screen tells you what each port is doing as well as displaying the amount of charge remaining in the pack itself. But the lack of port variety makes it feel less versatile than other picks on this list the price is higher than our other options, too. Laptop power bank FAQs How do laptop power banks differ from phone power banks? The main difference is size. Phone power banks tend to have a capacity ranging from 5,000mAh to 20,000mAh and laptop powerbanks are typically rated between 20,000mAh and 27,000mAh. Theres no official definition, however. Laptop batteries are simply larger and need a bigger supply of power to give them a meaningful charge. How do you fast charge a power bank? You can charge a power bank exactly as fast as the power banks internal mechanisms will allow. Most batteries are limited in how quickly they can accept and deliver a charge to avoid dangerously overheating. But to make sure youre charging a bank as quickly as possible, make sure the wall adapter and the USB-C cable you are using have a high wattage rating using a 5W power brick and a 10W cable will take a lot longer to refill your bank than a 65W wall charger and a 100W cord. What size power bank do I need for a laptop? Look for a power bank with a rating of at least 20,000mAh. Slightly smaller batteries may work, but they wont deliver a significant charge laptops. How many mAh to charge a laptop? A milliamp hour (mAh) is how much a battery can hold, and most portable batteries list their capacity using mAh. If you get a battery rated at 20,000mAh or above, it should be able to charge your laptop. Using mAh to discuss laptop batteries can be confusing. Due to differing voltages, you cant directly compare the mAh ratings of a power bank battery to a laptop battery. Using watt-hours is a better gauge, as that calculation takes voltage into account. Recent updates August 2025 : Changed our runner up travel pick for a new Anker battery. Updated information about flying with power banks. Added a section about other batteries we tested. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-laptop-power-bank-120040388.html?src=rss
From small-town lawyer to pinnacle of judiciary, 53rd CJI Surya Kant delivered many key verdicts
NEW DELHI: Justice Surya Kant, who took oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on Monday, has been part of several key verdicts, including orders on Presidential Reference on removing timelines for governors, abrogation of Article 370, Bihar electoral roll revision , the Pegasus spyware case, free speech, and citizenship rights. Coming from a middle-class family in Haryana's Hisar district, CJI Kant started his professional journey as a small-town lawyer before reaching the pinnacle of the Indian judiciary. He took oath in Hindi in the name of God, and will remain in charge for nearly 15 months, till demitting office on February 9, 2027, on attaining the age of 65. Delineating his top two priorities as the head of the judiciary, CJI Kant recently told the media that dealing with a huge backlog of more than five crore cases across courts and promoting game changer mediation as an alternative mode of dispute resolution will be his two important goals. CJI Kant was recently part of a five-judge Constitution bench headed by his predecessor Justice B R Gavai, which ruled that the court cannot impose any timelines on governors or the president to grant assent to Bills passed by the state assemblies, but at the same time said governors do not have unfettered powers to sit on the Bills for perpetuity. CJI Kant also penned several notable judgments in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and was appointed the chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on October 5, 2018. His tenure as a Supreme Court judge is marked by verdicts on the abrogation of Article 370, free speech and citizenship rights. He was part of the bench that kept the colonial-era sedition law in abeyance, directing that no new FIRs be registered under it until a government review. CJI Kant also nudged the Election Commission to disclose the details of 65 lakh voters excluded from the draft electoral rolls in Bihar while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the poll panel's decision to undertake a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter list in the poll-bound state. In an order that emphasised grassroots democracy and gender justice, he led a bench that reinstated a woman sarpanch unlawfully removed from office and called out the gender bias in the matter. He is also credited with directing that one-third of seats in bar associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association, be reserved for women. CJI Kant was part of the bench that appointed a five-member committee headed by former top court judge Justice Indu Malhotra to probe the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab in 2022, saying such matters required a judicially trained mind. He also upheld the 'One Rank-One Pension' scheme for defence forces, calling it constitutionally valid, and continues to hear petitions of women officers in the armed forces seeking parity in permanent commission. In another notable case, he upheld the Char Dham project in Uttarakhand, emphasising its strategic importance for national security, while balancing environmental concerns. His bench also observed that freedom of speech is not a licence to flout societal norms while cautioning podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia for his derogatory remarks. CJI Kant headed a bench which pulled up several stand-up comedians, including 'India's Got Latent' host Samay Raina, for ridiculing disabled people on their shows, and directed the Centre to come up with guidelines for regulating online content. Holding that freedom of speech is not absolute , CJI Kant led a bench which pulled up Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah for his remarks targeting Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who gained nationwide prominence for media briefings on 'Operation Sindoor', saying every word uttered by a minister has to be with a sense of responsibility. He has repeatedly underscored that corruption undermines governance and public trust. In a 2023 verdict, he called it a serious societal threat and ordered the CBI to probe 28 cases exposing an unholy nexus between banks and developers that defrauded homebuyers. He also led a bench that granted bail to former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the CBI excise policy case, saying the agency must work to dispel the notion of being a caged parrot. His bench flagged the absence of a legal framework for domestic workers, directing the Centre to form an expert committee to propose protective measures for the vulnerable workforce. He has been part of more than 300 benches since his elevation to the Supreme Court. CJI Kant was also on the seven-judge bench that overruled the 1967 Aligarh Muslim University verdict, opening the way for reconsideration of its minority status. He was also part of the bench which in 2021 appointed a three-member panel of cyber experts to probe the alleged use of Israeli spyware Pegasus for surveillance of certain people in India, saying the state cannot get a free pass every time the spectre of national security is raised and it cannot be the ugbear that the judiciary shies away from. High Courts must respond quickly and accurately, just like emergency wards in hospitals: Justice Surya Kant
Nifty nears record highs. What should mutual fund investors do now SIP, lumpsum or book profits?
With the Nifty just shy of its all-time high, mutual fund investors are debating whether to continue SIPs, invest lumpsum, or book profits. Experts advise sticking to SIPs, using lumpsum only during meaningful corrections, and rebalancing portfolios that have turned equity-heavy. They caution against profit-booking unless a financial goal is approaching within three years, stressing long-term investing over market timing.
Ancient Indian Knowledge System: A Tool To Accomplish The Goals Of Modern Diplomacy
India stands today at a pivotal moment in history, where its civilizational depth, scientific traditions and cultural influence are being rediscovered and rearticulated for a global audience. Among the most powerful tools available for this re-emergence is the vast body of wisdom known as the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). Far from being relics of the Continue reading Ancient Indian Knowledge System: A Tool To Accomplish The Goals Of Modern Diplomacy The post Ancient Indian Knowledge System: A Tool To Accomplish The Goals Of Modern Diplomacy appeared first on OurVoice | WeRIndia - Analysis & Opinion .
One year of Headspace drops to $35 for Black Friday
Meditation app Headspace is bringing back one of its biggest annual deals this Black Friday. Through December 4, youll be able to get 50 percent off the regular annual subscription price, bringing a full year of guided meditations, sleep sounds and mindfulness tools down to $35 per year. If youve been looking to build a better daily routine, this discount makes it easier to start. Headspace has become one of the most recognizable names in digital mindfulness. The app blends practical meditation guidance with structured courses and calming soundscapes designed to make everyday stress easier to manage. Its programs cover everything from beginner-friendly introductions to mindfulness to focused content on topics like anxiety, productivity and sleep. Subscribers get access to hundreds of guided sessions led by the Headspace team, including short daily practices that can be completed in a few spare minutes, plus longer courses that help build consistency. The apps Sleepcasts and soundscapes are unique, designed to create a steady nighttime routine that promotes better rest. For mornings, there are breathing exercises and motivational mini-sessions that can help set focus for the day ahead. Headspace also includes personalized progress tracking, mood check-ins and optional reminders that make it easier to stay consistent with your new mindfulness habits. For anyone new to meditation, the apps clear structure is a major strength. You dont have to know where to start, since it suggests sessions based on your goals or current mood. This annual deal is ideal for users who want to stick with mindfulness practice over time, or anyone interested in incorporating a new habit into their lives. Paying for the year upfront typically saves money compared with the monthly plan, and the discount brings that cost down even further. Whether youre learning the basics of meditation or refining an existing routine, the full library provides enough variety to keep things engaging throughout the year. If youre still comparing wellness apps, check out our guide to the best meditation apps to see how Headspace stacks up against other options. But for those ready to commit to a calmer routine, this annual offer is one of the simplest ways to start the habit at a lower cost. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/one-year-of-headspace-drops-to-35-for-black-friday-163051394.html?src=rss
Saudi Arabia quietly lets expats buy alcohol in Riyadh stores
Saudi Arabia has quietly expanded access to alcohol, allowing non-Muslim expats to purchase it in Riyadh stores that were previously limited to diplomats. The move aligns with Vision 2030s goal to boost tourism and diversify the economy. Historically restricted, alcohol sales remain tightly controlled, but this change signals cautious openness toward expatriates while maintaining the kingdoms conservative regulations.
Police ask organisers to stop controversial event as protests mount
NT Reporter | Panaji Taking cognisance of the strong public backlash over organisation of the proposed Tales of Kamasutra and Christmas Celebration event, scheduled in Goa from December 25-28, Goa police has announced that it has directed the organisers not to proceed with the event. Making the announcement on its official X handle, Goa police []
Orange vs. amla: Which fruit suits your weightloss goals
For weight loss, amla emerges as a stronger contender than oranges, with studies showing it significantly reduces body weight, BMI, and visceral fat while boosting muscle mass. Amla's potent antioxidants and compounds may also enhance fat metabolism and improve gut health more effectively than oranges, which primarily offer hydration and satiety through fiber and water.
Lionel Messi produces magic as Inter Miami thrashes Cincinnati, faces New York City FC next
Argentine superstar Messi scored once and provided the assists for all of Inters other goals
Insider track | Wives are no secretaries or helpdesks!
