Author: TGC Newsdesk

The BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting is underway in New Delhi with India calling for stronger multilateral cooperation, dialogue and diplomacy amid growing global challenges. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is chairing the meeting, which brings together foreign ministers and heads of delegation from BRICS member and partner countries. The discussions are focused on global and regional issues of common interest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also interacted with the participating foreign ministers and heads of delegation in New Delhi. He said that BRICS, under India’s chairmanship in 2026, will work to strengthen multilateralism and promote sustainable development. India Highlights Dialogue and…

Marathi cinema is heading to the global stage as Gondhal has been selected as India’s official entry for the 99th Academy Awards. Directed and written by Santosh Davakhar, the Marathi psychological thriller will represent India in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars 2027. The Film Federation of India announced the selection on September 18 after its jury considered 33 films submitted from across the country. The list included films in several Indian languages, with Gondhal eventually chosen as India’s submission for the prestigious international film awards. Gondhal Brings Maharashtra’s Folk Culture To The Oscars Set in rural…

Artificial intelligence is developing at a rapid pace, but growing concerns about AI risks are prompting renewed debate among technology experts, cybersecurity researchers and AI industry leaders. The concerns range from cyberattacks and misinformation to job disruption and the possibility that increasingly capable AI systems could eventually operate beyond effective human oversight. Several prominent AI executives have recently warned that the technology could create serious risks if its development is not accompanied by adequate safeguards. AI Safety Concerns Grow As Technology Advances Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned about serious risks linked to advanced AI, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman…

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sought the Centre’s intervention to regulate prices of medical and surgical consumables used in hospitals after a survey found significant gaps between procurement costs and the maximum retail prices (MRPs) charged to patients. The FDA has written to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), seeking measures to cap prices of medical and surgical consumables. The move follows a survey conducted across around 20 hospitals in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Pune and Sambhaji Nagar in July. FDA Survey Finds Wide Price Gaps In Hospital Consumables The survey found substantial differences between the prices…

India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is set to introduce a new merchant fee on certain higher-value transactions, according to a BBC report. The change is aimed at creating a more sustainable revenue model for the digital payments ecosystem while keeping most everyday UPI transactions free for consumers.  The proposed 0.4% UPI merchant fee will apply to eligible transactions above ₹2,000, with the charge being paid by businesses rather than customers. The development is significant for India, where UPI has become one of the country’s most widely used digital payment systems. Who Will Pay the New UPI Merchant Fee? Under the…

Mecca faces an unprecedented air raid alert amid rising Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. Here is what happened and why the incident matters.

Trump Rejects Calls For AI Regulation US President Donald Trump has rejected growing calls for tighter regulation of artificial intelligence, dismissing concerns about the technology as a “hoax” and a “SICK conspiracy.” Trump argued that the United States must remain the global leader in AI and warned that slowing down development could allow China to gain an advantage. Trump said the only guardrail AI needs is a strong and capable US president. His comments come as technology leaders and AI experts increasingly warn that the rapid development of advanced AI systems could create serious risks if adequate safeguards are not…

UPI charges above Rs 2,000 will apply to select merchant payments from October 15. Consumers will remain free from transaction charges.

India’s BRICS SuccessIndia’s BRICS 2026 presidency has given New Delhi more than a successful summit. It has created greater diplomatic space at a time when global politics is increasingly divided. The 11-member grouping adopted a 140-paragraph declaration despite differences over conflicts, trade, sanctions and regional tensions as per NDTVThe India BRICS 2026 presidency also highlights New Delhi’s growing role in shaping global economic cooperation and strategic partnerships.India BRICS 2026: Managing DifferencesIndia’s biggest diplomatic achievement was keeping BRICS united despite its internal disagreements. With countries such as Iran and the UAE in the same room amid tensions in the Middle East,…

Iran retaliates after fresh US strikes as Trump claims America has ‘almost total control’ of the strategic waterway Washington: US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh and stark warning to Iran, saying that “very little” of the Islamic Republic could be left if Tehran retaliates against the latest American strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. Trump issued the warning after the United States launched fresh attacks on Iranian targets, marking another major escalation in the ongoing US-Iran conflict. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks targeting American-linked positions across the region. In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned…