Women's Reservation Bill is officially a law now. President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Women's Reservation Bill, days after a historic vote. The new law provides 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Earlier, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar signed the women's reservation bill before it was presented to President Murmu for her assent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that without appropriate participation of women in politics, one cannot talk about inclusive society and democratic integration.

While addressing a BJP event after unveiling a statue of its ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya on his birth anniversary on September 26 in Delhi, PM Modi said the passage of the women's reservation bill in Parliament is not only a win for democracy but also for the party's ideology.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during an event commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, articulated his vision of India becoming a global economic powerhouse. He conveyed that India's trajectory is set to transform it into a key player on the world stage, and he expressed confidence that India would soon rank among the top three economies globally.

Modi traced the origins of this ambitious endeavor to the inception of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit two decades ago. He emphasized that the initial seeds of this initiative, planted years ago, have now grown into a substantial and thriving tree. The primary objective of this initiative was to catalyze Gujarat's growth and development, turning it into an economic engine for India.

However, the Prime Minister's aspirations extend beyond Gujarat's borders. He outlined his overarching goal since taking office in 2014, which has been to position India as a catalyst for global economic growth. Modi asserted that India is on the cusp of emerging as a global economic powerhouse. He confidently stated that India's economy would soon rank among the top three in the world.

Modi celebrated the evolution of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit from a modest beginning into a formidable institution. The success of this initiative has inspired other states in India to organize their investment summits, following Gujarat's pioneering example. Drawing inspiration from Swami Vivekananda's wisdom, Modi noted that every groundbreaking idea initially faces ridicule, opposition, and eventual acceptance, particularly when it is ahead of its time. The journey of Vibrant Gujarat mirrored this pattern of growth and acceptance.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister highlighted the unique circumstances under which Vibrant Gujarat achieved success. He pointed out that during its early years, when the initiative was gaining momentum, the central government, under the previous UPA dispensation, remained indifferent to Gujarat's industrial progress. Despite these challenges, Vibrant Gujarat thrived and continued to attract investments and opportunities.

In conclusion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for India is one of becoming a global economic powerhouse. He envisions India's economy ranking among the top three in the world, building on the success of initiatives like Vibrant Gujarat. His determination to foster economic growth and development resonates with his long-term commitment to India's prosperity on the global stage.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India's diplomacy touched new heights in the last 30 days and some decisions taken during the G20 Summit have the potential to change the direction the 21st-century world takes.

PM Narendra Modi while addressing students, faculty members and heads of educational institutions at the finale of the G20 University Connect here, the prime minister said he met 85 world leaders during the past 30 days.

"In today's polarised international atmosphere, it is not a small thing to get so many countries together on one platform," he said, referring to the G20 Summit in Delhi earlier this month.

He asserted that clean, clear and stable governance is necessary for the country's developmental journey to continue. "I want to give you a report card for the last 30 days. That will give you an idea of the speed and scale of New India. You must remember August 23! Everyone was praying and then suddenly there was a smile on everyone's face. The entire world heard India's voice: 'India is on the Moon'. "August 23 has become immortal in the country as the National Space Day. Soon after the success of its lunar mission, India launched its solar mission," he added.

Asserting that India's diplomacy reached new heights in the past 30 days, the prime minister said the G20 Summit could have been limited to a diplomatic and Delhi-centric programme but India made it a people-driven national movement.

Six more countries have joined BRICS community due to India's efforts, the prime minister said.

Amazon has announced a substantial investment of up to USD 4 billion in Anthropic, an artificial intelligence startup, marking a significant move in the ongoing race among Big Tech companies to harness the potential of advanced AI technology. This partnership extends beyond financial support, aiming to foster collaboration in the development of foundation models, the core components of generative AI systems that have garnered global attention.

Foundation models, often referred to as large language models, are trained on vast datasets comprising online content, including blog posts, digital books, scientific articles, and even songs. They have the capacity to generate text, images, and videos that closely resemble human-created content.

Under the terms of the agreement, Anthropic has selected Amazon as its primary cloud computing service provider and will utilize Amazon's custom-designed chips in their efforts to train and deploy their generative AI systems. Anthropic, based in San Francisco, was founded by former employees of OpenAI, the creator of the widely recognized ChatGPT AI chatbot. This partnership signifies a strategic move by Amazon to solidify its position in the competitive AI landscape.

Notably, Anthropic has developed its own counterpart to ChatGPT, named Claude, which is already available in the US and UK markets. Claude boasts advanced capabilities, ranging from engaging in sophisticated dialogues and creative content generation to handling complex reasoning and providing detailed instructions.

This substantial investment by Amazon underscores the fierce competition among tech giants to capitalize on the potential of AI advancements. It is Amazon's response to the significant investments made by its rivals, such as Microsoft, which invested USD 1 billion in OpenAI back in 2019 and followed up with additional multibillion-dollar investments earlier this year.

In summary, Amazon's investment of up to USD 4 billion in Anthropic, coupled with their collaborative efforts to advance foundation models, represents a significant step in the tech industry's ongoing pursuit of harnessing the transformative power of artificial intelligence. This strategic partnership between the e-commerce giant and the AI startup highlights the pivotal role AI technologies are expected to play in shaping the future of various industries.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik showered praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an interactive session at the Odisha Literary Festival in Bhubaneswar, organized by the New Indian Express Group. Patnaik commended Modi's foreign policy efforts and lauded his government's commitment to eradicating corruption in the country.