At the Goa film festival, Suhasini Maniratnam seemed to have had her patience tested once too often. While chatting at an IFFI sidebar event, she reportedly found herself fielding more questions about her husband, filmmaker Mani Ratnam, than about her work. Suhasini, who was hosting a conversation with Khushboo Sundar, gentlybut firmlyreminded everyone that wives are not automatically secretaries, spokespeople, or helpdesks for their husbands. Women, she noted, do manage to exist as individuals with their own professional identities. If someone truly wants insights from Mani Ratnam, she quipped, perhaps they could try the radical step of asking him directly. A small, pointed reminder that autonomy isnt too much to expect, yet often elusive. PMO presses for ease of living The Prime Ministers Office (PMO) has instructed ministries to identify petty violations that needlessly draw ordinary people into disproportionate legal complications. Emphasising ease of living for citizens, the move aims to decriminalise minor lapses and discard outdated regulations. The PMO has also said that Indias laws should reflect todays realities, not the paperwork of a bygone era. At its core, the initiative aims to simplify compliance, streamline governance, and demonstrate that a modern nation cannot be governed by antiquated rules. Ultimately, this reform is about more than reducing casesit is about restoring common sense. Babus worry about pension Serving and retired IAS officers are increasingly uneasy about government orders to the 8th Central Pay Commission to assess the unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes. Officers under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), funded by the Consolidated Fund of India, are closely watching the implications. A new government circular requires IAS officers to choose their pension optionOPS, the National Pension System (NPS), or the Unified Pension Schemeby November 30, 2025. The OPS covered all officers appointed before April 1, 2005. After this date, the government introduced the contributory NPS for most civil servants, while IAS officers and defence personnel remained under OPS for a brief period. The current review has reignited debate over pension liabilities and long-term financial security. Of early warnings & sense of humour South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in a warm exchange with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G20 summit, quipped that Indias experience with the G20 had been quite the learning for his country. Thanking India for its support as South Africa hosted its first-ever G20 summit, he joked, You should have warned us how difficult it iswe might have run away! This years summit came with its own unusual twist: the United States chose to stay away, a decision that drew particular attention considering it is slated to host the next gathering. There was a public spat between the two countries over the Americans decision not to take part in the current summit. Despite the unexpected diplomatic wrinkle, South Africas debut outing appears to have been handled with confidence. Perhaps a touch of humour from the president just helped. Chirag and star power for politics The Union minister and chief of the LJP(RV) is known not just for his political clout but also for his enthusiastic faith in astrology. Kundali matching, planetary analysis, favourable yogashe reportedly consults them all. Party insiders claim he even weighs candidature proposals against the contenders horoscopes. During the Bihar Assembly polls, those blessed with a stronger rajyog reportedly ranked higher in the ticket queue. Despite his devotion to the stars, Chirag still talks often of karma, aligning it neatly with his Bihar First, Bihari First mantra. His colourful bracelets and sparkling ringsincluding a much-discussed silver thumb ringseem to complete the picture. And perhaps a few well-timed horoscopes helped light the Chirag for his candidates in Bihar.
BTS 2025 achieved 37% reduction in emission: IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge
BENGALURU: IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge on Sunday announced that the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) 2025, which concluded on November 20, saw a 37% reduction in carbon emission. The summit was conducted under Kharge, who formally concluded the event as well. We achieved a 37% carbon reduction, supported by increased Metro use and allied initiatives. Tummoc, an ELEVATE grant winner, enabled 5,000+ free metro rides for delegates this means 5,000 fewer private vehicle trips to the venue (sic), Kharge said in a social media post. Attended by around 92,500 persons, the BTS 2025 generated over 9,700 kg of waste, which was all recycled, Kharge said, adding that the goal of zero waste to landfill has been achieved for the third year in a row. The minister further said in his post that around 12,000 participants were assessed for sustainability awareness during the summit, and 850 stalls were evaluated for the Sustainable Stall Awards. The BTS continues to show that innovation and sustainability can go and grow together, Kharge said, assuring that a detailed sustainability report on the summit would follow.
Dehradun Diary | CM lauds Almora star Lakshya Sens triumphs
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami personally called badminton sensation Lakshya Sen, hailing his victory at the Australian Open Super 500. Sen, a native of Almora, was lauded by the CM for bringing glory to both Uttarakhand and the nation. Lakshyas hard work and dedication are an inspiration to our youth, Dhami stated. He emphasised that the win proves every difficult goal can be achieved through discipline and hard work. CM Dhami wished the champion a bright future, anticipating continued global success for the Devbhoomi star. Lakshya, a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, had last won a Super 300 title at the Syed Modi International in Lucknow in 2024. Vlogger Sourav Joshi seeks security cover Haldwanis prominent YouTuber and vlogger Sourav Joshi, known for his massive following of 3.75 crore subscribers, has formally requested police protection in the run-up to his wedding. Sources indicate that the police have already activated their intelligence network in anticipation of potential trouble. Surveillance is being set up around the wedding venue to monitor any suspicious activity. Joshi, who faced an alleged `5 crore extortion threat last September involving gangster Himanshu Bhau, is set to marry Avantika Bhatt, a resident of Haldwani, soon. To avoid any untoward incident, family members recently met with police officials. Noted Dehradun city qazi passes away at 74 Dehradun is mourning the sudden demise of its long-serving city qazi, Maulana Mohammad Ahmed Qasmi, who passed away on Saturday evening at 74. The veteran cleric, who served for 44 years since 1981, collapsed while attending a wedding in Najibabad. Despite being rushed to the hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival. A massive crowd gathered for his funeral prayers in Dehradun on Sunday. His passing is a huge loss for the entire community, remarked Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana. Qazi Qasmi had led his final Friday prayers in Dehradun just a day prior. Narendra Sethi Our correspondent in Uttarakhand narendrasethi@newindianexpress.com
Unreal! 40 year-old Ronaldo scores jaw-dropping bicycle kick goal Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo, at 40, scored a spectacular bicycle kick to seal Al-Nassr's 4-1 victory. The goal, reminiscent of his Real Madrid stunner, capped off a dominant performance. Al-Nassr maintains their perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season with nine wins from nine matches.
Are you overrelying on SIPs for achieving lifegoals?
Are SIPs really safe? Investors may overestimate the perceived safety of SIPs due to the marketing spiel, but outcomes may not always match the rhetoric. Learn the hidden risks of SIP investments, common investor mistakes, and why discipline matters more than perceived safety in achieving long-term returns.
Canada, India agree to restart trade talks, push for $50 billion bilateral target by 2030
Canada and India have agreed to restart trade deal negotiations after the leaders met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in South Africa. The goal is to significantly increase bilateral trade, cover civil nuclear cooperation. This comes amid Canada's aim to expand trade beyond the United States.
Do you have trouble asking for help? This personality test will reveal why
Youre goal-oriented and career-focused. Some of you are quite competitive or you could work in a competitive environment. You could do things or talk or think fast. You may crave success, financial security and stability. You love working and you have a high level of concentration. Youre futuristic and practical. Youre creative and many of you are natural born leaders, creators, trend setter or entrepreneurs
Goa hotel prices take a siesta ahead of the year-end fiesta
As the year-end season approaches, travelers can rejoice in the fact that Goa's hotel prices are on a downward trend, setting it apart from other tourist hotspots in India. The influx of new hotel rooms and rising competition from international options are major contributors to this price drop.
Opportunities galore for Goa as Norway team inks agreement
Interest shown in green energy, shipbuilding Panaji: Goa stands a chance of receiving investments from Norway, with a trade delegation from the Scandinavian country offering to do business with the state in sectors like renewable energy, shipbuilding, green tech, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and cyber security. A six-member delegation comprising embassy officials and members of the Norway []
Konkani meet in Kerala demands Cinema Development Corp for Goa
Panaji: The Goa government should establish a Cinema Development Corporation to provide financial assistance and technical support for producing and distributing Konkani cinema, the 26th All India Konkani Sahitya Sammelan in Ernakulam, Kerala, has resolved. The sammelan, held on November 22-23, was organised by the All India Konkani Parishad. Another resolution urged the Goa government []
Valve says that the Steam Machine's price will be more 'in line with current PC market'
Valve shook up the gaming world with the announcement of the Steam Machine , but we're all still curious about the million-dollar question of pricing. While there's plenty of speculation, we finally have some sort of indication from Valve directly. In an interview with Skill Up's Friends Per Second podcast , Valve's Pierre-Loup Griffais revealed that the Steam Machine will not be subsidized but will still have competitive pricing. I think that if you build a PC from parts and get to basically the same level of performance, thats the general price window that we aim to be at, Griffais said on the podcast. Obviously, our goal is for it to be a good deal at that level of performance, and then you have features that are actually really hard to build if youre making your own gaming PC from parts. Griffais didn't offer a concrete price range since Valve was still early in the process, adding that right now is just a hard time to have a really good idea of what the price is going to be because theres a lot of different things that are fluctuating. When asked if the Steam Machine would be subsidized like how other companies often sell new consoles at a loss or slim profit margin to generate early momentum, Griffais said no and that it would be more in line with what you might expect from the current PC market. However, Griffais also revealed that Valve is potentially interested in doing a Steam Machine Pro, but that the company is currently focused on this mid-range level as a good trade off between affordability and the level of power we get. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/valve-says-that-the-steam-machines-price-will-be-more-in-line-with-current-pc-market-182213173.html?src=rss
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: India kick off campaign with 1-0 win over Korea
India's men's hockey team began their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup 2025 campaign with a 1-0 victory over Korea. Mohammed Raheel scored the winning goal in the 15th minute. Goalkeeper Mohith HS made crucial saves to secure the win. The team displayed strong offence and defence throughout the match. This win gives India three points in their opening game.
