Category: Life & Style

After a wait of three and a half years, London’s Crossrail named the Elizabeth line in honour of Queen Elizabeth has finally opened to passengers on Tuesday 24^th May 2022. The $24 billion Crossrail whose work started in 2009 is expected to help commute 200 million passengers annually. Over 10,000 people have been employed in the construction of the 118 km long  Elizabeth Line which is considered one of  Europe’s largest construction projects. Safety testing issues, new software and a lack of signalling systems caused the delay in the opening of the railway line.

The first train is scheduled for departure at 06:30 BST on Tuesday from Abbey Wood to Paddington. As of now, trains will run from Monday to Saturday from 06:30 to 23:00 from Abbey Wood to Paddington, From Heathrow airport to Paddington and from Shenfield to Liverpool Street. However, passengers will be able to travel directly from one end to the other only from May 2023 onwards. London’s mayor Sadiq Khan described the new line as “ spacious, silent, comfortable and a game-changer”.  The new railway line that was expected to open in December 2018 will increase London’s rail capacity by 10%. This 22^nd-century fit railway line is welcomed as a boon to the city and its residents.

On Sunday, India’s one million all-women ASHA workers were honoured by the World Health Organization (WHO) for providing direct access to healthcare in rural areas and for their indefatigable efforts to rein in the COVID pandemic in the country.

The Accredited Social Health Activist Workers (ASHA) are directly affiliated with the Indian government’s healthcare system in rural areas and are the first point of contact for rural residents. They gained fame during the peak of the pandemic for keeping track of coronavirus patients and conducting door-to-door checks. They also provide maternal care and immunization for children against vaccine-preventable diseases, treatment for hypertension and tuberculosis, community health care, and health promotion for nutrition, sanitation, and healthy living.

As WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said while presenting the award, “Among the honourees is ASHA, which means hope in Hindi. More than 1 million female volunteers in India were honoured for their crucial role in linking the community with the health system to ensure those living in rural poverty get access to primary health care services, as shown throughout the COVID-19 pandemic”.

According to him, the awardees demonstrate lifelong dedication to social causes, tireless advocacy, and a commitment to equity, as well as selfless service to humanity.

India sends its first consignment of a $16 million humanitarian aid package to Sri Lanka. Gopal Baglay, the Indian envoy to Sri Lanka, delivered the donation to help mitigate the severe shortage caused by the country’s worst economic crisis in recent years.

The cargo ship carried goods worth $5.6 million including 9,000 MT of rice, 50 MT of milk powder and more than 25 MT of drugs and other supplies. It was delivered from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu to Colombo Sri Lank which was received by Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Gamini Peiris.

The Indian embassy released a statement regarding the distribution of supplies among vulnerable families in different parts of the country. Additionally, India has also provided a $3,5 billion economic assistance in form of loans and buyers’ credit for medicine, fuel and food.

The island nation is near bankruptcy and is currently battling a severe shortage of food, medicine, fuel, cooking gas and essential items. The residents are forced to stay in the long queues to buy the limited stocks.

About $7 billion in foreign loans due this year have been suspended by Sri Lanka out of the $25 billion to be repaid by 2026. Overall, Sri Lanka owes $51 billion in foreign debt.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is ranked third by the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) Global Air Powers Ranking for 2022. The report was released after assessing the total combat capabilities of all the air services worldwide and ranked them accordingly.

To consider the values associated with the total combat strength of various countries’ air forces, the WDMMA employs the formula generating the ‘TrueValueRating’ (TVR). This aid WDMMA in separating each power based on its overall strength and elements like modernisation, guard abilities, assaults, and calculated help.

India is placed above Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF), the Israeli Air Force, and the French Air and Space Force and beats its regional rivals China. India has a total of 1,645 active aircraft in its inventory.

In the Worldwide Air Powers Positioning (2022) assessment, the US Air Force (USAF) proved to be the most powerful in terms of TvR with 242.9. The USAF’s aircraft fleet is diverse and many of its components are made in the country due to its extensive industrial capabilities. US Air Force and US Navy took the top two spots, followed by the Russian Air Force, US Army Aviation, and US Marine Corps.

People will soon be able to travel from Kuwait City to Muscat via Abu Dhabi as per a statement released by the UAE’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Al Mazroui while inaugurating Middle East Rail’s 16^th edition, calling attention to the undergoing railway network construction by the GCC countries.

Al Mazroui praised the enthusiasm taken by the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in building and expanding the system in the UAE. He further added that the near future would see the expansion of the GCC Railway, which will interconnect Arab countries, whereby the citizens of these countries could travel all over the GCC using the most modern and innovative railway network. Mazroui also lauded the recently appointed president of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for enabling the railway work to take place in the UAE.

