Author: Akancha Mishra

Varun Dhawan’s highly awaited action-thriller Baby John premiered globally today, setting a new milestone in his career with the actor’s widest release to date. Spanning over 1,250 screens across 1,000+ locations in 75+ countries, the Christmas morning debut of this mass entertainer brought festive excitement to fans worldwide. The unprecedented scale of Baby John’s release highlights Varun Dhawan’s rising influence as an international star, cementing his status as a global Bollywood icon. The film, directed by Atlee and featuring music by Thaman S, showcases an adrenaline-fueled storyline with stellar performances, ensuring audiences around the world experience its thrill simultaneously. Baby…

Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) extended warm Christmas wishes to people on Earth. Despite being far from home, Williams shared a heartfelt message, wishing everyone a ‘Merry Christmas.’ The festive video showed the crew, wearing Santa caps, gathered around a small Christmas tree, creating a cheerful atmosphere in space. As the ISS Commander, Williams expressed her excitement at spending the holiday season with her six fellow crew members in orbit. In the video, she said, “Welcome to the International Space Station as we prepare for the Christmas holidays.” The crew shared…

India’s agriculture sector, which contributes 18% to the national GDP, has proven its resilience, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging stronger than many global counterparts. Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing the agricultural sector. During the Platinum Jubilee Conference of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (AERC) in Pune, he highlighted the importance of bringing agricultural research from laboratories to fields to benefit farmers directly. The minister highlighted the cultural significance of agriculture in India and its historical role in advocating global unity since World War…

NASA and ISRO have announced that their long-awaited Earth observation satellite, NISAR, will likely launch in March 2025, after delays pushed back its initial 2024 launch date. The NISAR satellite, developed jointly over a decade, will provide comprehensive monitoring of Earth’s ecosystems, land, and sea ice, with remarkable precision. Using dual-frequency radar—NASA’s L-band and ISRO’s S-band—NISAR will gather data to track environmental changes and monitor natural hazards. The satellite, weighing 2.8 tonnes, was first conceptualized following a 2014 agreement between India and the US. The satellite’s advanced radar capabilities will enable it to produce high-resolution images in all conditions, even…

India is set to initiate its Critical Mineral Mission in 2025, a landmark project designed to secure vital minerals for the nation’s green energy transition and the expansion of its electric vehicle industry. This ambitious initiative will bring together multiple ministries, industries, research institutions, and global think tanks to ensure a consistent and sustainable supply of essential minerals. As global demand for resources like lithium and cobalt intensifies, India aims to secure a competitive position by acquiring mineral assets, particularly in Australia, and attracting foreign investment. The demand for critical minerals is expected to rise sharply, driven by the electric…

Indian-origin Krish Raval, a leadership educator and inter-faith advocate, has been nominated for a life peerage in the UK House of Lords by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Raval, who was awarded an OBE in 2018 for his contributions to leadership education and inter-faith cohesion, is the Founder-Director of Faith in Leadership, a university-based organization promoting inter-faith relations. Raval’s nomination is part of a broader effort by Starmer’s Labor Party to balance representation in the House of Lords, where the Conservative Party currently holds the most seats. Among the 30 Labor Party nominees is Raval, alongside figures like former shadow minister…

India’s 2024 job market reflects significant transformation and adaptability. Over the years, hiring trends fluctuated, influenced by economic changes, advancements in technology, and the shifting dynamics of a modern workforce. While some sectors struggled initially, others gained momentum in later months. Key industries such as IT, FMCG, and pharmaceuticals led the way, with upskilling becoming critical to addressing widening skills gaps. According to Naukri’s hiring data, the first quarter experienced a cautious 10% year-on-year decline. By the second quarter, the job market stabilized, culminating in a strong recovery during the third quarter, particularly in the IT sector and emerging regional…

Indian Railways has completed the Pamban Bridge, marking a significant milestone as the country’s first vertical lift sea bridge. The new bridge connecting Mandapam on the Indian mainland to Pamban Island and Rameswaram is an impressive feat of modern engineering, executed by Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), a public sector entity under Indian Railways. Spanning 2.05 kilometers, the bridge consists of 100 spans, each measuring 19.3 meters, and features a navigational span of 63 meters, making it one of the world’s only two vertical lift bridges. The bridge design, created by the international consultancy TYPSA, adheres to both Indian and…

Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), has been named one of The Hill’s 24 Changemakers for 2024. At 35, Khan is the youngest-ever FTC chair and has gained a reputation as a trailblazer in antitrust law. Under her leadership, the FTC has actively pursued cases against powerful corporations like Amazon, Microsoft, and Lockheed Martin, focusing on consumer protection and antitrust enforcement. Khan’s efforts have drawn both praise and criticism, especially from big businesses and lawmakers, who have lobbied for her removal. Khan’s aggressive approach to antitrust law includes blocking major corporate mergers and addressing the issue of…

Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra, along with US Deputy Secretary Kurt Campbell and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer, visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, to review the progress in US-India space cooperation and discuss future initiatives.This visit followed a growing collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), highlighting key projects such as the upcoming launch of the NISAR satellite and the joint training of two ISRO astronauts for a mission to the International Space Station in 2025. During the visit, officials engaged with leaders from NASA and ISRO and…