The Sen Times

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

(CNN) If you have recurring back pain, youve probably tried strengthening your core, loosening your hips and stretching your back. Those strategies can help, but they dont always provide a complete solution. When pain lingers or flares up during everyday movements, its often a sign that a critical area is being overlooked: your rib cage. Because all 12 vertebrae of your thoracic spine (middle segment) connect to your rib cage, rib mobility plays a central role in how your spine moves and how fo

Mumbai, Feb 17 (PTI) The rupee rose by 1 paisa to 90.73 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday, aided by a fall in global crude oil prices. However, a stronger greenback and FII outflows capped gains in the local unit, according to forex traders. At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 90.72 against the US dollar before slipping to 90.73, up 1 paisa against its previous close. The rupee settled 8 paise lower at 90.74 against the US dollar on Monday. The rupee was well off

New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) The upcoming Meerut Metro is set to become the fastest metro service in the country, with a maximum operational speed of 120 kmph, significantly cutting travel time across the city, an official said on Monday. The service will operate on a 21 km corridor between Meerut South and Modipuram with 12 stations, covering the entire stretch in around 30 minutes, including stoppages at all stations, he said. In a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, the Meerut Metro will run on

Jaipur, Feb 16 (PTI) Congress Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi on Monday alleged that the BJP does not have the courage to face his party in Parliament, apparently referring to the absence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Lok Sabha. Those who dream of a Congress-mukt Bharat do not have the courage to come to Parliament and face the Congress, he said while addressing the partys Paigam-e-Mohabbat programme in Jaipur. Pratapgarhi termed the India-US deal a result of a conspiracy against far

Chandigarh, Feb 16 (PTI) Locals claimed more people died due to liver-related ailments at a village in Haryanas Palwal district, even as the authorities put the toll at seven in the past fortnight, prompting the health department to monitor the situation round-the-clock. Seven deaths, four of them due to Hepatitis B, were reported at Chhainsa village in the Hathin sub-division over the past two weeks, officials said. Some villagers, however, claimed the number of deaths was higher. They also cla

New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) The Congress on Monday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has surrendered before US President Donald Trump in agreeing to the India-US interim trade deal, which, it claimed, will devastate the livelihoods of crores of farmers across states. Slamming the Centre, Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said trade agreements should not become a path to slavery by sacrificing a countrys sovereignty. Trade agreements are the path to economic progress. The very foun

NEW DELHI, Feb 16 (Reuters) Wholesale prices rose 1.81% year-on-year in January, the fastest pace in 10 months, as vegetable and basic metal prices picked up, government data showed on Monday. Economists polled by Reuters had projected wholesale prices to rise 1.25% year-on-year in January, after a 0.83% rise a month prior. Wholesale price inflation was last higher in March 2025 at 2.25%. Get the latest news from India and how it matters to the world with the Reuters India File newsletter. Sign

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Leaders from various opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha have demanded that a discussion on the working of the External Affairs, Rural Development and Commerce Ministries be taken during the ongoing Budget session, sources said on Friday. According to a source, the demand was made at a meeting of the business advisory committee of the Rajya Sabha held on Thursday, as the Upper House takes up discussions on the working of ministries after recess in the Budget Session. Pa

Kolkata, Feb 13 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra has charged BJP leader Amit Malviya with intervening with the execution of a court warrant by the West Bengal Police in Uttar Pradeshs Noida against a man accused of circulating fabricated chat messages linked to her. The police in West Bengals Nadia district also alleged that their attempt to arrest the accused was obstructed, following which the individual managed to flee. Union minister and state BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar said the UP

Hyderabad, Feb 13 (PTI) Ruling Congress was heading for a decisive victory in the Telangana municipal elections as its candidates were inching closer to winning over 1,200 wards by Friday afternoon, followed by BRS in over 600 wards and BJP in over 200 wards as the counting of votes progressed. Of the total 2,582 wards in 116 municipalities, Congress candidates were set to win 1,247 wards. The counting of votes began at 123 centres across the state at 8 AM. Postal ballots were taken up first for

Mumbai, Feb 13 (PTI) The rupee consolidated in a narrow range and settled for the day 3 paise lower at 90.64 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday, tracking the strength of the American currency in the overseas market and a negative trend in domestic equities. Forex traders said rupee traded in a narrow range with a weakening bias as a firm dollar limited the upside for emerging market currencies including the rupee. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.69 aga

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Lifting and lowering heels, or soleus push-ups, while sitting may reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes by up to 52 per cent and insulin response by 60 per cent during oral glucose tolerance tests, according to a review of previously published studies. Performing passive stretching exercises for 40 minutes acutely lowered blood glucose by up to 28 milligrams per decilitre, persistently improves blood flow to the femur or thigh by 30 per cent, findings published in the journ

