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By Nitya Chakraborty What is happening to the INDIA Bloc which gave just a big jolt to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his NDA in 2024 Lok Sabha elections? The BJP for the first time since the taking over of Narendra Modi as PM failed to get majority and was forced to form a […]

The article Next Round Of Elections Are Just Five Months Away – Where Is The INDIA Bloc Doing? appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Smartphone makers in India have been instructed by the telecom ministry to preload a government-owned cybersecurity app on all new devices sold in the country, blocking users from deleting the application once installed. Under a directive issued on November 28, companies such as Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo and Xiaomi have been given a 90-day window to ensure all handset models destined for India include the Sanchar Saathi app. For devices already in the retail pipeline or those awaiting sale, manufacturers must deliver the app via over-the-air software updates and ensure it appears prominently during first-use setup.

Authorities say the app plays a key role in telecom security by giving users tools to verify device authenticity through IMEI checks, report suspected thefts or fraud, and block lost or stolen phones. Since the app’s launch in January 2025, government data indicates it has helped recover over 700,000 lost devices and block millions of connections flagged as fraudulent. Officials argue that this move is critical to counter growing misuse of duplicate or tampered IMEI numbers—a problem that fuels scams and the resale of stolen phones across India’s vast second-hand device market.

This mandate marks the first time the government has required a permanently installed, non-removable application on all smartphones sold in the country. The decision reflects a broader tightening of regulatory oversight over telecom infrastructure and device authenticity, drawing parallels with security measures in other jurisdictions.

The requirement has triggered sharp criticism from technology companies and privacy advocates alike. For example, the policy of Apple prohibits pre-installation of third-party or government apps prior to device sale—an approach that could force the company to either seek exemptions or find workarounds. Industry representatives have warned that the mandate may strain compliance operations, increase production costs, and undermine relationships with handset vendors.

Beyond logistical concerns, digital rights groups argue the rule tramples on user consent and privacy. Critics contend that embedding a state-run app with potentially broad access on every phone amounts to unwarranted surveillance and sets a troubling precedent. Some lawmakers and civil liberties advocates dubbed the move “a Big Brother measure,” warning that once entrenched, such mandates could be expanded further, eroding individual privacy without adequate data-protection safeguards.

At the third edition of the Saudi International Handicrafts Week, held at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh, veteran craftsperson Wu Jianmei rose to the spotlight as exhibitors and visitors gathered to experience global artistry. Wu Jianmei took a seat in the bright red-themed China pavilion, her fingers deftly guiding a needle in a demonstration of Xiang embroidery — a traditional art form that has earned her acclaim over a career spanning more than four decades. Her calm poise and meticulous stitching drew a steady stream of visitors who paused to watch each slender thread breathe life into the fabric.

Organised by Heritage Commission, Banan has brought together over 400 artisans representing more than 40 countries for 2025. China holds the title of Guest of Honour, a symbolic showcase of its cultural heritage in a pavilion designed to present more than a thousand handmade pieces alongside live craft demonstrations. The pavilion features lacquerware, fan-making, batik techniques and complex embroidery — each presented by skilled heritage bearers chosen to represent China’s rich craft traditions.

China’s role this year coincides with the 35th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia, as well as the designation of 2025 as the Year of Handicrafts in the Kingdom. Officials accompanying the Chinese delegation underscored the ambition to promote cross-cultural understanding and elevate artisanal craftsmanship within a broader creative economy. Among those present was the Chinese ambassador, who visited the China pavilion and praised the global scope of the event and the Kingdom’s support for heritage-driven cultural exchange.

Visitors to Banan were drawn not only to the China pavilion but to a wider tapestry of worldwide craftsmanship. Traditional techniques from Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Oman, Bahrain and Jordan featured prominently, alongside booths from European, African, Asian, and Middle Eastern artisans. Demonstrations ranged across wood carving, clay pottery, metalwork, weaving and shadow-puppet craft.

A special interactive zone called “Banan Story” offered families and children an opportunity to engage hands-on with materials and tools under guided supervision, helping younger attendees connect playfully with global craft techniques. This initiative reflects a broader strategy by the Heritage Commission to foster intergenerational appreciation of handcrafts, encouraging younger audiences to explore cultural diversity through creativity.

For many, Wu Jianmei’s presence at Banan served as a powerful cultural bridge. Her Xiang embroidery pieces — delicate and intricate — symbolised a living history: patterns and stitches that carried stories of generations. Locals and expatriates alike watched in quiet admiration as the needle moved, building intricate motifs destined for display or sale. Her work has previously been exhibited in major institutions, a testament to her stature in the heritage-arts community.

