New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has achieved 78.41 crore applications being insured and Rs 1.83 lakh crore claims being paid since its launch in 2016, according to the latest government data.Farmer enrollment rose by 32 per cent from 3.17 crore (2022–23) to 4.19 crore (2024–25) — the highest since launch.Non-loanee farmer applications grew from 20 lakh (2014–15) to 522 lakh (2024–25), reflecting wider adoption, according to the data.Launched on Febr…

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk on Tuesday threatened legal action against tech giant Apple, alleging that the company is unjustly favouring the OpenAI application in its App Store.Musk’s own AI startup, xAI, was not able to claim the number one spot on the App Store due to this favouritism, he alleged.Musk wrote on X, “Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust…

Washington, Aug 12 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has said his administration will not impose tariffs on gold imports, an announcement following days of speculation that gold bars might be subject to country-specific duties.Trump issued a terse statement in a social media post, after speculation arose over the possibility of gold tariffs after a recent ruling by U.S. Customs and Border Protection that 1-kilogram and 100-ounce gold bullion bars from Switzerland would face duties.”Gold will not …

Seoul, Aug 12 (IANS) The average age of chief executive officers (CEOs) at South Korea’s major companies has dropped below 60 for the first time, industry data showed Tuesday, amid a generational shift in the business circle.According to the data from corporate tracker Leaders Index, the average age of the top officials at the nation’s 500 largest companies by sales came to 59.8 this year, down from 61.1 in 2023 and 60.3 in 2024, reports Yonhap news agency.The decline comes as several companies …

Mumbai, Aug 12 (IANS) The Indian benchmark indices opened flat on Tuesday amid mixed global cues after the US and China extended their trade truce overnight for another 90 days.The BSE Sensex advanced 0.10 per cent or 80 points to 80,684 points. The Nifty 50 inched up to 24,612 advancing 0.11 per cent.Broader market indices also saw buying activity, with the BSE SmallCap adding 0.39 per cent and the BSE MidCap climbing 0.06 per cent.On the sectoral front, Nifty IT gained 0.79 per cent and Nifty …

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) Value addition and identifying state-specific species hold key to boosting India’s seafood exports, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh has said.Singh underscored the importance of value addition in Indian seafood to enhance its export potential.Speaking at the ‘Seafood Exporters Meet 2025,’ he highlighted the ongoing government initiatives being taken in the fisheries sector, including the development of a single-window system for better market linkages for all stak…

New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) Aadhaar-based face authentication has set new benchmark, doubling from 100 crore to 200 crore transactions in just 6 months, the government said on Monday.Aadhaar Face Authentication lets Aadhaar holders verify their identity instantly, securely, and contactless anytime, anywhere, no documents needed.On August 10, 2025, UIDAI celebrated a landmark 200 crore transactions of Face Authentication, showcasing India’s rapid move towards seamless, secure, and paperless authen…

New Delhi, Aug 11 (IANS) The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Income Tax Bill, 2025, marking a significant step towards replacing India’s six-decade-old direct tax framework with the government seeking to balance investor confidence, taxpayer relief, and administrative efficiency with the new law. The legislation, once enacted, will formally replace the 63-year-old tax code with a modernised legal framework designed to align with evolving economic realities.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ta…

Mumbai, Aug 11 (IANS) Brigade Hotel Ventures’ net profit for the first quarter of the current financial year (Q1 FY26) stood at Rs 7.16 crore, declining 45 per cent sequentially, according to an exchange filing on Monday. The affiliated hotel chain firm had posted a net profit of Rs 13.11 crore in the preceding quarter (Q4 FY25). However, the company returned to profit year-on-year (YoY) as it had reported a loss of Rs 5.78 crore in the same quarter a year ago (Q1 FY25).Meanwhile, Brigade Hotel …

Mumbai, Aug 11 (IANS) The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Monday said that it has strengthened the eligibility norms for SME companies seeking migration to the mainboard by enhancing the requirement of operating profitability to Rs 15 crore for last 3 financial years, with a minimum operating profit of Rs 10 crore in each of these financial years. According to the exchange, the same criteria will be applicable for companies listed on other recognised stock exchanges seeking direct listing on Indi…