New world

SpaceX launches rescue mission for stranded NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Nasa astronaut Sunita Williams has taken command of the International Space Station (ISS), marking her second time leading the orbiting laboratory. Williams, recognised for her extensive experience in space exploration, previously served as commander during Expedition 33 in 2012. Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore have been aboard the ISS since June 5, 2024, after launching on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft for its first crewed flight. Initially scheduled for an eight-day mission, technical issues with the Starliner have delayed their return to Earth until February 2025. Despite the unplanned extension, Williams remains enthusiastic about her time in space, saying, “This is my happy place. I love being up here in space.” The official command was handed over by Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, who is set to return to Earth soon. As commander, Williams will oversee critical operations a...

  Rolls Royce callinan series 2 model launched in India British luxury auto-maker Rolls-Royce cars  launched its ultra-luxury Cullinan Series II here, with price starting from Rs 10.50 crore, a company official said. The company, in a statement said the first local client deliveries would commence from the fourth quarter of 2024. "The debut of Cullinan Series II in India represents a significant milestone for Rolls-Royce in the Asia Pacific region. Since its original launch in 2018, this remarkable motor car has attracted a younger and more diverse group of clients, and today Cullinan is the most requested Rolls-Royce in the marque's portfolio," Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Regional Director Asia-Pacific Irene Nikkein said. "Cullinan Series II integrates new technologies, new materials, meticulously considered design updates and innovative opportunities for self-expression through Bespoke," Nikkein said. Pricing for Cullinan Series II in India starts from Rs 10.50 cr...

  Indian Aviation Industry.  A rising proportion of middle-income households, healthy competition amongst Low-Cost Carriers, infrastructure buildup at leading airports and supportive policy framework has given a positive push to the aviation sector. The civil aviation industry in India has emerged as one of the fastest growing industries in the country during the last three years and can be broadly classified into scheduled air transport service which includes domestic and international airlines, non-scheduled air transport service which consists of charter operators and air taxi operators, air cargo service, which includes air transportation of cargo and mail. The total number of domestic passenger in 2014 was 60 Mn which doubled to 123.2 Mn in 2022 (Jan-Dec). The number of international passengers recorded were 43.4 Mn in 2022-23 (Jan-Dec). In terms of aircraft, the numbers have increased from around 400 in 2014 to 723 in 2023. Currently, the country has 157 operational air...

After Moon and Mars, India sights science goals on Venus Cabinet approves mission to Venus for scientific exploration and for better understanding of Venusian atmosphere, geology and generate large amount of science data probing into its thick atmosphere.  The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the development of Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), that will be a significant step towards the Government’s vision of exploring and studying the Venus, beyond moon and mars. Venus, the closest planet to Earth and believed to have formed in conditions similar to Earth, offers a unique opportunity to understand how planetary environments can evolve very differently. The ‘Venus Orbiter Mission’ to be accomplished by Department of Space is envisaged to orbit a scientific spacecraft in the orbit of planet Venus for better understanding of the Venusian surface and subsurface, atmospheric processes and influence of Sun on Venusian atmosphere. The study of the u...

  National Organ Transplant Programme Background The shortage of organs is virtually a universal problem but Asia lags behind much of the rest of the world. India lags far behind other countries even in Asia. It is not that there aren't enough organs to transplant. Nearly every person who dies naturally, or in an accident, is a potential donor. Even then, innumerable patients cannot find a donor. Situation of shortage of organs in India There is a wide gap between patients who need transplants and the organs that are available in India. An estimated around 1.8 lakh persons suffer from renal failure every year, however the number of renal transplants done is around 6000 only. An estimated 2 lac patients die of liver failure or liver cancer annually in India, about 10-15% of which can be saved with a timely liver transplant. Hence about 25-30 thousand liver transplants are needed annually in India but only about one thousand five hundred are being performed. Similarly about 50000 pe...

  Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.  Google introduced its first foldable device in the Pixel series this year, while also expanding availability to several new regions, including India. Named the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, this book-style foldable is not unique in form factor but introduces freshness through its design and enhanced artificial intelligence (AI) features. But does it stand as the best foldable available in the market? Let us find out: Design The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold balances the typical challenges of foldable devices, offering a design that is both novel and functional. While it might appear thick and heavy compared to bar-shaped smartphones, within the foldable category, it maintains a relatively compact profile.  Weight: At 257g, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels heavy in hand, which is not uncommon for foldables, but it may take some getting used to for those transitioning from lighter smartphones. Materials: The phone is constructed using aluminium, which contributes...

