Former Cuban President Fidel Castro, who led the rebel army which overthrew the dictatorial regime of Fulgencio Batista, embraced Soviet-style communism and defied the power of 10 United States Presidents during his rule, has died. He was 90. His younger brother and Cuban President Raul Castro announced on state television that the revolutionary leader died at 10.29 pm on Friday night. The Cuban government has announced nine days of mourning […]

In a country which is predominantly cash based and where the physical currency comprises of nearly 11% of the country’s GDP, the Govt’s demonetisation has ushered in a new wave of electronic transaction. Choosing between standing in long queues and getting their daily needs addressed electronically, many hithertho strong believers in cash also are resorting to cashless transaction. It is therefore needless to add that the payment industry has received […]

This week will be decisive for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s audacious experiment in tackling tax evasion and corruption in India. Two weeks ago he gave the world’s seventh biggest economy four hours notice that he was going to cancel 86% of its cash – $220bn (£176bn) in total. But on Friday the Supreme Court warned that unless something changes – and quickly – there could be riots on the streets. […]

Pineapple juice is a cocktail of beneficial enzymes, minerals, and vitamins that keep your body in best health. The enzyme bromelain, exclusive to pineapple, is anti-inflammatory and anticancer. Antioxidants like vit C and beta-carotene scavenge free radicals, promising better skin and vision. Regular consumption of pineapple juice also ensures sturdier bones, improved fertility, and better immunity. Go easy if you’re allergic to bromelain. Think tropics and the first thing that […]

Divyasha Girish, the ’20-something’ author of the book A 20-something Cool Dude, has all the reasons to be excited. Her book, a passionate love story that hit the bestseller charts after its release at the Delhi Book Fair last year, has been picked up by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to be included in its library. The ministry has added the book to the list of 200 titles that […]

Four years after her much-appreciated debut with English Vinglish, filmmaker Gauri Shinde is back with another female protagonist-centred story that aims to unsettle cliches in our judgemental society – Dear Zindagi. Starring Alia Bhatt as the lead and Shah Rukh Khan as her psychiatrist, Dear Zindagi is about Kaira (Alia) – an aspiring cinematographer who does small ads and projects but wants to shoot an entire feature film. The introductory […]

 The government may impose curbs on domestic holdings of gold as Prime Minister Narendra Modi intensifies a fight against black money, a report said on Friday. However, a finance ministry spokesman declined to comment on the report. Gold premiums in India jumped to two-year highs last week as jewellers ramped up purchases on fears the government might restrict imports after withdrawing higher-denomination notes from circulation in its fight against black […]

New Zealand emerged as a favourite among Indian travellers, witnessing a growth of 52 percent in travel searches from last year. According to a survey, Australia and New Zealand have emerged as favourite destinations amongst Indian travellers. Global travel search company Skyscanner drew comparisons between travel searches from 2015 and 2016, highlighting the places where Indian travellers will be ushering in 2017. According to the survey, crunching numbers from over […]

In another drastic move initiated by the government, the government has decided to end the window for exchange of currency notes at banks effective midnight today. The move, government sources said, was taken in view of several complaints of the facility extended by the government following the demonetisation move. In another development, the government has extended the deadline for use of demonetised Rs 500 notes for emergency services and basic […]

At a time when the central government is going all out to encourage cashless transactions across the country, it seems some government offices might have missed the memo. One of them is the Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) in Mundhwa where, according to Wanowrie resident Deepika Sampat, there is no cashless facility for the public. Sampat, who had made an online payment prior to her visit to the passport office, said […]