Black Friday has become the time to buy the hottest tech of the year. Whether you're shopping for yourself or stocking up on gifts for the holidays, Black Friday deals are sure to bring the best prices of the year to things like headphones, game consoles, robot vacuums, phone accessories and everything in between. You don't even have to wait until Black Friday proper to save a ton of money. Over the past few years, we've seen Black Friday tech deals start earlier and earlier to the point where the entire month of November is packed with discounts. If you're on the hunt for solid tech deals, Engadget has you covered. We've collected the best Black Friday deals on tech you can get right now, and we'll continue to update this post as we get closer to the big day at the end of November. Note that you probably have the best chance of snagging record-low prices when we get to about one week before Thanksgiving, but these deals available now are worth considering. Black Friday deals: Engadget's top picks Apple AirPods Pro 3 for $220 ($29 off): Apple's latest flagship wireless earbuds are the ones to get if you have an iPhone and any other Apple gear. They have improved sound quality, impressive ANC improvements, extra features like Live Translation and even better battery life. Apple iPad A16 for $279 (20 percent off): Apple's cheapest iPad makes a great first tablet for kids, or anyone who just wants a basic slab for watching videos, online shopping, sending emails and more. It's plenty fast thanks to the A16 chipset that powers it, plus it has a nice screen, 128GB of storage in the base model and good battery life. Apple AirTags (four pack) for $65 (34 percent off): iPhone users who frequently misplace things should invest in a few AirTags. Slip them into your wallet, bag, jacket and other belongings to keep track of their locations in the Find My app. Just make sure that, if you're going to attach one to your keys, you also pick up an AirTag holder to go along with it. Philips fabric shaver for $13 (32 percent off): Consider this the Black Friday tech deal you didn't know you needed. If you have shirts, sweaters, pants, even blankets that have pilled over time, this handy little fabric shaver can get them looking more like new again. I bought this on a whim after wishing I could refresh some of my most-loved wardrobe staples without spending hours pulling pills off myself. Philips' fabric shaver has delivered and then some, and my clothes look much fresher than before. Amazon Smart Plug for $13 (48 percent off): Those who use Alexa often will get the most out of this smart plug . We like that it's super simple to set up and can turn almost anything with an on-off switch smart, allowing you to control it via your phone or with Alexa voice commands. LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectable 75375 for $68 (20 percent off): This is a set that any Star Wars fan will love to build and then love to display once it's complete. The 921-piece set features a fully-detailed Millennium Falcone, buildable stand and nameplate. It's one of many Lego Black Friday deals you can get right now. Amazon Kindle Colorsoft (16GB) for $170 ($80 off): The latest color ereader in Amazon's lineup includes a seven-inch, high-contrast display, USB-C charging and a battery life that can last up to eight weeks on a single charge. Its design is waterproof too, so you don't need to baby it if you take it by the pool or to the beach. If you prefer a black-and-white screen, the base Kindle is also on sale for $80. Meta Quest 3S VR headset for $250 ($50 off): We consider this to be the best VR headset for newbies or those on a budget. It's comfortable to wear for long sessions, has solid performance, comes with excellent controllers and you'll have access to a large app library with it. PlayStation 5 Black Friday deals: The PlayStation 5 is getting a major Black Friday discount, with $100 off consoles. That brings the PS5 Digital Edition down to $399, the standard PS5 to $449 and the new PS5 Pro to $649. If youve been holding out for the right time to upgrade or buy your first console, these are the deals to beat. You'll find them direct at Sony and from other retailers including Amazon and Walmart . Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle for $499: Black Friday Nintendo sales were announced recently and, unsurprisingly, there won't be many true deals out there this year. There are no straight discounts on the Switch 2 console, so your best bet is to pick up a bundle that saves you some cash on a Switch 2 game. One of the best is the Mario Kart Wold bundle, but Pokmon fans should consider the Pokmon Legends: Z-A bundle , too. Black Friday deals under $50 Govee Smart LED Light Bars for $30 ($20 off, Prime exclusive): Another of our stocking stuffer picks are these smart LED light bars from Govee. They can stand up or lie flat so they can go just about anywhere and are infinitely adjustable via the app. You can even set them to light up in sync with your music. Alexa and the Google Assistant will let you control them with just your voice (and a smart speaker). Jisulife Life 7 handheld fan for $25 (14 percent off): This handy little fan is a must-have if you life in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don't have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan's blades show its remaining battery level. Samsung Evo Select (512GB) for $33 ($14 off) : We recommend the Evo Select in our microSD card buying guide for those on a tight budget. It has mediocre write speeds, so its not ideal for a camera, but it should be serviceable for most people just looking to add space to an Android tablet or original Nintendo Switch on the cheap. (Note that this is a standard UHS-I card, not a newer microSD Express model.) This deal matches the lowest price to date for the 512GB variant. Also at Samsung and B&H . UGreen Uno Nexode Charger Block (65W, 3-Port) for $33 (35 percent off) : There are other ways to charge your devices, but few are this cute. Thats why we named it one of the best stocking stuffers you can buy. You get three ports in its head and outlet prongs hidden in its removable magnetic feet. Its 65 watts are enough to charge multiple devices at once. Also available directly from UGreen . Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $35 (42 percent off): One of our favorite streaming devices , the 4K Max dongle supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, 4K and HDR10+ and it has Wi-Fi 6E for a speedier, more stable internet connection. It also supports the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which can display art on your TV when you're not actively using it. Anker Nano magnetic power bank (5K, Qi2 15W) for $39 (30 percent off): This ultra-slim battery pack snaps magnetically to the backs of compatible phones to power them up, allowing you to use your device while it's charging. It comes in multiple colors and supports the latest Qi2 charging standard. Leebin 2025 electric spin scrubber for $40 (43 percent off, Prime exclusive): This weird little scrubber makes cleaning my bathroom and shower much less of a pain. Just choose the brush head you need for your job and the rotating head takes care of most of the hard work. I love the adjustable handle, which extends from 12 to 50 inches so you can get into hard-to-reach places without breaking a sweat. Monarch Money budgeting app (one year) for $50 (50 percent off with code MONARCHVIP): One of our favorite budgeting apps , Monarch Money gives you a lot of control over the organization of your funds. There's a helpful goals feature for when you're planning out big purchases or financial milestones you want to hit, and we found the month-in-review recap it provides to be more thorough than other budgeting apps we tried. There's even Zillow integration for folks looking to buy a home. Black Friday Apple deals Apple AirPods 4 for $80 (38 percent off): These are the most affordable AirPods you can get, and the latest model has been substantially improved over the previous. They have a better fit and noticeably better sound quality than their predecessor, plus some advanced features previously only found on pricer models. Apple Watch SE 3 for $200 ($50 off): The SE has been our top pick for the best Apple Watch for those on a budget, and the latest model only solidifies that further. It has the same chipset found in the latest flagship Apple Watches, fast-charging capabilities, an always-on display and most of the same activity-tracking features you'll find in more expensive model. Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M4) for $749 ($250 off): Our top pick for the best laptop you can get, the M4 MacBook Air will be plenty of power for most people in a convenient, premium package. It's thin and light as ever, with an excellent keyboard and trackpad, plus enough battery life to get you through a whole day of work, video calls and more. Apple Mac Mini M4 for $479 ($120 off): Desktop users looking for an upgrade should consider the latest Mac Mini, which runs on the M4 chip and 16GB of RAM as standard in the base configuration. This version has a smaller design that takes up less space, front-facing USB-C ports and a headphone jack, plus Thunderbolt 5 support. Apple iPad Air M3 (11 inch) for $449 (25 percent off): We consider this to be the best iPad for most people thanks to its strong performance, big , sharp display, good battery life, improved multitasking capabilities and its compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro. Black Friday streaming deals and subscription deals MasterClass Black Friday deal get up to 50 percent off subscriptions: MasterClass is running a limited-time offer that cuts up to 50 percent off all annual subscriptions for Black Friday . The deal gives you access to hundreds of lessons taught by experts and well-known names across nearly every field, from cooking and business to film and design. Normally, annual plans cost anywhere from $120 to $240 per year, so up to a 50-percent discount represents significant savings for new or returning subscribers. Apple TV+ (6 months) for $36 ($42 off): Apple TV+ is offering six months of access for only $36 for Black Friday , which comes out to a discounted price of $6 per month for the six-month period. The deal is live now for new and eligible returning subscribers and runs through December 1, giving you a chance to stream shows like Silo , The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less. The biggest caveat to the deal is that you must subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service. Sling TV Orange day pass for only $1: Sling TV launched Day Passes earlier this year, giving users one-day access to a variety of its packages. This deal cuts $4 off the normal price of a day pass for Sling Orange. With that, you get unlimited access for 24 hours to Orange's more than 30 channels that includes ESPN, CNN, TBS and others. Audible subscription (three months) for $3 ($42 off) : From now through mid-December, you can get Amazons audiobook subscription for just a dollar a month for three months. Note that it will auto-renew at $15 per month after that, but you can cancel at any point. Proton VPN (24 months) for $59.76 (75 percent off) : Proton VPN is our pick for the best VPN a secure, trustworthy app that doesn't sacrifice features, speed or usability. Although its free plan does come with unlimited data, we recommend upgrading to get the full set of servers and features. With this deal, you'll get servers in 117 countries; better yet, every one of those we've tested so far can unblock Netflix. Black Friday Lego deals LEGO Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding the Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44 (20 percent off) LEGO Star Wars Brick-Built Star Wars Logo 75407 for $48 (20 percent off) LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 Building Toy Set 75379 for $80 (20 percent off) LEGO Harry Potter Mandrake Figure & Pot Plant Toy 76433 for $41 (41 percent off) LEGO Harry Potter Thestral Family Building Toy 76458 for $49 (30 percent off) Black Friday gaming deals The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia for $22 (46 percent off): There is so much lore and history to the Zelda franchise that it was difficult to keep things straight. That is, up until a few years ago when this compendium came out and finally corrected the record and shed some light on some of the murkier events across one of the most storied game sagas of all time. Xbox wireless controller for $40 (38 percent off): While we may not recommend getting an Xbox console in 2025, if you have one already and want to get some extra accessories for it, you should check out Black Friday deals. This is a basic wireless controller with an ergonomic design and a battery life of up to 40 hours. SanDisk microSD Express card (256GB) for $60 (12 percent off): If you have a Switch 2, no regular microSD card will do if you want to expand the console's storage. You need a newer microSD Express card, and currently there are only a handful on the market. We did some testing to find the best microSD Express card for the Switch 2 and found that performance was, in general, very similar amongst all the readily available cards. We recommend getting whichever fits within your budget at the capacity you want. Black Friday smart home and kitchen deals Cosori 9-in-1 air fryer for $90 (25 percent off): I personally have this air fryer, one of our top picks , in my house and I've used it for over a year with no issues. I love that it makes good use of vertical space so it doesn't take up too much space on my counter, and its rounded-square shape allows me to cook more food than you'd think in one go in the basket. It crisps all kinds of foods up well and generally takes a lot of the guess work (and time) out of making a good meal. Aura 10.1-inch digital frame for $139 (22 percent off): Aura makes some of our favorite digital frames , and this one has a 10-inch HD display, Wi-Fi connectivity and an elegant mat design. Arguably the best thing about Aura frames in general is that you don't have to pay a subscription fee to add photos to it over time all photos are stored in the cloud, and multiple people can add photos to one frame. Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $180 (22 percent off): The Creami has been one of the most sought-after kitchen appliances of the past couple of years, and for good reason. It's one of our favorite pieces of kitchen gear because it makes it a breeze to prepare custom ice cream and many other frozen treats. It's definitely worthwhile investment if you're an ice cream lover and want to experiment with making your own flavors. Ninja Dual-Zone air fryer (10-quart) for $180 (22 percent off): If you cook for large crowds on Thanksgiving and other occasions, this is the air fryer to get. Not only is it a large, 10-quart capacity model, but it also has two separate cooking areas. You can crisp up potatoes on one side and brussel sprouts on the other with no issues. Use the Smart Finish feature to cook two separate foods in different ways and have them both be done at the same time, or Match Cook to copy the cooking method in both chambers. Dyson V9 Motorbar cordless vacuum for $270 (55 percent off): Any time you can get a Dyson for under $300, it's a deal to consider. This V9 Motorbar is an older model, but it still has excellent suction power, 40 minutes of runtime and it comes with four attachments that let you clean everything from your floors to your couch to the inside of your car. Don't forget to check out all of the other Dyson Black Friday deals at Dyson direct or Amazon . Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro for $300 ($100 off): One of the most versatile air fryers out there, this Breville machine not only air fries, but also bakes, roasts, toasts, dehydrates, reheats and more. It also has a large capacity that can cook a 14-pound turkey or a tray of muffins with ease. Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum for $400 ($600 off): This is one of the best robot vacuums you can get, period. It doesn't have a self-emptying base, but its superior suction power almost makes up for that. It's one of the strongest robot vacuums I've ever tested, and it has excellent obstacle avoidance. The latter means you will rarely, if ever, have to attend to it getting caught on the edge of a carpet or getting stuck under a piece of furniture. More Black Friday tech deals Dyson AM09 Hot + Cool heater and fan for $300 ($200 off): I've had this heater and fan for over five years at this point and it remains one of my favorite pieces of tech. It's lightweight enough to carry from room to room and it's both a heater and a fan: it cuts the chill in my home office during the winter, and circulates the air to keep me cooler in the summer. You can control the whole thing using the included remote (and it includes a sleep timer), and it handily attaches magnetically to the top of the device so you don't misplace it. DJI Neo drone for $159 (20 percent off, Prime exclusive): Yes, the Neo 2 just came out, but it's still unclear if that model will make its way to the US. For now, if you want an affordable drone to capture your next adventure, the original Neo remains an excellent option. It was our top pick for the best drone for those on a budget, and it's an even better buy at this sale price. Theragun Mini (3rd gen) for $168 (24 percent off): The most compact percussion massager that Therabody makes, the latest Mini is small enough to toss in your gym bag or carry-on to take with you when you're traveling. It comes with three head attachments and it charges via USB-C. Also available at Therabody . Bose QuietComfort headphones for $200 (43 percent off): These noise-cancelling headphones have a comfortable (albeit a bit boring) design, an Aware mode that lets you hear more of your surroundings when you need to and up to 24 hours of battery life. Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $248 ($158 off): While the new XM6 headphones have replaced these as Sony's flagship cans, that doesn't mean the XM5 aren't worth buying. They were our top pick for the best wireless headphones for years before the XM6 came around, and they still have excellent ANC, great sound quality, long battery life, a comfortable fit and handy extra features like multipoint connectivity. GoPro Hero 13 Black Extended Power Bundle for $349 ($150 off): This bundle gives you our favorite action cam plus three Enduro batteries, a dual battery charger, one adhesive mount, a 64GB SanDisk microSD card, two USB-C cables and more. It makes a great all-in-one gift for the budding videographer or aspiring influencer in your life, or a solid addition to your own camera kit. Also available at GoPro . TCL QM6K (55-inch) 4K TV for $398 ($202 off) : The QM6K is widely regarded as one of this years better TV bargains . As a budget model, it wont get you top-notch contrast, color volume, brightness or HDR performance, but its quantum-dot color, mini-LED backlighting and full-array local dimming help it more than hold its own for the money. Its a nice buy for gaming on a budget as well, since it has a fast 144Hz refresh rate that can reach as high at 288Hz if you play in 1080p. This deal marks a new low. The 65-inch and 75-inch models are also at their all-time lows at $498 and $698, respectively. Also at Best Buy and Walmart . Samsung 65-inch Frame Pro smart TV for $1,598 (24 percent off): The latest version of Samsung's art TV, the Frame Pro lets you show artwork on the screen when you're not watching a sports game or binge-watching your favorite show. It supports 4K content, VRR gaming at up to 4K 144Hz and runs on Samsung's NQ4 AI Gen3 processor. Also available at Best Buy . Black Friday FAQs When is Black Friday 2025? Black Friday 2025 lands on November 28. Which stores have Black Friday deals? Many physical retail stores have Black Friday deals including Walmart, Target, Best Buy and others. Even more retailers have online Black Friday deals, including Amazon, GameStop, Costco and others. When do Black Friday sales start? Gone are the times when Black Friday sales were one-day-only affairs. Now, Black Friday deals are often available starting on Thanksgiving, or even earlier. Last year, we saw Black Friday deals online begin the week before Black Friday proper. When do Black Friday sales end? Black Friday and Cyber Monday have blended a lot over the past few years. Now, you can expect to see a good portion of Black Friday deals extend through the weekend and into Cyber Monday. It's not uncommon for Black Friday deals to expire at the end of Cyber Monday. Which retailers have the best Black Friday tech deals? The best Black Friday tech deals are typically available online at retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and Target. It's also a good idea to check the store websites of the companies that make the products you want for example, if you're looking for a Sonos speaker, check the Sonos website on Black Friday. Most of the time, you'll find the best Black Friday tech deals are matched at multiple retailers. Does Apple have Black Friday sales? No, you will usually not find Black Friday sales at Apple stores or on Apple's website. However, you can find Black Friday deals on Apple devices elsewhere; we recommend checking Amazon, Best Buy and other big retailers for discounts on iPads, Apple Watches and more on Black Friday. Does Amazon have Black Friday sales? Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales. The online retailer's site will look similar to Prime Day on Black Friday, with discounts on all sorts of items from household essentials to fashion to tech. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-2025-deals-the-best-tech-sales-from-amazon-apple-lego-ninja-dyson-and-others-you-can-shop-now-ahead-of-the-holiday-season-100052707.html?src=rss
Analysts say such a move will shake investor confidence given that to meet India's energy transition goal, and to stay on track to meet net zero by 2070, India will need to invest around $1.3 trillion in non-fossil power generation capacity by 2035.
Kamasutra and Christmas event stopped by Goa police after public outroar
Panaji: An advertisement for a four-day event titled Tales of Kamasutra and Christmas Celebrations in Goa triggered outrage, prompting the police to direct the organisers to cancel the programme scheduled next month, an official said on Sunday. The police took cognisance of the matter after a local NGO objected to the event scheduled to be Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Anupam Kher Illustrates Why Giving up is not an option in a masterclass
Goa, 23 November :In a meesmerising demonstration, renowned actor Anupam Kher kept a gathering of hundreds totally engrossed in todays first masterclass at Kala Mandir, Panaji, Goa and captivated their minds with his signature wit and wisdom in a session themed Giving Up is NOT a Choice. Anupam Kher opened the session with the tale [] The post Anupam Kher Illustrates Why Giving up is not an option in a masterclass appeared first on Kashmir Media Watch .
Guneet Monga calls for more 'rooted' stories in Hindi cinema
Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor recently attended the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed approves Dh302.7 billion budget for 20262028, largest in history
Dubai Ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has approved the emirates largest-ever Dh302.7 billion (~$83 billion) budget for 20262028. The three-year plan, projecting revenues of Dh329.2 billion (~$90 billion), aims to boost infrastructure, social development, and security, supporting Dubais goal of doubling its GDP and positioning the emirate among the worlds top three urban economies by 2033.
Ashes: Stokes Focusing On getting The Group Back Up For Brisbane After Heavy Defeat In 1st Test
Ben Stokes: England captain Ben Stokes emphasised the importance of allowing the hurt and frustration from a heavy defeat to Australia in the first Ashes Test to persist before turning attention to Brisbane. Stokes and Co. lost the first Test of the Ashes series on Saturday, with the game ending in just two days and the hosts clinching an eight-wicket win. The shell-shocked English skipper, who called Travis Heads match-winning 123 pretty incredible, said he would wake up on Sunday with a focus on boosting Englands morale. Weve been in situations before where we have been behind in series, so our attitude that stands out that allows us to move on to the next game through good and through bad, Stokes told reporters after the conclusion of the Ashes opener here at the Perth Stadium. Were a very good team at, I think, dealing with emotions when we need to think about what we have got coming up next. (And) Im a pretty level-headed person in terms of success and failure, so Ill wake up in the morning and still be incredibly disappointed. But all of my focus and all of my energy will be going into getting the group back up and moving our thoughts and what we need to do onto Brisbane, he added. He remains confident that England, who seemed in control of the opening Test by leading by over 100 runs with nine wickets remaining at lunch, will not carry any baggage into the Gabba Test despite the remarkable turnaround on Saturday afternoon. Obviously, there is disappointment and a lot that you come off the field with when being on the losing side. So thats up to myself (and) it is up to Baz (Brendon McCullum) and some of the other senior guys, who have had a lot of experience in big series like these. Youve got to let your emotions sink in and it has got to hurt, he said. But you have also then got to get rid of them as quickly as you possibly can while also learning from it, because when we get to Brisbane, we need to be back up to that mindset of how we came into the series before this game. We are still very confident in our abilities and in achieving our goal. It is going to be crucial not taking any baggage from this result into Brisbane, because we need to win that one, Stokes added. Stokes insisted that England's aggressive 'Bazball' batting style is the right approach, despite dramatic collapses in both innings. Several players were caught out in the open with ambitious shot-making. However, he believes that the innings by Head, among others, proved there is value in attacking cricket, stating that the most successful batsmen were those who embraced an aggressive approach. But you have also then got to get rid of them as quickly as you possibly can while also learning from it, because when we get to Brisbane, we need to be back up to that mindset of how we came into the series before this game. We are still very confident in our abilities and in achieving our goal. It is going to be crucial not taking any baggage from this result into Brisbane, because we need to win that one, Stokes added. Also Read: Live Cricket Score The way in which 19 wickets fell on Day 1, we were more proactive with our approach of scoring those runs, hence how we managed to come away with a 50-run lead. Obviously it would have been nice to have a bigger lead going into our last bowling innings, but we were very confident about our ability to keep Australia restricted to under 200 and win the game, he concluded. Article Source: IANS
Long walks, no drinking, and.... 96-year-old reveals her longevity secrets
Bronny lives with her son, that has made her life 'easier' she says, and she takes care of his dog, and vice-versa. When asked if she had a goal to live till 100, she replied in the negative, and said that her only goal was to stay healthy
ATM cash van heist: Kerala to Goa how cops chased leads in five states
BENGALURU: Within 54 hours of the brazen cash robbery, three accused were identified and detained, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said here on Saturday. While Rs 5.76crore was recovered within 60 hours from the outskirts of the city, a bag containing Rs 53lakh was also seized from Hyderabad, Singh told a press conference. By the end of the first 24 hours, the accused persons and vehicles used in the heist had been identified through specific leads. One vehicle used in the crime was seized. As many as 200 police personnel, including 17 police inspectors, seven from the Central Crime Branch (CCB) and two Assistant Commissioners of Police, were part of the operation. Deputy Commissioners of Police, along with Joint Commissioners, supervised the entire investigation. Technical and field leads were pursued across Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Some teams also extended their search up to Goa, and more than 30 people have been questioned so far. CCTV footage, call detail records, vehicle movement patterns and local intelligence inputs were analysed continuously, the Commissioner added. DCP-South Lokesh B Jagalasar said three other accused in connection with the robbery were detained in Hyderabad. A bag of cash containing Rs 53 lakh was seized from them. Security lapses by CMS The probe into the Rs 7.11crore heist revealed that the Cash Management Services (CMS) firm had failed to follow key safety measures, and violated RBI guidelines. A senior police officer said that as per guidelines, cash-carrying vehicles should not use the same route or time repeatedly. Employees must be trained in cash handling, undergo proper background verification, and police should be informed if any custodial company employee is terminated. The GPS tracking system in the vehicle was also not functioning. There were lapses in staff deployment and security training, the officer added. Commissioner Singh told reporters, We have prepared a report on the violations committed by the company and will submit it to the authorities concerned. Daylight dacoit On November 19, a CMS Cash-In-Transit vehicle carrying Rs 7.11 crore was robbed. The gang, posing as RBI officers, claimed they wanted to inspect the vehicle. All four staffers inside the vehicle, except the driver, were asked to get down. They threatened the driver with a pistol, unloaded the cash boxes and stole the Digital Video Recorder. A case was registered at Siddapura police station.
