Vande Bharat sleeper train to be launched soon! In a big New year cheer for Indian Railways passengers, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishaw has shared that the first Vande Bharat sleeper train will be launched this month. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to flag off the Vande Bharat sleeper train in the second half of January 2026.Vande Bharat sleeper is a fully air-conditioned train set that has been manufactured by Indian Railways for long-distance routes and overnight journeys. According to Ashwini Vaishnaw, two Vande Bharat sleeper train sets are ready and have undergone successful trial runs. The new trains will be operated on 1,200-1,500 kmph routes of the national transporter.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Route Announced

The first Vande Bharat sleeper train will run between Guwahati and Kolkata, Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Thursday. Each Vande Bharat sleeper train has 16 coaches. The composition of the coaches is: 11 AC 3-tier, 4 AC 2-tier, and one AC 1st coach. The train can accommodate 823 passengers. Vaishnaw said that eight more Vande Bharat sleeper trains will be rolled out in the next six months, and the total will go up to 12 by year-end.

Vande Bharat sleeper route

The new train is scheduled to run between Howrah and Guwahati (Kamakhya). According to Indian Railways, the following districts will be benefitted:

Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Fares

According to Indian Railways, the fares of Vande Bharat sleeper train will start from Rs 2,300 for a one way fare between Guwahati and Kolkata.

Ashwini Vaishnaw recently shared a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, showcasing the train undergoing high-speed trials on the Indian Railways network.During test runs conducted on the Kota–Nagda route, the Vande Bharat sleeper train achieved its top design speed of 180 kmph. A notable highlight from the trial was a stability demonstration in which glasses filled with water remained perfectly balanced without any water spilling even at over 180 kmph speed.“Vande Bharat Sleeper tested today by Commissioner ailway Safety. It ran at 180 kmph between Kota Nagda section. And our own water test demonstrated the technological features of this new generation train,” Ashwini Vaishnaw wrote in his post on X.

Vande Bharat Sleeper Train Features

Designed for overnight and long-haul journeys, the Vande Bharat sleeper train is the sleeping-class counterpart of the Vande Bharat chair car services already operating across the country. At present, two prototype rakes of the Vande Bharat sleeper train have been produced by BEML. Indian Railways is also gearing up for a broader transformation of long-distance travel, with plans to roll out more than 200 such sleeper trains in the coming years, supported by several ongoing manufacturing initiatives.

BEML is jointly producing 10 Vande Bharat sleeper train sets in partnership with the Integral Coach Factory. Another batch of 10 sleeper rakes is being built by Kinet, a joint venture involving Indian and Russian entities. In addition, a consortium led by Titagarh Rail Systems along with BHEL has secured an order to manufacture 80 sleeper-class trainsets. Separately, the Integral Coach Factory is also developing its own sleeper configuration of the Vande Bharat train as an internal project.

Amazon is giving its India-based employees a temporary remote work pass until early March due to visa processing snags. But, there are strict rules: no coding, no big strategy talks, and definitely no chatting with customers. This shows how big tech companies are really feeling the pinch from H-1B visa backlogs, messing with their work and how much gets done.

Amazon is allowing employees stranded in India due to visa processing delays to work remotely until early March, marking a rare exception to CEO Andy Jassy’s strict five-day return-to-office policy that took effect in January 2025. The company informed affected workers through an internal memo that those in India as of December 13 and awaiting rescheduled visa appointments can work remotely until March 2, according to Business Insider, which obtained the document. However, the arrangement comes with significant restrictions: employees cannot code, make strategic decisions, or interact with customers.The move highlights how the Trump administration’s rapid changes to the H-1B visa program are forcing major tech companies to adapt their policies. New requirements mandating consular officers to review visa applicants’ social media posts before approval have created substantial processing delays, with some US embassies and consulates rescheduling appointments as far out as 2027.

Strict limitations apply to remote work arrangement

The temporary remote work permission includes extensive constraints that limit what employees can actually accomplish. Workers are barred from any coding activities, including troubleshooting and testing, and cannot work from or visit Amazon buildings. They also cannot negotiate contracts, make hiring decisions, or perform activities related to managing customer, partner, or vendor relationships.“All reviews, final decision making, and sign offs should be undertaken outside India,” the memo states, adding that “in compliance with local laws, there are no exceptions to these restrictions.”For technical employees whose roles center on coding and development, the limitations raise questions about productivity. One Amazon software engineer told Business Insider that 70-80% of their job involves coding, testing, deploying, and documentation—all prohibited under the remote work terms.

