Author: Bhakti Narayanan

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been stranded in space since their Boeing Starliner capsule departed without them, discussed their challenges on Friday. The duo expressed their frustrations over the prolonged mission, which now looks set to extend beyond the initially planned eight days to possibly more than eight months. This extension follows NASA’s decision to keep them in orbit after the Starliner, which was intended to return them, experienced significant issues. Wilmore and Williams made their first public statements since the Starliner’s return last week. They acknowledged the difficulties of their situation, noting that it was disheartening…

On September 21, President Joe Biden is set to host the fourth in-person Quad Leaders Summit in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware. This will be the first time as president that Biden welcomes foreign leaders to his birthplace. He will be joined by Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed that Biden is eager to receive the prime ministers, reflecting the significance of the Quad partnership to all the nations involved. According to Jean-Pierre, the Biden-Harris administration has placed a high priority on strengthening…

According to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS, Vice President Kamala Harris is widely regarded as having outperformed Donald Trump in their recent presidential debate. The poll shows that 63% of debate viewers felt Harris performed better, compared to 37% who favoured Trump. This contrasts with a pre-debate poll by The New York Times and Siena College, which had indicated a close race between the two candidates. Harris’ supporters overwhelmingly felt she excelled, with 96% rating her performance as superior, while only 69% of Trump’s backers agreed he did well. Harris was noted for provoking Trump into defensive reactions on…

Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks in the United States, questioning whether Sikhs will be able to wear their turban and ‘kada’ or visit Gurdwaras under the BJP-led regime, are at odds with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demonstrated respect for Sikh culture. Modi has been seen wearing a Sikh turban during his visit to Takhat Sri Harminder Ji Patna Sahib in Bihar in May and has actively participated in Sikh customs, including cooking and serving Langar. During election rallies in Punjab, Modi was also seen sporting a Sikh turban. Two years ago, Modi hosted a Sikh delegation at his residence and wore…

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, arrived in New Delhi on Monday for his inaugural two-day visit to India. This visit is intended to enhance bilateral relations across various sectors. Welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House, Sheikh Khaled’s arrival on Sunday followed a formal invitation from Modi. The External Affairs Ministry highlighted this diplomatic occasion with photographs of the warm reception, describing Sheikh Khaled as a “close friend.” MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal tweeted about the friendly welcome extended by PM Modi to Sheikh Khaled. During his visit, Sheikh Khaled is…

Each year, millions flock to the bustling, rain-drenched streets of Mumbai for a pilgrimage of sorts to catch a glimpse of the revered Lalbaugcha Raja. This iconic 14-foot statue of Lord Ganesha embodies a deep sense of devotion that draws countless devotees, regardless of their ties to the city. The enduring legacy and tradition surrounding the Lalbaugcha Raja have cemented its status as a significant cultural and spiritual symbol. The tradition of Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai began as a response to a period of hardship. In the early 1900s, Lalbaug was home to about 100 textile mills that, while booming,…

The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has recently approved the development of 12 industrial smart cities across six major industrial corridors in ten states under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP). These states include Uttarakhand, Punjab, Maharashtra, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan. An Industrial Smart City is a modern urban area that uses advanced technology and data analytics to enhance industrial efficiency and promote sustainable development. The cities aim to attract foreign investment, boost domestic manufacturing, and create employment opportunities. Key features of these cities include ‘plug-and-play’ industrial parks, which provide ready-to-use…

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das highlighted a significant uptick in rural demand within the Indian economy, driven by growth in private consumption and investment as reflected in the latest GDP figures. Addressing the FIBAC 2024 conference in Mumbai, Das pointed out that recent data from FMCG companies indicates a revival in rural demand. He noted that private consumption, making up around 56 percent of total demand, has seen a significant growth rate of 7.4 percent. This represents a substantial rebound from a mere 4 percent growth in the latter half of the previous year, reinforcing the recovery of rural demand.” Das…

The World Bank has upgraded India’s growth outlook for this financial year, boosting it from 6.6% to a vibrant 7%. This upward adjustment is largely attributed to the government’s increased focus on infrastructure spending. According to the World Bank’s India Development Update, this surge in growth is fueled by heightened public investment in infrastructure and a rise in household investments within the real estate sector. On the supply side, the manufacturing sector demonstrated remarkable strength, growing by 9.9%, while the resilient services sector helped offset weaknesses in agriculture. Although growth slowed to 6.7% in the first quarter of FY25 due…

Mr. Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) at the Ministry of External Affairs, announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Brunei from September 3-4 and Singapore from September 4-5. This trip marks Modi’s first return to the region in six years. Mazumdar emphasised India’s keen interest in advancing semiconductor collaboration with Singapore, citing the country’s extensive experience and integration into the global semiconductor market. He expressed anticipation that this visit will strengthen the partnership, particularly as Singapore expands its operations in India. Mazumdar also pointed out that Singapore’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) reached US$ 11.77 billion last year. On…