Higher Edu Reforms: New bill welcome, actions must align
INDIA BUSINESS | Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 10:55PM IST
India is set to introduce the Vikasit Bharat Vidya Adhikshan Bill, 2025. This new law will reshape higher education regulation. The goal is to move away from outdated, control-focused rules. The focus will shift to academic quality and real outcomes. This reform aims to foster innovation and improve standards across institutions.
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We want BRIDGE to be the Davos for media: DG of UAE Media Office
INDIA BUSINESS | Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 10:33PM IST
Held by the private BRIDGE Alliance, but under the aegis of theGovernment of the UAE, the three-day summit brought together voices from journalism, cinema, music,technologyand communications to deliberate on issues ranging from misinformation and trust deficits to the growing influence of artificial intelligence on global media ecosystems
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After fake ID crackdown, IRCTC daily new accounts down to 5000 from one lakh: Railways
INDIA BUSINESS | Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 9:51PM IST
Indian Railways has successfully reduced new user IDs on the IRCTC website. A new system verifies user identities, leading to a drop from nearly one lakh to about 5,000 new IDs daily. This crackdown has deactivated over 3 crore fake accounts. Another 2.7 crore are suspended or flagged for suspicious activity.
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90% of IndiGo's ops returned to normal
INDIA NEWS | Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 9:30PM IST
Pune: About 90 per cent of IndiGo's flight operations have returned to normal, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said on Saturday.He was speaking to reporters in the city, where he attended the inauguration of the Pune Book Festival at Fergusson College.Asked about the recent crisis faced by carrier IndiGo, Mohol said, "Air services will resume gradually in the country. Prime Minister Modi ji has issued instructions, and an explanation has been sought from IndiGo. About 90 per cent of their flight operations have returned to normal." IndiGo had earlier cancelled thousands of flights nationwide after failing to plan for tighter safety regulations. The cancellations had peaked on December 5 before declining.The Union minister said a four-member committee would be appointed to fix responsibility for the situation. "Passengers have suffered losses, and the ministry is taking immediate action," Mohol said.On the Pune Book Festival, Mohol said, "The event has enhanced Pune's cultural prestige. Efforts are underway to promote and strengthen the reading culture."
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90% of IndiGo's flight operations have returned to normal: Union minister Murlidhar Mohol
INDIA BUSINESS | Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 9:30PM IST
IndiGo's flight operations are nearly back to normal. Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol stated that about 90 percent of flights have resumed. The airline faced cancellations due to new safety rules. A committee will be formed to assign responsibility for the disruptions. Passengers experienced losses.
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U.S.-U.K. Trade Deal Hits Stumbling Block
GLOBAL NEWS | Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 9:10PM IST
The U.S. government has paused a tech-focused trade pledge with Britain over broader disagreements about Britains digital regulations and food safety rules.
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Delhi-NCR invokes Grap Stage-IV curbs amid sharp dip in air quality
INDIA MARKET | Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 9:06PM IST
The Commission for Air Quality Management on Saturday invoked stricter GRAP Stage-III restrictions, including shifting schools to hybrid mode up to Class 5 and restrictions on construction and demolition work, in Delhi-NCR after pollution levels ...
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IPL 2026: What teams have, what's needed
INDIA NEWS | Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 8:07PM IST
The IPL 2026 mini-auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi will reshape squads across the ten franchises. With 77 slots up for grabs and a combined remaining purse of 237.55 crore, teams enter the sale with sharply different needs and buying power. Franchises will look to plug immediate gaps, pace, middle-order power, spin options and finishing all-rounders. Kolkata Knight Riders lead the spenders with 64.3 crore left; Mumbai Indians arrive with just 2.75 crore. The winners will be the sides that pair clear strategy with smart bidding on the day.The BCCI confirmed 350 players on the final auction list, including top internationals and a deep pool of Indian talent. Several high-value names and emerging domestic bowlers are expected to spark bidding wars. Franchises will have to shortlist their targets on squad balance, slots and purse size.Team-by-team: what they have, and who they will chaseKolkata Knight Riders enter with 64.3 crore and 13 slots. They need a frontline all-rounder and a strike pacer to support Umran Malik. Likely targets include Cameron Green, Sam Curran, and domestic all-rounders like Sunny Sandhu Their deep purse allows them to aggressively bid for marquee overseas players and secure middle-order stability.Also Read: IPL 2026 Auction- Shah Rukh Khans KKR may break the bank to target top players and forget a haunting past Chennai Super Kings, with 43.4 crore and 9 slots, will seek a specialist death bowler and batting depth. Targets could include Liam Livingstone, David Miller, and all-rounders like Wanindu Hasaranga or Mujeeb Rahman to provide spin options. CSK will focus on experience and squad balance rather than bidding wars. Sunrisers Hyderabad (25.5 crore, 10 slots) need finishing power and aggressive middle-order batters. Likely targets include Glenn Phillips, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, and overseas seamers like Josh Inglis or Gus Atkinson. SRHs retained bowling core reduces the need for major pace purchases but accentuates the need for finishers. However, Shami's departure brings up the need for a Indian pacer like Akash Deep.Also Read: IPL Auction 2026 Players List- 350 players to go under the hammer on December 16; Venkatesh Iyer, Cameron Green & big names up for grabs Lucknow Super Giants have 22.95 crore for 6 slots and