Australia has launched the First Work and Holiday Visa, which allows Indian citizens aged 18 to 30 to work and study in Australia for up to a year. The new program, part of Australia's Working Holiday Maker visa, begins a ballot procedure for up to 1,000 eligible Indian passport holders, with registrations open from October 1 to October 31, 2024, for the 2024-2025 program year. Selected applicants, notified via email between October 14, 2024, and April 30, 2025, may apply for this visa, which costs $650 plus a $25 ballot fee. The automated ballot mechanism, which is open to Indian, Chinese
On October 8, 29-year-old Salmoda, Uttarakhand mountaineer Sheetal Raj, became the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mt. Cho Oyu, which stands at 8,188 meters. Her journey to success wasn't a simple one. She underwent knee surgery after tearing a ligament while skiing two years ago, raising concerns about the future of her mountaineering career. In spite of the setback, Raj found motivation in the movie 12th Fail, which rekindled her enthusiasm and helped her overcome challenges with the help of the Hans Foundation and the Ethical Himalaya Expedition. Raj started her mountaineer
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launched the e-Migrate 2.0 web and mobile app on Thursday, signalling a significant step forward in India's commitment to secure and transparent mobility for migrant workers. Jaishankar emphasised that the new portal symbolises the government's continued goal to protect the rights and welfare of Indian workers overseas, particularly in line with Prime Minister Modi's slogan, "Surakshit Jaayen, Prashikshit Jaayen." This updated e-Migrate platform not only intends to speed operations, but it also
Leh, Ladakh, saw auroras light up the night sky on Thursday after a strong geomagnetic storm hit Earth. Usually occurring at higher latitudes, this unusual phenomenon can be seen from India's tallest observatory located near Hanle. However, observations at lower latitudes have been made possible by this year's strong solar activity. The Associated Press reported that comparable aurora displays were seen in Alabama and New Mexico. The "aurora borealis," often known as the northern lights, are caused by coronal mass ejections mixing with atmospheric gases to produce colours: green and red fr
Ladakh currently has the world's highest Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) observatory in Hanle, located at an altitude of over 4,300 meters. This state-of-the-art imaging Cherenkov telescope, the largest in Asia, demonstrates India's progress in cosmic ray and space research. Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, opened the facility as part of the DAE's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The observatory, built entirely by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) with backing from the Electronics
South Korean novelist Han Kang has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature for her "intense poetic prose" about historical traumas and human fragility. The 53-year-old author, known for novels such as The Vegetarian and Human Acts, expressed astonishment and honour at the award. "I hope this brings joy to Korean literature readers," Han joked. The announcement sparked celebrations in South Korea, with online bookshops crashing owing to high traffic. President Yoon Suk Yeol commended Han for turning sad historical events into useful fiction. Han is the first South Korean and 18th wo
Saudi Arabia and South Korea are deepening their 62-year collaboration, which has expanded beyond building and petrochemicals to include smart cities, sustainable energy, and future mobility. This shift comes after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's recent visit to Riyadh, which resulted in 51 business agreements totalling $15.6 billion, including a $400 million Hyundai investment in a new assembly facility. Korean companies like as Korea Electric Power Corp, POSCO Holdings, and Lotte Chemical have collaborated with Aramco on blue ammonia production, and Naver demonstrated its AI and d
John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton were given the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm on Tuesday in recognition of their ground-breaking work in artificial intelligence. The official announcement states that the physics tools used by this year's Nobel Laureates in Physics have laid the groundwork for the advanced machine learning systems of today. An associative memory model that can store and reconstruct images and other data patterns was created by John Hopfield. His research paved the way for machines to be able to remember and identify co
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of microRNA, small genetic components that regulate cell functioning. Their pioneering research, which began with worms, has identified an important mechanism for gene regulation in complex life forms. MicroRNA, unlike traditional RNA, does not produce proteins but rather regulates the activation of specific genes, perhaps leading to new treatments for disorders such as cancer. According to a Nobel panel in Stockholm, this discovery is critical to understanding cell timing and deve
On October 6, the Indian Air Force (IAF) performed a spectacular air show at Chennai's Marina Beach in celebration of its 92nd Air Force Day on October 8. The Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Sarang helicopter were among the fighter jets that enthralled the crowd, making it the first such event in Chennai in 21 years. The Garud Commandos exhibited their abilities in simulated rescue operations, which added to the excitement. This year's theme, "Bharatiya Vayusena: Saksham, Sashakt aur Aatmnirbhar" (Capable, Strong, and Self-reliant), highlights the IAF's dedication to national security and modernisatio