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Authorities in Kerala have issued widespread weather warnings as a strengthening atmospheric circulation over the southeast Arabian Sea intensifies rainfall across multiple districts. The India Meteorological Department has placed seven districts—Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam—under a yellow alert, signifying expected rainfall between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm in a 24-hour period. The advisory also highlights the possibility of thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching up to 40 km/h.

The underlying weather trigger is a low-pressure system that formed over the Strait of Malacca and adjoining Andaman Sea around 22 November, and is forecast to develop into a depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal by 24 November. This system is expected to bring moisture-laden winds into the region, maintaining wet conditions over the coming days.

Forecasters report that isolated areas in Kerala may receive 7–11 cm of rainfall in a 24-hour window between 22 and 26 November, with similar conditions flagged for the nearby Lakshadweep archipelago. Fisherfolk along coastal waters have been advised to refrain from venturing out due to rough sea conditions and winds of 35–55 km/h.

The yellow alert classifications carry significant implications for life and infrastructure. Local officials note heightened risk of waterlogging on roads, reduced visibility in hill-tracks and potential disruption of the ongoing Sabarimala pilgrimage season. Devotees travelling between Sannidanam, Pampa and Nilakkal are being urged to adjust plans and monitor weather updates.

On the marine front, maritime authorities have warned deep-sea vessels to return to the nearest harbour by Tuesday and advised fishermen along the Kerala and Lakshadweep coasts to suspend operations. Similar advisories extend to the coast of south Tamil Nadu and the Gulf of Mannar up to Wednesday as the system may increase wave activity further.

Looking at district-specific schedules, the IMD indicates that on 24 November, yellow warnings will shift to Palakkad and Malappuram alongside the core list of districts; on 25 and 26 November, the alert is expected to persist in the earlier-listed seven districts.

While yellow alerts are not the most severe classification, the extended duration of the weather system and its broad geographic footprint warrant strong preparedness. Infrastructure officials are monitoring river and dam levels, road-maintenance crews are on standby for landslide-prone zones in the Western Ghats, and local governments have begun messaging on minimizing non-essential travel.

Kerala has faced heavy rainfall challenges in past years, including major landslides in 2024 and 2018 that underlined the vulnerability of hill-terrain regions. That history adds urgency to current warnings and reinforces the need for preventive action.

As the state transitions into the winter season, this spell of sustained rainfall poses a dual risk of flooding and landslides, especially where hillside stability has been compromised by prior weather events. Hydrology experts emphasise monitoring of water-storage levels in reservoirs, the drainage readiness of urban areas and the real-time condition of key pilgrimage routes and forest paths.

By R. Suryamurthy India’s student mobility crisis is no longer a question of data, it is an indictment of a system that has refused to reform while the world moved on. The new NITI Aayog paper does not so much analyse this imbalance as expose it. The numbers are brutal: for every foreign student who […]

The article India’s Higher-Education System Is Driving Students Out — Not Bringing The World In appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

By Dr. Gyan Pathak By the Day 9 November 18, the COP30at Belem (Amazonia) under the Brazilian Presidency recorded several achievements, but the two key issues still remain sticking points – financing the climate action, and clear roadmap for phasing out of fossil fuels. We have now three days to go until the last day […]

The article COP30 So Far Have Some Achievements, But Finance Remains A Sticking Point appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Beijing has initiated sweeping agricultural trade measures targeting the United States, Canada and the European Union as a means to counter duties imposed on Chinese electric vehicles. The move centres on sectors worth billions of dollars in export value and signals a new front in the global tariff standoff as Chinese factories ramp up global auto-sales ambitions.

According to official announcements and industry trackers, China imposed tariffs and import restrictions on major agricultural products including soybeans, pork, canola and cognac after Western governments raised tariffs on Chinese EV imports—some reaching 100 per cent in the US, and up to 35 per cent in the EU. Those duties stemmed from concerns about subsidised manufacturing, imports displacing domestic output and national-security implications tied to EV supply-chains.

One Chinese commercial diplomat told Canadian media that Ottawa’s export restraints on Chinese EVs directly triggered Beijing’s agriculture penalties. Canadian farmers in canola and pulses markets have already seen orders plummet and export corridors shut or taxed heavily. European spirits producers also face duties: cognac exports to China, valued at around $1.7 billion annually, have dropped by about 35 per cent since the levy took effect.

Analysts say the strategy is calculated. While China’s domestic market remains protected from full import competition, its international agriculture import volumes give Beijing leverage. An academic at Peking University noted that “a slight adjustment in China’s import preferences can ripple through farming regions and rural constituencies that carry significant political weight”. By focusing on sectors with concentrated politically-sensitive producers, China increases the pressure on Western governments to reconsider EV levies.

