A high-ranking general in the Russian armed forces and his assistant have been killed in an explosion in Moscow.
Lt Gen Igor Kirillov, head of the Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Defence Forces (NBC), was leaving a residential block early on Tuesday when a device hidden in a scooter exploded, Russia’s Investigative Committee said.
The device was detonated remotely, state news agency Tass has quoted the Russian operational services as saying.
In October, the UK placed sanctions on Kirillov, saying he had overseen the use of chemical weapons in Ukraine and acted as a “significant mouthpiece for Kremlin disinformation”.
Pictures from the scene showed the entrance to a building badly damaged, with scorch marks on the walls and a number of windows blown out. Two body bags could also be seen on the street.
On Monday, Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, charged Kirillov in absentia, saying on Telegram he was “responsible for the mass use of banned chemical weapons”.
The SBU has claimed Russia used chemical weapons more than 4,800 times under the general’s leadership.
Moscow denies the allegations.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said it had “opened a criminal case into the murder of two servicemen”.
“Investigators, forensic experts and operational services are working at the scene,” it said.
“Investigative actions and operational search activities are being carried out aimed at establishing all the circumstances of the crime.”
AP
Russian state news agencies reported the explosive device – which killed 54-year-old Kirillov and his aide in Ryazansky Avenue – had an explosive force equivalent to 300g of TNT.
They added that bomb experts and specialist search dogs had inspected the surrounding area and no other explosives had been found.
Under UK sanctions, Kirillov was subject to an assets freeze and travel ban.
State Department officials said Russia used the choking agent chloropicrin to win “battlefield gains” over Ukraine.
Ukrainian Col Artem Vlasiuk had previously said that more than 2,000 Ukrainian service members have been treated in hospital for chemical poisoning over the course of the war and three people have died.
The Kremlin rejected the accusations at the time, calling them “baseless”.
Kirillov served in different roles in Russia’s military associated with hazardous materials, including the Directorate of the Chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defence Troops.
According to the SBU, Russian forces drop chemical weapons on Ukrainian soldiers with drones.
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So much of The Golden Road, not necessarily in fact, but in sentiment, is about the feeling that many Indians grew up with: the idea that ancient India was a kind of “golden bird” and the civilizational center of the ancient world. Did this belief spark your interest in the hypothesis that eventually led to the book?
Author William Dalrymple (Debbie Mitra Singh/HT Photo)
I think the opposite is true. So much of the popular understanding of this sort of subject is often confused with talk of nuclear weapons in the Mahabharata at Kurukshetra, or rishis generating the internet by power of their meditation, or plastic surgery in the Vedas, and so on. And I was aware that there really hadn’t been anything since maybe AL Basham in 1954 (Wonder That Was India), which really tried to pull together the whole thing in a single volume. There is, I think, a terrific sense of frustration both in India and in the Indian diaspora that India has a great civilization which is incredibly ancient, which has been wounded. But it’s quite dislocated from history books. And therefore, you end up with figures like the Indian uncle from Goodness Gracious Me saying, you know, “Leonardo da Vinci? Indian. Jesus Christ? Indian.” … This is partly why a quarter of this book is footnotes and primary sources. I’ve tried to anchor it so solidly in fact is because this is a much mythologized, sometimes politically mythologized, subject, and I think it’s an important job to try and have a holistic look at the whole subject.
I also feel that there has been a huge amount of separating out this story into different silos, which are studied completely separately. The well-known story of the Indianization and Sanskritization of Southeast Asia is an example of something which is widely known, but it’s often mythologized by the nationalists and turned into a story of military conquest, which, with the exception of the Chola raids in 1016CE and 1025CE, it wasn’t. It’s an entire civilization diffusing outwards without military conquest. It’s an empire of the spirit, not an empire of the sword. In 6th-7th century Java and Cambodia, you have not just the Sanskrit language becoming the language of court and diplomacy, but you have the Shilpa Shastras telling people how to build, the Natya Shastra telling people how to dance, the writings of Aryabhatta and Brahmagupta, an understanding of zero.
“It’s what Tagore nicely said when he went to Angkor, ‘Everywhere I could see India, yet I could not recognize it.’” (Shutterstock)
The great epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, are passing and yet passing in a weird way. So, it’s a world where you get female Brahmins officiating in royal temples, and everyone eating pork. You get emperors depicting themselves as Vishnu or putting their face on a statue of Vishnu — which, as far as I know, you don’t get anywhere in India — and their wives as Durga. It’s what Tagore nicely said when he went to Angkor, “Everywhere I could see India, yet I could not recognize it.” That’s the nature of this passage — it doesn’t pass so as to create a simulacrum. At every stage, people are choosing what they want. Often, the early Hindu kings in Southeast Asia are choosing the idea of Hindu kingship because it bigs them up, it gives them more power. They’re using the Brahmins for administrative ability and numeracy and literacy just as much as the Brahmins are using them for wealth and status.