The all-electric championship ABB FIA Formula E World Championship rolled into Jeddah’s Corniche Circuit for its first-ever double-header round, delivering a pair of night races under floodlights that combined high-speed action with a strategic twist. The event marked the debut of PIT BOOST, a mid-race 600 kW fast-charging stop that injects roughly 10 percent extra energy into the cars — a shift set to redefine Formula E’s competitive dynamics.

Drivers navigated the 3.001-kilometre layout of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit — adapted for Formula E with 19 turns and modified chicanes to test energy management and overtaking skill. In Round 3, pole-sitter Maximilian Günther of DS Penske held off rivals across a chaotic mid-race charge stop to secure victory, with Oliver Rowland and Taylor Barnard completing the podium. Gundther also posted the fastest lap during the race.

Round 4 turned tactics upside down when Rowland turned pole position into a commanding win, while Barnard and Jake Hughes clinched second and third. The contrasting race results underlined how PIT BOOST can influence race outcomes dramatically — positioning at the start matters less when energy strategies diverge mid-race.

PIT BOOST compelled all 22 drivers to make a mandatory stop for a 30-second battery recharge, adding roughly 3.85 kWh mid-race. Only one car per team may use the charging rig at a time, and no mechanical work is permitted during the stop. The concept, first mooted several seasons ago, had been delayed until technical and safety standards were satisfied.

Organisers believe this innovation will bring Formula E’s technological mission full-circle — showcasing fast-charging EV tech on the track that could accelerate adoption in road-going electric vehicles. Critics warn, however, that the 30-second pit stops risk breaking the flow of close racing, as cars may emerge at very different times and spread the field. Teams will need to master pressure-packed decisions on when exactly to pit as well as how to deploy the extra energy — a decision that could make or break a race.

Regulators at the Federal Reserve are moving to formalise rules for stablecoins, signalling a shift in how banks may soon treat these digital assets under supervision. The Vice Chair for Supervision at the Fed, Michelle Bowman, emphasised that banks should be able to engage with digital currencies — including stablecoins — under new regulatory guardrails. She argued that existing regulations, many crafted in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, may no longer be appropriate given how much the economy and technology have evolved. Her remarks came against the backdrop of recent legislation that lays the groundwork for stablecoin regulation, prompting an overhaul of existing frameworks to encourage innovation while managing risk.

The regulatory momentum follows the passage of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U. S. Stablecoins Act — known as the GENIUS Act — which establishes a comprehensive legal framework for payment stablecoins. Under the law, issuers of stablecoins must back tokens on a one-to-one basis with U. S. dollars or other low-risk assets, provide regular disclosure of reserves, and maintain transparent redemption processes. This marks a turning point: stablecoins officially enter the regulated financial system, opening the door for banks and other financial institutions to participate under defined standards.

Bowman has signalled that the Federal Reserve, alongside agencies such as the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the FDIC, intends to craft tailored supervisory guidelines rather than impose a one-size-fits-all regulatory model. She has called for regulators to abandon what she described as an “overly cautious mindset” that has slowed the banking sector’s ability to embrace digital innovation. According to her, banks seeking to engage in stablecoin activities must separate those assets from their traditional banking operations. This segregation, she said, is necessary to preserve the safety and soundness of the banking system even as banks expand into digital asset services.

The move has drawn cautious optimism from some quarters of the financial world, particularly among proponents of digital assets and stablecoin issuers, who view increased regulatory clarity as critical for broader adoption. They argue that a well-designed framework will enable mainstream financial institutions to offer digital asset services, increasing legitimacy and liquidity in the stablecoin market. Analysts point to academic research suggesting stablecoins have evolved from niche cryptocurrency experiments to integral components of payments infrastructure worldwide — with stablecoins’ market capitalisation estimated to exceed several hundred billion dollars. Some experts have proposed hybrid models that combine fiat-backed stablecoins with central-bank anchored systems to mitigate liquidity risks and improve stability, particularly in volatile market conditions.

At the same time, concerns remain about potential threats to financial stability. Regulators such as the Fed must weigh the risk of deposit outflows, competition between banks and non-bank issuers, and the challenge of preventing money-laundering or illicit finance through digital assets. Financial supervisors globally are wrestling with how to calibrate capital requirements and risk-weighting rules for banks engaging with stablecoins and digital tokens — taking into account factors like volatility, liquidity stress, and redemption risk.

