A thick blanket of smog covered Delhi and its neighboring areas including Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad on Wednesday morning. Delhi recorded an air quality index (AQI) above 400, placing it in the 'Severe' range, while Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad registered 'Poor' air quality. The AQI in Faridabad stood at 188, falling in the 'Moderate' category.  An AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', 401 and 450 'severe' and above 450 'severe plus'.

A thick blanket of smog covered Delhi and its neighboring areas including Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad on Wednesday morning.

Thick smog envelops Delhi-NCR; AQI falls to 'severe' category

Thick smog envelops Delhi-NCR; AQI falls to ‘severe’ category

Car services and repair platform GoMechanic expects over three-fold rise in net revenue to Rs 700 crore by 2027 and thereafter go for public listing, a top official of the company said.
GoMechanic Co-Founder and CEO Himanshu Arora told PTI that the company at present has around 3 per cent market share and aims to raise it to 10 per cent in the next three years.
The company is also looking to diversify offerings, foraying into the two-wheeler and electric vehicle services segment.
"We sit at about 3 per cent of the market share right now and to be servicing every 1 car out of ten would be around 10 per cent by 2027. By 2027, we expect our brand to generate approximately Rs 700 crore in revenue. We believe that an IPO is a natural next step for GoMechanic's growth story," Arora said.
The company at present provides services through 800 garages across 125 cities and plans to scale up to 2,500 garages across 500 cities by 2027.
GoMechanic was acquired by Servizzy, a subsidiary of the 

GoMechanic Co-Founder and CEO Himanshu Arora told PTI that the company at present has around 3 per cent market share and aims to raise it to 10 per cent in the next three years

Hisense group, a China-based multinational appliance and electronics manufacturer, is in talks with Epack Durable to acquire a minority stake in a step-down subsidiary of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).
In a clarification to bourses on Tuesday, Epack Durable Private Limited (EDPL) said it is in discussions with the Chinese manufacturer.
"We would like to inform you that business discussions are currently in the preliminary stage," said Epack Durable.
The Greater Noida-based company further said it will file the requisite disclosure in compliance with applicable laws when required.
According to Epack Durable, it is India's second-largest Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) of room air-conditioners based on the total number of indoor and outdoor units.
The company, which was listed on NSE and BSE earlier this year, is expanding its manufacturing facilities including at its recently started Sri City.
Established in 2002, Epack Durable manufactures RAC (room air-conditioner

Greater Noida-based company further said it will file the requisite disclosure in compliance with applicable laws when required

A recent report from PwC found that Indian businesses report a much higher incident of financial crimes than their global peers

This initiative aims to prepare India's workforce for the quantum revolution, positioning the nation as a global leader

A total of 226 roads, including three national highways, were closed in Himachal Pradesh following snowfall in several districts, officials said on Wednesday.
People shivered under piercing cold wave conditions as minimum temperatures dropped by a few notches in Jot, which received 10 cm of snow in the past 24 hours, followed by Khadrala (5 cm), Pooh (2 cm), Sangla (1.2 cm) and Keylong (1 cm).
Tabo in the Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest place in Himachal Pradesh, recording a night temperature of minus 10.6 degrees Celsius.
A total of 226 roads, including three national highways including Attari and Leh, Sanj to Aut in Kullu district, Khab Sangam in Kinnaur district, and Gramphoo in Lahaul and Spiti district were closed for traffic, officials said.
According to the state emergency operation center, a maximum of 123 roads were closed in Shimla district, 36 in Lahaul and Spiti and 25 in Kullu.
Additionally, 173 transformers were disrupted, affecting power supply across the 

The Met office has predicted rain and snow at isolated places in some parts of the state, particularly in Shimla, from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, with precipitation expected to peak on Sat

After 37 years, author Salman Rushdie's 'The Satanic Verses' returns to Indian shelves following a court ruling in November that deemed original ban void

Healthcare industry body NATHEALTH has asked the government to address systemic gaps such as acute shortage of medical specialists, escalating cancer care costs, and inadequate hospital infrastructure to meet the demands of a growing population in the upcoming union Budget.
In its pre-Budget recommendations, NATHEALTH sought increasing budgetary allocations of the healthcare sector to over 2.5 per cent of GDP and asked Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to address the growing burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, compounded by long standing challenges.
"The upcoming Union Budget offers an unprecedented chance to address systemic gaps such as the acute shortage of medical specialists, escalating cancer care costs, and inadequate hospital infrastructure to meet the demands of a growing population," NATHEALTH President Abhay Soi said in a statement.
Soi, who is also the Chairman & Managing Director of Max Healthcare Institute Ltd, further said, "Expanding hospital ...

In its pre-Budget recommendations, NATHEALTH sought increasing budgetary allocations of the healthcare sector to over 2.5 per cent of GDP

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

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

Thick smog envelops Delhi-NCR; AQI falls to ‘severe’ category

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