The Sen Times

New Delhi, Feb 26 (PTI) Markets regulator SEBI on Thursday directed all entities regulated by it, along with their agents, to prominently disclose their registered name and registration number on social media platforms (SMPs) while posting securities market-related content. The requirement will apply to stock brokers, mutual funds, asset management companies (AMCs), investment advisers, research analysts, alternative investment funds (AIFs), portfolio managers and other intermediaries. With the

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., February 26, 2026 (AP) Suno CEO Mikey Shulman pulls up a chair to the recording studio desk where a research scientist at his artificial intelligence company is creating a new song. The flute line sounds promising. The percussion needs work. Neither of them is playing an instrument. They type some descriptive words Afrobeat, flute, drums, 90 beats per minute and out comes an infectious rhythm that livens up the 19th century office building where Suno is headquartered in Camb

BEIJING, February 25, 2026 (AP) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called Wednesday for deepening ties with China, while pushing for fairer trade rules between the two countries and seeking Chinese help on Ukraine. Merz, who arrived in Beijing late morning for a whirlwind two-day visit, acknowledged differences during meetings with the countrys top leaders and called for collaboration wherever possible. We have a few issues that we need to talk about today in the course of my visit, he told Chine

Mumbai, Feb 25 (PTI) The rupee stayed range-bound for the second consecutive day on Wednesday and settled 1 paisa lower at 90.96 (provisional) against the US dollar amid higher global crude oil prices and foreign fund outflows. A weaker greenback and positive sentiments in domestic equity markets prevented the rupees losses, according to forex traders. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 90.94 against the greenback and traded in a narrow range through the session before settli

Lucknow, Feb 25 (PTI) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said that notices to voters were being issued on a large scale during the SIR and described the exercise as the BJPs votebandi (depriving one of voting right) after notebandi (demonetisation), alleging the ruling partys intent was wrong then and remains wrong now. Yadav, according to a party statement, alleged that earlier only Muslims were harassed for documents, but now Hindus too were receiving repeated notices during the

New Delhi, Feb 25 (PTI) Observing that fraternity serves as a critical element for national unity and social cohesion, the Supreme Court has said public figures holding high constitutional offices cannot target any particular community on the basis of religion, language, caste or region. The top court said that nobody, including State and non-State actors, can vilify or denigrate any community through speeches, memes, cartoons or visual art. The observations were made by Justice Ujjal Bhuyan in

WASHINGTON, February 25, 2026 (AP) For some young children in Columbus, Ohio, reading assessments dont start in the kindergarten classroom they happen first in the doctors office. With concerns rising about lagging childhood literacy rates across the country, Nationwide Childrens Hospital has begun screening childrens literacy skills starting at age 3 during pediatrician visits. The idea is to catch reading struggles early on and guide parents on how to help their kids. They are all doing deve

Feb 25 (Reuters) After Nepals historic youth-led uprising last September killed 77 people and forced then-Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign, a 35-year-old rapper-turned-politician posted a typically terse message to millions of followers on social media. Dear Gen Z, the resignation of your killer has come, Balendra Shah popularly known only as Balen wrote. Now your generation will have to lead the country. Be prepared. Five months on, the musician who cut his political teeth when he be

Mumbai, Feb 25 (PTI) The rupee gained 6 paise to 90.89 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday aided by a weaker greenback and a strong opening in the domestic equity markets. However, a sharp rise in global crude oil prices and FII outflows prevented sharp gains in the local unit, forex traders said. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 90.94 against the greenback before rising to 90.89, registering a gain of 6 paise from its previous close. The rupee traded in a nar

MUMBAI, Feb 25 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty rallied in early trade on Wednesday, bouncing back from previous sessions sharp fall, driven by buying in IT stocks and a positive trend in global markets. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 558.79 points to 82,784.71 in early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty climbed 157.05 points to 25,581.70. From the Sensex pack, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Power Grid and InterGlobe Aviation were the biggest gainers. Stat

