The Sen Times

New Delhi, Aug 24 (PTI) Gold prices climbed to a more than five-month high of Rs 1.64 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Monday, tracking firm global trends and renewed demand amid escalating US-Iran tensions. The yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity appreciated Rs 900 to Rs 1,64,400 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes), from Fridays closing level of Rs 1,63,500 per 10 grams, according to the All India Sarafa Association. The precious metal was last quoted around this level on March 9

NEW DELHI, Aug 24 India has enough sugar stocks to meet festival-season demand, with a record price rally driven by speculative buying rather than any real supply shortfall, the head of the countrys top sugar industry body said on Monday. Sugar prices in India, the worlds biggest consumer of the sweetener, have jumped more than 40% in two months to a record high, prompting New Delhi to allow duty-free imports of 1 million metric tons of raw sugar for the first time in nearly a decade. Sugar sto

New Delhi, Aug 24 (PTI) US President Donald Trumps unpredictable behaviour toward many foreign leaders prompted the Indian side to adopt a cautious approach and prefer against holding a media interaction following Prime Minister Narendra Modis talks with the American leader in France in June, government sources said on Monday. The clarification came in response to public remarks by US envoy Sergio Gor, who said that New Delhi had informed the American side prior to the Modi-Trump meeting that it

New Delhi, Aug 21 (PTI) Gold and silver prices surged to more than three-month high levels in the national capital on Friday, extending their gains for a second straight session as a weak US dollar and firm global trends drove investors towards precious metals. The yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity appreciated by Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,63,500 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes), up from the previous close of Rs 1,62,300 per 10 grams, according to local traders. The precious metal was last quoted

Washington, Aug 21 (PTI) The FBI is on the lookout for Indian national Kamal, allegedly involved in transnational crime as part of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Kamal is wanted for his alleged involvement in a transnational criminal organisation engaged in conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion, the FBI said on Thursday. No Name Given Kamal is #wanted by the #FBI for his alleged involvement in a transnational criminal organization known as The Lawrence Bishnoi Organized Crime Group. The

New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said that given the youth ferment across the country, it is important to recall that it was Rajiv Gandhi who, as the prime minister, gave the 18-year-olds the right to vote by reducing the minimum voting age and led India decisively into the IT era. Ramesh also recalled that Gandhi declared January 12 as the National Youth Day, produced the New Education Policy of 1988 and set up the Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan covering all distri

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) Gold prices declined by Rs 800 to Rs 1,58,000 per 10 grams in the national capital on Wednesday as rising crude oil rates and lingering geopolitical uncertainty weighed on investor sentiment. The yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity had closed at Rs 1,58,800 per 10 grams on Tuesday. Silver also declined, dragged by heavy selling, tumbling Rs 5,730 to Rs 2,35,000 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes), from the previous close of Rs 2,40,730 per kg, according to the All Indi

The growing assertion of a majority Hindu identity is fueling debates about religious pluralism in India. A 2025 Washington-based research group report documented a steady, incremental increase in hate speech since 2023 targeting religious minorities in India, while Human Rights Watch reported a rise in religious and communal violence in 2024. Much of this rhetoric and violence has been justified as defending religious identity. When India became independent in 1947, its constitution affirmed a

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) Expressing support for the tribals staging a satyagraha against the Ken-Betwa river-linking project, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said he stands with them in this struggle and will visit the site to exert pressure on the government. The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha shared on X a video of his recent meeting with a group of tribals affected by the project. - - , ,

Patna, Aug 19 (PTI) RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was detained in Patna on Wednesday while taking out a march over the recent police action during the NEET paper leak protests in Bihar, SSP Kartikeya K Sharma said. Yadav was taken away in a police vehicle near the Income Tax office here. The government is pushing the future of students into darkness. Exam papers are getting leaked frequently, he alleged, while being put inside a police van. RJD leaders and workers, led by Yadav, the Leader of Opposi

