Indian Minister shares video of 410-meter Hyperloop test track. Photo Courtesy: Ashwini Vaishnaw X page video grab
Marking significant progress in the country’s highspeed transportation ambitions, India’s Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday shared a video on X which showed the completion of a 410-meter Hyperloop test track.
The test track is located at the IIT Madras’ Discovery Campus in Thaiyur, Tamil Nadu.
It is a result of the collaboration between Indian Railways, IIT-Madras’ Avishkar Hyperloop team and a startup named TuTr Hyperloop.
Sharing the video, the Union Minister wrote on X: “Bharat’s first Hyperloop test track (410 meters) completed.”
Watch: Bharat’s first Hyperloop test track (410 meters) completed.
👍 Team Railways, IIT-Madras’ Avishkar Hyperloop team and TuTr (incubated startup)
“Team Railways, IIT-Madras’ Avishkar Hyperloop team and TuTr (incubated startup),” he said.
According to a press release issued by IIT Madras, the project’s central objective is the advancement and commercialisation of Hyperloop technologies for high-speed, affordable, reliable, and sustainable transportation.
Bangladesh starts printing currency notes without images of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash
Bangladesh has started printing new currency notes which will not feature the image of the country’s founding father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The country is reportedly printing the currency notes which will feature the images of the July movement that led to the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina-led government.
Hasina, who fled Bangladesh amid protests against her government in August, is the daughter of Sheikh Mujib.
According to the central bank, the banknotes of Tk20, 100, 500, and 1000 are being printed as per instruction of the interim government, reported Dhaka Tribune.
The new currency notes are likely to be introduced in the country within the next six months.
The officials concerned of the central bank and the Ministry of Finance said the image of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will be removed from the current notes.
Initially, the design of the four notes is being changed and the design of all types of banknotes will be redesigned in phases, they told Dhaka Tribune.
The Finance Institute Division, Ministry of Finance, wrote to the Bangladesh Bank (BB) to submit a detailed design proposal for the new note in September, the newspaper reported.
BB spokesperson and Executive Director Husneara Shikha told the newspaper: “I hope the new notes could be released in the market within the next six months.”
Murals with the image of Bangabandhu and even his statues were attacked and vandalised after Hasina escaped to India on August 5 amid severe protests against her government.
The protests had initially started against a controversial job quota system but soon spiralled into a massive agitation against Hasina, who was the longest serving PM of the South Asian country that was formed in 1971.
It is suspected that foreign hands were at play in orchestrating the unrest and planning her ouster.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus-led government took charge of the country just three days after Hasina exited the country. Yunus, known for his closeness to the US Democrats, also accepted later in an event in America that there was “design and conspiracy” involved in the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.
Bangladesh is currently witnessing protests by minority community members since the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das.
Hybrid Model to host Champions Trophy reached between India, Pakistan and ICC. Photo courtesy: BCCI X handle
The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have reached a consensus to adopt the hybrid model for hosting international tournaments that would be played in India and Pakistan, a step possibly ending all deadlock over hosting the Champions Trophy next year.
The agreement was reportedly reached during the meeting between ICC chief Jay Shah and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi in Dubai.
The PCB forwarded its formula to the International Cricket Council (ICC), according to which Pakistan and India will play all of their game at a neutral venue for the next three years, sources told ARY News.
Following the Partnership or Fusion Formula, India will not travel to Pakistan and vice versa for their games in the ICC tournaments scheduled for the next three years.
Sources told ARY News that the ICC will take a decision on the matter after holding consultations with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The eight-team Champions Trophy is planned to take place in Pakistan’s Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Karachi, but its future remains uncertain due to the ongoing dispute between the PCB and the BCCI.
The BCCI has already informed the ICC that it will not send its team to Pakistan for the tournament, scheduled for February-March 2025.
If media reports are to be believed, India will need to pay a hefty compensation for not travelling to Pakistan.
“During the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan will play its matches in Sri Lanka. The compensation demanded by PCB for the Champions Trophy hybrid model is still under consideration,” a source told Indian news agency PTI.
Apart from Pakistan hosting Champions Trophy next year, India is also scheduled to organise several international tournaments in the country in upcoming years.
India did not travel to Pakistan to play a cricket tournament since the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
The last bilateral series played between the two nations was in 2012, when Pakistan visited India to play cricket.
