Category: Life & Style

Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh took command of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday, following Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari, who had retired after three years of service. Singh is a skilled fighter pilot with over 5,000 flight hours, and he previously served as Vice Chief.

As Chief of Air Staff, his principal focus would be on obtaining new fighter jets and modernising the IAF to meet national security issues. He is also responsible for advancing the government’s theaterisation reform project.

Born on October 27, 1964, he was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in December 1984. He graduated from the National Defence Academy, the Defence Services Staff College, and the National Defence College. Singh, a trained flying instructor and experimental test pilot, supervised the MiG-29 upgrade project in Moscow and served as the flight test project director for the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft at the National Flight Test Centre.

During his 40-year career, Singh has held several distinguished roles, including Air Defence Commander at South Western Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command. He has received the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and is well-known for his dedication to fitness.

Billie Jean King became the first female athlete to win the Congressional Gold Medal, which recognises her remarkable achievements in sports and society. President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan legislation on Thursday, honouring King’s lifelong commitment to equal rights in sports and beyond.

The law, filed in September on the 50th anniversary of King’s famed victory over Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes,” sailed unanimously through the Senate before being approved by the House of Representatives. King’s victory over Riggs is still the most-watched tennis match of all time, representing the fight for gender equality in sports.

The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress’ highest civilian award, bestowed upon persons for extraordinary achievements. Previous winners include Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer.

In addition to this honour, King received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, the bill’s co-sponsor, hailed King for “breaking barriers, leading uncharted paths, and inspiring countless people to stand proudly with courage and conviction in the fight for equality and justice.” King’s legacy has inspired generations of athletes and campaigners alike.

NASA’s Perseverance rover, which has been exploring Mars since 2021, just discovered a remarkable black-and-white striped rock, called the “zebra rock.” This remarkable find sticks out in the pebbly Martian landscape, near the rim of the Jezero Crater, a region thought to have important evidence about ancient life on Mars. Scientists expected fascinating discoveries, but the zebra rock’s striking stripes came as a surprise.

Perseverance acquired low-resolution photos of the item as it slowly ascended the crater’s steep sides. Initially, Earth engineers called the object “Freya Castle” after a Grand Canyon summit. Later, high-resolution photographs revealed the rock’s distinctive zebra-like pattern, distinguishing it from any other rock formations previously seen on Mars.

While the origins of this 20-centimeter rock remain unknown, NASA believes it was generated through igneous or metamorphic processes and may have rolled down from another area. The “zebra rock” joins a growing number of amazing discoveries made by Perseverance, including indications of liquid water and another fascinating rock discovered in July, known as “Cheyava Falls,” which revealed chemical marks that could suggest past life.

As scientists continue to look for more hints about life on Mars, the zebra rock adds to the rover’s fascinating finds.

Azerbaijan, the UAE, and Brazil—the previous, current, and future hosts of the UN climate conference—are expected to grow their combined oil and gas production by 33% by 2035, despite commitments to lead global climate action. Oil Change International’s latest analysis underlines the discrepancy between their climate goals and increased fossil fuel investments.

According to the report, the UAE and Brazil will increase production by 37% and 38%, respectively, by 2035, while Azerbaijan forecasts a modest 4% increase. Azerbaijan, which will host COP29 in Baku in November, is under investigation since its climate efforts were judged “critically insufficient” by Climate Action Tracker after withdrawing its 2030 emissions target.

During the 2023 UN Climate Summit in Dubai, world leaders pledged to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that countries can meet the renewable energy target if they follow the UAE accord, which focuses on reducing fossil fuel dependency.

As the COP Troika hosts a UN General Assembly meeting this week, global pressure grows for tangible measures to deliver on the ‘Roadmap to Mission 1.5,’ which calls for updated national climate plans (NDCs) by February 2025.

Geologists discovered a long-lost tectonic plate in Borneo, providing new insights into Earth’s ancient geological history. According to a study led by Utrecht University geologist Suzanna van de Lagemaat and her supervisor Douwe van Hinsbergen, the plate, dubbed Pontus, dates back an incredible 120 million years. Using geological data from Borneo’s mountainous regions, they discovered ancient tectonic activities that sculpted the Earth’s crust millions of years ago.

Initially, Van de Lagemaat thought she was looking for traces of a known lost plate. However, magnetic analysis in their lab revealed that the rocks came from a considerably further northern position, implying that they belonged to a previously unknown plate. This ground-breaking discovery marks a new chapter in our understanding of the Earth’s tectonic plate history.

Further investigation revealed that the Pontus plate was originally beneath an ancient ocean that separated Eurasia and Australia during Pangaea’s breakup. The Pontus plate, roughly a quarter the size of the Pacific Ocean, was absorbed by larger neighbouring plates over time, eventually forming part of the tectonic plates that sustain modern-day Borneo and the Philippines.

The discovery underscores Borneo’s geological significance while also providing intriguing chances to investigate Earth’s tectonic evolution and other possible missing plates. This discovery may lead to additional research into how past tectonic forces shaped the continents we see today.