Amazon among largest H-1B program users facing delays

The visa delays pose particular challenges for Amazon, which filed 14,783 certified H-1B applications during the 2024 fiscal year, making it among the largest users of the program. The situation has prompted Google, Apple, Microsoft, and other tech companies to issue travel advisories warning US employees with visas to avoid international travel.Amazon’s normal policy allows employees traveling abroad for visa renewals to work remotely for up to 20 business days, but the memo doesn’t address employees whose appointments extend beyond March 2 or those stranded in other countries.

Tobacco stocks saw a sharp sell-off on Thursday after the finance ministry formally notified February 1 as the date for imposing additional excise duty on tobacco products, along with a health cess on pan masala. Shares of Godfrey Phillips India plunged as much as 10% in morning trade, while ITC fell over 8%.On the BSE, Godfrey Phillips India was trading at Rs 2295, down 16% or 465 points. ITC also plunged 8% to trade at Rs 368 around 12:35 PM. The fall followed a notification by the finance ministry, which announced fresh excise duty rates on cigarettes in the range of Rs 2,050 to Rs 8,500 per 1,000 sticks, based on the length of cigarettes. Under the new framework, the additional levies on tobacco and pan masala will be charged over and above the Goods and Services Tax (GST). These will replace the existing GST compensation cess, which is currently imposed on ‘sin goods.‘ According to the notification, pan masala, cigarettes, tobacco and similar products will attract a GST rate of 40%, while bidis will be taxed at 18%. Alongside this, pan masala will have a Health and National Security Cess while tobacco and related products will face an extra excise duty. After the implementation, cigarette makers like ITC and Godfrey Phillips India will be forced to raise prices, ET reported. The move follows the government’s approval in December of the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which replaces a temporary levy on cigarettes and tobacco products. An order issued late on Wednesday clarified that excise duty will be imposed on cigarettes in addition to the 40 per cent GST. At present, taxes make up about 53% of the retail price of cigarettes in India, including a 28% GST and a value-based levy linked to cigarette length. This is significantly lower than the World Health Organization’s recommended benchmark of 75%, aimed at curbing tobacco consumption. Separately, the finance ministry also notified the Chewing Tobacco, Jarda Scented Tobacco and Gutkha Packing Machines (Capacity Determination and Collection of Duty) Rules, 2026, on Wednesday.

INDORE: A probe into the water contamination incident in Bhagirathpura, Indore, has exposed severe lapses in the city’s water supply system, with the death toll reaching seven on Wednesday and 162 patients undergoing treatment across 27 hospitals, both government and private.Indore draws its water from the Narmada river, sourced from Jalud in Khargone district, about 80 km away, through pipelines. key lapses:

Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) commissioner Dilip Kumar Yadav said a leakage was detected in the main water supply pipeline in Bhagirathpura, above which a toilet had been constructed, leading to possible contamination of drinking water.Dileep said, “We found that the illness was spread across the area, thus suspected that the contamination was near the main line, before it branched. The contamination point was identified near Bhagirathpura police check post, where a newly-constructed toilet was dumping waste in a pit instead of a proper septic tank. The pit was directly above the water supply line, which had a joint. We found that the joint was also loose. It was repaired.”The IMC is now flushing the water pipeline and has advised residents to avoid using the water until Friday. Around 60–70 water tankers have been deployed to supply drinking water in the area. Additionally, ASHA workers are conducting door-to-door surveys to monitor new cases.Confusion, however, persists over the exact number of fatalities. While city mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava stated that seven people had died, chief minister Mohan Yadav, speaking at a press conference after visiting patients in multiple hospitals, put the toll at four. “As of now, the number of deaths recorded is four. Patients have been admitted to different hospitals. Government has a system of collecting records. We have initiated a probe and the final figure would be clear once the report is filed,” the CM said. He added, “But why should even one person die? The episode has left us hurt and saddened.” Yadav visited Verma Hospital, Beema Hospital, DNS, MY Hospital, and Shalby Hospital during his tour.The health department has officially reported three deaths, but Mayor Bhargava said, “According to my information, seven persons have died after falling ill in Bhagirathpura area.” Verma Hospital officials confirmed that 162 patients are currently admitted across 27 hospitals.The Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, hearing a public interest litigation filed by Indore High Court Bar Association president Ritesh Inani, directed the local municipal corporation and state government to ensure an immediate supply of clean drinking water. The court also mandated free treatment for residents suffering from vomiting and diarrhea and ordered both authorities to submit a detailed status report by January 2, including the number of affected residents, hospital admissions, and the medical care being provided.The incident highlights serious lapses in sanitation and water safety management, with both the civic body and state authorities facing scrutiny as families demand accountability for the preventable deaths caused by contaminated water.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (PTI photo)

The CIA has turned down Moscow’s claim that Ukraine tried to attack Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s residence earlier this week. US officials said CIA director John Ratcliffe briefed President Donald Trump on the assessment on Wednesday.Russia had publicly accused Ukraine of trying to strike Putin’s home on Monday, and Trump told reporters that Putin mentioned it to him during a phone call. Trump said he was troubled by the claim and seemed to accept it at first, even though Ukraine strongly denied any involvement.

