As the Indian retail industry strides cautiously into 2025, expectations are high for technology-driven transformation. New-age tech like AI and automation is anticipated to enhance efficiency and personalization, indicating a shift driven by the evolving demands of Gen Z and retail technology enthusiasts. Boosted by increasing disposable income and urbanization, and buoyed by the aspirations of an expanding middle class, the organized retail sector seems poised for substantial growth. Supply chain optimization, logistics, and employment generation in quick commerce are expected to flourish amid these favorable conditions. Challenges such as inflation may continue to pose threats, yet the sector remains hopeful. Innovations in data analytics are set to offer more personalized shopping experiences, aligning with a growing emphasis on sustainability and transparency—factors vital for meeting modern consumer expectations. (With inputs from agencies.)Weekly Tarot Card Readings: Tarot prediction for December 8 to 14, 2024France’s Macron says he will appoint a new prime minister in the coming days
The polling expert gave his verdict to The National after new polling from Find Out Now showed that the SNP were on course to remain by far the largest party at Holyrood in the 2026 elections . The polling projected constituency vote shares of 35% for the SNP, 19% for Labour , 15% for the Tories , 11% for Reform UK, and 9% for the LibDems. On the regional lists, it predicted 26% for the SNP, 17% for Labour, 14% for the Tories, 13% for the Greens , 11% for Reform UK, 10% for the LibDems, and 6% for Alba. Analysing the polling, Curtice said it would lead to a pro- independence majority of 15 should it be repeated in the elections in around 17 months’ time. The SNP would win 54 MSPs, the Greens 15, and Alba three, he projected. On the Unionist side, Curtice projected that Scottish Labour would become the second largest party – despite their support having “fallen precipitately”. Labour were projected to return 19 MSPs, the Tories 16, the LibDems 12, and Reform UK 10. Curtice, a professor of politics at Strathclyde University considered the UK’s foremost polling expert, said the polling data showed Reform gaining especially from the Conservatives, but also from Labour and the LibDems, while hardly any SNP voters were switching to the party. He noted that Labour appeared to be losing voters to Reform, the Conservatives, and the SNP. READ MORE: As polls point to Yes, Anas Sarwar's road to Bute House just got a lot rougher Curtice said: “Today's poll is further evidence that Anas Sarwar's hopes of displacing John Swinney as First Minister have rapidly diminished since Labour's heady election victory in July. “As south of the Border, Labour's support in Scotland has fallen precipitately in the wake of a UK Labour Government that voters hoped would begin to turn the economy and public services around but which in practice has proven something of a disappointment in their eyes. “Meanwhile, Reform are continuing to poll at a level that could be enough for the party to secure some 10 or so MSPs at Holyrood at the next Scottish election in May 2026. Such an outcome would add a new and potentially disruptive element to Scottish politics. “Meanwhile, by taking votes primarily from Conservative , Labour and the Liberal Democrats , Reform's advance threatens to further fragment the Unionist vote. That could potentially make it easier for pro-independence parties to retain their Holyrood majority, and thereby keep alive the possibility of a second independence referendum.” On the fortunes of Swinney’s SNP, Professor Curtice said that while they “now enjoy a significant lead over Labour, and as a result appear to have some prospect of remaining in government after the next election, the party's popularity is still well below what it routinely enjoyed before Nicola Sturgeon 's resignation in February 2023”. “At the moment, another round of potentially difficult minority government could well be the best that it can reasonably hope to achieve,” he added. Find Out Now surveyed 1774 Scottish adults aged 18+ between December 17-24.WASHINGTON — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Defense Department, said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Maine Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday as he pushed to win enough votes for confirmation. He said he will not back down after allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. Related Articles National Politics | Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell. It’ll be a first for him National Politics | The Trump and Biden teams insist they’re working hand in glove on foreign crises National Politics | ‘You don’t know what’s next.’ International students scramble ahead of Trump inauguration National Politics | Trump is threatening to raise tariffs again. Here’s how China plans to fight back National Politics | Trump won’t be able to save the struggling US beef industry Collins said after the hourlong meeting that she questioned Hegseth about the allegations amid reports of drinking and the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. She said she had a “good, substantive” discussion with Hegseth and “covered a wide range of topics,” including sexual assault in the military, Ukraine and NATO. But she said she would wait until a hearing, and notably a background check, to make a decision. “I asked virtually every question under the sun,” Collins told reporters as she left her office after the meeting. “I pressed him both on his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him, so I don’t think there was anything that we did not cover.” The meeting with Collins was closely watched as she is seen as more likely than most of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks. She and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow moderate Republican, did not shy from opposing Trump in his first term when they wanted to do so and sometimes supported President Joe Biden’s nominees for the judicial and executive branches. And Hegseth, an infantry combat veteran and former “Fox & Friends” weekend host, is working to gain as many votes as he can as some senators have expressed concerns about his personal history and lack of management experience. “I’m certainly not going to assume anything about where the senator stands,” Hegseth said as he left Collins’ office. “This is a process that we respect and appreciate. And we hope, in time, overall, when we get through that committee and to the floor that we can earn her support.” Hegseth met with Murkowski on Tuesday. He has also been meeting repeatedly with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a military veteran who has said she is a survivor of sexual assault and has spent time in the Senate working on improving how attacks are reported and prosecuted within the ranks. On Monday, Ernst said after a meeting with him that he had committed to selecting a senior official to prioritize those goals. Republicans will have a 53-49 majority next year, meaning Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any of his nominees. It is so far unclear whether Hegseth will have enough support, but Trump has stepped up his pressure on senators in the last week. “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump posted on his social media platform last week.
