Author: News Desk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia, hosted by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). This marks Modi’s third visit to the Kingdom, and his first to Jeddah , the last Indian PM to visit the city was Indira Gandhi in 1982. The meeting is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral ties amid global economic uncertainty driven by new US tariffs. Early Life and Education Mohammed bin Salman was born on August 31, 1985, to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Fahda bint Falah bin Sultan. Raised in Riyadh, he was…

Starting May 1, 2025, cash withdrawals from ATMs beyond the set free transaction limits will become more expensive. The Reserve Bank of India has approved a proposal by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to hike ATM transaction charges. With this, the fee for withdrawing cash from another bank’s ATM beyond the free limit will rise from ₹17 to ₹19, while the charge for checking account balance will increase from ₹7 to ₹9. Free Transaction Limits Unchanged Customers in metro cities will continue to get five free transactions per month at other banks’ ATMs, and those in non-metro cities…

The Primary School, a private, tuition-free school co-founded by Priscilla Chan, wife of Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, will close after the 2025-2026 school year. In a statement, the school announced that the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) will invest $50 million over the next few years to continue supporting communities in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, and the East Bay near San Francisco. Transition Support for FamiliesThe school expressed that the decision was tough but emphasized its commitment to helping students and families transition smoothly in the coming year. A spokesperson declined to provide further comments. School’s Mission and BackgroundFounded in 2016…

During the second India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed strong condemnation of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. He also offered Saudi Arabia’s assistance to India in the aftermath of the attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in response, cut short his visit to Jeddah, acknowledging the Crown Prince’s solidarity. Strengthening Bilateral Ties Despite the tragedy, the two leaders moved forward in enhancing bilateral relations, signing four agreements covering key areas such as space, health, anti-doping in sports, and postal services. The meeting also resulted in the establishment of two new…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman co-chaired the second meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) in Jeddah on April 22, 2025. They reviewed progress under the council’s framework since their previous meeting in September 2023 and discussed steps to further deepen the strategic partnership. Enhanced Collaboration Across Key SectorsThe leaders focused on cooperation in defence, trade, investment, energy, and people-to-people ties. The SPC has been expanded to include two new Ministerial Committees—one for Defence Cooperation and another for Tourism and Culture Cooperation. New Agreements SignedFour new bilateral agreements were signed during…

A viral message on social media claims that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has changed cheque-writing rules. According to the post, from 1 January 2025, cheques written in black ink will not be accepted. It says cheques must only be filled out in blue or green ink, supposedly to stop tampering. The post also claims this news was reported in The Times of India on 14 January 2025. What the Fact-Check Reveals This claim is completely false. The RBI has not released any new rules about what ink colour must be used for writing cheques. The official RBI website…

Mythri Movie Makers is pouring a massive ₹600 crore into their upcoming film Fauji, starring Prabhas and directed by Hanu Raghavapudi. The film is currently in production in Hyderabad and is already one of the most expensive projects in Indian cinema. This large investment has generated significant attention, given the scale of the budget. The producers are confident in the success of Fauji, especially with Prabhas leading the cast. His market appeal is immense, and Mythri Movie Makers are betting on his star power to drive the film’s success. Additionally, the footage filmed so far has impressed the production team,…

India’s space program, led by ISRO, has witnessed significant technological progress over the decades. From launching its first satellite to reaching the Moon and Mars, here are eight landmark rocket missions that showcase India’s growing space capabilities. SLV-3: India’s First Satellite Launch (1980) India entered the elite group of spacefaring nations in 1980 with the successful launch of the SLV-3 rocket. The mission placed the Rohini RS-1 satellite into low Earth orbit, marking the country’s first indigenously developed satellite launch. Chandrayaan-1: First Lunar Mission (2008) Chandrayaan-1 was launched aboard PSLV-C11 and was India’s maiden mission to the Moon. The mission…

The Maldives has imported five AJBAN 442A armoured military vehicles from the United Arab Emirates in a discreet deal that was only revealed when the vehicles were spotted being unloaded at Hulhulé Island. These vehicles were acquired for the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and mark the latest step in the country’s growing military preparedness. Series of Military Upgrades The armoured vehicles add to a series of defence purchases made in recent years. Previously, the Maldives procured a missile launcher ship and Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey, the latter bought two years ago for $37 million. These upgrades have accelerated…

The Mumbai International Cruise Terminal (MICT) officially began operations on Monday. Union Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the cruise services from India’s largest terminal. The MICT is designed to accommodate 1 million passengers annually, with a capacity to handle about 10,000 passengers per day. The terminal can manage five ships at once, with a draft of 11 meters and a length of up to 300 meters. The total investment in the MICT project amounts to ₹556 crore. Development of Vadhavan Port Infrastructure Alongside the inauguration, Sonowal oversaw the signing of agreements for infrastructure projects at Vadhavan Port,…