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 long-debated concept of "One Nation, One Election" has taken a significant step forward as the central cabinet, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the proposal for simultaneous elections across India. The government plans to introduce a bill in the ongoing winter session of Parliament to implement the plan. The proposal has sparked differing opinions among political parties. While over 30 parties support the idea, Congress has raised concerns about the practi

In a landmark energy agreement, Russia’s state oil company Rosneft has committed to supply 500,000 barrels of crude oil per day to India’s Reliance for the next 10 years, worth approximately $13 billion annually. This deal represents about 0.5% of global oil supply and strengthens energy relations between India and Russia, especially as Russia faces intense Western sanctions due to its invasion of Ukraine. The deal is set to begin in January and will involve monthly deli

Australia is introducing new rules to compel large tech companies, including Google, Meta, and TikTok, to pay local publishers for news content. These companies, whose annual Australian revenue exceeds $250 million, will need to negotiate commercial deals with media organizations or face increased taxes. This move builds on the world-first law passed in 2021, which forced tech giants like Meta and Google to pay for news content shared on their platforms. The new rules aim to pressur

 In light of US President-elect Donald Trump's proposed tariff measures on China, Canada, and Mexico, India is poised to capitalize on potential shifts in global manufacturing. With Trump’s plan to impose tariffs of 25% on Canada and Mexico and 10% on China, manufacturers may seek alternative locations to bypass the 60% levy on Chinese goods. India, with its low-cost labor, skilled workforce, and growing tech sector, is an attractive destination for this shift. Invest

On Thursday, the Indian Rupee weakened to a record low of 84.88 against the US Dollar, following a series of declines this week. The rupee had opened flat at 84.85 for the second consecutive day, and this followed a similar trend on Wednesday when it closed at 84.84 after opening at 84.85. Earlier in the week, the rupee had weakened by 12 paise on Tuesday to close at 84.85, marking a new low. The domestic currency dipped to 84.73 on Monday, continuing its downward trajectory. Expert

The potential fall of Syria’s Assad regime poses a serious challenge for Russia’s foreign policy and military strategy. One of Moscow's most prized assets from its involvement in Syria has been its naval base at Tartus, located on the Mediterranean coast. However, recent developments, including the departure of Russian warships from Tartus, signal that Moscow's long-term access to this crucial facility is at risk. This would be a major blow to Russia, which has historicall

The batting form of India’s stalwarts, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, has been a major topic of discussion in recent months. Both have struggled with consistency, often getting out cheaply. Kohli scored a century in the first Test against Australia at Perth, but both he and Rohit failed to contribute in the second Test at Adelaide, where India suffered a heavy defeat. In the second Test, Kohli and Rohit combined for just 27 runs across four innings. Kohli was dismissed for 7 an

Bird Flu Mutation and Global Spread: Health experts are raising concerns about the growing threat of bird flu, particularly due to the H5N1 strain, which has shown signs of mutation. Initially identified in China in 1996, the virus has been spreading more rapidly in recent years, reaching new regions such as Antarctica. Since October 2021, over 300 million poultry birds have been killed or culled to pre

US President-elect Donald Trump has selected Kimberly Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host and political fundraiser, as the next ambassador to Greece. Guilfoyle, who has been engaged to Donald Trump Jr. since December 2020, has been described as a "close friend and ally" of Trump but her relationship with his son was not mentioned in the official announcement. Trump praised her for her leadership and experience in law, media, and politics, stating she was well-suited to strengthen rela

During Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's ongoing visit to Russia, talks are progressing on a major defence agreement worth $4 billion that could significantly enhance India’s air defence infrastructure. The deal revolves around the acquisition of the Voronezh radar system, manufactured by Russia's Almaz-Antey Corporation, which specializes in anti-aircraft missile systems and radars. The Voronezh radar, with a range of over 8,000 km, is designed to detect threats such as ballisti

Legendary Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist has praised the team’s captain, Pat Cummins, for leading Australia to a dominant 10-wicket win in the second Test, which leveled the five-match series 1-1 after their heavy loss in Perth. Gilchrist believes Australia was "stung" by criticism following their 295-run defeat in the opening match and noted that Cummins' controlled aggression was key to their return to form. Gilchrist highlighted Cummins' emo

Anoushka Kale's Election as President Anoushka Kale, a 20-year-old English Literature student at Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge, has been elected as the president of the prestigious Cambridge Union Society for the Easter 2025 term. Kale won the election uncontested, receiving 126 votes. As the current Debates Officer for the society, she is recognized for her commitment to pro

Indian students have witnessed a significant decline in F-1 student visas issued by the United States in 2024. According to the latest data from the US State Department, the number of F-1 visas granted to Indian nationals dropped by 38% in the first nine months of the year. Specifically, 64,008 F-1 visas were issued to Indian students from January to September 2024, down from 1,03,495 in the same period in 2023. This represents the lowest number of F-1 visas granted since 2020, when the pande

US President-elect Donald Trump, known for his bold and often humorous remarks, joked about making Canada the "51st state" during a recent social media post. In the post on Truth Social, Trump referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as "Governor of the Great State of Canada." This came a week after a dinner between Trump and Trudeau at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. During the dinner, Trump raised the possibility of imposing a 25% tariff on

The Indian Rupee weakened by 13 paise, hitting a new record low of 84.86 against the US Dollar during trading on Tuesday. The currency had opened lower at 84.79, weakening by 6 paise from the previous day’s close of 84.73. This marks a sharp dip despite a recent positive momentum for the rupee last week, when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) held interest rates steady and announced measures to improve financial market liquidity. Monday’s announcement of Sanjay Malhotra as

The Coin’s Significance and Auction Details: A remarkable piece of history, the Roman gold aureus bearing the image of Marcus Junius Brutus, one of the assassins of Julius Caesar, is set to be auctioned in Geneva on Monday. This rare coin is expected to fetch over a million Swiss francs, with the starting bid set at 750,000 francs (approximately $852,000). Considered a numismatic treasure, the coi

On Day 1 of the second day-night Test between India and Australia in Adelaide, Mitchell Starc delivered a stunning performance, claiming three crucial wickets, including one with the very first ball of the day. India, after captain Rohit Sharma won the toss, found themselves under pressure in the opening session, ending at 82-4 by the break. The visitors were still riding high from their commanding 295-run win in the first Test in Perth, but Adelaide has been a fortress for Australi

An extraordinary series of events unfolded on Day 1 of the India vs Australia day-night Test in Adelaide, where KL Rahul was given two lifelines after seemingly being dismissed for a duck. The incident occurred when Rahul, who opened for India alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, appeared to have edged the ball into the hands of Australian wicket-keeper Alex Carey off pacer Scott Boland’s delivery. However, it was later revealed that Boland had overstepped, and the delivery was a no-ball, granti

 The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it has received enough H-1B visa petitions to meet the annual cap. The cap includes 65,000 visas for regular applicants and an additional 20,000 for individuals holding US advanced degrees. With the lottery system in place for processing petitions once the cap is exceeded, many applicants will be notified if they were not selected. USCIS will send out non-selection notices through online accounts, with the