Category: Life & Style

Daksh Malik, a Class 9 student from Shiv Nadar School in Noida, has discovered a new asteroid called “2023 OG40.” This astonishing feat was accomplished as part of the International Asteroid Discovery Project (IADP), a joint effort with NASA’s International Astronomical Search Collaboration. When NASA finishes its verification process, which might take up to five years, Daksh will have the unique honour of naming the asteroid.

Daksh’s interest in space began early, fuelled by documentaries on planets and the solar system. Speaking with The Print, he stated, “This is like a dream come true.” His interest in asteroid hunting began in 2022, when his school’s astronomy club exposed students to the IADP, a project run by STEM & Space in collaboration with IASC. Over 6,000 people join the program each year, but only a few, like Daksh, succeed in detecting new asteroids.

Daksh is now one of six Indian students to have reached this milestone, demonstrating the expanding commitment of young Indians to space science. His feat demonstrates the potential of student-led space exploration efforts, inspiring numerous more to follow their passion in astronomy.

As the world awaits NASA’s final verification, Daksh Malik’s story is a glorious moment for India.

On Sunday, India demonstrated its military strength, cultural variety, and creative genius during the 76th Republic Day procession at Kartavya Path. The 90-minute event featured an amazing show of fighter jets, transport aircraft, attack helicopters, tanks, infantry combat vehicles, missile systems, and military contingents, including the BSF camel contingent. Adding to the grandeur, 5,300 performers offered stunning musical and cultural performances.

President Droupadi Murmu and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, this year’s principal guests, came in a four-wheeled carriage carried by six horses and were greeted with a ceremonial 21-gun salute from indigenous 105mm light field cannons. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to dead soldiers at the National War Memorial before the march began.

The procession, commanded by Lieutenant General Bhavnish Kumar, had 18 marching contingents, 15 bands, and 31 tableaux representing states, union territories, and ministries. Highlights included a 160-person Indonesian military detachment, the indigenous Pralay missile, and the Sanjay integrated battlefield surveillance system. Lieutenant Ahaan Kumar led the mounted column of the 61 Cavalry, which included a father-son duo.

The 77,000-strong audience was delighted by the flypast, which featured 40 aircraft including Rafales, Sukhoi-30s, and Apache helicopters. The event’s bright tableaus represented India’s unity in diversity, cultural legacy, and military power.

On Sunday, at India’s 76th Republic Day celebrations at Kartavya Path, a tri-services tableau showing the unity of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force was shown for the first time. The tableau, titled “Shashakt aur Surakshit Bharat,” emphasised the country’s military power and land, water, and air coordination.

The tableau represented a dynamic battlefield situation and featured indigenous defence weapons including as the Arjun main battle tank, Tejas MKII fighter jet, Advanced Light Helicopter, destroyer INS Visakhapatnam, and remotely piloted aircraft. This program is aligned with the Ministry of Defence’s 2025 focus on defence reforms to improve tri-service cooperation.

The procession featured 31 tableaux, 16 representing states and union territories and 15 from central ministries. Under the theme “Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas” (Golden India: Heritage and Progress), DRDO showcased it’s Raksha Kavach’ tableau, while the Corps of Signals’ Daredevils wowed with motorcycle acrobatics.

Women’s empowerment was highlighted by an all-female CRPF team led by Assistant Commandant Aishwarya Joy M. Cultural performers also played “Sare Jahan Se Achha,” while Mi-17 1V helicopters showered petals.

President Droupadi Murmu presided over the ceremony, which was attended by VP Jagdeep Dhankhar, PM Modi, and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who was the Chief Guest.

A German aerospace engineer has established a Guinness World Record for staying underwater for 120 days without depressurisation in a submersible capsule off the coast of Panama. Rudiger Koch, 59, emerged on Friday from his 30-square-meter underwater home in front of Guinness World Records adjudicator Susana Reyes.

Reyes confirmed that Koch’s performance broke the previous record set by American Joseph Dituri, who stayed 100 days in an underwater lodge in Florida. Koch regarded his trip as remarkable, stating, “It was an incredible adventure. There is a sense of regret now that it has ended. I really enjoyed my time here.”

Koch admired the underwater atmosphere, stating, “It’s beautiful when things calm down, and the glowing sea at night is indescribable.” After surfacing, he celebrated with champagne, a cigar, and a swim in the Caribbean Sea before returning to land for a party.

The capsule included modern amenities such as a bed, toilet, television, computer, and even an exercise bike. Visitors reached it by a spiral staircase in a tube that led to a surface chamber. Solar panels provided power, but there was no shower.

Cameras captured his daily life, ensuring he met the record’s tough conditions.

A Telugu NRI student from Abu Dhabi has earned the prestigious Shaikh Zayed Sustainability Award for her creative concept to improve air quality in classrooms. Monica Akkineni, a 15-year-old from Eluru, Andhra Pradesh, was awarded for creating “CarbonSponge,” a biodegradable solution composed of coconut fibre and natural rubber combined with carbon-absorbing algae.

The project, which aimed to cut CO2 emissions and improve classroom air quality, received honours in the Global High Schools category. Monica worked with another Indian student, Muskan Maheshwari, at Merryland International School in Abu Dhabi, to develop the sponge brick solution.

Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, attended the awards ceremony, as did other royals and high-ranking officials. Monica, the daughter of software engineers Bhupesh and Sweety, accepted the award directly from Shaikh Mohammed.

