Former Punjab CM Sukhbir Singh Badal today visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar on a wheelchair to begin a punishment by the Akal Takht for supporting Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim in the 2015 sacrilege case. He admitted his mistake and was directed to clean kitchens and toilets in several gurdwaras as a sewadar. 

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed the Parliament today that India-China relations have improved and reaffirmed the government’s emphasis on diplomatic engagement.  

Food delivery platform Swiggy’s Q2 FY25 losses narrowed to Rs 625.5 crore, from Rs 657 crore a year ago. Losses were however higher than the Rs 611 crore in Q1 FY25.  

Bangladesh’s acting foreign secretary summoned India’s High Commissioner Pranay Verma today after 50 protesters entered the premises of the Assistant High Commission in Dhaka’s Agartala on Monday. 

The breach comes amid tensions over the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Das 

Former Punjab CM Sukhbir Singh Badal today visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar on a wheelchair to begin a punishment by the Akal Takht

Sukhbir Singh Badal, Jaishankar, Swiggy result, Bangladesh-ISKCON issue & more

State-owned Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) will invest Rs 61,000 crore to set up a naphtha cracker project at Paradip in Odisha, a statement said on Tuesday.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this will be signed between the Odisha government and the IOCL in January during the 'Utkarsh Odisha  Make in Odisha 2025' summit, it said.
The foundation stone of the IOC's upcoming Rs 4,352 crore yarn project at Bhadrak will also be laid at that time, it added.
The decisions were taken at a meeting between Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and IOCL Chairman AS Sahney in Bhubaneswar.
"The Naphtha Project in Paradeep has received in principle approval and IOCL will invest over Rs 61,000 crore for the project. It is likely to be one of the largest projects in the sector in the country. The State Government is an equity holder of this project, and will earn dividends in addition to taxes," said the statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office.
"It was also decided that, the foundati

The decisions were taken at a meeting between Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and IOCL Chairman AS Sahney in Bhubaneswar

Lexmark, spun off in 1991 by International Business Machines Corp., is already a partner and supplier to Xerox

Born in Chennai, Krishnan's life took a pivotal turn when he persuaded his father to buy him a computer. He later became a well-known figure in the technology world of Silicon Valley and beyond

The regulator had sought "expressions of interest" (EoI) in July to build home-grown satellite constellations as part of a broader strategy to monetize the sector and ensure data sovereignty

A 72-hour shutdown by pony wallas, shopkeepers, and other proprietors will begin on Wednesday to protest against a proposed ropeway project in Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.
The Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Sangarsh Samiti announced the strike Tuesday, stating that all activities in Katra would remain suspended during the bandh.
"We have announced a 72-hour bandh in Katra starting tomorrow against the ropeway project. We seek the support of all residents of Katra to make the strike successful," a Samiti spokesperson said.
He said the administration had initially promised to hold a meeting on December 23 but postponed it to 3 pm today.
"We met the Deputy Commissioner today. They sought more time to discuss the issue with higher authorities. Therefore, we have decided to proceed with the strike," he said.
Last month, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board decided to install the ropeway to facilitate access to the temple for senior citizens, childr

The proposed Rs 250-crore project will connect Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat, leading to the Reasi district's cave shrine

The social media clip purportedly features a man making inflammatory remarks against Hinduism and political figures while threatening acts of terror during key dates of the upcoming Maha Kumbh

Job creation, improving farm productivity, and mobilising public funds for infrastructure development were some of the issues that figured during the interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and economists ahead of the 2025-26 Union Budget.
The Prime Minister on Tuesday met eminent economists and sectoral experts at NITI Aayog to hear their views and suggestions for the upcoming Budget.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Budget for 2025-26 in the Lok Sabha on February 1, 2025.
According to an official statement, the Prime Minister emphasised that Viksit Bharat can be achieved through a fundamental change in mindset, which is focused towards making India developed by 2047.
The participants shared their views on several issues, including navigating challenges posed by global economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions, strategies to enhance employment particularly among the youth, and create sustainable job opportunities across ...

Prime Minister Modi emphasised that Viksit Bharat can be achieved through a fundamental change in mindset, which is focused towards making India developed by 2047

Seek relief from state levies, Customs duties, pitch for single window clearance system

Russia-Ukraine War

The year 2022 is coming to an end and a lot has happened that shaped the world in the year. Let's have a look at some of these significant events

In February 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine&amp;#39;s capital, Kyiv, from the north in an attempt to overthrow President Volodymyr Zelensky&amp;#39;s government. In the months following, artillery bombardment and street fighting continued, with Russia seizing multiple cities.