On the Western side, officials are signalling that they are unlikely to surrender their EV-tariff stance. A senior analyst at a Brussels-based think-tank said that the European Commission had “clearly shown that it was not willing to back down from the EV case”, citing China’s rapid auto-industry progress and state-support programmes. With climate targets and supply-chain security on the table, Western capitals view EV tariffs as integral to domestic industry viability.

Yet the backlash in agriculture could be deeper and more enduring than the EV duties themselves. A supply-chain expert explained that new contracts, logistics investments and alternative-buyer relationships developed in response to Chinese import suspensions may lock in shifts for years to come. In concrete terms, U. S. soybean farmers—who sold $12.6 billion worth to China in 2024—have seen export volumes fall to zero for key new-crop shipments, while Canadian producers of rapeseed and pea oil are facing a near-complete market closure under 100 per cent tariffs.

Observers point out that agriculture is an especially potent tool in trade diplomacy because it touches multiple layers of the economy: from regional employment to global commodity markets and corporate finances. By wielding farm-product bans or tariffs, Beijing can inflict political damage in sending countries while avoiding direct escalation of high-tech sectors where Western governments might respond more aggressively.

For Western farm sectors the choices are stark. Some firms are exploring alternative markets in Latin America, Africa or South-East Asia, while others are pressing their governments for compensation or trade-negotiation efforts. Meanwhile, Western trade officials are increasingly emphasising diversification of supply-chains away from China, which may dampen China’s leverage over time.

Cybersecurity breaches are becoming an increasingly costly issue for Indian enterprises, with nearly a quarter of organisations reporting losses exceeding $1 million over the past three years. This has prompted a sharp uptick in cybersecurity spending, especially in artificial intelligence and cloud security solutions, as businesses aim to protect themselves from sophisticated cyber threats. However, the sector still faces significant challenges, particularly in securing skilled talent to manage the growing complexity of cyber risks.

A recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers highlights that 23% of Indian businesses have incurred losses of over $1 million due to cyber incidents, underscoring the severity of the issue. These breaches range from data theft and ransomware attacks to more advanced persistent threats targeting critical infrastructure. PwC’s findings suggest that the financial impact on Indian firms is only likely to rise as cybercriminals become more organised and capable, exploiting vulnerabilities in emerging technologies and systems.

The shift towards digital transformation and cloud adoption has undoubtedly exposed businesses to greater risk, with sensitive data being increasingly stored and accessed online. According to PwC, the cloud is now seen as both a critical business enabler and a potential vulnerability. As cloud infrastructures evolve, they are often targeted by cybercriminals seeking to exploit misconfigurations and inadequate security protocols.

In response, Indian businesses are ramping up their cybersecurity investments. Spending on AI-driven security solutions is one of the key focus areas. These technologies allow businesses to proactively identify and neutralise threats in real-time, enabling a faster response to evolving attack patterns. AI is particularly useful for detecting abnormal behaviour and potential risks that traditional security systems might miss. It is also being leveraged for predictive analytics to foresee potential vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.

However, despite the increased allocation of funds towards cybersecurity, the shortage of skilled professionals remains a significant roadblock. The demand for cybersecurity experts far outweighs the supply, with firms struggling to recruit individuals with the necessary expertise in areas such as AI, cloud security, and threat intelligence. The PwC report indicates that many organisations are forced to rely on third-party vendors to manage their cybersecurity needs, further driving up costs.

Experts suggest that to address the talent gap, Indian firms must invest in long-term solutions, such as upskilling existing employees and forging partnerships with educational institutions to nurture the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. The government has also been urged to play a more proactive role by fostering public-private collaborations to enhance the country’s overall cybersecurity ecosystem.

The rise of AI and cloud technologies has, however, brought additional complexities. While these tools can greatly improve security, they also introduce new attack vectors. Cloud environments, if not managed properly, can expose businesses to significant risks, including data breaches and unauthorised access. Moreover, the increased use of AI-driven solutions can create new challenges, such as ensuring the ethical deployment of AI and protecting against adversarial AI attacks.

Despite these hurdles, the Indian cybersecurity landscape is expected to see significant improvements over the coming years. As businesses continue to embrace AI and cloud technologies, security budgets are likely to increase, with a stronger emphasis on automated security measures and real-time threat detection. Additionally, as the global cyber threat landscape evolves, businesses are expected to collaborate more closely with government agencies and international organisations to stay ahead of cybercriminals.

