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Sitharaman’s ‘Diwali gift’: From paneer to paratha, Centre explains tweaks in GST rates – The Times of India

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Sitharaman’s ‘Diwali gift’: From paneer to paratha, Centre explains tweaks in GST rates – The Times of India


In what the government on Wednesday called a Diwali gift, the GST Council has approved sweeping rate cuts across key sectors. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that daily-use items like hair oil, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, toothbrushes, and shaving cream will now attract just 5% GST, down from 18%. GST on individual health and life insurance has been scrapped entirely. Farmers benefit too, with tractor tyres, parts, and tractors now taxed at only 5%.

Rate change FAQs

When will the changes in GST rates come into force?The changes in GST rates on services and goods other than cigarettes, chewing tobacco products, unmanufactured tobacco and beedi will be effective from Sept 22.Will e-way bills have to be cancelled and generated afresh on goods in transit when new rates take effect?E-way bills currently in transit will continue to remain valid as per their original validity period.What is the reason for the 40% rate on ‘other non-alcoholic beverages’?Principle behind the recent rate rationalisation is to keep similar goods at the same rate to avoid issues of misclassification and disputes.What is the reason for revising the GST rate only on specified varieties of Indian bread?Bread was already exempt while pizza bread, roti, porotta, paratha attracted different rates. All Indian breads have been exempted even though only a few goods have been mentioned as examples.Why has rate of carbonated beverages of fruit drink or carbonated beverages with fruit juice increased?These goods attracted compensation cess in addition to GST. Since it has been decided to end compensation cess levy, the tax has been increased to maintain pre rate rationalisation level of tax.Why is there a different tax treatment between paneer and other cheese?Prior to rate rationalisation, paneer sold in other than pre-packaged and labelled form already attracted nil rate. The changes have been made only for paneer supplied in pre-packaged and labelled form. Paneer is an Indian cottage cheese. This is mostly produced in the small scale sector. The measure is intended to promote Indian cottage cheese.What will be rate of GST on services of admission to sporting events other than sporting events like IPL?Admission to other sporting events, including recognised sporting events, where the ticket price is not more than Rs 500 continues to be exempt, and if the ticket price is more than Rs 500, it continues to be taxed at the standard rate of 18%. TNN





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Starbucks wants its cafes to be more welcoming — and accessible. Take a look at a recent renovation

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Starbucks wants its cafes to be more welcoming — and accessible. Take a look at a recent renovation


As Starbucks revamps its U.S. locations, the coffee chain is trying to make its cafes welcoming to all through more inclusive design.

As part of its broader effort to bring back customers, the company has prioritized plans to give makeovers to roughly 1,000 locations by the end of 2026. It will sideline major store renovations and development in the meantime.

While the changes will vary based on the location, expect more seating, dark wood paneling and other tweaks that make its cafes cozier. The renovations will also include changes like less harsh lighting that won’t affect customers with light sensitivity.

“We’re uplifting more than 1,000 coffeehouses over the next year, blending our global heritage with local relevance to create spaces that are immersive, inclusive, and deeply human,” Dawn Clark, Starbucks senior vice president of coffeehouse design and concepts, said in a statement to CNBC.

“Whether it’s the laid-back warmth of the Palisades or the urban energy of Manhattan, intentional design encourages customers to stay longer, connect more, and return often — and translates into meaningful business impact,” Clark said.

Starbucks is planning to spend about $150,000 on each “uplift,” without closing the stores down. The company started with locations in New York, followed by cafes in Southern California.

The makeovers are intended to make the stores more welcoming, returning Starbucks to its prior status as a “third place” for customers to hang out between home and work. In recent years, Starbucks had lost that reputation, fueled by decisions like removing seats as mobile ordering become popular and getting rid of outlets to discourage lingering.

Under CEO Brian Niccol, the chain plans to reverse many of those decisions as it tries to break a sales slump. For example, he previously told employees in June that he plans to add back the 30,000 seats that had been removed from cafes.

But trying to appeal to a wider swath of customers isn’t new for the company. Starbucks first unveiled an accessible store design in early 2024, before Niccol’s tenure. At the time, the company said that the design took about two years and included input from baristas.

Take a look inside a recently renovated New York City cafe near Manhattan’s Union Square.

The Starbucks Union Square East location before the renovation

Source: Starbucks

Before the renovation, the location lacked many decorative touches, besides some large-scale photos of the chain’s Hacienda Alsacia, its coffee and research farm in Costa Rica.

With such sparse seating, the cafe’s concrete floors were more obvious. Harsh lighting didn’t help the store’s appearance either.

A large seating area now has even more seats, plus a gallery wall and lighting with less glare.

Source: Starbucks

The location now features much more seating near the entrance. Leather accents to the wraparound booth make the seats more comfortable. The tables are easily movable and at an accessible height for wheelchair users.

Starbucks also brought back the electrical outlets that disappeared in prior makeovers. Now customers who want to study or work from the location can charge their laptops or phones, encouraging them to stay longer.

Large area rugs bring a cozy touch, in addition to dampening some of the cafe’s ambient noise. Live plants also add to the homey vibe of the space.

Tweaks to the location include adding high-top tables and bar stools for more seating options.

Source: Starbucks

High-top tables, positioned closer to the barista bar, offer a seating option for customers looking to sit down with companions. The makeover adds 16 more seats to the location.

Starbucks also changed out its lightbulbs to soften the store’s lighting and reduce glare, giving it a warmer atmosphere. The improved lighting helps highlight an existing mural, seen on the right of the photo above.

Starbucks added a shelving unit that highlights its coffee beans.

