Kolkata witnessed a rare convergence of global sporting excellence and popular culture on Saturday, December 13, as legendary footballer Lionel Messi arrived in the city as part of his three-day GOAT India tour. The visit transformed the city into a focal point of international attention, with fans, sports enthusiasts, and cultural observers closely following every development surrounding the Argentine icon’s presence. The historic Yuva Bharti stadium served as the backdrop for a series of

Recent calls by some US political activists to reduce or eliminate the presence of Indian professionals in American workplaces have reignited a long-running debate over immigration, national identity and economic growth. Mark Mitchell, a US pollster who has promoted what he describes as a “de-Indianisation” consultancy, has become a prominent voice in this discourse. His arguments reflect a broader strain of nativism that has surfaced periodically throughout American history, often at mom

US President Donald Trump is reported to be considering the formation of a new geopolitical grouping known as the “Core-5,” a proposed alliance that would bring together the United States, Russia, China, India, and Japan. The initiative is being explored as a potential alternative to the Group of Seven, signaling a significant shift in Washington’s approach to global leadership and alliance-building. If pursued, the Core-5 could represent one of the most powerful strategic blocs ever as

Amazon has revealed one of its biggest commitments to India yet, announcing that it aims to help create 3.8 million job opportunities in the country by 2030. This comes at a time when the tech giant has laid off around 14,000 employees globally, highlighting a contrasting strategy between global restructuring and India-focused expansion. The announcement was made during the Smbhav Summit in New Delhi, where Amazon outlined its long-term roadmap for the Indian market. The company says it will

The United States embassy in India has issued a new advisory urging all visa applicants to strictly adhere to the updated appointment dates communicated through recent rescheduling emails. The mission clarified that individuals who arrive on their previously scheduled dates will not be granted entry into any embassy or consulate facility. The reminder follows a series of appointment modifications across multiple visa categories prompted by internal adjustments to scheduling systems, and aims

Belgium’s Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal filed by fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, marking a critical step forward in India’s long-running efforts to secure his extradition in connection with the Punjab National Bank fraud. The ruling, delivered on Tuesday by the Court of Cassation, upheld the earlier order of the Antwerp Court of Appeal, which had declared India’s extradition request lawful and enforceable. With this decision, Choksi’s attempt to overturn one of the final le

US President Donald Trump indicated that his administration is prepared to examine new tariffs on a range of agricultural imports, including Canadian fertiliser and Indian rice, after American farmers raised concerns that low-priced foreign goods were eroding their competitiveness. The comments came during a roundtable discussion at the White House, where the President unveiled a $12 billion support package intended to cushion farmers from mounting price pressures and market volatility. Througho

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a firm message to China after an Indian national was reportedly singled out and detained for nearly 18 hours at Shanghai airport. The statement, released on Monday, underscored India’s expectation that its citizens travelling through Chinese airports must not be selectively targeted or subjected to arbitrary detention, and urged Beijing to ensure that international air travel regulations are respected without exception. The incident has intensified di

Indian women’s cricket star Smriti Mandhana has finally broken her silence regarding the ongoing rumours surrounding her personal life and wedding plans. The cricketer officially announced through her Instagram story that her marriage with boyfriend and music composer Palash Muchhal has been called off. The confirmation comes after weeks of speculation that intensified when she deleted posts related to her relationship and pre-wedding celebrations. Smriti clarified that both families mutual

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a special discussion on Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha, launched a sharp attack on Congress and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. He said that the Congress leadership, instead of defending the national song, supported a view that led to its fragmentation, calling it a "tukde tukde" moment in Indian history. Modi stated that Jawaharlal Nehru believed Vande Mataram could provoke Muslims, a stance reportedly influenced by Mohammed Ali Jinnah and the Mus

The Reserve Bank of India has reduced the repo rate by 25 basis points, bringing it down from 5.5% to 5.25%. This marks a total reduction of 125 basis points in 2025, sparking fresh hope among homebuyers for affordable loan EMIs as banks prepare to revise lending rates. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which met on December 3, 4 and 5, voted unanimously after assessing inflation control, liquidity status and growth expectations. Governor Sanjay Malhotra confirmed the move, addin

India’s largest airline IndiGo is facing one of its biggest operational disruptions in recent years as flight cancellations surged past 1,000 on December 5 alone, severely impacting passengers across the country. CEO Pieter Elbers issued his first public statement addressing the situation, confirming that the disruptions occurred due to the rebooting of IndiGo’s entire operational system. While the government had assured normalcy by Saturday and full stability by Monday, IndiGo’s CEO st

Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has strongly defended the Taliban government's right to maintain political and economic relations with India, pushing back against Pakistan’s criticism over Kabul-Delhi engagement. Speaking at a conference in Kabul, Muttaqi dismissed Islamabad's accusations that India supports anti-Pakistan groups, calling them inconsistent and politically motivated. He reminded that Pakistan itself maintains diplomatic presence in New Delhi with act

Russian President Vladimir Putin lands in Delhi this evening for a crucial two-day state visit, his first trip to India since the Ukraine war and the first since 2021. The visit comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as both nations celebrate 25 years of the India-Russia strategic partnership along with the 23rd bilateral summit. The leaders last met during the SCO Summit in Tianjin on September 1, and this visit is expected to see multiple agreements aimed at strengthening l

Veteran producer AVM Saravanan, one of the most respected figures in Tamil cinema and a cornerstone of Indian filmmaking, passed away on Thursday at the age of 86 due to age-related ailments. His demise marks the end of an era for the Tamil film industry, which owes several milestones to his vision, production leadership and long-lasting creative contribution. His body will be kept for public homage until 3:30 pm at AVM Studios in Chennai, allowing colleagues, admirers and fans to pay their f

Indian applicants planning travel to the United States for study, employment or tourism are experiencing notable changes in visa wait times, with several US consulates across the country reporting shorter delays. According to the latest data from the US State Department’s Global Visa Wait Times portal, appointment backlogs for student, work and visitor visas now vary widely by location but show meaningful improvement compared with previous months. Applicants are being encouraged to monitor

Spotify has released its Wrapped list for 2025, offering detailed insight into India’s most-streamed artists, songs and albums over the past year. The data shows a mix of consistent favourites, resurgent classics and the accelerating influence of independent musicians and podcasts on the country’s listening habits. Arijit Singh continued his long-standing dominance as India’s most-streamed artist for the seventh year in a row. Pritam and Shreya Ghoshal followed in second and third place

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that the recent dip in India’s imports of Russian oil is expected to be short-lived, adding that Moscow plans to increase the volume of supplies to New Delhi in the coming months. He stated that Russia understands the external pressures faced by India, particularly in light of tariffs and policy constraints linked to its continued purchase of Russian crude. According to Peskov, Moscow views India’s approach toward its energy partnerships as

The debate over the H-1B visa programme in the United States has sharpened significantly, exposing a deep political divide over the future of skilled immigration. The issue has grown increasingly contentious in recent months, with former president Donald Trump and several Republican leaders intensifying allegations of fraud and misuse within the system. Their claims have focused heavily on Indian applicants, with some prominent voices asserting that a vast majority of submissions from India a