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32,000 Displaced As Buildings Reduced To Rubble In Philippines Earthquake

The Philippines is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

32,000 people displaced in Philippine earthquake

6 contenders, 1 trophy: T20 WWC battle begins

The biggest edition of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup gets underway in England on June 12, with 12 teams competing for the title across 33 matches. As defending champions New Zealand seek to retain their crown, India will aim to complete a rare World Cup double after winning the ODI World Cup last year, while Australia look to re-establish their dominance after a rare trophyless ICC cycle.The tournament's expanded format has heightened competition, but a handful of teams enter as genuine title contenders.India chasing historyNo team apart from Australia has won both the ODI and T20 World Cups in succession. Harmanpreet Kaur's side has an opportunity to achieve that feat after ending India's long wait for a global title with last year's ODI World Cup triumph.Also Read: JioStar bets on mainstreaming women’s cricket fandom with ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaignIndia's preparations have produced mixed signals. They secured home series victories over Sri Lanka and Australia but struggled on overseas tours, losing a T20 series in South Africa and another in England earlier this month. England recovered from 0-1 down to beat India 2-1, exposing concerns over India's bowling depth in unfamiliar conditions.The batting unit remains India's biggest strength. Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh bring extensive experience from English franchise competitions, which could prove valuable during a month-long campaign.India also received a confidence boost in a warm-up match against West Indies, where Bharti Fulmalli struck a half-century and the spin attack delivered a commanding performance.Australia remain the benchmarkAustralia enter the tournament under a new captain after Alyssa Healy's retirement, with Sophie Molineux taking charge of a squad that still boasts some of the most experienced names in women's cricket.Also Read: Form of openers, bowling main areas of concern as India head into T20 World CupEllyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Megan Schutt, Alana King and Tahlia McGrath form a battle-tested core capable of thriving in major tournaments. The additions of opener Georgia Voll and left-arm seamer Lucy Hamilton have added fresh depth.Despite not winning a major ICC trophy since 2023, Australia remain the most successful side in Women's T20 World Cup history with six titles and will once again start among the favourites.Defending champions New Zealand eye repeatNew Zealand arrive as defending champions but face the challenge of replacing an experienced generation nearing the end of its international journey.Veterans Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu remain central to the team's ambitions, while all-rounder Amelia Kerr continues to be one of the most influential players in world cricket. Kerr was instrumental in New Zealand's title-winning campaign in 2024 and remains their biggest match-winner heading into the tournament.The Kiwis are placed in a competitive group featuring hosts England, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Ireland and Scotland.England banking on home advantageEngland will hope familiar conditions can help them end a prolonged wait for an ICC title.The return of captain Nat Sciver-Brunt from injury provides a major boost. England showed their depth during her absence by defeating India in a closely contested T20I series. Youngsters Alice Capsey and Charlie Dean impressed during that series, while experienced campaigners Heather Knight, Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Sophie Ecclestone provide stability.Playing at home and buoyed by strong crowd support, England could be one of the toughest teams to beat.South Africa seek breakthrough momentSouth Africa have come close to global glory several times but are still searching for their first ICC trophy.Led by Laura Wolvaardt, they possess one of the most balanced squads in the competition. Marizanne Kapp remains among the world's premier all-rounders, while the return of experienced pacer Shabnim Ismail strengthens the bowling attack.The Proteas also carry recent confidence after dominating India in a bilateral series before the World Cup. However, being drawn alongside India and Australia in Group A means every match could have semifinal implications.Sri Lanka emerge as dark horsesSri Lanka may not begin as favourites, but few teams enter the tournament with greater momentum.Chamari Athapaththu remains the face of the side, yet Sri Lanka's progress in recent years has been driven by the emergence of a stronger supporting cast that includes Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Nilakshika Silva and Kaveesha Dilhari.The concern remains their pace bowling resources. On surfaces that traditionally assist seamers, Sri Lanka's heavy reliance on spin could become a vulnerability in the knockout stages.Group of deathThe tournament's toughest battle could unfold in Group A, where India, Australia and South Africa are all expected to challenge for the semifinals. With only two knockout spots available, one heavyweight could be heading home early.For India, the equation is simple. A maiden Women's T20 World Cup title would not only complete a historic double but also cement the current generation's place among the country's greatest cricket teams.(With inputs from PTI)

US stocks: S&P 500, Nasdaq end up as tech, chipmakers rebound

U.S. stocks ended mostly higher on Monday, led by gains in the Nasdaq and chipmakers as investors sought bargains after Friday's sharp selloff and were relieved after Iran and Israel said they had halted attacks on each other. The halt came after an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump that they immediately "stop shooting." The attacks over 24 hours were the most ‌direct confrontation between ⁠Iran and ⁠Israel since an April ceasefire in the war. The Dow ended lower and stocks overall closed off the highs of the day. Apple shares eased late in the session even as the company unveiled a series of AI upgrades to Siri. The S&P 500 technology sector and Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index advanced, rebounding from Friday's losses that wiped out $1 trillion in market value for U.S.-listed chipmakers. Intel shares also jumped after news website the Information reported that Alphabet's Google had placed an order to manufacture more than 3 million tensor processing units in 2028. "Today looks like a day where investors are doing a little bit of bargain hunting ⁠off the ‌big tech selloff," said Rick Meckler, partner at Cherry Lane Investments, a family investment office in New Vernon, New Jersey. "What normally happens after that is you get analysts coming in and reiterating buys." He added: "This market has ⁠been priced for quite a while for perfection, and these are certainly imperfect times. In that environment, you are going to see some back-and-forth, and some fear of prices having gone too far." Stocks sold off late last week after hitting a series of record highs recently. Underwhelming results from chipmaker Broadcom last week had raised concerns that the chip sector was growing too fast, while much stronger than expected jobs data for May contributed to Friday's rout, as traders priced in interest rate increases this year. According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 gained 22.07 points, or 0.30%, to end at 7,405.81 points, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 222.13 points, or 0.86%, ‌to 25,931.56. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 75.61 points, or 0.15%, to 50,791.17.Also Read | US stocks: Alphabet taps Intel to make three million in-house chips: Report Apple announced the Siri revamp at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference at its Cupertino, California, headquarters. Investors may be having a "sell-on-the-news" response, said Bruce Zaro, managing director at Granite Wealth Management in Plymouth, Massachusetts. "Perception has ⁠been for quite some time that Apple had been behind the curve as far as their AI offerings. That's why the stock widely underperformed many of the other big techs for some time until recently," he said. SpaceX's initial public offering on Friday could also prove a major test for U.S. stock markets, with investors wary of possible overexuberance. Other big tech advancers included Marvell Technology, which jumped as the chipmaker was set to join the benchmark S&P 500 before the start of trading on June 22. Eli Lilly gained after the drugmaker's trial results showed its next-generation obesity drug, retatrutide, curbed sleep apnea severity in addition to boosting weight loss and helping knee pain.

India's much N-eeded in energy mix

Over the past decade, GoI has expanded investments in solar power, wind energy, transmission infrastructure and pumped hydro storage. Electric mobility initiatives and domestic battery manufacturing programmes are also being promoted as part of a broader strategy to reduce oil dependence.Recent geopolitical developments in the Gulf, which largely supply India's crude and LPG needs, have brought renewed focus to nuclear energy as a stable domestic source for baseload electricity. A milestone in India's nuclear programme was achieved in April, when a prototype fast-breeder reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu attained first criticality. Developed indigenously by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), the 500 MWe reactor marks India's formal entry into the second stage of its 3-stage nuclear programme envisioned by Homi Bhabha.Also a welcome development is the latest news of GoI reportedly considering measures that include assured power purchase agreements (PPAs), to attract private sector investments in the nuclear energy sector. It is also reportedly preparing to notify rules under SHANTI (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India) Act 2025.India's nuclear strategy has been designed around the country's resource profile. While it has limited uranium reserves, it possesses some of the world's largest thorium deposits. The 3-stage programme was conceived to enable large-scale utilisation of thorium for power generation.Thorium is not a fertile or fissile material, and has to be converted to fissile Uranium-233 in a FBR. The third stage aims to use U-233-based reactors for sustained energy generation. PFBR is important for the eventual thorium utilisation. India's thorium reserves, largely located in coastal monazite sands in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, are seen as a potential long-term strategic energy resource.Another significant development came with the passage of the aforementioned SHANTI Act last December. It modernises India's nuclear legal and regulatory framework, and allows limited private sector participation in nuclear projects.Traditionally, India's nuclear sector has been dominated by state-controlled entities. The Act is intended to streamline approvals, encourage investment, and support domestic manufacturing and technological partnerships. Reforms reflect recognition that achieving large-scale nuclear expansion will require both public and private participation.Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (Barc) is developing several advanced reactor designs, including 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), 55 MWe SMR-55, and a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) intended for hydrogen production. SMRs are expected to be modular, with modules produced under controlled conditions in a factory and assembled at the site in a short time. They are also expected to be safer, making them acceptable to the public.GoI has indicated that at least 5 indigenously designed SMRs will become operational by 2033. India has set a long-term target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047. At present, the country's installed nuclear capacity stands at about 8.7 GW, contributing around 3% of total electricity generation. Coal continues to account for nearly 70% of electricity production. Achieving the 100 GW target would require substantial expansion in infra, manufacturing, financing and human resources.The Strait of Hormuz disruption has reinforced the importance of diversifying India's energy mix and reducing exposure to external supply shocks. The current policy direction reflects a combination of RE expansion, electrification, domestic manufacturing and renewed emphasis on nuclear power.The broad objective of improving energy security through a diversified and domestically supported energy system must remain a central policy priority. RE, along with energy storage required to balance it, remains the major first step. Electricity can substitute fossil fuels in many sectors. Coal can be replaced by nuclear as a baseload supplier.Nuclear projects involve high upfront capital costs and long construction timelines. Land acquisition and public acceptance remain sensitive issues. Waste management, safety regulation and development of skilled technical manpower will require sustained institutional support.Thorium-based technologies, although strategically important for India, have not yet been deployed commercially at scale in the world. Policymakers will need to balance investments across nuclear, solar, wind, storage and grid modernisation to ensure affordability and energy security.SHANTI Act, PFBR, investment in SMRs and increased private participation suggest that nuclear energy may play a larger role in India's long-term energy strategy than anticipated. We need an integrated policy framework to achieve energy aatmanirbharta.Saini is senior research analyst, and Parikh is chairman, Integrated Research and Action for Development (IRADe), New Delhi

Row erupts as idol of goddess Vagdevi placed inside Bhojshala complex, ASI accused of removal

A petitioner from the Hindu side has blamed the ASI for the removal of the idol, while a representative from the Muslim side has objected to its installation.

Supreme Court seeks CBSE’s response on plea over withheld result of student based in Saudi Arabia

Non-declaration of his results had placed his higher education plans in jeopardy, the Class 12 student has said

