Kolkata: The sale of children's helmets have risen significantly in the past few weeks, according to vendors at the wholesale marketplaces. Most of the vendors stated that despite previous reluctance due to low demand, last few weeks have witnessed increased consumer interest. Manas Barua, who runs wholesale and retail operations, stated that retailers are now including children's helmets in their standard orders along with adult sizes. IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025: Who went where and for how much IPL 2025: Complete list of players of each franchise "The production is based on demand. But, in the recent past we have seen a surge in the purchase of helmets for kids," he said. A seven-year-old child visited Barua's shop with his father, Md Zhakir Ahamed, for their maiden helmet purchase. "His school is within a walking distance from our house but there are several other places where he travels with me, on a two-wheeler. So, for his safety, I felt the need to buy a helmet for him," Ahamed explained, after visiting multiple shops. Wellington's wholesale helmet merchants traditionally avoided stocking children's helmets, but shop owner Ajay Jaiswal indicated that prices had increased due to heightened demand. Binita Chakraborty, managing her family business, said, "We have two types of kid's helmets according to their age — five-seven years and seven-eight years. But nowadays parents are buying helmets for kids who are as small as three. So, according to the demand, production is also increasing." The market offers ISI-certified local options and branded helmets. Following a Feb 15, 2022 notification from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, helmets became mandatory for pillion-riding children under four years of ages, amending the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Govt data reveals 2,700 children under 14 and 14,000 under 18 have died in road accidents during 2020-22, with 5,868 fatalities near educational institutions. An officer emphasised that children face various road risks, with unintentional injuries, particularly road accidents, being the primary cause of death. The new regulations represent significant progress in child safety. "We have started addressing parents across multiple schools about the need to wear a helmet and be responsible for their child's safety. Not wearing a helmet puts the child at risk. It is something that all the parents should understand," said an ACP. Consultant physiotherapist Puspaketu Konar advised, "Chances of head, scull injuries are quite higher for kids. And it is because of this reason that they must wear helmets while riding on a bike. The size of the helmet should be proper, and good quality materials should be used to provide ample protection."
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Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation's top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties.
Formula 1 is expanding with an 11 th team joining the global motorsport for the 2026 season, naming General Motors GM with Andretti Global. While the new team is still over a year away from starting, it will add an increased American presence to the sport and more competition for recent and four-time consecutive champion Max Verstappen. What Happened : Formula 1, which is a unit of publicly traded Liberty Formula One FWONA FWONK , announced it reached an agreement with General Motors for a new team, branded as Cadillac, which will enter beginning in 2026, following up a previous rejection of a GM-linked team earlier this year. General Motors will also become an engine supplier for the league at a later date, the league announced . The GM team will use Ferrari engines until the GM engines are officially approved for the sport. "With Formula 1's continued growth plans in the U.S., we have always believed that welcoming an impressive U.S. brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport," Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei said. General Motors President Mark Reuss called Formula 1 the "pinnacle of motorsports" and said the announcement of becoming the 11 th team is an honor for the automotive company. "We're committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM's engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level." The approval of the team comes after the U.S. Justice Department launched an investigation into why Liberty Media, who owns the commercial rights to Formula 1, would not approve the American team bid started by Michael Andretti. The new team, called Cadillac F1, will be run by Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter after Andretti stepped aside from the group in September. Former Formula 1 champion and racing legend Mario Andretti will have an ambassador role with Cadillac F1 while his son Michael will have no official position. Read Also: Netflix Lands More Live Sports: How Success Of Docuseries Helped Pave The Way Why It's Important: The announcement comes after Formula 1's Las Vegas Grand Prix, one of three U.S. races in 2024, was recently held and saw Max Verstappen win his fourth consecutive Formula 1 World Championship. While Verstappen finished fifth in the race, he secured enough points to guarantee that no one could match his points total with two races left in the season. This marks the fourth consecutive title by Verstappen with his first title in 2021 a close one with racing legend Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen has been dominant in the sport in recent years winning the title with races still left in season three of the four years. Verstappen won seven of the first 10 races this season before falling out of form but later did enough to win enough points to secure the title. The new GM team marks the second American-owned team . Gene Haas owns a team but chooses to have international drivers. Michael Andretti's original vision was to have an American-owned team and also feature American drivers, something that fans of the sport will be closely watching. Team