Latest news with #Karnataka
Khaleej Times
13 minutes ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Some residents affected as Air India cancels two India-bound flights
Arjun Raj, a Dubai-based real estate executive, had been preparing for his wedding in Chennai, in the southern Indian state of Tami Nadu, this July. With the dates fixed and his sister's family ready to accompany him, all that was left was the final go-ahead for his annual leave. He hadn't yet booked the flight tickets, but Air India's AI906 was his preferred option. The timing was perfect for the family. 'I was just waiting for my leave approval,' said Arjun. 'Thank God we didn't book. It's not just any leave, it's my wedding. And now, this cancellation... I didn't expect it at all.' The flight was AI906 from Dubai to Chennai and was among the services cancelled by Air India as the airline grapples with widespread operational challenges and enhanced safety inspections. The airline has pulled back 15 percent of its international widebody operations, citing the need to stabilise services and reduce disruptions. Arjun Raj needed five tickets in total. 'Airfares are already skyrocketing, and with these cancellations, the seat availability has dipped further. If I had booked earlier, I would be scrambling now. But finding seats for five people on another airline, and at this short notice, is not going to be easy,' he said. Arjun had a narrow escape, but another resident of Dubai, Imran Shaikh, was not so lucky. Imran, a 32-year-old engineer from Gulbarga, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, and living in Dubai, had booked an Air India ticket to Hyderabad weeks ago. He was set to fly on AI2204 in mid-July, paying Dh680 for a seat. Now, with the same flight cancelled and fares rising rapidly, he finds himself in an unexpected bind. 'I just checked today, the ticket prices to Hyderabad for that same date are now over Dh980,' he said. 'And they are only going up. The longer I wait, the harder it will be to find a reasonable deal.' However, he has not received a confirmation email or a message of cancellation yet. 'I haven't received any message or notification from the airline yet,' Imran said. 'I am currently monitoring the situation and not canceling from my side.'
Khaleej Times
8 hours ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Dr Thumbay Moideen honoured with 5th honourary doctorate
In a moment of immense pride and global recognition, Dr Thumbay Moideen, founder and president of Thumbay Group, has been conferred his fifth honourary doctorate, this time by the prestigious University of Lublin, Poland. This accolade reaffirms his unmatched contributions to global healthcare, medical education, and research for the community development. The honourary doctorate was awarded in recognition of Dr Moideen's extraordinary leadership in establishing the first private academic health sytem and the region's largest private medical university and for transforming Thumbay Group into a global model of purpose-driven entrepreneurship in healthcare, education and research. Under his visionary leadership, Thumbay Group has impacted millions across more than 175 nationalities, offering compassionate care, research excellence, and world-class medical training. The University of Lublin acknowledged Dr Moideen's pioneering efforts in integrating innovation with empathy, notably through the Thumbay International Research Grant (TIRG) — an initiative investing Dh3 million annually in areas like cancer immunology, AI in healthcare, precision medicine and many more areas of research. From a young entrepreneur in Karnataka to being celebrated as the most respected Indian Muslim and leading Beary in the world, Dr Moideen's journey is a testament to what's possible when faith meets action. Recognised as the leading NRI from Karnataka in the Gulf region, he is admired not just for his accomplishments, but for the values that drive them. Once someone who measured success through projects and milestones, he has evolved into a changemaker who defines impact by how many lives his work touches. With this latest recognition, Dr Moideen joins an elite group of globally honoured visionaries who have reshaped industries while staying rooted in service, humility, and impact. This doctorate reflects not only his entrepreneurial brilliance but also his enduring belief that health and education are fundamental rights, not privileges. Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Moideen said: "If our work has empowered others to dream, to heal, to grow, then I consider it a success. It's no longer about how far I've gone, but how many I've taken along. I want Thumbay Group to be remembered as a force that empowered the underprivileged, raised the standards of education, healthcare and research." The vision of Thumbay Group is to deliver Excellence by building a seamless ecosystem of education, healthcare, and innovation. From its flagship Gulf Medical University to hospitals, labs, rehabilitation centers, and AI-driven research programs, the Group continues its mission of shaping the future of healthcare — the Group plans to Double its Healthcare capacity and expand its all business to grow 5 fold and have a global presence.