Elsewhere, the (Chinese) Empress Wu Zetian is using the Buddhists as a way of getting rid of the Confucians and the Taoists… During the period of this book, I don’t think there was a Silk Road in any meaningful sense, certainly as an East-West motorway, it didn’t exist. The whole story of Buddhist penetration along the trade routes into China, past Dunhuang to Xian, has become part of the story of the Silk Roads, often put in that gallery in a big international museum like the Met or the British Museum. The current British museum show on the Silk Roads, which I’ve written about, it’s magnificent, but it leaves out India, totally ignores India, and yet, a lot of it is about Buddhist monks passing backwards and forwards.
Then, the whole story of Indian mathematics, Brahmagupta and Aryabhatta, which every Indian knows and no one in the West has ever heard of. (I gave this lecture at Oxford and Cambridge over the last month. You asked for a show of hands, and three people, all Indians, put their hands up.) And that is told as part of the history of science or history of mathematics.
“(The excavations at Berenike, on the shores of the Red Sea in Egypt) — those excavations have been going on for about 20 years, but in the last four or five years, they’ve had an extraordinary run. They found Hindu gods, they found the famous Buddha statue, they found a lot of ostraca with camel names and so on, on it, even a pet monkey…” (Courtesy University of Delaware/https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2024/august/steve-sidebotham-egypt-berenike-buddha-archeology/photos courtesy of Steve Sidebotham and the Berenike Project)
So, these things are separated out. And it seems to me that in some senses, it is one story. India is like a rock thrown into a still pool, and these ripples diffuse out in all directions to the Red Sea, to beyond, and then the other side to Angkor wat and to Bali and Java and even the Philippines.
Many parts of the book are based on recent discoveries such as the early sections about the extent of India’s trade with the Roman Empire. In 2022, archaeologists found the head and torso of a Buddha statue at the excavations at Berenike, on the shores of the Red Sea in Egypt — the first to be found to the west of Afghanistan. There were also, you write, “what the excavators described as ‘just tons’ of Indian finds, including gems and pearls, woven mats and baskets, teak from Kerala and even the bones and skulls of elephants and monkeys — specifically rhesus and bonnet macques from India…” Has the evidence of India’s importance in the ancient world been stacking up over the decades or is much of this new?
There are some specific areas where there’s been suddenly an acceleration. For example, the Berenike you mentioned — those excavations have been going on for about 20 years, but in the last four or five years, they’ve had an extraordinary run. They found Hindu gods, they found the famous Buddha statue, they found a lot of ostraca with camel names and so on, on it, even a pet monkey, someone’s pet monkey turned up last year.
And there’s also been, at the same time, PJ Cherian’s work in Muziris (excavations in the Kerala village Pattanam, “the probable site of Berenike’s Indian counterpart”). So, you have the mirror port to the other side. And so now, as well as having Syrian Christians and Jews in Kerala, we have Buddhists and Hindus on the other end of the Red Sea.
There’s been a lot of work on the Barmakids… (The Barmakids were a powerful family under the Abbasid caliphs of Baghdad for four generations. Khalid ibn Barmak was the chief vizier of the caliph. His son Yahya ibn Barmak was the tutor of the future caliph Harun al-Rashid. And his son, the last Barmakid vizier, Ja‘afar was Harun’s best friend. Before converting to Islam and moving to Baghdad, the Barmakids had been hereditary rectors of what was once the “greatest Buddhist centre of learning in what is now Afghanistan.” The era of their influence in Baghdad “coincided with what some scholars have called ‘the Indian phase of early Islam’.”)
A lot of early scholars thought they were Zoroastrian magi, not Buddhists. Much of this chapter is derived from the brilliant detective work of Kevin van Bladel who found the missing link between the intellectual world of India and the Arabs.
Was this book sparked off by disagreements with Peter Frankopan?
I think it is possible to have historical disagreements with a close friend and not fall out about it. I loved his Silk Roads book (The Silk Roads: A New History of the World, 2015), but it does have a small India-shaped hole in it.
The Ajanta caves (Shutterstock)
Did you think that when you first read it?
