On Thursday, Syrian insurgents claimed to have entered parts of the central city of Hama after intense clashes with government forces that had lasted for three days on the city’s outskirts. While Syrian state media confirmed violent clashes in the eastern areas of Hama, they denied that insurgents had breached the city itself. The city of Hama has remained under full government control throughout the ongoing civil war, which began in March 2011. Its capture would be a significant blow t

On Thursday, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy invited former Chief Minister and BRS President K. Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) to join the ‘Praja Palana’ Vijayotsavalu celebrations, commemorating the first anniversary of the Congress government's rule in Telangana. The celebrations, planned at Hyderabad's Tank Bund, aim to be a grand success with active participation from citizens. The BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and other officials have been tasked with invit

In response to improved air quality in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has eased pollution curbs. The CAQM announced the revocation of Stage-4 and Stage-3 measures of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the entire NCR, effective immediately. This decision comes after the Supreme Court allowed the relaxation, following consistent improvement in the air quality index (AQI) since November 29, with AQI levels falling below 300. Howev

The Supreme Court of India has reprimanded senior bureaucrats in Delhi, including the Chief Secretary, for the delayed payment of dues to construction workers impacted by the city's construction ban aimed at reducing pollution. The court had ordered that workers should be compensated during the ban, which was imposed on November 18, but only partial payment had been made. The government had promised ₹8,000 to over 90,000 workers, but many had only received ₹2,000 as an immediate relie

Bitcoin, the world’s most famous cryptocurrency, has crossed a major milestone, surpassing $100,000 in value for the first time. However, Bitcoin’s history remains shrouded in mystery, with its creator, known by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, remaining unidentified. Despite various claims, including one from Australian computer scientist Craig Wright, the true identity of Nakamoto has not been proven. Bitcoin was initially designed to be a decentralized alternative to traditional

Sri Lanka has committed to completing its foreign debt restructuring by the end of December 2023, aiming to address its $46 billion external debt. After defaulting on debt in April 2022, the country has been working on rebuilding its finances with help from an IMF bailout. Deputy Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando confirmed that debt restructuring, which has been delayed for over two years, is critical for the country's economic recovery. The restructuring includes international sovereign bo

Congress MPs staged a protest in Parliament by wearing jackets that displayed the slogan "Modi-Adani Ek Hain" (Modi and Adani are one) on Thursday. This demonstration was part of the party's ongoing campaign to demand answers from the government about alleged financial irregularities and favoritism involving the Adani Group. The protestors entered Parliament premises wearing the jackets and chanting slogans accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of protecting billionaire business

France's government collapsed on Wednesday after lawmakers from both left and right wings successfully passed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Michel Barnier, throwing the country into deeper political chaos. Barnier, who had served for just under three months, will now be required to resign and tender his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron. The collapse marks the shortest tenure of any Prime Minister in France's Fifth Republic. The no-confidence motion wa

Public health officials in California have announced a voluntary recall of all raw milk and cream products from Raw Farm, LLC after bird flu was detected in the dairy's raw milk. The recall affects all Raw Farm raw milk and cream currently available on retail shelves statewide. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued the recall after samples from the Fresno-based dairy tested positive for bird flu on November 21. This broader recall follows earlier, limited reca

Mangal, a plumber from Khairpur in Haryana’s Sirsa district, had his life transformed overnight after winning ₹1.5 crore in a lottery. His family, who had been living in a rented home for several years, erupted in celebration as Mangal returned home with the good news. Neighbors joined the festivities, with music and sweetmeats adding to the joy of the moment. For Mangal, this victory marks the realization of a dream. He has been buying lottery tickets for over five years, a

Brian Thompson, the CEO of US-based UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot outside the New York Hilton Midtown hotel on Wednesday morning. Thompson, 50, was walking toward the hotel to deliver a keynote address at an investor conference when a gunman ambushed him. Surveillance footage captured the suspect, a white male wearing a hooded jacket and a black mask, approaching Thompson from behind and firing several shots with a semi-automatic handgun fitted with a silencer. Thompson was str

Axis Securities Ltd has entered into a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) agreeing to pay a sum of Rs. 14.62 lakh to resolve charges of front-running activities. SEBI's investigation uncovered that Vikrant Bhimrao Kadam, a dealer at Axis Securities, colluded with his associate Mandar Ulhas Bhatkar to execute trades ahead of orders from SVI Consolidated Pvt Ltd, their major client. These trades were made in both the equity and derivatives segments of the Nati

The Bombay High Court recently condemned the rising number of frivolous petitions filed to stall redevelopment projects, calling it the "cheapest method" to delay legitimate work. In this case, a 67-year-old tenant, Khimjibhai Patadia, filed a petition claiming tenancy rights to resist eviction from the 83-year-old Bubna bungalow in Kandivali, Mumbai. The property was set for redevelopment, with all other tenants already vacating. Patadia's claims were rejected by the court, whi

India's practice sessions for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series against Australia have been closed to fans after a disruptive event during the team’s training in Adelaide. Fans, who were initially allowed to watch the training, became a source of distraction with rude comments directed at the players. The situation worsened during India’s session, where over 3000 fans gathered, overwhelming the practice facility. This caused a chaotic environment with players like

 In a dominant performance at the U19 Asia Cup 2024, India secured their spot in the semi-finals with a resounding 10-wicket victory over the UAE in their final group match in Sharjah. Chasing a modest target of 137, India sailed through to the target in just 16.1 overs, thanks to an unbroken 143-run partnership between Vaibhav Suryavanshi (76*) and Ayush Mhatre (67*). Earlier, UAE, who opted to bat first, were bowled out for just 137, with six overs to spare. Muhammad Rayan was the top

The future of the 2025 Champions Trophy is in jeopardy as tensions between India and Pakistan complicate the tournament's organization. India’s Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it clear that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan without government approval, which remains pending. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had initially rejected the idea of a hybrid hosting model that would allow India to play in Dubai, but recently showed some flexibility, reportedl

Oil prices have shown remarkable stability, remaining in a narrow range since mid-October, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fluctuating around $70 per barrel. This rangebound trend has been characterized by a significant drop in volatility, with recent levels at their lowest since August. Despite ongoing geopolitical risks, such as the tensions between Iran and Israel and the potential impacts of a second Donald Trump presidency, traders have remained cautious. The market's curren

The Gauhati High Court has directed the Assam government to respond to a petition challenging the legality of the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Act, 2024. The petition, filed by the All Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registrar and Kazi Association, contests the newly enacted law, which replaces the Assam Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935. The court has given the state government four weeks to respond and has stated that the issue of int

In a significant statement made in the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted the need for peace and tranquility in the border areas as a prerequisite for improving bilateral ties with China. He emphasized that both nations will engage in discussions on de-escalation and managing activities in these areas in the near future. Jaishankar shared that disengagement has been fully completed in eastern Ladakh, particularly in the regions of Depsang and Demchok. J

Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, was stopped at the Ghazipur border on Wednesday while attempting to visit Sambhal, where prohibitory orders were in place. The Congress leader, along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other senior leaders, reached the Ghazipur border in the morning. Heavy police force and barricades were deployed to prevent them from entering the district, as part of the ongoing security measures in the region. The curbs, imposed under Section 163 of the B