London University runs out of visa slots, hundreds students stranded

Hundreds of international students accepted to University College London (UCL) are now facing uncertainty just days before the academic year begins.

Jammu and Kashmir police's State Investigation Agency (SIA) raided Kashmir Times office for promoting anti-national activities. A case has been filed against the newspaper and its promoters, who may face questioning. Authorities also inspected lockers at a government medical college in Anantnag after the Delhi blast and recovery of arms. The crackdown on the Al-Falah Group is ongoing.

Ariana Grande announced on Amy Poehler's podcast that her upcoming tour will be her last for a while as she shifts her focus to acting and theatre. She is promoting her latest release, 'Wicked: For Good', and expressed her excitement for the smaller scale 41-date tour, which she hinted will be her 'last hurrah' before a long hiatus from music. Tickets are available for purchase.

The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth Rs 1,400 crore in a money laundering probe against Anil Ambani and his companies, taking the total to Rs 9,000 crore. Yes Bank invested Rs 2,965 crore and Rs 2,045 crore in Reliance Home Finance and Reliance Commercial Finance respectively, leading to allegations of diversion and laundering of public funds. Supreme Court involved.

Cristiano Ronaldo attended a dinner at the White House hosted by Donald Trump, causing a stir due to his surprise appearance and appearing taller than Trump. Netizens speculated about the height difference, with Trump jokingly defending himself and saying his son now respects him more.

GE Aerospace is investing $14 million to expand its Pune facility, bringing the total investment to $44 million in 2 years. The facility produces components for various engines and will improve manufacturing processes and automation. The site has a network of 300 suppliers and has trained 5,000 production associates. This investment shows GE's dedication to the Make in India initiative.

The US CDC has revised its stance on the link between vaccines and autism, stating that the claim is not evidence-based and studies have not ruled it out. This follows criticism of the agency's promotion of this stance.

Motilal Oswal rates Larsen & Toubro as 'Buy' with a target price of Rs 4,500, expecting a 12% increase. The company's management is prioritizing capital allocation and aims to sell non-core assets while investing in new areas. L&T is confident about growth in the Middle East, thermal BTG projects, and domestic orders. They plan to invest Rs 1 lakh crore in the next year.

Fujiyama Power Systems, a leader in the rooftop solar industry, raised Rs 828 crores through an IPO at a discounted price of Rs 220 on the National Stock Exchange. The IPO, which included fresh shares and an offer for sale, opened on November 13 and closed on November 17, with the allotment finalised on November 18.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes that the AI market is not in a bubble, citing the end of Moore's Law, accelerated computing, and the rise of agentic AI as key factors. Despite concerns of overvaluation, Huang predicts sustained growth due to infrastructure investments and data processing demands. Recent earnings reports also show Nvidia's strong position in the AI industry.

Apple has released its list of the top podcasts of 2025, with The Joe Rogan Experience taking the #1 spot. The podcast, hosted by Joe Rogan, offers interesting discussions and controversial guests, captivating audiences globally. The New York Times' The Daily, which was last year's #1, has been dethroned and ranked at #2.

The Dulquer Salmaan-Bhagyashri starrer Kaantha, made on a budget of Rs 40 crore, is facing a major decline in its box office earnings. Despite opening with a moderate collection of Rs 4.35 crore, the film failed to pick up pace on its first weekend, earning only Rs 5 crore on Saturday and Rs 4.5 crore on Sunday.

Excel Entertainment's film '120 Bahadur' pays homage to the courageous soldiers of the Kumaon regiment who fought in the 1962 Sino-Indian war. Despite facing criticism and legal issues over alleged historical inaccuracies and offending the Ahir community, the Delhi High Court ruled in favor of the film. It received widespread acclaim for its authentic depiction of the war and its brave soldiers.

ACME Solar Holdings has successfully added 16 MW to its 100 MW wind power project in Gujarat, bringing the operational capacity to 44 MW. The company managed to commission the project ahead of schedule, despite delays due to Force Majeure events. PFC provided financing for the project, which was constructed by ACME Solar's in-house team.

Groww's share price has fallen by 9% today, causing its market capitalization to drop below Rs 1 lakh crore. Analysts are questioning the company's valuation, with the real test to come when locked-in investors can access their shares and financial results are released.

HUL's stock has surged 2% in the last 2 days after announcing the date for its demerger, with leading brokerage house Nuvama recommending a 'Buy' and setting a target price of Rs 3,200. The demerger of HUL's ice-cream unit is central to Nuvama's renewed stance, with the upcoming record date of December 5, 2025.

Godrej Properties has acquired a 3.8-acre land parcel in South Bengaluru, adding to their existing 26-acre parcel. This will allow them to develop a large premium residential community and generate an estimated revenue of Rs 3,500 crore. The company plans to design an integrated group housing township with open spaces and sustainable features.

