Independent News & People Network Desk of News

Government mulls LIC stake sale via FPO in next financial year

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-02-02T13:52:07+00:00

Currently holding 96.5% of LIC, the government needs to sell an additional 6.5% to meet the 10% public shareholding mandate by May 2027, after offloading 3.5% via the 2022 IPO

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Countries Have Long Tested Their Own Athletes for Doping. That Could Soon Change.

Source: New York Times - World · Published: 2026-02-02T13:47:36+00:00

After Chinese swimmers won Olympic gold in 2021 despite having tested positive for a banned substance, the World Antidoping Agency is considering whether to have an independent body handle testing before major events.

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'Pay and smile' - Rome visitors face Trevi Fountain charge

Source: BBC News - World · Published: 2026-02-02T13:43:07+00:00

Italy's capital city has introduced a €2 fee to access the viewing area of its iconic fountain, which had previously been free to visit.

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UPL Q3 net down 43% to ₹490 cr

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-02-02T13:41:48+00:00

Shares of UPL gained by 5.1 per cent on the BSE to close at ₹699.40 on Monday

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Emirates marks 20 years of operations from Thiruvananthapuram

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-02-02T13:41:12+00:00

Emirates SkyCargo has played a key role in supporting Kerala’s export-led economy by connecting local producers and businesses to global markets

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UK investor Michael Flacks ‘very interested in British Steel takeover’

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-02-02T13:34:21+00:00

Businessman, who says he is a ‘big, bullish believer’, would combine Scunthorpe steelworks with Italian plantBusiness news – latest updatesBritish investor Michael Flacks is reportedly “very” interested in buying British Steel and combining it with another plant in Italy, in a deal that would create one of Europe’s largest metals groups.The businessman’s Miami-based investment group, Flacks Group, specialises in buying distressed companies and is working with bankers to prepare a bid for government-controlled Scunthorpe steelworks, the Financial Times reported. Continue reading...

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FICCI reiterates call for aerospace manufacturing PLI

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-02-02T13:32:01+00:00

On Sunday the Union Finance Minister announced custom duty waivers on parts and components used in manufacture of civil, training and other aircraft

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Mandelson ‘leaked government tax policy plans to Epstein’ - UK politics live

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-02-02T13:31:56+00:00

Report from the FT says confidential document outlining plans in the wake of the financial crash were released as part of Epstein filesPeter Mandelson “leaked a sensitive UK government document to Jeffrey Epstein while he was business secretary that proposed £20bn of asset sales and revealed Labour’s tax policy plans”, the Financial Times is reporting.In his story, Jim Pickard says:The memo, dubbed “Business Issues”, was written on June 13 2009 by Nick Butler, who at the time was special adviser to the then prime minister Gordon Brown.The confidential document, which was released by the US Dep

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Market stability and much-desired value reset for agriculture

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-02-02T13:31:12+00:00

The allocation of ₹1.63 lakh crore to agriculture—up 7 per cent over last year’s revised estimates—reinforces the government’s commitment to farm income resilience

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Todd Blanche says review of Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking case ‘is over’ | First Thing

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-02-02T13:20:21+00:00

Deputy US attorney general says the government cannot ‘just create evidence’ but victims’ attorney accuses government of hiding perpetrators while exposing survivors. Plus, the Mormon women who fought a Republican-led redistricting initiative in Utah – and wonGood morning.The deputy US attorney general, Todd Blanche, told ABC News yesterday that prosecutors’ review of the Jeffrey Epstein-Ghislaine Maxwell sex-trafficking case “is over”, and in a separate interview to CNN said “victims want to be made whole”. “And we want that,” Blanche said. “But that doesn’t mean we can just create evidence o

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Bharat-VISTAAR, an AI tool that will integrate all digital agri infra

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-02-02T13:18:53+00:00

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech, announced that the government will launch Bharat-VISTAAR, a multilingual AI tool that integrates all agri-tech products and solutions developed by the State and Central governments. What does it mean for farmers? and what are the intricacies involved?

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Мільярдний "кешаут": Казахстан заочно заарештував американця та українку у справі платіжних схем Pin-Up

Source: UNIAN (General) · Published: 2026-02-02T13:16:59+00:00

Казахстанські правоохоронці заочно арештували фігурантів справи про масштабний фінансовий потік, пов’язаний із Pin-Up.

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Son of Norway’s crown princess arrested on new charges before start of rape trial

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-02-02T13:16:21+00:00

Marius Borg Høiby arrested on suspicion of assault, making threats with knife and violating restraining order, police sayThe son of Norway’s crown princess, Marius Borg Høiby, has been arrested on new charges just days before the start of his rape trial.The Oslo police district said Høiby had been arrested on Sunday evening on suspicion of assault, making threats with a knife and violating a restraining order. Continue reading...

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Fernández wins Costa Rican presidency, steering Latin America further right

Source: The Guardian - World · Published: 2026-02-02T13:08:59+00:00

Rightwing populist elected by a landslide, after promising to crack down on rising violence linked to cocaine tradeRightwing populist Laura Fernández has won Costa Rica’s presidential election by a landslide, after promising to crack down on rising violence linked to the cocaine trade.Fernández’s nearest rival, centre-right economist Álvaro Ramos, conceded defeat as results showed the ruling party far exceeding the threshold of 40% needed to avoid a runoff. Continue reading...

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India manufacturing PMI rises to 55.4 in January, signals sector rebound

Source: The Hindu Business Line – Markets · Published: 2026-02-02T12:55:18+00:00

Growth was driven by higher domestic demand, new orders, and increased employment, though business confidence slipped to a three-and-a-half-year low. Input prices rose moderately, while factory-gate inflation eased to a 22-month low, creating slight margin pressure

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