Times of India

Legendary cricketer Geoffrey Boycott urges England to adopt a more strategic approach for the second Ashes Test at Brisbane. Following a crushing defeat in Perth, Boycott advises against reckless aggression, emphasising the need for batsmen to assess match situations. He also criticised captain Ben Stokes's 'has-beens' comment, highlighting the lack of Ashes success for the current squad in Australia.

A first-year B Tech Computer Science student from Chhattisgarh, Rahul Yadav, was found hanging in his hostel room at KIIT. This marks the third student suicide on campus this year, prompting concern from local politicians and an ongoing police investigation with scientific teams collecting evidence.

Nishant Agarwal, a scientist at BrahMos Aerospace Limited, has been cleared of major charges related to passing defense secrets. He was arrested in 2018. The higher judiciary has now absolved him of charges under the Information Technology Act and Official Secrets Act. Agarwal will be released soon, having served his sentence for possessing official documents on his personal device.

Understanding your blood pressure's two numbers, systolic and diastolic, is crucial for assessing heart and blood vessel health. Systolic measures the heart's pumping effort, while diastolic reflects pressure during relaxation, vital for heart muscle oxygenation. Age influences their significance, with diastolic being more predictive under 50 and systolic after 50 due to arterial stiffening.

Gaurav Gogoi accused Prime Minister Modi of "hijacking Parliament" during the Winter Session, alleging the government refuses to discuss the Indian election system. Gogoi stated that while the opposition is willing to cooperate on government bills, the BJP is not accommodating opposition issues in the parliamentary agenda, undermining democratic functioning.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman described ChatGPT's launch as a 'scientific windfall' and a defining moment, attributing its success to scaling laws for language models. The company is now making an aggressive infrastructure bet, partnering with industry giants like Nvidia and Oracle to build massive computing capacity, aiming to become 'people's personal AI subscription'.

December ushers in a calmer rhythm for schools across India as exams wind down and winter break approaches. With holidays typically falling between December 20 and 31, students look forward to Christmas festivities, year-end events and a brief pause before the new academic rush begins in January. The month brings a mix of festive charm, rest and school-level transitions.

As Russian President Vladimir Putin visits New Delhi, it will be his first visit to India since the Ukraine war began. As the two old partners Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Putin meet again, the news will be about missiles and credit cards, fighter jets, and oil flows. But the real story behind may be far more complicated.

Gold and silver futures opened strongly on Monday, buoyed by a weakening dollar, anticipated US Federal Reserve rate cuts, and a depreciating rupee. Silver futures reached a new peak, with analysts expecting continued strong momentum driven by global economic factors and currency fluctuations.

India's economy is reportedly growing at an impressive 8.2%, yet the IMF has assigned its national accounts a 'C' grade due to methodological weaknesses. This rating highlights concerns about outdated base years, price deflators, and data granularity, sparking a debate over the accuracy of the reported growth figures.

Former South African pacer Dale Steyn lauded Virat Kohli's enduring ODI relevance, highlighting his "mentally young, fresh, and hungry" approach after a match-winning 135. Steyn emphasised Kohli's vast experience and unwavering self-belief, noting the star batter's palpable excitement for playing for India, even at 37. This stellar performance powered India to a 17-run victory.

Japanese singer Maki Otsuki's Shanghai concert was abruptly halted mid-performance due to rising diplomatic tensions between China and Japan. The incident follows remarks by Japan's prime minister regarding Taiwan, leading to Beijing's strong reaction and a wave of cultural exchange cancellations, including other Japanese artists' shows.

A man murdered his estranged wife in a women's hostel after receiving an intimate photo of her with her lover. He then took a selfie with her body and posted it as his WhatsApp status. The accused was arrested at the scene and remanded to judicial custody.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan to the Rajya Sabha on the first day of Winter Session, highlighting his dedication to social service and his connection with tribal communities in Jharkhand. PM Modi assured the House's cooperation, emphasizing decorum and policy over slogans, while also urging the opposition to move past recent election defeats.

Tech mogul Elon Musk believes humanity likely lives in a simulation, citing the rapid evolution of video games from simple graphics to photorealistic experiences. He argues that if this trend continues, simulated realities will become indistinguishable from our own. Musk previously shared this 'simulation hypothesis' on Joe Rogan's podcast, suggesting our existence points to this possibility.

NIA widened its probe into a "white-collar" terror network linked to the Red Fort blast, conducting searches in Jammu & Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh. The investigation focuses on a sophisticated module involving educated professionals accused of funneling funds for terror activities, with former medical faculty Dr. Shaheen Shahid among those arrested.

President Trump issued an ultimatum to Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro, offering safe passage in exchange for immediate departure. Maduro reportedly refused, demanding global amnesty and control of the armed forces, leading to collapsed talks. Trump acknowledged speaking with Maduro but offered no details, later warning of Venezuelan airspace closure amid escalating US military presence and accusations of fueling a drug crisis.

A Haryana family seeks government help to bring home the body of Vijay Kumar Sheoran. The 29-year-old student died in the UK after a stabbing incident. His brother has written to the External Affairs Ministry for urgent assistance. The family hopes for his last rites to be performed in their village.

India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak firmly dismissed speculation surrounding Virat Kohli's ODI future, emphasising his current form, fitness, and crucial contributions. Kotak stated that discussions about the 2027 World Cup are premature, as the team focuses on present performance. He highlighted Kohli's recent century as proof of his continued value, assuring that the veteran remains central to India's plans.