I didn’t notice it at all when I first read it because I loved it and I gave it a rave review, which is out there in The Guardian…
One of the first things that happened (in 2014), when I was about a year into The Anarchy (2019) — I hadn’t started writing yet — I did this little trip down to Ajanta. And there in Cave 10 were these frescoes I didn’t know. I knew Ajanta well. I’d written about it endlessly and had visited first aged 18 in 1984. I couldn’t understand why there were these images that I’d never seen before because it’s one of the most photographed sites… It turned out that this cave had been conserved very badly by the Italians – under the Nizam – who not only cleaned it but then put shellac, which is a sticky kind of varnish, that quickly attracted batshit. The cave was just black. And so, from the very earliest period of photography of Ajanta, there are no images of what are actually, it turns out, the oldest Buddhist paintings in the world.
So I knew at the time I was writing The Anarchy that I wanted to write some sort of Early Buddhist book as I originally conceived it… Then I went off after COVID-19 to Southeast Asia, and I think it was while I was in Angkor Wat, looking at all that, that I received the WhatsApp picture of the Berenike Buddha, which turned up out of the ground, three years ago. And that’s when the whole thing came together. The idea there was something as far west of the Red Sea, but also where I was in parts of the east in Angkor.
…The biggest challenge of this book was that a lot of the archaeology is very thrilling if you’re an archaeologist, but it’s extremely dry on its own. The great challenge was to try and find enough biographical and narrative elements to bring the story alive. My first really exciting discovery was Wu Zeitian.
She’s such a wild character. How she executes the king’s first wife and his chief concubine! And when the dying chief concubine curses her — (“I pray that in my future lives I shall return as a cat, and Wu will be a mouse, and that from life to life I shall tear her throat out”) — Wu Zetian banishes all the cats in all of her palaces… Had you heard of her before?
I think I’d maybe heard of her and was aware of her, but I certainly didn’t know the gory and sexy details of that story…The other great mystery is how far we’re reading her through Confucian and male eyes. But clearly, she was a tough cookie. We know from detailed Chinese records that she went through, what, 38 chief ministers in the course of her reign and many of them committed suicide.
There’s one particular scholar who’s written brilliantly on her — Tansen Sen. His works were the ones that set me onto that trail… At no point does India have more influence in China ever again, ever before or ever again… The way that she uses Buddhism…
Inside the Ajanta caves: The oldest Buddhist paintings in the world. (Shutterstock)
The heart of the book is Buddhism, and…
I wouldn’t agree with that. I think it’s one third of the book.
But it shows up a lot elsewhere. India’s influence on the Arab world for instance — how Khalid ibn Barmak helped plan Baghdad as a circular city probably inspired by the mandala. And the spread through time and space of the idea of Buddhist monastery universities designed around a courtyard plan (“of a vaulted cloister giving on to the rooms for the students and their teachers,” which is what early madrasas may have been modelled on — from 11th century Persia, then across North Africa, to Spain and Paris, and eventually the courts of Oxford and Cambridge in the mid 13th century)…
I think there is a right-wing conspiracy theory going through Twitter that I have been subtly undermining Hinduism by glorifying Buddhism… But this is not a book about India. This is a book about the diffusion of Indian ideas. And clearly Buddhism is the Indian idea which has affected most people outside India….The whole story of Hinduism and Sanskrit in Southeast Asia is an equally remarkable story, even though it affected arguably a smaller number of people.
I have to say, I was very nervous about this book in every way, actually, not just in the cultural aspect of it. My brothers read it and thought it was niche and slightly dull. My kids thought it was less colourful and less accessible… And lots of people said, you know, this will do well in India. But don’t expect anyone to be interested in Britain. And astonishingly, it went higher in the best selling list than any book of mine since In Xanadu (1989).
Saudamini Jain is an independent journalist. She lives in New Delhi.
Prayagraj: In preparation for the upcoming Maha Kumbh, North Central Railway’s Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Shashi Kant Tripathi announced that the Indian Railways is eliminating 21 level-crossing gates in Prayagraj to ensure smoother movement of traffic.
In a major infrastructure overhaul, 21 level-crossing gates are being eliminated at a cost of approximately Rs 450 crores. “21 LC (level-crossing) gates are being prepared at an expense of around Rs 450 Crores. 15 of these gates are ready and the remaining will also be ready this December,” Tripathi said.
In a statement, Tripathi said,” During Maha Kumbh, a large number of devotees arrive in Prayagraj…Since there is heavy train movement and public transport on roads, our level-crossing gates impact both their movements.”
The plan aims to reduce traffic congestion caused by level-crossing gates, especially with the significant increase in the crowd during the Kumbh. The elimination of these gates is expected to significantly improve the flow of both road and train traffic.
“Since there crowd will swell during Kumbh, Railways had planned that all the level-crossing gates in Prayagraj would be eliminated…So that there is smooth movement of traffic, both through roads as well train,” Tripathi added.
This project is part of the Railways’ efforts to streamline infrastructure ahead of the massive gathering expected during the Maha Kumbh, a religious event that draws millions of pilgrims to Prayagraj.
