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Broadcasting body blasts Trump as US pulls plug on Voice of America
MUMBAI: In a move that has sent shockwaves through international media circles, the US administration yesterday effectively turned off the tap for its global broadcasting entities, leaving hundreds of Voice of America (VoA) staff high and dry on administrative leave.
The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) has condemned the 15 March decision, warning that silencing these influential voices could embolden dictators and deprive millions worldwide of trustworthy information in an era awash with fake news.
“At a time when the world is looking to the US to be a global player for peace and freedom, cutting funding for US international media – one of the main instruments underpinning this goal – seems the wrong direction to take,” fumed AIB chief executive Simon Spanswick.
For over 80 years, organisations like VoA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty have served as America’s informational arsenal, piercing through censorship and state propaganda in the world’s most restrictive regimes.
These broadcasters have been the ears and eyes for countless people living under the thumb of authoritarian rule.
The AIB warns this budgetary bombshell could trigger a domino effect of devastating consequences:
* Authoritarian regimes may feel emboldened to tighten their grip on local media
* Millions who rely on American broadcasts for unvarnished news may be left in the dark
* America’s self-proclaimed commitment to press freedom risks appearing hollow on the global stage
The timing couldn’t be worse, with disinformation campaigns running rampant across social media platforms and state-sponsored propaganda machines working overtime in numerous countries.
The AIB is demanding an immediate U-turn on the decision, urging the US administration to restore funding and allow journalists to continue their critical work without political meddling.
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Reliance Retail FY26 revenue rises 11.8 Per Cent to Rs 3.7 lakh crore
Q4 revenue up 11.1 Per Cent, hyperlocal orders surge 4x, PAT steady
MUMBAI: Reliance Retail isn’t just ringing up sales, it’s ringing doorbells faster than ever. Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) reported a steady FY26 performance, with growth powered by store expansion, a sharp surge in hyperlocal commerce, and consistent traction across grocery, fashion and jewellery. For the full year, revenue rose 11.8 per cent year-on-year to Rs 3,70,026 crore. In the January–March quarter, revenue from operations climbed 11.1 per cent to Rs 87,344 crore, up from Rs 78,622 crore a year earlier.
Operating performance remained stable, with Q4 EBITDA inching up 3.1 per cent YoY to Rs 6,921 crore from Rs 6,711 crore. However, quarterly profit after tax held steady at Rs 3,563 crore. For the full fiscal, PAT grew 11.7 per cent to Rs 13,842 crore.
Expansion remained a key lever. RRVL added 1,564 new stores during FY26, while simultaneously scaling its digital and hyperlocal commerce play. The latter emerged as a standout, with daily orders surging more than fourfold year-on-year in Q4, underlining a clear shift towards faster, localised fulfilment.
In grocery, large-format stores maintained momentum, aided by festive demand and the expansion of Smart Bazaar, which crossed 1,000 stores. Promotional campaigns such as ‘Full Paisa Vasool’ delivered record results, with sales rising 26 per cent YoY.
Digital commerce also picked up pace. JioMart added 5.8 million new users in Q4, nearly doubling its registered base year-on-year. Hyperlocal orders grew 29 per cent sequentially and over 300 per cent annually during the quarter.
Fashion and lifestyle saw steady traction. Ajio recorded a 23 per cent YoY rise in average bill value, while fast-fashion platform Shein crossed 11 million app installs, scaling rapidly with expanding product lines.
The jewellery business added further shine, with average bill value jumping 53 per cent YoY, largely driven by rising gold prices and sustained consumer demand.
Commenting on the shift, RRVL executive director Isha Ambani said hyperlocal commerce has become a structural growth driver, with orders rising more than fourfold over the year.
Looking ahead to FY27, the company is betting on technology to deepen engagement. The focus, Ambani noted, will be on AI-led merchandising, sharper pricing strategies and disciplined execution turning scale into sustained customer value.
In short, the carts are fuller, the clicks are quicker, and the next phase looks less about reach and more about precision.
