All malls have been shut since the lockdown began, and retailers in those malls are not in a position to pay rents because their outlets are shut. This in turn makes it difficult for the malls to pay the banks. About 85% of a mall’s revenue is dependent on rentals.

Emkay Global expects PVR and Inox Leisure to post steep year-on-year drop in revenues at 19 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively.

FMCG major Hindustan Unilever on Thursday reported a decline of 3.93 per cent in consolidated profit to Rs 1,512 crore for the fourth quarter, impacted by the coronavirus crisis from mid-March.

It had posted a net profit of Rs 403 crore in the corresponding quarter last year.

Total income during the latest quarter stood at Rs 1,724.51 crore, up 24.78 per cent from Rs 1,382 crore in the year-ago period , Varun Beverages said in a regulatory filing.

Secretary of the Senate Julie Adams has turned down presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s request to search for records of any complaint filed by his former staffer Tara Reade, citing legal advice that she has “no discretion” to release such materials, because they are confidential under current law.

KFC India managing director Samir Menon said: “Subdued growth in March and softness is on account of the lockdown. We continue to operate around the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic with our delivery business only amidst the lockdown situation in the country as we comply with all regulatory directives.”

The association has stated that allowing liquidation of the unsold stock will minimize the losses and introduce working capital by encashment of the existing liquor stock.

As per industry estimates, any standalone restaurant from an established chain could have alcohol inventory of ₹10-25 lakh lying with it. For five-star chains, the stocks are worth much more.

Jaimini will be joining Pesto Tech, a career accelerator start-up, as their co-founder, Swiggy said in a statement.

The order directed pubs, clubs, bars and lodges to allow only one customer to enter their respective premises at a time and leave soon after purchasing liquor at the maximum retail price (MRP).

The company has also built up an auto referencing system for its stores to stock inventory based on target group and purchasing power of customers in a given location.

Mothercare is the latest brand after Mango, Forever 21and Sephora among other global labels to change hands from DLF Brands.

Mothercare is the latest brand after Mango, Forever 21 and Sephora, among other global labels, to change hands from DLF Brands.

CoreCivic runs the facility that houses inmates for the U.S. Marshals Service, city of Mesa, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Questions implying that terrorism is encouraged under the Islamic faith elicited a public apology from Scottsdale Community College after they appeared on a class quiz.

The book of poetry “Martin Rising: Requiem for a King” beautifully illustrates events in the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s written with a middle school audience in mind, but this collection can be enjoyed by everyone. Each of poet Andrea Davis Pinkney’s poems is accompanied by a beautiful watercolor, gouache, and india ink illustration by Brian Pinkney. The poems about King’s life are labeled with the date of each event’s occurrence and in some cases the time. The book is divided into three sections: Daylight, Darkness and Dawn. Henny Penny, who listeners will remember as the folklore character who declares that “The Sky Is Falling” introduces, predicts, and is an all-knowing narrator of the past, present, and future. In the Daylight section of the book, poems about King’s joyous birth, growth to manhood, and family life are juxtaposed with poems about his work as a scholar, preacher, and champion for basic civil rights and equality. He inspires hope as he arrives in Memphis to

At first, all Sophia Young wanted was to find a job until she could find a husband. Instead, she finds herself working for Scott Kraft, a notoriously unpredictable and demanding tech mogul. She soon becomes more interested in her work in investor relations than in getting married, which she never planned on. She is quickly promoted and becomes an asset at Kraft’s new business, an animation company called Treehouse that’s set to disrupt the movie industry. Fans of Pixar, Apple and Steve Jobs will enjoy the parallels between Jobs and the fictional Kraft. Kraft, who founded a revolutionary technology company called Quince before taking over Treehouse, also creates the first wave of smart phones, known as “Q-phones.” Similarly, author Anna Yen pays homage to Pixar, where she herself worked in investor relations. In the book, Treehouse creates movies like “The Amazings,” and “Treasures,” which seem to be a nod to Pixar’s real-life movies “The Incredibles” and “Toy Story.” As Sophia becomes