The elimination of these gates will not only ease traffic congestion but also ensure greater safety and efficiency in handling the large crowds expected in the city.
On Saturday, the UP Government deployed 350 shuttle buses to ensure smooth travel for visitors and devotees during Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj.
According to the release, a dedicated team of 22 officers will oversee the system’s efficiency and ensure seamless operations during the event, which begins on January 13. Service Manager Moradabad, Anurag Yadav, has been appointed in charge of this initiative.
Minister of State for Transport (Independent Charge) Dayashankar Singh said that to handle emergencies effectively, Quick Response Teams (QRTs) have been deployed on seven routes leading to Prayagraj.
Additionally, the Transport Corporation’s toll-free number (1800 1802 877) and WhatsApp helpline (9415049606) will be operational 24/7 to assist devotees throughout the event.
A New York judge rejected a claim by Trump’s lawyers that he is immune from prosecution as a former US president.
A United States judge has rejected a claim by Donald Trump’s lawyers that the president-elect’s hush money conviction should be thrown out because the Supreme Court has ruled that former presidents are immune from prosecution.
New York Judge Juan Merchan said on Monday that the US Supreme Court’s decision granting immunity for “official acts” did not apply to testimony at Trump’s trial, which related “entirely to unofficial conduct entitled to no immunity protections”.
Merchan’s ruling is the latest development in the long-running case against the president-elect, in which sentencing is still pending.
In May, a New York City jury found Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents in relation to a payment of $130,000 made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.
Prosecutors convinced a jury that Trump’s payments were made to cover up a scandal that would have hurt his 2016 campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton, whom he ultimately beat.
Trump’s sentencing was initially set for July 11 but that was later pushed to November 26.
Following Trump’s victory in the November 5, 2024 presidential election, Trump’s lawyers pressed Merchan to throw the case out, “to facilitate the orderly transition of executive power — and in the interests of justice”.
New York prosecutors have said they are open to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term as president but have pushed back against his lawyer’s claims the case should be dismissed outright.
Trump could face a prison sentence of up to four years for each felony count, though court observers say it is unlikely he would face time behind bars as opposed to probation or community service.
Trump’s second term as president will officially begin on January 20, 2025. He is the first US president, past or present, to be charged and convicted of a crime.
The hush money case is only one of several legal cases the former reality television star has been involved in.
In late November, US Special Counsel Jack Smith moved to dismiss two criminal cases that accused Trump of seeking to overturn his 2020 election defeat and of mishandling secret government documents, citing his pending return to the White House.
Also last month, Trump’s lawyers separately asked New York Attorney General Letitia James to quash a civil judgement against him for fraud and a $464m penalty, “for the greater good of the country”, as he prepares to return to power.
In a letter to Trump’s lawyer John Sauer, published on social media, New York Deputy Solicitor General Judith Vale denied the request.
Prosecutors said Carlos Watson orchestrated a years-long scheme that resulted in “tens of millions of dollars” in losses to investors
The founder of failed media and entertainment firm Ozy Media, Carlos Watson, has been sentenced to nearly a decade in prison for lying about the company to attract investors.
Prosecutors said the ex-Goldman Sachs banker and former MSNBC host had orchestrated a years-long scheme that resulted in “tens of millions of dollars” of losses for investors.
The court was told Watson and others at Ozy Media falsified information about the firm’s finances, relationships with celebrities and acquisition prospects to lure investors.
Watson continues to deny the allegations and says he plans to appeal the verdict.
United States District Judge Eric R Komitee sentenced Watson to 116 months in prison for conspiracy to commit securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
“Carlos Watson orchestrated a years-long, audacious scheme to defraud investors and lenders to his company”, said Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
“His incessant and deliberate lies demonstrated not only a brazen disregard for the rule of law, but also a contempt for the values of honesty and fairness”.
Watson will remain free for now on a $3m (£2.3m) bond.
He had pleaded not guilty but was convicted in July following an eight-week trial.
In court, Watson said he was a businessman who believed in what his company was doing and had put every effort into trying to make it a success.
His lawyer had argued that he was betrayed by his deputies who had acted on their own volition and hid their wrongdoing from him.
Ozy Media’s downfall began in 2021 when a New York Times investigation found that one of its executives impersonated a YouTube representative during a call with investment banking giant Goldman Sachs.
Watson blamed the deception on what he described as his deputy’s mental health issues. He added that no harm was caused because Goldman Sachs did not ultimately decide to invest.
In court filings, prosecutors alleged Watson was present during the call and gave his deputy directions on what to say, despite previously denying to the media that he was there.
Ozy Media aimed to emulate the early success of digital news media pioneers like Vice Media and Buzzfeed.
