It's time to spice up the wine, with Christmas spirit

Alit Christmas tree, jazz playing softly in the background, and the A joyful conversations of friends these, combined with sips of mulled wine, were the highlights of a delightful pre-Christmas party I attended this weekend, which led me to think about the many ways you can enjoy wine.

This bread has stollen my heart

The German bread/cake made with dried fruits, candied peels and spices, is a great Christmas gift

THAI FLAVOURS WITH A GOAN VIBE

Rohit Khattar's latest offering, Fireback, located in Siolim, makes complex Thai flavours accessible to the Indian diner

Where everyone gets to be an agony aunt

The last few months I have found it hard to read much. Or watch anything. Even my nervy social media addiction has been at an all-time low. What hasn't flagged is my interest in online advice columns.

The power of friendship

Build and strengthen friendships across age groups-they provide an anchor, give us perspective and hope

40 years of passion, hard work

Leander Paes, who was recently selected for the tennis hall of fame, is the most successful tennis player India has ever had

The veggie that links ocean and land

Seaweed specialist Vincent Doumeizel says seaweed will make agriculture healthier, sustainable AEROUS IN Nitin

NEW ON SCREENS

Shah Rukh Khan looks to top off a bumper year, Bradley Cooper takes on Leonard Bernstein, and other titles to watch

Trump's Run For Power Will Test US Rule Of Law

A court order barring the former US president from Colorado's primary polls has cast a long shadow on his candidacy. How the 6 January case is resolved will be watched worldwide

Behind the hype: Brands & bulk bookings

Bulk bookings for bigticket films, featuring popular actors, now make up for almost 20% of weekend box office collections an emerging trend that is attributed by trade experts to the fervour generated by the brands endorsed by the stars.

Panel recommends route to direct equity listing at GIFT city

A committee to suggest rules for direct equity listing at India's International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in GIFT city has recommended depositories in the IFSC and the rest of the county be connected to enable this.

BluSmart raises $24 mn; to expand EV charging infra

Electric mobility startup, BluSmart, has raised $24 million (₹200 crore) in a funding round, with an oversubscription from its existing investors founders and leadership team, the firm said.

Adanis to invest in green unit

Billionaire Gautam Adani and his family plan to inject $1 billion into the conglomerate's renewable energy unit, people familiar with the matter said, as the group races to reach ambitious green goals while facing maturing bonds next year.

Warner Bros, Paramount talk merger

Warner Bros Discovery Inc. held talks on a_ possible merger with Paramount Global, potentially combining two of the biggest media companies in the world, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Making daily objects interesting

Japanese designer Kenya Hara discusses the fleeting nature of trends, the role of AI and importance of 'emptiness' in design

Don't lose sight of real worries in the hype over obesity drugs

Affordable, equitable and responsible use won't be easy to achieve

The IMF hasn't got its analysis of the country's forex regime right

The Fund's remark on India's alleged departure from a floating rate for the exchange of rupees and dollars is unconvincing

What Irdai's latest draft says about surrender charges

Key changes will benefit policyholders, while business margins of insurers will take a hit

Philippines warned over South China Sea

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi warned the Philippines that any miscalculation in their escalating dispute in the South China Sea would bring a resolute response, and urged dialogue to address \"serious difficulties\" between the two neighbours.

Israel intensifies Gaza strikes, Hamas resists amid truce talks

Israeli bombing was most intense over northern Gaza; Hamas, too, demonstrated its ability to rocket Tel Aviv

Waaree Energies to invest $1 bn to set up solar facility in Texas

Mumbai-based Waaree Energies will invest up to $1 billion in setting up a solar module manufacturing plant in Texas, US.

Younger generation leads in luxe shopping

High-end shopping is increasingly drawing young, urban consumers

EV industry to grow up to 40% in 2024: Tata Motors

Homegrown carmaker Tata Motors, which occupies nearly 70% of India’s electric passenger vehicle sales at present, expects sales of EVs in India to grow 30-40% in 2024 (calendar year), after nearly doubling in size in 2023, a top company official said.

Bandhan to shed home loan NPAS

Private lender, Bandhan Bank Ltd, will transfer distressed home loans totalling ₹775.6 crore, where repayments were overdue by over six months, to an asset reconstruction company.

Telecom Bill: Experts seek clarity amid privacy worries

Industry stakeholders, including Big Tech executives, raised concerns over a lack of clarity on specific rules, following the Rajya Sabha’s approval of the Telecommunications Bill 2023 on Thursday. The Bill had been cleared by the Lower House of the Parliament a day earlier.

'Need to raise data tariff but no premium for 5G services'

Airtel’s managing director and chief executive Gopal Vittal advocated for higher data tariff in India. In an interview, Vittal said while India has the lowest tariffs worldwide, it would remain so, even if it raises the average revenue per user (Arpu) from ₹200 to ₹300.

Indices recover partly from Wednesday's cuts on DII buying

Benchmark equity indices rose half a percent each on Thursday, lifted by short covering and purchases by domestic institutions, day after a dramatic bout of profit-taking saw them log their worst single-day fall by percentage in two months.

ORRY'S INCREDIBLE GUIDE TO MINTING MONEY

Orhan Awatramani became a social media sensation this year. His madness has a method

Metro Brands sprints past peers

For most of the key listed footwear companies, 2023 may not be a walk to remember. Stock returns show varied movements, with Bata India Ltd and Relaxo Footwears Ltd shares down 1-2%. Campus Activewear Ltd is a laggard, having slumped by 31%.

GreyOrange secures $135 mn Series D funds

The firm will utilize the capital to advance its technology, expand globally