Water purifiers fuel a Rs 9,000 crore economy

You do the research, read lists of reviews, compare the filtration stages, and shell out a significant sum for the most promising, tech-savvy water purifier in the market. Then, just two months into installation, the machine starts throwing a series of confusing, flashing signals. The premium buying experience instantly evaporates, replaced by the sheer frustration of tracking down customer care and waiting at home for a technician to show up.In India’s competitive consumer durables sector, this exact friction point has transformed the landscape of water purifiers. The ultimate battle is no longer just about who can build and sell the best machine; it is increasingly about who can maintain trust after the hole has been drilled in the customer's kitchen wall.While the water purifier market is traditionally viewed through the lens of one-time appliance sales, companies like Eureka Forbes, the legacy player behind AquaGuard, are increasingly betting on a far larger opportunity hidden beneath the surface: the recurring service economy built around filters, annual maintenance contracts (AMCs) and nationwide technician networks.According to internal projections by Anurag Kumar, Chief Growth Officer at Eureka Forbes, the water purifier service market alone is on track to cross Rs 9,000 crore by FY30, nearly matching the projected Rs 10,000 crore size of the product market itself.131582773Also read: Beyond the room: Why India Inc's luxury hospitality bet is becoming an experience businessBreaking down the mathFor decades, the consumer durable playbook was simple: manufacture, distribute, sell, repeat. But water purification is far different from selling a television or a refrigerator; it is an active, evolving health product bound to the fluctuating quality of local municipal and groundwater supplies."The market for product categories for water purifiers is about Rs 3,800 crore today," Kumar says in an exclusive interview with ET Online. "I think you would add another, roughly about Rs 3,500 crore of service category as well to it."Citing independent industry reports, Kumar highlighted that by FY30, this parallel economy is set to explode. The product market will expand to over Rs 10,000 crore, while the service and aftermarket ecosystem will chase it tightly at more than Rs 9,000 crore, growing at a combined double-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% to 12%.This shifting weight from hardware to service fundamentally changes corporate strategies. For an industry dealing with an urban penetration rate of just 14% (and a mere 7% nationally), the recurring revenue from existing households forms a highly resilient cash-flow cushion that protects margins even during macro-economic slowdowns.131582808Service scale becomes the biggest moatThe Rs 9,000 crore service opportunity explains why tech-first aggregators and rental startups are rushing into the service category. However, scaling an on-demand service infrastructure across India’s complex geography is entirely different from coding an app.For legacy companies like Eureka Forbes, this operational network has become a major competitive advantage."After sales service can make or break a brand," says Kumar. "I think a lot of the trust that AquaGuard has today is really thanks to the fact that people have trust in our service... It's a very, very important integral part of our business and a very, very crucial moat that we continue to nurture."To defend this moat against new-age tech startups, Eureka Forbes operates at a scale that resembles a logistics company more than an appliance manufacturer. The company has deployed more than 8,000 technicians mapping out an operational footprint across 19,500 PIN codes.Also read: Apple expected to unveil new AI features at last developers conference with CEO Tim CookThe push to reduce maintenance costs"Once you sell a product, then you have it for life and there's some revenue which comes with it," Kumar says, referring to filter replacements, AMCs and servicing requirements.Interestingly, the biggest threat to this recurring service revenue is not new-age competitors, it has been consumer fatigue over high maintenance costs. Historically, the dread of paying steep annual fees to replace purifier filters has acted as a primary barrier keeping the remaining 86% of urban Indian households from adopting organised water purifiers.To beat this, Eureka Forbes pulled off a counter-intuitive strategic gear: they disrupted their own short-term revenue model to secure long-term market share.Last year, the company introduced a range of purifiers featuring "long-life" filters extending the replacement cycle from the traditional 12 months to a full two years."We did that because we fundamentally heard from consumers that there was also a barrier to the category around maintenance cost being high," Kumar reveals. "What two-year filters actually did was they actually lowered the maintenance cost because now you don't have to change filters every year. You have to change once every two years."Digitising a 1980s direct-sales DNAEureka Forbes, a company historically known for its door-to-door service, and making Aquaguard synonymous with water purifiers in India, faced a new piece of necessary upgrade with building digitisation. The multi-billion dollar service landscape required a complete digital overhaul of consumer interactions. The brand that built its empire in the 1980s on the soles of direct-sales agents knocking on suburban doors has had to pivot entirely to an on-demand, algorithmic infrastructure.An army of thousands of field technicians is only as efficient as the software directing them. For modern consumers who manage their entire lives via smartphone screens, a bland "technician will visit tomorrow" promise no longer cuts it."We've digitised that service," notes Kumar.The long-term playAs water contamination concerns spike across rapidly expanding urban clusters, the structural demand for pure drinking water will continue to climb, and so for water purifiers.However, as the hardware itself faces gradual commoditisation and intense price competition from newer market entrants, the center of gravity has largely shifted. Where the growth moves nextCapturing a dominant share of the service market is only half the blueprint. As Kumar maps out the strategic trajectory for Eureka Forbes over the next three to five years, the company's growth engine eyes two distinct tracks: aggressive geographic widening and targeted product diversification. Geographically, Kumar notes, the company is bypassing deep rural pockets for the time being to focus heavily on India’s rapidly urbanising Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns. Instead, the company is doubling down on smaller towns where they can immediately deploy their signature localised service infrastructure without stretching their logistics network too thin.Simultaneously, the brand is attempting to de-risk its reliance on the kitchen wall by expanding into adjacent consumer durables. Kumar outlined a product pipeline anchored in high-growth, premium categories, including robotic vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and household water softeners. The underlying playbook here is pure cross-selling. By utilising the same 8,000-strong technician network to service these newer household appliances, Eureka Forbes is betting that its aftermarket footprint can drastically lower its customer acquisition costs; positioning the legacy firm to evolve from a single-product manufacturer into a broader home-health ecosystem player.