India is in talks with African and South American countries to assist them in establishing digital payment systems based on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) paradigm. Ritesh Shukla, CEO of NPCI International Payments Ltd. (NIPL), expects two launches by early 2027.

NIPL, the abroad branch of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), is in talks with a number of countries and is close to reaching an agreement with one. The NPCI, a quasi-regulatory organisation under India’s central bank, oversees UPI, which saw roughly 15 billion transactions in August, a 41% increase.

NIPL, which was established to promote UPI internationally, has worked with approximately 20 African and South American countries to assist them in developing similar systems. Earlier this year, agreements were struck with the central banks of Peru and Namibia to develop real-time payment systems such as UPI, which are scheduled to launch in 2027.

Rwanda has been involved in serious conversations, but no official confirmation has been provided. Aside from developing technologies, NIPL is integrating UPI with existing real-time payment networks, such as Singapore’s PayNow. Seven such links have already been established, with more expected.

NIPL intends to double its personnel by March 2025, expanding into international markets beyond its current presence in Singapore and the Middle East.

Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, first-time flyer Nikolai Chub, and NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson successfully returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on Monday. The Soyuz MS-25/71S spacecraft undocked at 4:36 a.m. EDT and landed in Kazakhstan at 7:59 a.m. EDT, capping a 374-day mission for Kononenko and Chub, and 184 days for Dyson. Kononenko achieved a new record of 1,111 days in space.

After landing, NASA and Russian rescue workers quickly assisted the astronauts, and all three appeared to be in good health. Kononenko, the world’s most experienced spaceman, turned over command of the ISS to Sunita Williams during a ceremony on Sunday.

Meanwhile, NASA and SpaceX are ready to launch astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov in a Crew Dragon capsule on Thursday. They will join astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, as well as newly arrived cosmonauts Alexsey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, and NASA’s Donald Pettit, on board the station.

This trip comes as the Starliner crew prepares for a prolonged stay on the ISS due to concerns with the Boeing spacecraft. Crew 8 astronauts, including Commander Matthew Dominick, aim to return to Earth in early October on a Crew Dragon spacecraft. Hague and Gorbunov are slated to return to Earth in February 2025.

The 10-foot-tall tree known as “Sheba” sprang from a seed that was planted approximately 1,000 years ago, between the years 993 and 1202. This old seed probably came from a family tree that was described in the Bible; it was found in the Judean Desert, which is between the West Bank and Israel. Sheba took fourteen years to mature after being unearthed in the course of an excavation in the late 1980s.

According to scientists, the tree may have a common ancestor with an ancient species that was famous for making the biblical balm “tsori,” which had curative qualities. Sheba was first thought to be the ancient “Judean Balsam,” but its lack of fragrant qualities caused scientists to dismiss the idea.

Sheba possesses medicinal qualities, according to further chemical investigation. The antioxidant and anti-cancer chemicals found in its leaves complement the antioxidant and skin-smoothing effects found in its stems. The Commiphora species, which this tree is associated with, is well-known for its aromatic resins; one example being the biblical “Balm of Gilead.”

Numerous scientific investigations, including genetic, chemical, and radiocarbon dating, have linked the biblical woman Sheba to the myrrh and frankincense families of medicinal herbs. Even though the tree has grown tremendously, it still remains a mystery.

On September 22, 2024, the 128 Infantry Battalion and Ecological Task Force of the Territorial Army established a new world record by planting more than 5 lakh seedlings in one hour. As part of the prime minister’s ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam’ program, the push was carried out by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). The event occurred from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

“Bhagidari & Zimmedari” was the name of the campaign that sought to rally the public behind environmental protection and restoration efforts. The event was a success thanks to the involvement of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Border Security Force, Jaisalmer administration, police, Sankalp Taru NGO, and local students, which Union Minister Bhupender Yadav praised.

In a post on X, Yadav boasted about the success of the Ecological Task Force’s ‘Special Plantation Drive,’ in which 5,19,130 seedlings were planted.

Multiple world records were set during the event, including the most saplings planted by a team and by women in one hour, which have been temporarily recognised by the World Book of Records, London.

Dhruvi Patel, a Computer Information Systems student from the United States, has won the prestigious Miss India Worldwide 2024 title, marking an important milestone in the longest-running Indian pageant outside India. Dhruvi, who dreams of working in Bollywood and becoming a UNICEF Ambassador, says the crown represents her roots and the ability to inspire others all around the world.

Lisa Abdoelhak of Suriname was named first runner-up at the grand finale in Edison, New Jersey, with Malvika Sharma of the Netherlands coming in second. SuAnn Mouttet from Trinidad and Tobago won the Mrs. category, with Sneha Nambiar and Pawandip Kaur from the UK coming in first and second place, respectively.

Dhruvi expressed gratitude to her family on Instagram, writing, “Mom and Dad, your love and support have shaped me into who I am today.” This crown belongs to you as much as it does to me. She also treasured the friendships she formed with other participants, referring to them as “sister queens” and appreciating the amazing moments they shared.

Sierra Suret of Guadeloupe won Miss Teen India Worldwide, with Shreya Singh of the Netherlands and Shradha Tedjoe of Suriname coming in first and second place, respectively.