Barcelona thrash Athletic Bilbao 4-0 as Camp Nou reopens in stunning homecoming
Barcelona celebrated their return to a partially reopened Camp Nou with a dominant 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao. Goals from Lewandowski, Ferran Torres (twice), and Lpez, coupled with an opponent's red card, secured the win. The club aims to leverage the renovated stadium for revenue amidst financial challenges.
Ronit Roy announces break from social media: Please dont forget me
Ronit Bose Roy is taking a temporary break from social media to focus on personal growth, leaving behind old habits and comfort zones. He aims to return once he achieves his goals and becomes a better version of himself
Winter session: Government to introduce Atomic Energy Bill opening nuclear sector to private players
NEW DELHI: A Bill seeking to open up the civil nuclear sector for private players and a proposed law on Higher Education are among the ten new proposed legislations listed by the government for introduction in the winter session of Parliament, beginning December 1. Besides the crucial The Atomic Energy Bill, 2025, which seeks to govern the use and regulation of atomic energy in India, the Higher Education Commission of India Bill is also on the agenda. For a long time, the government has been planning to amend the Atomic Energy Act to allow private sector participation and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act to limit the liability on suppliers of equipment to build atomic energy plants. In her budget speech in February this year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said that development of at least 100 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear energy by 2047 is essential for Indias energy transition efforts, and for an active partnership with the private sector towards this goal, amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA) will be taken up. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited operates atomic power plants across the country that contribute 8.7 GWe to the countrys energy mix. Foreign nuclear power firms had evinced interest in setting up atomic power plants in India after it secured a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group to engage in global nuclear trade. The NSG waiver came after the landmark India-US civil nuclear deal of 2008. However, the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010 proved to be an impediment for private sector participation. The private sector termed certain provisions of the law unacceptable and contradicted the international Convention for Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC). According to a Lok Sabha bulletin, the proposed law seeks to set up a Higher Education Commission of India to facilitate universities and other higher educational institutes to promote excellence through a robust and transparent system of accreditation and autonomy.It has long been on the governments agenda. The National Highways (Amendment) Bill, also listed for introduction, seeks to ensure faster and transparent land acquisition for national highways. Another proposed legislation is the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims at tweaking the Companies Act, 2013 and LLP Act, 2008.
England Slammed As 'Brainless' After First Ashes Test Capitulation
A stunned England woke Sunday to savage criticism after their meek capitulation in the first Ashes Test, branded brainless and damaged by former greats after their cavalier approach backfired. Ben Stokes's men lost the opening battle in Perth by eight wickets inside two days on the back of batting collapses and Travis Head slamming a sensational 69-ball century. Since last claiming an Ashes series in Australia 15 years ago, they have now lost 14 Tests, drawn two and won none Down Under. England had a perfect opportunity to snap the dire streak and earn a psychological advantage heading into the day-night second Test in Brisbane on December 4. But after reaching 160-5 the tourists lost five wickets for 12 runs to be bowled out for 172 on day one before regaining the advantage after dismissing Australia for 132. They were on track for a big lead after reaching 65-1 in their second innings, but again threw away five wickets in quick succession to leave Australia chasing 205 which they achieved with ease. Leading into Perth, Stokes called the former players who had criticised England's low-key build up as has-beens -- and that came back to bite him. Well, from this has-been the message is simple: when you keep throwing away Test matches by doing the same stupid things, it is impossible to take you seriously, batting great Geoffrey Boycott said in a newspaper column. They never learn, because they never listen to anyone outside their own bubble, because they truly believe their own publicity. Now it has bitten them in an Ashes Test, the biggest challenge of all, and unless they mount a spectacular comeback, they will regret it for a very long time. It is simple. Brainless batting and bowling lost England the match. Former captain Michael Vaughan also had some choice words, suggesting the manner of the loss will leave mental scars. This is going to hurt England, it's going to damage them I think, he told broadcasters. They have the tools to be really competitive, but you can't be competitive without brains. Stokes admitted the team was shell-shocked and he and coach Brendon McCullum had a big job ahead to lift their players. When we get to Brisbane we need to be back up to that mindset of how we came into this game, still very confident of our abilities and achieving the goal, he said. It's crucial not be taking any baggage from this result into Brisbane. They are facing an ominous task in Brisbane where England have won just twice since World War II, but another former England captain is not yet ready to throw in the towel. They need to remember they played a lot of good cricket in this game, and remember that when you get ahead be ruthless and smart, Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports. Also Read: Live Cricket Score It is a mountain to climb for England but they have a lot of character and a captain with a lot of character. They are going to need that.
Abhinav Tejrana: The Delhi boy ignored by DDCA is making waves for Goa
The 24-year-old top-order batter Abhinav Tejrana has set the Ranji Trophy on fire. Batting for Goa at No. 3, the Delhi-born cricketer has amassed 651 runs in eight innings, including a double century on first-class debut against Chandigarh. He has also smashed two centuries against Punjab and Saurashtra, and not to forget his match-saving unbeaten 73 against Karnataka.
PM Modi, Brazil's President affirm working to boost trade, cultural links
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the G20 Summit. They agreed to boost trade and cultural ties. Prime Minister Modi also spoke about revisiting global development goals. He proposed a G20 Global Traditional Knowledge Repository and a G20-Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative to train one million trainers in Africa.
Amid mixed reactions online, director Suparn S Varma has reacted to the Dhurandhar criticism. Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 in Goa, Varma described the responses as a double standard' among audiences.
Andhra CM Naidu Projects India As World's No. 1 Economy By 2047, Calls For Telugu Leadership
The chief minister linked this grand national goal directly to technological advancement and human capital, detailing his state's strategy to contribute to Indias rise
Scorpio Daily Horoscope for November 23, 2025
You are likely to be in a more serious frame of mind. The practical issues of life are going to demand your attention today. But you are full of faith and optimism and are ready to take chances at the deepest emotional levels. Someone near to you will exhibit concerns regarding your aims and goals. Take the time to explain the situation to them. Read full Scorpio horoscope
This page is your go-to resource for Black Friday subscription deals. From now through the end of November and beyond, we'll be scouring the internet to find the steepest discounts and cheapest offers for all the best subscription services. The top streaming platforms are all giving out subscriptions like they were leftover turkey, but we've also found great deals on VPNs you can use to coax even more out of your streaming subscriptions. There are great learning apps, too, like Rosetta Stone and MasterClass, plus even more deals on services like DeleteMe and Quicken. Check back here daily we're always adding exciting new deals to the list. Best Black Friday subscription deals Quicken Simplifi (one year) for $36 (50 percent off) : We named Quicken Simplifi the best budgeting app this year largely because it lives up to its name. This is the cleanest budgeting app on the market, with an interface designed to welcome newcomers and no key information more than a scroll away. It's also cheap, especially with this Black Friday deal , and very good at detecting and categorizing your important transactions. Monarch Money (one year) for $50 (50 percent off with code MONARCHVIP) : Monarch Money, our other favorite budgeting app, is giving new users half off for Black Friday . It's a little more complex than Quicken Simplifi, but it also gives you finer-grained control, including detailed reporting, balance sheets and instant graphs. The standout goals feature lets you establish savings and wealth baselines that feel amazing when you hit them. Rosetta Stone Lifetime Unlimited subscription for $149 (60 percent off) : Rosetta Stone was pioneering visual language courses back when software still came in boxes, and it's still one of the best language learning apps . Today, its method works as well as ever, with patient learning based on pictures, terms and recordings. This deal gets you a full lifetime subscription with access to all 25 languages in the library. Audible (three months) for $3 (80 percent off) : For literally $1 per month , you can get access to Audible's enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals (which can be anything from never-before-heard books to live performances). It's only three months, after which you'll have to cancel or renew at the regular price, but an audiobibliophile can cram a lot of listening into 90 days. Headspace (one year) for $35 (50 percent off) : Out of all the meditation apps available, Headspace is our favorite . It doesn't just help you relax and de-stress, but also teaches you to practice meditation as a skill, with sessions building on each other in organized courses. There's a massive library of standalone guided meditations with all kinds of instructors, and it's easy to search for the ones that work best for you. This deal gives you half off a full year . Calm Premium (one year) for $40 (50 percent off) : Once you've finished your Headspace meditation, head over to Calm for every other stress-relieving activity you can think of. This packed subscription gives you a huge library of relaxing content, from music and restful soundscapes to its popular sleep stories with celebrity narrators telling bedtime stories for children and adults alike. If you've ever wanted to be lulled to sleep by Harry Styles, Matthew McConaughey or Idris Elba, this app is for you. 1Password (one year) for $24 (50 percent off) : Using a password manager is one of the most important cybersecurity steps you can take right now . 