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Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
How consumer sentiment in rural, urban India differs
The Reserve Bank of India published data for its rural consumer confidence survey (R-CCS) for the first time in April 2025. R-CCS data has been published from September 2023 onwards in sync with the period for which we have the Consumer Confidence Survey (CCS) data. CCS is based on surveys in 19 major Indian cities. A comparison of R-CCS and CCS data shows that consumer sentiment is more bullish in rural areas than urban areas. What explains this difference ? A detailed examination of the data produces more questions than answers. The below charts explain this argument in detail.
Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Alia Bhatt reveals she will return to Cannes Film Festival next year, fans want her to take Ranbir Kapoor along
Actor Alia Bhatt has settled back into her routine after a dazzling debut at the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival, but she's not done with the red carpet just yet. The actor has confirmed that she is all set to walk the Cannes red carpet again next year. Also read: Alia Bhatt sings praises for Cannes veteran Aishwarya Rai: 'Have grown up watching her in all the glory' Alia took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a batch of behind-the-scenes photos from her experience at the Cannes Film Festival. The glamorous gallery featured snaps of her getting ready, strutting down hallway corridors, and arriving at the iconic red carpet. The first photograph showed her team preparing her for her red-carpet debut in a Schiaparelli ensemble. Other videos featured her getting ready in a powder yellow Gucci skirt and bralette, with her makeup artist perfecting her red lip look. A photograph showcased her striking pose in a Gucci saree interpretation, which generated buzz on social media. The post also captured her enjoying live music and posing in an Armani ensemble. A post shared by Alia Bhatt 💛 (@aliaabhatt) The series concluded with a heartwarming group photo with her team, including stylist Rhea Kapoor. Sharing the images, Alia wrote, 'Alia wrote, "Cannes-dids... Okay bye, see you next year', confirming that she will attend the film festival next year too. As soon as Alia's post went live, her fans flooded the comments section with love and admiration. Among them, Alia's mother, actor Soni Razdan commented, 'Best pics n best team'. Many fans couldn't help but ask Alia to bring her husband, Ranbir Kapoor, along with her to the Cannes Film Festival next year, flooding her comments section with requests for a joint appearance. 'Agli baar Ranbir ko bhi saath leke jaana (Next time take Ranbir along with you),' wrote one fan, with another chiming in, 'See you next year with Ranbir'. Alia's debut at the Cannes Film Festival was through her association with beauty brand L'Oréal Paris. She turned heads at the film festival with her dazzling array of outfits. For the closing ceremony, she wore a gown by Gucci, which was inspired by the Indian saree. Made from sheer fabric, it featured a reticulate pattern with silver sequins and Swarovski crystals throughout. The blouse was a minimal bralette style, complementing the heavily embellished saree.
Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Are civil defence mock drills being held in border states today? Officials share updates
Operation Shield, a civil defence mock drill scheduled for Thursday across several border states and Union Territories, has been postponed due to administrative reasons. The drill, aimed at strengthening emergency preparedness amid ongoing tensions with Pakistan, was to simulate responses to hostile attacks including drone strikes and air raids. States including Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab, as well as the Union Territory of Chandigarh, officially announced the postponement of the exercise late Wednesday evening. According to officials, the decision was taken due to "administrative reasons," though no further details were immediately provided. An official statement from the Haryana Home Department confirmed the postponement, stating, 'According to the instructions of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Haryana Home Department announced the postponement of the comprehensive civil defence exercise, Operation Shield, which was scheduled to be conducted on Thursday.' All deputy commissioners and relevant stakeholders were notified accordingly. Chandigarh's administration echoed the announcement, clarifying that there would be 'no blackout or mock drill' on Thursday, attributing the decision to instructions from the Government of India. Operation Shield was initially planned to be conducted across all 22 districts of Haryana between 5 pm and 9 pm, involving full-scale simulation of wartime scenarios such as air raids and drone attacks. The exercise was designed to test evacuation protocols, activate air raid sirens, and mobilize medical and emergency response teams. Rajasthan, which had also planned a comprehensive mock drill in all its 41 districts, issued a similar order for postponement. According to a statement from the state's Home Department, a new date for the drill will be announced soon. Preparations for drills, including siren activation and special arrangements in border districts like Jaisalmer and Barmer, had already begun when the directive from the Centre arrived. Punjab took a different approach, proactively requesting a rescheduling of the exercise due to its civil defence staff currently undergoing training with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). The Centre accepted Punjab's proposal to conduct the drill on June 3, and deputy commissioners have been informed of the revised date. This is the second time such mock drills are being held this year. The first were held in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, a military campaign launched on May 7 by Indian forces targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The campaign was a direct response to the deadly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed. In the days following Operation Sindoor, retaliatory shelling and drone incursions by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control and international border heightened national security concerns. This prompted the Ministry of Home Affairs to instruct vulnerable states and UTs along the western border to bolster their civil defence readiness. New dates for Operation Shield in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Chandigarh are expected to be announced shortly. Meanwhile, Punjab will proceed with its drill on June 3.
Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Defamation case: Complainant concealed family ties with Godse, Rahul Gandhi tells Pune court
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has filed an application before the special MP/MLA Court in Pune claiming that the complainant in the Vinayak Savarkar defamation case, Satyaki Savarkar, deliberately concealed material facts regarding his maternal lineage — specifically, that he was the grandson of Gopal Vinayak Godse, younger brother of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse. Gandhi's defence counsel, advocate Milind Pawar, filed an application requesting the court to verify the maternal ancestry of Satyaki. Pawar told the court that while Satyaki had documented his paternal connection to VD Savarkar, he had not disclosed his maternal lineage. According to the defence, Satyaki's mother, the late Himani Ashok Savarkar, belonged to the Godse family. Her father was Gopal Vinayak Godse, brother of Nathuram Godse. 'This would mean Nathuram Godse is the complainant's maternal granduncle,' Pawar told the court. If Satyaki Savarkar does not voluntarily submit details on his maternal lineage, Pawar has requested that Vishrambaug police station be directed to investigate and provide a report verifying Himani Savarkar's family background. Vinayak Savarkar was known for his 'anti-Muslim' writings ever since he was in jail, Gandhi said in the application. Referring to various historians, the application states, 'Savarkar promoted anti-Muslim form of Hindu nationalism and saw Muslims in the Indian police and military to be 'potential traitors'.' The demand from Gandhi's counsel came during the hearing on the defamation plea filed by Satyaki, who claims that the Congress leader falsely attributed a violent anecdote to VD Savarkar. The complaint stems from Gandhi's London address, where he reportedly said that VD Savarkar wrote about an incident in which he and a group of friends assaulted a Muslim man and felt elated afterwards. Satyaki urged the court to direct Gandhi to submit a copy of the book which he cited during the controversial speech, asserting that no such passage exists in Savarkar's writings. Satyaki's legal counsel, advocate Sangram Kolhatkar, noted that despite the case being scheduled for plea recording since January 10, 2025, the accused was yet to comply, which was causing delays. 'We are now requesting the court to instruct the accused to submit the exact text or book he referred to during his remarks. This is vital for ensuring a just legal process,' advocate Kolhatkar said.
Hans India
30 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Hans India
Realme launches GT 7 series in India
Hyderabad: realme, a smartphone brand unveiled realme GT 7 Series in India and Paris. The GT 7 Dream Edition was co-created with the Aston Martin Formula One Team, making its official debut as the first co-branded smartphone. Anuj Sidharth, Director, MediaTek, said: 'Our collaboration with realme on the GT 7 reflects a shared commitment to bringing flagship innovation closer to Indian consumers. As the first smartphone in India to feature the MediaTek Dimensity 9400e, this launch is a true milestone in our India-first approach.'