expansion has been infrequent with four teams added in 2010 to push the total to 13 teams and 26 cars. Of the four teams added, one never raced and the other three were out of the league by 2017, as reported by the Associated Press. The existing 10 team owners have been against expansion due to the dilution of prize money, but have no formal say in the approval process. Adding another American team could benefit ESPN, which is a unit of Walt Disney Co DIS . ESPN secured the renewal of the U.S. rights in 2022, paying an estimated $75 million to $90 million annually for the rights for three additional years. ESPN fought off several other parties interested in the rights, as viewership for the sport has surged in recent years. Along with recent growth in viewership in the U.S. Formula One teams have also experienced increased interest in ownership stakes from investors, including several notable American football players. The Alpine racing team received investments in 2023 from Kansas City Chiefs players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce , professional golfer Rory McIlroy and actor Ryan Reynolds. FWONA Price Action : Liberty Formula One shares were up 4.25% to $80.74 on Monday, hitting an intraday high of $80.88, which is a new 52-week high. The stock is up 41% year-to-date in 2024. Read Next: Ryan Reynolds’ Billion-Dollar Streak: Will His Viral Marketing Firm Go Public Next? Photo: Jay Hirano Photography via Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Grid Studio is in the business of immortalizing popular gadgets while letting us appreciate their inner workings. Its whole deal is disassembling everything from the PlayStation Vita and Sega Dreamcast controllers to iPhones , then meticulously arranging the components in a shadowbox-style frame to hang on your wall. If you’d like to add one of these frames to your collection, most of the Grid collection is on sale ahead of Black Friday, with select pieces like the Game Boy Color , classic NES controller, and N64 controller discounted by an additional 20% when you use the code BF20 at checkout through Dec. 2. Unfortunately, because each piece from the Grid Studio catalog uses authentic, restored components, they may not have your favorite color in stock, and prices may fluctuate based on demand. However, this is still your best opportunity to commemorate these classic gadgets. Below, you’ll find a collection of our favorites that are eligible for the extra 20% discount. Just note that the classic Game Boy and Game Boy Pocket, due to their popularity, aren’t eligible but are still on sale for $179 and $129, respectively. Grid Game Boy Grid Game Boy Pocket Grid Game Boy Color Grid NES Controller Grid Xbox Duke Controller Grid DualShock Controller Grid N64 Controller Grid Game Gear Grid Nintendo DS Grid Super Famicom Shopkeeper Polygon’s handpicked deals on games, movies, books, and more. Black Friday Gaming Hardware Sales Guide Shopping
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Hitachi Rail Invests C$100m+ In Next Gen Urban Rail Signalling TechnologyIn a call for bipartisan cooperation, President Anura Kumara Dissan-ayake yesterday urged Parliament to rally behind a shared mission of driving the nation’s economic and social transformation. Delivering the Government’s policy statement at the inaugural session of the 10th Parliament, Dissanayake emphasised the collective responsibility of building a better future for the country, appealing for support across political divides. Acknowledging past divisions shaped by regional, ethnic, and religious lines, the President stressed the importance of democracy as a system that thrives on diverse ideologies. “Democracy is not about uniting all people under a single party or ideology. It is about coexistence,” he said, reaffirming his Government’s commitment to represent and serve all citizens, including those who did not vote for them. The President highlighted the unity displayed during the elections as a powerful step toward national harmony. However, he firmly rejected the resurgence of divisive politics, vowing, “We will not allow nationalist or religious rhetoric to gain political power. This nation has suffered enough from ethnic conflicts.” Reflecting on his 24 years in Parliament, the President lamented its gradual decline in public trust and respect. He noted how the institution has become synonymous with disillusionment, calling for a collective effort to restore its dignity and relevance. “The primary mission of this Parliament must be to uphold the people’s sovereignty, regain their trust, and re-establish itself as a body that truly represents them,” Dissanayake stated. The President also underscored the public’s mandate for a political culture free of corruption. “This mandate reflects the people’s aspiration to transform the corrupt political culture that has taken root over many years,” he said. Disanayake pledged that his Government would prioritise accountability and serve the people with integrity. Noting that the 10th Parliament consists of a significant number of new members, he said this offers an opportunity to instil good practices swiftly and effectively. He also expressed hope to further open up the Parliament for the public. “This Parliament will no longer remain a hidden chamber concealed from the public. Today, Parliament operates in alignment with advancements in modern technology and media, making every daily occurrence open to the public. It will no longer serve as a secretive or inaccessible centre shielded from public scrutiny. Instead, we are striving to transform this Parliament into a transparent and accessible institution for all citizens,” he pointed out. The President also highlighted that the Government firmly believes that progress cannot be made without a functional and responsive public sector. “Globally, the success of major transformations is often driven by a strong public service capable of implementing ambitious political goals. The focus remains on rebuilding a competent, people-centric State service that prioritises