It produced left-leaning podcasts, television series and events, and profiles of rising stars and emerging trends. In 2020, it was valued at $159m.
Gold remains steady at $2,650 amid cautious trading ahead of key interest rate decisions by central banks.
Gold was steady as traders remained cautious ahead of interest-rate decisions by major central banks, including the Federal Reserve.
Ahead of the Federal Reserve and other major central banks’ interest-rate announcements, gold prices stayed stable as traders exercised caution.(AFP)
Bullion traded near $2,650 an ounce, after notching a modest gain in the previous session as investors parsed mixed US data. Activity at US service providers is expanding at the fastest pace since October 2021, while a measure of New York state factory activity retreated by the most since last May.
The Fed makes it final rate decision of the year on Wednesday, which will be followed by policy announcements in Japan and the UK this week. Swaps markets are almost fully pricing in a quarter-point Fed cut, and traders will focus on policymakers’ language for clues on the 2025 outlook. Lower rates are typically positive for gold, which doesn’t pay interest.
The precious metal has risen by around 29% this year, putting it on track for its biggest annual gain since 2010. Its strength has been supported by easing in the US, safe-haven demand and sustained buying by the world’s central banks.
Spot gold was little changed at $2,651.93 an ounce at 7:57 a.m. in Singapore. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was flat. Silver and palladium slipped, while platinum was little changed.
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Billionaire investor Ronnie Screwvala, who apart from being a hugely successful filmmaker, is the co-founder of online learning unicorn Upgrade, talks to us about his artificial intelligence (AI) bets. He believes that AI will play an important role in India’s online education sector in the future and will also boost the entrepreneurship ecosystem. He also warns against the tendency of CEOs trying to fit in by doing short AI courses as a ‘top-up’ without understanding the concept in depth. Part:
Billionaire investor Ronnie Screwvala.(LinkedIn/Ronnie Screwvala)
AI is getting a lot of attention in India these days and it is on the minds of parents, students, job seekers and corporate heads. Everyone wants to own it but no one is sure what’s in it for them.
AI cannot be left alone in the development of a country. There is a lot going on in the electric vehicle (EV) industry, semiconductors, renewables and medical devices in India. AI is one of those growing areas. It could be an incredible enabler for the government to use AI to administer services on a broad basis, for data collection, etc.
But what I can say is that AI will enhance learning. It can probably produce and produce even better case studies than Harvard. It will also play a complementary role in formal education. It will also prepare you for the job by telling you what gaps you need to fill in order to fit into the market. So, it will mean different things to different people.
With the emergence of AI, there will be a significant amount of data to work with in the online learning field.
Collecting data is where AI can make the biggest impact. In a physical space where there are 40 students, the teacher/professor will be able to track them only in a limited way and possibly even track their habits when they meet outside.
However, an online setting provides a wealth of information. For example, if someone has read a marketing chapter three times, one of our friends will call them up and say, Hey, we think you’re having a problem with this chapter. You have not worked on the given questions etc. So, we will have that kind of information and data about people and their learning patterns. Then there are peer patterns. How many of them have asked questions on the chapter and posted it online? How many of them have been partners in this exercise? An incredible amount of data will be available thanks to AI.
Next comes the entire consulting sector with bots. There is a lot of demand for it. People often feel that they are at a crossroads in their career and need some counseling to get out of it. This is going to become a trend.
One can also open up a pool of working professionals who can become teachers and guides by using AI tools in online teaching without having to spend their entire life teaching. You can get paid well for it and find the whole process very gratifying, especially if it is in your particular niche.
What kind of impact will AI have on formal education? Many children across the country are beginning to believe that formal schooling is holding them back, as is happening in the United States.
This is a bit difficult because children come under the influence of their parents at an early age. People like you and me would like them to get formal education because we do not want to leave them wanting. Until they are 15-16 years old, they will undergo formal education and only then will children start articulating what they want to do. Already, home schooling and online schooling have started.
I can’t see AI impacting formal education in this generation, but maybe in the next.
AI and online learning can have a multiplier effect on entrepreneurship in this country. AI will help entrepreneurs save time and they can use it to get better value for their business. Please consider.
Absolutely. Both self-employment and entrepreneurship will be promoted through AI. As far as self-employment is concerned, I think there is going to be a boom in the number of experts who are experts in one or two areas and they will want to become consultants. It’s like two different DNAs working. Companies will not accept this. but who cares? If that’s what the workforce wants, that’s where they have to go. This will create duplication in career opportunities.
Today, approximately 50% of our enrollment is in the hospitality sector. Everyone wants to learn about F&B. They keep reading about how 100 km more roads are being added to the network every other week. They know that McDonald’s or any other eating place is continuously opening on the highway. Even among masons, 90% people want to be self-employed and do not care about the job. They just want to be efficient.