Expressing the importance of a collaborative relationship between the state and the central government, Patnaik emphasized that cordial relations are vital for the overall development of Odisha. He conveyed his desire for the central government to be a proactive partner in the state's development initiatives.

Patnaik, known for his non-partisan approach, gave Prime Minister Modi's government a commendable rating of '8 out of 10.' He highlighted Modi's successes in foreign policy and his unwavering dedication to curbing corruption, both of which have left a positive impact on the nation. Patnaik commended Modi for his relentless efforts to serve the people of India.

In sum, Naveen Patnaik's admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy acumen and his government's commitment to reducing corruption was evident during the Odisha Literary Festival. This endorsement from a senior leader of a prominent regional party reflects the importance of cooperation between the central and state governments for the holistic development of India.

In a run-up to GE 2024, the Janata Dal (Secular) has joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance ahead of next year's general election. The announcement was made after senior JDS leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP boss JP Nadda today. No details have been released so far about seat-sharing in the southern state.

BJP Prez Nadda wrote on Twitter X, "I am happy that JDS has decided to be the part of National Democratic Alliance. We wholeheartedly welcome them (to) the NDA. This will further strengthen NDA and the vision of PM Narendra Modiji for 'New India, Strong India'," 

Last week Kumaraswamy, when asked about talks his party had worked out a pre-Lok Sabha election alliance with the BJP, told NDTV "more (details) will be revealed after Ganesh Chaturthi". He also brushed aside speculation the JDS will get four seats in the Old Mysuru region - in which the BJP was seen as losing ground (and votes) to the Congress in the May Assembly election.

News of the JDS-BJP alliance was 'broken' by senior BJP leader and ex-Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who said the smaller party would contest from Mandya and three other seats. Mr Yediyurappa said the deal would help the BJP win "25 or 26 seats".

India responded to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's accusations regarding the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, suggesting that there is an element of bias in his allegations and labeling them as politically motivated. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) pointed out that Canada has not provided any specific information or evidence to support its claims in the Nijjar case.

A diplomatic dispute has unfolded between India and Canada over the Nijjar incident, triggered by Trudeau's assertion of a potential involvement of Indian agents in the assassination of the separatist leader.

In response to questions about whether India has communicated its stance to its key allies regarding the diplomatic discord with Canada, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi confirmed that India has indeed conveyed its position to relevant parties.

Furthermore, Bagchi mentioned that due to the disruptions caused by Canada's unfounded accusations against India, the Indian high commission and consulates in Canada are temporarily unable to process visa applications. This situation underscores the growing tension between the two nations and the impact it has had on diplomatic relations and practical matters such as visa processing.

Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the Congress parliamentary party, expressed her party's strong support for the Women's Reservation Bill in a recent session of the Lok Sabha. She called for the immediate implementation of the bill and emphasized the need to extend reservations to women from Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) following a caste census.

During her speech initiating the debate on the bill from the opposition's perspective, Sonia Gandhi stressed that any delay in implementing the reservation for women would constitute a "gross injustice" to Indian women. She reminded the assembly of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's vision, stating that it could be fully realized with the passage of this bill.

Sonia Gandhi, who previously served as the Congress party's chief, highlighted her concerns about the extended waiting period for Indian women who have been eager to take on political responsibilities. She questioned the appropriateness of making them wait for several more years, whether it be two, four, six, or eight years.

She emphasized the Indian National Congress's demand for the immediate implementation of the bill, but she also called for additional provisions to be made for the reservation of SC, ST, and OBC women after conducting a caste census. Sonia Gandhi urged the government to take the necessary steps to address this issue.

In summary, Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party expressed their unwavering support for the Women's Reservation Bill, urging its immediate implementation. They also raised the crucial issue of extending reservations to marginalized communities, specifically SC, ST, and OBC women, through a caste census. Gandhi's impassioned plea underscored the urgency of empowering women in Indian politics and ensuring that the reservations are inclusive and equitable.

Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, who currently resides in self-imposed exile, has criticized his country's financial situation, contrasting it with India's accomplishments, including its lunar mission and hosting the G20 summit. He attributed Pakistan's economic challenges to former military leaders and judges.

"Presently, Pakistan's prime minister is visiting various nations to seek financial assistance, while India has successfully launched lunar missions and played host to the G20 summit. Why hasn't Pakistan achieved similar feats, and who bears responsibility for this?" Sharif questioned during a party meeting in Lahore, addressing the gathering via video link from London.

Sharif also pointed out that when Atal Bihari Vajpayee assumed office as India's Prime Minister, the country had a meager billion dollars in its foreign exchange reserves. However, he noted that India has since seen a substantial increase in its foreign exchange reserves, reaching a staggering $600 billion. This sharp contrast led him to question the divergent trajectories of India and Pakistan.

In July, Pakistan received a $1.2 billion transfer from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of a $3 billion bailout program aimed at bolstering the nation's fragile economy.

Overall, Nawaz Sharif's comments underscore the economic challenges facing Pakistan and the stark contrast he perceives between Pakistan's financial struggles and India's economic progress.