Luxury sector: Galeries Lafayette targets booming Indian market – why experts warn sales may stay subdued

French department store Galeries Lafayette has officially entered India with a large five-floor store opened in Mumbai, hoping to tap into the country’s massive consumer base—but the road ahead is far from simple.Backed locally by the fashion division of the Aditya Birla Group, the retailer’s debut marks another attempt by global luxury brands to establish…

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Ethics scandal: Ex-Fed governor Adriana Kugler broke trading rules; disclosures show repeated policy violations

File photo: Ex-Fed governor Adriana Kugler (Picture credit: AP) Former Federal Reserve governor Adriana Kugler, who resigned abruptly in August, repeatedly broke the central bank’s strict trading rules before stepping down, according to new disclosures released by US ethics authorities.A report by the US Office of Government Ethics, reviewed after the Federal Reserve referred the…

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Aviation outlook: Airbus says Asia Pacific to need 19,560 new planes; India-China to drive half of global demand

The Asia Pacific region will require 19,560 new aircraft over the next two decades as rising passenger traffic, rapid fleet expansion and strong growth in markets such as India and China reshape global aviation demand, Airbus said on Saturday, PTI reported.Presenting its long-term market forecast at the Association of Asia-Pacific Airlines (AAPA) Annual Assembly in…

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India second largest importer of Russian crude oil in October; China ranks first – when will impact of Trump’s sanctions be seen?

India has stood its ground, continuing buying crude from Russia, despite repeated objections from US President Donald TrumpIn October, crude oil worth $2.5 billion flowed into the country from Moscow, making it the world’s second-largest buyer. India was second only to China, which purchased $3.7 billion, according to the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy…

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Energy standoff: US tells Serbia to remove Russian ownership from NIS entirely; Belgrade warns of ‘historic’ decisions ahead

The United States has told Serbia it will not lift sanctions on the country’s largest oil company, NIS, unless Belgrade ensures a complete withdrawal of Russian ownership, Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Saturday, calling the weeks ahead “some of the most difficult decisions in our history”.NIS — the Petroleum Industry of Serbia…

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Railways revises catering policy, popular food chains could soon open at railway stations

Rajahmundry Railway station (File photo) New Delhi: Passengers may soon find popular food chains such as KFC, McDonald’s, Baskin Robbins, Pizza Hut, Haldiram’s and Bikanerwala at railway stations. The railway board has revised its catering policy to allow premium brand catering outlets to operate at stations across the country.The proposal to issue guidelines for premium…

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AI on the streets: US cities turn to AI for safer streets; new tools track hazards in real time

America’s ageing and under-maintained roads are pushing cities and states to adopt artificial intelligence tools that can spot hazards, flag repairs and prioritise fixes in real time — a shift gaining pace amid rising traffic deaths and stretched public works budgets.From Hawaii and Texas to San Jose, local governments are deploying AI-powered dashcams, vehicle-mounted cameras…

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India trade boost: US exempts select farm goods from reciprocal tariffs; GTRI sees marginal gains

India could secure a marginal competitive advantage in a select group of agricultural products after the United States removed several items from its reciprocal tariff list, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has said in a new analysis.A White House Executive Order issued on November 12 exempted coffee, tea, tropical fruits, fruit juices, cocoa, spices,…

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