“I don’t like it. It’s not good,” Trump said, adding that he was “very angry” when he heard about the alleged attack.Russia used the accusation to warn that it might take a tougher position in peace talks, even though it has not provided clear evidence of the supposed drone strike. Moscow claimed the target was Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region, a rural area.But the US intelligence assessment matches Ukraine’s position. In a social media post, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Russia’s claim “a complete fabrication intended to justify additional attacks against Ukraine, including Kyiv, as well as Russia’s own refusal to take necessary steps to end the war.”On Monday, even though Trump said he was upset about the reported attack, he admitted he had no confirmation and said it was “possible” it never happened.“It’s a delicate period of time,” he said. “This is not the right time. It’s one thing to be offensive because they’re offensive. It’s another thing to attack his house.”This episode came shortly after Trump hosted Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskyy at his private club Mar-a-Lago in Florida. While they appeared positive after the meeting, they made little progress on major issues such as security guarantees for Ukraine and Russia’s demand that Ukraine cede territory.Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Wednesday that he and other senior officials spoke with Rustem Umerov and several European national security officials about efforts to end the war.“We focused on how to move the discussions forward in a practical way on behalf of @POTUS’ peace process, including strengthening security guarantees and developing effective deconfliction mechanisms to help end the war and ensure it does not restart,” he wrote on social media.

The United States has granted a majority-Russian-owned Serbian oil company a temporary reprieve from sanctions targeting Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, a Serbian minister said on Wednesday. Washington’s sanctions on the Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS), part of its crackdown on Russia’s energy sector, forced the shutdown in early December of Serbia’s sole oil refinery, which supplies around 80 percent of the Balkan country’s fuel needs. The measures have hit hard in Serbia, a key Kremlin ally and one of the few European countries not to have imposed sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war.“NIS has obtained a licence from US OFAC (the Office of Foreign Assets Control) allowing it to continue operations until January 23. This means that the Pancevo refinery will be able to resume operations after 36 days,” Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Instagram.The reprieve will allow the Pancevo refinery, located near the capital Belgrade, to resume its activities refining crude — a significant relief for Serbia, which has had to dip into its fossil fuel reserves to satisfy domestic demand. “We have achieved what seemed almost impossible. We will safeguard our energy security, as we have done so far,” Handanovic added.After nine months of successive postponements, Washington on October 9 imposed sanctions on NIS, demanding the complete exit of Russian shareholders and preventing the refinery from receiving supplies. But talks over its potential sale have dragged on, with analysts warning that the refinery’s closure could shrink Serbia’s economic growth and threaten thousands of jobs. NIS employs some 13,500 people, and contributed more than two billion euros ($2.5 billion) in tax revenue, or nearly 12 percent of the national budget, according to the firm’s annual report. ‘Phenomenal news’Shortly before Handanovic’s announcement, President Aleksandar Vucic said on social media that he believed he could soon announce some “phenomenal political news”. “We’ve worked hard, we’ve earned it,” Vucic added, without offering further details. NIS is 45-percent owned by Gazprom Neft, which has been targeted by US sanctions. Its parent company, Gazprom, transferred its 11.3-percent stake in NIS in September to another Russian firm, Intelligence.The Serbian state holds nearly 30 percent of NIS, with the rest owned by minority shareholders.According to the Serbian national broadcaster RTS, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was involved in discussions between Vucic and the US State Department earlier Wednesday, while the Hungarian firm MOL is in negotiations to buy the Russian portion of NIS’s shares. Meanwhile, Croatian pipeline operator Janaf, which had stopped supplying crude to the Pancevo refinery because of the sanctions, also announced it had been informed by OFAC about the reprieve.This decision “allows us to continue implementing our agreement (with NIS) on oil transportation” until January 23, the Croatian company stated.The two companies have a contract for crude transport valid until the end of 2026, for a total capacity of 10 million tonnes.

