'The forgotten Goon' honoured at Symphony Hall.

John Knox, who until recently covered Scottish politics for the BBC, files this report.

Here's your chance to visit the popular NEC shows free.

Your chance to see the stars of TV absolutely free.

First chance to buy piece of pub history in Jewellery Quarter.

Year 5 children from Twickenham Primary School in Kingstanding are making great progress with their social enterprise scheme working with the Diggin’ Generations local food project

Dave Woodhall on Villa's draw at Anfield and new signings.

Jo empowers an Erdington community response.

Richard Lutz dips into African theatre twice and finds a lost church.

Mac to present an interactive theatre performance developed for Balsall Heath.

Pupils from St Columba’s Catholic Primary School received a lesson in site safety from local housebuilder St. Modwen Homes;

Claim by Birmingham MP.

Enjoy exclusive events, festivals and destinations ‘Only Here’ during summer and autumn.

Comic and TV presenter tells us about touring and surviving.

Classic locomotive takes to the rails for the summer.

Great Big Green Week launches at Shakespeare’s New Place

Four Seasons inspires Lichfield Festival schools’ projects.

Richard Lutz heads for a city break.  

Andy Munro talks about last weekend's football, or not.

Richard Lutz reports on a step forward in opening the Moseley/Kings Heath train line.

Reports of Halesowen Town's demise have thankfully, been greatly exaggerated,

Charity support from top golfers.

Transport firm raise record amount for childrens charity.

Fundraising day will help provide assistance for region's vulnerable sleepers.

Brand new restaurant at Dartmouth Golf Course set to tee-off.

The Lewisham swings into action at Dartmouth golf course.

Treetop Adventure Golf ready to roll in the Bullring this May.

Family golf centre aiming to make pastime accessible for all.

Could Birmingham become "A truly citizen-centric council"? Professor David Bailey hopes so.

One of Birmingham’s oldest community-run festivals celebrates its fiftieth anniversary.

"Memorable" and "mesmerising" immersive experience the perfect summer holiday activity for families.

The sheer scale of sales opportunity in the Indian market has also provided “in-market, for-market” justifications for investments in manufacturing in the country, according to a latest forecast by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

The Bhartia family and Goldman Sachs are joining forces for a significant deal. They are planning to acquire a large stake in HCCB, the bottling arm of Coca-Cola in India. Goldman Sachs will provide substantial financial backing for this venture. The deal involves a planned future listing of HCCB, allowing Goldman Sachs to exit strategically. This move mirrors PepsiCo's successful strategy with Varun Beverages.

Godrej Interio aims for a 10 per cent contribution from e-commerce sales by fiscal-end. The company is accelerating digital transformation efforts, experiencing significant online sales growth and expanding reach across 17,200 pin codes. It introduces AI-based 'Visual Search' and an integrated dealer network to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.

Asian Paints faced a challenging second quarter with muted demand due to uneven rainfall and a slowdown in metro cities. Despite price hikes, competitive intensity remains high. The company is cautiously optimistic about single-digit volume growth in the coming quarter while closely observing AkzoNobel's strategic review of its India business.

Cigarette maker Godfrey Phillips India Ltd on Monday reported a 23 per cent rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 248.31 crore in the second quarter ended September 30, 2024, fuelled by higher sales.

Godrej Industries is set to acquire the food additives and emulsifier business of Savannah Surfactants Limited for Rs 76 crore. The deal will see Godrej Industries expand its product offerings to the Food & Beverages segment. Savannah Surfactants Ltd has a manufacturing capacity of 5,200 tonnes per annum of finished products.

Sony India, experiencing substantial growth in its gaming sector due to the PlayStation 5's success, is now eyeing India as a key market. Despite anticipating moderated growth this fiscal year, the company remains committed to expanding its gaming presence, including software and peripherals. Sony India last week filed its annual returns to report over 50.1 per cent growth from its 'other business' segment at Rs 1,363.54 crore, which houses its gaming and B2B business.

Although stakeholder discussions are still going on, the 5% cut of the total import quota will be implemented from April 1 of the upcoming fiscal. This cut is based on the data provided by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics.

“We have been able to grow a little from 15.4% to 16.7% in H1. But this is coming more from the operational efficiencies point of view. And also a very little from probably I can say, there is an advantage currently where the raw material prices are at most low. This is the advantage we have been able to get in H1. ”

“We will first want to focus on growth in terms of top line and margins will take care of themselves. With a lot of operating efficiencies coming in, margin should take care of itself but we follow our mantra of “nothing at the cost of market and nothing at the cost of margin. So we will balance both together.”

Hugo Boss reported third-quarter operating profit slightly above expectations, but acknowledged it won't achieve its 2025 revenue and profit growth targets due to weak demand. Despite cost-cutting measures, the luxury fashion brand faces challenges from cautious consumer spending and a difficult market, particularly in China.

Indians purchased 220 tonnes of silver during this year's Dhanteras-Diwali. This is the highest amount in two decades. The surge in silver sales is attributed to its rising prices and its appeal as a safe-haven asset. Gold sales, however, declined by 15% this year. Experts predict silver prices will continue to rise.

Indian travelers are increasingly splurging on luxury goods while abroad, with spending in this category skyrocketing by 250% in recent years. Travel companies and luxury brands are responding by incorporating premium shopping experiences into their itineraries and offering exclusive perks to attract Indian shoppers.

Driven by central bank purchases and geopolitical tensions, gold prices soared to 39 new all-time highs in 2024, marking the highest number in 45 years. The surge, influenced by strong Asian demand and US election anxieties, saw gold reach $2,734 per ounce, prompting predictions of further increases.

Adwaita and Anchit Nayar, leaders at Nykaa, highlight their complementary roles in driving the company's success. They share insights on India's consumer tech and quick commerce growth, Nykaa's rapid expansion in warehouse capacity, and plans for same-day or next-day delivery, leveraging their efficient capital use and market competition to build the category.

Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay a $700 million settlement to resolve a probe by 42 US states and Washington, DC. The inquiry examined the marketing of their baby powder and other talc-based products, which have faced allegations of causing cancer. The settlement addresses claims that Johnson & Johnson deceived consumers about the safety of its talc products.

Government initiatives, such as mandatory quality control orders and increased customs duties, have significantly boosted India's toy exports, but further efforts are needed, according to DPIIT Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. He mentioned ongoing efforts to include the toy sector in the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, with a proposed budget of Rs 3,489 crore, to enhance domestic manufacturing.

We'll continue to invest in our brand, technology, products, and grow our offline online touchpoints. We are going to open around 350 stores over the next three years and grow our multi-channel competitive strengths. We will also enhance our in-house brands and their distribution through pharmacies and grocery stores. We also plan to invest in manufacturing, international markets and Globalbees, our brand aggregator platform,Supam Maheshwari, cofounder and CEO of FirstCry said.

Benji Gonzalez Social Media BENJI GONZALEZ is a designer and creator based in Southern California. His creative journey began at John F. Kennedy High School (La Palma) where he was […]