Christa Pike survives execution after receiving two rounds of pentobarbital in Tennessee and is now conscious and speaking. Her recovery, the TN pause on executions and a renewed clemency plea have intensified scrutiny of lethal injection and the death penalty. Christa Pike conscious after surviving Tennessee execution attempt Christa Pike, the Tennessee death-row prisoner who survived an attempted lethal injection last week, is consciou

RBI repo rate hike expectations are growing ahead of the RBI MPC October policy as India inflation outlook, rupee depreciation and liquidity management concerns raise the possibility of a hawkish shift in monetary policy.   The Reserve Bank of India is set to announce its fourth bi-monthly monetary policy for FY27 on October 7, with financial markets closely watching whether the central bank will raise the repo rate for the first time since February 2023.

The Tata Trusts Tata Sons restructuring proposal has triggered fresh disagreement within the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust. Trustees Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh questioned the decision-making process behind the proposal to merge Tata Electronics Systems Solutions and Tata Consulting Engineers with Tata Sons. They said the move could have significant legal, financial, regulatory and governance implications.   The Tata Trusts Tata Sons restructuring proposal

A Tata Sons leadership dispute has revived memories of Ratan Tata’s 1990s battle to centralise authority at Bombay House and reshape the group’s governance. Chandrasekaran and Noel Tata clash The confrontation followed the Tata Sons board’s approval of another five-year term for N Chandrasekaran and preparations for a public listing after Reserve Bank of India pressure. Noel Tata opposed both moves. Tata Trusts, which controls about 66% of Tata Sons, call

Washington is preparing to sharply reduce direct security assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga as a four-year agreement approaches expiration, raising concerns over counterterrorism operations, force reforms and stability in northern Iraq. US–Peshmerga Agreement Nears Its End The US Department of Defense has reportedly informed officials in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region that it does not

Family members in India can send money for a relative's medical treatment in the US under RBI rules. Medical remittances have specific LRS provisions, documentation requirements and 2026 TCS rules, while very large transfers may also create US reporting obligations. Can family in India pay US medical expenses? Yes. A resident individual in India can remit money abroad for medic

Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has been appointed by Russia to an international arbitral tribunal hearing Ukrainian state-owned Oschadbank’s claim over assets and operations lost during the war. The treaty case involves losses in four Ukrainian regions and marks a notable new international role for the former CJI. Oschadbank claim Oschadbank’s claim concerns assets and busines

The RBI repo rate impact on home loan EMIs remains limited after the rate was held at 5.25%. The policy pause supports stable borrowing costs, but the RBI policy impact on homebuyers depends on lenders, loan benchmarks and reset dates. The Reserve Bank of India has kept the policy repo rate unchanged at 5.25% in its August 2026 monetary policy review, extending the pause for a fourth consecutive meeting. The six-member Monetary Polic

The RBI has introduced new fixed deposit interest-rate rules for small finance banks, effective Thursday, October 1, 2026. The changes require clearer online disclosures, daily bulk-deposit rates and greater consistency across branches and customers. RBI New FD Rules Begin From October 1 Fixed deposit customers of small finance banks will see new interest-rate disclosure rules from October 1, 2026. The Reserve Bank of India issued the

India is preparing to test polymer currency after the Centre approved the Reserve Bank of India’s proposal for field trials of ₹10 and ₹20 notes. The pilot will include one billion notes of each denomination, but paper currency is not being withdrawn. Both types could circulate together if the trial succeeds. India Revives Polymer Note Plan After 15 Years The approval revives an idea pursued more than a decade ago. In 2009, the RBI b

Skyroot Aerospace is preparing Vikram-1 for its maiden orbital mission from Sriharikota. Scheduled for July 18, 2026, the launch could mark India’s first privately developed orbital rocket flight and strengthen the country’s commercial small-satellite launch sector. The Vikram-1 first orbital launch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. IST on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Through Missio

India's RBI-backed FCNR deposit initiative has reportedly mobilized nearly $10 billion in foreign-currency deposits from NRIs. The strong response highlights growing demand for foreign-currency savings while helping strengthen India's external financing position. India's temporary Reserve Bank of India (RBI) initiative to encourage Foreign Currency Non-Resident (FCNR(B)) deposits has reportedly attracted nearly $10

