The Sen Times

SYDNEY, Aug 20 (Reuters) Australia passed legislation on Thursday that will force tech giants to pay millions of dollars in levies if they fail to strike commercial deals with local media outlets for news on their platforms. The News Bargaining Incentive taxes the companies 2.5% on their advertising revenues unless they strike agreements. Proceeds from the scheme would be directed to local Australian news outlets, whose content helps drive user engagement and advertising revenue on the tech fir

Mumbai, Aug 20 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices bounced back on Thursday, with the Sensex climbing 628 points and the Nifty snapping its seven-day losing streak to end at 24,231.85, tracking a rally in world markets as easing global bond yields revived risk appetite. Fresh foreign fund inflows also added to the markets optimism. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 628.04 points, or 0.82 per cent, to settle at 77,537.72 after four days of decline. During the day, it surged 701.43 points, or 0.91 per cen

Mumbai, Aug 20 (PTI) The rupee pared initial gains and settled for the day with gains of just 3 paise at 95.70 against the US dollar on Thursday, as the support from the weaker dollar index was negated by elevated crude oil prices. Forex traders said while a weaker US dollar eases some depreciation pressure on the domestic currency, crude oil hovering above USD 90 would continue to keep pressure on Indias import bill. The dollar index fell to its lowest level since late May after the US Treasury

New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Gold price climbed by Rs 264 to Rs 1.58 lakh per 10 grams in futures trade on Thursday, tracking firm global cues as a sharp fall in US dollar boosted the demand for bullion. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, the yellow metal futures for October delivery increased by Rs 264, or 0.17 per cent, to Rs 1,58,260 per 10 grams in a business turnover of 10,450 lots. Analysts said easing US Treasury yields and a weaker dollar supported gold prices, while persistent inflation concer

MUMBAI, Aug 20 (Reuters) The RBI expects close to $80 billion in inflows via subsidised swap facilities opened in June as a way to bolster foreign exchange reserves, RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra said in an interview to the Financial Express newspaper on Thursday. Last week, the Reserve Bank of India decided to close one of the schemes, a discounted swap facility for dollar deposits by non-resident Indians, earlier than anticipated. Here are Malhotras key comments: Across all three schemes, we e

Mumbai, Aug 20 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded in early trade on Thursday, tracking a recovery in world markets as easing US Treasury yields improved global risk sentiment. Fresh foreign fund inflows also added to the markets optimism during the initial trading. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 504.32 points to 77,416.16 in early trade after four days of decline. The 50-share NSE Nifty also bounced back after seven days of losses. It climbed 118.85 points to 24,198.55. In

August 20, 2026 (Conversation) In the United States, leading HR software company Workday is currently facing a lawsuit over its use of job screening tools powered by AI which allegedly discriminated against applicants based on factors such as age, disability and race. The company, whose hiring software is widely used by large employers around the world, has denied the allegations. The case is one of many examples of AI systems alleged to have caused discriminatory harm. When AI systems replicate

Mumbai, Aug 19 (PTI) The rupee fell 2 paise to close at 95.76 (provisional) against the US dollar on Wednesday as a sharp rise in global crude oil prices amid heightened tensions in West Asia kept markets on edge. A sharp decline in domestic equity markets put further pressure on the local unit, while RBI intervention and foreign fund inflows lent support, according to forex traders. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 95.72 and traded in a very narrow range of 95.72-95.76. It

GUWAHATI, India, August 19, 2026 (AP) Rojo Neog left his house in Indias Assam state on the evening of July 19 to buy candles after heavy rain knocked out electricity. As he rode back on his bicycle, the Dikhow River suddenly rose and the current intensified. The floodwaters swept him away, and his body was found three days later, said his niece Priyakshi Gogoi, who lives nearby. Gogoi said floodwaters around her uncles village Hulang Katoni rose from knee-deep to neck-deep in about 30 minutes.