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, February 25, 2026 (AP) As the United States assembles its greatest military firepower in decades in the Middle East, Iranians are warily awaiting the next round of talks with the U.S. in Geneva this week negotiations that many see as a last chance for their ruling theocracy to strike a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump. Some say the situation feels hopeless. Battered by decades of sanctions, heightened by Trumps 2018 decision to withdraw from Tehrans nuclear de

SEOUL, Feb 25 (Reuters) South Koreas birthrate rose for a second-straight year in 2025, government data showed on Wednesday, in a further sign that a country facing a demographic crisis for nearly a decade may be starting to turn a corner. South Koreas total fertility rate, the average number of babies a woman is expected to have during her reproductive life, stood at 0.80 in 2025, up from 0.75 in 2024, according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics. New births in the As

WASHINGTON, Feb 24 (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump declared that this is the Golden Age of America at the start of his State of the Union address on Tuesday, seeking to project an aura of success at a fraught moment for his presidency and his Republican Party. Our nation is back bigger, better, richer and stronger than ever before, he said after taking the stage to cheers of USA, USA from his partys members of Congress, while Democrats stood in stony silence. Democratic U.S. Representati

MOGADISHU, Somalia, February 24, 2026 (AP) Nearly 6.5 million people in Somalia are facing severe hunger as worsening drought, conflict and global aid cuts intensify the countrys humanitarian crisis, the federal government and U.N. agencies said Tuesday. New data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report shows that 6.5 million people are projected to face crisis or worse levels of food insecurity by the end of March. The report also estimates that 1.84 million children under

Mumbai, Feb 24 (PTI) The rupee fell by 7 paise to 90.96 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday, weighed down by a rise in global crude oil prices and a stronger greenback. A poor start to the domestic equity markets further pressured the local unit, but FII inflows provided support, preventing a sharp fall, forex traders said. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 90.91 against the US dollar and slipped further to 90.96, down 7 paise from its previous close. The rupee g

TORONTO, February 24, 2026 (AP) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is traveling to India, Australia and Japan this week and next in his latest effort to diversify trade away from the United States, his office announced Monday. Carney will first visit Mumbai on Thursday for talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business leaders. During a stop in Canberra, Carney will address both houses of Australias Parliament, making him the first Canadian prime minister to do so in 20 years. He

LONDON, February 24, 2026 (AP) Police in Britain said Peter Mandelson, the former U.K. ambassador to the United States, has been released on bail after he was arrested in a misconduct probe stemming from his ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein. It came days after a friendship with Epstein landed the former Prince Andrew in police custody. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said in a statement issued just after 2 a.m. Tuesday: A 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office h

New Delhi, Feb 23 (PTI) A study modelling how genes may influence a childs body mass index over time has found that BMI at age 10 and overall growth rate between ages one and 18 might be important factors, as the two are more likely linked to diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease in later life. The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, could help better understand the underlying biology of healthy growth across childhood, author Nicole Warrington, senior research fell

MUMBAI, Feb 23 (Reuters) Indias drug regulator has inspected nearly 90% of the countrys cough syrup makers and found compliance lapses, its chief said on Monday, amid heightened scrutiny after India-made syrups were linked to the deaths of children in the country and abroad. The inspections follow the discovery of a brand of cough syrup contaminated with diethylene glycol that was linked to the deaths of 24 children in October last year. The product, named Coldrif, was made by Sresan Pharmaceut

Washington, Feb 23 (PTI) Stressing that if Donald Trumps tariffs are such a good idea, he should have no problem persuading Congress, former Indian-origin US Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal has said the President must seek legislative approval for sweeping tariff measures, as mandated by the American Constitution. Katyals remarks came a day after the US Supreme Court on Friday struck down Trumps far-reaching global tariffs imposed under an emergency powers law, including the reciprocal tari

