Gopichand Thotakura, an Indian pilot and entrepreneur, is all set to etch his name in history as the second Indian to venture into space after Rakesh Sharma in 1984. He has been chosen for Blue Origin's NS-25 mission, marking him as the first Indian space tourist. Hailing from Vijayawada, Thotakura holds a bachelor's degree in aeronautical science and oversees Preserve Life Corp., a global centre for holistic wellness and applied health based near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US. Despite residing in the US, he still retains his Indian passport. The official an
Egypt plans a green energy initiative to construct two solar power stations. The European Union (EU) will provide the $20.60 million (1 billion Egyptian pound) investment. The first project, valued at 550 million Egyptian pounds, will be situated at the Assiut Oil Refining Company, boasting a capacity of 10 megawatts. According to the petroleum ministry's statement, it is slated for completion within 11 months. Another venture set to generate electricity from solar energy is in the works at the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC). This project will have a capacity of 6.5 megaw
India is now home to the world's largest renewable energy park, located in a remote area near Pakistan. The barren land was converted into a 538 square-kilometre renewable energy park spanning five times the size of Paris, originally accessed by a small airstrip without basic infrastructure. Despite its desolate surroundings, the area boasts excellent solar radiation and wind speeds, ideal for renewable energy generation. Adani Green Energy Ltd., headed by Gautam Adani, will invest ₹1.5 lakh crore to generate 30 gigawatts of clean electricity at Khavda. Already, 2 gigawatts have been
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a discussion with top Indian gamers, focusing on various aspects of the gaming industry. The future of e-gaming and its difficulties were discussed in the talk. With his interesting idea of "Mission LIFE," PM Modi pushed for a game that tackles global climate challenges and encourages players to look into sustainable solutions. In the course of the conversation, PM Modi stressed the significance of fusing Indian values with gaming, proposing themes like cleanliness to raise youth's understanding of society. He praised the inventivenes
Nigeria has achieved a significant milestone in global health by becoming the first country to implement the Men5CV vaccine against meningitis. The news was announced by the World Health Organization (WHO). Meningitis poses a severe threat in Nigeria, which is recognized as one of the hotspots for the disease in Africa. The WHO reported a troubling 50% increase in annual cases across 26 African nations designated as meningitis hyperendemic countries just last year. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus stated that the rollout of the Men5CV vaccine in Nigeria marks a crucial adva
India's Chandrayaan-3 mission team was honoured with the 2024 John L. 'Jack' Swigert Jr. Award for Space Exploration, recognising their groundbreaking efforts. India became the first country to accomplish this remarkable feat in lunar exploration when the mission touched down on the moon's south pole in August of last year. This achievement, which was created by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was praised for deepening human knowledge of space. At the Space Symposium in Colorado, DC Manjunath, the consul general of India in Houston, accepted the prize on behalf of ISRO. On A
The United States expressed support for constructing the first high-speed rail in the country. Japan also expressed support, following discussions between their leaders in Washington. President Joe Biden aims to revive interest in the project connecting Dallas and Houston. The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism agreed to support Amtrak's initiative in the Texas Central High-Speed Rail Project, which makes use of Shinkansen technologies, according to a White House fact sheet. Potential financing sources may arise if de
Global attention has been drawn to a scientific breakthrough that has revealed the presence of an enormous ocean hidden far below the surface of the planet. This massive water body is larger than all surface oceans combined and is located around 700 kilometres below the surface in a mineral known as ringwoodite. Ringwoodite's extraordinary ability to absorb water was revealed by scientists in 2014 research titled 'Dehydration Melting at the Top of the Lower Mantle', comparing it to a sponge. Geophysicist Steve Jacobsen highlighted its ability to draw in hydrogen and hold onto water, i
On Monday, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that its staff had reached an agreement with authorities from Ivory Coast regarding a review of two lending programmes. This agreement sets the stage for the disbursement of $574 million, pending approval by the IMF’s executive board. According to the IMF, Ivory Coast has performed satisfactorily under its $3.5 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Extended Credit Facility (ECF) programme, as well as the $1.3 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) programme. IMF Mission Chief Olaf Unteroberdoerster stated in a
On Monday, the American region witnessed a total solar eclipse, which started in western Mexico and proceeded through the United States and into Canada. The event lasted more than four minutes in some places and attracted observers such as Lourdes Corro and expert eclipse hunter Michael Zeiler, who went to Mazatlan to witness the phenomenon. Enthusiasts came together along the eclipse's path, including in upstate New York and tiny towns like Advance, Missouri, despite the potential for cloud cover in some viewing locations. For safe viewing, specialists strongly recommend wearing protec