NEET-UG Retest Security Tightened: Paper Setters Placed Under Lockdown Until June 21 Exam

The NEET-UG retest is scheduled to be held on June 21 after the original examiniation was cancelled in the wake of the paper leak controversy.

Bonus issue alert! This smallcap company announced a 2:5 bonus issue. Do you own?

Hardwyn India, a provider of kitchen, door, glass, wardrobe and sliding hardware solutions, has announced a bonus issue in the ratio of 2:5 for its shareholders.In an exchange filing released on Friday, Hardwyn India said that its board of directors met on June 5 to consider and approve the issuance of “bonus equity shares in the ratio of 2:5 i.e., 2 bonus equity shares of Rs 1 each fully paid-up for every 5 equity shares of Rs 1 each fully paid-up held by the shareholders of the company as on the record date, by capitalization of free reserves/retained earnings, subject to the approval of members in Extraordinary General Meeting”.Along with the bonus issue, Hardwyn’s board also approved increasing the company’s authorised share capital from the existing Rs 50 crore, divided into 50 crore shares with a face value of Rs 1 each, to Rs 70 crore, divided into 70 crore equity shares with a face value of Rs 1 each. Also read: Why is the stock market crashing today?The Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) where the bonus issue will be voted on is scheduled for July 3 this year. The company set June 26 as the cut-off date to determine who can vote in the EGM.Hardwyn India bonus issue record dateAs part of the bonus issue, the company proposed to issue nearly 19.54 crore new shares for its shareholders, using its free reserves or retained earnings, which stood at Rs 19.65 crore at the end of the financial year 2026.The record date to determine the eligibility of shareholders for the 2:5 bonus issue is yet to be announced. Hardwyn said that the bonus issue is expected to be dispatched within two months of the board’s approval, that is, by August 4.A bonus issue consists of free shares distributed by a company from its reserves and is often seen as a sign of strong financial health and growth prospects. While the issue of bonus shares increases the total number of outstanding shares, it does not change the company’s market capitalisation. However, it can improve liquidity and affordability, allowing more investors to add shares of the company to their portfolio.Anand Rathi names Hardwyn India as its pick of the monthAnand Rathi Investment Services named Hardwyn India as its pick of the month in its report dated June 2, highlighting that the stock is currently trading near its 20 DEMA support. “Additionally, the DMI indicators are positively aligned, while the ADX is placed at 32, reflecting strong trend strength and supporting the possibility of further upside momentum,” it said.“Therefore, traders may consider accumulating the stock in the Rs 24.50–25.50 zone, with a stop-loss at Rs 22.50. On the upside, the stock has the potential to move towards the Rs 30 target in the near term, provided it sustains above the mentioned support levels,” it added. The target price implies an upside potential of nearly 23% from the stock’s previous closing price of Rs 24.41 apiece.Hardwyn India share priceHardwyn India shares declined nearly 1% to trade at Rs 24.21 apiece, at around 11.05 am on Monday. The stock has fallen around 4% in five days and 2% in one month. Overall, the shares of the company are, however, up over 44% in 2026 so far.Also read: Nestle among Nuvama's top 5 consumer picks after Q4 earnings season. Do you own any?(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

'Why are you asking this question?': Harmanpreet puts reporter in awkward spot - Watch

Ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup in England, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur shut down a reporter asking if this was her final tournament, bluntly counter-questioning if she should retire. India is placed in a demanding Group A alongside heavyweights like Australia and South Africa, and begins its campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 14.