There is no doubt that AI is a big time saver. You keep saving 2,3 hours every day at work and that is pure gold. It will inspire you to think differently.
This brings us to employment generation. Will India not suffer huge losses from AI?
There is going to be some automation; Especially in a country like India where we have been used for low wages and outsourcing. If you are skilled and well trained in ML and AI then you can command big premium jobs across the world. We should use them more as assets.
Look, India will have a problem of creating jobs for its youth (about 200 million jobs). Banking and insurance and other financial sectors are not generating enough of these. So, this is a common problem and you cannot blame it on any one technology. Even some of the biggest companies betting on AI will soon have a reality check on how to monetize the business. There seems to be an incredible amount of excitement in some areas for no reason.
In a way it’s good because it motivates you to do something in two years, which otherwise would have taken five years. Big money is also supporting it.
Is it fashionable now for CXOs to do courses in AI just to fit in? Possibly fear of missing out (FOMO).
People are looking for hacks. This is not going to lead to any reduction in AI. CEOs today have a lot of FOMO and feel they need a top-up course in AI. A lot of CEOs want to take a short course and it doesn’t mean much.
Skilling and training is now mainly about machine learning and AI. MBAs are going to be about data analytics. Don’t look for hacks.
Is an AI-first workforce just a buzzword? agree?
It doesn’t make any sense to me. Maybe it would be good for some HR people to post this and get some talent. It’s a positioning thing, just to be part of the whole discussion. I’m calling it buzz, not fluff.
I heard that in terms of upgrades, 40% of the free courses taken by users are AI related.
I think most people want a component of that. As I said, this is the case because if you know some of the ingredients of AI, they can attend more meetings of their group in the office.
It’s becoming clear that Gen Z is going to use AI more as a glorified hack and why not? They are more cautious about time and attention span. They will drive consumption patterns.
How do you think the 40+ age group can survive in the AI age?
Even in this era, a mature workforce is ticked. His vast experience and the inner experience he has gained as a result is a major tick. It will not be replaced by AI or GenZ. However, it will force the 40+ people to be more collaborative and get 1-2 people who understand the new trends to work around them and then be super smart about it.
If I’m in that situation, I’d like to be surrounded by a team where 25% of the people are aware (AI ready). Then I can leverage my thought process around it and bring that to the table instead of being intimidated by saying ‘I have to copy them’ because the things they can’t bring to the table are things I can 40 I bring up at the age of.
What is your approach to investing in AI startups?
Right now, I would be a little more cautious about investing in AI companies. I wouldn’t want to be a beginner investor because I don’t suffer from FOMO. About 99% of them will be detected and moved out of the way. We have seen this in the internet era of the 90s. Having said that I have invested in AI startups like ZuAI (AI powered personal tutor app).
Being a highly successful film producer (Screwwala is considered to be the richest man in Bollywood according to various reports, with his net worth estimated to be around Rs 10 million) 13,000 crore), what kind of impact do you think AI will have on media and entertainment, cinema and arts?
Screenwriters or storytellers will never go out of business. There is an incredible amount of EQ that is a huge part of successful storytelling. I don’t think AI can trigger that feeling; The nuance of EQ-led storytelling can never be replaced. Also, the power to visualize trends. This is probably beyond the scope of what AI can do at this time.
What are your goals and objectives as far as UpGrad’s growth is concerned, given that there has been several upheavals in the edtech sector? The Byju’s debacle comes to mind and there are many others that derailed along the way.
Let me make one thing clear here. The examples you mentioned were more of issues arising from investor debacle or founder immaturity. This is not a regional problem. If there was a problem in Yes Bank, it cannot be seen as a banking sector issue or if Jet Airways went bankrupt it does not mean that aviation was an unviable business.
I want UpGrad to be an always learning company. It’s an important part of where we want to be. I want to create an ecosystem where almost everyone can become a teacher. We will make online teaching attractive, even for non-teachers who are experts in their field.
Take this from me too. We will try to beat Zomato and Zepto at their own game. Suppose someone needs a counselor in 10 minutes. Like instant commerce, we will get a consultant in 10 minutes.
Going forward, people will want more than just groceries. Let’s say you need some quick help and are looking for a hack before you face a job interview. We will send it to you quickly. We will also expand globally.
(Note to readers: Aye Aye is a column that deals with Artificial Intelligence and its possibilities by interacting with talented people in business)
Are you in the market for a new stainless steel dinner set? look no further! We have compiled a list of the top stainless steel dinner sets available in India to help you make an informed decision. Whether you’re looking for a premium set with a mirror finish or a budget-friendly option, we’ve got you covered. Read on to find the right dinner set for your needs.