On the upside, MCX Gold is poised to advance toward the 140,000 level in the upcoming sessions. (AI image)

Gold and silver price prediction: Gold and silver prices are likely to maintain their bullish trend with dips and consolidation phases in between, says Abhilash Koikkara, Head – Forex & Commodities, Nuvama Professional Clients Group. He shares his views on gold and silver:

MCX Gold Outlook

MCX Gold has retreated toward its breakout zone after marking an all-time high of 140,465. With the broader trend still positive, we view this correction as a buying opportunity. As long as prices hold above the breakout support, the overall outlook for MCX Gold remains bullish.From a technical perspective, immediate support is placed around the 132,000 level, which marks the breakout from the prior swing high. Any retracement toward this area is expected to attract fresh buying interest, thereby capping near-term downside. Holding this support level keeps the bullish structure intact.On the upside, MCX Gold is poised to advance toward the 140,000 level in the upcoming sessions. This projected target is well aligned with the broader bullish trend and reflects the underlying strength of established market momentum. Furthermore, a decisive and sustained breakout above intermediate resistance level could attract additional buying interest, thereby reinforce the positive sentiment and extend the upward move further.Overall, MCX Gold is expected to maintain its positive bias unless there is a clear and decisive break below the 132,000 support level. The broader technical structure remains constructive and continues to favour trend continuation. Provided that momentum indicators and overall market sentiment continue to remain supportive, the precious metal is expected to experience further upside potential in the coming sessions.

MCX Gold Trading Strategy

MCX Silver Outlook

MCX Silver has recorded an all-time high, followed by a subsequent correction from those levels. Despite this pullback, prices continue to trade with a positive bias, and we expect consolidation around the recent highs. Such consolidation phases generally signal a temporary balance between buyers and sellers, and a breakout from the current formation may trigger an accelerated price move as momentum builds and the prevailing trend resumes.From a technical standpoint, a rebound from the support level signals renewed strength in the trend and raises the probability of further upside. As long as prices hold above the weekly support levels, the bullish bias is likely to remain intact. The immediate key support is identified near the 221,000 level, which now acts as a strong base. Any retracement toward this zone may attract fresh buying interest, helping to stabilize and sustain prices.On the upside, MCX Silver could potentially advance toward the 260,000 level in the near to medium term. This target reflects an extension of the previous bullish move and aligns with the prevailing market momentum. Overall, as long as prices remain above the 221,000 support, MCX Silver is expected to sustain its positive trajectory, with additional upside possible as bullish sentiment continues to gain strength.

MCX Silver Trading Strategy

(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

Sarfaraz Khan (Image credit: X)

JAIPUR: For months now, Sarfaraz Khan has lived with the noise — whispers about ‘missed chances’, stopstart opportunities and a nagging sense that he needed a statement knock. On Wednesday, he delivered it with a sledgehammer, scoring a blistering 157 off 75 balls to power Mumbai to a 87-run victory over Goa at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground. The fourth straight win kept Mumbai on top of the Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite Group C table and ended Goa’s threematch winning streak.All eyes were on Yashasvi Jaiswal but it was Sarfaraz who stole the afternoon show. Riding on his brutal hitting, Mumbai posted a staggering 444/8, a total that effectively decided the contest by the interval. Goa fought hard and crossed 350 but the chase was always a bridge too far despite Abhinav Tejrana’s 100.

Jaiswal, back after acute gastroenteritis, made 46 before he fell trying to force the pace. Sarfaraz’s younger brother Musheer Khan then shaped the innings with a fluent 60, keeping the board moving and setting up the launchpad. Sarfaraz took over from there and turned the game into a highlights reel.Batting at No. 4, he blasted nine fours and 14 sixes, bringing up his hundred off just 56 balls. His innings left Goa’s bowlers and fielders looking shellshocked.“When I came in, the run-rate wasn’t too high because both openers saw off the tricky first hour,” Sarfaraz told TOI. “It’s always difficult in the morning when the ball is doing a bit. I settled down first and then attacked as the pitch eased out. The plan was to score as many runs as possible and set a strong target.”He also underlined how the platform helped him explode. “By the time I came to the crease, Musheer was batting really well. He was the first to reach fifty,” Sarfaraz said. “I’ve played plenty of one-dayers and I know how to pace an innings. I have a good sweep and cut, and in this format you can’t have more than five fielders out. That gives me freedom to play my shots.”Despite the dream knock, Sarfaraz admitted he had one regret. “We have a common dream of scoring hundreds in the same game,” he said. “We were close in the Ranji Trophy this season and again last week, but we both got out in the fifties. Today, Musheer was batting so well and I thought we could do it. But dreams don’t come true that quickly.”BRIEF SCORES: Mumbai 444/8 in 50 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 157 off 75 balls; Musheer Khan 60; Hardik Tamore 53; Yashasvi Jaiswal 46; Darshan Misal 3/98, V Koushik 2/60, Lalit Yadav 2/93) beat Goa 357/9 in 50 overs (Abhinav Tejrana 100; Deepraj Gaonkar 70; Lalit Yadav 64; Shardul Thakur 3/20, Yashasvi Jaiswal 2/52) by 87 runs.