Blog - The Purbottar

26 Sep

Nongpoh MLA Absent But Documents Filed, Says Assembly Adviser on UDP-BJP Merger

Preeti SinghMeghalaya

Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma is currently examining the documents submitted by the eight United Democratic Party (UDP) legislators who recently joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Assembly Adviser Andrew Simons said on Friday. According to Simons, all necessary documents related to the merger have been submitted to the Speaker for scrutiny. He said UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh and legislature party leader Sanbor Shullai have formally informed the Speaker about the merger with the BJP through a written communication. “We are treating this as a merger with the BJP. All required documents have been submitted and will now be…

26 Sep

Forest Staff from Three Northeast States Trained in Hoolock Gibbon Conservation

Paromita EditorAssam

A week-long residential training programme aimed at enhancing the capacity of frontline forest personnel for the conservation of the Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) concluded at the Gibbon Conservation Centre of Aaranyak in the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, Mariani, Assam. The first batch of the programme, held from September 19 to 25, brought together 15 Forest Guards from the forest departments of Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland. It marked the first dedicated training initiative on Hoolock gibbon conservation involving frontline forest staff from all three northeastern states. The programme sought to strengthen field-level conservation efforts by improving the knowledge and practical skills…

26 Sep

Oriflame eyes India as largest global market by 2030, plans 10 lakh new Beauty Entrepreneurs

Business BureauBusiness

Swedish beauty and wellbeing company Oriflame is targeting India to become its largest market globally by 2030, with the country expected to contribute one in every four euros of its global revenue, compared with around one in 10 euros currently. The company plans to expand beyond its existing presence across 517 towns and cities, targeting the next 500 locations, particularly in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. It also aims to add 10 lakh new Beauty Entrepreneurs by 2030 to strengthen its direct-selling network. Oriflame, which has operated in India for more than 30 years, said rising demand beyond metros,…

26 Sep

IIFL Home Finance Secures $150 Million JICA Loan to Empower Low-Income Women Through Affordable Housing

nanika EditorBusiness

IIFL Home Finance Limited has secured a significant $150 million loan agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) aimed at bolstering access to affordable housing finance for low-income women across India. This strategic partnership is designed to expand homeownership opportunities specifically tailored for women belonging to the Economically Weaker Sections and Low-Income Groups, with the broader objectives of significantly improving living standards, fostering women’s economic empowerment, and advancing overall financial inclusion throughout the country. Implemented as part of a robust co-financing arrangement involving the Asian Development Bank and major private financial institutions, including MUFG Bank, the capital secured through…

26 Sep

Sennheiser bets on premium audio market with new MOMENTUM 5 series in India

Business BureauBusiness

Sennheiser has expanded its premium consumer audio portfolio in India with the launch of its MOMENTUM 5 Wireless headphones and MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 earbuds, priced at Rs 39,990 and Rs 29,990, respectively. Pre-orders opened on September 24, with both products set to go on sale from October 1 through online and offline retail channels. The MOMENTUM 5 Wireless features HD 600-inspired 42mm drivers, Dolby Atmos spatial tracking, Lossless audio support and an eight-microphone hybrid ANC system offering up to three times stronger midrange noise suppression than its predecessor. It delivers up to 57 hours of battery life with ANC…

26 Sep

Biharis Get Emotional as Tamannaah Bhatia’s ‘Vvaan’ Features Sharda Sinha’s Legendary Chhath Song

sunny EditorEntertainment

For communities across Bihar, Jharkhand, and eastern Uttar Pradesh, Chhath is far more than just a festival, serving as a deeply ingrained pillar of their cultural identity that comes alive every year through family reunions, ritualistic devotions, and the iconic background strains of Sharda Sinha’s legendary track Pahile Pahil Hum Kayin. Recently, the film Vvaan: Forest of the Forrest starring a prominent ensemble cast including Tamannaah Bhatia, Shweta Tiwari, Sidharth Malhotra, Sunil Grover, and Anup Soni was released on September 25, and while it drew mixed reviews overall, its Chhathi Maiya musical segment earned widespread audience acclaim upon release. Although…

26 Sep

Sennheiser launches MOMENTUM 5 series in India, priced up to Rs 39,990

Business BureauBusiness

Sennheiser has launched its latest MOMENTUM 5 series in India, comprising the MOMENTUM 5 Wireless headphones and MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 earbuds, with prices starting at Rs 29,990. The products are currently available for pre-order and will go on sale from October 1 across online and offline retail outlets. The MOMENTUM 5 Wireless is priced at Rs 39,990 and features HD 600-inspired 42mm drivers, Dolby Atmos spatial tracking, Lossless codec support and an eight-microphone hybrid ANC system. It offers up to 57 hours of battery life with ANC enabled, fast charging and a user-replaceable 700 mAh battery. The headphones are…

26 Sep

From koshamangsho to sandesh, TATA Starbucks brings Pujo flavours to its festive menu

Business BureauBusiness

For many families in East India, DurgaPujo is as much about food, conversations and togetherness as it is about festivities. TATA Starbucks is bringing that connection to its stores with its limited-edition “AamarPujo, Aamar Starbucks” menu, available from September 26 to October 21 across select outlets in Kolkata, Guwahati, Siliguri, Bhubaneswar, Jamshedpur, Patna, Ranchi and Gangtok. The festive menu introduces KoshaMangsho Roll, with Bengali-style koshamangsho wrapped in flaky paratha, and GurerSandesh Flan, a contemporary take on sandesh made with jaggery and a biscuit base. Returning favourites include Dhakai Chicken Wrap, BhetkiBhaja Sandwich featuring fried bhetki with shorshe mayonnaise, Chingri Turnover,…

26 Sep

CSIR-NIIST, Tata Consumer Products join hands to set up food fortification centre

Business BureauBusiness

CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) and Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) have joined hands to establish the Centre of Excellence for Food Fortification Innovation, Research and Training (CEFIRT) at the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub at Bio 360 Life Sciences Park, Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram. The collaboration was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding exchanged during the 85th CSIR Foundation Day celebrations in New Delhi on September 25, 2026, in the presence of Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh and CSIR Director General Dr N Kalaiselvi. CEFIRT will…

26 Sep

Mizoram Police Arrest 31-Year-Old in Army Man’s De*ath Case

Sonakshi SarkarMizoram

One more person has been arrested in connection with the killing of an Army man in Mizoram’s Kolasib district, taking the total number of arrests in the case to nine, police said on September 25. The latest accused, a 31-year-old man from Kawnpui town in Kolasib district, was arrested and subsequently sent to judicial custody, a police officer said. Army personnel Zakaria Lalhriattluanga, 29, who was serving with the Assam Regiment and deployed in Jammu and Kashmir, was allegedly beaten to death by a group of youths in Kolasib on September 20. He was reportedly returning to his native village,…