Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated in the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Leaders' Meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The meeting was hosted by the President of South Africa, H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and attended by the President of Brazil, H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Describing the meeting as timely, Prime Minister noted that it coincided with the first G20 Summit on African soil and marked the culmination of four consecutive G20 presidencies by Global South countries, out of which the last three were by the IBSA members.
India is the third-largest market in the world for quick commerce (qcom) based on revenues — far behind the giants China and the US, but well ahead of markets like Japan, South Korea, the UK, and European Union countries, according to Statista projections.
It is also projected to be the fastest-growing market among the top three, with a compound annual growth rate of 15.5 per cent between 2025 and 2030, compared to 6.72 per cent in the US and 7.9 per cent in China.
Share of India's merchandise exports to other countries increased as shipments to the US declined since July 2025, indicating diversification of export basket across product categories, according to an SBI research report.
India's total merchandise exports during April-September 2025 inched up by 2.9 per cent to USD 220 billion compared to USD 214 billion in the year-ago period, the report said.
Cumulative exports to the US also registered a growth of 13 per cent to USD 45 billion in the April-September period from USD 40 billion in the year-ago period,
though there could be some front-loading effects to the aftermath, with September figures registering negative year-on-year growth of about 12 per cent, said 'Ecowrap', the SBI's research report.
The report further said the share of the US in India's exports has been declining since July 2025, falling to 15 per cent in September,
mainly because of a decline in exports of marine products, precious and semi-precious stones, ready-made cotton garments, and cotton fabrics.
According to the report, Australia's share in the US imports of pearls, precious, semi-precious stones has increased to 9 per cent YTD in January-August 2025 from 2 per cent during the same period in the previous year.
Justice Surya Kant took the oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI). Justice Kant was recommended for the position by outgoing chief justice of India Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, whose term ended on November 23.
Last month, the Law and Justice Ministry had asked Justice Gavai to suggest a name for the next Chief Justice.
According to the existing set of rules for appointing judges, the senior-most Supreme Court judge who is fit for the position is recommended as the next CJI. In line with the rules, Kant, who was the senior-most judge after Justice Gavai, was recommended.
Kant is expected to serve as the Chief Justice of India until February 9, 2027.
He became the Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court on October 5, 2018, and was later elevated to the Supreme Court of India on May 24, 2019. Currently, he also serves as the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (since November 12, 2024).
Abhinav Deshwal has won India’s 15th medal in shooting at the Deaflympics, clinching the gold in the 25m pistol event in Tokyo yesterday with a record in qualification. He shot a score of 44 in the final to edge out South Korea’s Seung Hwa Lee, who finished on a score of 43.
Serhii Formin of Ukraine won the bronze, while the other Indian shooter, Chetan Hanmant Sapkal, finished in fifth place.
India have won the first-ever Blind Women's T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, defeating Nepal by seven wickets in the Final.
Held at the P Sara Oval in Colombo, India kept Nepal to 114/5, before passing the score just three wickets down in 12.1 overs to claim the silverware.
The side defeated Sri Lanka, Australia, Nepal, USA and Pakistan in the league phase, before another win over the Australians in the semi-final.
India and Sri Lanka co-hosted the event, with fixtures in Delhi, Bengaluru and Colombo.
Eleven players make up a blind cricket team and is played with a white plastic ball packed with ball bearings that rattle as it rolls, which allows it to be heard by players.
In a significant step towards normalising bilateral ties, India is learnt to have resumed issuance of tourist visas to Chinese citizens worldwide-- a move ending a five-year suspension imposed following the 2020 Galwan clash.
The fresh move followed some sequence of steps taken earlier this year, comprising the January 2025 agreement between India and China when the two countries agreed to resume direct passenger flights.
Officials, privy to the development, said that the decision followed an order issued in July this year suggesting to resume tourist visas for Chinese nationals.
China is in the process of building a 78,000-tonne artificial island designed to withstand nuclear blasts. It is a mobile, semi-submersible, twin-hull platform that could support 238 people for four months without the need of new supplies.
The infrastructure is as large as China's Fujian aircraft carrier and will be operational in 2028.
Officially called the Deep-Sea All-Weather Resident Floating Research Facility, it is China's "far-sea floating mobile island" that comes after a decade's worth of research and planning.
The island will be 138 metres long and 85 metres wide (125 feet long and 279 feet wide), with a main deck rising 45 metres above the waterline.
