Bill Gates has found himself at the center of controversy following remarks he made during a podcast with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. Gates referred to India as "a kind of laboratory to try things," which has sparked significant backlash, particularly in India. The comments, which were intended to highlight India's progress and its partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, have drawn attention to a controversial 2009 clinical trial funded by the Gates Found

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved the country's 2025 budget, allocating $126 billion (13.5 trillion rubles) to national defence, which accounts for 32.5% of the total government spending. This marks a significant increase from last year’s budget, highlighting the ongoing strain the war in Ukraine has placed on Russia’s finances. The budget sets a new record, with military spending expected to account for over 6% of Russia's GDP. In contrast, expenditu

The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is expected to maintain the status quo on the benchmark repo rate at 6.5% in its upcoming meeting from December 4 to 6. Despite India's GDP growth slowing to 5.4% in the July-September quarter, economists suggest that inflation concerns will likely take precedence, making a rate cut unlikely in December. Retail inflation rose to 6.2% in October, exceeding the RBI’s target range of 2-6%. Though a repo rate cu

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has raised concerns over a recent court order in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, which directed a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid, a Mughal-era mosque. Owaisi questioned the reasoning behind the survey, pointing out that the petition filed by the Hindu side only sought access to the mosque, not a survey. He argued that the Places of Worship Act prohibits changing the nature of religious places, including mosques, and questioned why a survey was still ordered. Ow

In a rain-affected pink-ball warm-up match in Canberra, Sam Konstas emerged as the standout performer for Australia's Prime Minister's XI, scoring a brilliant century against the Indian side. Despite India's dominance throughout the fixture, Konstas showcased his potential as a promising cricketer, drawing attention to his skills and his confidence in facing top-level bowling. Notably, India’s marquee pacer Jasprit Bumrah was rested from the practice match, meaning Konstas d

The Indian cricket team has significantly boosted its chances of qualifying for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final with a commanding 295-run victory over Australia in Perth. However, the qualification process remains complex, with multiple scenarios playing out over the next few months. India, currently leading the WTC points table, needs to secure a solid result against Australia in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series, while also hoping for specific outcomes from South Africa and Sr

The Indian Rupee has depreciated to a record low of 84.61 against the US Dollar, marking a fresh setback for the currency. This comes after former US President Donald Trump's threat to impose a 100% tariff on BRICS nations if they fail to continue using the US Dollar. Trump's demand for a commitment from BRICS countries not to create a new currency or back alternatives to the dollar has put additional pressure on global markets, including the Indian Rupee. Along with this geopolitical

As of October 2024, the Union government's fiscal deficit for the financial year 2024-25 stands at 46.5% of the total budgetary target, amounting to Rs 7.5 lakh crore. This is in line with the government's fiscal consolidation strategy, which aims to bring down the fiscal deficit to 4.9% of GDP for the year, an improvement from the previous fiscal year's target of 5.6%. The fiscal deficit gap, which represents the difference between government expenditure and revenue, is

India has raised serious concerns with Bangladesh over the growing incidents of violence against the Hindu minority and the rise of extremist rhetoric in the country. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasized that India has been in consistent communication with Bangladesh’s interim government regarding the targeting of Hindus and other minorities. In its weekly press briefing, the MEA reiterated that India has consistently raised the issue with Bangladesh, urging the g

The New Pamban Bridge, inaugurated by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, is a groundbreaking feat of modern engineering, representing India’s first vertical lift railway sea bridge. This bridge, located in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, replaces the century-old Pamban Rail Bridge, which had been in operation since 1914. The old bridge was decommissioned in December 2022 due to corrosion, paving the way for this state-of-the-art structure. Stretching 2 kilometers, the new Pamban Bridg

Former Australia captain Allan Border has voiced his frustration over the team's failure to control Virat Kohli during the first Test in Perth, highlighting that this could have serious implications for the rest of the five-match series. Kohli, who had gone without a Test century for 18 months, made a triumphant return to form, scoring an unbeaten 100 in India's dominant 295-run victory. Border expressed his disappointment over Australia's lack of resistance, saying that letting K

Russia launched a massive assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure overnight, using 90 missiles and 100 drones. The attack has left over one million people without electricity as temperatures drop, marking the 11th large-scale attack on Ukraine's power systems this year. Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of "weaponizing winter," with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemning the use of cluster munitions against civilians and infrastructure. At

A recent survey by global real estate services firm JLL reveals that Indian organisations require more office attendance compared to the global average. According to the Future of Work Survey 2024 – India Insights, 90% of Indian employers mandate at least three days of office presence per week, which is higher than the global average of 85%. Moreover, over half (54%) of Indian organisations anticipate an increase in the number of office days by 2030, surpassing the global expec

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it will not accept the Hybrid Model for the upcoming Champions Trophy, a format that would involve some games being played in India and others in Pakistan. The ICC convened a virtual meeting with executive members to address the scheduling dilemma after India refused to send its team across the border. The PCB has been firm in its opposition to the Hybrid Model, arguing that it would give preferential t

Gold prices stood at Rs 76,140 as of 7:00 a.m., according to the India Bullion Association, marking a slight recovery of Rs 720 from the previous day's decline. November has seen significant volatility in gold prices, with a sharp drop following the festive season, followed by a rebound driven by geopolitical conflicts. The price chart for gold has been fluctuating throughout November. Initially, demand during the festive season led to a rally, pushing prices to Rs 81,500. Howev

India's fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Test bowling rankings, overtaking South Africa's Kagiso Rabada and Australia's Josh Hazlewood. Bumrah's match-winning performance in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Perth, where he took 8 wickets for 72 runs, played a crucial role in India's 295-run victory over Australia. With this performance, Bumrah's ranking points surged to a career-high of 883, putting him back at No. 1.

Gold prices have dropped to Rs 75,420 as of 7:00 a.m. today, according to the India Bullion Association. This marks a decline after gold reached a high of Rs 78,000 on November 23. The yellow metal has experienced significant price volatility, largely driven by global market factors such as the US election results and geopolitical conflicts, which have directly impacted gold rates worldwide. After a brief rally during the festive season, which saw gold prices climb to Rs 81,500 in N

On the 75th anniversary of the adoption of India's Constitution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his commitment to performing his duties within the Constitution's framework. In his speech at the Supreme Court during Constitution Day celebrations, he clarified that his actions have always aligned with constitutional provisions without overstepping boundaries. Modi addressed opposition claims that efforts were underway to undermine the Constitution and asserted that his governme

On Tuesday, India condemned the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a prominent Hindu priest and leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, calling for the protection of religious minorities in the country. Chandan Kumar Dhar, also known as Chinmoy Krishna Das, was arrested on Monday afternoon at Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. A Dh

The ongoing feud between YS Sharmila and her brother, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, has escalated with Sharmila demanding a CBI investigation into the controversial Rs 1750 crore bribery scandal involving Jagan and industrialist Gautam Adani. In a public letter, Sharmila accused Jagan of signing a dubious power distribution deal with Adani, which she claims would burden the people of Andhra Pradesh with Rs 1.5 lakh crore over the next five years. She urged CM Chandrababu Naidu to cance