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After a slew of scandals in his term spanning three years, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned from office in July. Johnson was succeeded by Liz Truss, who took over the office in September.
						
						But after 45 days in the office, she resigned, becoming the shortest-serving PM in UK history. Her budgetary plans, at the centre of which were tax cut plans, had crashed the markets, making her lose the confidence of almost all her own MPs.
						
						In the days that followed, Rishi Sunak took over as Britain&amp;#39;s 57th prime minister and vowed to fix the mistakes made by his predecessor, Liz Truss.

Russia Invades Ukraine

In April, protests began in the nation following a sharp rise in food and fuel costs. Thousands demanded the resignation of now-ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The people faced long power cuts daily and shortages of basics, including fuel and food. Sri Lanka&amp;#39;s doctors said they were nearly out of life-saving medicines.
						
						Rajapaksa&amp;#39;s government was being blamed for the chronic mismanagement of the country&amp;#39;s finances. In July, protestors stormed Rajapaksa&amp;#39;s home, pushing him to flee the nation before resigning from office.

UK&amp;#39;s political crisis

In September, 22-year-old Iranian girl Mahsa Amini died after being detained for allegedly violating Iran&amp;#39;s laws requiring women to wear a headscarf. Authorities said she died of illness, but her family claimed she fell into a coma after being mistreated by the police. Sources said the police beat Amini with a baton and banged her head against a vehicle. At her funeral on September 17 in Saqez, women protested by ripping off their hijabs. Protests sparked by her demise have since roped in ethnic minorities and even school children. Thousands of women since then have been showing solidarity by cutting their hair and burning their hijabs in public.
						
						Now, the unrest has spread beyond a women&amp;#39;s right to a movement that is calling for an end to theocratic rule. The protests are now the most broadly supported movement in Iran in over four decades.

Sri Lanka economic crisis

In October, Chinese President Xi Jinping was handed a historic third term in office. He became the first leader of the ruling Communist Party after party founder Mao Zedong to get a third term in power.
						
						This came as China&amp;#39;s economy was running out of steam after decades of high growth. Many expect Xi&amp;#39;s third term may see China revert to more old-school economic management, focusing on shoring up the heavy industry and continuing a crackdown on big tech.

Uprising mounts again in Iran

In a historic first, rich countries agreed to pay for losses and damages caused by climate change. For 30 years, developing nations have been calling for developed countries to compensate for the costs of climate disasters caused by climate change. And rich nations that caused the pollution resisted the demand. But this changed in 2022.

Chinese President Xi Jinping starts record third term in power

In 2022, inflation was rising worldwide, with food and energy prices hitting record highs. The hike was mainly driven by pent-up consumer demand after the pandemic and Russia&amp;#39;s invasion of Ukraine. As the pandemic waned, people wanted to return to normalcy and spend more. This led to companies demanding higher prices. Companies also hired more to serve the pent-up demand. They had to increase wages to attract workers and raise prices to compensate for that.

A landmark deal UN Climate Change Conference (COP27)

In September, Queen Elizabeth II, Britain&amp;#39;s longest-serving monarch, died at 96 after reigning for 70 years. Many said her death would mark a turning point for commonwealth nations as many may disassociate themselves.

The global economy at crossroads

In October, Brazil&amp;#39;s former president, Luiz In&amp;aacute;cio Lula da Silva beat Jair Bolsonaro in the country&amp;#39;s closest presidential race in history. Silva&amp;#39;s win marked Latin America&amp;#39;s shift to the left and pointed to an extraordinary comeback for a man in jail for corruption three years ago.

Queen Elizabeth II dies

In October, billionaire Elon Musk closed his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter after months of dilly-dallying, drama and a lawsuit. The Tesla owner&amp;#39;s Twitter takeover is also one of the biggest tech acquisitions of all time. May fear that Musk&amp;#39;s takeover may turn the social media giant into a hotbed of hate speech.
					
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Brazil elections

Google Messages

In January, Google rolled out end-to-end encryption in group chats for messages app users enrolled in the beta programme

Blend launches Blend Studio: AI tool for ecommerce photography

New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI/PNN): Blend, an AI-powered design and photography application for DTC brands and ecommerce sellers, recently launched Blend Studio - the Chat GPT for product photos.

Celebrity and Travel Photographer Rahul Lokare from Flamingo Productions creates waves of change in the world of photography.

Xiaomi 13 Pro

Priced at Rs 79,999 for the 12GB RAM and 256GB on-board storage, the Xiaomi 13 Pro offers a novel imaging experience on top of a premium package

Sukhbir Singh Badal, Jaishankar, Swiggy result, Bangladesh-ISKCON issue & more

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