The 46th Blue Dragon Film Awards were a huge success, with Son Ye Jin and Hyun Bin winning Best Actor. The Hallyu Wave continued with the Korea Grand Music Awards and more upcoming K-drama and K-pop award shows. These include the 2025 MAMA Awards, 2025 Asia Artist Awards, and 2025 Melon Music Awards. Other highly anticipated events include the 2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon and Hanteo Music Awards.

Sabeer Bhatia's recent claims on Aadhaar's data security breach have sparked a new debate, drawing attention to his previous concerns about the project's design and costs. His comments have reignited the discussion on Aadhaar's data ecosystem and the risks of designing complex systems without proper technical expertise.

The IMF forecasts a weak global economic growth of 2.9% in 2030 due to protectionism and policy uncertainty. Advanced economies will see slower growth at 1.4%, while emerging economies will fare better at 3.9%. The G20 is meeting this weekend with key leaders absent, amidst trade tensions and rising inflation. The IMF calls for cooperation and transparent trade.

Indian equity indices opened higher on Thursday, following a strong global market performance after Nvidia's impressive earnings. The NSE Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex opened higher, with the Bank Nifty remaining flat. Small and mid-cap stocks were in line with benchmarks. The market is expected to sustain its bullish trend, supported by positive triggers and improving fundamentals.

Elon Musk predicts that in 10-20 years, AI and robots will eliminate poverty and make work optional, providing access to top-notch medical care for all. However, his claims have faced criticism and skepticism, with concerns raised about control and his own trillion-dollar salary. Nonetheless, Musk stands by his belief that AI and robotics will revolutionize society.

President Trump is considering an executive order to give the federal government the power to challenge state laws regulating artificial intelligence. The draft outlines potential legal and financial actions the administration could take, including lawsuits and funding cuts, to address what AI companies see as a confusing patchwork of state regulations.

President Trump has changed his views on the H-1B visa program, causing backlash and surprise globally. The previously strict immigration leader now supports this visa category for skilled workers, sparking a debate on its impact on local job opportunities. This has raised doubts about his 'America First' agenda.

Social media influencer, Orry, has been summoned by the Mumbai Police in relation to a Rs 252 crore drug case. His name has appeared in interrogation documents involving Taher Dola, Salim Dola's son, who was recently extradited from the UAE. Several Bollywood stars, filmmakers, and a former MLA have been named in the case. Agencies are still tracking Dola.

Asian markets and US markets both see gains due to strong earnings and global demand for AI chips. The US dollar strengthens while the rupee depreciates slightly. Crude oil prices increase and investors show interest in Indian stocks. Gold rates vary in Dubai and India. Top performing sectors are Information Technology and Digital, while the Jaypee Group sees high movement.

Corporate updates, major deals, tax developments, and project wins will guide market sentiment today. Adani Enterprises sells 13% stake in AWL Agri Business to Wilmar's subsidiary for Rs 4,650 crore. NBCC India bags Rs 2,966 crore PMC assignment for Naveen Nagpur development. CG Power receives tax assessment order of Rs 365 crore.

The U.S. is pressuring Ukraine to accept a U.S.-drafted plan to end the war with Russia, which includes giving up territory and reducing armed forces. President Zelenskiy is meeting with U.S. officials and Turkish President Erdogan, calling for effective U.S. leadership to end the conflict. Russia has not shown willingness to change its demands.

Nvidia's quarterly revenue forecast surpasses expectations, driven by high demand for AI chips from major cloud providers. CEO Jensen Huang remains confident in industry growth despite concerns about an AI bubble. However, analysts express skepticism due to potential obstacles and concentration of customers. Nvidia predicts continued strong demand, with $500 billion in bookings.

Ananth Narayan, former WTM at SEBI, played a key role in investigating Jane Street and improving market regulation. SEBI's priorities include resolving paper supply-demand imbalance, attracting FPI investments, and ensuring investor confidence.

Sarvam.ai, co-founded by Vivek Raghavan, is launching India's first large language model with 120 billion parameters trained on 17 trillion tokens. This will include 15-20% Indian data, a significant increase from current open-source models.

Non-bank lenders are predicted to experience a significant increase in mortgage finance assets in the next two years, despite competition from banks and a potential slowdown in real estate sales. This growth is attributed to their emphasis on affordable housing and self-construction loans.

In 2025, the US is facing a food crisis as food insecurity and rising prices make it difficult for many Americans to afford basic food essentials. President Trump praised McDonald's for reducing prices, but official inflation data shows a different picture. Trump blames the Biden administration for high inflation rates and highlights recent tariff cuts to reduce costs.