1Password generates strong, unique passwords for every account, then saves them to autofill when you need them. We named it the best password manager in honor of its well-designed user interface and cross-platform compatibility. DeleteMe (all services) for 30 percent off with code BFCM30OFF25 : DeleteMe scrubs your information from people search sites and other public-facing data brokers, dramatically reducing your online presence. It's a time-saving and user-friendly automation of a Since using it monthly, we've noticed a sharp decrease in the amount of spam emails, texts and calls to our personal addresses. Adobe Creative Cloud (one year) for $420 (50 percent off) : Creative Cloud is Adobe's most comprehensive design package, including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere and over 20 other apps. Whip up a website with Dreamweaver, paint on a digital canvas with Fresco or edit photos in Lightroom. It's a pretty steep cost for an individual, but puts a one-year subscription well within reach of a creative business. Best Black Friday streaming deals Apple TV+ (6 months) for $36 ($42 off): Apple TV+ is offering six months of access for only $36 for Black Friday , which comes out to a discounted price of $6 per month for the six-month period. The deal is live now for new and eligible returning subscribers and runs through December 1, giving you a chance to stream shows like Silo , The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less. The biggest caveat to the deal is that you must subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service. Sling TV Orange Day Pass for $1 (80 percent off) : Sling TV is one of the best live streaming services , and has one of streaming TV's most unique deals: a commitment-free day pass that lets you stream whatever you want for 24 hours, including cable channels and exclusive sports. Normally, a day pass costs $5, but this Black Friday deal knocks that all the way down to $1. Plex (lifetime pass) for $150 (40 percent off) : Plex offers personal media servers you can use to organize your digital collection imagine your own curated Netflix homepage that nothing ever vanishes from. It's also a streaming platform in its own right, with movies and TV from all genres and eras. Plex did just raise its prices , so now's your chance to get a lifetime pass for close to what it used to cost. Walmart+ (one year) for $49 (50 percent off) : No, Walmart hasn't started its own streaming platform, but it would probably have some pretty great drama. What you do get with Walmart+ is free shipping on carts over $35, exclusive deals, drone delivery in some cities and more. And if you did come here for streaming, Walmart+ also comes with your choice of Peacock Premium of Paramount+ Essential (we recommend Peacock Premium because it's more expensive on its own). Best VPN deals for Black Friday ExpressVPN Basic (15 months) for $52.39 (73 percent off) : ExpressVPN may be the most user-friendly VPN for sale right now, with fast download speeds (only 7 percent losses in our last test), quick connections and apps designed to stay out of your way. It's not the most feature-rich, but it excels at any bread-and-butter VPN task, staying leak-free and unblocking Netflix everywhere. You also get access to server locations in 105 countries. Surfshark Starter (27 months) for $53.73 (87 percent off) : According to the tests we ran for our latest review , Surfshark is the fastest VPN right now, with its download speeds, upload speeds and latencies all beating out competitors. It has more to offer beyond speed, too, as it's able to constantly rotate your IP address and generate double VPN paths between any two servers you choose. NordVPN Basic (27 months) for $80.73 (74 percent off) : NordVPN got very positive marks in our last review , where we called out its fast internet speeds, wide network of server locations and selection of exclusive features. It comes with a range of dedicated servers for obfuscation, onion routing, torrenting and more. Plus, it's one of the first VPNs getting a jump on post-quantum encryption. CyberGhost VPN (28 months) for $56.84 (84 percent off) : CyberGhost is always cheap in fact, we named it the best budget VPN but it's never behaved like an economy option. Its Smart Rules automation controls are the deepest in the industry, and its server network reaches 100 countries. Speeds are also quite good, though connections occasionally take a moment to establish. Private Internet Access VPN (40 months) for $79.20 (83 percent off) : Although we weren't wholly positive about Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) in our recent review , we can't deny it's a worthwhile choice for an affordable VPN. Although speeds can fluctuate, it comes with lots of desirable features on all platforms, like port forwarding (which makes torrents more stable) and two kinds of split tunneling. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-subscription-deals-2025-early-sales-on-apple-tv-masterclass-fubo-rosetta-stone-and-more-180000334.html?src=rss
Uttarakhand villages impose Rs one lakh fine on liquor, fast food at weddings
DEHRADUN: In a dramatic move to curb extravagance and preserve cultural heritage, 25 villages in the remote Jaunsar-Bawar tribal belt of Uttarakhand have collectively resolved to ban all forms of liquor and modern fast food from social functions, backing the decree with a stringent penalty of Rs 1 Lakh for non-compliance. The sweeping set of nine unanimous resolutions, finalised in a recent village council meeting, targets perceived social inequality and unnecessary expenditure associated with contemporary celebrations, particularly weddings. The resolutions cover the entire Khat Saili region. If anyone dares to treat guests with items like 'chowmein', 'momos', 'tikkis', pizza, or pasta, they will face a penalty of Rs 1 Lakh, confirmed a village elder following the crucial meeting held in Doha village under the chairmanship of Rajendra Singh Tomar. The ban is comprehensive. It strictly prohibits the serving of alcohol, including beer, at all marriages and celebratory functions. The community leaders emphasised that the primary goal is to foster social parity among attendees. People are actually happier with these decisions, noted a source close to the council, highlighting the unusual local support for such rigid restrictions. These measures are squarely aimed at preserving our traditional culture and preventing frivolous spending that often strains families. Instead of expensive modern tokens, gifting between the bride and grooms families will now be restricted to traditional staples. The customary exchange will now involve only goat meat, flour, and rice. Furthermore, the practice of a married daughter gifting a goat has been explicitly halted. In weddings, only goat meat, flour, rice, and traditional homemade liquor will be permitted, stated the resolution draft. The exchange of silver coins, dry fruits, and other expensive gifts has been strictly disallowed. This latest decree builds upon an earlier measure implemented in October within the broader Jaunsar-Bawar region, specifically targeting women's attire at functions. Previously, villages in Chakrata had imposed a rule limiting women to wearing no more than three pieces of traditional jewelry at weddings or other events. This restriction has now been adopted by the 25 Khat Saili villages. Under the new guidelines, women are permitted to wear only three specific traditional ornaments: the nose ring (phulli), earrings (jhumki or tungul), and a necklace (kandudi or mangalsutra). The Panchayat stated that all these decisions were taken with the objective of safeguarding traditional culture and imposing a check on unnecessary expenses, an official spokesperson explained. The collective decision sends a powerful message across the tribal belt: future celebrations must revert to indigenous culinary and gifting practices, effectively drawing a clear line against globalisations influence on their deeply rooted social fabric. Any family violating these nine new collective norms risks not only a hefty fine but also social boycott, as neighbors have agreed not to attend functions hosted by violators.
Vidit Gujrathi Exclusive: FIDE World Cup heartbreak, Goa controversy, bond with Anish Giri
Vidit Gujrathi Exclusive: FIDE World Cup heartbreak, Goa controversy, bond with Anish Giri
IFFI 2025: Vidhu Vinod Chopra on producing 1942: A Love Story and attending the Oscars
At IFFI Goa 2025, filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra ran through a reel of career-defining detours including, confronting L.K. Advani for cash, fighting off a sceptical US visa officer, and calling R.D. Burmans first tune bullshit
2nd Test: Pleased That The Indian Bowlers Applied Consistent Pressure After Lunch, Says Anil Kumble
Barsapara Cricket Stadium: Former India skipper Anil Kumble said he was satisfied with Indias bowling efforts on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, Assam, noting that the bowlers maintained consistent pressure after lunch and forced South Africa to take risks. Leftarm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav returned with figures of 3-48, while Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja took a wicket each as India got rewarded for their persistence by picking four wickets in the final session and kept South Africa to 247/6 in 81.5 overs on day ones play. I'm pleased that the Indian bowlers applied consistent pressure after lunch, resulting in an early wicket, which made taking six wickets in the session a realistic goal. On a challenging pitch like this, it hasn't been easy to score runs, and India did not offer any loose deliveries. This disciplined bowling gave India a genuine chance to claim those wickets. Overall, India should be fairly satisfied with their performance today. While 247 runs for six wickets is a decent score for South Africa on day one, India can feel positive about the job they've done so far, said Kumble on JioStar. He further reflected on a competitive opening day of Test cricket in Guwahati, hosting its inaugural Test match. It was a fine day of Test cricket, with batters needing to focus and earn their runs, while the bowlers had to work equally hard for wickets. Both India and South Africa showed great discipline. This disciplined bowling gave India a genuine chance to claim those wickets. Overall, India should be fairly satisfied with their performance today. While 247 runs for six wickets is a decent score for South Africa on day one, India can feel positive about the job they've done so far, said Kumble on JioStar. Also Read: Live Cricket Score Overall, the venue offered a positive atmosphere for a debut Test, with a good surface and an enthusiastic crowd. Hoping for even more fans tomorrow, he added. Article Source: IANS
Tips to choose an MBA specialisation
Make a well-researched decision that aligns with your strengths, interests, and goals
Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. A whole bunch of intriguing games have arrived over the last week or so, and we got some tasty details on some upcoming projects, including one called Drywall Eating Simulator (trust me on this one). But first, an update on a game that's been around since 2004 and had completely flown below my radar until now. Thats despite it reaching more than 80,000 daily unique players and having more than 4 million players overall. You can seemingly do pretty much whatever you want in Torn , including studying to become a doctor, opening a hair salon or buying a home (it's truly a fantasy world). However, this is a place where crime is rife. The team behind the text-based online RPG this week revealed some fascinating stats to mark the 21st anniversary. For instance, 1,204 people who joined the fray in 2004 are still active, including at least one who has been there since the first day. Since Torn City was established 21 years ago, more than 3.6 billion criminal offenses have been committed and yet its justice system has only doled out just under 52 million prison sentences. Since August alone, more than 4.4 million buildings have been burned. Players have committed more than 410 million assaults against each other, 12 percent of which targeted the groin. Torn sounds super fascinating! I love that it's been running for so long and still thriving. More than 31,000 players have subscribed to support the game and keep it running, though its free to play. The developers have updates planned for next year and beyond. I'm looking forward to checking it out at some point and maybe roleplaying as a goody-two-shoes flower shop owner. New releases From publisher Twin Sails Interactive and the four-strong team at Sparrow Night comes News Tower , which arrived fully formed this week after nearly two years in early access. This is a management sim that tasks you with running your own newspaper in 1930s New York. Starting in the wake of the 1929 stock market crash and mobsters smashing up the newsroom, you'll try to turn around a struggling publication that you inherit from your family. You'll construct offices and set up printing presses; hire and manage reporters and other staff; assemble your weekly newspaper; and deal with various groups that are jostling for power and trying to influence your coverage. I thought last year's Times and Galaxy , which casts you in the role of a robot journalist, was mostly lovely, but it missed the mark on the actual newsgathering side of the equation. Ive found no such issues with News Tower so far. I love that a story can change when you assign different reporters to each step (say, one focused on crime vs. one focused on politics). They'll find distinct angles, which could help you sell more copies of the paper or draw readers away from rivals when you land an exclusive. I'm only a little ways into News Tower , but as someone who started out their career at a newspaper, this is like catnip to me. I expect to spend quite a bit of time with this game. News Tower 1.0 is out now on Steam . It usually costs $25, though there's a 20 percent discount until December 2. Forestrike is a 2D martial arts roguelite from Skeleton Crew. You can practice combat encounters as many times as you like, but you only have one proper shot to take out multiple opponents in each battle. It sounds a little like Katana Zero in that regard. Succeed, and you'll move forward. Lose, and it's the end of your run. If you manage to win without relying on this foresight feature, you'll achieve an ultimate victory. On each run, you'll choose your path and learn new techniques. Forestrike, which is published by Devolver Digital, seems interesting since it's a blend of puzzle game and action roguelite you'll need to figure out a way to succeed in each battle and then pull that off successfully on your actual attempt. The game is out now on Steam for $10. It's coming to Nintendo Switch soon. Here's a puzzle game of a different flavor. In Umami, from Mimmox and co-publisher Nexting, the aim is to create dioramas of cakes and food towers using virtual wooden blocks. You have a reference guide to work from if you choose, or you can just try to figure out for yourself how all the pieces fit together. It's a lovely, relaxing experience with some laid-back beats. Umami is out now on Steam . It's usually priced at $14, though there's a 15 percent discount until December 1. A Pinball Game That Makes You Mad is a game from Azimuth Studios in the