India and Pakistan played their last ICC encounter during the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies this year.
In the last four years, Singapore has become one of the preferred countries for billionaires, as per UBS’ Billionaire Ambitions Report 2024. It said since 2020, billionaires have relocated more frequently, with 176 having moved from a total population of 2,682 in April 2024. That’s one in 15.
Singapore is now home to 47 billionaires, 30 more than it was in 2015, as per the UBS report. Representational image of Marina Bay, one of the expensive areas in the country. Photo courtesy: Unsplash
“They’re moving to countries such as Switzerland, the UAE, Singapore and the United States. In total, billionaires accounting for more than USD 400 billion have emigrated in four years, with the MEA region attracting the most billionaire capital,” the report said.
“As countries compete to build industries of the future, this is a significant potential investment. By way of comparison, emerging countries will pay a record USD 400 billion to service external debt this year, according to a report released on the eve of IMF / World Bank spring meetings,” it added.
Currently, Singapore has 47 billionaires, six more than the city-state had in 2023. The country has seen seven new billionaires, while four dropped out from the 2023 list this year. Billionaires in Singapore have a combined wealth of USD 155.5 billion, according to the report. Last year, the 41 billionaires had a total wealth of USD 135.8 billion.
As per the report, around two-thirds of the billionaires in Singapore are self-made. Nearly a decade ago, the country was home to only 17 billionaires in 2015. In the last nine years, the number has seen an increase by 30, while the total wealth has grown from USD 44.5 billion (2015) to USD 155.5 billion.
Singapore billionaires have had a rise of 27 percent in their wealth, from USD 2.6 billion in 2015 to USD 3.3 billion in 2024, UBS said.
According to Benjamin Cavalli, head of strategic clients at UBS Global Wealth Management, “The Covid-19 pandemic was a wake-up call for many people and led them to reassess their lives. Billionaires were no exception.”
Overall, from 2015 to 2024, the number of billionaires has increased from 1,757 to 2,682, according to UBS. It said 1,877 were self-made billionaires, while 805 inherited the wealth. The wealth grew by 121 percent, from USD 6.3 trillion to USD 14 trillion over the last decade.
NYPD issues photos of suspected UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s suspected killer. Photo Courtesy: NYPD X page
The New York Police Department has released images of a man who is wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the Manhattan region of the US city on December 4.
The search for the killer is currently ongoing.
NYPD News wrote on X: “Below are photos of a person of interest wanted for questioning regarding the Midtown Manhattan homicide on Dec. 4. This does not appear to be a random act of violence; all indications are that it was a premediated, targeted attack.”
🚨UPDATE: Below are photos of a person of interest wanted for questioning regarding the Midtown Manhattan homicide on Dec. 4. This does not appear to be a random act of violence; all indications are that it was a premediated, targeted attack.
Police offered USD 10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the suspect.
“The full investigative efforts of the NYPD are continuing, and we are asking for the public’s help—if you have any information about this case, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). There is a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction,” NYPD News wrote.
Dressed in a suit and tie, Thompson was walking toward the New York Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan to attend UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference when he was fatally shot.
After striking Thompson, the gunman fled on a bicycle.
Thompson became the chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021.
UnitedHealthcare is part of UnitedHealth Group, ranked fifth in the Fortune 500, according to the company.
Newcomers at Bird Paradise: Rescued rockhopper penguin Pascale; and a gentoo chick nestled under penguin mum. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group; Collage: Pixlr
Outstanding wildlife experiences are among the highlights of leisure and recreation activities in Singapore. The world-famous Singapore Zoo is complemented by Bird Paradise (the successor to Jurong Bird Park), and this year’s festive season is brightened even more by some adorable new arrivals at the spectacular aviary. Two baby gentoo penguins and a rescued rockhopper have joined the Penguin Colony at Bird Paradise.
Announcing the cute new faces, a media release said: “Bird Paradise’s Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove is celebrating the festive season with exciting new arrivals! Just in time for Christmas, the penguin colony has grown with the addition of a rescued female rockhopper penguin, Pascale. She will join five-year-old Pierre, the park’s only other northern rockhopper penguin — also a rescued individual — with hopes that the two may form a pair bond.
“But that’s not all — two adorable gentoo penguin chicks have hatched, making this a holiday to remember for both visitors and the penguin family.”
