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Woman 'Raped' By Neighbour 6 Years Ago. Husband Helps Her File Police Case

Police said teams are trying to arrest the accused (representational)

‘X-ray of the soil’ helps Gujarat farmers cut fertiliser use, boost yields

Officials say the Soil Health Card programme, under which more than 2.23 crore cards have been issued to farmers over the past two decades, is aimed at promoting balanced fertiliser use and improving soil fertility; farmers receive recommendations based on laboratory analysis of soil samples collected from their fields

Maruti, Tata lead hatchback revival

For nearly a decade, India's carmakers chased the sport utility vehicle (SUV) dream.Higher margins, aspirational buyers and a growing appetite for larger vehicles pushed manufacturers to flood showrooms with sport utility vehicles and compact SUVs, steadily relegating hatchbacks — once the backbone of India's passenger vehicle market — to the sidelines.Also Read: Tata Motors PV launches next-gen Tiago from Rs 4.69 lakh, Tiago.ev from Rs 6.99 lakh with lifetime battery warrantyThe strategy worked. Utility vehicles now account for well over half of all passenger vehicle sales in India and contributed nearly two-thirds of the 4.3 million vehicles sold in FY25.But as economic pressures mount, vehicle prices climb and first-time buyers struggle to enter the market, India's biggest automakers are beginning to acknowledge a reality they may have overlooked: the country's next wave of growth could come from the very segment they left behind.From Maruti Suzuki's renewed commitment to entry-level cars to Tata Motors' ambitious reinvention of the Tiago, hatchbacks are once again finding themselves at the centre of boardroom conversations.Also Read: Small cars strike back: Maruti Suzuki bets on mass mobility while costs squeeze fourth quarter profitsAnd this time, carmakers are betting that small cars no longer have to feel small.The forgotten customerThe shift is being driven by a growing recognition that India's passenger vehicle market cannot rely indefinitely on premiumisation.While SUVs have transformed the industry's revenue mix, they have also pushed average vehicle prices steadily higher, making car ownership increasingly difficult for millions of households.Maruti Suzuki Chairman R. C. Bhargava recently signalled the company's intent to rebalance its portfolio."We are planning to develop both small cars and SUVs. The small car market is growing. India is a country where small cars have a long-term future," Bhargava said.The comments mark a notable shift in tone from an industry that spent years focusing on larger and more expensive vehicles.For Maruti, which built its dominance on models such as the Alto, WagonR and Swift, the renewed emphasis reflects confidence that affordability will remain central to India's mobility story."A large part of the population… need small cars" for basic mobility, Bhargava said.Industry analysts say the opportunity remains substantial."In the small cars segment, there is a much bigger conversion pool that carmakers can navigate. Hence, there is this renewed push towards small cars and that segment," said Hemal Thakkar, Senior Director, Crisil Intelligence."India is a price sensitive market and hence, small cars will stay and customers are looking for upgrades within vehicles. If carmakers can provide small cars with new features and upgrades, then there will be more customers for the small car space," he added.Making hatchbacks aspirational againIf Maruti is signalling a strategic return to small cars, Tata Motors is attempting something more ambitious — making hatchbacks desirable again.The company this week unveiled the next-generation Tiago and Tiago.ev, positioning them as technology-rich products aimed at reviving a segment many in the industry had effectively written off."Hatchbacks remain the gateway to personal mobility for millions of Indian families and yet, for far too long, this segment received scarce attention from the industry, when it genuinely deserved far more," said Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director and CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles.Calling the new Tiago "not an evolution but a full reinvention", Chandra said the vehicle brings substantially upgraded design, connected technologies and safety features that were once largely reserved for more expensive categories.The next-generation Tiago gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless smartphone connectivity, a dual-screen dashboard, wireless charging and a segment-first 360-degree surround-view camera."The feeling of wow shouldn't be reserved for expensive cars," Chandra said."Today hatchback customers want far more than mobility, they want design, tech, safety and pride of ownership. A car they want to flaunt."The company has also positioned the Tiago.ev as an affordable electric mobility option, offering a lifetime battery warranty and fast-charging capability that can add up to 100 kilometres of range in 18 minutes."Tiago will make EV more accessible," Chandra said.Why affordability is back in focusThe renewed interest in hatchbacks comes as affordability re-emerges as a key concern across the industry.Vehicle prices have risen sharply in recent years because of stricter regulations, higher commodity costs and the addition of new safety and technology features.That has increasingly pushed first-time buyers out of the market.According to Srikumar Krishnamurthy, Senior Vice President and Co-Group Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA Limited, hatchbacks continue to play a critical role in expanding the customer base."Hatchbacks remain a preferred segment, particularly for first-time buyers and households seeking a second vehicle, as affordability and comfort are key purchase considerations," he said."From an original equipment perspective, a presence across segments also helps improve reach, especially in Tier 2/3 cities."Krishnamurthy added that rising vehicle costs are forcing manufacturers to revisit their entry-level offerings."With input costs rising and vehicle prices expected to increase further, affordability is becoming even more important, especially in the mass-market segment. In response, OEs are looking to reposition entry-level hatchbacks and compact SUVs through new launches and refreshed variants that offer a stronger value proposition to consumers."Beyond SUVsThe industry's renewed focus on hatchbacks does not mean SUVs are going away.Far from it.Utility vehicles remain India's dominant passenger vehicle category and continue to drive growth and profitability for manufacturers.What is changing, however, is the recognition that growth cannot come solely from moving customers up the value chain.To sustain volumes, carmakers need to bring new buyers into the market.That is especially important as India adds millions of young consumers entering the workforce, many of whom are seeking their first personal vehicle but remain highly sensitive to price.Affordable electric hatchbacks could further strengthen the segment's appeal in coming years."Affordable EV hatchbacks could become an attractive proposition as charging infrastructure improves, range-anxiety concerns ease, and the financing environment becomes more supportive," Krishnamurthy said.For much of the past decade, India's hatchbacks were treated as yesterday's story while SUVs became the industry's obsession.Now, as automakers search for their next growth engine, the segment that once put millions of Indians behind the wheel is beginning to look relevant again.The future of India's auto market may still be taller, bolder and SUV-shaped. But increasingly, carmakers are recognising that the road to scale may once again begin with a hatchback.