vein of rage-inducing precision platformers like Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy and Only Up. The aim is to guide a person who is trapped in a pinball to the goal using a single button that controls the flippers. Make a mistake, and you can erase a great deal of progress. A press release indicated that a playthrough will take between 10 and 30 hours, which is a huge range. I'll never find out myself how accurate that estimated playtime is, because the demo did, in fact, make me mad and not want to play the full game, though I appreciate what the devs are going for. A Pinball Game That Makes You Mad is out now on Steam for $10, but a 15 percent discount until November 25 brings the price down to $8.50. I really like that I've been able to keep up with this little tradition of including a dog game in this roundup every week. Samurai Academy: Paws of Fury is a followup to Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, a 2022 animated movie I haven't seen that's apparently a loose remake of Blazing Saddles . Color me intrigued! This is an action-adventure game with platforming and tower defense aspects. It casts you in the role of Hank, a dog samurai in a world full of cats. It looks quite charming, though it does remind me that I really do need to go back and get the platinum trophy in Ghost of Ytei . Samurai Academy: Paws of Fury from developers Fishing Cactus and ZEROlife Games, and publisher Maximum Entertainment is out now on Steam , Nintendo Switch , PS5 , and Xbox Series X/S . There's a two-player co-op mode available on all platforms, except for Switch. Upcoming Erosion is a neat-looking twin-stick action roguelike from Plot Twist ( The Last Case of Benedict Fox ) and publisher Lyrical Games. Every time you die, time advances by a decade and the post-apocalyptic Wild West setting shifts accordingly, with the decisions you make influencing the future. In this open-world shooter, you'll delve into dungeons filled with enemies and bosses as you try to rescue your kidnapped daughter. Avoid death often enough, and you might just find your offspring before she reaches old age. There are more than 100 skills and modifiers to unlock and dozens of weapons available to help you assemble an effective build. The environments are destructible too. I really like the voxel art here, including the way the characters bob up and down. Erosion is set to arrive in spring 2026 in early access on Steam , Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud and the Xbox PC app. It'll be available on Game Pass. Speaking of Xbox, one of my favorite games of last year is coming to Microsoft's consoles. The comedy adventure Thank Goodness Youre Here! is slated to hit Xbox Series X/S on December 9. The delightfully rude and funny game from Coal Supper and Panic is already out on PC, PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch. We're far from done with the silliness this week. If you haven't quite had your fill of obstacle-laden walking sims for this year after Baby Steps, might I direct your attention toward Ultimate Grandma Simulator ? You'll help Granny navigate a dozen levels as she searches for her missing grandson. You'll need to evade everything from wrecking balls to zombies, and parry projectiles like frisbees and bombs. A serious game this is not. If you collect hidden golden coins, you'll unlock some of Granny's memories too. Circo, PlumPointTwo and publisher We Don't Have A Studio are set to bring Ultimate Grandma Simulator to Steam on December 2. I must admit, the title of Drywall Eating Simulator caught my attention and not in a good way. But after reading more about it and watching the trailer, I'm intrigued by this game from Peripheral Playbox. According to the Steam page , it's a physics-based 3D adventure carefully constructed to simulate the delights of late capitalist life. After engaging in mindnumbing small talk and dealing with the infuriating stressors of everyday life, what better way to unwind than by munching on some drywall? Just don't tell anyone about your cravings. This game has a very odd and yet somehow deeply relatable concept. Definitely something to chew on. It's coming to Steam on December 10. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/running-an-1930s-newspaper-foreseeing-martial-arts-fights-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-120000559.html?src=rss
Experience Gujarat to Goa right here in Hyderabad: All details
Hyderabad is buzzing with excitement as the Bharatiya Kala Mahotsav 2025 returns to the city with even more colour, energy and cultural richness. The nine-day festival, held from 22 to 30 November at the scenic Rashtrapati Nilayam Secunderabad opens its doors to residents to explore the diverse traditions of Western India. The event is free Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .
Ladakhs Anger Runs Deep: Apex Leader Defends Wangchuk, Demands Delhi Deliver
As Ladakh simmers with accumulated frustration, Apex Body Co-chair Chering Dorjay Lakrook says the government is scapegoating climate activist Sonam Wangchuk while ignoring unemployment, broken promises, and Ladakhs unresolved demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards The post Ladakhs Anger Runs Deep: Apex Leader Defends Wangchuk, Demands Delhi Deliver appeared first on India Legal .
Is walking 10,000 steps daily enough? Fitness trainer breaks down the real target
Experts now suggest that simply hitting 10,000 steps daily doesn't guarantee weight loss or improved health. Personalized step goals, reflecting lifestyle and activity levels, are more effective. The article emphasizes that movement intensity, consistency, and a holistic approach combining walking with strength training and nutrition are crucial for long-term wellness.
Anupam Kher Hails Prabhas Humility at IFFI 2025
At the 56th International Film Festival of India in Goa, the veteran actor praised the Telugu star for staying grounded despite his soaring fame
Indian Railways crosses 1 billion tonne freight loading in FY25-26; daily freight touches 4.4 tonnes
Indian Railways has achieved a significant milestone, crossing the 1-billion-tonne freight loading mark. Coal remains the top contributor, with other key sectors also showing strong performance. Daily loading rates have increased, reflecting improved efficiency and sustained demand. Reforms in cement transportation are enhancing logistics. Shifting freight to rail offers environmental benefits, supporting India's Net Zero goals.
Get half off one of our favorite budgeting apps for Black Friday
Those looking for a better way to keep track of their finances should consider a budgeting app . There are dozens of them on the market now, and one of our favorites is running a discount for new subscribers. Monarch Money is offering 50 percent off annual plans right now when you use the code MONARCHVIP at checkout. With the typical yearly price being $100, this will save you $50. As mentioned before, the discount is only for new users and it can't be combined with other offers. The code only works when you sign up through the web as well. You can't redeem it through the Monarch mobile app. We feel that Monarch has a steeper learning curve than some other budget trackers and that certain aspects of the app are slightly more complex than they probably need to be. But it offers a great deal of customization and granularity , which outweighs our misgivings. On the main dashboard, you'll see your net worth along with your latest transactions, spending versus the previous month, your income so far for the month and details about upcoming bills, your investments and goals you've set. There's also a link to a month-in-review page, which offers an in-depth overview of what's been happening with your money that month. You'll also be able to take a peek at how your net worth has changed over time. Monarch can connect to your bank and track Apple Card, Apple Cash and Savings accounts. It can pull in your transactions and balance history automatically and detect your recurring expenses and income. The app can even keep your car valuation up to date. While it might take a little work to set up Monarch (and you might have to tweak things here and there), it's a detailed budgeting app that can help you keep better track of your income, expenditure and net worth. If you're a former Mint user (RIP), Monarch Money is a great alternative if you haven't yet found a Mint replacement . But it's worth mentioning that our favorite Mint replacement service, Quicken Simplifi , also has a sale going on right now. It's offering 50 percent off when you sign up for an annual subscription, billed at $3 per month with the discount. That comes out to $36 for the first year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-half-off-one-of-our-favorite-budgeting-apps-for-black-friday-174011169.html?src=rss
US report says China used India-Pak hostilities as a live weapons trial: Report
A new extract from the 2025 Annual Report to Congress by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) has raised strong concerns over Chinas expanding military role in the region, stating that Beijing opportunistically used the May 710, 2025, India-Pakistan clash as a live testing ground for its latest weapons and intelligence capabilities. According to the report, Pakistans military relied heavily on Chinese weaponry during the confrontation and reportedly leveraged Chinese intelligence, even as India retaliated to the deadly insurgent attack in Jammu & Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. The four-day conflict saw India and Pakistan strike targets deeper into each others territory than at any point in 50 years. The report notes that the Indian Army assessed that China provided Pakistan with live inputs on Indian military positions throughout the crisis. The report adds that Beijing used the conflict to test its own military capabilities, though Pakistan denied receiving such assistance and China neither confirmed nor denied its involvement. The report also said that characterisation of the May conflict as a proxy war would overstate China's role as an instigator. The document highlights Chinas deepening defence partnership with Pakistan ahead of the clash. In NovemberDecember 2024, both countries conducted the three-week Warrior-VIII counterterrorism drills, followed in February 2025 by the PLA Navys participation in Pakistans multinational AMAN exercises. Indian security analysts viewed these engagements as further evidence of Chinas growing strategic influence in Pakistan and a direct threat to Indias security environment. According to the USCC, Pakista-ns performance during the clash showcased Chinese platforms, with Beijing using the episode to test and promote systems relevant to both its border tensions with India and its expanding defence industry goals. China supplied 82% of Pakistans arms imports between 2019 and 2023. The report states that the May 2025 confrontation marked the first active combat use of Chinas modern systems, including the HQ-9 air defence system, PL-15 air-to-air missiles, and J-10 fighter jets, turning the conflict into a real-world field experiment. Barely a month after the clash, in June 2025, China reportedly offered Pakistan a major new defence package: 40 J-35 fifth-generation fighter jets, KJ-500 airborne early-warning aircraft, and ballistic missile defence systems. The same month, Pakistan announced a 20% increase in its defence budget, raising allocations to USD 9 billion, despite cuts in its overall national expenditure. In the weeks after the conflict, Chinese embassies publicly praised the successes of Chinese systems used by Pakistan, using the episode to bolster their global weapons sales pitch. The report notes that Pakistans claimed use of Chinese platforms to have allegedly shot down Indian fighter jets, though only three jets were reportedly hit and not all were Rafales, became a prominent talking point in Chinas diplomatic marketing. The report further cites French intelligence assessments that China launched a disinformation campaign to undermine the Rafales reputation and disrupt French arms sales. This included deploying fake social media accounts to circulate AI-generated and video-game imagery passed off as debris of Indian aircraft supposedly destroyed by Chinese weapons. According to the USCC, Chinese embassy officials even persuaded Indonesia to halt an ongoing Rafale purchase, boosting Beijings own push for J-35 sales in Southeast Asia. The USCC document warns that Chinas actions during and after the May 2025 clash underline a pattern of aggressive defence diplomacy, expanding military cooperation with Pakistan while exploiting India-Pakistan flashpoints to advance its strategic, technological, and commercial military objectives.
AAP announces 22 candidates for Goa Zilla Panchayat polls, to contest all 50 seats
It was subsequently found that the child had been missing from his school in Vasco-da-Gama, Goa, and his parents had widely circulated information seeking help in tracing him
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledges ough vibes and economic headwinds following Google's AI advancements. He admitted to employees that competitors are narrowing the gap, impacting revenue growth projections. Despite this, Altman expressed confidence in catching up quickly and emphasized the critical importance of focusing on achieving superintelligence, even as OpenAI navigates multiple ambitious goals.