July 17, 2026 (Conversation) Electromagnetic waves are everywhere. Theyre the reason you can hear music when you turn on the radio, use wi-fi, find your way using satellite navigation, and make calls on a mobile phone. They are a form of electromagnetic radiation and sit at the weaker end of the spectrum, meaning they have the lowest energy and the longest wavelength. But because very high-energy forms of electromagnetic radiation such as x-rays can cause cancer, there has long been concern th

GENEVA, July 10, 2026 (AP) At least 1 million women have lost access to humanitarian and other critical support as a result of budget cuts over the last 18 months, the U.N. agency focusing on women said Friday. UN Women says 84% of womens organizations surveyed had reported increased needs since January 2025, when the Trump administration in the United States the biggest U.N. donor took office and began cutbacks in foreign aid. Every dollar withdrawn from womens organizations is a dollar with

NEW DELHI, July 10 (Reuters) Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, facing a death sentence back home where her party is banned, told Reuters she and senior party colleagues plan to return from exile in India around December and surrender. The South Asian nations longest-serving leader said she and members of her Awami League aim to return voluntarily to the country they fled two years ago and present themselves in court, testing Bangladeshs handling of its most prominent political op

New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI) Petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol (E20) can reduce fuel economy by 3-5 per cent in some vehicles, the Oil Ministry said on Friday, but argued the impact is outweighed by benefits, including a higher octane rating, superior anti-knock characteristics, faster combustion, better pickup, smoother acceleration, cleaner engine operation, and lower lifecycle carbon emissions. In a detailed question-and-answer document issued to counter criticism of the Ethanol Blended Petr

Magnesium has become one of the most popular supplements. The motivations for taking it are numerous: to sleep better, reduce stress, prevent cramps, have more energy, or prevent deficiencies. Social media has amplified its popularity, and many people take it under the impression that its a simple solution to feeling better. The problem is that real physiological functions are often confused with clinical benefits that, in healthy individuals, are poorly demonstrated. But what does science reall

GURDASPUR, India, July 10, 2026 (AP) As dusk settled over Gurdaspurs fields, villagers gathered in the courtyard of a Sikh temple to watch a movie that has been blocked by Indian officials. Satluj tells the true tale of a human rights activist who investigated thousands of disappearances and extrajudicial killings during a government crackdown on a separatist insurgency in Indias Punjab state in the 1980s and early 1990s. At the screening in Gurdaspur, elderly survivors of the insurgency sat be

July 9 (Reuters) Dixon Technologies said on Thursday the Indian government had approved its joint venture with Chinese smartphone maker Vivo Mobile, clearing the way for the companies to set up a smartphone manufacturing company in India. The joint venture will be owned 51% by Dixon and 49% by Vivo Mobile India. Large investments by Chinese companies in Indian ventures draw tougher scrutiny under domestic regulations. Such investments typically require senior-level government clearance under ru

New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) Gold fell for the fourth straight session, with prices slipping Rs 350 to Rs 1,48,100 per 10 grams in the national capital on Thursday as a strong rupee and sluggish local demand weighed on the precious metal. The yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity had closed at Rs 1,48,450 per 10 grams in the previous session. Silver also extended its losses, falling Rs 7,800 to Rs 2,32,000 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes) from Wednesdays closing level of Rs 2,39,800 per kg. The pr

Mumbai, Jul 8 (PTI) The rupee tanked 59 paise to settle at 95.55 (provisional) against the US dollar on Wednesday as the US launched fresh strikes on Iran after Tehran struck three ships in the Strait of Hormuz, pushing up crude oil prices and strengthening the dollar. The US military attacked Iran early Wednesday after it said Tehran struck three ships in the Strait of Hormuz, part of an American effort that also revoked the Islamic Republics ability to openly sell crude oil in the world market

July 6 (Reuters) South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix on Monday launched a U.S. share sale to raise 43 trillion won ($28.07 billion), the company said, as it capitalises on the global AI boom with one of the worlds largest new share sales. The company will sell 17.79 million new shares in the depository receipt listing on the Nasdaq. Ten ADRs will represent one common share and the stock will be sold in a price range that is due to be revealed on Monday, based on SK Hynixs Seoul trading price. The d