Top of the Morning
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Top of the Morning is a daily podcast hosted by Nelson John, in which we bring you all the action from the global markets and the business world to kick-start your day on a well-informed note. This is a Mint production, brought to you by HT Smartcast
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Welcome to Top of the Morning, I'm Nelson John.
Today
America puts a price tag on citizenship, India-Canada restart trade talks, China's air got clean while India's didn't, nuclear power opens to private players, and AI transforms farming. Five stories, one theme: execution beats intention
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I'm Nelson John. Welcome to "Top of The Morning" by Mint.
Five stories, one theme: strategic inflection points. India launches a comprehensive plan to combat antibiotic resistance threatening millions of lives globally. Fluence Energy bets on India as supply chains shift away from concentrated manufacturing bases. India implements its biggest labour reform since Independence, overhauling 29 colonial-era laws amid union opposition. Canadian PM Carney secures major investment deals at a Trump-boycotted G20, signaling a fundamental realignment in global partnerships. And CoinDCX, India's first crypto unicorn, faces existential challenges after spectacular boom and bust. Systems under pressure, old models breaking down, and the scramble to build what comes next.
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Welcome to Top Of The Morning, I'm Nelson John.
India launches biometric e-passports, faces pressure to extradite Bangladesh's ex-PM, debates a billionaire's 72-hour workweek proposal, explores Russian shipbuilding partnerships, and gets Google AI localized. Five stories revealing how India's rebuilding infrastructure—both physical and digital—for global competition.
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Welcome to Top Of The Morning, I'm Nelson John.
Today's Top of the Morning: WhatsApp finally brings multi-account to iPhone (2 years late), Russia offers India unrestricted Su-57 tech transfer, Indian Railways heads for record ₹2.76T budget, and half of young American men are gambling. Four stories about big bets.
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Welcome to Top of The Morning with me Nelson John.
Today: NHAI raises ₹46,000 crore through highway InvITs attracting global investors, BIS overhauls cybersecurity and wind energy standards, ED attaches more RCom properties amid ₹40,000 crore fraud probe, Delhi's air pollution crisis kills 1.72 million Indians annually per Lancet study, and the US approves $93 million defense deal for Javelin missiles and Excalibur rounds.
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Happy Monday! Welcome to Top of The Morning, I'm Nelson John.
Today: Byju's gets carved up in bankruptcy court, India ditches cash for UPI, Trump's investment conflicts deepen, American voters inadvertently save Indian exporters, and India plays both superpowers while maintaining strategic autonomy.
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1Welcome to Top Of The Morning, I'm your host Nelson John.
In today's Top of the Morning, we dissect five major developments that illuminate the complexities of Asian economic transformation. We begin with India's latest anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese steel products, exploring how importers are already circumventing the $121.50/tonne levy by importing semi-finished products instead – highlighting the cat-and-mouse game between policymakers and market players.
The arrest of Jaypee Infratech's former MD Manoj Gaur by the Enforcement Directorate brings into sharp focus the governance challenges in India's real estate sector, with ₹14,599 crore allegedly diverted from homebuyers to unrelated entities.
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Good Morning, I'm Nelson John
New episode explores five interconnected stories reshaping global business: from H-1B policy reversals to Pakistan's governance transformation to India's infrastructure revolution. The boundaries between tech and traditional industry are dissolving faster than ever.
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Welcome to Top of the Morning, I’m your host Nelson John
This episode connects five seemingly disparate stories - SoftBank selling Nvidia for OpenAI, Trump cutting India tariffs from 50% to 15%, Adani building massive battery storage, Modi strengthening Bhutan ties, and India's pharma crackdown - to reveal how India is transitioning from rule-taker to rule-maker on the global stage.
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Welcome to Top of the Morning, I’m Nelson John.
From Beijing to Bengaluru: Four stories about what happens when the rules suddenly change.
China eases rare earth export restrictions after Trump-Xi meeting
Ather Energy overtakes Ola Electric despite being the smaller player
Vodafone Idea fights for survival with ₹2 trillion debt
Cognizant introduces mouse-tracking surveillance for employees
Different industries, different challenges, same lesson: adaptation under pressure is everything.
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Welcome to Top of the Morning.. I’m Nelson John.
This week’s stories may look unrelated a US government shutdown, a pharma firm duped by an email typo, Google Maps getting an AI brain, SEBI’s digital gold warning, and a billion-dollar jet engine deal. But they all point to one thing: how fragile our systems really are.
In the US, a 40-day shutdown is pushing air travel toward collapse. Air traffic controllers aren’t being paid, flights are being slashed, and political gridlock is grounding families ahead of Thanksgiving. Infrastructure, it turns out, can’t run on politics.
Back home, Dr. Reddy’s lost ₹2.16 crore to an email scam one capital letter fooled its finance team. A reminder that the weakest link in any digital system is still human.
Meanwhile, Google Maps is getting a Gemini AI upgrade for India smarter routes, live alerts, even accident-prone zone warnings. It’s a glimpse of AI that’s genuinely useful, though it raises fresh privacy questions.
SEBI, on the other hand, is warning investors about digital gold those flashy online gold products aren’t regulated, meaning no safety net if things go wrong.
And HAL just inked a $1 billion deal with GE Aerospace for fighter jet engines. Critical for India’s defense ambitions, but also proof we still depend heavily on foreign tech.
From government grids to financial systems, from AI tools to defense deals, one truth stands out: the most advanced systems fail at their simplest points trust, oversight, and human judgment.
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Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John
Apple is paying Google around $1 billion annually for AI to power Siri's overhaul. Meanwhile, India is pushing for bigger banks, negotiating trade deals with Peru and Chile to diversify from the US market, and dealing with a trademark battle between IndiGo and Mahindra. The common thread? Scale, strategy, and survival in an increasingly competitive world.