Strategy, the publicly traded firm widely known for holding the largest corporate stash of Bitcoin, has drawn a line under doubts over its ability to meet dividend and debt obligations without selling crypto by creating a $1.44 billion U. S.-dollar reserve backed by share sales. This move reflects a deeper shift in the company’s risk management as the digital-asset market endures sharp price swings.

According to disclosures, the cash reserve was funded through the company’s at-the-market sales program, under which Strategy issued new Class A common stock in November, raising nearly $1.5 billion. Those proceeds now serve to fund preferred stock dividends and interest payments on outstanding convertible debt, obligations that had sparked investor concern amid a steep slide in Bitcoin valuations.

Alongside the cash build-up, Strategy added another 130 Bitcoin to its holdings, raising its total cache to 650,000 BTC — reaffirming its long-term bullish stance even as market conditions deteriorate. Executive chairman Michael Saylor reiterated commitment to Bitcoin as core to the firm’s identity, signalling confidence that the underlying asset remains a compelling store of value despite pressure.

Still, Strategy trimmed its fiscal-year 2025 guidance on operating income and diluted earnings per share, reflecting the volatile environment. Earlier projections assumed a markedly higher Bitcoin price range; the company now expects end-of-year BTC valuations between $85,000 and $110,000, a significant downgrade from prior assumptions near $150,000. Analysts caution this wide range introduces considerable uncertainty for cash-flow forecasts and valuation models.

The need for a cash reserve stems from one of the harshest drawdowns Bitcoin has faced this year. Bitcoin surged past $126,000 in early October but surrendered those gains over the subsequent weeks. The broader crypto sell-off, combined with liquidity constraints and high correlation between digital assets and riskier financial instruments, has erased much of the 2025 rally.

Industry-wide, firms that built large digital-asset treasuries this year are now navigating amplified risk. A recent study modelling “Digital Asset Treasury” companies warns that those relying solely on mark-to-market gains are especially vulnerable in bear markets — a problem compounded when accounting for debt and fixed-income obligations. The authors argue that cash-flow generation independent of crypto price swings, such as fee-based services on payment rails, could offer a path to stability; for now, Strategy’s cash reserve seems to be its principal line of defence.

Market reaction was swift. Shares of Strategy dropped more than 10 per cent following the announcement, extending a decline that has taken the stock down over 50 per cent in 2025. Some investors remain unconvinced that the company’s liquidity buffer is sufficient, pointing to its substantial convertible debt load and the challenge of generating recurring operational revenue. Others see the reserve as a pragmatic step — a signal that Strategy is prioritising financial resilience over ideological purity.

Government of India has broadened access to advanced semiconductor design by enabling universities across the country to use industry-grade Electronic Design Automation tools and Multi-Project Wafer fabrication services under the Chips to Start-up Programme. At a handover event at Semiconductor Laboratory, Mohali saw 28 chips—comprising 600 bare dies and 600 packaged units—designed by students from 17 institutions returned to their teams. Officials confirmed that 122 design tape-outs from 46 institutions were processed over the past year through five MPW shuttles, with over 175 lakh hours of EDA usage logged by more than 380 academic and research organisations via the ChipIN Centre.

Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Railways and Information & Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, described the effort as a transformation of India’s semiconductor landscape, arguing the shift empowers students and researchers to work with the same tools global chipmakers use and turns campuses into active nodes of chip innovation and design. SCL and ChipIN’s collaboration enables institutions to prototype, validate and manufacture chips under one integrated workflow—from design to wafer fabrication and packaging.

Analysts note that this initiative addresses previous barriers faced by academic institutions seeking to explore integrated circuit design, where lack of access to expensive EDA licences and manufacturing services often made projects unviable. By providing a centralised national facility, the government is effectively building a talent pipeline and offering practical exposure to chip fabrication, potentially reducing India’s reliance on foreign design and fabrication services over time.

The rollout comes against the backdrop of a wider push to develop domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities. Plans to upgrade SCL with an injection of ₹4,500 crore aim to expand fabrication capacity nearly hundred-fold and advance manufacturing to smaller nodes, reinforcing the analog and digital production backbone that the academic chip designs will feed into. Combining design empowerment with fabrication capacity creates a rare integrated ecosystem where chip concept can travel from whiteboard to silicone within the country.

Start-ups too are benefitting: institutions under C2S and ChipIN aren’t limited to student projects but include over 90 young companies. These entities logged about 50 lakh hours of EDA use, indicating that the programme serves both academic and commercial ambitions. Sector analysts suggest that with incentives under the broader India Semiconductor Mission—including design-linked and deployment-linked incentives—this could accelerate design work in fields such as 5G, electric vehicles, AI, industrial automation and defence electronics.