An in‑depth probe by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists has unveiled a sprawling network of criminal finance powered by cryptocurrencies, highlighting how digital asset platforms, cash‑to‑crypto storefronts and unregulated exchange desks have become central to laundering money for human‑trafficking rings, drug cartels and Russian organised crime groups. The investigation, under the title “The Coin Laundry”, involved more than 100 journalists across 38 news outlets and casts a harsh light on how the crypto‑space has evolved into a parallel shadow financial system.

The core finding of the ICIJ project is that thousands of transactions—ranging from hundreds of millions of dollars—have flowed through crypto platforms that either lacked robust anti‑money‑laundering safeguards or deliberately facilitated anonymity. Some of the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges are shown to have moved hundreds of millions in funds tied to illicit actors even after criminal pleas and enforcement actions. The scale and the reach of the systems uncovered suggest that the digital‑asset industry has matured from niche speculation into a global conduit for organised illicit flows.

The architecture of this criminal system reveals several layers. First, cash‑to‑crypto storefronts operating in places like Dubai, Toronto and other jurisdictions emerge as physical bridges where cash is converted into crypto away from traditional banking rails. These outlets, according to the investigation, serve entities that “have lots of cash they want to offload without using a bank”. Secondly, certain crypto exchanges and wallets have been used to take funds from traffickers, drug networks or Russian criminal gangs, convert them into digital assets, transfer those across borders, then convert back into fiat currencies—often in jurisdictions with weak enforcement. Thirdly, mixers, anonymised cryptocurrencies and opaque wallet‑chains have enabled the origin and destination of funds to be obscured, making law‑enforcement tracking significantly harder.

Criminal networks profiting from these systems include people‑trafficking racks, where victims are moved across borders and payment flows routed via crypto; drug cartels that convert illicit cash into digital tokens to hide funds and move value swiftly; and Russian organised crime groups that make use of sanctions‑evading platforms to transfer funds internationally. The investigation points out how several Russian‑linked exchanges came under scrutiny after moving billions in assets on behalf of sanctioned individuals.

For regulators and law‑enforcement agencies, the ICIJ findings pose a serious challenge. Cryptocurrency was once hailed for its transparency because of blockchain traceability, yet the system has matured into one where anonymisation tools, cross‑jurisdictional flows and cash‑on‑ramps erode that promise. One analysis notes how the boundaryless nature of crypto and cash conversions has “erased national borders” in laundering schemes. The combination of weak regulatory oversight, technological complexity and global jurisdictional gaps means that the crypto sector now offers potentials previously reserved for traditional offshore banking and shell‑company networks.

From a regulatory‑policy perspective the report surfaces key faultlines. Many exchanges either operate in regulatory grey zones or rely on lax “know your customer” checks, enabling high‑risk actors to open accounts and move funds. The ICIJ investigation underscores how crypto to cash workflows are particularly acute in jurisdictions where enforcement is weak or cash‑based storefronts operate with minimal oversight. In India for example, investigators found that 144 cases over three years involved crypto routes used to funnel stolen or illicit cyber‑crime proceeds into global syndicates. That observation underscores how burgeoning crypto markets in emerging economies may be especially vulnerable to exploitation.

Industries beyond crypto feel the fallout. Traditional banking institutions face reputational risk when their clients or connected transactions use crypto intermediaries. Law‑enforcement agencies face mounting costs tracing and investigating these flows when the end‑destination is hidden behind layers of wallets or front businesses. Victims of people‑trafficking or drug networks often find no effective path to recovery, as the digital funds vanish into complex webs. One ICIJ commentary notes that while crypto platforms have profited from these illicit flows, those harmed are “left with little hope of justice”.

The ecosystem enabling this laundering structure demonstrates a careful interplay of legitimate and illegitimate actors. On one side are mainstream crypto exchanges, sometimes guilty of compliance failures or negligent oversight; on the other are fringe services—mixers that convert one token to another to obfuscate origins, anonymous coins such as Monero, and cash‑to‑crypto kiosks possibly operating in jurisdictions with lax enforcement. In the French legal reform context, a law recognising funds passing through anonymisation tools as part of money‑laundering was introduced, acknowledging how tools once fringe are now central to criminal flows.

From the enforcement standpoint the challenge is two‑fold: tracing funds and prosecuting high‑level actors. Blockchain analytics can trace token flows, but when the end‑recipient wallet is converted into cash via shadow exchanges or laundromats, it becomes a near‑impossible task. This is compounded when jurisdictions refuse to cooperate or when the conversion happens in physical storefronts beyond bank controls. One academic note highlights that conventional AML practices struggle to detect “subgraph” laundering patterns that exploit layered wallet behaviour and network effects.