Stainless steel dinner set to fill the perfect serving set in your kitchen.
The Sapphire Stainless Steel Premium Dinner Set is a 61-piece set that includes everything you need for a complete dining experience. Made from high quality stainless steel, this set is durable and easy to clean. The mirror finish adds a touch of elegance to any table setting.
Specifications of Sapphire Stainless Steel Premium Dinner Set
61-piece set
high quality stainless steel
mirror finish
dishwasher safe
resistant to corrosion
reason to buy
reasons to avoid
complete dining set
may be on the expensive side
Durable and easy to clean
The Classic Essentials Stainless Steel Dinner Set is a 61-piece set that offers both quality and affordability. With a classic design and sturdy construction, this set is perfect for everyday use. The high-grade stainless steel ensures long-lasting durability and rust and corrosion resistance.
Features of Classic Essentials Stainless Steel Dinner Set
61-piece set
high grade stainless steel
classic design
rust and corrosion resistant
dishwasher safe
reason to buy
reasons to avoid
economical and durable
limited color options
classic design
The Mr. Sam Stainless Steel Dinner Set is a 61-piece set that combines style and functionality. The sleek and modern design is perfect for both casual and formal dining. Made from high quality stainless steel, this set is built to last and is easy to maintain.
Specifications of Shri Sam Stainless Steel Dinner Set
61-piece set
high quality stainless steel
Sleek and modern design
easy to maintain
dishwasher safe
reason to buy
reasons to avoid
Sleek and modern design
May show water spots
built to last
Sumeet Stainless Steel Mirror Finish Dinner Set is a 61-piece set that makes your dining table stylish and elegant. The mirror finish adds a touch of sophistication, while the high-quality stainless steel ensures durability and resistance to rust and stains.
Specifications of Sumeet Stainless Steel Mirror Finish Dinner Set
The Limetro Stainless Steel Dinner Set is a 61-piece set that offers a blend of style and functionality. The durable stainless steel construction ensures long-lasting use, while the modern design adds a touch of elegance to any table setting.
Specifications of Limetro Stainless Steel Dinner Set
61-piece set
Durable stainless steel construction
modern design
easy to clean
resistant to corrosion
reason to buy
reasons to avoid
Blend of style and functionality
There may be a risk of scratching
sustainable construction
Amazon Brand – Solimo Stainless Steel Dinner Set is a 61-piece set that offers great value for money. Made from high quality stainless steel, this set is durable and easy to clean. The classic design makes it suitable for a variety of dining occasions.
Specifications of Amazon Brand – Solimo Stainless Steel Dinner Set
Shree Shagun Lazer Bloom Stainless Steel Dinner Set is a 61-piece set that adds a touch of elegance to any dining table. The laser bloom design is both stylish and unique, while the high-quality stainless steel ensures long-lasting durability.
Specifications of Shree Shagun Laser Bloom Stainless Steel Dinner Set
61-piece set
high quality stainless steel
laser bloom design
stylish and unique
rust and corrosion resistant
reason to buy
reasons to avoid
Stylish and unique design
Finding matching accessories can be difficult
long lasting durability
The KC Stainless Steel Bottle is a durable and stylish addition to your dining set. Made from high quality stainless steel, this bottle is perfect for storing and serving beverages at any meal occasion. The sleek and modern design adds a touch of sophistication to your table setting.
Specifications of KC Stainless Steel Bottle
stainless steel construction
Durable and stylish design
easy to clean
resistant to corrosion
Ideal for storing and serving beverages
reason to buy
reasons to avoid
Durable and stylish design
limited capacity
Suitable for storing and serving beverages
The Steele Stainless Steel Dinner Set is a 24-piece set that offers a compact and functional dining solution. Made from high quality stainless steel, this set is durable and easy to maintain. The classic design makes it suitable for everyday use.
Specifications of Steel Stainless Steel Dinner Set
24-piece set
high quality stainless steel
classic design
compact and functional
resistant to corrosion
reason to buy
reasons to avoid
compact and functional
limited service capacity
Durable and easy to maintain
Parez Culture Premium Stainless Steel Dinnerware is a 61-piece set that offers a blend of style and functionality. Made from high quality stainless steel, this set is durable and easy to clean. The premium design adds a touch of elegance to any dining occasion.
