Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2025: A Detailed Overview The 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) will take place in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, from January 8-10, 2025. This biennial convention celebrates the invaluable contributions of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) towards India's development. Organized by the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with the Go

Afghanistan has expressed its desire to enhance diplomatic relations with India, assuring that it does not pose a threat to any nation. In a statement after the first publicly acknowledged engagement between Kabul and New Delhi since the Taliban came to power, Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry highlighted its intent to strengthen ties, particularly in political and economic spheres. The meeting, held in Dubai, involved Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan M

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, the Supreme Court rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s request to block criminal proceedings in his New York hush money case, allowing a sentencing hearing scheduled for Friday to proceed. In a 5-4 decision, with four conservative justices dissenting, the conservative-majority court diverged from its earlier decisions that had favored Trump. The brief, unsigned

California is enduring a series of catastrophic wildfires that have claimed seven lives and caused extensive destruction across the Los Angeles area. The Palisades and Eaton fires have been particularly devastating, with five fatalities linked to the Eaton fire and two to the Palisades fire. Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate as firefighters battle to contain the flames. There has been some progress in

The Henley Passport Index 2025 reveals that India’s passport has dropped five places, now ranking 85th globally. Indian passport holders can travel visa-free to 57 destinations, sharing the position with Equatorial Guinea and Niger. Singapore continues to top the rankings with visa-free access to 195 destinations. The top 10 list is largely dominated by European countries, with Japan, South Korea, and Finland making notable appearances. A significant change in this year’

India has extended invitations to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other neighboring countries to participate in a unique seminar marking 150 years of the India Meteorological Department (IMD). This initiative aims to set aside political differences and highlight the shared history of the Indian subcontinent. The seminar is being hailed as a first-of-its-kind effort by the Indian government to foster regional cooperation. Invitations have been sent to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanis

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the genome sequencing data of 10,000 Indian nationals, a significant step in advancing biotechnology research in India. This data, known as Genome India Data, encapsulates the vast genetic diversity of the Indian population and will be available to researchers through the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC) with "managed access." PM Modi highlighted that the national database would be crucial in the treatment of genetic and infecti

Manoj Tiwary, former Indian cricketer, has criticized the selection of Gautam Gambhir as the head coach of the Indian national cricket team, stating that Gambhir is more suited for mentoring IPL teams rather than leading the national side. Tiwary cited several poor performances, including India's recent losses in Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, to support his argument that Gambhir’s appointment was a mistake. He believes that Gambhir lacks the necessary coach

Expansion of China's Trade-In Scheme China is extending its consumer trade-in program, originally launched in March 2024, to help stimulate demand in the struggling household sector. The scheme now includes additional home appliances such as microwave ovens, dishwashers, and rice cookers. In an effort to boost the digital goods market, subsidies are also being offered for products like smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches. Consumers who trade in old products can receive subsidies

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has expressed doubts about the future of the INDIA alliance, calling for its dissolution if it was created solely for the 2024 Parliament elections. Abdullah highlighted the lack of clarity regarding the alliance's leadership, agenda, and overall direction, noting that no meetings of the INDIA bloc have been organized. He also mentioned that the Congress should not take its leadership position in the alliance for granted, pointing out that so

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan's remarks about employees needing to work 90 hours a week to stay competitive have sparked outrage on Reddit. In a video from an internal interaction, Subrahmanyan expressed his belief that working on Sundays would help employees achieve success, citing China's 90-hour work week as a model to follow. The comments were met with significant backlash, with many questioning the toll such work expectations take on employee well-being

A significant high-level meeting took place in Dubai between senior Indian officials and the Afghan Taliban leadership. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri represented India, while Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi attended on behalf of the Taliban government. The meeting, which is vital for fostering stronger bilateral relations, aimed to improve cooperation across various sectors, including humanitarian aid, development, trade, and security. One of the

In a heartbreaking incident at Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupathi, four people lost their lives in a stampede, and over 25 others were injured. The tragedy occurred when a large crowd of devotees had gathered to receive tokens for the Vaikuntha Dwara Sarva Darshan. The situation escalated quickly, leading to the unfortunate deaths and several injuries. The injured devotees are currently receiving treatment at Ruya Hospital. Viral visuals from the scene show police and locals coming togethe

Chandrababu Naidu's Security Measures Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, has been granted one of the highest levels of security among Indian politicians. This is due to the significant security threats he faces, particularly from Naxals, which date back to the Alipiri attack in 2004. The state government has ensured that Naidu’s safety is a top priority by allocating him a robust protection setup, which includes National Security Guard (NSG) commandos an

Justin Trudeau's allegations against India likely contributed to his downfall in several ways. Firstly, his claims that India was involved in the killing of Khalistani militant Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and was sponsoring criminal activities on Canadian soil were vehemently denied by New Delhi . This led to a diplomatic fallout, with India expelling six Canadian diplomats and recalling its envoy to Ottawa.  

Anita Anand is a Canadian politician of Indian origin who's currently in the running to become the next Prime Minister of Canada. Born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, Anand has had a distinguished career in law, academia, and politics.   Early Life and Education Anand holds multiple degrees, including a Bachelor of Arts in

US President-elect Donald Trump proposed using "economic force" to pressure Canada into becoming the 51st state of the United States, citing concerns over trade imbalances and the cost of US military assistance. Trump emphasized his intention to impose "substantial" tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods to address these issues. "The US absorbing Canada would really be something," Trump sta

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has claimed the top spot as the No. 1 metropolitan area for relocation in 2024, according to U-Haul's Top U.S. Growth Metros and Cities report. This marks a significant leap for DFW, which climbed eight places from its No. 9 ranking in 2023—a proud achievement for the region. Sean Fullerton, president of U-Haul Company

The residential real estate segment, particularly luxury housing, saw remarkable growth in 2024, drawing increased interest from both end-users and buyers . As the Union Budget 2025-26 approaches, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to unveil measures aimed at further supporting the real estate sector. Key areas of focus include reducing the GST burden on developers, reviving the Credit Linked Subsidy Schem

​​ HMPV Surge in China and India: China is experiencing a surge in Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases, leading to overcrowded hospitals and public health concerns. India has reported three new cases of HMPV, with two case