Stock surge helps Adani reclaim Asia’s richest crown

RPF helps 49 children reunite with parents in May

The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is entrusted with the task of safeguarding railway property, passenger areas, and the well-being of travellers

Drum plantation technique helps grow 3,200 trees in saline land at Dholera

The project is part of efforts to increase green cover in Dholera, where industrial and infrastructure development is currently underway

Rajeev Thakkar on when to hold, when to exit, and why most get it wrong

For most investors, the focus is often on finding the right stock, entering at the right valuation, and identifying the next multibagger. Far fewer spend time understanding what may be the more difficult aspect of investing—knowing when to sell.Speaking at the ET Alpha Wealth Summit on Thursday on "The Art of the Exit," Rajiv Thakkar, CIO and Director at PPFAS Asset Management said that successful investing is not just about buying well but also about staying invested long enough for compounding to work. In fact, before discussing reasons to sell, he spent considerable time explaining why investors should avoid selling in the first place.According to Thakkar, one of the biggest mistakes investors make is selling because a stock has not moved for a few months.Also Read | ET Alpha Wealth Summit: Future alpha may emerge from neglected markets and asset classes, says Kalpen Parekh Investors often spend significant effort researching a company, understanding management quality, assessing industry prospects and evaluating valuations. Yet after purchasing the stock, many lose patience if prices remain stagnant for six months or a year.https://youtube.com/shorts/RiLj-X02NNE?feature=share"Investments are meant for wealth creation, not entertainment," he said, cautioning against treating investing like a source of excitement or constant action.Another common trigger for unnecessary selling is reacting to news flow. Markets are constantly bombarded with information—wars, elections, crude oil fluctuations, interest-rate decisions, capital flows and economic data. Investors who react to every headline often end up making poor decisions.To illustrate this, Thakkar recounted the story of an investor who received advance information about the severity of the Covid outbreak in early 2020. Acting on that information, the investor sold his technology stocks before the market crash. While the prediction turned out to be accurate, fear prevented him from re-entering the market, and he ultimately missed one of the strongest rallies in technology stocks.The lesson, according to Thakkar, is that even correct information does not necessarily translate into successful investment outcomes. Thakkar was particularly critical of the concept of "profit booking."Investors often feel compelled to sell simply because a stock has appreciated significantly. However, he argued that wealth is created by allowing successful investments to compound rather than by repeatedly locking in gains.Frequent buying and selling may benefit brokers, exchanges and tax authorities, but it often works against long-term investors. Hyperactivity in portfolios can destroy wealth by interrupting compounding and increasing costs.Similarly, investors should avoid selling because another stock appears more attractive. This "buyer's remorse" mindset frequently causes investors to abandon good businesses prematurely in pursuit of seemingly better opportunities."If you manage to find a genuinely good business with strong management, a large opportunity set and reasonable valuations, the best course of action is often to simply stay invested," he said.Thakkar emphasised that investors in taxable jurisdictions such as India should maintain low portfolio turnover whenever possible. Unlike institutional structures such as mutual funds or investors in tax-free jurisdictions, individual investors face taxes and transaction costs every time they trade. Excessive churn can significantly reduce long-term returns.For wealthy investors, family offices and HNIs, the ability to remain invested and minimise unnecessary transactions often becomes a major source of compounding advantage.Also Read | ET Alpha Wealth Summit: India could unlock a $5 trillion export opportunity through FTAs, says Saurabh Mukherjea While most reasons for selling are flawed, Thakkar identified several situations where exiting an investment becomes necessary. The most obvious reason is the need for capital. If an investor requires money for a business opportunity, acquisition or personal objective, selling investments may be entirely justified. More importantly, investors must be willing to acknowledge mistakes.If an investment thesis turns out to be wrong because of flawed analysis, poor due