LONDON, February 23, 2026 (AP) Britains film academy and the BBC apologized to viewers after an audience member with Tourette syndrome shouted a racial slur during the British Academy Film Awards. The highly offensive word could be heard as Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting the award for best visual effects during Sundays ceremony. Host Alan Cumming had earlier told the audience that a guest at the ceremony was John Davidson, a Scottish campaigner for people with

MUMBAI, Feb 23 (Reuters) RBI is not planning to revisit recently announced rules for bank financing of proprietary traders and brokers, its governor said on Monday. In rules released earlier this month, the Reserve Bank of India raised the collateral requirements for bank guarantees to brokers and barred lending for proprietary trading by them. The changes are due to take effect from April 1. Shares of brokerage firms fell last week on concerns the rules would impact brokers profit margins and

Brisbane, Feb 22 (The Conversation) US President Donald Trump has announced the United States will increase baseline tariffs on imports from all countries to 15%, as the fallout continues from a seismic Supreme Court ruling on Friday. Trump had imposed sweeping reciprocal tariffs last year under an emergency powers act, but the court ruled this law did not authorise him to do so. Speaking in the wake of the ruling on Friday, Trump admonished the justices of the Supreme Court. He called the Democ

New Delhi, Feb 23 (PTI) The RBI is watching the development around the Rs 590 crore fraud at IDFC First Bank and there is no systemic issue, Governor Sanjay Malhotra said on Monday. IDFC First Bank had on Sunday disclosed a Rs 590-crore fraud committed by certain employees and others at a particular branch in Chandigarh in a specific set of Haryana state government accounts. We are watching the development, there is no systemic issue, Malhotra told reporters at a press briefing after the customa

Sydney, Feb 23 (The Conversation) Last year, Norwegian-US tech company 1X announced a strange new product: the worlds first consumer-ready humanoid robot designed to transform life at home. Standing 168 centimetres tall and weighing in at 30 kilograms, the US$20,000 Neo bot promises to automate common household chores such as folding laundry and loading the dishwasher. Neo has a built-in artificial intelligence (AI) system, but for tricky tasks it requires a 1X employee wearing a virtual reality

NEW YORK, February 22, 2026 (AP) Lawyers for imprisoned British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell are fighting the requested release of 90,000 pages related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and Maxwell, saying a law used to force the public release of millions of documents is unconstitutional. The lawyers filed papers late Friday in Manhattan federal court to try to block the release of documents from a since-settled civil defamation lawsuit brought a decade ago by the late Epstein victim Virgi

New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday questioned the Modi governments haste in falling into a trap deal with the United States, asking why the government did not wait for the US Supreme Courts judgment on tariffs. Clueless foreign policy or one-sided surrender? Why did the Modi Government not wait for the US Supreme Court judgement on tariffs before rushing to fall into a TRAP DEAL, which extracted huge concessions from India?, Kharge asked in a post on X. Clu

LOS ANGELES, February 21, 2026 (AP) Social media addiction has been compared to casinos, opioids and cigarettes. While theres some debate among experts about the line between overuse and addiction, and whether social media can cause the latter, there is no doubt that many people feel like they cant escape the pull of Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and other platforms. The companies that designed your favorite apps have an incentive to keep you glued to them so they can serve up ads that make them

What is ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosi) disease? It affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control and getting worse over time. ALS causes nerve cells in the upper and lower parts of the body to stop working and die. Nerves no longer trigger specific muscles, eventually leading to paralysis. People with ALS may develop problems with mobility, speaking, swallowing and breathing. The exact cause of the disease is unknown, and Mayo Clinic experts said a small nu

New Delhi [India], February 21 (ANI): The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on Saturday hit back at YSR Congress Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy over his criticism of their protest at the India AI Impact Summit. The IYC jibed that while he is facing multiple CBI and ED cases, he should not tarnish the image of his father, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy. In a post on X, IYC shared, Dear Jagan, Your father, our proud leader Late Shri Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), dedicated h

