FMCG-giant Unilever announced today that Hein Schumacher will step down as CEO and Board Director on 1 March 2025, with a departure date of 31 May 2025. Fernando Fernandez, current CFO and Executive Director, will succeed Schumacher as CEO effective 1 March 2025.

Fernandez has a proven track record of success at Unilever, previously serving as President of Beauty & Wellbeing and leading high-performing markets in Latin America, Brazil, and the Philippines.

The Board expressed gratitude for Schumacher’s leadership in resetting Unilever’s strategy, driving productivity, and initiating the Ice Cream separation. They highlighted his role in putting Unilever on a path to higher performance.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday invoked his connection with the tea to inaugurate the largest Jhumoir ensemble in Assam's capital town Guwahati and said that no one can understand the beauty and aroma of the tea other than him.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the Jhumoir dance ensemble which was organised at the Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the tea industry in Assam. Modi arrived at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here on Monday and headed straight to the Sarusajai stadium to inaugurate the largest Jhumoir dance performance which was performed by over 8000 dancers and musicians from the tea tribe community across the state.

"No one knows the beauty of the tea gardens and the aroma of the tea other than a tea seller (chaiwala). I also have a close connection with the Jhumoir dance and the tea. Apart from the rich heritage of Assam, I can see the diversity of India here today,' said Modi while addressing the packed gathering at the Sarusajai stadium.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday shared "great news" that he was appointing Conservative commentator and former US Secret Service Special Agent Daniel Bongino as the new Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

"Great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice! Dan Bongino, a man of incredible love and passion for our Country, has just been named the next DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE FBI, by the man who will be the best ever Director, Kash Patel," Trump announced on his Truth Social platform.

The 50-year-old Bongino, who has a Master’s degree in psychology from the City University of New York (CUNY) and has done an MBA from Penn State, has previously worked with the New York Police Department (NYPD), Trump said in his long post.

Canara HSBC Life Insurance today unveiled its latest offering, Promise2Protect, as part of its commitment to deliver all-encompassing financial security solutions to a wide range of customers. This new term insurance plan is thoughtfully designed to provide robust protection against life's uncertainties, offering a wide range of flexible benefits to meet the differentiated needs of customers. With its customizable options, Promise2Protect ensures that policyholders can safeguard their families' financial future while aligning with their individual preferences and life goals.

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Promise2Protect offers two variants- Life Secure and Life Secure with Return of Premium. Life Secure offers pure protection, securing the financial future of loved ones in the event of an unfortunate occurrence. Life Secure with Return of Premium provides the added benefit of refunding the premiums paid if no claims are made during the policy term.

A team of researchers from IIIT- Delhi have come up with AI-powered data integration and predictive analytics tools, to understand the patterns of antibiotic resistance in real time, enabling various agencies to act on them speedily.

As part of a collaboration between Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology-Delhi, CHRI-PATH, Tata 1mg, and Indian Council of Medical Research scientists, the AI-driven tool AMRSense has been deployed to use routine data that is generated in hospitals to generate accurate and early insights on antimicrobial resistance counched in the global level, national level and hospital level.

Professor Sabyasachi Kar has been appointed as the new Director of the Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), New Delhi, effective February 6. He succeeds Professor Chetan Ghate.

An economist, Kar currently serves as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Chair Professor at IEG and is a member of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation’s (Mospi) Committee on Regional Accounts. He has previously held academic roles, including co-editor of the Journal of South Asian Development and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Manchester.

He holds a PhD in economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, with research interests spanning macroeconomics, economic growth, development economics, and political economy. His scholarly contributions include numerous articles published in national and international academic journals and in edited volumes. Among his notable books are ‘Macroeconomic Reforms, Growth and Stability’ ‘Economic Challenges for the Contemporary World, and ‘The Political Economy of India’s Growth Episodes’.

Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd. has announced a strategic partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under their 'Adopt a Heritage 2.0 Programme'. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formally signed by Zulfeqar Ali, Director of ASI, Ministry of Culture, and Angelo George, CEO of Bisleri International. The MoU was then exchanged between Yadubir Singh Rawat, Director General of ASI, and George. This association marks a crucial step towards combining heritage conservation with sustainable water management.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Friday (February 21, 2025) released its recommendations for the Framework for Service Authorisations for provision of Broadcasting Services under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.

The recommendations include a proposal to remove the minimum net worth requirement of ₹100 crore for the Internet service providers to offer IPTV service and its alignment with the provisions contained in the authorisation for Internet Services to be issued by the Department of Telecom.

“Terms and conditions for Radio Broadcasting Service have been made technology agnostic enabling adoption of digital technology. Service authorisation for ‘Terrestrial Radio Service’ should be delinked from frequency assignment and the auction of spectrum for frequency assignment for Terrestrial Radio Service shall be done separately...,” said the TRAI.

Capital markets regulator SEBI has imposed a penalty of ₹10 lakh on Axis Securities for flouting stock brokers rules as well as other regulatory norms.

The penalty has to be paid by the brokerage firm within 45 days, the regulator said in an order on Friday (February 21).

In an 82-page order, SEBI found that Axis Securities failed to follow regulatory procedures in several areas, including reporting discrepancies and improper handling of client funds.

The market regulator found that Axis Securities had inconsistencies in its enhanced supervision reporting to stock exchanges and in stock statements compared to actual holdings in depository accounts.

Indian squash star Saurav Ghosal made a successful comeback from retirement as he won the title at the Octane Sydney Classic on Sunday.

Former World No. 10 Ghosal retired from the PSA (Professional Squash Association) Tour in April last year but at the same time, he had said that he still wanted to represent India. On January 1, he again became a member of the PSA Tour to keep his aspirations of playing for country alive.