Specifications of Parez Culture Premium Stainless Steel Dinnerware
Shree Shagun Laser Bloom Stainless Steel Dinner Set
high quality stainless steel
laser bloom design
Yes
Yes
61-piece
KC Stainless Steel Bottle
stainless steel
Sleek and modern design
Yes
Yes
750 ml
steel stainless steel dinner set
high quality stainless steel
classic design
Yes
Yes
24-piece
Parez Culture Premium Stainless Steel Dinnerware
high quality stainless steel
premium design
Yes
Yes
61-piece
Best Value for Money Steel Dinner Set:
Amazon Brand – Solimo Stainless Steel Dinner Set offers great value for money with its high-quality construction, classic design and rust-resistant features. This set is a perfect blend of quality and affordability, making it the best choice for budget-conscious buyers.
Neelam Stainless Steel Premium Dinner Set stands as the best overall product in this category due to its complete dining set, high quality stainless steel construction, mirror finish and rust resistant features. This set offers beauty and durability, making it a top choice for discerning buyers.
How to find the right steel dinner set:
When choosing the right stainless steel dinner set, consider the material, design, dishwasher safety, rust resistance, and capacity. Look for a set that offers a balance of style and functionality, durability and easy maintenance. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of each product to find the one that best suits your needs.
What is the price range of stainless steel dinner set?
The price range of stainless steel dinner sets varies depending on the brand, design and number of pieces. You can find budget-friendly options starting as low as Rs 1000, while premium sets can go up to Rs 5000 or more.
What are the key features to look for in a stainless steel dinner set?
Key features to consider include material, design, dishwasher safety, rust resistance, and overall durability. Look for sets that offer a blend of style and functionality, easy maintenance, and long-lasting quality.
Are stainless steel dinner sets easy to clean?
Yes, stainless steel dinner sets are easy to clean and maintain. Most sets are dishwasher safe and can also be washed by hand with mild detergent and warm water. The rust-resistant properties of stainless steel make it a durable and low-maintenance option for dining.
What are the latest trends in stainless steel dinner sets?
The latest trends in stainless steel dinner sets include modern and sleek designs, mirror finish and premium quality construction. Many brands are focusing on durability, corrosion resistance and easy maintenance to meet the growing needs of consumers.
Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay updated with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a share of the revenue when you make a purchase. We will not be liable for any claims under applicable laws including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 in relation to the Products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.
Trump has also backed the idea of a strategic national Bitcoin stockpile, though many question the feasibility of the proposal.
Bitcoin rose to a record high on President-elect Donald Trump’s support for digital assets and optimism about the upcoming inclusion of MicroStrategy Inc, an accumulator of the token, in a key US stock gauge. The largest virtual currency rose more than 4.8% at one point on Monday to an unprecedented $107,791, exceeding its previous peak from December 5. MicroStrategy announced Monday that it bought another $1.5 billion of Bitcoin in the past week. Trump is moving toward creating a friendly regulatory backdrop for digital assets, undoing a crackdown imposed by President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration. The Republican has also backed the idea of a strategic national Bitcoin stockpile, though many question the feasibility of the proposal. A lot of people are “basing their expectation on a much more favorable administration,” Aya Kantorovich, co-founder of institutional crypto platform August, said on Bloomberg Television. The optimism is reflected in demand for exchange-traded funds investing in digital assets, she added. Bitcoin Posted Longest Weekly Winning Run Since 2021 On Friday, Nasdaq Global Indexes said MicroStrategy will join the Nasdaq 100 Index, the US technology stock gauge tracked by an array of investment funds. The software maker has transformed into a leveraged bet on Bitcoin as the company raises billions of dollars to plow into the digital asset. “Now that MicroStrategy is in Nasdaq, index funds may buy its shares, and that will help the company to raise more equity to buy more Bitcoin,” said Sean McNulty, director of trading at liquidity provider Arbelos Markets. It was the sixth consecutive Monday that the Tysons Corner, Virginia-based firm announced purchases of the digital asset. It owns about $45 billion in Bitcoin, making MicroStrategy the latest publicly-traded corporate owner of the cryptocurrency. The decision to add MicroStrategy to the Nasdaq 100 represents a major stamp of institutional acceptance for its controversy-courting founder, Michael Saylor, whose disdain for Wall Street convention has helped spur a 500% rally in its shares this year and made him a hero to Bitcoin bulls. The original cryptocurrency, which has more than doubled this year, changed hands around $105,850 as of 4:36pm on Monday in New York. Smaller tokens such as second-ranked Ether also pushed higher. Bitcoin through Sunday cemented a seven-week winning streak, the longest such run since 2021. But the pace of gains cooled more recently, which could be an indication that “a pullback may be coming,” IG Australia Pty Market Analyst Tony Sycamore wrote in a note. US ETFs investing directly in Bitcoin have attracted $12.2 billion of net inflows since Trump’s victory in the presidential election on November 5. Subscriptions for similar products for Ether have reached $2.8 billion over the same period.
Reuters
AP