History makes a great story when it’s told well. And who can resist a good story? I certainly can’t. Having been a history major in undergrad, I may be particularly susceptible. So when I came across Matthew Kneale’s new book, “Rome: A History In Seven Sackings” in the leisure reading collection at Pattee Library, I had to check it out. There are many histories of long-lived cities. Paris, London, Jerusalem and Rome have all had more than a few treatments. But every so often a writer looks at a history like this in a different way, and that makes it all the more interesting. Kneale’s choice of looking at Rome through seven different times it was conquered over the millennia is a particularly intriguing choice. Beginning with an early, brief occupation in 387 B.C. and continuing up to the Second World War, it is an engrossing tale. Organizing the history of Rome around these seven “sackings” offers fascinating snapshots of the city at specific moments in time. Together, they weave a

As the director of the Pennsylvania Center for the Book, one of my favorite tasks is choosing a children’s or young adult title to represent Pennsylvania at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. It’s a responsibility I take very seriously. I consult with colleagues and search for information about children’s and young adult books by Pennsylvania authors or illustrators. I look for titles with topics that have some connection to the Commonwealth. I’m delighted to share that this year’s selection is a picture book biography—"A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin”written by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Horace Pippin was the grandson of a slave, born in West Chester, Pennsylvania on February 22, 1888. He died in 1946 and is buried in the Chester Grove Annex Cemetery. He began and ended life in Pennsylvania. As a child, Horace was always drawing pictures. He won a drawing contest and the cherished prize—colored pencils, a pair of brushes, and a box of

I got Michael Pollan’s book “How to Change Your Mind” because I am interested in how hallucinogenic drug use influenced the counter-culture of the 1960s. From the full title of Pollan’s book, you know it's an ambitious work. “How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression and Transcendence” barely fits on the front of the soft cover edition released in May. And even that doesn’t fully describe what’s inside. “How to Change Your Mind” has three distinct parts: the history of hallucinogens, descriptions of the author’s experiments taking LSD, magic mushrooms and, yes, the venom of the Colorado River Toad, and then accounts of recent research on using hallucinogens to treat addiction and depression and to help terminally ill people lose their fear of dying. That’s a lot to cover in one book. Pollan was at his best writing about the history of LSD. Pollan reports that early research found LSD was a promising

Growing up in Western Pennsylvania, it was almost a given that young children watched at least a few episodes of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” And I’m pretty sure I watched more than just a few! I remember well the episode where we saw how crayons were made, as well as the episode where Mister Rogers visited a lighthouse. The Land of Make Believe was a familiar place – both on the show, and the ride at Idlewild Park, which my family and I visited several summers in a row. So it was with no small amount of nostalgia that I started the new book by Maxwell King – “The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers.” My nostalgia was only deepened by the fact that I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by none other than LeVar Burton of “Reading Rainbow,” another touchstone from my childhood. King, formerly the head of The Pittsburgh Foundation, brings us the first full-length biography of Rogers. In so doing, he draws on an abundance of sources, including the recollections of

Talking about mental health issues is daunting. Often just starting the conversation is the hardest part. With his latest book, “Max’s Box,” Brian Wray offers children and grown-ups a way to begin these important discussions. Through simple story-telling and cartoonish illustrations, Wray gives his readers a glimpse into what can happen when emotions are suppressed. He also demonstrates how with the help of people who care, we can learn to express, and then let go of the things that hold us back. The story begins with Max’s parents giving him a very special gift: a tiny, magical box that will hold everything. After putting in his lucky red truck, favorite pirate ship, and beloved stuffed dog, Max discovers the box will also hold his feelings, particularly his negative feelings. For example, when Max is angry, the anger goes straight into the box. When he is sad or lonely, the sadness and loneliness also go into the box. Each negative emotion he feels makes its way into the box, which

“It was as black in the closet as old blood. They had shoved me in and locked the door. I breathed heavily through my nose, fighting desperately to remain calm.” So begins “Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie,” the first book in the “Flavia de Luce” murder mystery series by Alan Bradley. What appears to be a rather violent kidnapping is actually just the latest episode in a running battle between 11-year-old Flavia and her two older sisters, 13-year-old Daphne and 17-year-old Ophelia. Fortunately, Flavia turns out to be quite capable of holding her own against her sisters by using her love of chemistry to inflict the odd rash or occasional bout of indigestion on them. Set in rural England in the early 1950s, the series follows Flavia as she travels the countryside seeking adventure on Gladys, her trusty two-wheeled steed and partner in all adventures. In many ways, Flavia is a youthful reincarnation of Don Quixote. Her ability to imagine all kinds of possibilities in ordinary situations

