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The telecom industry is lobbying the finance ministry for significant reductions in licence fees and a temporary suspension of compulsory contributions to the Digital Bharat Nidhi in the forthcoming Union Budget. They assert that the existing regulatory fees are hindering their ability to invest in next-generation networks. According to industry recommendations submitted in advance of the Budget, there is a request to reduce the licence fee from the current rate of 3% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to a range between 0.5% and 1%. Additionally, it is proposed that the 5% AGR contribution to the Digital Bharat Nidhi be temporarily…

Samsung, India's largest consumer electronics brand, on the occasion of National Youth Day, has announced the certification of 1,750 students in Uttar Pradesh under its flagship Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) programme, marking a significant milestone in the company’s youth-skilling efforts in the state. The certification ceremony was held at the City Group of Institutions in Lucknow, in the presence of Smt. Rajni Tiwari, Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education, Government of Uttar Pradesh, along with academic leaders and programme partners. With this cohort, the total number of students trained under Samsung Innovation Campus in Uttar Pradesh has reached 3,900, making it one…

Dr. Vijaykumar C Bada, Sr. Consultant Surgical Gastroenterology, HPB, Bariatric & Robotic Sciences. Clinical Director, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad, shares insights on Millions of people worldwide suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. IBD causes chronic inflammation, tiredness, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Dysbiosis, a microbial imbalance in the gut microbiome where dangerous bacteria outnumber helpful ones, is the fundamental cause of immunological overreactions and damage to the gut barrier. The gut is home to trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that control immunity, preserve digestive health, and even affect mood through the gut-brain axis. Short-chain…

ASCI Academy, the training arm of the Advertising Standards Council of India, has launched a new e-learning course aimed at promoting ethical user interface and user experience (UI/UX) practices in the digital space. Titled Ethical UI/UX Designs: Building Consumer Trust, the course has been developed in collaboration with Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL). The course has been introduced at a time when regulatory scrutiny of so-called dark patterns ; deceptive digital design practices is increasing both in India and globally. These practices, which can include hidden charges, forced actions and misleading prompts, have drawn attention from authorities as well as consumer…

Shares of Swiggy Ltd. and Eternal Ltd., which manage Instamart and Zomato and Blinkit respectively, experienced a recovery from their lowest points of the day after government intervention encouraged them to suspend their 10-minute delivery service for the benefit of gig workers. On Tuesday, Swiggy's stock price initially dropped by 1.08% but ended the day with a slight gain of 0.43%. In contrast, Eternal's shares rose significantly by 3.24%. The broader market saw the S&P BSE Sensex decrease by 0.30% during the same period. Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with representatives from quick-commerce firms to address concerns regarding…