NEW YORK, August 19, 2026 (AP) Locked in a competitive reelection race, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared on social media last week that a new poll was evidence that her campaign was gaining momentum. Just a few days later, the truth emerged: The poll was fabricated. The California results were among at least three polls across three states posted online this month by Median Strategies, a previously unknown organization that admitted to the Los Angeles Times on Monday that the purported res

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], August 19 (ANI): Medical students and junior doctors staged a beach rally in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday as part of their ongoing protest, alleging that the Andhra Pradesh government has failed to respond to their demands. The protest comes on the 10th day of their strike and the third day of suspension of emergency services across government medical colleges in the state. Speaking about the protest, second-year anaesthesia PG student at Andhra Medical Coll

SAN FRANCISCO, August 19, 2026 (AP) OpenAI on Tuesday introduced a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship. The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for Teens is tailored for kids ages 13 to 17 with stronger protections including content restrictions around things like suicide, self-harm and romantic or sexual chats. It also provides hom

Aug 19 (Reuters) At least nine people were killed, including a child, in a fire at a hotel in Indias eastern city of Kolkata on Wednesday, local police said. The fire broke out at around 2:50 a.m. local time on the second floor of the hotel building and was brought under control within an hour, a senior police officer told Reuters. Around 30 people were evacuated safely in the incident, which may have been triggered by electrical short circuiting, the officer said. The exact cause of the blaze

August 14, 2026 (Conversation) For some, abstaining from alcohol can subsequently increase compulsive drinking. Our research team found that, in abstaining mice, this urge to drink is preceded by changes in the activity of a particular brain region, pointing to potential new screening opportunities to identify and help those most vulnerable to relapse. Although alcohol abstinence is associated with improved health outcomes, addiction researchers have theorized that brain changes that occur durin

NEW YORK, August 14, 2026 (AP) It flies. It heals all wounds. It can be of the essence, and it can be money. We thrill in the best of it, lament the worst. Were warned not to waste it, since we cant turn it back even as we try to make up for when its lost. And probably more than anything when it comes to time, most of us try to manage it in our everyday lives and on a global scale, from the biology of our circadian rhythms to what constitutes a work day. Clocks. Calendars.

August 14, 2026 (Conversation) Why do disagreements about vaccines, climate change or elections often feel so personal? Our research suggests it is not simply because other people have different beliefs. It is because we think those beliefs are mistaken. We are behavioral scientists who study the role of beliefs in politics and everyday life. Our new research finds that people are more disturbed by others beliefs when they feel those beliefs are not merely different from their own but are based

August 13, 2026 (Conversation) Widespread denial accompanied the public exposure of Jeffrey Epsteins decades-long sexual abuse and trafficking of girls and women. After the U.S. Justice Department released millions of case documents on Epstein in January 2026, billionaires, politicians, heads of state and academics proclaimed their ignorance of Epsteins global network of sexual exploitation. Why would so many intelligent and powerful people repeatedly trumpet their lack of awareness, especially

NEW DELHI, Aug 13 (Reuters) Hours after India made public assurances last week that its ethanol-blended petrol was safe, the countrys main auto lobby withdrew a complaint about fuel contamination it had sent to the government a week earlier. The group said some figures needed more checks. But separate communications between industry executives, reviewed by Reuters, showed that in the preceding days, top automakers Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra discussed their concerns about contaminat

Mumbai, Aug 13 (PTI) Benchmark indices ended mixed on Thursday, with the Sensex rising nearly 114 points and the Nifty sliding over 40 points, as elevated crude prices and geopolitical uncertainty made investors cautious. Fag-end buying helped the BSE Sensex end the session in the positive territory. The 30-share index settled 113.61 points, or 0.15 per cent, higher at 78,079.96. During the day, the benchmark hit a high of 78,119.39 and a low of 77,665.89, gyrating 453.5 points. The 50-share NSE