The global regulatory environment currently appears mismatched to the scale of the problem. While policy makers have begun to act—such as the French law targeting anonymisation tools—many jurisdictions lack the statutory frameworks or enforcement resources to address crypto‑laundering at scale. Regulatory gaps are further compounded when major jurisdictions focus only on tokens traded on exchanges rather than on emerging narratives involving cash‑to‑crypto desks, unregulated decentralized platforms or off‑ramp services. One commentator described the flow from cash into crypto as “after tax‑havens, dirty money finds a new home: cryptocurrency”.

From a financial‑crime perspective, the finding that major exchanges still processed illicit funds even after criminal prosecutions signifies systemic weakness. This suggests that bad‑actor networks can rely on deep pockets, jurisdiction shifting and complex intermediaries to keep funds moving. The ICIJ investigation lists two of the world’s largest exchanges moving hundreds of millions in illicit funds after pleading guilty to crimes related to money laundering. These revelations raise questions about whether enough internal controls exist in the high‑volume crypto market and whether enforcement action has produced meaningful change.

The implications for victims of organised crime and for global governance are stark. For people trafficking survivors the money flows support networks that exploit human lives yet vanish into anonymous wallets across jurisdictions, making asset recovery and restitution extremely difficult. For drug‑trafficking networks, the agility and cross‑border speed of crypto conversion process provide large scale advantage. For states dealing with sanctions enforcement, the ability of crypto platforms to host cross‑border flows undermines the effectiveness of sanctions regimes.

While the ICIJ investigation sets out a clearer map of how these systems function, it also signals that the public and private sectors face an urgent need for stronger deterrence. Some proposals include mandatory global standards for exchange KYC/AML, registration of cash‑to‑crypto on‑ramp services, enhanced international cooperation for wallet tracing, seizure frameworks for anonymised funds and real‑time monitoring of conversion windows. A related academic analysis recommends adopting subgraph‑based network detection systems to identify laundering patterns earlier.

Industry players replying to the revelations argue that the bulk of legitimate crypto transactions are untainted and that enhancements to compliance are underway. Exchanges emphasise that transparency is improving with on‑chain traceability and that many illicit flows represent a small fraction of total volume. Some operators point out that regulators themselves are still developing the controls needed for a digital‑asset environment and that over‑regulation risks stifling innovation.

In parallel, a cultural shift is emerging where law‑enforcement bodies increasingly view crypto not just as a speculative market but as a core part of the financial‑crime ecosystem. Tasks once reserved for tracking offshore shell companies or cash couriers now must include tracing smart‑contracts, wallet clusters and token flows across borders. That evolution places a premium on technological capacity, inter‑agency cooperation and jurisdiction‑bridging legal tools.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, has drastically reduced its holdings in a range of US-listed companies, including notable names like Pinterest Inc. and Linde Plc, marking a significant shift in its investment strategy. The move, which took place during the third quarter, reflects a broader recalibration of the fund’s international portfolio, as its stake in US equities dropped to its lowest level in nearly a year.

The PIF, valued at approximately $1 trillion, exited positions in nearly a dozen companies, signaling a shift away from some major US stocks. Alongside Pinterest and Linde, the fund also sold its entire stake in Prologis Inc. and Air Products and Chemicals Inc. This latter company is involved in the co-development of a green hydrogen plant in Neom, a major infrastructure project that is central to Saudi Arabia’s ambitious Vision 2030 goals.

The decision to divest from such high-profile firms raises questions about the long-term strategy of the PIF, which has been a key player in driving economic diversification and attracting international investment into the kingdom. The fund’s move comes as part of a broader effort to diversify its portfolio, reducing exposure to certain industries while increasing investments in sectors like technology, entertainment, and renewable energy, which align more closely with Saudi Arabia’s future growth ambitions.

Despite the sell-off, the PIF has maintained its commitment to expanding its investments in sectors aligned with its Vision 2030 objectives. The PIF has been a driving force behind many of Saudi Arabia’s high-profile investments, including backing for initiatives like the Red Sea Development Project, entertainment ventures, and tech giants. However, the recent pullback from US stocks suggests a possible shift towards domestic and regional investments, as well as a greater focus on emerging markets and future-facing industries.

