Explainers News

Global beverage giants Carlsberg, Pernod Ricard and Coca-Cola are advancing plans to list their Indian businesses. Carlsberg India has filed updated draft IPO papers after receiving regulatory approval. Coca-Cola is exploring an IPO of its Indian bottling operations through Hindustan Coca-Cola Holdings. Pernod Ricard is preparing a potential listing, though its plan awaits final board approval.

Midterm elections, held halfway through the US President's four-year term, decide which party controls Congress. Congress acts as a check on the executive branch headed by the president. If the president's party loses seats in one or both chambers, which typically happens, they would find it harder to pass laws and budgets, get nominees confirmed or fend off congressional investigations.

Protesting Delhi Police personnel demanded that FIR against lawyers not be quashed. They also demanded SOPs to address confrontations involving lawyers, a grievance redressal committee & security for them inside court. A parking dispute outside salon led to scuffle between police & lawyers, following which two cops were transferred. Subsequently, police personnel protested outside Delhi Police HQ.

The Democrats got their first statewide victory in Texas in midterm polls since 1990s as Democrat James Talarico won Senate seat and Gina Hinojosa unseated three-term Governor Greg Abbott. As Republicans lost a deeply red state, it's being considered a rejection of Donald Trump's policies. Experts say it also reflects dissatisfaction over rising energy costs, foreign policy, and Iran war.

The Republican Party lost its bastions like Texas, Kansas, South Carolina, and North Carolina in midterm polls as Democrats looked to control both chambers of the US Congress. Around three-quarters of voters in an AP poll said the economy was "not so good" or "poor". Nearly 8 in 10 voters said inflation caused "severe" or "moderate" financial issues.

US President Donald Trump has entered the "lame duck" presidency phase after Republican party's midterm poll defeat. The term refers to a US president whose political influence weakens, usually because they're nearing the end of their term or have lost support in Congress. Losing control of one or both houses of Congress in the midterm elections restricts a president's power.

Elon Musk, who spent roughly $225 million (over ₹2,000 crore) backing Republicans in Texas, suffered a political setback as Democrats won US Senate and governor's races in the state. The victory could bring greater scrutiny to Tesla and SpaceX, both of which are headquartered in Texas. Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa's proposed moratorium on data centres could also affect his expansion plans.

Apple is considering cutting employee AI spending limits to as low as $25 (around ₹2,000) per day for some teams as part of a broader cost-cutting initiative, Bloomberg reported. The move comes despite the company's push for wider AI adoption, as its operating and R&D expenses continue to rise. Employees fear the cuts could signal potential layoffs and restructuring.

Libya's highest Islamic authority, Dar al-Ifta, has issued fatwa banning Muslims from buying, selling or wearing products bearing Nike's logo, claiming the brand promotes "polytheism", the worship of more than one god. The religious body said Nike is named after Greek goddess of victory, while its logo is inspired by her wings. Nike also supported Israel, Dar al-Ifta further claimed.

Saba Haider, who won the election from Illinois’ 84th House District in US midterm elections, has her parental home in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. She did her schooling and BSc in Ghaziabad before joining Aligarh Muslim University, where she earned a master’s degree in wildlife science and a gold medal. Her father described the win as a moment of pride.

Goldman Sachs, one of the US' largest banks, has restricted access to advanced AI coding tools for most employees, allowing only software engineers to use AI. The bank tightened access after reviewing how the tools were being used, along with concerns around productivity and risk management. The move follows months of experimentation across trading and banking teams.

Several reasons have contributed to rising ghee prices in India, with one being high consumer demand after cut in GST rates on ghee from 12% to 5%, according to ex-GCMMF director. Crackdown by FSSAI on adulterated ghee suppliers has led to genuine suppliers fetching a premium, while export of milk fat has depleted fat stocks with dairies, exacerbating domestic shortages.

Nvidia has launched an independent probe after reports claimed its CEO Jensen Huang was targeted by a Chinese intelligence operation. A Chinese businesswoman, Alice Huang, allegedly developed a close relationship with him to gather information about Nvidia and potentially influence its AI chip exports to China. Jensen admitted to having an extramarital affair in an email to Nvidia employees.