The Obama Democracy Forum kicks off Thursday in Chicago. The goal is to bridge the political divide and get people talking about issues together. The former president, along with actor Ryan Reynolds and country music singer Reyna Roberts, will be speaking. Obama Foundation CEO and longtime Barack Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett spoke with Scripps News about what to expect from the conference. "Part of what we're doing [Thursday] is inviting leaders in the community who can take these tools back to their local communities and help the people on the ground who are feeling helpless in this situation," Jarrett said. "I do think there is a hunger around our country and around the world to focus on what we have in common, to avoid the kind of polarization that we're seeing, to talk to each other in a way that's respectful, to disagree and have hard conversations without letting them break down into acrimony." RELATED STORY | South Korean parliament defies president by lifting declaration of martial law Jarrett also discussed recent threats to democracy, including in South Korea, where President Yoon Suk Yeol briefly declared martial law in an attempt to eliminate "anti-state" forces alleged to be sympathizing with North Korea. "We take a long view. We look at this as a way of building confidence in leaders that are moving forward, that will be leaders of tomorrow. They'll be confident because they'll have the necessary tools to avoid the kind of friction and combativeness that we are seeing all too often," Jarrett said. Watch the full interview with Jarrett in the video above.Secure nation ensures safety of religion: Yogi
First dog-friendly cruise scheduled for 2025. Organizers hope it turns into a recurring event.DALLAS — Scott Turner, President-elect Donald Trump choice to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development , is a former NFL player who ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term. Turner, 52, is the first Black person selected to be a member of the Republican's Cabinet. Here are some things to know about Turner: Turner grew up in a Dallas suburb, Richardson, and graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was a defensive back and spent nine seasons in the NFL beginning in 1995, playing for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. During offseasons, he worked as an intern then-Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. After Turner retired in 2004, he worked full time for the congressman. In 2006, Turner ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in California’s 50th Congressional District. Turner joined the Texas House in 2013 as part of a large crop of tea party-supported lawmakers. He tried unsuccessfully to become speaker before he finished his second term in 2016. He did not seek a third term. Turner also worked for a software company in a position called “chief inspiration officer” and said he acted as a professional mentor, pastor, and councilor for the employees and executive team. He has also been a motivational speaker. He and his wife, Robin Turner, founded a nonprofit promoting initiatives to improve childhood literacy. His church, Prestonwood Baptist Church, lists him as an associate pastor. He is also chair of the center for education opportunity at America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers to lay the groundwork if he won a second term. Trump introduced Turner in April 2019 as the head of the new White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. Trump credited Turner with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” The mission of the council was to coordinate with various federal agencies to attract investment to so-called “Opportunity Zones," which were economically depressed areas eligible to be used for the federal tax incentives. HUD is responsible for addressing the nation’s housing needs. It also is charged with fair housing laws and oversees housing for the poorest Americans, sheltering more than 4.3 million low-income families through public housing, rental subsidy and voucher programs. The agency, with a budget of tens of billions of dollars, runs a multitude of programs that do everything from reducing homelessness to promoting homeownership. It also funds the construction of affordable housing and provides vouchers that allow low income families pay for housing in the private market. During the campaign, Trump focused mostly on the prices of housing, not public housing. He railed against the high cost of housing and said he could make it more affordable by cracking down on illegal immigration and reducing inflation. He also said he would work to reduce regulations on home construction and make some federal land available for residential construction.Bathinda: The fast unto death by farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal entered the 12th day on Saturday, but there was no communication from the central govt for resumption of talks on their demand for a legal guarantee to MSP , which had been stalled long ago. As per doctors attending to him, Dallewal has lost 8 kilograms since he started the fast and his kidneys have started getting impacted due to less intake of water than required. Despite all this, Dallewal says he is in high spirits and will continue the fast. Protesting farm groups Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha have said as they have not received any communication from the govt, the next jatha (group) of 101 farmers will move towards Delhi at noon on Sunday and will counter force with patience. They had stopped their foot march to Delhi on Friday afternoon and handed over a demand charter to Haryana Police