“What does a landscape dream of in its unsettled dreams?” Todd Davis’s newest collection of poems, titled “Native Species,” opens with this question. The question is gentle and idle. It’s the kind of thing you ask yourself while half-asleep on a streambank on a hot day. But then there’s that word “unsettled.” The landscape may be “settled.” It may be cultivated into farm and town… but its dreams are unsettled, uneasy, perhaps even wild. As the poem winds through images of a flooded house, the reader becomes unsettled, too. And is reminded that landscapes––including the ones that humans shape––can shift in ways that we do not expect or control. Todd Davis excels at this kind of movement––the kind that starts in streambank idling but ends in a landslide. Or, just as often, the kind that begins in an abstract concept and distills into a single, sparkling image. In “Native Species,” his sixth full-length collection of poetry, Davis returns to themes his readers will find familiar:

I work at the Pennsylvania Center for the Book and a new book of poetry by local author Marjorie Maddox came across my desk recently. The title immediately caught my attention: “A Crossing of Zebras: Animal Packs in Poetry.” I thought, collective nouns and poetry? What a great idea! I'm a former elementary school teacher. So, I immediately started thinking about all the possibilities for this book in the classroom. Learning about collective nouns, words that describe groups of animals, individuals, or things is often part of the curriculum. When I wanted a fun way to help children understand the concept of collective nouns, I used to use a book by Ruth Heller called “A Cache of Jewels and Other Collective Nouns.” That book just gives you a page with one word, the collective noun, and a simple illustration. So, you can imagine my delight at discovering Marjorie Maddox’s entertaining poems, along with Philip Huber's imaginative scratchboard artwork. This book takes Heller's idea a step

“The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of Life” offers those who usually read novels a chance to enjoy ‘creative non-fiction.’ This book is a well-told narrative about the molecular building blocks of life and how they evolved. David Quammen accepts the challenge of documenting the advancement of evolutionary life science while revealing its significance to all of our lives. Quammen also gives us insight into the vibrant communities of scientists carrying out similar work. Quammen begins by introducing the image of the Tree of Life. He describes how it has evolved from the image of a ladder-to-heaven in ancient and medieval thinking into Darwin’s branching, upward-growing tree. Quammen closes his introduction with his own surprising proposition. He suggests Darwin’s tree image is no longer the precise metaphor for what life is. Quammen introduces each new evolutionary twist and turn until the new Tree of Life ends up looking more like a web than an upwardly-reaching tree with

Recognizing the author’s name led me to “Hidden Tapestry” by Debra Dean . Her debut historical novel, “The Madonnas of Leningrad,” is one of my favorite WW II novels. “Hidden Tapestry: Jan Yoors, His Two Wives, and the War That Made Them One” was like no other book I’ve ever read. It’s a historical biography, but it reads like an unbelievable novel. It’s the biography of Flemish-American artist Jan Yoors, who was known for his giant tapestries. Yoors was born to a family of Flemish artists in 1922. He grew up in a bohemian liberal home with a deeply engrained cultural respect for art. Throughout his childhood his parents accepted his departures every summer to live among the Gypsies, or Romas. He developed deep admiration for this unique group of people, and many years later, he wrote a memoir about his time living with them. His award-winning 1965 book, “The Gypsies,” was hugely popular. It is still the seminal work on the Romas. Dean’s research is thorough, and her writing is

“Lucretia Mott’s Heresy: Abolition and Women’s Rights in 19 th Century America” is a delicious history. The book draws heavily from the letters of Lucretia Mott, which gives the reader the voice of this fiery opponent of slavery and promoter of women’s rights. In the mid-1800s, Lucretia Mott was one of the most popular abolitionist speakers among the Philadelphia-area Religious Society of Friends. As a friend of a Friend, I am interested in the history of Quakers. This tiny religious sect has had an outsized impact on American history. I will also confess that my husband and I take special delight in academic histories. You know, those books with a colon in the title that signifies it will be easy to fall asleep to this one. At night we take turns reading out loud, occasionally asking, “Are you still awake?” For us, “Lucretia Mott’s Heresy” was perfect bedtime reading. But it is not for everyone. Some readers will be impatient with the exhaustive detail of this scholarly tome by

