Senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani will be honoured with India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, becoming its 50th recipient and the 7th during the Modi government. PM Modi tweeted, “I am pleased to share that Shri LK Advani Ji will be conferred the Bharat Ratna. His contributions to India's development are monumental. From grassroots activism to serving as Deputy Prime Minister, his journey exemplifies dedication. He notably served as Home Minister and I&B Minister, with profound insights in Parliament.” Advani, a key figure in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government, h
France has emerged as the first European nation to embrace digital transactions from India. Recently, India unveiled its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) at the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris, marking a significant milestone. Indian tourists visiting the Eiffel Tower can seamlessly purchase tickets using UPI by simply scanning a QR code on the tower's official website. The Indian Embassy in France proudly announced the formal launch of UPI during the grand Republic Day Reception at the Eiffel Tower, echoing Prime Minister Modi's vision of globalising UPI. In 2016, the National Payments Corpo
Indians now have the opportunity to explore 62 countries without the need for a visa. This development is particularly exciting for globetrotters, as Indian passport holders can now travel to destinations such as the Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Zimbabwe, and Jamaica without undergoing the often arduous visa application process. This increased accessibility to global travel reflects India's growing influence on the world stage. The recent release of the Henley Passport Index 2024 (HPI) underscores India's evolving passport landscape, with its global rank reaching 80th place. The HPI, a widely us
On Wednesday, Sri Lanka’s lawmakers passed a bill to regulate online content. The move has sparked fears among opposition politicians and activities of free speech crackdowns. With 108-62 votes in favour, the Online Safety Bill was passed. Its objectives are to "prevent the use of online accounts and inauthentic online accounts for prohibited purposes" and "make provisions to prohibit online communication of certain statements of fact in Sri Lanka." The bill also calls for the establishment of an "Online Safety Commission," a five-person committee that the president will appoint, whos
In a bid to combat the ongoing cholera crisis, Zimbabwe initiated a door-to-door vaccination campaign on Monday, aiming to immunize more than 2 million individuals. The initiative is particularly crucial in densely populated urban areas with inadequate sanitation facilities. As of January 24, the waterborne disease has claimed 452 lives and infected a total of 20,446 people in the southern African nation. Zimbabwe has been grappling with the cholera outbreak since February of the preceding year, with reports indicating that half of the cases involve children, according to the health minist
The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has started a research study to develop lab-grown fish meat. In this groundbreaking initiative, India will soon have its first lab-grown fish meat, meticulously designed to emulate the original flavour, texture, and nutritional value of natural fish. The Kochi-based CMFRI has partnered with a start-up, Neat Meatt Biotech, which is working on cultivated meat. CMFRI will be responsible for conducting research on the early cell line development of valuable marine fish species, includi
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend India’s Republic Day as a chief guest on Friday. This visit is seen as a significant milestone in strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries ahead of a multi-billion-dollar deal to buy French fighter jets and submarines for the Indian military. On January 25, he will first visit Jaipur to see the Amber Fort and later meet PM Modi to take a tour of the pink city together. According to reports, Macron's visit will be more ceremonial than substantial, and he will meet many business leaders from the pharmaceutical, auto,
A prominent socialist leader and former Bihar chief minister, Karpoori Thakur, will be awarded the highest civilian award in the country, ‘Bharat Ratna.’ Along with him, 49 other people have been granted the Bharat Ratna award, including 17 posthumously. Thakur was dubbed the Jan Nayak despite serving for a short while. He served as the Bihar CM from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979. The award was presented 35 years after he passed away on February 17, 1988. Bihar’s chief minister, Nitish Kumar, and his party, JDU, have long demanded the award from t
The silvery-white element is set to put Thailand on the global stage as one of the key sources of lithium mines, as it has discovered nearly 15 million tonnes of lithium deposits. The latest discovery has positioned Thailand as the third-largest lithium resource in the world. However, it is unclear about the amount to be commercially exploited. Meanwhile, Thailand aims to start producing lithium mines in its southwest in about two years. Government deputy spokeswoman Rudklao Intawong Suwankiri said, “We are trying to find out how much we can use from the resources we found. It will take
On Tuesday, a massive crowd poured in to seek the blessings of Lord Ram in Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir Temple. After the spectacle inauguration of the Ram Janmabhoomi by PM Modi on Monday, the gates were swung open to the general public on Tuesday. However, tens of thousands of devotees flocked to the temple on Tuesday morning, which compelled the temple management to temporarily stop the people from darshan. The gates were re-opened at 2 p.m. With the massive influx, separate gates for entry and exit were introduced, and a separate line for women was added. Many devotees had been lining up