diligence or changing circumstances, the best course is often to exit quickly rather than averaging down endlessly.According to Thakkar, investors who recognise mistakes early frequently outperform those who identify good opportunities but refuse to sell losing positions. Capital trapped in poor investments cannot be deployed into better opportunities. Fraud, naturally, represents an immediate reason to exit.One of the more challenging selling decisions arises when industries face structural disruption. Questions such as whether newspapers can survive the internet, whether thermal power can coexist with renewable energy or whether traditional automobile manufacturers can adapt to electric vehicles rarely have straightforward answers.Thakkar suggested that investors should not react impulsively but should continuously evaluate incoming evidence. Investment decisions should be driven by facts rather than sentiment. If the underlying business continues to deteriorate because of technological or structural change, investors must eventually acknowledge reality and exit.At the same time, distinguishing genuine disruption from temporary noise remains critical. Exceptional businesses are not immune to becoming overvalued. Thakkar pointed to situations where valuations become so excessive that future growth is already fully reflected in stock prices. In such cases, taking profits, paying taxes and reallocating capital may be sensible.He also noted that investors may sell a reasonably valued investment if a significantly superior opportunity emerges elsewhere.During the question-and-answer session, investors raised concerns about stocks that stop performing despite sound fundamentals. Examples such as Maruti Suzuki, Bharti Airtel and even silver investments highlighted a common dilemma: should investors exit after years of gains and subsequent consolidation?Also Read | MF Tracker: Can ICICI Prudential Multicap Fund sustain its strong track record in a volatile market? Thakkar's response was that even excellent businesses can spend years moving sideways. Companies such as Hindustan Unilever, Infosys and Bharat Electronics have all gone through extended periods of stagnant share-price performance despite remaining fundamentally strong businesses.Investors should therefore distinguish between stock-price performance and business performance. As long as the underlying business continues to execute well, temporary market stagnation alone is not a sufficient reason to sell.For investors worried about selling too early, Thakkar recommended a phased approach. Instead of attempting to identify exact market tops, investors can gradually reduce exposure over time. For instance, if a stock appears significantly overvalued, an investor might sell a portion every month rather than exiting entirely in one transaction.This systematic approach helps manage the emotional difficulty of selling while reducing the risk of poor timing. Another important consideration is position sizing. Addressing a question about highly successful investments such as Nvidia, Thakkar noted that even outstanding businesses can become disproportionately large components of a portfolio.When a single stock grows from a small allocation into a dominant position, investors face a different risk—wealth preservation rather than wealth creation. His solution is gradual trimming. Investors can periodically reduce oversized positions to maintain comfortable portfolio weightings while still participating in future upside.This approach may not maximise returns, but it significantly reduces the risk of catastrophic losses and helps investors sleep better during periods of volatility.Thakkar concluded by stressing the importance of diversification and long-term investing. Most individuals create wealth through a single business, profession or sector. Their financial portfolios should therefore diversify away from that concentration rather than amplify it.Whether through mutual funds, retirement vehicles such as NPS, EPF and PPF, or diversified portfolios, investors should focus on owning inflation-protected assets for long periods. "The lower the churn in a portfolio, the greater the opportunity for compounding," he said.Ultimately, successful investing is not about perfectly timing every entry and exit. It is about avoiding unnecessary activity, admitting mistakes quickly, remaining patient with good businesses and ensuring that no single investment becomes large enough to threaten long-term financial stability.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)If you have any mutual fund queries, message on ET Mutual Funds on Facebook/Twitter. We will get it answered by our panel of experts. Do share your questions on ETMFqueries@timesinternet.in alongwith your age, risk profile, and Twitter handle.