"The Swerve: How the World Became Modern" by Stephen Greenblatt is the biography of a man named Poggio Bracciolini, and the history of a poem titled "On the Nature of Things." Bracciolini began adult life as a scribe, which is the 15th Century version of a notary public. It was a useful, but not unique, position in what is now Italy. Despite his humble beginnings, Bracciolini used his intelligence, charm, and exceptional penmanship to become the personal secretary to Pope John XXII. That was quite an achievement for a person of common birth. But, it was Bracciolini’s avocation as a book collector that gave him a place in history. Bracciolini spent much free time - and money - searching for rare manuscripts in the monastic libraries of Europe. In particular, he looked for manuscripts containing the works of ancient Greek philosophers. In January 1417, he found a manuscript of the poem, "On the Nature of Things.” Written by Titus Lucretius Carus around 50 B.C.E., "On the Nature of Things

How do we love the land, even as we participate in doing damage to it? How do we honor those who have come before us, even as we acknowledge the destruction they advanced? These are the questions that came to me as I read “Pennsylvania Furnace” a new book of poems by Julie Swarstad Johnson. In poems that weave effortlessly, sometimes magically, between past and present, Johnson considers the significance of resource extraction in relation to American lives. Her poems step back and forth across the continent, juxtaposing the Arizona desert-cities of the author’s home with the ridges and valleys of central Pennsylvania. Here in Appalachia, where her parents are from, Johnson finds the remnants of Pennsylvania’s booming 19 th -century ironmaking industry and goes on a journey to learn about those old furnace stacks that stand, as one poem puts it, “like lone towers left from fortresses / by the roadside.” Like students of this local history who came before her, Johnson acknowledges that

The title of the book I am recommending is a mouthful: “iGen: Why Today’s Super-Connected Kids are Growing up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy—and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood*: *and What That Means for the Rest of Us.” This book by Dr. Jean M. Twenge serves as a deep, yet accessible analysis of the attitudes, values, and behaviors of America’s newest generation of young adults: iGen. I am a doctoral student studying higher education at Penn State. Although my goal in reading this book was to understand iGen as a student population, I found Twenge’s insights to be timely and relevant to contexts beyond the university, which is why I want to share them here today. The generational label was coined by Twenge herself and describes those who were born between 1995 and 2012. This time span was a period of rapid technological and social change, which included the commercialization of the Internet and the release of the iPhone. In addition to “Internet” and “iPhone,” the “i”

Nearly 90 years after his death, the name Thomas Edison still stands as a synonym for invention and technical wizardry. Yet aside from a short list of his inventions, I couldn’t say that I knew all that much about him. So, when I saw that Edmund Morris had written a new biography—titled simply “Edison”—I couldn’t resist learning more. Morris is perhaps best known as the author of the magisterial three volume biography of Theodore Roosevelt, of which “The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt” won the Pulitzer Prize. While not as long as that combined output, at over 800 pages, “Edison” is still a bit daunting. But with a life as long and productive as Edison’s, the book never lagged, presenting a fascinating record of both disappointment and achievement. Morris made a curious choice as a biographer. At the start of the work, we see Edison’s last race against time to come up with a substitute for rubber for tires. From there, each chapter covers a decade of his life, proceeding backwards. From his

There is a point in Colson Whitehead’s novel, “The Nickel Boys,” when you think—when you hope—that things will turn out for the better for his protagonist, Elwood Curtis. Elwood is living in New York, he has a job, an apartment, and a girlfriend. He has developed plans to start his own moving company. At that point, you begin to have hope that all the atrocities and injustices Elwood endured—including the years he spent being abused at the Nickel Academy, a reform school in Florida, were not his undoing, even as you know that probably isn’t the case. “The Nickel Boys” is Whitehead’s ninth novel and is based on the true story of a 1960s reform school for boys. Elwood should have never been at Nickel. Before arriving there, things were going well for him. He was a serious, hardworking, and cerebral young man. His grandmother had shielded him from most external forces. For example, she got him a job at a store to keep him busy, and kept him away from the speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King

What makes a book relevant more than twenty years after it was first published? In order to persist, books tell tales that go beyond the experiences of the main character and become relatable to broad audiences across time. “Charming Billy” by Alice McDermott does exactly this while questioning the nature of relevance through an exploration of the titular character. Billy Lynch is an alcoholic. That’s the unchanging reality that leads him to die alone in New York City before the book begins. In the opening chapter, readers meet the community at his funeral, huddled inside a bar and grill ironically drinking the very stuff that fueled Billy’s addiction. It’s through their conversation that we learn of Billy’s goodhearted nature. Billy is willing to help out a friend in any situation and finds ways to make people feel good about life. It’s at that table we meet Billy’s cousin Dennis, who seems to have access to Billy’s life in ways the rest of the family doesn’t. Dennis’ daughter,

The company's stock was trading 3.04 per cent down at Rs 8,335 apiece on BSE today.