the well-being of citizens, with the full support of public servants themselves, ensuring the success of this critical reform,” he said, recalling that an unprecedented number of public servants cast their votes in support of the new Government. The President opined that many within the State service express frustration and a sense of unfulfillment in their professional roles similar to the people’s dissatisfaction with the public services. “This has led to a dual challenge: an unhappy public and a discontented public sector workforce. The Government’s responsibility now lies in creating a State service that meets the needs of both citizens and the public servants themselves,” he added. The President also stressed the critical importance of restoring public trust in the rule of law, stressing that enacting laws alone is insufficient without effective implementation. The public’s confidence in the legal system has been eroded, and the President called for a collective effort to rebuild this trust. He asserted that no individual, politician, or authority should be above the law and vowed to address controversial crimes, ensuring perpetrators are held accountable. This commitment, he said, is essential to establishing a just and prosperous state. The President also acknowledged the severe economic challenges facing Sri Lanka, which has been caught in a deep recession. “This economy cannot withstand drastic shocks and immediately upon taking power, our focus turned to ensuring economic stability and reaffirming trust with the relevant economic stakeholders. We understood that even the smallest error could have significant repercussions due to the scale of the crisis. Any disruption would only further harm the already delicate economic system,” he said, adding that the economic crisis has left the country with no room for mistakes. Therefore, Dissanayake insisted the lawmakers that everyone must carefully consider every aspect, thoughtfully analyse all factors, engage in dialogue, and make well-informed decisions. He also outlined the Government’s cautious approach to stabilising the economy, noting the importance of adhering to the parameters set with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). While the IMF’s third review had been delayed due to the elections, the President expressed optimism that an agreement would be reached by Saturday (23), marking a crucial step in the country’s economic recovery. Dissanayake also disclosed that the country is making crucial strides in its debt restructuring program with the IMF aiming to conclude the process by the end of the year. “The Government has reached a common understanding on bilateral debt and is preparing to formalise agreements with individual countries. Preliminary agreements have also been made regarding international sovereign bonds and commercial market debt, with completion expected by December,” he added. The President highlighted that the ongoing debt restructuring discussions, which had been in progress for nearly two years, are now in their final stages. Despite challenges, he emphasised that debating the merits of the restructuring plan is no longer productive, as it is essential for moving the economy forward. As the IMF’s restructuring framework is seen as key to managing the financial crisis, the President acknowledged that it is not enough to address the deep-rooted economic issues facing the nation. “To overcome this, the Government plans to adopt a new economic strategy to rebuild and strengthen the country’s economic structure,” he noted. The President outlined that Sri Lanka’s new economic strategy is based on three core principles aimed at revitalising the country’s economy. The first pillar includes rapid growth and expansion in the production of goods and services, with an emphasis on broadening this growth beyond the Western Province to other regions. The second focus is on making the economy inclusive. The Government stresses that economic success cannot be achieved if people are excluded from participating. Instead, every citizen should play an active role in the economy to ensure the benefits reach all. Finally, the strategy emphasises fair distribution of wealth. The Government warns against the concentration of national wealth in the hands of a few, as this can lead to instability. Instead, it advocates for equitable distribution, ensuring that the wealth generated from the country’s natural resources benefits all citizens, promoting social and economic stability. Dissanayake said the Government has identified several key areas for short-term growth aimed at revitalising the economy. These include tourism, IT, maritime and agriculture. The tourism sector, he said is a top priority, with plans to attract 4 million tourists and generate an $ 8 billion industry within the next 3-4 years, a significant increase from the 2.3 million visitors and $ 4.3 billion recorded in the benchmark year of 2018. The President identified IT sector also holds strong growth potential. “Currently, there are 85,000 IT professionals, with plans to increase this number to 200,000 over the next five years. The goal is to raise IT export income from $ 1.2 billion to $ 5 billion by enhancing education and skills in the sector,” he pointed out. Leveraging Sri Lanka’s strategic location, Dissanayake said the Government aims to transform the country into a global maritime and trade hub, enhancing the efficiency of the Port of Colombo and tapping into the full economic potential of its geographic advantage. In addition, he outlined that the agricultural sector is another area of focus. “Despite significant investments in irrigation and research, farmers remain burdened by debt. The Government plans to revive agriculture through innovation, including seed research and extension services, and increase subsidies for fertilisers to support the industry’s growth, he said, adding the fisheries industry, with vast untapped resources in Sri Lanka’s seas. “The sector is set to receive a boost with a fuel subsidy to get more boats back