Adani Enterprises has sold a 13% stake in AWL Agri Business to Wilmar International for an undisclosed amount. The deal also terminated their existing shareholders' pact. This is part of Adani's plan to divest from consumer goods and focus on infrastructure. AWL shares closed at ₹275.60, valuing the deal at ₹4,646 crore. Adani Commodities now holds 7% of AWL, while Lence's stake has risen to 56.

The Supreme Court has reprimanded the CBI and Sebi for not investigating the suspicious transactions of Sammaan Capital (previously known as Indiabulls Housing Finance). The court has directed the CBI director to hold a meeting with officials of Sebi, SFIO, and ED to address the issue.

Police seized 93,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup worth Rs two crore from a warehouse in Varanasi's Rohania area. One person has been detained for questioning and teams are searching for the owner, Mahesh Singh. The shipment was being transported from Ghaziabad to Chandauli. Officials from the Drug Department and ANTF were called to examine the seized stock.

Indian AI leaders at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 emphasized the importance of domestic AI models based on local languages, industrial needs, and affordable cloud infrastructure for inclusive growth and to prevent inequality.

Research, including a study by MIT, highlights the role of human intelligence in AI development. Over-reliance on AI can hinder creativity and lower brain activity. Successful businesses investing in AI prioritize skills, cross-functionality, and experimentation, viewing AI as a collaborative teammate.

India's DPDP Rules, 2025 require data ethics, transparency, and accountability in the digital ecosystem. Startups should prioritize privacy and integrity to build trust and scale responsibly. The phased rollout allows for adaptation and innovation, offering opportunities for startups to use privacy as a competitive advantage.

India's inflation is decreasing due to lower prices of vegetables and food, but essential items remain expensive. This is caused by favorable supply conditions and statistical effects, not a decrease in demand. While this helps economic growth, it may not increase consumption without higher income growth. Despite the significant drop in official figures, inflation expectations remain high.

Anand Mahindra, a prominent businessman, praised N Chandrababu Naidu for his vision and leadership, calling him an "unstoppable force of nature". Naidu outlined his ambitious $1 trillion vision for Andhra Pradesh, including attracting $500 billion in investments and creating 5 million jobs. Mahindra has a history of acknowledging Naidu's contributions.

China allegedly launched a disinformation campaign to hinder the sales of French fighter jets, following the Pahalgam terror attack. The campaign used fake social media accounts to promote the Chinese J-35 over the French Rafale. The report also stated that China tried to influence Indonesia to cancel its purchase of Rafale jets.

The CAG is setting up a Centre of Excellence in Hyderabad to improve financial audit skills and promote innovation. This aligns with their dedication to transparency and global standards. They have also launched a research awards scheme to encourage advanced studies in public finance. The conference emphasized the use of data and AI in auditing, including the CAG-LLM and other AI-based tools.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries has issued notices to Ola Electric, Reliance New Energy, and Rajesh Exports for not meeting the deadlines to set up their ACC production plants. The companies have been directed to pay penalties until September 30, despite citing delays due to export restrictions and shipping delays.

Benchmark indices rebounded on Wednesday, led by a 513.45-point surge in the Sensex and a 142.60-point jump in the Nifty. This was driven by bullish predictions from Morgan Stanley, with a 13% rise expected for the Sensex and a possible 27% increase in a bull market. The IT and banking sectors saw strong buying, and the market is now focused on the FOMC minutes on Thursday.

The MoSPI will update the base year for the CPI series every 3-5 years, using data from the HCES 2023-24, and release it on Feb 12, 2026. This will help capture economic changes faster and adhere to global standards.

Banks are worried about RBI's strict acquisition financing guidelines that could hinder their involvement in M&A deals. They have asked for more flexibility in funding minority acquisitions and raising the exposure cap to 25-40% of Tier 1 capital. Clarification is also sought on eligibility criteria and equity contribution.

Sebi plans to ease margin requirements for longer-term derivative contracts to boost trading and reduce concentration in weekly contracts. It has received representations from global market participants and believes that high margins are a barrier to the popularity of longer-term contracts.

A clash between anti-Islam demonstrators and pro-Muslim counter-protesters erupted in Dearborn, Michigan after a man attempted to burn the Quran and was seen slapping it with bacon. Police intervened and one protester was arrested. Dearborn, known for its large Muslim community, has dispelled the myth of "Sharia law" with recent visits by politicians.

SpiceJet reduces liabilities by Rs 442.25 crore by allotting equity shares to Carlyle Aviation Partners. Chairman and Managing Director, Ajay Singh, says this is a crucial step in restructuring and will improve financial position. Settlement with Carlyle also provides liquidity and supports restructuring efforts.

India's diagnostic services market is projected to hit $15-16 billion by FY30, driven by factors such as increasing awareness about preventive healthcare, demographic changes, and wider health insurance coverage.