Monica acknowledged her satisfaction in obtaining the award, emphasising the importance of youngsters in raising environmental awareness. The Shaikh Zayed Sustainability Award honours initiatives in health, food, energy, water, and climate change, with a $1 million prize fund for the winners in each area. The Global High Institutions category awards $150,000 to institutions in six locations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s impending visit to Paris in February is expected to improve bilateral ties in defence, technology, and marine security. During the visit, two significant defence transactions worth more than $10 billion are likely to be completed. These include the procurement of 26 Rafale-M fighter jets and three more Scorpene-class submarines for the Indian Navy. The Rafale-M fighter jets will improve India’s naval air capabilities, while the submarines will greatly increase underwater combat strength. Both accords are awaiting approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

India and France recently convened their 7th Maritime Cooperation Dialogue, which emphasised their common vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. The discussions centred on maritime security, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable ocean governance. Piracy, cybersecurity risks, and marine pollution were also addressed.

Prime Minister Modi will attend the AI Action Summit, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, where world leaders will debate AI governance, innovation, and societal implications. The summit highlights India’s rising significance in digital technology, as well as its collaboration with France in cutting-edge industries such as artificial intelligence and aerospace.

This visit marks a watershed moment in India-France ties, combining defence agreements, technical collaboration, and maritime endeavours to strengthen their strategic alliance.

To conserve and maintain the Kashmir Valley’s iconic Chinar trees, authorities have begun an ambitious geo-tagging campaign. These trees, which are valued for their historical and cultural significance, have suffered as a result of urbanisation, illnesses, and construction projects. To address this loss, a “Digital Tree Aadhaar” system was implemented, which assigns a unique identity number to each Chinar tree in the valley.

So far, about 29,000 Chinar trees have been geotagged, with approximately 1,000 remaining. This comprehensive effort, which began in 2021, includes capturing essential information on each tree, including its height, girth, geographical location, and health state. Dr. Syed Tariq, Coordinator of Projects and In Charge of Bio Diversity in Kashmir, noted, “This project allows us to monitor the Chinar population and their situation. We may obtain detailed information about the tree, such as its location, altitude, and health, by scanning the QR code on metal tags.”

Chinar trees, some of which are over 500 years old, take over a century to reach maturity. Researchers examined approximately 25 features of each tree, noting whether they were diseased, dried, or healthy. This knowledge permits prompt responses to protect these magnificent trees.

Authorities are also encouraging the planting of fresh Chinar seedlings.

The UK government has announced plans to issue digital driving licences through a new Gov.UK app, which will be available this summer. This initiative seeks to modernise access to public services by enabling citizens to securely hold official documents in a digital “wallet.” The software will first enable veteran cards, followed by a pilot program for digital driver licenses later in 2025.

The digital wallet will use advanced smartphone security features like facial and fingerprint recognition to keep customers’ data secure. This technology, like Apple or Google Wallet, will allow customers to easily manage their documents. While digital licences will be optional, physical licences will be available for individuals who prefer conventional media.

Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle hopes that the app will store a wide range of government-issued credentials, including DBS checks, by 2027. The wallet may also allow users to conceal personal information, such as addresses, in specific scenarios, such as retail or bar settings.

Kyle said: “Gov.UK Wallet offers secure access to benefits, simplifies identity verification, and provides enhanced trust.” The government emphasised that digital identities would not be required, avoiding controversial national ID card suggestions.

India intends to prioritise railway modernisation in the 2025/26 federal budget, increasing funding for railroads while only significantly increasing funds for road projects. This transition comes amid execution issues in the road transport industry, despite major post-pandemic investments. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Minister of Finance, is anticipated to announce the budget on February 1st.

The railways ministry’s budget could increase to ₹2.9 trillion to ₹3 trillion ($33.5 billion-$34.7 billion), from ₹2.55 trillion. This would enable the expansion of Indian Railways’ network and the installation of 400 high-speed Vande Bharat trains by 2027. Furthermore, the emphasis will be on increasing rail freight capacity.

To contrast, the Ministry of Road Transport anticipates a moderate increase of 3% to 4%, which will bring the total to ₹2.9 trillion ($34.7 billion). Despite a sixfold increase in spending over the last decade, execution has lagged due to land acquisition and project delays, with just 54% of the budget allocated by November 2024. The ministry aims to raise cash for a 50,000-kilometre high-speed road network by selling toll rights and monetising road assets, with an annual budget of 1 trillion.

The Global Power Metropolis Index (GPCI), published by Japan’s Mori Memorial Foundation, has ranked Dubai the world’s cleanest metropolis for the fifth year in a row. The index assesses cities’ potential to attract people, capital, and businesses, taking into account criteria such as economy, R&D, cultural engagement, liveability, environment, and accessibility.

Dubai outperformed 47 global cities, with respondents expressing complete satisfaction with its cleanliness. Over 3,200 cleaning engineers and supervisors worked tirelessly to achieve this feat, which was aided by 855 vehicles and equipment. Every day, they clean 2,400 kilometres of roads, 1,419 square kilometres of investment zones, and 33.4 km of waterways, keeping the city in exquisite condition.

Dubai Municipality has shown its dedication to maintaining cleanliness and sustainability through a variety of programs. In November, nearly 2.5 million flowers and plants were planted throughout the city to add to the greenery.

This honour comes as Dubai’s population has increased by 169,000 over the last year, reaching 3.8 million. A recent Time Out poll also put Dubai among the happiest, safest, and most modern cities, citing its high quality of life and eating options.