Source: Starbucks

Behind the barista bar, the company added a large shelving unit that highlights bags of its coffee, plus decorative burlap sacks that hold beans. Touches of purple are a nod to the nearby New York University.

Customers waiting to pick up their drinks can sit off to the side. Previously, the area was a standing bar that wasn’t accessible to wheelchair users.

In addition to adding rugs, Starbucks also improved the location’s overall insulation to cut down on the clamor of a busy coffee shop. For baristas, the change means that conversations among customers are less likely to disturb their work, whether that’s hearing an order correctly or focusing on making a latte.

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Stock Market Update: Is There Trading On NSE, BSE This Monday, September 8? Check

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Stock Market Update: Is There Trading On NSE, BSE This Monday, September 8? Check


New Delhi: India’s festive season kicked off in September with Eid-e-Milad and Onam being celebrated across different parts of the country. Despite the festivities, stock market operations have continued without disruption. However, a bit of confusion did arise among traders and investors over whether the markets would remain open on September 8, after the RBI shifted the earlier-declared money market holiday from September 5 to September 8.

Both NSE and BSE will remain open on September 8, with trading beginning as usual at 9:15 AM, unaffected by the festive celebrations.

Will Markets Remain Open on September 8?

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Yes, but only the money market. The Maharashtra government has shifted the money market holiday from September 5 to September 8, which was earlier aligned with Eid-e-Milad. This change was made to keep settlement cycles smooth on September 5. However, equity markets will remain unaffected. Trading will continue as usual on September 8 and on all other weekdays for the rest of September 2025. (Also Read: Notification On Handling Goods Stocked Under Higher GST Slabs Soon)

Because of the Eid-e-Milad settlement holiday on September 8, mutual fund transactions will see slight changes in processing. Any purchase or redemption requests made after the cut-off time on September 5 in liquid or debt schemes will now be processed on September 9.

Transactions like allotments and redemptions set for September 8 will be settled a day later, on September 9. The only exception is equity schemes, which will be processed as usual on September 8. Redemption fund payouts, however, will not take place on September 5 or September 8. (Also Read: Govt Launches Angikaar 2025 Campaign Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban 2.0)

Upcoming Stock Market Holidays in 2025

– October 2 – Markets closed for Gandhi Jayanti.

– No separate holiday for Dussehra, since it also falls on October 2 this year.

– October 22 – Markets closed the day after Diwali, as per the usual schedule.

Stock Market Holidays in November and December 2025

In the last two months of 2025, markets will close on two occasions. November 5 will be a holiday to mark Guru Nanak’s Birthday, and on December 25, trading will remain shut for Christmas. Christmas is one of the rare days when stock markets across the globe also stay closed.

Muhurat Trading 2025: Date and Time

Just like every year, a special Muhurat Trading session will be held on Diwali day, October 21, 2025. The session will run for one hour, from 6:15 PM to 7:15 PM, during the auspicious time of Lakshmi Puja. Though largely symbolic, Muhurat Trading is considered a lucky time to invest, and many traders and investors participate to mark the beginning of a prosperous year.



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Jaguar Land Rover staff to stay at home after cyber attack

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Jaguar Land Rover staff to stay at home after cyber attack


Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has instructed factory staff to stay at home until at least Tuesday as the company continues to grapple with the fallout from a cyber attack.

The attack at the weekend forced the company to take vital IT systems offline, which has affected car sales and production.

Production remains halted at car factories in Halewood on Merseyside and Solihull in the West Midlands, as well as at its engine manufacturing centre in Wolverhampton.

The situation remains under review and output could remain suspended for longer.

Car sales have also been heavily disrupted, although the BBC understands some transactions have been able to take place.

JLR, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors, shut down its systems on Sunday in order to limit potential damage from the cyber attack.

It is now working to restore them in a controlled manner, but this is understood to be a highly complex process. It is also introducing work-arounds for systems that remain offline.

The attack occurred at what is traditionally a popular time for consumers to take delivery of a new vehicle. The latest batch of new registration plates became available on 1 September.

The disruption extends well beyond JLR’s own production lines, with its network of parts suppliers also forced to restrict their operations. Some have complained of a lack of transparency from the company.

Some repair garages have also warned that existing Jaguar or Land Rover owners may face delays if their cars need new parts.

James Wallis of Nyewood Express, an independent garage in West Sussex that repairs and services Land Rovers, told the BBC’s Today programme that he “can’t look up what I need to repair cars”.

“Essentially the parts list is a giant database of items that relates to every single car,” he said. “And if I can’t find the parts, I can’t buy them. I can’t fix the car.”

He added: “If you need parts which come from just one source and you can’t find them, you can’t order them. The job stops. You cannot repair the car. The car sits idle, and the poor old customer has to wait.”

On Wednesday a hacker group which was also responsible for a highly damaging attack on Marks and Spencer earlier in the year said it had infiltrated JLR’s systems.

The group of young English-speaking hackers – who are thought to be teens calling themselves “Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters” – told the BBC how they allegedly accessed the car maker but have not revealed if they successfully stole private data from JLR or installed malicious software onto the company’s network.

The group posted two images, which showed apparent internal instructions for troubleshooting a car charging issue and internal computer logs.

A security expert said those screenshots suggested the group had access to information they should not have.

JLR says it is investigating the hack, but there is no evidence at this stage any customer data has been stolen.

In 2023, as part of an effort to “accelerate digital transformation across its business”, JLR signed a five-year, £800m deal with corporate stablemate Tata Consultancy Services to provide cybersecurity and a range of other IT services.

The halt in production is a fresh blow to the firm which recently revealed a slump in profits attributed to an increase in costs caused by US tariffs.



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