The News Journal

As businesses accelerate investments in artificial intelligence, automation, and digital technologies, many leaders are discovering that technology alone cannot drive lasting success. While modern tools improve efficiency and streamline operations, sustainable business transformation depends on leadership, organizational culture, and a clear strategic vision. Entrepreneur Afroz Fatta believes that companies should view technology as an enabler rather than the foundation of transformation. According to him, organizations achieve meaningful growth when digital innovation is combined with capable leadership, skilled employees, and a willingness to embrace continuous change. Afroz Fatta shares insights on digital transformation, leadership, organizational culture, and business strategy Technology Is an Enabler, Not the Entire Strategy Across industries, businesses are investing heavily in digital platforms to modernize operations, improve customer experiences, and remain competitive. Howev...

India has summoned Russia's Charge d'Affaires after a Russian missile strike near Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa claimed the lives of four Indian seafarers aboard the merchant vessel MV Golden Leo . Another Indian crew member remains in critical condition following the attack. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the incident occurred on July 19 as the commercial vessel was departing Odesa. Of the 17 crew members on board, five were Indian nationals. Four lost their lives, while the fifth is receiving medical treatment in a hospital. In an official statement, the MEA expressed deep sorrow over the deaths and said India's diplomatic mission in Ukraine is closely coordinating with local authorities to assist the affected crew members and their families. India protests to Russia after a missile strike near Ukraine's Odesa kills four Indian seafarers aboard MV Golden Leo The ministry also strongly condemned attacks that endanger civilian lives an...

Veteran actor Archana Puran Singh has opened up about the challenges she has faced in her film career, revealing that she did not receive a single movie offer for nearly a decade after her performance in Bol Bachchan . In a recent interview, the actor said that although her work in films such as Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video and Toaster was appreciated, meaningful acting opportunities have remained limited. She added that while she continues to receive brand endorsement offers, substantial film roles are still hard to come by. Archana said she is eager to return to acting in significant roles and hopes filmmakers will consider her for more performance-oriented projects. According to her, the entertainment industry often works in unpredictable ways, making it difficult to understand why certain actors are overlooked. Archana Puran Singh opens up about career struggles despite Toaster . Recalling the release of Bol Bachchan , she said several trade experts had predicted she would so...

Hundreds of farmers from Punjab were stopped at the Shambhu border on Tuesday as they attempted to march towards Delhi to participate in a Kisan Mahapanchayat opposing the proposed India-US trade agreement. Haryana Police prevented the farmers from crossing into the state by setting up extensive barricades at the Punjab-Haryana border. The security arrangements resembled those seen during the 2024 "Delhi Chalo" farmers' movement, when multiple layers of barricades were installed to block access to the national capital. Unable to proceed, the farmers staged a protest at the Shambhu border, accusing authorities of restricting their right to peacefully demonstrate in Delhi. Farmers gather at the Shambhu border after being stopped by police while marching towards Delhi for a protest. BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh leader Tezveer Singh alleged that Haryana Police had placed barricades within Punjab's territory and criticized the Punjab government for failing to oppose the m...

Virat Kohli and PV Sindhu Indian badminton star PV Sindhu has revealed that a heartfelt conversation with former India cricket captain Virat Kohli played a key role in helping her overcome one of the most challenging phases of her career before her title-winning run at the Japan Open. Sindhu, who recently became the first Indian to win the Japan Open and the oldest women's singles champion in the tournament's Super 750 history, said she reached out to Kohli when injuries, disappointing results, and self-doubt had left her struggling for motivation. According to Sindhu, Kohli responded almost immediately to her message, and the two met in Bengaluru for an in-depth discussion. While she chose not to reveal the details of their conversation, she said his guidance changed the way she viewed her career and her goals. The two-time Olympic medallist explained that Kohli encouraged her to stop focusing solely on winning titles and instead rediscover the joy of playing badminton. ...

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) resumed its protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Tuesday, a day after police dismantled protest infrastructure following clashes during the "Sansad Chalo" march. Protesters began gathering at the site early in the morning after the organization announced that the agitation would continue despite Monday's crackdown. Security has been significantly strengthened around Jantar Mantar, with Delhi Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel deployed to maintain law and order as demonstrators returned to the venue. The renewed protest follows a day of unrest in the capital, where thousands of students and supporters marched toward Parliament, leading to confrontations with police. Authorities resorted to lathi charges and tear gas after the crowd reportedly moved close to Parliament premises. According to officials, over 100 police personnel and more than 60 protesters sustained injuries during the violence. Protesters gather at Jantar Mant...

