The World Bank signed a $500 million loan agreement with India

The World Bank signed a $500 million loan agreement with India

The World Bank said on Tuesday it has signed a $500 million loan agreement with India to improve financial access for the country’s small-scale business enterprises in the manufacturing and services domain. “Lack of adequate finance is one of the biggest challenges facing the MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) sector. Financial institutions have limited […]

Mumbai’s Cafe Samovar shuts after five decades

Mumbai’s Cafe Samovar shuts after five decades

Cafe Samovar, a favourite haunt of intellectuals and celebs including Amitabh Bachchan, M.F. Husain and V.S. Naipaul, students and commoners, finally downed shutters on Tuesday after over five decades as loyal clients, some in tears, thronged it for one last time. Located inside the Jehangir Art Gallery, surrounded by heritage buildings like Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum, […]

Reviving craftsmanship, empowering women in South Asia

Reviving craftsmanship, empowering women in South Asia

Women are generally not allowed to venture too far from their homes in Pakistan’s Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, leave alone even distantly thinking of employment. But Khalida Bibi’s quest for empowerment has made her an exception and a shining example for other women in her village in Haripur district. It wasn’t easy for the 52-year-old to […]

Blanket ban on chewable tobacco in Delhi

Blanket ban on chewable tobacco in Delhi

A blanket ban on all forms of chewable tobacco came into effect in the national capital from Monday, with Health Minister Satyendra Jain asserting that the move will help save the government’s as well as people’s money in treating oral cancer. Health department teams accompanied by Delhi Police personnel would fan out in the capital […]

Burdwan blast: NIA names 21 for bid to overthrow Dhaka regime

Burdwan blast: NIA names 21 for bid to overthrow Dhaka regime

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a special court on Monday named 21 people, formally charged with involvement in the Burdwan blast case, for conspiring to overthrow the existing democratic government in Bangladesh. In a charge sheet filed before an NIA special court, the agency said the 21 people, accused in the Bardwan blast case, […]

Unseasonal rain kills seven across India; damages crops

Unseasonal rain kills seven across India; damages crops

The fury of unseasonal rain in different states of north and east India since Sunday evening has left at least seven people dead and damaged standing crops in thousands of hectares, officials said on Monday. In Bihar, at least five people, including two children and a woman, were killed on Monday when they were struck […]