Kingsbridge Project board member Amanda Smith tells us about their activities.

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

Opportunities for West Midlands theatre makers.

Birmingham music charity launches a new strand of community vocal activity.

Scheme aims to protect thousands of jobs at risk from Covid-19.

Applications now open for life-changing opportunity.

Stars’ visit to Acorns brings festive cheer to local children.

Muddy Stilettos honour claimed for second consecutive year.

The CBSO perform Puccini's masterwork, with Simon Hale in the audience.

More people than ever before choose West Midlands in 2023.

The eco-drag challenge is here.

Black Country Industrial Cluster provides energy efficiency support for local businesses.

Legendary studios to join with Birmingham music charity to launch photography awards.

Richard Lutz heads for a city break.  

Vivek Rajkhowa writes about the man who transformed Birmingham.

 Moseley has been crowned as the best place in Britain for city living, according to the Sunday Times.

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

Richard Lutz travelled to Mirpur to find the home of the balti.

Sir Howard Elton, confidante of the football world and its poverty-stricken players, sits down with disgraced FIFA boss Septic Bladder. < /strong>

Charity support from top golfers.

Operation Black Vote unveiled Birmingham’s new generation of civic leaders at a media launch of their Civic Leadership Programme last week.

New Central Library: Founding a Friends Group, Thursday 4 July

Birmingham chocolate manufacturers follow up TV appearance with festive opportunity.

West Midlands announce intention to be National Centre for Musical Theatre.

Jessica Harris watches a challenging performance at Birmingham Rep.

Helen Annetts enjoys a day out in the past.

Autin Dance Theatre presents Light Up Fest.

Six hundred bikes to be provided to children in disadvantaged Birmingham areas.

Hire bikes now available throughout the city centre.

UK’s second longest-running comedy festival returns to the second city.

Programme announced to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

Group aims to provide help for Muslims throughout Europe.

“Udaan’s financial performance for FY23-24 reflects its commitment to building a robust, profitable and resilient business. With revenue reaching INR 5,700 crores for FY23-24, we have made significant strides toward profitability, reducing EBITDA burn by 40% year-on-year to ~INR 900 crores,” said Kiran Thadimarri, SVP Finance, Udaan in a LinkedIn post.

China's Xiaomi had complained to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) that the report - which found Flipkart, some of its sellers, and smartphone players in violation of competition laws - contained commercial secrets that should have been redacted, Reuters reported in September.

The action is related to the financial transactions being done by some of the "preferred" vendors and sellers who do business through Amazon and Flipkart like e-commerce platforms.

"The government has come up with Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), an open network for digital commerce that is helping even the bigger e-commerce businesses," said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The planned action signals growing regulatory scrutiny of Walmart-owned Flipkart and Amazon when their sales are rapidly growing in India's $70 billion e-commerce market. An antitrust investigation also found the two companies breached laws by favouring select sellers, Reuters has reported.

Amazon's delivery glasses, the people warned, could be shelved or delayed indefinitely if they do not work as envisioned, or for financial or other reasons. The sources said they may take years to perfect. "We are continuously innovating to create an even safer and better delivery experience for drivers," an Amazon spokesperson said, when asked about the driver eyeglasses. "We otherwise don't comment on our product roadmap."

Nazara Technologies and ONDC partnered to launch gCommerce. The platform will integrate e-commerce within games. It will provide Indian game developers with new revenue options. gCommerce will connect players to sellers on the ONDC network. Players can shop without leaving the game. The platform will roll out for developers by Q1, FY26.

Blackstone is close to acquiring Retail Opportunity Investments Corp, which owns U.S. shopping centers worth $3.4 billion including debt. Other private equity firms, including Bain Capital, are also interested. The deal could be finalized in the coming weeks if negotiations succeed. ROIC has raised rents significantly amidst high inflation, making it an attractive target.

Key sectors, including oil & gas (18 per cent), pharma/biotech (12 per cent), FMCG (8 per cent), and IT (6 per cent) emerged as primary drivers of this positive trend, with AI/ML roles showing exceptional growth at 39 per cent year-on-year, the report stated.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is convening a Central Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting on November 7-8. The meeting will address concerns regarding food safety on e-commerce platforms and strategize ways to enhance food product surveillance and testing across states.

India's economic growth is projected to slow to 6.2% in the second quarter of 2024-25, due to a high base effect and heavy rainfall, as per Barclays' estimates. While government spending and rural consumption are picking up, urban demand and private investment remain weak. Barclays has revised its GDP forecast for 2024-25 to 6.8% from 7% earlier, expecting a recovery in the second half of the year.

India's consumer price inflation likely surged to a 14-month high in October, driven by soaring vegetable and edible oil prices. Economists predict inflation hit 5.81%, just below the central bank's 6% tolerance limit. A weak rupee and rising global commodity prices add to inflationary pressures, potentially delaying anticipated interest rate cuts.

Despite the persistent inflation and sluggish demand, several leading FMCG and retail brands are doubling down on their premiumization strategies, reshaping their approach to appeal to discerning customers.

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.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to meet with state counterparts on December 21-22 for pre-budget discussions and a GST Council meeting. Key agenda items include potential GST exemptions for certain insurance policies and rate reductions on various goods. The Council may also consider raising GST on luxury items like high-value shoes and watches.

Sheela Foam, maker of Sleepwell and Kurl-on mattresses, reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 9 crore on revenues of Rs 813 crore in Q2 FY25. The company saw a 32% year-on-year revenue increase, driven by a 19% rise in mattress volume.

Jubilant Foodworks Ltd., the operator of Domino's Pizza and Dunkin' in India, reported a lower net profit of Rs 66.53 crore in the second quarter, compared to Rs 97.2 crore in the same period last year. Despite the profit dip, revenue rose to Rs 1,954.72 crore from Rs 1,368.63 crore, fueled by expansion and growth in the Indian market.