Afroz Fatta on startup profitability and sustainable growth in India. Entrepreneur Afroz Fatta highlights why Indian startups should balance growth with profitability, strong governance, and financial discipline. As investor expectations evolve, sustainable business models are becoming essential for long-term success and resilience. Read More : https://www.mid-day.com/buzz/article/indian-startups-must-focus-on-profitability-alongside-growth-says-entrepreneur-afroz-fatta-10186#google_vignette 

The recently released film Satluj , starring Diljit Dosanjh, has been taken down from the ZEE5 streaming platform just days after its premiere, with sources indicating that certain portions of the movie raised concerns about potential misuse by anti-India elements. The film, originally titled Punjab 95 , debuted on ZEE5 on July 3 after facing years of delays and controversies surrounding its release. However, following a review, the platform withdrew the movie from its catalogue in India. According to sources, the film had previously sought clearance for a theatrical release but was unable to obtain approval in its existing form. Concerns were reportedly raised over specific scenes and content that authorities believed could be sensitive or open to misinterpretation. While OTT platforms are not required to obtain certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), digital content is governed by self-regulatory mechanisms and government guidelines for sensitive material. ...

 The Indian government strongly criticised Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif after he questioned the honour recently awarded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Seychelles. Government sources dismissed Asif's remarks and accused him of making uninformed statements regarding matters beyond his understanding. According to sources, the comments made by the Pakistani minister reflected a lack of awareness about the significance of the award and the circumstances under which it was conferred. They also alleged that Asif frequently makes controversial remarks on international issues. The reaction came after Asif raised questions about the "Guardian of the Blue Horizon" Presidential Distinction awarded to Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Seychelles last month. Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif raised questions over the "Guardian of the Blue Horizon" honour awarded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Seychelles. The honour, introduced under Seychelles...

Traffic on the Pune-to-Mumbai lane of the recently inaugurated Missing Link section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was diverted on Monday after heavy monsoon rains triggered a landslide near Tunnel 2, authorities said. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) implemented the diversion from 4 a.m. as a safety precaution. Officials stated that continuous rainfall had weakened the surrounding terrain, leading to debris movement near the tunnel exit. The agency is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the Highway Traffic Police. The incident has disrupted traffic movement along the Khandala Ghat stretch, where waterlogging and the landslide have caused significant delays. Vehicles travelling toward Mumbai have been redirected through Lonavala, resulting in severe congestion on alternate routes. Officials are closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the Highway Traffic Police. Several commuters reported being stranded for hours after the diversi...

The political unrest in Bangladesh has severely impacted Kolkata's traders, with over 500 businessmen facing significant losses due to the decline in Bangladeshi customers. The collapse of the Bangladeshi government has halted the influx of Bangladeshi visitors to Kolkata, affecting various businesses dependent on their patronage. Kolkata Traders Suffer Due to Bangladesh Unrest Their business had been declining for the past 15 days, but since Monday, after Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left the country and the government collapsed, Kolkata businessmen have been experiencing huge losses. Many people who come to Kolkata from Bangladesh live in Marquise Street, Kyd Street, Esplanade, and the Newmarket area. Since Bangladeshis prefer to stay in these areas whenever they visit Kolkata, traders here are completely dependent on Bangladeshi citizens for their livelihood. From foreign currency exchange centers to travel agencies, visa assistance centers, and bus, train, and fligh...

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today announced a major reduction in customs duty on cancer medicines and mobile phones, which will significantly bring down their prices in the retail market. Imported gold, silver, leather goods and seafood will also get cheaper. Budget 2024 "The government will exempt 3 more cancer treatment drugs from Customs duty. I will also reduce basic customs duty on mobile phones, chargers and other mobile parts," Ms Sitharaman said while presenting Budget 2024 in the parliament. Ms Sitharaman slashes import duties on gold and silver to 6%, a move that industry officials say could boost retail demand and help in curtailing smuggling in the world's second-biggest bullion consumer. Higher demand for gold from India could support global prices, which hit a record high earlier this year, although that could increase India's trade deficit and weigh on the ailing rupee. On the other hand, the government will raise customs duty on ammonium nitrat...

Standard deduction in the new tax regime will be increased from ₹ 50,000 to ₹ 75,000, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Tuesday as she announced the 2024 Union Budget.  Finance Minister Ms Sitharaman also announced revisions to tax slabs in the new regime. As a result, the Finance Minister told Parliament, salaried employees can save as much as ₹ 17,500 in the new regime. It will also, she said, provide salaried individuals with higher tax savings and more disposable income. Existing new tax regime slabs (effective for FY 2023-24) were as follows: Income up to ₹ 3 lakh - Nil  Rs 3 lakh to ₹ 6 lakh - 5 per cent Rs 6 lakh to ₹ 9 lakh - 10 per cent Rs 9 lakh to ₹ 12 lakh - 15 per cent Rs 12 lakh to ₹ 15 lakh - 20 per cent Above ₹ 15 lakh - 30 per cent The increase in standard deduction was one of the most anticipated ahead of the budget speech. Industry experts speculated this could double to ₹ 1,00,000, but Ms Sitharaman fell slightly short. In addition, deduction on fami...

Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud today blasted a lawyer after he tried to interrupt the Supreme Court hearing in the case surrounding alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). NEET is an all-India exam for admission to medical courses.  DY Chandrachud Advocate Mathews Nedumpara, appearing for one of the petitioners, was interrupting when Narender Hooda, also representing a petitioner, was addressing the bench. Responding to a question from the bench, Mr Nedumpara said he is the seniormost of all lawyers before the court. "I can answer. I am the amicus." The Chief Justice retorted, "I have not appointed any amicus." The advocate did not stop there. "If you don't respect me, I will leave." This drew a sharp response from the Chief Justice. "Mr Nedumpara I am warning you. You will not speak to the gallery. I am in charge of the court. Please call security, have him removed from court," he said. To this, th...

A taxi driver died as the roof of Delhi airport's terminal-1 collapsed after heavy rains on Saturday night. Ramesh Kumar was rescued from a car on which an iron beam had fallen but was declared dead when he was taken to the Medanta Hospital near the terminal. Family Struggles After Taxi Driver's Death The 45-year-old's death has left his family in shock and grief. Ramesh, a resident of Vijay Vihar in Rohini, Delhi, was the sole breadwinner of his family, which includes two sons and two daughters. His son, Ravindra, expressed concern about how the family will manage without their father's support. "We received a call at 8.30am in the morning. They told us that our father fainted at the airport and has been taken to the hospital. But they did not tell us that such a tragedy has occured," Ravindra says. "When we went to the airport and asked the cops what was happening, they took us to a police station and kept us there till 4pm. Then they took us to the hos...

Five soldiers of the Indian Army were killed after their tank met with an accident during a river-crossing exercise near the Line of Actual Control in Leh's Daulat Beg Oldi area in the early hours of Saturday, officials said. The soldiers were on a training mission in Ladakh A Junior Commissioned Officer, or JCO, is among the five killed in the accident that happened. The soldiers were on a routine exercise around 3 am today. While crossing the Bodhi River near Mandir Morh, 148 kilometres from Leh, on their T-72 tank, the water levels suddenly began to rise, official sources said. Soon the tank and the soldiers were submerged in the swelling river, they added. A rescue operation was immediately launched and all five bodies were retrieved. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the nation in mourning the deaths. "Deeply saddened at the loss of lives of five of our brave Indian Army soldiers in an unfortunate accident while getting the tank across a river in Ladakh. We will never fo...

Projected to last only days, the first crewed test flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft with two astronauts onboard faces uncertainty with no exact return to Earth announced. Boeing Starliner with Sunita Williams NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager, Steve Stich has said that the US space agency is considering extending the duration of Starliner's mission from 45 days to 90 days, CNN reported. Officials have repeatedly hinted that the Starliner, which faced issues with helium leaks and thruster outages heading to the International Space Station in early June, will be safe to bring astronauts including indian-origin Sunita 'Suni' Williams and Butch Wilmore home. On Friday, Stich said that NASA is considering extending the maximum length of Starliner's mission from 45 days to 90 days and there is no firm return date on the horizon, according to CNN report. Addressing a briefing on Friday, the NASA official said, "We're just looking at the timeline to...

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi fielded three key questions to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during the all-party meeting on the situation in Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina's ouster as Prime Minister amid violent protests. Tinder Date Gone Wrong Mr Gandhi asked what is the government's short-term and long-term strategy in dealing with diplomatic ramifications of the power shift in Dhaka, sources have said. The minister replied that it is a developing situation and the Centre is analysing it closely so that it can fine-tune its next move. The Congress leader also asked if there could be an involvement of foreign powers, specifically Pakistan, in the dramatic developments in Dhaka over the past few weeks that culminated in Hasina's ouster, the sources said. The Centre replied that it is investigating this angle. A source also pointed out that the government had said that a Pakistan diplomat had been constantly changing his social media display picture to reflec...

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi fielded three key questions to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during the all-party meeting on the situation in Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina's ouster as Prime Minister amid violent protests. meeting on Bangladesh today Mr Gandhi asked what is the government's short-term and long-term strategy in dealing with diplomatic ramifications of the power shift in Dhaka, sources have said. The minister replied that it is a developing situation and the Centre is analysing it closely so that it can fine-tune its next move. The Congress leader also asked if there could be an involvement of foreign powers, specifically Pakistan, in the dramatic developments in Dhaka over the past few weeks that culminated in Hasina's ouster, the sources said. The Centre replied that it is investigating this angle. A source also pointed out that the government had said that a Pakistan diplomat had been constantly changing his social media display picture to r...

British immigration rules do not allow individuals to travel to that country to seek asylum or temporary refuge, the UK Home Office told NDTV Tuesday morning, amid persistent speculation ousted Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina, now in Delhi, will fly to London to claim sanctuary. Sheikh Hasina quit as Prime Minister The UK government - now headed by Sir Keir Starmer following Labour's landslide win last month - also said individuals seeking asylum must do so "in the first safe country they reach". "The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it. However, there is no provision for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge." Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach - that is the fastest route to safety," a UK Home Office spokesperson told NDTV. Nevertheless, sources indicate a formal asylum request is being processed. Mrs Hasina, 76, was forced ...