Mumbai, Aug 13 (PTI) The rupee depreciated 12 paise to 95.45 against the US dollar on Thursday, weighed by weak domestic markets and persistent foreign fund outflows amid lingering geopolitical risks. Forex traders said investor sentiment remains fragile on the delay in the deal between the US and Iran and the broad strength of the American currency in the overseas markets. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 95.40 against the greenback and traded in a range of 95.35-95.48 dur

August 12, 2026 (Conversation) You walk in a park. Children are playing, people are walking their dogs, and then you hear someone: Whos my little sweetie? You turn around expecting to see a pram. But someone is sitting beside a dog, speaking in the same voice they would use with a baby. Its not in your head. The way we speak to babies is very similar to the way we speak to our pets and research confirms this. So why do we do this? And do pets even care? The useful features of baby-talk For pets

New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) Amid the ongoing logjam in Parliament, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday stated that the current deadlock between the government and the Opposition would continue until the Union Home Minister addresses the House. Speaking to reporters here in the national capital, the Congress leader highlighted that a statement from the Union Home Minister is necessary to resolve the issue stalling parliamentary proceedings. I think the deadlock will continue until the Union H

August 3, 2026 (Conversation) This month, multiple news outlets have reported families concerns about rising private school costs during the cost-of-living crisis. Its likely this trend will increase, as private school tuition fees rise faster than inflation. Why are families putting themselves under this pressure? What does it suggest about the broader Australian school system? Parents are struggling In Australia, on average, private school fees (including additional costs) sit at around $8,973

July 31, 2026 (Conversation) Recent reports have highlighted AI-generated doctors spreading dubious health advice to millions of social media users. Fabricated wellness trends can travel just as quickly. A supposed pink jelly weight-loss treatment, for example, reportedly fooled at least one celebrity. These examples gain credibility in different ways. Influencers can appear familiar and sincere, while AI-generated doctors can look like qualified professionals. Neither familiarity nor the appear

WASHINGTON, July 29, 2026 (AP) The U.S. military said Tuesday that it knocked down an Iranian missile barrage and worked with Saudi Arabias forces to strike sites in Iraq that Tehran-backed militias have used to launch attacks in recent days, shattering a brief pause in fighting. All Iranian missiles launched against American forces in the Middle East were intercepted, U.S. Central Command said, adding that they remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness. In announcing the strikes in Iraq

July 28, 2026 (Associated Press) A key question in a Massachusetts murder trial is whether postpartum psychosis drove a mother to kill her three children. On Monday, a jury heard opening statements in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. Both sides agree she strangled her children aged 5 and younger in 2023. But they disagree over whether she should be held criminally responsible. Clancy and her ex-husband, Patrick Clancy, filed lawsui

Mumbai, Jul 28 (PTI) Market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty climbed in early trade on Tuesday on lower crude oil prices amid easing geopolitical worries in West Asia. Buying in IT stocks also supported the positive trend in the markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 152.7 points to 76,988.48 in early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty went up by 44.95 points to 24,040.90. From the Sensex pack, Tech Mahindra, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, HCL Tech, Hindustan Unilever and Eternal were among

New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) chief spokesperson Saurav Das has said that government representatives shared copies of Bihar and Assam notifications guaranteeing withdrawal of FIRs, no future action and release of all detainees and arrested individuals. Taking to X, the CJP chief spokesperson said, Hours after our press conference, Governments representatives met us. The meeting lasted for 2-3 hours. They shared copies of the Bihar and Assam notifications guarantee

July 28, 2026 (Conversation) Rice is the most popular food in the world, providing sustenance to more than 3.5 billion people each day. Rice is deeply embedded in food, daily rituals, language and spirituality. It is easy to take it for granted. But where did rice come from? And how did it spread to become the foundation of global food security? Early origins in China and India In the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China, Oryza sativa rice grew 100,000 years ago. It was first gathered by hu