The government has appointed Sandip Pradhan, currently Director General of Income Tax (Investigation), Pune, as a whole-time Member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for a period of three years.
Currently, there are two whole time Members of SEBI — Amarjeet Singh and Kamlesh Chandra Varshney.
In a notification issued by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, the government said: “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) (d) and sub-section (4) of section 4 of the SEBI Act, 1992, read with rule 3 of the SEBI (Terms and Conditions of Service of Chairman and Members) Rules, 1992,
the Central Government hereby appoints Sandip Pradhan, Director General of Income Tax (Investigation), Pune as Whole-Time Member of SEBI, for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.”
Pradhan, an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of 1990 batch, earlier held the post of Director General of Sports Authority of India from 2019 to 2024.
The Centre has carried out a secretary-level reshuffle across various ministries, appointing senior bureaucrat Neeraj Mittal as Petroleum and Natural Gas secretary.
Mr. Mittal, a 1992-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, is currently serving as secretary, Department of Telecommunications.
Mr. Mittal has been appointed in place of Pankaj Jain, who was earlier appointed as member secretary, Eighth Central Pay Commission, a Personnel Ministry order said.
Amit Agrawal, secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, has been appointed as Telecommunications secretary, in place of Mr. Mittal.
The country’s women boxers, including World champions Minakshi Hooda and Jaismine Lamboria and former World champion Nikhat Zareen, led the way in an unprecedented gold feast as India finished its World Boxing Cup Finals campaign on a high at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Indoor Stadium here.
The Indians won medals in all 20 weight categories, including nine gold, six silver and five bronze. Seven women and two men from the host cornered golden glory.
Minakshi (48kg) gave another commanding performance to tame three-time Asian under-22 champion Farzona Fozilova 5-0 and set the tone.
Recognizing that the case of conjoined twins is a rare condition where the estimated incidence can be 1 in 50,000 births, the General Assembly decided to proclaim 24 November as World Conjoined Twins Day.
Conjoined fetuses are a rare type of identical twins that share a placenta and an amniotic sac, when the embryo divides at 13-15 days from conception.
he incidence ranges from 1/50,000-1/100,000 live births. Female fetuses are more commonly affected, as the ratio of female to male is 3:1.
No association with maternal age, race, parity, or heredity has been observed, and the recurrence risk is negligible.
Every year on November 24th, Assam celebrates Lachit Divas to honour the bravery and leadership of Lachit Borphukan. This day marks his birthday and commemorates his heroic role in leading the Assamese army to victory against the Mughals in the historic Battle of Saraighat in 1671.
Lachit Divas inspires pride among the people of Assam, celebrating the commander’s unmatched valour and patriotism.
Lachit Borphukan served as a commander and the Borphukan, a high-ranking position in the Ahom kingdom. His leadership was instrumental in protecting Assam from external invasions.
A favorite snacking and party nut is recognized each year on November 23rd during National Cashew Day.
The cashew nut is a seed harvested from the cashew tree. The tree originated in Northeastern Brazil. However, it is now widely grown in tropical climates for its cashew apples and nuts.
With leathery leaves arranged spirally, the evergreen cashew tree grows as tall as 32 feet high and often has an irregularly shaped trunk. The cashew tree has a fruit called the “cashew apple.” Its fragile skin makes it unsuitable for transport.
Latin Americans make a fruit drink from the cashew apple.
The Cashew causes fewer allergic reactions than other nuts or peanuts.
Japan, the Country Focus at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), drew attention today as the cast and crew of the two featured films, “Tiger” and “Seaside Serendipity,” interacted with the media during a specially organised press conference. The filmmakers shared insights into their creative journeys, thematic inspirations,
and the significance of representing Japan on an international platform, adding depth to this year’s Country Focus showcase. The press conference commenced with the screening of the trailers of both films, following which the crew of Tiger took the stage to introduce their film to the media.
The film “Tiger” narrates the story of a 35-year-old masseuse whose escalating conflict with his sister over property ownership drives him to a critical breaking point, blurring moral boundaries. The narrative also underscores challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community, bringing to light issues of identity, rights and social acceptance.
Addressing the media, Director of film Anshul Chauhan spoke about the creative and emotional complexities encountered during the making of the film. He shared his initial apprehension regarding audience reception of such a sensitive theme, Noting that representing LGBTQ+ issues as a non-LGBTQ filmmaker required heightened responsibility,
sensitivity and respect towards the community.