Turning agri-waste into opportunity: How Indias farmers can fuel green economy
If India can turn its farms into the bedrock of a bio-based economy, it will meet sustainability goals and show the world how environmental responsibility and economic growth reinforce
Is diversified SIP + NPS portfolio enough to build Rs 15 crore? Heres what advisors say
A 33-year-old government teacher, Saurabh Yadav, is strategically investing in SIPs and NPS to build a Rs 15 crore corpus over 30 years. His well-diversified portfolio, with a moderate to high-risk allocation, is praised by experts. Regular reviews and controlled smallcap exposure are key to achieving his long-term wealth goal.
Established under a strategic collaboration between Starbucks Coffee Company & Tata Starbucks, the FSP aims to empower 10,000 Indian coffee farmers by 2030 Starbucks will open its 500th coffeehouse in India this week in Delhi NCR — a Starbucks Reserve® location offering a premium and immersive coffee experience Reaffirming its long-term commitment to India, and its plans to deepen its coffee leadership in the market, Starbucks Coffee Company today announced the establishment of a Farmer Support Partnership (FSP). In collaboration with Tata Starbucks Private Limited, the FSP will connect local agronomists and farmers to global farming best practices through open-source agronomy. Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Starbucks re-affirm coffee leadership and announce a Farmer Support Partnership (FSP) to strengthen the coffee value chain from Bean to Cup Strengthening India’s coffee value chain from bean to cup Starbucks Coffee Trading Company, SARL (SCTC), Starbucks global procurement and trading subsidiary, will collaborate closely with Tata Starbucks to empower 10,000 farmers by 2030. The FSP based in Karnataka will combine Tata Starbucks deep local knowledge, India’s coffee-growing heritage, and decades of Starbucks global agronomy expertise. It will support farmers from India’s key coffee growing states including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala to strengthen connections with Starbucks global network, drive innovation, and share best practices in farming and sustainability to ensure a sustainable future for India coffee. The FSP will set up technical “model farms” in partnership with farmers in India, incorporating global learnings, to embed best practices in coffee agronomy and test sustainable solutions. The FSP in India will serve as a hub for testing new varietals, provide knowledge on innovative farming techniques aligned to Indian practices and conditions, and share insights about other agroforestry initiatives to improve coffee quality, productivity and climate resiliency. The goal is to build upon traditional methods to help farmers improve both the quality of their crops and their profitability. The FSP will work closely with existing centers of excellence within the Starbucks global network. This includes partnering with Farmer Support Centers (FSC) in coffee-growing regions around the world, where agronomists collaborate directly with farmers on research, and learning from existing “model farms” within Starbucks supply chain. This network includes FSCs in the APAC region in North Sumatra, Indonesia and Yunnan, China and Hacienda Alsacia in Costa Rica, Starbucks first company-operated coffee farm and headquarters to the Starbucks Costa Rica Farmer Support Center and Starbucks Global Research and Development team. Through the FSP, Indian farmers will also benefit from Starbucks 2026 global digital training tools, which will offer detailed online modules on agronomy, coffee quality, and C.A.F.E. (Coffee and Farmer Equity) practices to foster ethical sourcing and ultimately enhance productivity and sustainability. It will also educate farmers about Regen-Ag (regenerative agriculture) practices and methods to reduce carbon, water, and waste footprints, and contribute to agroforestry and social development initiatives. The FSP will develop projects across the key Starbucks commitments of unlocking coffee productivity, increasing farm profitability and building climate resiliency over the next 5 years. To build capability and strengthen India’s entire coffee value chain, Tata Starbucks will also donate one million high-yield variety Arabica seedlings to farmers over the next five years. During his visit to India this week, Brian Niccol, chairman and chief executive officer of Starbucks said, “India is one of our fastest-growing markets. We’re partnering with Tata to shape the future of coffee in India, including supporting farmers, empowering communities, and delivering the highest quality offerings to our customers. It’s a long-term commitment to build a stronger, more sustainable coffee ecosystem that benefits everyone, from bean to cup .” Sunil D'Souza, Managing Director & CEO at Tata Consumer Products said, “ Through the past decade, together, Tata Consumer Products and Starbucks, have helped shape India’s thriving coffee culture and industry. With this new initiative, we are pleased to pair Starbucks global agronomy expertise with Tata’s footprint in India to drive tangible impact and pave the way for the future of responsible coffee farming in India .” Re-affirming Starbucks coffee leadership through differentiated and elevated experiences Since its inception in 2012 as a joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Consumer Products, Tata Starbucks has been dedicated to delivering the unique Starbucks Experience to customers in India. This has set the stage for India’s ever evolving and dynamic coffee culture. This week, Tata Starbucks will celebrate the opening of its 500th coffeehouse in India, marking a significant milestone in its growth journey and reaffirming its long-term commitment to the market. As one of Starbucks fastest-growing international markets, India remains central to the company’s plans for strategic and sustainable expansion, with continued focus on job creation and meaningful development opportunities for its partners (employees). The 500th coffeehouse will be the second location to offer a Starbucks Reserve® coffee experience in Delhi NCR, engaging coffee enthusiasts with an immersive experience that showcases Starbucks coffee craft, heritage, and storytelling. The coffeehouse and its Starbucks Reserve® experience underscore Tata Starbucks commitment to elevating India’s coffee craftsmanship through elevated store design, handcrafted beverages, and locally inspired innovations. As part of the global strategy to make Starbucks a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather to enjoy the finest coffee handcrafted by skilled baristas, Tata Starbucks will continue to focus on creating a differentiated and elevated coffee forward experience in India. It invites customers to experience the full flavor profile it offers - serving the world’s finest coffee and elevated offerings in a welcoming coffeehouse environment that has made it a beloved part of India’s coffee landscape. Sushant Dash, chief executive officer of Tata Starbucks said, “ As the largest specialty coffee player in India, we are proud to bring the Farmer Support Partnership in collaboration with SCTC, a meaningful step toward strengthening India’s coffee-growing community and securing the future of high-quality Arabica. Our commitment to India extends beyond growth, to investing in farmers, partners (employees) and customers to continue building a vibrant coffee culture. We will continue to serve the finest Arabica coffee from India and around the world, brought to life through the warm, welcoming third place experience that defines Starbucks .” About Starbucks Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-quality arabica coffee. Today, with more than 40,000 stores worldwide, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at about.starbucks.com or starbucks.com . About Tata Starbucks Private Limited Starbucks entered the Indian market in October 2012 through a 50/50 Joint Venture with Tata Consumer Products Limited and currently operates more than 497 stores in India across 81 cities, Agra, Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Alibaug, Amritsar, Anand, Aurangabad, Bangalore, Bhatinda, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Calicut, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Faridabad, Gandhinagar, Ghaziabad, Goa, Guntur, Gurgaon, Guwahati, Gwalior Haridwar, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Indore, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolhapur, Kolkata, Lonavala, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mangalore, Meerut, Mumbai, Mussoorie, Mysore, Nagpur, Nashik, New Delhi, Noida, Pathankot, Patiala, Pondicherry, Pune, Raipur, Siliguri, Sonipat, Surat, Thrissur, Trivandrum, Udaipur, Vadodara, Vapi, Varanasi, Vijayawada, Varanasi and Vizag are cities in India. through a network of over 4,437 passionate partners (employees). Starbucks stores are operated by the joint venture, Tata Starbucks Private Limited, and branded as Starbucks Coffee - A TATA Alliance.
President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani met in the Oval Office. They set aside past bitter exchanges to find common ground. Both leaders expressed shared goals for New York City's future. They discussed crime reduction, housing affordability, and food costs. This meeting signals a pragmatic pivot towards tentative partnership.
MTC launches drive to promote bus use in Chennai
CHENNAI: The MTC on Friday launched Bus First, an initiative aimed at improving the reliability and efficiency of public transport by giving priority to buses in city. The campaign was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin at Anna Square in the presence of Transport Minister SS Sivasankar, Transport Secretary Shunchonngam Jatak Chiru, MTC MD T Prabhushankar and officials. The initiative is being supported by the GCC, the Commissionerate of Transport and Road Safety, the Greater Chennai Traffic Police, and ITDP India. According to Prabhushankar, the initiative seeks to establish buses as the backbone of urban mobility, promote greater respect for public transport among all road users, and ensure buses receive priority on the roads. The goal is to reduce delays caused by traffic congestion and encourage more people to use public transport by improving its reliability. MTC buses remain the lifeline of Chennais transport system, carrying around 35 lakh passengers daily.
Diplomats talk culture business at Goa film festival
PANAJI: The 56th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on Friday served as a platform for the Centre to explore new pathways to advance bilateral audio-visual cooperation, with a focus on co-production opportunities, creative-economy growth, and deeper cultural exchange. On the sidelines of the festival being held in Goas capital city in Panaji, diplomats from different countries participated in an Ambassadors Roundtable, which focused on unlocking economic value through co-production treaties, fostering cultural, technological exchange, easing regulatory challenges for filmmakers abroad, and building a more interconnected creative landscape. Ambassadors of Cuba and Nepal, senior diplomats representing Israel, Guyana, Australia, Ireland, Morocco, Togo, and Cte dIvoire, were in attendance at the roundtable. On the occasion, they shared insights into the film industries in their respective nations. The minister of state for information and broadcasting (MI&B) L Murugan chaired the roundtable. In his special address, the minister positioned co-production as the most powerful avenue for strengthening audio-visual cooperation. He noted that Indias media and entertainment sector is projected to touch 31.6 billion US Dollar in 2025, fuelled by exponential growth in VFX, animation, and next-generation production technologies. The present dignitaries collectively expressed optimism about collaborating with Indias creative workforce, accessing its technological strengths, and exploring co-production avenues that could mutually enrich their cinematic ecosystems. Delivering the welcome remarks at the event, secretary of MI&B Sanjay Jaju highlighted Indias rapidly expanding media environment and its growing appeal as a production hub. He noted that the roundtable would help in strengthening cultural ties and deepening partnerships, while emphasising the countrys multilingual talent pool and its emergence as a studio of the world, where global stories can be imagined, produced, and shared. Meanwhile, Murugan also inaugurated the IFFIs Masterclass Series in the presence of Managing Director of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) Prakash Magdum and acclaimed filmmaker Muzaffar Ali and noted film personality Ravi Kottarakara. Masterclasses has attracted participants from Australia, Japan, Germany, and Canada, further strengthening its position as a global platform for cinematic collaboration and talent exchange. At the ceremony, the minister also underscored the participation and contribution of women filmmakers, noting that 50 films directed by women will be showcased this year. Push for global film partnership IFFI 56 in Goa hosted an Ambassadors Roundtable to explore new avenues for bilateral audio-visual cooperation and co-production opportunities Diplomats from Cuba, Nepal, Israel, Guyana, Australia, Ireland, etc, discussed unlocking economic value and easing hurdles for filmmakers Minister of State for I&B L Murugan chaired the session, calling co-production the strongest tool for strengthening audio-visual partnerships Murugan highlighted Indias media and entertainment sector is projected to reach $31.6 bn in 2025
Trump and Mamdani go from adversaries to bromance after White House meeting
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