Dr. Michael Debabrata Patra, who served as the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Deputy Governor, has retired after nearly four decades with the central bank. Known for his strategic role in steering the RBI’s monetary policy, Patra became the face of the RBI during critical press conferences, answering the key questions on interest rates, inflation, and growth. Patra, who headed the monetary policy department for most of his tenure, was a key player in the decisions made by

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, known for his iconic films like Satya, has been sentenced to three months of imprisonment by the Andheri Magistrate Court in Mumbai. The sentence is related to a cheque bounce case that has been ongoing for the last seven years. The case involves a sum of Rs 2 lakh 38 thousand, stemming from a transaction with Varma’s ex-employee. The court, after hearing the case for several years, issued a non-bailable warrant against the director on Tuesd

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Nara Lokesh, the Information Technology and Human Resource Development Minister of Andhra Pradesh, discussed the state's progressive approach to integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in key sectors including governance, education, and healthcare. Lokesh highlighted Andhra Pradesh's real-time governance model and emphasized how AI could serve as a game-changer, particularly for students, women, and farmers, promoting inclusive development.

On Thursday morning, the Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi made significant decisions, including approving two major plans with long-term implications for India’s space exploration and central government employees. In a boost to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the cabinet sanctioned a Rs 3900 crore investment to establish a third launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This new launch pad will serve dual purpo

Introduction to Rujm el-Hiri: Rujm el-Hiri is an ancient basalt rock structure located in the Golan Heights, approximately 16 kilometers east of the Sea of Galilee. This monument, also referred to as the "Stonehenge of the East," has fascinated scientists for years due to its unusual shifting over time. The structure, built nearly 5,000 years ago, has moved t

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has strongly rebutted Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s claims regarding the 2024 Indian elections, labelling them "factually incorrect." Zuckerberg, in a recent appearance on the Joe Rogan podcast, suggested that most incumbent governments globally, including India's, lost in the 2024 elections due to post-Covid dissatisfaction. However, the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won a decisive third term in India, securing the trust

Gold prices saw an increase of Rs 250, reaching Rs 80,550 per 10 grams in the national capital on Friday. This rise in prices was driven by continuous demand from retailers and stockists, as well as the weakening of the Indian rupee, which hit a record low. The previous day, gold had been priced at Rs 80,300 per 10 grams, according to the All-India Sarafa Association. Silver prices, however, remained unchanged at Rs 93,000 per kg. Gold of 99.5% purity continued its upward trajectory

During a podcast with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened up about his experiences handling anxiety and emotions during pivotal moments in his political career, particularly focusing on the Godhra train burning incident and the 2002 Gujarat elections. Modi recalled being newly elected as an MLA when the Godhra tragedy struck on February 27, 2002, just days after he assumed office. The incident, which involved the killing of 59 people in a train fire, shocked

In a disturbing incident in Prempur village, Sabarkantha, Gujarat, a one-year-old girl became seriously ill after consuming a packet of Gopal Namkeen, which contained a dead rat. The child's father reported that after feeding the namkeen to his daughter, she immediately began vomiting and was soon found to have a rat in her snack. The child suffered from severe diarrhoea and was rushed to Davad Hospital for treatment. The family has expressed outrage over the incident and is dem

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

The gems and jewellery industry has made a strong plea to the government to reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from 3% to 1% in the upcoming Budget. According to the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC), this move would reduce the industry's growing cost burden, especially amid rising gold prices, and improve affordability for consumers, particularly in rural areas. Rajesh Rokde, Chairman of GJC, emphasized that such a reduction would also promote better tax compliance

Goldman Sachs has set a target price of Rs 500 per share for ITC Ltd. following the company's recent demerger, citing strong potential for profitability growth and the expansion of its consumer business. The brokerage firm highlighted a steady recovery in the cigarette business, predicting healthy earnings growth from fiscal 2023-25. The target represents an upside of 13% from the stock's previous close. ITC shares saw a nearly 6% adjustment in a special pre-open session on

Apple has agreed to pay $95 million in cash to resolve a class action lawsuit accusing its voice assistant Siri of privacy violations. The lawsuit alleged that Siri recorded users' private conversations without their consent and shared this data with third parties, including advertisers. This reportedly began when Apple introduced the "Hey, Siri" command function. Though Apple denied any wrongdoing, the company chose to settle the case, which was filed in federal court

As 2024 comes to a close, many people are reflecting on their achievements and setbacks. Amidst this reflection, a few individuals have stood out as true change-makers, selflessly dedicating their time and resources to make the world a better place. Two such individuals are Gattu Giri and Paluri Siddhartha, whose acts of kindness and charity have touched the lives of many. Gattu Giri, who established the Matrudevobhava Orphanage in 2018, was inspired by a personal tragedy—the

A Bangladesh court on Thursday rejected the bail plea of Chinmoy Krishna Das, a prominent Hindu monk and spokesperson for the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote. Das, who previously served as a leader in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), was arrested on charges of sedition and other offenses. The Chattogram Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Saiful Islam denied the bail request following a 30-minute hearing, which was held with heightened security. The bail petiti

As the New Year 2025 approaches, many cultures around the world celebrate with traditional foods believed to bring good luck, prosperity, and happiness for the year ahead. From lentils to fish, these foods symbolize various aspects of wealth, health, and good fortune. Whether you're looking to add a bit of cultural flavor to your celebrations or simply want to try something new, here are some popular New Year's foods from across the globe that are said to bring good luck. 8

The US Treasury Department confirmed that a China state-sponsored actor was responsible for a recent cyber breach, compromising its workstations and some unclassified documents. The incident occurred earlier this month when the actor gained access through a third-party cybersecurity provider, BeyondTrust. Once the breach was detected, Treasury swiftly contacted the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and began working with law enforcement to investigate the incident and assess

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recently addressed Chief Minister Atishi in a letter filled with both praise and sharp criticism directed at her predecessor, Arvind Kejriwal. Saxena expressed disappointment over Kejriwal's remark calling Atishi a "temporary Chief Minister," emphasizing that such a comment disrespects the democratic principles laid out by India's Constitution. He clarified that there is no such position, calling the remark an insult to the President of In

Andhra Pradesh is set to welcome its new Chief Secretary, K Vijayanand, who will assume the role on December 31. Vijayanand, an IAS officer from the 1992 batch, will replace Neerabh Kumar Prasad, who is retiring after reaching the age of superannuation. Neerabh Kumar Prasad had been serving as Chief Secretary since shortly after the Andhra Pradesh elections in June 2024. His retirement has led to the swift appointment of K Vijayanand, a highly respected and experienced IAS officer.

Google is preparing for a critical 2025, with CEO Sundar Pichai stating that the company will focus heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) and scaling its Gemini chatbot to disrupt the market. During a strategy meeting on December 18, Pichai highlighted the stakes as being "high," calling 2025 a year of disruption. He stressed the need for the company to rapidly scale its AI products, particularly Gemini, to solve real user problems and compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT.