Sundar Pichai, Alphabet Inc.'s CEO, is on the brink of becoming a billionaire, a rare feat for a tech executive without founding a company. Since taking charge of Google in 2015, Pichai, 51, has overseen remarkable growth, with the stock soaring over 400%, surpassing major market indices like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. The recent stellar first-quarter performance, driven by robust growth in the cloud computing division powered by artificial intelligence, propelled Google's stock to an all-time high. Additionally, the company announced its first dividend, a historic move. The surge in Goog
On Tuesday, a senior cabinet member announced that Indonesia is considering providing dual citizenship to individuals of Indonesian descent in order to attract more qualified professionals to the country. Dual citizenship for adults is not recognised under current Indonesian law; therefore, anyone having two passports must choose one and renounce the other once they reach the age of 18. Luhut Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment, announced the government's plan to award dual citizenship to former Indonesian nationals living abroad, but no further det
On Friday, the French Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire, declared that France is willing to provide funding for a 3GW power line project that would link Casablanca and Dakhla in Morocco. This action is part of France's attempts to improve relations with Morocco, especially because of the most recent events in the Western Sahara. Morocco's authority over the area has evolved as France's position has evolved. Le Maire's remarks are consistent with the previous endorsement of Morocco's investments in Western Sahara by French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne, as well as his readiness to suppo
Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, made headlines by announcing the approval of a groundbreaking project, a new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport. The staggering price tag attached to this endeavour is a whopping 128 billion AED ($34.85 billion). This announcement highlights Dubai's ambition to maintain its status as a global aviation powerhouse. Once completed, the Al Maktoum International Airport will claim the title of the world's largest airport, boasting a remarkable capacity of up to 260 million passengers. This terminal will dwarf Dubai Intern
Japan is all set for a significant surge in clean power generation in 2024. According to data from energy think tank Ember, clean electricity output during January and February reached 52.67 terawatt hours (TWh), the highest in at least five years. This marks a notable 12.4% increase from the same period in 2023. Japan's power firms reduced fossil fuel-based generation by 6%, the lowest since 2019. As a result, clean power sources accounted for 31.6% of Japan's electricity in the first two months of 2024, up from 28% in 2023. During this period, solar power emerged as Japan's primary cl
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz received British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak with military honours, symbolising the enduring partnership between the two countries. Their discussions on Euro-Atlantic security, especially against Russian threats, reconfirmed the NATO partnership and commitment to strengthen the European contribution to deterrence. The two leaders agreed to joint defence procurement, including the remote-controlled Howitzer 155mm wheeled artillery system and Eurofighter/Typhoon aircraft. They agreed to work together on projects in the field of air defence and coordinate deployme
Long-term Schengen visas are now available to Indians, strengthening the value of their passports and enabling smooth travel between 29 European nations. Indians can now access these nations multiple times in two years, extendable by five, without the prior three-month limit. India is now ranked 85th in the world for passport strength. This new policy, which offers a two-year multi-entry visa, helps regular travellers and those who have been to Europe twice in the last three years. However, working locally isn't permitted. After COVID, the Scandinavian areas had a 140% surge, showing a
The ancient Harappan civilisation, trading and production-oriented, flourished around 5000 years ago. While trade is well documented, the practices of manufacturing are not. Excavations also indicate a sophisticated system of production, especially the production of high tin bronze, bead-making, pottery, weaving, and textiles like cotton. Beyond the major cities, such as Harappa and Mohenjodaro, the rural settlements themselves contained workshops and craft centres. One such site, Binjor (4 MSR) near the India-Pakistan border, sheds new light on the Harappan industry. Binjor's excavatio
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council lauded the visionary leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai. He praised Dubai's readiness to effectively tackle any challenge and highlighted Dubai's robust crisis response mechanisms, strengthened by government and community support. Sheikh Hamdan led a meeting with government leaders to approve immediate measures to lessen the effects of severe weather and evaluate efforts to alleviate the repercussions. Unde
The United States and Italy have recently announced a collaborative effort to combat the proliferation of misinformation and fake news, particularly originating from foreign governments. This agreement was reached between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani during a meeting held alongside a gathering of Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers on the Capri island. This collaboration comes in the wake of a U.S. intelligence assessment released last year, which implicated Moscow in utilising various tactics, including spies, social media, and state