Author: Isla

Jakarta, IO – Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto expressed confidence in Indonesia’s economic resilience despite increasingly dynamic global challenges. He noted that the country’s overall economic performance remains strong, with Indonesia recording a 5.39% growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2025, ranking second among G20 member states, just behind India’s 7.40% growth during the same period. Airlangga highlighted that domestic consumption remains robust, contributing 54% to the national GDP. “We also reported to the President that our consumption is strong. Our food security is relatively solid as well, with rice production reaching 34.7 million tons in 2025…

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As Delhi Capitals (DC) suffered a one-run defeat against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) on Wednesday, former Indian cricketer Anjum Chopra reflected on DC batter David Miller refusing to take single in the last over, which turned the match on its head. With two runs needed of last two balls, Miller refused an easy single, taking the equation down to 2 off 1 ball. Needing two runs off the final delivery, Miller missed Prasidh Krishna’s delivery, and a brilliant direct hit from GT wicket-keeper Jos Buttler ran out Kuldeep Yadav as he…

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(From left to right) Hilton executive vice-president and chief development officer Christian Charnaux; Hilton Asia Pacific president Alan Watts; Royal Orchid Hotels president Arjun Baljee and executive director Keshav Baljee. Credit: Hilton. Royal Orchid Hotels-owned Hilton and Regenta Hotels have signed an agreement to develop 125 Hampton by Hilton hotels in India. The collaboration targets the upper midscale segment, responding to growing demand from India’s expanding middle class and increased domestic travel. Discover B2B Marketing That Performs Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms. Find out more The franchised hotels will be…

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We are a nation obsessed with gold, a civilisation that treats the yellow metal as both a spiritual necessity and the ultimate firewall against the vagaries of fortune. Yet, while we sit atop an estimated 500 million tons of unmined gold ore, our domestic production remains a rounding error on the global ledger. We mine a pittance – barely one and a half tons a year – while draining our foreign exchange reserves to import hundreds of tons annually from mines in Australia, Ghana, and Peru. This state of affairs is more than an irony; it is a self-inflicted wound…

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‘A textile worker in Tamil Nadu loses 50% of her work capacity on a 40°C afternoon; and as she does not have any sick leaves or cooling breaks, she also loses 50% of her day’s wages. She absorbs the cost of a warming planet so that global supply chains remain ‘efficient.’ However, the biology of labour is hitting a wall, and India’s textile industry is quietly cracking under the weight’ | Photo Credit: AFP India is currently winning the global trade shuffle. As political instability rocks traditional hubs such as Bangladesh, international buyers are pivoting toward Indian textile clusters. But…

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Indian women won four gold medals at the Asian Boxing Championships 2026 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Thursday, with Minakshi Hooda (48kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Priya (60kg) and Arundhati Choudhary (70kg) crowned new continental champions. Overall, India also emerged as the most successful nation in the women’s division at the ongoing Asian Championships with 10 medals – four golds, two silvers and four bronze medals. On Thursday, Indian boxers were involved in six finals. Minakshi Hooda, the reigning world champion in the 48kg, also added the continental crown to her name by defeating local favourite Nomundari Enkh-Amgalan by a 5-0 unanimous…

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When a family member mentions a health concern, our instinctive response is shaped by familiarity. As a parent of two children, routine issues often lead me to medicines; unusual ones prompt a doctor’s visit. Yet many times, we reassure ourselves it’s just “building immunity” and expect children to adjust. Normalising discomfort feels practical even responsible but is it truly right, or does it reveal a deeper public health mindset?Illness is still met with quiet endurance rather than timely care. People continue their daily routines, setting aside pain or discomfort with the belief that it is something they must “adjust and…

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HONG KONG, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hong Kong has long been recognised as a clean, transparent, and attractive investment hub, a reputation built on the collective commitment to integrity shared by the business community, the Government, and civil society. This strong ethical foundation has helped Hong Kong consistently become one of the most competitive and corruption-free economies worldwide. All the years the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), in collaboration with the Chambers of Commerce in Hong Kong, spares no efforts in maintaining the clean governance and ethical business in the city, to ensure its fair, clean and sustainable…

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Hong Kong collector and self‑made businessman Au Bak Ling is well known in the trade for an exceptional yet rarely seen collection of imperial porcelains. Christie’s offered a first glimpse in 2024 with two single‑owner sales that together realised around HK$195 million, confirming the depth of interest in works from his collection.On 8 April 2026, China Guardian Hong Kong followed with its own Au Bak Ling Collection auction. All 47 lots, spanning Song to Qing ceramics, found buyers for a total of HK$120 million (US$15.3 million), with many pieces selling above estimate.The top price went to a Yuan blue‑and‑white “peony” meiping,…

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