Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize
Oslo: The Norwegian Nobel Committee on Friday announced that the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Maria Corina Machado for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
The announcement was made through the official X handle of the Nobel Prize, confirming weeks of speculation over this year’s laureate.
Machado, a veteran opposition leader and former lawmaker, has long been a leading voice against Venezuela’s authoritarian rule. Known for her defiance of President Nicolás Maduro’s government, she has been a central figure in the movement calling for free and fair elections and the restoration of democratic institutions in the crisis-hit South American nation.
Machado’s recognition by the Nobel Committee places her among global figures who have received the Peace Prize for championing democracy under oppressive regimes.
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the world’s most prestigious honors and is awarded annually in Oslo to individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to peace and human rights.
BREAKING NEWS
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 10, 2025
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2025 #NobelPeacePrize to Maria Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to… pic.twitter.com/Zgth8KNJk9
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What is Tax Holiday announced for foreign cloud firms till 2047 in Union Budget
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced a major tax incentive aimed at attracting global cloud service providers to set up and expand their operations in India. Under the Union Budget proposals, foreign companies that offer cloud services worldwide by using data centres located in India will be granted a tax holiday until 2047.
Announcing the measure, Sitharaman said the move is intended to draw global investment into India’s digital infrastructure, generate employment and strengthen the country’s role in the global digital economy.
A tax holiday is a policy tool used by governments to encourage investment. It involves a temporary reduction or complete exemption from certain taxes, usually corporate or income tax, for a defined period. Such incentives are often offered to promote specific sectors, boost economic activity and create jobs.
Under the new proposal, foreign cloud service providers will be allowed to operate globally using data centres based in India, but services to Indian customers must be routed through an Indian reseller entity. This structure is meant to ensure local participation and regulatory oversight while still allowing global companies to base their infrastructure in India.
Indian companies that provide data centre services to these foreign firms will receive a safe harbour tax rate of 15 per cent. Safe harbour provisions offer certainty on tax liability by fixing profit margins in advance, reducing disputes and making it easier for businesses to plan their operations.
The Budget also includes measures linked to electronic manufacturing. Non-resident companies will be allowed to use bonded warehouses in India to store components. These entities will be taxed on a profit margin of just 2 per cent of the invoice value, translating to an effective tax rate of around 0.7 per cent. The government says this rate is significantly lower than what is offered by many competing countries.
Explaining the rationale behind the move, Sitharaman said the policy would encourage large-scale investment in data centres and related infrastructure, create local jobs and help India emerge as a global hub for digital and cloud services.