Mumbai, Feb 20 (PTI) The rupee plunged 31 paise to settle at 90.99 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday, tracking a strong American currency against major currencies and higher crude oil prices amid intensifying US-Iran tensions. Positive momentum in domestic equity markets failed to support the Indian, forex analysts said. They attributed the strengthening greenback and volatile crude prices to heightened tension between the US and Iran, with both countries signalling they are prepared

Mumbai, Feb 20 (PTI) Stock markets rebounded on Friday with the benchmark Sensex closing higher by 316 points after heavy buying in banking and metal shares amid optimism over trade deal progresses and Indias participation in Pax Silica. The 30-share BSE Sensex climbed 316.57 points, or 0.38 per cent, to settle at 82,814.71. During the day, the benchmark appreciated by 633.94 points, or 0.76 per cent, to hit an intraday high of 83,132.08. The 50-share NSE Nifty advanced 116.90 points, or 0.46 pe

New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking a direction to restrain the construction or naming of any mosque or religious structure in the name of Mughal emperor Babur or Babri Masjid. After a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta showed its disinclination in entertaining the plea, the counsel appearing for the petitioner withdrew it. The counsel referred to suspended Trinamool Congress MLA Humayun Kabirs announcement to construct a replica o

Sultanpur (UP), Feb 20 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday appeared before an MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradeshs Sultanpur and recorded his statement in a 2018 defamation case related to his remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The court fixed March 9 as the next date of hearing on which the Lok Sabha MP from Raebareli has been asked to furnish evidence in his defence, the Congress leaders advocate Kashi Prasad Shukla told PTI. As Gandhi emerged from court af

PARIS, Feb 20 (Reuters) Frances Soufflet Malt, the worlds largest malt producer, will invest 100 million euros ($118.2 million) in a new production facility in India as it aims to capture rising beer demand in emerging markets, it said on Friday. The facility, to be located in the south of the state of Rajasthan, will produce 110,000 metric tons of malt annually in its first phase, which is scheduled for completion by early 2028. A second phase, which could double output, is planned if beer con

New Delhi, Feb 19 (PTI) Bill Gates will not deliver keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit, Gates Foundation said on Thursday. In a post on X, Gates Foundation said, The Gates Foundation will be represented by Ankur Vora, President of Africa and India Offices, who will speak later today at the Summit. The post said: After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summits key priorities, Mr. Gates will not be delivering his keynote address. pic.twitter.com/tGJtEQS97E

Pune, Feb 19 (PTI) Jay Pawar, the younger son of Ajit Pawar, has demanded a thorough probe into the possible serious lapses behind the air crash that claimed his fathers life, and stressed that an aircrafts black box cannot get destroyed easily. He also sought a ban on VSR Ventures Private Limited, the aviation company that operated the ill-fated Learjet 45XR plane which crashed near the Baramati airstrip in Pune district, killing Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on January 28. T

Eating oatmeal for 48 hours can reduce your bad cholesterol levels, according to a recent study. Researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany conducted a trial in which adults consumed a calorie-reduced diet of almost exclusively oatmeal for two days. All participants suffered from a metabolic syndrome associated with a risk of diabetes, including a combination of high body weight, high blood pressure, elevated blood glucose or elevated blood lipid levels, according to a university press r

WASHINGTON, February 19, 2026 (AP) The number of days when the weather gets hot, dry and windy ideal to spark extreme wildfires has nearly tripled in the past 45 years across the globe, with the trend increasing even higher in the Americas, a new study shows. And more than half of that increase is caused by human-caused climate chang e, researchers calculated. What this means is that as the world warms, more places across the globe are prone to go up in flames at the same time because of incr

Kolkata, Feb 18 (PTI) Hitting out at the Election Commission, senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that poll officials were continuing to flout Supreme Court directives by issuing directions to their subordinates through WhatsApp during the SIR exercise in West Bengal. Sharing purported screenshots of a WhatsApp group chat on X, Banerjee said SC has repeatedly emphasised transparency, due process, and adherence to official channels of communication. Yet we are witnessing inst