DNA test to be conducted as woman from Kozhikode ‘reclaims’ child placed in Ammathottil

28-year-old Indian man from Telangana shot dead in US during pizza delivery: Cop

Preliminary findings suggest that the pizza order may have been placed for a vacant apartment, prompting investigators to examine further

Kerala government issues orders reinstating suspended IAS officers B. Ashok and N. Prasanth in service

Pransanth was placed under suspension in November, 2024, which has since been extended multiple times whereas Ashok had been suspended in April this year

Versatile actor Salim Kumar passes away aged 57

He had been rushed to a private hospital with fever and shortness of breath in the early hours of June 6, and placed on ventilator support

MH-53E Sea Dragon: Why US navy's mine-hunting is retiring after 40 years

The US Navy's formidable MH-53E Sea Dragon, a vital airborne mine countermeasures helicopter for nearly four decades, is nearing retirement. Its unique ability to clear naval mines from strategic waterways like the Strait of Hormuz is being replaced by newer, autonomous technologies. Despite its immense capability, the aging giant is making way for the future of naval warfare.

A big lifeline for marginalised Mumbai kids

Mumbai: Beneath a busy flyover in India's financial capital Mumbai, a row of pastel-coloured shipping containers houses an unlikely school serving some of the city's most marginalised children.Despite laws guaranteeing free schooling for children aged six to 14, poverty and migration continue to keep many out of classrooms, particularly in sprawling cities like Mumbai where many families survive through low-paying informal work.Crippling urban poverty also means young children selling knick-knacks on streets are still a fairly common sight at crowded traffic intersections in big Indian cities.But the non-profit that runs the free school is determined to educate its underprivileged cohort, many of whom come from homeless families that barely eke out a living.Wedged between gleaming skyscrapers and busy roads, the "Signal Shala", or traffic signal school, caters to several dozen children who have been left out of the formal education system, according to Bhatu Sawant, founder of the initiative."These children can't go to (a regular) school. So (I thought) let's do this. Let's bring the school to them," Sawant, 45, told AFP.Also read | Major change in buyer behaviour as e-scooters race deeper into BharatIndia runs one of the world's largest public school systems, but government data for 2024-25 still identified nearly 1.2 million children as "out of school", a catch-all categorisation that covers both those who have never been to school or dropped out.Free mealsFor Sawant, India's government-run schools are simply "not flexible enough for these children", while private ones charging exorbitant fees are out of the question.The signal school operates from repurposed air-conditioned containers placed on a narrow strip of land beneath a flyover, where classes and play unfold amid the constant rumble of traffic overhead.Its approach is tailored to the realities of street life.Every morning, the school bus drives through the cramped lanes of Mumbai's slums, picking up students -- a lifeline for parents who can't afford transportation.When the children file in, the first order of business is a shower, as many have no easy access to bathing facilities.Lockers are provided for books and uniforms that otherwise cannot be kept safe or clean while living in slums or on the streets.Three meals are provided free, with school hours longer than normal.Also read | Indian tourists go viral for all wrong reasons. Here's how not to become the next horror storyClasses are split by ability rather than age, with teachers adapting lessons for children who may never have held a pencil before.Older students are also taught basic skills like sitting still, speaking clearly and staying focused.The challenges are particularly acute when it comes to kids from the semi-nomadic Pardhi community, who often do not speak the local language."When the children came here, they didn't know what the days of the week were, what the 12 months were or what the seasons were," said teacher Tejasvi Borade, as the container walls rumbled from the steady stream of cars passing above.Robotics and AIFor the students, the school serves as a sanctuary from the harshness of the real world."I feel very happy seeing the school bus," said 12-year-old Pooja Pawar, whose parents take on odd jobs at construction sites."The school clothes feel nice. The breakfast is good... In school, we make cake... and dance."For others, it represents an opportunity long denied.Balaji Laxman, who once sold tissues at traffic lights to earn a few hundred rupees -- the equivalent of several US dollars -- a day, said the classrooms represent a chance to imagine a different future."I want to become a doctor," Laxman, 12, said with a shy smile.While the school steers many children towards vocational pathways, Sawant said the broader ambition is to ensure they are not left behind in a rapidly changing world."We have to prepare them for the 21st century," said Sawant, who has set up two similar schools on the outskirts of Mumbai which have robotics labs among other facilities."They should know robotics, AI, computers, 3D printing," said the educator who relies on private and corporate donations for funding, with the government helping with the infrastructure."Everything that elite class children are doing well in, they should know all of that."

