The Miss World 2025 journey witnessed a vibrant cultural immersion as 35 contestants from European countries visited the Ramappa Temple in Mulugu district, Telangana and offered prayers. The 13th-century Kakatiya Rudreshwara Temple—also known as Ramappa Temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site—greeted the beauty queens with grandeur and tradition. The candidates arrived on Wednesday evening, elegantly dressed in sarees, and were greeted with ceremonial Kommu Koya and other traditional dances organised by the district administration. Before entering the sanctum, they washed their feet an
India is set to replace all passports with biometric e-passports with electronic chips, a significant step forward in digital travel infrastructure. This move brings India in line with over 120 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, Japan, and Australia. The initiative's goal is to increase security, prevent identity fraud, and make immigration procedures faster and more efficient. The Passport Seva Programme 2.0 initiative kicked off in April 2024. Pilot testing was successfully completed in cities such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Amritsar, and Panaji. A full statewide
On May 14, 2025, Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was sworn in as India's 52nd Chief Justice, marking an important milestone in the country's judicial history. The President of India administered the oath of office on April 16, 2025, as the outgoing Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, recommended. On April 29, 2025, the Ministry of Law and Justice officially approved the appointment. Justice Gavai is the first Buddhist to hold this important position, and only the second Chief Justice from the Scheduled Caste community after Justice K.G. Balakrishnan. His time as CJI will span six month
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit Singapore on May 20, his first international trip since his re-election. This journey comes just after Mr. Albanese was re-elected as Australia's Prime Minister in the May 3 elections. Singapore will be the final stop on a week-long overseas tour that also includes visits to Indonesia and the Vatican. Mr. Albanese is slated to visit Indonesia from May 14 to 16 before travelling to Vatican City to attend Pope Leo XIV's inauguration on May 18. During his visit to Singapore, the Australian leader plans to meet with Prime Minister Lawren
The Thailand Tourism Forum 2025, held on May 7 in Bangkok, established a new standard for the future of global travel with its forward-thinking agenda. The forum, organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports in collaboration with UN Tourism and international stakeholders, was titled "Navigating Global Tourism Trends: Strengthening Thailand's Tourism Industry." The event attracted over 500 people, both in person and online. Mr. Sorawong Thienthong, Minister of Tourism and Sports, and Mr. Jakraphon Tangsutthitham, Vice Minister, were among the key figures, as were leaders from the public
The Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) achieved a historic milestone by conducting its first official flight operation with a female pilot on board. The mission, titled "First Flight with Nanticha," was carried out by a Royal Thai Survey Department Beechcraft King Air 350. The crew included Major Watcharaphat Buranachai as pilot, Sub-Lieutenant Nanticha Suphachai as co-pilot, and Lieutenant Wisut Suktawee as mechanic. RTARF Chief General Songwit Noonpackdee also accompanied the mission. General Songwit hailed the occasion as extremely memorable and special, emphasising its significance in
Thailand has played a key role in developing regional tourism by championing the "Six Countries, One Destination" program, which aims to transform Southeast Asia into a single travel corridor. The plan, which covers Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, calls for a unified visa system similar to Schengen by 2025, allowing international tourists to travel freely across borders. Thailand has officially invited Singapore to join the accord, following prior coordination with Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Thai officials and Singapore's foreign minister held high-level meetings in April
The United Arab Emirates will make artificial intelligence a compulsory subject in all government schools beginning with the next academic year. This bold program seeks to prepare students from an early age for a future defined by fast expanding technologies. The comprehensive AI curriculum will run from kindergarten to grade 12, making the UAE one of the first countries to integrate AI education across the school system. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, made the announcement, which he published on social media. He emph
Indian travellers can now visit up to 58 countries without a visa. This possibility saves the time-consuming and difficult procedure of applying for visas, submitting documents, and scheduling embassy appointments. Visa-free travel is a benefit that is heavily based on the strength of a country's passport. While the Indian passport is not the strongest in the world, it does give entry to a wide range of destinations. According to the current Henley Passport Index for 2025, India's passport ranking has dropped from 80 to 81. This slight decline demonstrates that, while Indian tourists suffe
Thailand welcomed 12.09 million foreign tourists between January and April 2025, a 0.26% decrease from the same period the previous year, according to figures issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. Despite the reduction in visits, tourism revenue increased by 5.24% year on year to 576.85 billion baht. In April alone, 2.54 million international travellers landed in the country, a 7.6% decrease from April 2024. The popular Songkran Festival took place at this time, although altered travel trends, weather conditions, and economic concerns hampered turnout. Malaysia surpassed China a