Guwahati, Feb 18 (PTI) Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday said those who joined the ruling BJP have become insignificant in their political journey. Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi said former state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah, who is likely to switch over to the BJP on February 22, will also meet the same fate. The deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha also challenged Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to a face-to-face debate on Hinduism to check who is wel

KOLHAPUR, India, Feb 18 (Reuters) India is likely to produce less sugar than initially estimated, as excessive rainfall across major producing states is resulting in lower cane yields, farmers and trade officials told Reuters, capping exports from the worlds second-largest producer. Traders said India may struggle to ship even half of its allocated export quota, lending support to global sugar prices that are hovering near five-year lows while also lifting domestic prices. India is expected to

NEW DELHI, Feb 18 (Reuters) An Indian university has been asked to vacate its stall at the countrys flagship AI summit after a staff member was caught presenting a commercially available robotic dog made in China as its own creation, two government sources said. You need to meet Orion. This has been developed by the Centre of Excellence at Galgotias University, Neha Singh, a professor of communications, told state-run broadcaster DD News this week in remarks that have since gone viral. But soci

New Delhi, Feb 17 (PTI) Precious metal prices declined 2 per cent in the national capital on Tuesday, with silver slipping to Rs 2.45 lakh per kilogram and gold dropping to Rs 1.57 lakh per 10 grams due to subdued demand amid weak global cues. According to the All India Sarafa Association, the price of white metal decreased Rs 5,000, or 2 per cent, to Rs 2,45,000 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes) from Mondays closing level of Rs 2,50,000 per kg. In the bullion market, gold of 99.9 per cent p

Kolkata, Feb 18 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday described the Election Commission as a Tughlaqi Commission run by a political party, alleging widespread manipulation of voters lists in the state. By using the word Tughlaqi, Banerjee was alluding to the Delhi sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq who was known for whimsical decisions. Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat, she said, A woman functionary in the BJP IT cell removed 58 lakh voters names in Bengal using AI.

Guwahati, Feb 17 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday claimed that then Congress President Sonia Gandhi had asked him to decide on the date for his swearing in as CM when 58 party MLAs had supported him in 2014. The scenario, however, changed after Rahul Gandhi, who was then in the USA, made phone calls to party leaders, Sarma told reporters here after a cabinet meeting at the state legislative assembly. Assam Congress had witnessed dissidence after the 2011 assembly polls,

New Delhi, Feb 17 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday accused Union minister Hardeep Puri of lying on the Epstein files issue, and asked the BJP leader to come clean on the 62 email exchanges and 14 meetings he had with convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein between 2014 and 2017. The opposition party also reiterated its demand that Puri must resign immediately. Puri has, however, denied all the charges levelled at him by the opposition party. Between 2014 and 2017, there were 62 email exchan

NEW DELHI, Feb 17 (Reuters) Indian cricket greats Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev joined a dozen other former international captains on Tuesday in demanding better prison treatment for one of the finest all-rounders of the game Imran Khan, Pakistans former prime minister. Cricketer-turned-politician Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023, convicted in a string of cases that he says were politically driven following his ouster in a 2022 parliamentary vote. Khans lawyer told Pakistans Supreme

New Delhi, Feb 17 (PTI) Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates will not be attending AI Impact Summit, government sources said. Gates featured among the tech moguls, industry leaders, policymakers, founders, and technologists listed as speakers on the official website of the India Impact Summit, happening in the national capital from February 16-20. But the summit website on Tuesday did not show his name. Government sources said Gates will not be attending the Summit. The move, they say, is linked to G

NEW DELHI February 17, 2026 (AP) India is hoping to garner as much as $200 billion in investments for data centers over the next few years as it scales up its ambitions to become a hub for artificial intelligence, the countrys minister for electronics and information technology said Tuesday. The investments underscore the reliance of tech titans on India as a key technology and talent base in the global race for AI dominance. For New Delhi, they bring in high-value infrastructure and foreign ca