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Tata Sons has indicated that Air India’s transformation could take up to 10 years, extending the airline’s earlier turnaround timeline. Chairman N Chandrasekaran shared the update in the company’s annual report released late on Monday. The statement comes as India’s second-largest airline continues to face challenges, including airspace restrictions, rising fuel costs due to the West Asia conflict, and the impact of last year’s fatal aircraft crash. Chandrasekaran said the airline’s revival will require more time due to ongoing supply-chain issues affecting key components, along with the need to modernise legacy systems, reshape organisational culture, upgrade the fleet, and expand…

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured multiple major orders across its Metals & Minerals business, strengthening its presence in mining, steel and non-ferrous metals infrastructure. The projects, spanning iron ore handling, steel plant expansion and zinc processing, reinforce the company's position as a leading engineering and EPC player while reflecting Chairman and Managing Director S. N. Subrahmanyan's long-term strategy of supporting India's industrial growth through diversified engineering capabilities. Commenting on the development, S. N. Subrahmanyan said, "As India accelerates investments in augmenting its Metals & Minerals capacity to support long-term economic growth, L&T remains committed to partnering with the country's…

Global crude oil prices extended their sharp decline, with Brent crude dropping toward $87 a barrel after tumbling over 9% in recent sessions, as emerging diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran signaled a potential off-ramp to escalating Middle East tensions. The market selloff followed a temporary suspension of U.S. airstrikes and a corresponding pause in Iranian retaliatory attacks, relieving immediate fears of severe, long-term disruptions to Persian Gulf energy infrastructure. Sentiment improved significantly after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that Washington and Tehran were engaged in active discussions aimed at resolving the conflict. However, market analysts caution that…

A nationwide study has found that prolonged exposure to extreme heat during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes, with women in India's mountainous regions—including Northeastern states such as Meghalaya, Nagaland and parts of Assam—emerging among the most vulnerable despite traditionally cooler climates. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research Communications, the study analysed 209,266 births recorded across India between 2015 and 2020. Researchers matched each pregnancy with local heat conditions using the India Heat Index, measuring consecutive "sweltering" days rather than average temperatures. The findings showed that every additional consecutive day of extreme heat during pregnancy increased…

Prolonged exposure to extreme heat during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of adverse birth outcomes, with women in West Bengal's humid subtropical regions facing a heightened threat of delivering low-birth-weight babies, according to a first-of-its-kind population-scale study conducted across India. The research also found that rural, less-educated and socially vulnerable mothers are the most affected, underscoring the need to prioritise pregnant women in India's heat action plans. The study, Effect of extreme heat stress on adverse pregnancy outcomes in India, analysed 209,266 births recorded between 2015 and 2020 by matching each pregnancy with local heat exposure. Researchers measured consecutive "sweltering"…