This will help Bajaj Electricals cement its position in the fast-growing Rs 12,000-crore kitchenware category.

Consolidated revenue of the company increased 24 per cent to Rs 5,293.99 crore in Q3FY19.

Total expenses rose 15.65 per cent to Rs 4,340.64 crore in the quarter as against Rs 3,752.94 crore in the year-ago period.

Berger Paints' total expenses was at Rs 1,304.62 crore as against Rs 1,136.47 crore, up 14.79 per cent.

The number beat ET Now's poll estimate of Rs 547 crore profit.

Dhingra indicated that the company they would look for acquisition should be bigger than its existing operations in Russia. BPIL now runs the Russian operations through its subsidiary in Cyprus.

In a filing with the stock exchanges, the company said it is buying 95.53% stake of STPL. Balance 4.47% stake will remain with STPL’s existing shareholders.

The decorative business segment in India recorded high double digit volume growth.

Revenue from operations (excluding GST) in the said quarter stood at Rs 1,598.58 crore.

Asian Paints' revenue from operations rose 3% to Rs 5,420.28 crore from Rs 5,263.04 crore.

Peter Forster is an associate professor who teaches security and risk analysis at Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology. His research focuses on cybersecurity, counter-terrorism and social networks. Forster has worked on improving law enforcement’s situational awareness of issues such as drug and human trafficking. He also oversees a research project on better understanding of how extremist organizations recruit Americans in cyberspace. He talks with WPSU about why cybersecurity shouldn’t be an afterthought in today’s world and how the cyber world and the physical world are inseparable. Plus, how to practice “cyber hygiene.” Transcript: Min Xian: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU. I’m Min Xian. Peter Forster is an associate teaching professor who teaches security and risk analysis at Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology. His research focuses on cybersecurity, counterterrorism and social networks. Forster has worked on improving law enforcement’s

Jessie Sage is a sex worker who writes and speaks publicly on issues related to sex work, feminism, and social justice. James Tison is a stand-up comedian in New York who uses humor to fight stigma against his LGBTQ identity and life with HIV. Sage and Tison recently spoke at an event at Penn State called “Facts not Fear: A Night to Fight Stigma,” and talked with WPSU about fighting the sigma their communities face. This Take Note interview talks about sex work and might not be suitable for children to hear.

Maxwell King is the best-selling author of "The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers." King talks about why he wrote the book and gives insight into the life of Mister Rogers, the unfailingly kind, compassionate namesake neighbor of the beloved "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." To learn more about Rogers' legacy visit the Fred Rogers Center and Fred Rogers Productions . TRANSCRIPT: Carolyn Donaldson: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU, I'm Carolyn Donaldson. Today, we're joined by Maxwell King, recently retired president of the Pittsburgh Foundation, former president of the Heinz Endowment, and former editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer. But now in today's context, a best selling author. In his book, "The Good Neighbor: The Life and Works of Fred Rogers," King's written a personal and professional biography of Fred Rogers, the unfailingly kind, compassionate namesake neighbor of the beloved Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Thanks for joining us today, Maxwell. Maxwell King: Good to be

In 1995, one of the deadliest heat waves in the United States killed 739 people in Chicago. Why was the death count so high? And why were the deaths concentrated in poor, mostly African American neighborhoods? In her new documentary "Cooked: Survival by Zip Code," filmmaker Judith Helfand says it wasn't the heat that killed these people, but generations of institutional racism. We talked with the Peabody Award-winning director about "Cooked," which had its TV premiere on Independent Lens on PBS earlier this month, and about her past documentaries, which include "Blue Vinyl" and "A Healthy Baby Girl." TRANSCRIPT: Emily Reddy: Welcome to Take Note on WPSU. I'm Emily Reddy. In 1995, one of the deadliest heat waves in the United States killed 739 people in Chicago. Why was the death count so high? And why were the deaths concentrated in poor, mostly African American neighborhoods? In her new documentary "Cooked: Survival by Zip Code," filmmaker Judith Helfand says it wasn't the heat that