The exit from Pinterest and Linde is noteworthy given the size and profile of these companies. Pinterest, a popular social media platform, has faced challenges in terms of user growth and profitability, while Linde, a leading industrial gas firm, has seen its stock fluctuate in line with broader economic trends. Prologis, a real estate investment trust focused on logistics, has benefitted from the global e-commerce boom but has been impacted by changing market dynamics in the logistics and real estate sectors. Meanwhile, Air Products’ involvement in green hydrogen is central to its long-term growth strategy, and the PIF’s decision to divest from this project could signal a rethinking of its commitment to certain green initiatives.

The PIF’s latest moves are part of a larger trend among sovereign wealth funds globally to recalibrate their investment portfolios in response to shifting economic conditions, including rising inflation, fluctuating commodity prices, and growing geopolitical uncertainty. These factors have made traditional investments in stocks and bonds more volatile, prompting funds like the PIF to seek greater diversification and look for opportunities in less conventional markets, including technology startups and renewable energy.

Saudi Arabia’s economic strategy under Vision 2030 has focused on reducing the country’s reliance on oil revenues and investing in new industries to create sustainable long-term growth. This vision has influenced the PIF’s approach, which has actively pursued investments in global tech companies, entertainment, and infrastructure projects. The fund has also sought to boost its international profile through high-profile investments in companies like Uber, Lucid Motors, and the Electric Vehicle market.

By Nitya Chakraborty The NDA led by the BJP has swept the assembly polls in Bihar stunning the RJD and the other constituents of the INDIA Bloc by the extent of the win of the NDA constituents in the 243 member state assembly. The initial results till this afternoon indicate that the NDA has got […]

The article INDIA Bloc Must Take Proper Lessons From Big Jolt In Bihar Assembly Polls appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

An estimated US$300 million worth of long positions in the cryptocurrency market were wiped out within a short period, exposing vulnerabilities in high-leverage trading and sparking fresh concern among market participants. While the exact timeframe remains disputed, data aggregated from multiple analytics platforms show a sharp spike in forced liquidations as asset prices slipped.

According to the real-time liquidation monitor on one analytics service, the past 24 hours have seen unusually high volumes of closed long positions, with the tally edging near US$300 million. Other reports suggest the figure may have occurred over the span of 60 minutes, with industry social-alerts estimating that magnitude of losses among long traders.

Prices of flagship assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum registered meaningful intra-day declines, which in turn triggered liquidation cascades. Data from the analytics platform show that the leverage unwind was heavily concentrated among long bets, meaning traders expecting prices to rise were forced out as conditions reversed. Market analysts point to a surrender of bullish momentum: the chain reaction begins when a leveraged long position is liquidated, driving asset-sales and pushing prices lower, which in turn triggers further liquidations. This creates a self-reinforcing decline until the excess leverage is cleaned out.

This manoeuvre comes at a moment when structural shifts are underway in the crypto ecosystem. On-chain research indicates that institutional players are absorbing large volumes of bitcoin—almost 300,000 BTC or around US$33 billion—since mid-year, signalling a migration of risk away from retail-leveraged positions into longer-term holdings. That migration may be insulating a lot of the market from large draw-downs, but it also leaves the leveraged short-term traders exposed.

Some analysts interpret the liquidation event as a symptom of broader fragility in the derivatives market. The platform that tracks open interest and funding rates flagged elevated levels of long-side leverage prior to the drop, suggesting that the market had been overloaded with bullish bets. Once price momentum stalled, forced liquidations acted as a trigger for a more acute correction. The effect tends to be more severe when a large proportion of leverage lies on one side of the trade.

While the spot market for major cryptos held up relatively well compared with past extreme episodes, the liquidation event raises questions about crowd positioning and risk management. The analytics firm responsible for the heat-map data emphasises that while asset prices can stay elevated, the presence of large clustered leveraged trades makes the market susceptible to sharp draw-downs. From a regulatory and risk-framework perspective, the event may amplify calls for more transparent oversight of derivatives platforms given the interconnectedness of spot-and-futures exposures.

From the retail trader’s standpoint, the message is clear: heavy use of leverage in a complex and volatile market increases the potential for rapid and large losses. Several traders active in online forums noted one recurring theme: when the dominoes fall, they fall quickly. Nonetheless, the institutional shift described in bitcoin ownership data suggests that the broader market may be entering a more mature phase, wherein spot liquidity and accumulation replace the wild speculative cycles of earlier years.

In the derivatives space, the major platforms are likely to re-evaluate margin-requirements and risk-controls. Some executives in the sector previously flagged that the previous cycle’s wild leverage growth was unsustainable. This latest liquidation incident could prompt exchanges to tighten conditions, potentially increasing costs for leveraged trading and reducing the appeal of highly-geared positions.