into operation, signalling a positive economic shift,” he opined. President Dissanayake also announced that a comprehensive Budget will not be immediately presented, citing that an Interim Budget is set to be submitted by early December to allocate funds for the next four months. He said a comprehensive Budget proposal is expected by early February, with the goal of securing parliamentary approval by mid-March. “This upcoming Budget will serve as the practical foundation for implementing the nation’s vision, with its structure aligned to the strategies discussed,” he said. Moreover, the President disclosed plans to overhaul its diplomatic services, with a renewed focus on not only strengthening international relations but also supporting local industries in accessing global markets. “The country’s diplomatic missions will be realigned to better serve this dual purpose,” he added. In addition, he said the Government aims to expand the construction industry’s reach beyond Sri Lanka, recognising the sector’s technical expertise and resources as key assets for international growth. He also stated that Sri Lanka’s unique indigenous products will also be targeted for global markets by adding value and establishing a modern industrial framework. Dissanayake also acknowledged the importance of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and stressed that their growth should align with national development goals. “To support this, clear plans have been devised to foster the sector’s expansion and integrate it into the country’s broader economic vision,” he stated. The President also announced plans to launch the “Cleaning Sri Lanka” program — a major initiative aimed at transforming the country’s environment and societal attitudes. He said a Presidential task force will lead the effort, which goes beyond environmental issues to focus on fostering good citizenship, positive behaviour, and responsible actions among citizens. “The program aims to change perceptions about public property and social responsibility, emphasising the need for accountability and respect for resources and one another. The initiative also addresses essential issues such as access to clean sanitation facilities, particularly for women in rural areas, and seeks to improve societal attitudes toward shared public spaces. The Government aspires to create a more humane and empathetic society, one marked by kindness, tolerance, and understanding,” he explained. In addition to societal transformation, Dissanayake said the Government is committed to eradicating poverty, with plans to increase welfare allowances, support schoolchildren from disadvantaged families, and raise pensions and public sector wages in the upcoming budget. “These efforts aim to ensure that every citizen has access to a fair meal, quality education, a decent home, and stable income opportunities,” he added. Ending his speech on a note of hope, the President asserted the shared responsibility of ensuring a better future for Sri Lanka’s next generations. “Our foremost responsibility is to prevent the repetition of past tragedies and to create a nation where suffering is replaced by unity and progress,” he affirmed.Cowboys star G Zack Martin doubtful to play vs. CommandersTALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarus’ authoritarian leader pardoned 20 more people that rights activists describe as political prisoners, a statement on the president's website said Saturday. The announcement came amid persistent in the run-up to presidential elections next month that are likely to extend Lukashenko's decades-long rule. Belarusian officials did not provide the names of those released, but the statement posted on the website of the president said that all of them had been convicted of “crimes of an extremist nature." The statement said the group included 11 women and 14 of those pardoned suffered from chronic illnesses. “All of those released repented for their actions and appealed to the head of state to be pardoned,” the presidential administration said in a statement, using wording familiar from a series of previous group pardons in the past six months. Saturday’s announcement marks the eighth such pardon by Lukashenko since the summer of 2024. In all, 207 political prisoners have been freed, according to Belarus’ oldest and most established human rights group, Viasna. Most were jailed following mass anti-government protests in 2020, when Lukashenko secured his sixth term in a vote widely condemned as fraudulent. According to Viasna, over 1,250 political prisoners remain behind bars. No prominent opposition figures, many of whom have not been heard from for months on end, have been released. They include Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Viasna founder ; Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who planned to challenge Lukashenko at the ballot box in 2020 but was jailed before the vote; and Viktar Babaryka, who was also imprisoned after gaining popularity before the election. The mass pardons come amid a new wave of repression, said Viasna activist Pavel Sapelka, as Minsk prepares to hold new presidential elections in January 2025 that are likely to hand Lukashenko a seventh term in office. “Lukashenko is sending contradictory signals (to the West), pardoning some but jailing twice as many political prisoners in their place,” Sapelka said. “Repression is intensifying and authorities are trying to root out any signs of dissent before the January elections.” Belarusian authorities engineer for political prisoners, denying them meetings with lawyers and relatives, and depriving them of medical care. At least seven political prisoners have died behind bars since 2020, according to Viasna. , who has ruled Belarus with an iron fist for more than 30 years, is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies, allowing Russia to use his country’s territory to send troops into Ukraine in February 2022 and to deploy some of its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Yuras Karmanau, The Associated Press