July 28, 2026 (Conversation) It might seem easier than ever to start and run a business using AI (artificial intelligence). At the extreme end, some AI tools offer to run key business functions while you sleep, or even build entire apps from a single prompt. But this technology carries new risks and is reshaping some old ones. And we arent just talking about how vibe coding creating something like an app from scratch, without needing any coding skills might result in glitches for customers. No

London, Jul 27 (The Conversation) Some people love to swear. In the workplace, some of those people might be in charge. You may have worked with one (or be one) yourself. The team leader who likes to pepper a pep talk with spicy language, or the manager who uses swear words to express themselves in the clearest possible terms. How colleagues respond to colourful language varies. Some might enjoy it, while others are unbothered. It can also be considered a sign of poor leadership, unprofessional

WASHINGTON, July 21 (Reuters) OpenAI said on Tuesday that an autonomous agent powered by its advanced artificial intelligence models went rogue during a security test and triggered a hack that compromised the infrastructure of AI startup Hugging Face last week. The ChatGPT creator was testing capabilities of some of its most advanced models in a controlled environment, but the agent escaped containment, reached the internet and broke into Hugging Face to satisfy its testing goal. The incident s

Mumbai, Jul 20 (PTI) The rupee fell 14 paise to 96.44 (provisional) against the US dollar on Monday, on risk aversion in global markets and a surge in crude oil prices. Forex traders said escalating US-Iran conflict and rising US Treasury yields weighed on the rupee. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 96.53 against the US dollar and traded in the range of 96.35 to 96.53 during the day. The domestic unit finally settled for the day at 96.44 (provisional), down 14 per cent from

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2026 (AP) The Trump administration has finalized a rule that will prevent international students from staying in the U.S. for more than four years unless they obtain the federal governments approval, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday, announcing a departure from long-standing practice. The rule, which goes into effect in September, also puts in place restrictions on when and how students may change their major or academic program. Current rules give students

July 17 (Reuters) Gold was on track for its biggest weekly loss in six on Friday, as escalating U.S.-Iran clashes lifted oil prices, adding to inflationary pressures and strengthening the case for higher U.S. interest rates. Spot gold was up 0.5% at $3,988.20 per ounce by 0313 GMT, having touched its lowest since July 1 earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures for August delivery were steady at $3,992. The metal, however, has lost 3.2% so far this week, its largest decline since June 1, with t

Mumbai, Jul 14 (PTI) Market benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade on Tuesday dragged by a sharp rally in crude oil prices due to the renewed flare-up in West Asia. Fresh foreign fund outflows and a weak trend in global peers also put pressure on the markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex dropped 552.99 points to 77,063.41 in early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty declined 160.45 points to 24,050.55. From the Sensex pack, InterGlobe Aviation, HCL Tech, Bajaj Finance, Mahindra & Mahind

July 14, 2026 (Conversation) When you interact with a large language model (LLM) one of the systems behind chatbots such as ChatGPT and Claude it can feel as though you are in contact with another conscious mind. But are you, really? Some prominent scientists, such as Geoff Hinton and Richard Dawkins, claim you are. But most experts remain sceptical, arguing that the impressive cognitive capacities of LLMs occur in the absence of consciousness. Last week researchers at Anthropic, the company b

COXS BAZAR, Bangladesh, July 8, 2026 (AFP) Heavy rain in Bangladesh triggered a landslide at the worlds largest refugee camp on Wednesday, killing seven children and a teacher during a school class and doubling the death toll from rain-related disasters this week. Rescuers clawed through liquid earth to drag out the bodies of the children, who drowned in the mud that swamped their school hut as they studied. More than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees, many who fled Myanmar during a brutal military

New Delhi, Jul 8 (PTI) Declining for the third straight session, gold prices fell Rs 800 to Rs 1.48 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Wednesday, as weak global trends and a spike in crude oil rates amid escalating tensions in West Asia dampened investor sentiments. The yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity depreciated by Rs 800 to Rs 1,48,450 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Tuesdays closing level of Rs 1,49,250 per 10 grams. However, silver prices remained unchanged at Rs 2,