DHAKA, Bangladesh, February 13, 2026 (AP) Tarique Rahman spent 17 years in self-imposed exile. Now, he is poised to become the prime minister of Bangladesh and follow in the footsteps of his mother. Thursdays national election seemed to hand Rahmans Bangladesh Nationalist Party a majority, according to local media reports, marking a significant political shift in the South Asian nation of more than 170 million people. The BNP has also claimed victory. For Rahman, the turnaround is dramatic. Th

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Silver prices on Friday rose Rs 5,465 to Rs 2,41,900 per kilogram in futures trade as participants increased their bets. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver contracts for March delivery increased Rs 5,465 or 2.31 per cent to Rs 2,41,900 per kg in a business turnover of 3,201 lots. Fresh positions built up by participants led to a rise in silver prices, analysts said. Globally, silver was trading 2.49 per cent higher at USD 77.15 per ounce in New York.

Mumbai, Feb 13 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled over 1 per cent in early trade on Friday, led by steep losses in IT stocks amid weak global cues and persistent concerns over artificial intelligence-led disruptions which weighed on investor sentiment. The 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 883.4 points, or 1.05 per cent, to 82,791.52 in early deals. The 50-share NSE Nifty dropped 262.60 points, or 1.02 per cent, to 25,544.60. Technology stocks extend the brunt of selling pressure f

Melbourne, Feb 13 (The Conversation) Men tend to lose the Y chromosome from their cells as they age. But because the Y bears few genes other than for male determination, it was thought this loss would not affect health. But evidence has mounted over the past few years that when people who have a Y chromosome lose it, the loss is associated with serious diseases throughout the body, contributing to a shorter lifespan. Loss of the Y in older men New techniques to detect Y chromosome genes show fre

NEW YORK, February 13, 2026 (AP) Kathy Ruemmler, the top lawyer at storied investment bank Goldman Sachs and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, announced her resignation Thursday, after emails between her and Jeffrey Epstein showed a close relationship where she described him as an older brother and downplayed his sex crimes. Ruemmler said in a statement that she would step down as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of Goldman Sachs as of June 30, 2026. Up until her resi

DHAKA, Bangladesh, February 13, 2026 (AP) The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has claimed victory in the countrys first election since the 2024 uprising, positioning itself to form the next government and potentially reshape Bangladeshs political landscape after years of intense rivalry and disputed polls. The partys media unit in a post on X Friday said it had secured enough seats in Parliament to govern on its own. Final results have not yet been announced by the Election Commission, though seve

MUMBAI, Feb 13 (Reuters) The Indian rupee is expected to be under pressure at the open on Friday, weighed down by a broad risk-off mood and weakness across Asian currencies. The limited impact of the central banks intervention further sours the currencys immediate outlook, bankers said. The 1-month non-deliverable forward indicated the rupee will open in the 90.68-90.70 range versus the U.S. dollar, having settled 0.12% higher at 90.59 on Thursday. Despite what bankers said was an unexpected pr

Feb 13 (Reuters) Indias stock benchmarks are poised to open lower on Friday, tracking a drop in Wall Street and Asian equities, with information technology shares likely to remain under pressure ahead of the U.S. inflation reading due later in the day. The Gift Nifty futures were trading at 25,719.5 points, as of 7:38 a.m. IST, indicating the benchmark Nifty 50 will open below Thursdays close of 25,807.2. Domestic equities declined in the previous session with IT stocks sliding 5.5% to a 10-mon

UNITED NATIONS, February 13, 2026 (AP) The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday to approve a 40-member global scientific panel on the impacts and risks of artificial intelligence, with the United States strongly objecting. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who established the panel, called the adoption a foundational step toward global scientific understanding of AI. In a world where AI is racing ahead, he said, this panel will provide whats been missing rigorous, indepen

Dhaka, Feb. 13, 2026 (AFP) The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman is heading for a thumping win in the first elections held since a deadly 2024 uprising, Bangladeshi TV stations projected Friday. Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, in a party statement, claimed a sweeping victory, without giving figures, calling for followers to give thanks in prayer on Friday rather than celebrate on the streets. There will be no victory rally despite the BNPs sweeping victory, the state

BILZEN-HOESELT, Belgium February 12, 2026 (AP) Leaders from across the European Union are meeting Thursday in a Belgian castle as the 27-nation bloc faces antagonism from U.S. President Donald Trump, strong-arm economic tactics from China and hybrid threats from Russia challenges that have prompted a rethink of Europes approach to diplomacy and trade. We all know we must change course, and we all know the direction, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever told a meeting of some European leaders o