Times of Oman
10 hours ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
India's $81.04 billion FDI inflow signals its emergence as a global manufacturing powerhouse
New Delhi: FDI flows into India increased 14 per cent to USD 81.04 billion in the recently concluded financial year 2024-25, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement Tuesday. Over the past decade, FDI inflows have seen a steady rise--from USD 36.05 billion in 2013-14 to USD 81.04 billion (provisional) in 2024-25. The central government has put in place an investor-friendly Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy, under which most sectors are open for 100 per cent FDI through the automatic route, the commerce ministry boasted. The FDI policy is reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that India remains an attractive and competitive investment destination, the commerce ministry statement added. Coming to 2024-25, the services sector emerged as the top recipient of FDI equity, attracting 19 per cent of total inflows, followed by computer software and hardware (16 per cent) and trading (8 per cent). FDI in the services sector rose by 40.77 per cent to USD 9.35 billion from USD 6.64 billion in the previous year. India is also becoming a hub for manufacturing FDI, which grew by 18 per cent in 2024-25, reaching USD 19.04 billion compared to USD 16.12 billion in 2023-24. Maharashtra accounted for the highest share (39 per cent) of total FDI equity inflows in 2024-25, followed by Karnataka (13 per cent) and Delhi (12 per cent). Among source countries, Singapore led with 30 per cent share, followed by Mauritius (17 per cent) and the United States (11 per cent). Over the last eleven financial years (2014-25), India attracted FDI worth USD 748.78 billion, reflecting a 143 per cent increase over the previous eleven years (2003-14), which saw USD 308.38 billion in inflows. This constitutes nearly 70 per cent of the total USD 1,072.36 billion in FDI received over the past 25 years. Additionally, the number of source countries for FDI increased from 89 in 2013-14 to 112 in 2024-25, said the commerce ministry. "In the regulatory domain, the Government has undertaken transformative reforms across multiple sectors to liberalize FDI norms. Between 2014 and 2019, significant reforms included increased FDI caps in Defence, Insurance, and Pension sectors, and liberalised policies for Construction, Civil Aviation, and Single Brand Retail Trading," the statement noted. From 2019 to 2024, notable measures included allowing 100 per cent FDI under the automatic route in coal mining, contract manufacturing, and insurance intermediaries. In 2025, the Union Budget proposed increasing the FDI limit from 74 per cent to 100 per cent for companies investing their entire premium within India.
India.com
11 hours ago
- Sport
- India.com
Karun Nair ditched this team after getting place in the national team for India vs England Test match, the team is ....
Every Indian cricket fan's eyes are now fixed on the Test series between India and England. With the series starting with the first Test match at Headingley in Leeds, fans are also focused on Karun Nair, who is making a return to the team after a long wait of 8 years. But a day before the match, shocking reports came out, claiming that Karun had suddenly decided to leave the team. Before you think Karun left Team India that's not the case. Karun has decided to leave his team Vidarbha in domestic cricket. A report by CrickBuzz has revealed that Vidarbha cricket team's star batsman Karun Nair has decided to part ways with the team before the start of the next domestic season. 33-year-old right-handed batsman Karun joined the team two years ago. He was part of Vidarbha in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons and during the last season, he played a key role in the team winning the Ranji Trophy by scoring runs. Nair is believed to be joining his home team Karnataka once again. He was dropped from the Karnataka squad two years ago due to poor form. Only after this did he hold the foot of Vidarbha. He had a great last Ranji season in this team, where he scored 863 runs including 4 centuries. In the final, Karun also played a crucial role in making the team champions. He also made history by scoring five consecutive centuries in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. However, the team missed out on the title by losing in the final. Not only Karun is leaving the Vidarbha Cricket Association, but the team has suffered a double blow. Jitesh Sharma, who captained the team in two important white ball tournaments like Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, is also going to join the new team from next season. The report claims that Jitesh Sharma, who played a key role in helping Royal Challengers Bangalore win the IPL 2025 title, will now join the Baroda cricket team in the new season. Coincidentally, the captain of Baroda is Krunal Pandya, who is Jitesh's teammate in RCB. Image credit: ESPNcriclife Indian cricketer Karun Nair became first batsmen who played his maiden century 303 and is not out. India declared the inning by scoring 759/7.
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
'Thug Life' release: Karnataka government assures protection for screening
The Karnataka government has filed its response before the Supreme Court concerning the ongoing controversy over the release of Kamal Haasan's film Thug Life in the southern state. In its affidavit, the state government clarified that it has not imposed any restrictions on the film's release and has assured to provide necessary protection if the producers decide to screen the movie in Karnataka. The government also said it would ensure the safety of those involved in the film's release, provided the producers choose to go ahead with the screening. However, the government noted that the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC), the apex body of the Kannada film industry, had written to actor Kamal Haasan, the film's producer, requesting an apology for his controversial remarks about the Kannada language. In the letter, the KFCC had expressed concerns over Haasan's comments that the Kannada language "originated" from Tamil, which led to protests by various groups. On June 18, Praveen Shetty, president of the pro-Kannada organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, clarified that his group was not opposed to the release of Thug Life. However, he reiterated that Kamal Haasan should have apologised for his remarks. Shetty emphasised that the controversy arose from Haasan's statement. Despite the protests, Shetty also stated that curbing activism through the deployment of police was against the Constitution and the rule of law. Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, urged pro-Kannada organisations to abide by the Supreme Court's order regarding the release of the film. The court had directed the state government to ensure the screening of Thug Life, despite the ongoing protests.