Doctor reveals 4 health markers that may predict heart attack and stroke risk

Doctors are now suggesting looking beyond just LDL cholesterol for heart health. New markers like ApoB, hs-CRP, insulin resistance, and abdominal obesity provide a better and fuller picture. These factors reveal how inflammation, metabolism, and body fat impact vascular health. Understanding these elements helps identify risks earlier for better prevention.

In sultry Delhi summer, I want to host dinner for my friends but don’t want to cook: I asked ChatGPT for help

In hot Delhi, a dinner host seeks a refreshing, low-effort summer menu for 8, using seasonal Indian produce. ChatGPT helps with a detailed planning.

Arrest of fraudsters offering gold at attractive prices helps police bust major racket

Narrowing Gulf: Why derisking of Hormuz helps India

Molecule glue drugs shake up cancer care

One of the biggest advances in pancreatic cancer in decades came out of a crazy idea born in a Harvard University lab.Chemical biologist Gregory Verdine believed you could fight disease-causing proteins hidden inside cells by chemically gluing them to something else in the body and smothering them."Everybody told us this is crazy, that it would never work," he recalls.Revolution Medicines, which bought one of Verdine's companies in 2018, recently announced that one of its drugs doubled the typical survival time for patients with aggressive forms of the disease, from 6.7 months to 13.2 months. The full results from the company's final-stage trial are expected to be the star of the show at the annual confab of cancer doctors in Chicago this weekend.Spurred by the success of RevMed, numerous companies are now racing to develop similar drugs, dubbed "molecular glues", which can be used to treat a variety of ailments. And investors and pharmaceutical companies with deep pockets are chasing after them, creating one of the hottest corners of dealmaking in the industry.Also read | India's out-of-pocket healthcare spending drops significantly, govt data showsIt's not unusual for exciting new drugs to spark surges in stock prices and dealmaking frenzy. But molecular glue is a particularly complicated science, and the startups pursuing technologies similar to RevMed are mostly in early stages of testing. Their medicines won't be ready for years, if ever.That hasn't stopped big drugmakers such as Novartis, Roche Holding and Eli Lilly from inking research pacts with glue developers that could pay out billions of dollars in milestones.The boom has been especially lucrative for Monte Rosa Therapeutics. Over the past three years, the Boston-based biotech firm has signed three agreements that could be worth over $10 billion to develop molecular glue drugs with both Novartis and Roche.The company, which trades under the stock ticker GLUE, has seen its shares surge nearly 400% over the past year. It's preparing to start mid-stage trials for multiple drugs by the end of this year."The run-up in the share price is justified based on what we've seen so far," says Robert Driscoll, an analyst at Wedbush. Gains are "due to the success of their drugs rather than kind of exuberance around the glue technology as a whole", he says.Science of GlueMolecular glues work in a fundamentally different way from other oral medicines. Most pills - like Prozac for depression or Lipitor for cholesterol - are tiny chemicals that squeeze into a pocket inside a much larger protein to gum up its functioning. But many proteins have few obvious pockets, including key cancer-causing proteins.In fact, about 80% of all proteins in the body are what scientists refer to as "undruggable", meaning they can't be targeted with traditional drug technologies.RevMed's daraxonrasib cleverly circumvents this problem by acting as a molecular stickum. Once inside the body it binds to a healthy protein on one side and then draws in the bad protein to stick to the other side. The healthy protein helps block the bad protein and turn off its signalling.Competitors Line UpMultiple companies are chasing RevMed's lead in pancreatic cancer despite the long odds. San Diego-based Erasca is in early stages of testing a drug it says is more potent than daraxonrasib. Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma has begun final-stage trials of a degrader that may help a subset of pancreatic and lung cancer patients.Molecular glues are also being developed as alternatives to injectable drugs used to treat autoimmune and skin disorders. Shares of Kymera Therapeutics have soared more than 180% in the past year thanks to promising early trial results. The company is developing a once-daily pill it hopes will one day compete with Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals' Dupixent, one of the world's bestselling drugs."The technology allows you to go after things that would have been almost impossible" to do previously with pills, says Nello Mainolfi, Kymera's founder and CEO.With few effective options for pancreatic cancer, analysts expect RevMed's daraxonrasib to become an enormous bestseller for the company.Prospects for daraxonrasib and speculation about a potential takeout deal have inflated RevMed's market cap to nearly $33 billion. That's a lofty figure for a drugmaker with no approved medicines.The company is preparing to file for US approval soon, and the FDA has promised to give the drug an ultrafast review. It's projected to reach $7 billion in sales a year by 2032, according to the average of estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Govt amends CSR norms; provides more leeway

New Delhi, In a significant move, the government has allowed companies to invest up to 10 per cent of their CSR funds in zero coupon zero principal instruments issued by not for profit organisations through a social stock exchange.Under the Companies Act, 2013, a certain class of profitable companies are required to shell out at least two per cent of their three-year average annual net profit towards CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities in a particular financial year.The corporate affairs ministry has introduced the item 'subscription to zero coupon zero principal instruments on Social Stock Exchange' in Schedule VII, which pertains to activities allowed for CSR activities under the Companies Act."This amendment is aimed at providing significant ease of compliance to the companies and will also help Not for Profit Organisations (NPOs), to raise funding for public welfare projects in a transparent and regulated manner."These NPOs will be able to issue zero-coupon, zero-principal instruments on the Social Stock Exchange (SSE) in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Board of India's Regulations," the ministry said in a release on Friday.Expenditure incurred by the CSR-mandated companies for such instruments shall not exceed ten per cent of the total CSR expenditure for the particular financial year.To facilitate the implementation of CSR through zero coupon zero principal instrument, amendments have been done in the CSR Policy Rules, 2014.Now, under the rules, the definition of NPO and zero coupon zero principal instrument' has been introduced.Anshul Jain, Partner Regulatory at consultancy PwC India, said companies can now invest their CSR funds into such instruments issued through an SSE.It helps in furtherance of a transparent and credible mode of funding CSR projects by the companies and enables social enterprises to access a wider pool of capital, Jain said.

Amrita AEEE 2026 trial allotment out — check direct link, how to edit preferences

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has released the AEEE 2026 BTech counselling trial allotment. Candidates can now edit their academic preferences for 24 hours until May 29. This trial allotment helps students understand their admission chances before the first official allotment on June 1. Admission formalities will follow the first allotment. The university offers BTech programs across multiple campuses.