ViKing of Norway: Pragg wins crown that eluded even Vishy

R Praggnanandhaa has achieved a historic victory at Norway Chess, a feat even Vishy Anand couldn't accomplish. The young Indian Grandmaster secured the title by defeating Vincent Keymer in the final round, overcoming fatigue from prior tournaments. His remarkable comeback, including four consecutive classical wins, has placed him among chess elite, proving his exceptional talent.

West Asia war fuels airline bankruptcy risks

Soaring jet fuel prices driven by conflict in the Middle East are likely to push more airlines into bankruptcy and spur more sector consolidation this year and next, the head of the global airline body said on Saturday. Global airlines are grappling with higher fuel costs driven by the U.S. and Israel's war with Iran, which has choked jet fuel supplies and disrupted key air corridors, forcing costly detours.Also read: Airbus delays XLR deliveries to IndiGo as war hits suppliers Budget carriers have been among ‌the hardest hit, ⁠lacking higher margin ⁠revenue streams such as premium cabins, high-paying travelers and credit card loyalty programs. The strain is already showing: U.S. budget airline Spirit Airlines collapsed last month, and it will not be the last, said Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, the industry's main trade body. "Unfortunately I think there will be some carriers that will find this high fuel price very difficult to cope with," Walsh told Reuters at IATA's annual summit in Rio de Janeiro, adding he expects some airlines to go out of business and others to be acquired by larger carriers. Even so, the pressure does not spell the end of the low-cost airline model, which continues to thrive outside the United States, where the big three carriers, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American ⁠Airlines, are squeezing ‌out budget competitors, Walsh said. "I don't see that the low-cost model is broken, in fact, quite the opposite," he said, highlighting Ryanair's strong performance in Europe as an example. There is one blockbuster deal Walsh does not see happening: United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby's audacious ⁠proposal to buy arch rival American Airlines and create a U.S. aviation behemoth. The idea, which surfaced earlier this year, failed to get done despite Kirby raising it with President Donald Trump. "I don't think that's going to happen. I think the regulatory hurdles would be very significant. I don't know whether that was a genuine effort to pursue consolidation or Scott just trying to stir up some media," Walsh said. MIDDLE EAST AIRLINE WOES The Iran conflict has upended traffic flows through Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, creating acute challenges for Gulf carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad. Walsh said he didn't think the conflict would do permanent damage to the Gulf as an aviation hub given its strategic geographic importance and the value of the popular Gulf carriers, which account for 14% of ‌global capacity. "That capacity cannot be replaced by airlines from other regions around the world," Walsh said. "Once things settle down, I would expect the Gulf carriers to regain their important position in the market." Adding to the strain is the slow pace of aircraft deliveries from Boeing and Airbus, along with engine delays from ⁠GE Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney, a unit of RTX, limiting airlines' ability to expand fleets and improve efficiency.Also read: Airline chiefs grapple with fuel shock, fare test at Rio summit Walsh said the industry is increasingly frustrated by the delays, particularly as engine makers post strong profits while airlines struggle. He estimates supply chain disruption cost airlines about $11 billion last year. "We're disappointed that they're not moving faster. We're disappointed that they're not sharing the pain that the airline industry is sharing," he said. Aircraft and engine makers have said that much of the delays are out of their control, stemming from post-pandemic supply chain disruptions and political trade disputes. As airlines come under financial strain and climate policies lose momentum in the U.S. under Donald Trump, industry leaders have grown more cautious about meeting a 2050 net zero emissions target. Walsh said IATA is not ready to abandon the goal. "I certainly believe it's more challenging to achieve net zero in 2050 because we've not made the progress that we had expected to see on the development of sustainable fuels," he said.

'Very happy for Shreyas Iyer': Surya reacts after losing India captaincy

Suryakumar Yadav has graciously congratulated Shreyas Iyer on his appointment as India's new T20I captain for the upcoming Ireland and England series. Despite being replaced as captain and dropped from the squad after leading India to a T20 World Cup victory, Suryakumar expressed pride in his Mumbai teammate's achievement, highlighting the strong representation from Mumbai cricket.