Opinion

By Peter G. Kirchschläger What we typically refer to as “artificial intelligence” is, in practice, a set of data-based systems (DS). These technologies are already transforming nearly every aspect of human life, giving rise to innovative business models and reordering entire economies. Over time, they...

By Ajit Ranade On 1 February, the Finance Minister will present the Union Budget for the next fiscal year against a macroeconomic backdrop that would be the envy of the world. India’s growth forecasts have been revised upwards by major institutions like the IMF. The...

Melvin Durai My wife and kids recently went abroad on a short vacation, leaving me at home to take care of our dog, Lulu. A few days later, my younger daughter, Divya, sent me a three-word text: “Proof of life.” I knew what she wanted:...

By Satish Singh The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is buying government bonds to reduce banks' borrowing costs and encourage economic growth. State and Central governments issue government bonds to raise funds for various projects and welfare initiatives, offering investors a fixed interest rate over...

Terry Lynn Karl US President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to control Venezuela’s oil rest on the assumption that the US can successfully “run” a country twice the size of Iraq. Rather than projecting strength abroad, however, this military overreach reveals the growing vulnerability of a...

By conventional macroeconomic yardsticks, India should enter the FY27 Budget cycle with a degree of comfort. Growth is expected to remain above 7%, inflation has eased from its post-pandemic peaks, and fiscal consolidation appears broadly on track, with the fiscal deficit projected to narrow to...

Nearly two weeks after US special forces invaded Venezuela to capture and extract Nicolás Maduro, many people believe that President Donald Trump was motivated to act by a desire to control the country's vast oil reserves. But to what end? Does Trump want to boost...

Narvijay Yadav People born in the early 1960s carry a rare depth. They stand between two eras. They witnessed the slowest rhythm of life and now observe the fastest phase in human history. This shift is not a concept for them. It is a lived...

Cori Crider When the Economist and Merriam-Webster announced “slop” as their word of the year, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella complained, but few were surprised. The past 18 months have been characterised by an unrelenting flood of brain-rot slop, political slop, scam slop, and, above all, porn...

Infrastructure investment is booming. Around the world, governments are pouring trillions of dollars into roads, power grids, data centres, water systems, and housing, with many responding to intensifying climate shocks and the growing need for adaptation. Yet the construction industry – the single largest force...