WASHINGTON, February 12, 2026 (AP) Scientists are testing an entirely new way to fight heart disease: a gene-editing treatment that might offer a one-time fix for high cholesterol. Its very early stage research, tried in only a few dozen people so far. But gene-editing approaches being developed by two companies show hints that switching off certain genes could dramatically lower artery-clogging cholesterol, raising hopes of one day being able to prevent heart attacks without having to take pil

NEW DELHI, Feb 12 (Reuters) Key inflation rate accelerated to 2.75% in January on higher food and precious metal prices, the maiden print under a revised data series showed on Thursday, returning to the RBIs target band for the first time since August. The new series changes the weighting of key components such as food and housing, while moving the base year to 2024 from 2012 to better capture changes in consumption patterns over the years. Annual retail inflation was at 1.33% in December under

Mumbai, Feb 12 (PTI) The rupee appreciated 17 paise to settle for the day at 90.61 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, as foreign fund investments lifted investor sentiments. Forex traders said foreign fund inflows, while not massive, provided a psychological anchor. Moreover, the RBI has been quietly ensuring that liquidity remains abundant in the banking system, they said. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.55 against the US dollar, and touched an int

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) The opposition on Thursday accused the government of favouring industrialists over workers while drafting the industrial relations code, even snatching away their right to protest for demands. Initiating a discussion on the Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, Congress member Kodikunnil Suresh said that instead of dialogue, the government has chosen to dominate labourers. Suresh, a former Union Minister of State for Labour, said the strike call given by workers on

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) Over 13 per cent of heart failure cases among people living with diabetes in India could be linked to physical inactivity, a global study has estimated. The findings, published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, also show that 9.6 per cent of coronary heart disease and 9.4 per cent of cardiovascular complication cases among people living with diabetes in India could be attributed to lack of physical activity. Globally, one in ten cases of macrovascular (large blo

NEW DELHI, Feb 12 (Reuters) A group representing Indias top airlines IndiGo and Air India has asked the government to dilute proposed fatigue management rules for cabin crew, warning they could disrupt flight schedules and limit growth prospects, a letter shows. The pushback from the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) on a key Indian government proposal comes after IndiGo, the countrys largest airline, cancelled about 4,500 flights in December due to poor planning for new fatigue management ru

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday said he has given a notice to initiate a substantive motion against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and demanded that his Lok Sabha membership be cancelled and he be debarred from contesting elections for life. Speaking to PTI videos in Parliament House complex, Dubey said that in his notice he has stated how the Leader of the Opposition visits foreign countries joining hands with the Soros Foundation, USAID, Ford Foundation and colludes w

DELHI/MUMBAI/SOUTHAMPTON, England, Feb 12 (Reuters) In an office block on the outskirts of Delhi, a first cohort of students gathers for a class in a Business Management degree at the University of Southampton an institution headquartered nearly 7,000 kilometres (4,350 miles) away. Far from its sprawling green campuses in southern England, Southampton is the first of several British universities setting up in India to tap one of the worlds fastest growing student markets. Britain and India agr

DHAKA, Bangladesh, February 12, 2026 (AP) Polls opened across Bangladesh on Thursday for voters to cast ballots in a parliamentary election seen as a critical test of the countrys democracy after years of political turmoil. After a slow start, crowds came to polling stations in the capital, Dhaka, and elsewhere by midmorning. Balloting will continue through Thursday with results expected Friday. More than 127 million people are eligible to vote in Bangladeshs first election since former Prime M

Mumbai, Feb 12 (PTI) Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty declined in early trade on Thursday dragged down by heavy losses in IT stocks such as Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services amid weak cues from US markets. Extending the previous days decline, the 30-share BSE Sensex dropped 421.66 points, or 0.50 per cent, to 83,811.98 in early trade. The 50-share NSE Nifty fell 121.10 points, or 0.47 per cent, to 25,832.75. Analysts said rising crude oil prices also added to the cautious sentiment

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) Employees and workers associated with a joint forum of central trade unions observed a day-long strike on Thursday to show their resistance to anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies of the central government. The forum has claimed that 30 crore workers are being mobilised for a general strike to protest against the new labour codes, among other issues. All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that the general strik

Guwahati, Feb 11 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that the police have registered a case based on a complaint by Congress leaders over a controversial video featuring him, which was uploaded and later deleted by the state BJP. Sarma said that a BJP worker has also filed a separate police complaint over the same issue. The now-deleted video showed Sarma purportedly taking aim with a rifle and firing a shot at two people, one wearing a skull cap and the other with a