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This week's episode explores five major developments shaping business, politics, and society. In New York City, 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani made history as the first Muslim and Indian-origin mayor, defeating Andrew Cuomo with a progressive platform that embraced his multicultural heritage—though his criticism of PM Modi sparked fierce debate in India. Meanwhile, United Spirits announced a review of its Royal Challengers Bangalore investment, potentially valuing Virat Kohli's IPL team at $2 billion and setting a new benchmark for cricket franchises. On the global stage, the US-China trade war saw a temporary thaw as Beijing suspended most retaliatory tariffs following a Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea, offering relief to businesses caught in the crossfire. Back in India, Maharashtra became the first state to partner with Elon Musk's Starlink for satellite internet, promising to bridge the digital divide in remote regions. Finally, Titan defied conventional wisdom by posting strong earnings despite record gold prices of ₹1.33 lakh per 10 grams, as Indian consumers adapted by buying lighter jewelry ahead of the crucial wedding season. Together, these stories reveal a world marked by political disruption, evolving valuations of cultural assets, tentative diplomatic progress, technological leaps, and remarkable consumer resilience.
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US HIRE Act: India's IT Under Threat
IndiGo's ₹2,600 Crore Forex Loss
Canada's Mass Visa Cancellation Plan
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Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has sold stocks for 12 consecutive quarters, building a record $382 billion cash pile as the legendary investor prepares to step down as CEO, signaling caution about market conditions. Meanwhile, Big Tech is going the opposite direction—Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta are collectively spending over $380 billion on AI infrastructure, though investor reactions have been mixed due to unclear ROI paths, especially for Meta. India faces a severe trade crisis as US tariffs hit 50%, causing exports to plummet 37.5% between May and September, devastating sectors from textiles to smartphones. On a positive note, ISRO successfully launched India's heaviest communication satellite (4,410kg) from Indian soil, proving growing self-reliance in space technology. Finally, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is actively improving relations with India as part of his strategy to reduce Canada's economic dependence on the United States, aiming to double non-US exports within a decade.
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Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, I’m your host Nelson John — This is your smart, daily briefing on what matters. From big moves in business to headlines shaping India and the world, we cut through the noise so you start your day informed and ahead.
Trump & Xi Strike Deal
India Wins 6-Month Chabahar Exemption
JioBlackRock Enters India
Crypto Legally Recognized as Property in India
OpenAI Eyes $1 Trillion IPO
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Air India’s flying through turbulence — a ₹4,000-crore hit from Pakistan’s airspace closure, route detours, and a crash have made it Tata’s biggest loss-maker despite rising revenue. Meanwhile, Apple’s hitting new highs in India. The iPhone 17 is smashing records, driving Apple past $10 billion in local revenue as Indians buy premium phones like never before. In telecom, Vodafone Idea finally sees hope after the Supreme Court allowed a reassessment of its ₹9,450-crore dues — a potential lifeline for India’s most indebted carrier. SEBI’s also shaking up the mutual fund industry, slashing brokerage costs and boosting transparency to protect retail investors. Beyond business, Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, is ramping up defence spending to 2% of GDP ahead of her meeting with Trump, signalling Tokyo’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. And back home, India’s pushing to seal a free-trade deal with New Zealand, reviving talks stalled for nearly a decade. From aviation shocks to trade talks and tech triumphs — this week’s business headlines had everything.
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Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, I’m your host Nelson John — This is your smart, daily briefing on what matters. From big moves in business to headlines shaping India and the world, we cut through the noise so you start your day informed and ahead.
It's Wednesday, October 29th. Let's get started!
crushing global card networks with UPI. SEBI's slashing mutual fund fees by 83%. Your phone's about to show caller names. Blume Ventures is betting big on AI. And shrimp farmers say Trump's tariffs might be the wake-up call India needed. Five stories, one episode.
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Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint.. I’m Nelson John and here are today’s top stories.
California Tragedy Sparks National Debate:
Dashcam footage captured the terrifying moment a semi-truck slammed into stopped traffic on California’s I-10 — killing three, injuring four, and igniting a firestorm over how commercial licenses are issued. The driver, 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh, an undocumented immigrant allegedly high on drugs, had somehow obtained a California CDL. Federal officials are calling it a “systemic failure,” while Washington froze $40 million in funding over weak language standards for truckers. Singh faces manslaughter and DUI charges.
Trump’s High-Stakes Asia Trip:
President Trump heads to Asia for his first meeting with Xi Jinping since returning to office — and it’s make-or-break. After months of tariff threats and China’s rare-earth export curbs, Trump’s opening line to Xi will be about fentanyl. Washington blames Beijing for chemical flows fueling America’s drug crisis. The outcome could reset U.S.-China trade — or reignite tensions.
India’s Big Defense Push:
India approved ₹79,000 crore in new defense buys — missiles, warships, and AI-powered air systems — part of a wider push for self-reliance after Operation Sindoor. The move boosts combat readiness across all forces while backing Indian defense tech.
Delhi Bets on Artificial Rain:
Delhi may finally make it rain — literally. Using IIT Kanpur’s cloud seeding tech, the city plans its first artificial rainfall by October 29 to fight smog. Five trials are planned — science versus pollution.
India-Canada Thaw Begins:
After a year of diplomatic frost, India and Canada are talking again. Ottawa can now send back diplomats under a “reciprocal” staffing deal — a cautious reset after Trudeau’s explosive 2023 accusation over Hardeep Nijjar’s death.
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This is a very well produced newscast, and maintains that consistent quality and structure day after day! Not to forget, Nelson John is an absolutely top notch narrator. Great job, folks!