The minister said UAE, by 2050, aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 70 percent and one way to do that is to build a trustworthy, efficient, and supportable Etihad Rail network. He highlighted that the rising prices of energy worldwide, including fuel used for railways, are a major concern and countries need to make sure sustainability and efficiency.

This year the South of France saw the highest number of Indian celebs for one of the most prestigious events in the world, the 75th Cannes Film Festival. India had its largest-ever red carpet contingent at Cannes on an inaugural day, confirming its status as the country’s first-ever march du film “Country of Honour”.

A delegation of eleven Indian celebrities led by Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting Mr Anurag Thakur walked in unity on the first day of the Festival, representing the largest Indian official delegation. This included three of the most renowned musicians on the international stage, as well as filmmakers and actors from the Indian Cinema who are representative of a kaleidoscope of diversity in various regions, languages, and mainstream and OTT-led films.

This year actress Deepika Padukone hasn’t returned to Cannes as an attendee but as a jury member. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pooja Hegde, Tamannah Bhatia, R Madhavan, and AR Rehman were also part of the delegation.

The festival will take place from May 17th to 28th 2022 where Indian delegations will take part in various events and high-level meetings.

Akshay Kumar too was a part of the official delegation but opted out after he tested positive for Covid-19.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is on an official visit to Lumbini to celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, laid the foundation stone for Centre of Buddhist Culture and Heritage within the Lumbini Monastic Zone and also held a meeting with Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

The center, after it is completed, will offer top-notch facilities to tourists and pilgrims from around the world and enlighten them with the spiritual aspects of Buddhism.

The construction of the centre is at the initiative of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), New Delhi, under the patronage and guidance of the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT). The agreement between the IBC and the LDT was signed in March 2022. The Centre will have the latest amenities and will be Nepal’s first NetZero Emission building in terms of waste products, energy, and water. It will have prayer halls, meditation rooms, a library, exhibition hall, cafeteria, offices, and offer other amenities.  

The event began at 2 pm with the screen displaying chants from different Buddhist sites. Monks who represented the three important Buddhist traditions, Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana, conducted the “shilanyaas” ceremony after which Prime Ministers of both countries unveiled the model of the centre.

India has called for a one-day state mourning to be observed on Saturday following the death of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan who died on Friday.

 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid condolences to Sheikh Khalifa, whom he regarded as a “great statesman and visionary leader under whom India-UAE relations prospered”. As a mark of respect, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings where it is often flown and no entertainment will be allowed on the day of mourning.

Sheikh Khalifa, 73, had been battling illness for a long period.  He was the eldest son of President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder president of the UAE. He took charge as the president of the country and ruler of Abu Dhabi in November 2004 after he was elected to be the successor to his father, the first president of the country since 1971. His half-brother Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan will take over as the successor to the throne, Reuters reported.

Sheikh Khalifa played a huge role in giving UAE global recognition and leading the country through one of the worst financial crises that it faced in 2008.

On Monday, the first eco-solutions manufacturing plant was officially opened in Tuas, Singapore, built on a 200,000sq. Ft. In addition to biodegradable plastic bags, the Green Lab will provide compostable cutlery for food and beverage companies.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social policies launched the ceremony and toured the new facility. The chief executive and the co-founder of Green Lab, Muralikrishnan Rangan said, “We are creating employment opportunities and doing our business in a responsible manner to support the green movement. Our aim is to give companies the chance to make some changes to the way we all operate”.

The Green Lab was co-launched by print agencies Print Lab and Times Printers in Singapore. Times. The plant will have the capacity to produce highly customisable biodegradable paper bags through its fully automated machines.

As an alternative to plastic carrier bags, it will also produce Singapore’s first fully compostable plant-based bags. Additionally, the facility will become the first print agency to provide clients with PVC-free banners and stickers as the base product and provide one-stop shopping for compostable packaging for F&B firms

The company also wishes to supply clients with their services in the ASEAN region.

To mark Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee, Britain will hold four days of celebration in June. Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne on Feb 6, 1952after her father King George VI’s death and became Britain’s longest-reigning and world’s oldest monarch.

June 2 will witness “Trooping the Colours”- a traditional parade followed on the queen’s birthday which is being followed for more than 260 years. More than 1,200 soldiers will take part with bands in London Central along with Royal Gun Salute will be fired. The parade will be joined by Ed Sheeran among 100 well-known figures from British cultural life.

On June 3rd, a national service of thanksgiving will be conducted at the St Paul’s Cathedral and its Great Paul’s bell will be rung for the first time on a royal occasion after being restored last year.

There will be a pageant in central London on June 5 with the Gold State Coach, which Elizabeth used on her coronation day in 1953 and hasn’t been seen in London for 20 years.

The event will draw 22,000 attendees, including 10,000 people allocated in a public ballot and 5,000 key workers. The lightening of beacons will remain a part of a long tradition of celebration.