The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has announced major updates to the RuPay Debit Select Card, offering enhanced lifestyle benefits in fitness, travel, wellness, and entertainment. These new features will be effective from April 1, 2025, providing cardholders with complimentary airport lounge access, gym memberships, spa sessions, OTT subscriptions, and accident insurance coverage.RuPay Debit Select was introduced as a premium debit card offering exclusive privileges. In a circ

The Trump administration has taken a dramatic step in reshaping U.S. foreign aid by terminating 2,000 employees from the U.S. Agency for International Development while placing thousands more on administrative leave around the globe. Following a ruling by a federal judge, the decision affects both domestic and international USAID staff, leaving only those designated as essential for mission-critical functions, leadership, or specific programs in active service. As of 11:59 p.m. EST on

  An American Airlines flight en route from New York City to New Delhi experienced an unexpected diversion on Sunday afternoon when it landed at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci International Airport following a security alert. The incident, which has since been labeled as a “non-credible” concern by the airline, underscores the rigorous protocols that govern air travel safety in today’s dynamic security environment. T

AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami declared on Sunday that his party would lead a grand alliance in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections to challenge the ruling DMK and ensure electoral victory. Speaking at a public meeting in Vellore district, he dismissed DMK’s claims of ideological unity and emphasized that alliances are formed strategically to consolidate votes.   Despite Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam ruling out an alliance, Palaniswami remained confi

On Monday morning, a bomb threat letter was discovered aboard a Jeddah-Ahmedabad international flight at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Patel International Airport. The threat letter, which was found by cleaning staff under a seat after all passengers had disembarked, caused immediate alarm. Local police, along with the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and other security agencies, launched an investig

DeepSeek, a popular app, is once again under scrutiny following the discovery of multiple security vulnerabilities that could compromise user privacy. A recent report from mobile security firm NowSecure reveals several flaws in DeepSeek's iOS app, DeepSeek R1, which raise serious concerns about how the company is handling sensitive user data.One of the primary issues identified is the app’s failure to use Apple’s built-in App Transport Security (ATS), which is designed to ensu

A Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed today near Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, while on a routine training mission. The two pilots onboard the multirole jet were able to eject safely and are reported to be unharmed. The crash is under investigation, with a court of inquiry ordered to determine the cause of the incident. Mirage 2000 aircraft have been in service with the IAF for several decades and are renowned for their reliability and versatility in various combat

Vijay Mallya, the fugitive liquor baron, has approached the Karnataka High Court, claiming that banks have recovered the "principal debt amount multiple times over" in the Kingfisher Airlines loan default case. In his petition, Mallya has sought directions from the banks to provide a statement of the recovered amount.Justice R Devdas issued notices to 10 banks, including State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB), a recovery official, and an asset reconstruction compan

DeepSeek AI, a rapidly growing Chinese artificial intelligence startup, has recently faced bans from Australia, Italy, and Taiwan. The company's AI services, including its popular chatbot app, have come under intense scrutiny due to rising concerns over data privacy and security.Australia was one of the first countries to act, with the Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announcing a ban on all DeepSeek AI products and services from government systems. This decision followed a national intel

A total of 205 Indian nationals who had illegally entered the United States were deported aboard a US military C-17 aircraft, which took off from Texas. Each deportee’s nationality was verified, signaling New Delhi’s involvement in the process. This is likely the first of many such deportations as part of a broader effort to address illegal immigration. The aircraft, typically equipped for larger transports, can accommodate up to 205 passengers, though it only has one toilet unles

DeepSeek's Dataset Exposed in Public Database: A cybersecurity research firm, Wiz Research, has discovered that DeepSeek's sensitive dataset might have been publicly exposed. The dataset was found through an unauthenticated ClickHouse database, which allowed full control over database operations. This data breach potentially risks sensitive information, including chat history, secret keys, log details, and backend data. Discovery of the Unauth

Union Minister of Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, revealed that India will soon host the popular DeepSeek AI model, developed by a Chinese startup, on Indian servers to address privacy issues. This move is part of India's broader strategy to bolster its AI capabilities, with Vaishnaw also announcing plans to develop the country's own foundational AI model in the coming months. In addition to this, Vaishnaw highlighted the creation of a common computing facility wit

Microsoft has officially added the newly released DeepSeek-R1 AI model to both Azure AI Foundry and GitHub, offering developers a powerful tool to enhance their AI applications. This reasoning-focused model can now be accessed through these platforms, giving developers the ability to experiment, iterate, and integrate AI into their workflows quickly and efficiently. Azure AI Foundry, an enterprise-focused platform, allows for the building, evaluation, and development of generative AI applicat

Overview of China’s Technological Progress and India’s Struggles In the first paragraph, Nithin Kamath highlights the significant technological progress made by China, particularly in AI with startups like DeepSeek. Kamath draws a historical comparison between China and India’s development, noting that both countries had similar per-capita GDP in the 1960s and 7

In response to the government's request, IndiGo has decided to reduce airfares for flights to Prayagraj by 30-50%, a move aimed at making travel more affordable during the ongoing Kumbh Mela. This decision follows consultations between airlines and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which urged the carriers to adjust their pricing and increase their flight capacities to accommodate the massive influx of devotees. The Kumbh Mela, which began on January 13, is expected to attract aro

Chinese startup DeepSeek has made waves in the global AI sector with its innovative models, DeepSeek-V3 and DeepSeek-R1, which it claims rival or surpass the performance of leading U.S. models, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, at a fraction of the cost. These models have already gained significant traction, with DeepSeek-V3 powering the company's AI Assistant, which recently overtook ChatGPT as the top-rated free app on Apple’s App Store in the U.S. The models have drawn prai

Delhi is facing a pollution crisis as dense fog and an air quality index (AQI) dangerously close to the ‘severe’ category prompt the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to reintroduce stricter pollution measures under GRAP-3 and GRAP-4. These measures were only revoked recently, with the AQI at 396 at 6 pm and expected to exceed the 400 mark. In response to the deteriorating air quality and in compliance with Supreme Court orders, the CAQM has immediately enforc

Dense fog enveloped parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) this morning, significantly reducing visibility and resulting in disruptions to travel. More than 150 flights were delayed, with an average delay of 41 minutes, as reported by aviation website FlightRadar24. Additionally, around 26 trains were delayed or cancelled due to the thick fog. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) confirmed that departures were impacted but assured travelers that CAT III-compliant fligh

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has raised serious concerns about the ongoing delays in the delivery of the Tejas fighter aircraft, calling for an urgent boost in private sector partnerships for defence product development. Speaking at the 21st Subroto Mukherjee Seminar, Singh emphasized that R&D in defence becomes irrelevant if it doesn't meet its timelines, pointing out how the Tejas project, conceived in 1984, still faces delays. Despite its induction into the Indian Air Force in 2016,

India strongly condemned the Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan civilians, which resulted in at least 51 deaths, including women and children, in Afghanistan’s Paktika province on December 24. In a statement on Monday, Indian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal condemned the attack, describing it as part of Pakistan's longstanding practice of blaming its neighbors for its internal problems. The airstrikes targeted areas in Paktika, particularly affecting the village of Laman,