South Korea banned its financial institutions from dealing in virtual currencies such as Bitcoin, as the cryptocurrency soars in a bubble fuelled by retail speculator. Bitcoin prices have surged globally this year, soaring from less than $1,000 in January to $17,000 this week. The hyper-wired country has emerged as a hotbed for cryptocurrency trading, accounting for some 20 per cent of global Bitcoin transactions—about 10 times its share of the world economy.
SC to take up Aadhaar linking case on Thursday
A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said petitions challenging the constitutional validity of mandatory linking of Aadhaar to various schemes will be heard on December 14. The petitioners are pressing for an extension of interim relief on the mandatory linking of Aadhaar to various schemes, including bank accounts and mobile numbers. The government has already lifted the December 31 deadline for the linking of Aadhaar with bank accounts and PAN.
New finding on Ram Setu
The claim made in a new show of a US science channel that the 'Ram Setu' is man-made and not natural has reaffirmed the stand of the BJP on the issue, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. In a promo for its upcoming show, the channel quotes an archaeologist that the rocks on top of sand pre-date the sand. Prasad hit out at the UPA government for filing an affidavit in the Supreme Court questioning the belief that the land bridge was built by Lord Ram to reach then Lanka to rescue his wife Sita.
Not enjoying dealing with Pak: Tillerson
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said he does not enjoy dealing with Pakistan as the mutal relationship has "drifted over the years". He said the two countries should find ways as to how they could work together to bring stability and peace to the whole region. Tillerson said that President Donald Trump took a very bold decision by asserting that the US will be in Afghanistan with its military presence and continue to fight terrorism.
Google opens AI research lab in China
The tech giant Google announced launching of a research lab focused on artificial intelligence in China. Focused on basic AI research, the lab will consist of a team of AI researchers in Beijing, supported by the company's engineering teams. Currently Google has AI resarch facilities in New York, London, Zürich and Toronto.