Bird Paradise is run by the Mandai Wildlife Group. Assistant Vice-President Anaïs Tritto said, “We are excited to welcome Pascale and our charming gentoo penguin chicks to the family. Pascale’s arrival marks a new chapter for Pierre and we look forward to seeing how they would interact and bond.”
Penguin-keeper Nuralyanti Jasni releases Pascale from her crate upon arrival at Bird Paradise. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group
As the rockhopper penguins Pascale and Pierre get a shot at love, Bird Paradise is celebrating an achievement with the birth of the gentoo penguin babies.
Pierre, the male northern rockhopper who lives in Bird Paradise. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group
Tritto said, “The successful hatching of gentoo chicks is a first for us and represents an important milestone. Our team of penguin-keepers has put in great efforts into ensuring [that] our birds are thriving and receiving all the TLC they can get. This breeding success is a strong indication that they are doing well in our habitat.”
Pascale ready to make her debut in December
Pascale, the one-year-old female northern rockhopper penguin, arrived from Perth Zoo on 28 November 2024. She is currently undergoing a two-week isolation period for close monitoring and will make her debut in the penguin habitat in the second week of December.
Her introduction will begin with a soft release in a corral area to facilitate her social integration into the group. Pascale will be part of the colony which includes over 30 penguins from four species: gentoo, humboldt, king, and northern rockhopper penguins.
Pascale was found washed ashore on a beach in Western Australia in February 2024, far from the species’ typical sub-Antarctic range in the Southern Indian and Atlantic Oceans. After being rescued, she was sent to Perth Zoo, where the veterinary team worked diligently to rehabilitate Pascale, nursing her back to health and preparing her for the journey to Singapore. During this time, she won the hearts of her carers with her boisterous personality.
Pascale being hand-fed. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group
Pierre was also rehabilitated at Perth Zoo before transferring to Singapore in 2020. For both Pascale and Pierre, it was assessed that their chances of survival would be very slim if they were to be released back to the wild.
Listed as “Endangered” under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the northern rockhopper penguin is known for its striking appearance and lively behaviour. Its sleek black plumage, a white underbelly, and distinctive yellow-orange crest give it a charismatic and unique appearance.
Unlike most penguins that waddle, the northern rockhopper is an exceptional jumper. Its strong legs allow it to hop between rocks and cliffs, a crucial skill for navigating the steep, rocky landscapes of its native island homes, earning it the “rockhopper” name.
Gentoo penguin chicks bring joy ahead of Christmas
On 25 November 2024, 4-year-old Riki and 3-year-old female Peach became first-time parents when they welcomed their first chick. Two days later, on 27 November 2024, a second chick successfully hatched.
However, the Bird Paradise penguin-keepers noticed that the second chick was being underfed, as the parents struggled to meet the demands of feeding two chicks. To maximise the chance of survival of both chicks, the penguin care team decided to lend a hand and retrieve the second chick for hand-raising.
The 9-day old second gentoo chick is now being cared for under the watchful eyes of the penguin care team.
Penguin-keepers are hand-raising the second gentoo chick. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group
Tritto explained, “Our priority is always to allow the parents to care for their chicks, intervening only when absolutely necessary. In this instance, intervention was required. As first-time parents, Riki and Peach may not have the experience to successfully raise two chicks simultaneously. This is a natural behaviour also observed in the wild, where sometimes only one chick survives.
“Despite this, Riki and Peach are adjusting beautifully to parenthood and are taking good care of their firstborn. Our dedicated penguin care team is closely monitoring the chicks during these crucial early stages of development.”
While the first chick is being carefully tended to by its attentive parents, Bird Paradise visitors with a keen eye might be able to catch a glimpse of it nestled beneath them as it grows stronger.
First-time gentoo penguin parents Riki and Peach. Photo courtesy: Mandai Wildlife Group
Meanwhile, the second chick is being hand-raised in the Research Room located on the third floor of the Ocean Network Express Penguin Cove. Visitors can have the opportunity to observe the young penguin being fed and cared for by checking the whiteboard by the window for feeding times.
Gentoo penguins use pebbles to construct their nests and attract potential mates. After an egg is laid, both adults take turns incubating it for about 30 days, waiting for signs of hatching. The sex of the offspring will be determined after their first moult, which typically occurs several months post-hatching. DNA analysis of their feathers will then confirm their gender.