  The key element of the CSG, however, is its air wing. As a ballpark figure, an aircraft carrier deploys one combat aircraft for every 1000 tonnes of carrier.  The Indian Navy’s second aircraft carrier, which happens to be the first one that is indigenously built, joined the Western Fleet in Karwar for joint exercises that include twin-carrier fighter operations. The resumption of two-carrier operations signals India’s return to the elite clutch of navies that have the ship platforms and experience for operations that simultaneously involve more than one aircraft carrier. An aircraft carrier is a warship with a full-length flight deck, hangar and facilities for arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Aircraft carriers include helicopter carriers and amphibious assault ships if the vessel's primary purpose is to carry, arm, deploy, and recover aircraft. On Friday, Western Naval Command posted on X: “INS Vikrant, India's indigenous aircraft carrier, joined the Western Fleet...

Apple Intelligence : Apple releases iOS 18.1 public beta with waitlist for Apple Intelligence.   Apple has released the public beta of iOS 18.1, which introduces Apple Intelligence features on eligible iPhone models. Ahead of the iPhone 16 series launch, Apple rolled out the first public beta of iOS 18.1 on September 19, bringing a range of AI-powered features such as writing tools, notification summaries, and image editing features. While the iOS 18.1 public beta makes these Apple Intelligence features available to all compatible iPhones enrolled in the public beta program, users will need to join a waitlist to access them. iOS 18.1 Public Beta 1: Apple Intelligence Features Notification Summary : This feature generates summaries of multiple notifications from apps, grouping them together for quick viewing. It also supports notifications from third-party apps.   Writing Tools: AI-powered writing assistants such as Proofread, Rewrite, and Summarise are available in n...

One Nation One Election proposal suggests that all voters in India would cast ballots in both the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies election in the same year, though not necessary at the same time.   In a significant move towards conducting simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday (September 18) approved the proposal for the ‘One Nation One Election’ plan. The Bill facilitating these concurrent polls could be introduced during the winter session of Parliament, several media outlets reported. Speaking to the media, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that simultaneous elections would take place in two phases. The first phase will include the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, followed by local body elections in the second phase, within 100 days of the first. Earlier in March, a committee chaired by former President Ram Nath Kovind had submitted its report on the ‘ One Nation, One Election’ initiative, which advocates for the alig...

  The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has excluded communication over-the-top (OTT) services such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram from its new recommendations on authorisation or licensing regimes. As part of the overhaul of the existing telecom service licensing regime, Trai on Wednesday unveiled detailed recommendations, which does not mention OTTs. Tech and startup industry bodies have been at loggerheads with telecom operators on efforts to bring OTTs under a licensing regime which would have opened them up to taxation. Instead, Trai has outlined three broad categories of authorisations - Main service authorisations, Auxiliary service authorisations, and Captive service authorisations, which will cover the gamut of telecom services in the country. The new service authorisation guideline is part of an overhaul of the licensing regime in line with the new Telecom Act, 2023. Under the new framework, 'Unified Service Authorisation' has been introduc...

  Bajaj housing has between FY 22 and FY 24 grown exceptionally in terms of asset management and profit.  Bajaj Housing Finance Ltd (BHFL) continues to impress after a stellar market debut on Monday. The shares, which opened 114 per cent higher than the issue price and marched ahead to settle 136 per cent higher on the BSE and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), soared another 10 per cent to hit a record high of Rs 181.48 apiece on the bourses on Tuesday. BHFL is now the biggest housing finance company in terms of market capitalisation at Rs 1.51 trillion, more than 2.5 times its initial public offering (IPO) valuation of Rs 58,300 crore. Housing and Urban Deve­lop­ment Corporation (Hudco) and LIC Housing, with market capitalisation of Rs 49,056 crore and Rs 37,239 crore, are ranked next.   However, Bajaj Housing’s market debut has left many investors, particularly those who missed the IPO allotment or failed to apply, wondering about their next move: Should they invest n...

  Here are the benefits and step by step guide to create ATO orders on Zerodha's kite platform.  Discount brokerage firm Zerodha today, September 17, announced the launch of its new trading feature on its desktop-based Kite trading platform namely - ATO (Alert Trigger Orders). ATO - Alert Trigger Orders facilitates users to set pre-determined alerts that can result into actual trades as and when the set conditions are met; thus enhancing trading efficiency. Unlike standard alerts, that are programmed to alert traders about variable developments in day-to-day stock market trading; Zerodha's ATOs takes it a step further by enabling the user to take advantage of the desired market action, by facilitating order execution as and when the conditions are met. In simpler words, ATO is not just an alert but also actual execution of the desired trade - all in just one single feature. Announcing the launch of the service, Zerodha, founder and CEO - Nithin Kamath said the ATO feature will...