officials who had promised to speak to higher authorities. Farm leaders, during talks with police officials, preferred talks with Union ministers, preferably the agriculture minister, and had announced not to send any jatha on Saturday to wait for the govt response. When farmers had given a call for Delhi Chalo on Feb 13 this year, Union ministers reached Chandigarh to hold talks with farmers on Feb 8. The second round of talks was held on Feb 12, third on Feb 15 and fourth on Feb 18. The fourth meeting continued till the wee hours of Feb 19, where Union ministers offered to purchase five crops on MSP for five years on contract basis, but farmers rejected the offer and demanded a legal right to MSP on all 23 crops as per C2+50% profit. The talks were then stalled and now farmers want those talks to be revived after nearly 10 months. “We were called for talks by Haryana Police officials at Shambhu on Friday afternoon and had asked for our demands. We were told efforts will be made for talks, and we had halted the movement of jatha, but we have not heard anything from them,” said KMM coordinator Sarvan Singh Pandher. Farm leaders Tejveer Singh and Guramneet Singh said Ambala administration had stopped farmers from moving ahead on the grounds that prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS (earlier Section 144 of CrPC) were in force, but at the same time there was a show by a Sufi singer where hundreds of persons, including families of officials, had assembled in Ambala. “It proves that Haryana is bent upon snatching the fundamental rights of farmers,” they said. Farm leaders putting up at Khanauri, including Abhimanyu Kohad, said going by the condition of Dallewal, the state and central govts should initiate talks to end the stalemate. “If anything happens to him, both the govts will be responsible,” Kohad said. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .
If you've got an iPhone and you've been texting someone using an Android phone -- or vice versa -- the FBI and US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are warning you to switch to a messaging app that uses end-to-end encryption immediately. It comes as a major cyberattack unfolds, with telecom companies including AT&T, Verizon and Lumen Technologies being hacked by China, according to the officials. The US government is investigating the hacking, which the officials say has given access to private texts and phone conversations as well as metadata about calls, as reported by NBC News and other outlets . One type of mobile messaging that may be particularly vulnerable during the attack is RCS, a protocol that allows iPhone and Android users to message each other and is not encrypted. Instead, use an app like Apple Messages, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram, which all have end-to-end encryption . The attack, an ongoing campaign dubbed Salt Typhoon , was the subject of a Senate hearing on Wednesday . It's unclear so far how widespread the attack has been. The agencies have been working with telecommunications companies to beef up security as Salt Typhoon continues. "Our suggestion, what we have told folks internally, is not new here: Encryption is your friend, whether it's on text messaging or if you have the capacity to use encrypted voice communication," Jeff Greene, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at the CISA, told NBC. "Even if the adversary is able to intercept the data, if it is encrypted, it will make it impossible."Four favorite Northern New Mexico hikes from 2024Ambernath schoolteacher arrested for sexually abusing 3 minor boys
The holidays are a time when the generous and the grinches come out. Scammers have made out with millions from Edmontonians this year. Police are sending warning alarms to another one, that uses a lot of technology. “Now I can state that this platform is reliable and has indeed brought substantial profits to thousands of Canadians.” This fake video posted to social media appears to show Prime Minister Justin Trudeau endorsing an investment into a cryptocurrency. Elon Musk also appears endorsing the same supposed product. “All you need to do is invest $350 and start earning profits from the first month.” Artificial intelligence was used to make it look like Trudeau and Musk are promoting an investment platform and encouraging you to register. Edmonton police say if you click a link and put in your phone number, you’ll get a call from an alleged “advisor” or “specialist” again guaranteeing large profits for a small fee. The person then tells you to download software that gives them remote access to your computer and asks you to give up personal banking information. Fifteen victims of this scam have been reported to police totalling $1.9 million. One victim was reported to have lost $900,000. “For these fraudsters, it’s a low-risk endeavour to make high profits with minimal work involved,” said Detective Trevor Semotiuk, with the EPS Financial Crimes Section. This EPS detective says larger organized crime groups outside of canada are largely responsible for this deception. “They’re just playing off of basic human emotions or a chance to make easy money quickly,” Semotiuk added. The Alberta Securities Commission says it’s important people pause if they see one of those videos and not get too deep in the hype. “Pressure, pressure, pressure. Get in now, guaranteed returns. That’s the language almost all of them use,” said Hilary McMeekin, Alberta Securities Commission. “Stop and just think about this. And do a bit of homework before you dive in.” 2024 was a lucrative year for scammers in Edmonton. Almost $13 million was stolen through various ways this year. Detective Semotiuk says that the dollar figure is only going up. Both EPS and the Alberta Securities Commission say you can avoid getting duped by doing your own research, seeing if the company is registered, a vague company description, and the golden rule, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” It’s also important to be open with friends and family about getting suspicious messages and reporting it. “There’s nothing compelling you to take action right away,” said Semotiuk McMeekin adding, “You’re not alone. We want to know about these things.”ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cam Skattebo and Arizona State are on quite a run in their Big 12 debut after being the preseason pick to finish at the bottom of the conference. Now the Sun Devils will represent their new 16-team league in the 12-team College Football Playoff after a 45-19 win over Iowa State in the Big 12 championship game Saturday. The tough-running Skattebo had 170 yards rushing, including a 28-yard gain on the first offensive snap. There were long, tackle-evading runs to open the two drives he ended with short touchdowns, and he later turned a short pass into another score. “I've got the best seat in the house,” said Sam Leavitt, the freshman quarterback who hands off to Skattebo. “Get ready for a gain of 5 or whatever, and I just see the dude kind of weaving through some traffic ... and busts loose." The Sun Devils (11-2, No. 15 CFP), with their 34-year-old head coach Kenny Dillingham, take a six-game winning streak into the playoff. Iowa State (10-3, No. 16 CFP), which already had the first 10-win season in the program’s 133-year history, trailed 24-10 before turnovers in its own territory on its first three drives after halftime. Arizona State capitalized with Leavitt throwing touchdowns each time. “It doesn’t get that much more deflating than that,” Cyclones coach Matt Campbell said. “Their ability to take care of the football and our inability to do that in the third quarter was just paralyzing.” Skattebo struck the Heisman Trophy pose multiple times during the game, and he wore a Big 12 championship T-shirt afterward. “Nobody respects the fact that I’m the best running back in the country. And I’m going to stand on that,” he said. “I'm going to keep proving people wrong. And whatever NFL team takes me is going to get a gem.” That can wait until after Arizona State's guaranteed playoff spot as one of the five highest-ranked conference champions. The Sun Devils almost certainly will rank below Mountain West champion Boise State (12-1, No 10). That would give the Broncos a first-round bye and send the Sun Devils on the road for a first-round game, much to the dismay of Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark , who before the title game re-iterated his feelings about that. “Last year, they left a team out because of a quarterback (then-undefeated Florida State). We're 11-1 with our starting quarterback, having beat four ranked teams and we won the Big 12 championship,” Dillingham said. “We made a standard that the quarterback is that valuable ... I definitely think we should host a game.” Xavier Guillory had TD catches of 8 and 21 yards in a 71-second span after the Iowa State turnovers. Skattebo then turned a third-down swing pass into a 33-yard score for a 45-10 lead that he punctuated with one of his Heisman poses. Skattebo's 2,074 yards from scrimmage (1,568 rushing and 506 receiving) are a single-season school record. Before his 3-yard TD, Skattebo had a 47-yard run when he spun away at the line from defenders, then shrugged off others. He had a 2-yard score in the final minute of the first half after a 53-yard run, again after contact at the line before twisting and turning through chasing Cyclones. “He’s an ‘A’ player, and he played an ‘A’ game today,” Campbell said. “In these moments, you need your ‘A’ players to play ‘A’ football, and he certainly did it.” Even without injured leading receiver Jordan Tyson , the Sun Devils had plenty of big plays. Leavitt's first pass was a 22-yarder to Melquan Stovall, who later had a 63-yard catch to convert a fourth-and-1. Arizona State had six plays of more than 20 yards — all in the first half, when the longest play by Iowa State was 19 yards. The Cyclones' got a late 25-yard TD pass from Rocco Becht to Jaylin Noel, one of their two 1,000-yard receivers. Tyson, who had 624 yards receiving in five November games, injured his left arm in the second half of the regular-season finale against Arizona. Becht has thrown TD passes in 17 consecutive game. His 3-yarder to Carson Hansen on the Cyclones' opening drive gave them their only lead at 7-3. Becht completed 21 of 35 pass for 214 yards and two TDs. Arizona State has its first outright conference title since winning the Pac-10 in 1996. After going 3-9 in their final Pac-12 season, the Sun Devils' eight-win improvement is a school record — the previous was five. Arizona State and Indiana (11-1) are the only FBS schools with eight-win improvements over last year. Iowa State got into November undefeated for the first time since 1938. The Cyclones then lost back-to-back games before winning three in a row to get into their second Big 12 title game. They lost to Oklahoma in the 2020 game. Arizona State finds out Sunday who and where it will start the playoff. Iowa State waits for its bowl destination, likely either the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio or the Pop Tarts Bowl in Orlando. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
The crisis of sinking citiesPolitics And The Markets 12/30/24AP News Summary at 2:33 p.m. EST
Markets Decline In Early Trade Amid Unabated Foreign Fund Outflows, Weak Global Trends