Riki and Peach arrived in Singapore in 2023 under a partnership between Toyohashi Zoo & Botanical Park (Non Hoi Park) and Mandai Wildlife Group. Bird Paradise is part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) breeding programme for gentoo penguins, which are classified as “Least Concerned” on the IUCN Red List.
The breeding programme ensures a healthy and genetically diverse population under human care, helping to raise awareness and increasing the profile of these penguin species.
Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has slammed the country’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus in her first public address, accusing him of persecuting minorities.
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Photo Courtesy: PID Bangladesh
In a virtual address at an event in New York on Sunday, she claimed that there were plans to assassinate her and her sister Sheikh Rehana, just like their father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1975.
This is her first public address after taking shelter in India following her abrupt resignation in August.
Referring to the attack on her official residence in Dhaka on August 5, Hasina said: “The armed protestors were directed towards Ganabhaban. If the security guards opened fire, many lives would have been lost. It was a matter of 25-30 minutes, and I was forced to leave. I told them [guards] not to fire no matter what happened.”
“Today, I am being accused of genocide. In reality, Yunus has been involved in genocide in a meticulously designed manner. The masterminds — the student coordinators and Yunus — are behind this genocide,” she said.
Hasina said the current government in Dhaka failed to protect the minorities.
In a reference to the arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, Hasina said: “Hindus, Buddhists, Christians — no one has been spared. Eleven churches have been razed, temples and Buddhist shrines have been broken. When the Hindus protested, the ISKCON leader was arrested.”
“What is this persecution of minorities for? Why are they being ruthlessly persecuted and attacked?” she said.
“People no longer have the right to justice… I never even got the time to resign,” she said, speaking in Bengali.
Hasina said she left Bangladesh in August to stop the violence, but that did not happen.
Ties between India and Bangladesh came under strain after the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus came to power in August, following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
In a strong message, India had said the interim government in Bangladesh must shoulder its responsibility of protecting all minorities while expressing serious concern over the “surge” of extremist rhetoric and increasing incidents of violence against Hindus.
India said the case of Das, arrested for alleged sedition, should be dealt with in a just, fair, and transparent manner, India stated.
Months after the brutal rape and murder of a junior doctor left Kolkata in a state of shock and shame, another horrific incident from the West Bengal capital has come to light. This time, the rape victim is a seven-month-old girl, who is currently undergoing ICU treatment. While she was not murdered, the sexual assault on the infant was so violent that it has left the baby fighting for her life.
Several months after the RG Kar Hospital rape-murder case shook all of India, and despite numerous protest marches by civil society, the city of Kolkata and wider West Bengal continue to see horrific incidents of rape and rape-murder. The November 30 rape of an infant in Kolkata is the latest in a series of such heinous crimes. Representative image courtesy: www.freepik.com
As per reports, the sexual assault on the infant was committed on the night of November 30. The baby was sleeping beside her parents on the pavement at the Burtolla area of Kolkata when she was abducted and raped. The victim was later left on the pavement. A resident, woken up by the distressed howling of the girl, found her alone and informed the police.
At the same time, her parents had also initiated a search and approached the cops. Soon, the two reports were tallied and the baby was reunited with her parents, who then rushed her to RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Quoting a hospital official, the Times of India reported that the girl’s condition was on the mend and was likely to improve further. She has started to eat; and the hospital has also set up a team of four doctors to look after her.
TOI reported that when the baby was admitted to the hospital, “doctors found multiple injuries on her private parts and scratches all over her body”.
Incidentally, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital is the same institute that came under the scanner as the aforementioned rape and murder of a junior lady doctor took place inside the hospital premises after her long duty shift ended late on August 8. The murder was discovered early on August 9. The estimated time when the crime was committed was between 3am and 5am on August 9, as per reports.
Following the RG Kar incident, Kolkata witnessed a huge surge of protests, marches, and hunger strikes. While the capital of West Bengal remained the epicentre of these protests, similar marches and human chains were undertaken in various places in India, including marches organised by doctors.
While the RG Kar case was the trigger for these protests, ‘Reclaim the Night’ marches led by civil society women, with the full participation of men, also drew attention to the generally prevalent rape culture in West Bengal. This sexual assault on the infant is yet another reminder of that rape culture.
Kolkata witnessed on September 4, 2024, a massive turnout of people from 9pm till well beyond midnight. Photo courtesy: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
The extreme public outrage and central agency investigations also led to the arrests of several people, including Dr Sandip Ghosh, the erstwhile principal of RG Kar. However, no arrests have been made in the November 30 incident of the infant rape.
Even as protests against the RG Kar case were taking place in Kolkata and in some districts of West Bengal, violence erupted in Joynagar, in South 24-Parganas district, after a nine-year-old girl was found murdered in early October. Locals alleged that the victim was abducted, raped, and then murdered on October 4 while she was coming back from her tuition class.
The furious Joynagar locals alleged that police had refused to lodge a missing person complaint. An angry mob attacked the police personnel and set the police station on fire.
The situation was brought under control for a while, but it remained tense as locals held a procession with the body of the little girl on October 8. This was followed by another round of violence in the area.
Overall, frequent reports of rape, rape-murder, and other forms of violence against girls and women have put law and order in West Bengal under the scanner. While the demand for security and justice was a vital part of the protests after the RG Kar case, nothing seems to have improved, as rampant sexual violence persists even after several months.
ISRO’s PSLV rocket, carrying two satellites of the European Space Agency (ESA), lifted off from the spaceport in Sriharikota on Thursday, December 5.
The PSLV-C59 rocket lifts off. Photo courtesy: Screengrab from X
The launch was rescheduled to 4:04 pm today and a revised countdown was set after sorting out an anomaly detected in the propulsion system of one of the satellites on Wednesday, minutes before the launch.
As the countdown concluded, the PSLV C-59 blasted off to place Proba-3 spacecraft in the desired orbit.
In a social media post after the lift off, the Bengaluru-based space agency said, “Lift off achieved. PSLV-C59 has successfully soared into the skies, marking the commencement of a global mission led by NSIL, with ISRO’s technical expertise, to deploy ESA’s groundbreaking PROBA-3 satellites. A proud moment celebrating the synergy of international collaboration and India’s space achievements.”
VIDEO | ISRO’s PSLV-C59 rocket carrying European Space Agency’s Proba-3 mission launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. (n/1) pic.twitter.com/1Ww6PG5JUI
Proba-3 (Project for Onboard Anatomy) consists of two satellites in which two spacecraft would fly together as one, maintaining precise formation down to a single millimetre to study the Corona, the Sun’s outer atmosphere.
NewSpace India Ltd, the commercial arm of ISRO has bagged the order from the ESA for the launch.
The 44.5 metre tall polar satellite launch vehicle blasted off majestically from the first launch pad at the latest time at 4.04 pm.
‘Probas’ is a Latin word, which refers to ‘Let’s try’.
The mission objective is to demonstrate precise formation flying and two spacecraft – ‘Coronagraph’ and ‘Occulter’ would be launched together in a stacked configuration, ISRO said.
Prior to Wednesday’s launch, ISRO had successfully launched the Proba-1 rocket by the European Space Agency in 2001.
US President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated billionaire and private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the next NASA chief.
Donald Trump names Jared Isaacman as next NASA chief. Photo Courtesy: Jared Isaacman Instagram page
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “I am delighted to nominate Jared Isaacman, an accomplished business leader, philanthropist, pilot, and astronaut, as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).”
“Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration,” Trump said.
Isaacman is the CEO of payment processing company Shift4 Payments.
He is the first person to perform a private spacewalk and was part of the Polaris program mission. Isaacman has flown to space twice.
Trump said: “Over the past 25 years, as the Founder and CEO of Shift4, Jared has demonstrated exceptional leadership, building a trailblazing global financial technology company.”
“Jared’s passion for Space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new Space economy, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era,” Trump said.
After Trump made the announcement, Isaacman felt honoured for his ‘nomination’.
“I am honored to receive President Trump’s @realDonaldTrump nomination to serve as the next Administrator of NASA. Having been fortunate to see our amazing planet from space, I am passionate about America leading the most incredible adventure in human history,” he wrote on X.
He said the space holds ‘unparalleled potential’ for breakthroughs in manufacturing, biotechnology, mining, and perhaps even pathways to new sources of energy.
“There will inevitably be a thriving space economy — one that will create opportunities for countless people to live and work in space. At NASA, we will passionately pursue these possibilities and usher in an era where humanity becomes a true spacefaring civilization,” he said.
