Gold has experienced a remarkable rise in 2024, reaching 40 new record highs year-to-date and appreciating by over 28%. According to the World Gold Council (WGC), this surge has made gold the best-performing asset class globally, surpassing US stocks, emerging market stocks, US bonds, and even US currency. In the third quarter of 2024, gold demand exceeded $100 billion for the first time, showcasing its robust market position. Looking ahead to 2025, the direction of the US Federal R

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is currently in turmoil due to the ongoing standoff between India and Pakistan. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has firmly stated that it will not send its team to Pakistan, citing security concerns and political issues. In response, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has threatened to boycott future ICC events if India does not agree to the proposed hybrid model, where India’s matches are played in Dubai, while the rest of the tournament tak

India's inflation rate, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), moderated to 5.48% in November, down from 6.21% in October, according to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. This easing, however, is still above the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) target of 4%, with food prices continuing to drive inflationary pressure. The food inflation rate surged by 9.04%, continuing its trend of high costs. Economists had forecast a median inflation estimate of 5.5% fo

Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh is set to make history in the World Chess Championship as he nears a potential victory over China's Ding Liren. The series is tied at 6-6 after 12 intense games, and with a dramatic Game 13 that ended in a draw, Gukesh now has a final chance to clinch the title. This pivotal game, scheduled for Thursday, marks the culmination of years of hard work and determination for the young chess prodigy. Born in Chennai on May 29, 2006, D Gukesh began playing ch

Indian cricket stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have seen a significant drop in the latest ICC Test batting rankings following India's heavy 10-wicket loss to Australia in the Adelaide pink-ball Test. Kohli dropped six spots, now sitting at No. 20, while Rohit fell out of the top 30, currently ranking 31st after losing five places. Kohli, who had regained form with a century in the Perth Test, struggled in Adelaide, scoring just 7 and 11. Similarly, Rohit, who had been ranked No. 6, cou

Venkatesh Iyer's Surprising Academic Pursuit Venkatesh Iyer, the talented all-rounder who made headlines with his hefty price tag of Rs 23.75 crore at the IPL 2024 mega auctions, is not just focused on his cricketing career. Despite his high-profile presence in the sport, Iyer is also pursuing a PhD and is on his way to becoming Dr. Venkatesh Iyer. His decision to continue his academic journey after his cricket career shows his commitment to education. Iyer even joked about his aca

Sanjay Malhotra, a 1990-batch IAS officer from Rajasthan, has been appointed as the 26th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), succeeding Shaktikanta Das. The government announced that Malhotra will take charge from Wednesday for a term of three years. With a background in computer science from IIT Kanpur and a Master's in Public Policy from Princeton University, Malhotra has had a distinguished career spanning over three decades in various sectors, including finance, taxation, pow

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has finalized a hybrid model for next year's Champions Trophy, allowing India to play its matches in Dubai, while Pakistan will co-host the event in the UAE. The decision, reached after informal discussions between ICC President Jay Shah and the Board of Directors, including Pakistan's representatives, is a major step toward resolving venue concerns in international cricket. The 2025 Champions Trophy will be held in the UAE and Pakistan, with In

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta is expected to release the provisional answer key for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2024 today. Once available, candidates can visit the official website, iimcat.ac.in, to download the answer key. The objection management window will be open from December 3 at 6 pm to December 5, 2024, at 11:55 pm, allowing candidates to raise any objections. After evaluating the objections, IIM Calcutta will announce the final results, expected by the secon

The President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Tomoko Akane, strongly criticized both the U.S. and Russia for interfering with the court's investigations, accusing them of threatening the institution with economic sanctions and issuing arrest warrants for key officials. The remarks were made following the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others in connection to crimes in Gaza, which prompted backlash

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

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

Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistan cricket captain, has voiced his support for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in rejecting the hybrid model proposed for the 2024 Champions Trophy, which is set to be held in Pakistan. Afridi criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for mixing politics with sports, pointing out that Pakistan has toured India multiple times despite security concerns, including a white-ball series after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Afridi emphasized that t

The wait for Maharashtra's next Chief Minister is nearing its end as the three key leaders of the ruling alliance—Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar—met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. The meeting, which concluded late at night, is expected to be the final step before an official announcement. Sources suggest that the decision is now almost finalized and will only require a sign-off from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The developments come a

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

Mohammed Shami has limited time to convince selectors to include him in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with just under a week to prove his fitness. The fast bowler, who has returned to competitive cricket after a lengthy injury layoff, has impressed in his first Ranji Trophy match but now faces evaluation through Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) T20 matches. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is closely monitoring Shami's recovery, with a particular focus on his fitness

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.

Prithvi Shaw, the former U-19 World Cup-winning captain, recently shared the valuable advice he received from cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar: "Discipline beats talent." Shaw, 25, had a difficult start to the week when he went unsold at the IPL mega auction despite a base price of Rs 75 lakh. Once seen as one of India’s brightest cricketing talents after his century on Test debut, Shaw now finds himself at a critical juncture in his career. His failure to attract int

Rohit Sharma, the Indian cricket team's captain, is set to join the squad in Perth on November 24, according to a report by Cricbuzz. After missing the first Test due to the birth of his second child, Rohit will arrive on Day 3 of the opening Test match at the Optus Stadium. His return will be a crucial boost for India ahead of the second Test in Adelaide, starting on December 6. In his absence, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is leading the Indian team during the first Test. India e

India is facing a critical 5-match Test series against Australia, with their hopes of qualifying for the 2024 World Test Championship (WTC) Final on the line. After a tough 0-3 loss to New Zealand, India must now perform exceptionally in this series to secure a third consecutive WTC Final berth. The article outlines the various scenarios under which India can qualify for the final, depending on their performance against Australia and other teams’ results. A 4-0 or 5-0 series w