Nation

New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had a remarkable encounter with a young AI specialist, 16-year-old Raul John Aju, during his recent journey on the Vande Bharat train. Raul, who is seated nearby, impressed Tharoor with his exceptional talent in artificial intelligence and language-based AI systems. Raul and his team are developing advanced speech-processing systems in Malayalam, Hindi, and Urdu. Tharoor took to social media to praise Raul’s work, calling the meeting one of the most intellectually stimulating encounters he has had during the Vande Bharat campaign. In his post, Tharoor wrote, “It was a pleasure to meet Raul John Aju, a remarkably talented 16-year-old, pushing the boundaries of AI. We discussed not only the technological potential of artificial intelligence but als...

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has delivered a significant judgment on the use of reservation benefits in competitive exams. The apex court ruled that candidates who avail of reservation concessions under categories such as SC/ST cannot later claim a seat under the unreserved (general) category, even if their final rank surpasses that of general category candidates. Case BackgroundThe ruling arose from a dispute related to the 2013 Indian Forest Service (IFS) Examination, which comprises two stages: the Preliminary Exam and the Main Exam, followed by an interview. For the Preliminary Exam, the general category cut-off was 267 marks, while the SC category cut-off was 233 marks. SC candidate G. Kiran cleared the exam by benefiting from the relaxation, scoring 247.18 marks. General category ...

New Delhi: India and Israel are deepening their strategic ties, with discussions around a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) gaining momentum. The foundation of their relationship is built on mutual trust, and recent developments indicate significant progress in economic and defense cooperation. SBI Facilitates Bilateral Trade in Indian RupeesThe State Bank of India (SBI), the only Indian bank with a presence in Israel, is now facilitating bilateral trade in Indian rupees, aiming to simplify transactions between the two countries. According to SBI CEO V. Manivannan, the Reserve Bank of India has allowed Indian banks to settle export and import transactions in Indian currency. Israel has been chosen as a partner country under this initiative. Through this arrangement, Israeli businesses engag...

New Delhi, January 7, 2026: In the immediate aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan reportedly moved swiftly to engage the United States through diplomatic and economic channels. According to reports, Pakistani authorities offered access to their rare earth and critical mineral reserves, with former US President Donald Trump’s loyal physician, Dr. Ronny Jackson, playing a key intermediary role. Deal Initiated Immediately After PahalgamFollowing the Pahalgam massacre on April 22, 2025, in which Pakistani terrorists caused widespread casualties, Pakistani officials arranged a special meeting with Dr. Jackson on May 1 to discuss the rare earth deal. Reports indicate that Dr. Jackson helped Pakistan secure a privileged position within the White House to advance its interests. ...

New Delhi, January 7, 2026: The Supreme Court has recently delivered two landmark judgments on reservations, both of which have significant implications for government jobs and admissions in public educational institutions. While one ruling comes as a setback for some, the other provides substantial relief to candidates from reserved categories. The court clarified that if a candidate from a reserved category performs better than general category candidates in a competitive exam without availing any reservation benefits, they will be considered under the general category for recruitment or admission purposes. Case from Karnataka: Reserved Candidate Denied General SeatOn January 6, 2026, a bench comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi rejected the claim of a Scheduled Ca...

New Delhi, January 7, 2026: India has made its position clear following the recent US action in Venezuela, in which President Nicolás Maduro was arrested and taken to the United States, facing legal proceedings there. Speaking from Luxembourg, where he is on an official visit, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that India has long-standing and friendly relations with Venezuela and hopes for a restoration of stability in the country. “We wish that Venezuela’s situation improves and that the people there emerge from the recent turmoil safely,” he said. When asked about India’s response to the US action, Jaishankar referred to the official statement issued by India earlier, emphasizing that the country has consistently advocated dialogue between the parties involved. He adde...

New Delhi, January 7, 2026: The Indian Armed Forces are developing a dedicated Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) grid for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This specialized network will be designed to detect and destroy enemy drones mid-air, operating independently from existing air defense systems while integrating anti-drone capabilities. The development is expected to send a strong signal to adversaries like Pakistan and China. Following Operation Sindur, all three branches of the Indian military have intensified efforts to strengthen their aerial defense capabilities. The new CUAS grid will consolidate existing anti-drone systems across the services, enabling real-time surveillance and immediate response to low-altitude unmanned aerial threats. Unlike the current Integrated Air ...

New Delhi, January 7, 2026: Tensions escalated in Old Delhi last night during a demolition drive when protesters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting at police personnel, prompting swift action from authorities. An FIR has been registered and five people have been arrested, with a Samajwadi Party MP’s name reportedly surfacing in the case. The incident occurred near the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque, adjacent to a graveyard, as the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) team carried out a court-mandated campaign to remove encroachments. During the operation, some individuals reportedly attacked police officers by throwing glass bottles, injuring at least five personnel. Senior police officials said investigations are ongoing to determine whether the violence erupted spontaneously or was a premeditat...

New Delhi, January 7, 2026: After the recent US strike on Venezuela, speculation is growing that Iran could be the next target. Amid this, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone conversation today. Sharing details of the discussion on social media, PM Modi said, “It was a pleasure speaking with my friend, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and I conveyed my New Year greetings to him and the people of Israel. We discussed ways to further strengthen India-Israel strategic partnership in the coming year.” He added that the leaders exchanged views on the regional situation and reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism more effectively. This conversation comes at a time of heightened uncertainty in global politics....