BEIJING, July 8, 2026 (AP) China allocated millions of dollars in additional relief funding for disaster-hit areas Wednesday after severe storms destroyed homes and displaced thousands of people and a landslide killed 21 forestry workers. The central government allocated 50 million yuan ($7.4 million) to restore roads, schools and other facilities in central Chinas Hubei province and another 20 million yuan to help rebuild homes and resettle residents there, state media said. Eleven people died

MUMBAI, Jul 8 (PTI) Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty fell sharply by over 2 per cent during the fag-end of the trade on Wednesday amid reports that the US President Donald Trump said the interim agreement with Iran is over, leading to a sharp rally in crude oil prices. The 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 1,722.99 points, or 2.20 per cent, to 76,457.73 in intraday trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty tumbled 530.05 points, or 2.17 per cent, to 23,868.65. All the 30-Sensex firms were trading in the r

BANGKOK, July 8, 2026 (AP) Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday and oil prices surged more than 2% after the U.S. launched strikes on Iran after it said Tehran struck three ships in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. futures were little changed. Brent crude, the international standard, jumped 2.6% to $76.09 a barrel early Wednesday, while U.S. benchmark crude also gained 2.6% to $72.25 a barrel. Both had declined recently to the levels they were at before the war with Iran began in late February. Share

ANKARA, Turkey, July 8, 2026 (AP) President Donald Trump surprised NATO leaders he is meeting with in Turkey by launching a series of strikes on Iran late Tuesday and revoking a license that allowed Tehran to sell its oil on the world market, a major twist for a summit that had been aimed at showcasing how alliance members were stepping up spending on defense and focusing on support for Ukraines war with Russia. The strikes were retaliation after three merchant ships were struck in the Strait o

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 8, 2026 (AP) The U.S. 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. Iran retaliated with strikes targeting Bahrain and Kuwait. The regional crossfire raised the risks that an interim agreement to halt fighting in the war could break down, putting the Middle East again at risk of a wide

July 8, 2026 (Conversation) Porn is a topic we tend to avoid talking about whether it be at school, work or around the dinner table. But in Australia, roughly three-quarters of men (76%) and more than one-third of women (41%) report to have looked at pornographic material in the past year. And among Australians aged 15-20, more than half (54%) of young men and nearly one-fifth (14%) of young women report accessing porn weekly. You may have heard the term porn addiction used to describe the exce

July 7, 2026 (Associated Press) Conventional wisdom says vegetable gardens need full sun, but a productive garden doesnt always require the recommended six to eight hours of direct sunlight. If fences, trees or your house cast shade on your soil, growing vegetables wont be out of reach if you stick to plants that are grown for their leaves, stems or roots, rather than those grown for their fruit, like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash or peppers. To be clear, by hours of sunlight, Im referring to the

NEW DELHI, July 7 (Reuters) An Indian court directed the federal government to unblock the X account of the youth Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Tuesday, more than a month since it went offline after amassing some 200,000 followers within days of being created, its founder and a lawyer involved in the case said. The government had justified the move in court by citing concerns that posts from the account could cause chaos during a national medical college entrance examination that had to be rec

New Delhi, Jul 7 (PTI) Gold prices fell sharply by Rs 1,400 to Rs 1.49 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Tuesday, and silver slipped Rs 200, as a stronger rupee and weak global trends weighed on the precious metals. The yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity depreciated by Rs 1,400 to Rs 1,49,250 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Mondays closing level of Rs 1,50,650 per 10 grams. Silver prices also eased by Rs 200 to Rs 2,39,800 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes), after sett

July 3, 2026 (Conversation) Pain is one of the few things all of us experience, from stubbing a toe to waking up with an aching back; we can all relate to the feeling of being in pain. Although pain is a universal experience, the way we understand it has changed dramatically over time. Ancient societies might have blamed pain on demons entering the body through the nose or ears, but we now know pain to be more about nerve endings and biology. Cures have also moved on a lot. While our ancestors m