India has requested the US embassy to provide detailed expenditure reports of USAID-funded projects in the country over the past decade. Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, stated that this information, which includes financial details and involved NGOs, has yet to be submitted by the US, following allegations by Donald Trump regarding election funding.
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Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed boredom with PM Modi's Lok Sabha speech on the Constitution's 75th anniversary, criticizing it for lacking new or constructive points. She dismissed his 11 resolutions, including anti-corruption pledges, as "hollow" and challenged him to debate the Adani issue. Modi's speech targeted the Congress party's history of constitutional amendments.
Palmer Luckey, founder of Oculus and Anduril, criticizes US media for overhyping Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's claims about their low-cost AI training models. Luckey challenges the $5 million training cost figure and emphasizes the need for scrutinizing such claims to avoid damaging US companies.
India's Jasprit Bumrah reached 904 rating points in the ICC Men's Test Bowling Rankings, equalling Ravichandran Ashwin's record. Travis Head climbed to fourth in Test Batting Rankings after stellar performances. Pat Cummins returned to the top 10 all-rounders, while Heinrich Klaasen and Saim Ayub advanced in the ODI Batting Rankings.
Apple, Microsoft, Tesla, Nvidia, Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta suffered significant losses in market value, totaling over $750 billion on Monday, driven by concerns around new tariffs impacting tech companies. Apple alone shed $174 billion, and Tesla saw a 15% drop in stock value, its worst since 2020. The technology sector faces escalating trade tensions and economic uncertainty.
Apple will pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the company of using Siri to eavesdrop on users. The lawsuit claimed Apple recorded conversations without activation and shared them with advertisers. If approved, the settlement could benefit millions of consumers owning Apple devices from September 2014 through the end of last year.
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medalist, is set to mary Venkata Datta in Udaipur on Sunday. The wedding festivities began on December 20th. Sindhu, a five-time World Championship medalist and the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals, recently clinched the Syed Modi India International title.
R Praggnanandhaa won against Arjun Erigaisi in the third round of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025. The game concluded with Praggnanandhaa leading the table with a score of 2.5/3. Other notable matches include a draw between D Gukesh and Fabiano Caruana and Leon Luke Mendonca earning his first point. The tournament saw mixed results for Indian players.
India and the US are set to begin their major tri-service exercise 'Tiger Triumph' in the Bay of Bengal, focusing on military interoperability for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The exercise includes operations at Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, with India deploying warships, aircraft, and troops, while the US contributes amphibious warships and marines.
Ukraine introduces financial incentives to boost military enlistment among men aged 18-24, offering signing bonuses and monthly salaries. The initiative aims to address troop shortages amid ongoing conflict with Russia and includes benefits like 0% mortgage rates and scholarships. Concerns arise over the disparity in pay for existing personnel in non-combat roles.
The Income Tax Department is set to launch a nationwide action against nearly 40,000 taxpayers who have failed to deposit their TDS/TCS. A 16-point strategy has been devised, leveraging data analytics to identify and investigate defaulters. Non-intrusive approaches and monitoring trends will ensure fair enforcement.