News Broadcasting
AOL acquires Huffington Post for $315 million
MUMBAI: Being on a buying spree, AOL Inc. has completed the acquisition of the online news site The Huffington Post for $315 million
Pursuing its turnaround plan under chief executive officer Tim Armstrong, AOL is looking at being one of the top players in news, entertainment and other digital content.
Incidentally, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTCC) has decided that it will not challenge AOL‘s most recent acquisition.
The Huffington Post, which has more than 27 million monthly US visitors, will be integrated with AOL Media and AOL local properties such as TechCrunch and Engadget in a new division called the Huffington Post Media Group.
As part of the acquisition, Huffington Post co-founder Arianna Huffington will assume responsibility for a wide range of AOL content as president of The Huffington Post Media Group. He will serve as the unit’s president and editor-in-chief.
“Through this acquisition, AOL is accelerating its strategy to deliver a scaled and differentiated array of premium news, analysis, and entertainment produced by thousands of writers, editors, reporters, and videographers around the globe,” AOL said in a statement.
On its part, the Huffington Post has disclosed the names of six new hires. The company has recruited Yahoo’s! Michael Calderone to be a senior media reporter, the New York Times‘ Trymaine Lee as a senior reporter, the New York Daily News’ Michael McAuliff as a senior congressional reporter and The Daily’s Jon Ward as a senior political reporter. It has also hired Bonnie Kavoussi, who is set to graduate from Harvard, as a business reporter and Lucas Kavner, founding editor of Unigo, as an entertainment reporter.
With the acquisition, the combined entity will have a user base of 117 million visitors a month in the US and 253 million worldwide.
Armstrong has already made it clear that there will be layoffs in The Huffington Post.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
