In a significant change to school education, the Centre has scrapped the 'no-detention policy' for classes 5 and 8 in schools under its control. This means that students who fail the year-end exams will no longer automatically be promoted. Instead, they will have the chance to retake the exam after additional coaching within two months of the results. If they still fail, they will be held back in the same grade. This move follows amendments to the Right to Education Act (RTE

On Sunday, US President-elect Donald Trump announced the appointment of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author, as the Senior White House Policy Advisor on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Krishnan, who has held leadership roles at major tech companies such as Microsoft, Twitter, Yahoo!, Facebook, and Snap, will work alongside David O. Sacks, who will serve as the White House AI & Crypto Czar. Krishnan's role will involve ensuring that

China, the world's second-largest economy, is working to recover from the effects of its three years of pandemic isolation. In a bid to attract more international visitors and boost its economy, China recently announced an expansion of its visa-free transit policy. The new policy, which is effective immediately, allows travelers from 54 countries, including the US, Canada, and several European and Asian nations, to stay in parts of China for up to 10 days. Previously, the visa-f

The Telangana Assembly was adjourned on Monday after BRS MLAs raised slogans and disrupted the debate on the Telangana State Tourism Policy. The debate, which resumed after a tea break, was halted when opposition members continued to protest against the Congress government. In response to the disruption, Legislative Affairs Minister D. Sridhar Babu criticized the BRS legislators for not adhering to the rules and traditions of the House. Speaker G. Prasad Kumar intervened, directing

The Indian rupee opened at 84.83 against the US dollar on Monday, a depreciation of 4 paise compared to the previous close of 84.79. The decline in the rupee is largely attributed to the uncertainty following the announcement of a leadership transition at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Shaktikanta Das will be succeeded by Sanjay Malhotra, sparking initial concerns in the market. However, markets quickly adjusted to the news, with experts noting that the RBI is closely monitoring banking sys

Elon Musk’s Tesla has become one of the top employers of H-1B workers, with over 1,700 H-1B visas approved for Tesla employees in 2020. This marks a significant reliance on skilled foreign workers as Tesla continues to grow. Musk’s early career began with illegal work on a student visa in the U.S., but now Tesla’s future is intertwined with the availability of H-1B workers, a visa program that is crucial for attracting talent to the tech industry. The Trump adminis

The Indian rupee ended the trading session stronger after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to keep the benchmark interest rates unchanged, while unveiling measures aimed at improving liquidity in the banking system. The domestic currency gained 3 paise, closing at 84.70 against the US dollar, compared to 84.73 in the previous session. As part of the monetary policy changes, the RBI raised the interest rate ceiling on one-year Foreign Currency Non-Resident (FCNR) deposits by 200 basis p

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

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

In response to growing concerns over liquor shops charging more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for bottled liquor, the Andhra Pradesh government has introduced strict corrective measures. A new Government Order (G.O.) has been released, which imposes a fine of Rs 5 lakh for the first offense if liquor stores are found violating MRP regulations. The government aims to ensure that consumers are not charged unfair prices and that liquor sales are conducted with transparency. The n

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

In a recent initiative to transform Andhra Pradesh into a technology hub, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu introduced a comprehensive new IT policy designed to promote Deep-Tech and Artificial Intelligence. During a review meeting, Naidu revealed plans to build an iconic Deep-Technology structure in Amaravati, aimed at harnessing the latest advancements in technology. The state government also announced a seed funding scheme under the Start-Up Policy to support SCs, STs, BCs, minorities, a

The 1990 Immigration Act brought significant changes to the H-1B visa program and employment-based green cards, imposing caps of 65,000 and 140,000 annually, respectively. These restrictions were implemented without considering the growing demand for skilled labor fueled by technological advancements. The arbitrary cap on H-1B visas quickly became insufficient as more than 70% of graduate students in tech fields at US universities were international students. In response to the escalat

Donald Trump’s presidential appointments of Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz mark a decisive shift in U.S. foreign policy, particularly in relation to China. Rubio, tapped as Secretary of State, and Waltz, named National Security Advisor, represent a hawkish approach to international relations, one that sharply contrasts with

Gold prices have been on a downward trend since the US presidential election, with December future contracts opening lower on MCX. The price of gold fell by 0.37% to Rs 76,369 per 10 grams, while silver prices also dropped by 0.24% to Rs 90,601 per kg. In the last two days, gold prices have plummeted by Rs 2,100 per 10 grams and silver prices by Rs 4,050 per kg. According to the India Bullion and Jewellers Association Ltd (IBJA), the current prices for different carats of gold are a

Donald Trump’s recent vow to stop renewable energy projects, particularly offshore wind farms, on the first day of his potential presidency has raised alarm bells across the clean energy sector. In a statement that shocked industry leaders, Trump promised to “make sure that ends on day one,” referring to the offshore wind farms that are seen as a key component of the Biden administration’s green energy agenda. The pledge sent ripple effects through the stock market, wi

The possibility of Donald Trump returning to the White House in 2024 raises important questions about the future of India-US relations. A second Trump presidency could bring significant shifts across several key areas, including trade, immigration, military cooperation, and broader diplomatic engagement. During his first term, Trump’s “America First” agenda and his transactional approach to foreign policy led to major policy changes such as tariffs on foreign goods

On Tuesday, gold prices saw a significant rise, increasing by ₹300 to reach ₹81,400 per 10 grams in the national capital. This surge is attributed to the heavy demand from jewellers and retailers ahead of Dhanteras, a festival known for its traditional gold purchases, as reported by the All India Sarafa Association. Silver also experienced a boost, climbing by ₹200 to ₹99,700 per kg, driven by rising demand from industrial units and coin makers. The previous day, silver was

In a notable shift in immigration policy, Canada has decided to cut its immigration targets significantly, responding to increasing public concerns regarding the impact of new arrivals on housing and resources. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the government will lower its immigration goals from a planned 500,000 new permanent residents in 2025 to 395,000 for 2025 and 380,000 for 2026. This decision follows a recent survey indicating that a majority of Canadians now believe the co

During a compelling interview at the  World Summit, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar shed light on the deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Canada, which have faced significant strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations regarding India's involvement in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Jaishankar criticized what he termed "double standards" in diplomatic treatment, noting that while Canadian diplomat