The UK tax rule on FCNR deposits is weakening their appeal among some wealthy NRIs because overseas interest may be taxed in Britain. Higher Indian returns and the RBI-backed incentive remain attractive, but investors must now compare headline rates with their final post-tax income. UK tax rules are weakening the appeal of Foreign Currency Non-Resident, or FCNR, deposits for some wealthy NRIs, particularly long-term UK residents who may owe British tax on interest

President Donald Trump’s mention of Nicki Minaj at a White House event has turned into a major online talking point, shifting public attention from a policy-focused gathering to a viral celebrity-politics moment. The event, held in the Rose Garden, was organized to promote Trump Accounts, a child-focused savings initiative connected to the administration’s economic agenda. Minaj’s presence at the White House immediately attracted att

NASA prepares rescue mission for Swift NASA is preparing a $30 million robotic mission to prevent the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory from re-entering Earth’s atmosphere after two decades of service in space. The agency has described the effort as a race against time and gravity, as the aging telescope continues to lose altitude because of orbital decay. The mission will be led by Katalyst Space Technologies, a startup developing a three-armed spacecra

The RBI introduced the US dollar-rupee swap facility on Monday, June 8, 2026. It applies to eligible fresh FCNR(B) deposits, including deposits renewed at maturity, with an original tenure of at least three years and no more than five years. Deposits must be mobilized between Monday, June 8, 2026, and Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Banks may use the RBI swap window through Friday, October 16, 2026. The swap

The R Madhavan Titan watch worn during his Padma Shri ceremony was more than an expensive accessory. Priced at ₹40.5 lakh, or 4.05 million rupees, the rare timepiece brought Indian miniature art, Jaipur’s architectural heritage and advanced mechanical watchmaking together on one dial. President Droupadi Murmu presented Madhavan with the Padma Shri at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The Padma Shri is one of India’s highest civilian ho

A Chinese reusable spacecraft linked to the Shenlong program has triggered fresh global scrutiny after tracking data showed a separate object appearing in close proximity during its latest orbital phase. The event, observed in June 2026, has added new uncertainty around the nature of China’s secretive spaceplane operations. Tracking data reveals unexpected separation in orbit Independent space surveillance firm LeoLabs reported detection of a new object near the Shenlong spacecraft during routine orbital monitoring. The timing and proximity suggested a possible release or separation event from the main vehicle. The object was later incorporated into the US Space Force satellite catalog, allowing continued tracking through global space surveillance networks. What the Shenlong spaceplane is designed for Shenlong spaceplane is China’s experimental reusable orbital vehicle designed to launch via rocket and return to Earth like a conventional aircraft. The system is believed to support long-duration missions involving orbital testing, reconnaissance experiments, and reusable spacecraft technologies. It is often compared to the US X-37B program due to its similar operational profile and secrecy surrounding mission objectives. Launch background and mission profile The spacecraft associated with this mission was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 2F rocket. Since launch, Chinese authorities have released minimal operational details, leaving external analysts to rely heavily on radar tracking, orbital behavior, and third-party observations to interpret mission activity. Why the object detection raised questions The appearance of a separate object in close orbital proximity has led analysts to consider several possibilities, including experimental deployment, satellite servicing tests, or controlled separation of hardware. While none of these scenarios have been confirmed, the pattern aligns with rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), a capability used for inspecting or interacting with objects in space. Strategic implications and global monitoring The development is being closely monitored because RPO technology has dual-use applications. It can support peaceful maintenance missions but also enable advanced surveillance or counter-space capabilities. As a result, both US and international tracking systems continue to observe Shenlong missions for behavioral patterns that may indicate evolving strategic capabilities. Ongoing uncertainty around mission details Despite growing external analysis, no official clarification has been issued regarding the nature of the detected object. This lack of transparency keeps the mission under active observation, with each new orbital event contributing to broader assessments of China’s reusable spacecraft program and its long-term strategic direction.

RBI’s push for FCNR deposits is designed to bring more foreign currency into India. But the latest available data show that most NRI bank money in India remains in rupee-denominated accounts. Where NRI Bank Deposits Were Held

If a moon mass change effect happens, Earth will not be destroyed, but many natural systems will slowly change. In a moon mass change effect, the biggest impact would be on ocean tides, night brightness, and long-term climate stability. The Moon controls tides by its gravity, so if it becomes smaller or loses mass, ocean tides will become weaker. This means the sea will not rise and fall as strongly as it does today. Coastal areas, fishing activity, and marin