seek spin support and a dependable middle-order all-rounder. Players like Venkatesh Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Vignesh Puthur, or Kumar Kartikeya Singh may be targeted. LSG will prioritise value buys for specific roles rather than marquee names. Delhi Capitals, with 21.8 crore and 8 slots, may look for death-over pace options and left-handed hitting depth. Jhye Richardson, Akash Deep, or all-rounders like Venkatesh Iyer or Daryl Mitchell could strengthen their unit. Flexible additions to complement Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav will be key. Rajasthan Royals (16.05 crore, 9 slots) need seam depth, backup keepers, and finishing batters. Targets could include Rahul Chahar, Shivam Dube, or overseas all-rounders like Daniel Lawrence. They will mix domestic talent and overseas specialists to strengthen squad depth. Royal Challengers Bangalore, with 16.4 crore and 8 slots, will hunt left-arm pacers, spinners, and explosive middle-order batters. Likely names include Kyle Jamieson, Ravi Bishnoi, or Tom Banton. RCB will focus on mid-range bids to achieve balance around their stars. Punjab Kings (11.5 crore, 4 slots) retained heavily, will hunt role players: finishing batters or overseas seamers like Alzarri Joseph, and Indian middle-order depth such as Sarfaraz Khan or Shivam Mavi. Targeted bidding is expected over marquee grabs. Gujarat Titans, with 12.9 crore and 5 slots, need quality spinners, seamers, and a backup power-hitting batter. Likely targets are Maheesh Theekshana, Akash Deep, or Glenn Phillips. Moderate bids are expected. Mumbai Indians, constrained with 2.75 crore for 5 slots, will hunt undervalued domestic talent and bargain buys. Targets could include Vignesh Puthur, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Rahul Tripathi, or uncapped performers like Atharva Taide. Strategic pre-auction trades may also be explored.Players to watch who will light the bidding boardsSeveral names stand out across reports and the final shortlist. All-rounders and wicket-taking bowlers headline the list: Cameron Green and other multi-format all-rounders, fast bowlers who can finish overs, and wrist/spin options such as Ravi Bishnoi. Domestic seamers who impressed in recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches, and uncapped performers, also carry strong auction value. Five Indian bowlers flagged as top prospects include Ravi Bishnoi, Akash Deep, Vignesh Puthur, Rahul Chahar and Kumar Kartikeya each brings a specific skill set that can change a T20 game and will attract attention from multiple franchises.The final 350-player list confirmed by the BCCI contains a mix of seasoned internationals, domestic standouts and uncapped youth. With only 31 overseas slots available in the auction, teams must balance the appeal of foreign stars against the need for Indian match-winners.Teams with big purses (KKR, CSK) can escalate bidding for marquee names; mid-tier purse holders will hunt specialists and rising domestic stars; and low-purse teams (MI) must strategise for bargains or pre-auction trades. The auction will reward squads that buy for role fit and flexibility rather than headline grabs alone.
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Local cuisine to be served in Vande Bharat trains and progressively introduced in all trains
INDIA BUSINESS | Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 7:31PM IST
Indian Railways is set to introduce local cuisine in Vande Bharat trains to enhance passenger experience. This initiative will progressively expand to all trains. A strong crackdown on fake ticket booking identities is yielding results. Indian Railways has deactivated over 3 crore fake accounts. Efforts are underway to ensure easy ticket booking for all genuine users.
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Goa, Kerala top winter spots for Indians
INDIA NEWS | Sat, 13 Dec 2025, 6:36PM IST
Mumbai, Around 55 per cent of Indian travellers plan winter trips every year, and Goa and Kerala remain top choices for them during the travel season, according to an Airbnb report.Indians are travelling in winter not just for holidays, but also to unwind and relax, the report said. "This winter season, Goa, Kerala, Rajasthan and the Himalayan states dominate domestic travel interest on Airbnb, owing to their beaches, backwaters, heritage, winter weather and outdoor experiences," Airbnb Country Head, India and Southeast Asia, Amanpreet Bajaj said, quoting the report based on Airbnb internal data. He said 55 per cent of Indian travellers plan winter trips every year, signalling how winter has evolved as one of the country's favourite travel seasons for exploration and downtime, mainly fuelled by favourable cooler weather and scenic winter landscapes. Alongside these favourites, he said, there is also a strong momentum for emerging pockets such as Agatti in Lakshadweep, Guwahati, smaller cities in Punjab and lesser-known coastal or backwater towns in Kerala.This report by Airbnb is based on a survey conducted by Focaldata in October 2025 among 2,155 Indian respondents. The report further revealed that younger travellers are also driving interest in spiritual-leisure destinations like Varanasi and Vrindavan, creating a wider and more diverse winter map for India."Nearly half of all winter travellers come from GenZ and Millennial cohorts, choosing winter travel for its comfort, cooler weather and more scenic landscapes," Bajaj added.According to the report, Indians are travelling in winter not just for holidays, but also to unwind and relax, with almost 30 per cent of respondents saying they travel to celebrate the seasonal holidays. Another 30 per cent cited it was for relaxation and almost 20 per cent said they want to discover seasonal or cultural experiences during winter.When it came to the choice of people they wanted to travel with, the report found that Indians remained deeply social and communal.Indians continue to prioritise travel with their closest circles, with almost 50 per cent exploring with their partner or spouse, while one-third go with friends, it said. Almost 30 per cent of the respondents said they plan trips with multi-generational families, added the report."Today's travellers are seeking experiences that are spontaneous, expressive, and immersive. From Goa's beaches and Kerala's backwaters to mountain getaways in Manali and Mussoorie and the cultural heritage of Udaipur and Jaipur, we're seeing Indians explore their own country in new and meaningful ways," Bajaj added.
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