Author: Rasmita Jena

  • Kerala’s Roadmap to Transform Investments: Key Changes Ahead

    Kerala’s Roadmap to Transform Investments: Key Changes Ahead

    Kerala is gearing up for the “Invest Kerala Global Summit” (IGIS) and state industries minister P Rajeev shared exciting updates. The summit is different this year because it follows 50 events where discussions were held with investors across all districts. They listened to what investors wanted and made necessary changes to the rules to encourage businesses to come to Kerala.

    This year, Kerala’s motto is “nature, people, industry,” emphasizing responsible investments in 22 important sectors. They held special events focusing on technology like AI, robotics, and smart farming, and traveled to cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and even Dubai to promote Kerala as an investment destination.

    Unlike previous years, where investment promises were often unrealistic, this time they aim for more realistic goals with clearer plans. Rajeev highlighted that Kerala has improved its position in the ease of doing business, now ranking number one, a significant shift from 28th place before.

    Regarding the Vizhinjam port, which is a key project, Rajeev believes it will attract many investors. The port is located close to major international shipping routes and does not require much digging, making it an attractive option for shipping companies.

    He also mentioned other developments like the Palakkad industrial smart city, which is part of a major project to connect Kochi and Bengaluru. The government is welcoming investments in tech sectors instead of traditional manufacturing which can harm the environment.

    Rajeev recently attended the World Economic Forum in Davos to meet potential investors and showcase Kerala’s projects, including the Green Hydrogen Valley.

    Despite political differences, the opposition parties are also planning to attend the summit, showing a united front for the state’s growth. Rajeev believes Kerala is evolving and will soon stand out as a top destination for industries focused on technology and sustainability.

  • Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif’s Adorable Date Night Out in Mumbai!

    Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif’s Adorable Date Night Out in Mumbai!

    Famous actors Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaif went out for a date night in Mumbai, and fans shared lots of videos and pictures online.

    In one clip, you can see Vicky and Katrina getting out of their cars and walking into a building. They both wore cozy clothing: Katrina chose a black sweatshirt, matching pants, shoes, and a cap, while Vicky wore a brown shirt, black pants, and a cap too.

    In another video, they were seen leaving the place. Vicky stood in front of Katrina as a fan tried to take her picture. They held hands as they walked, and Katrina turned to thank someone. Vicky then helped Katrina into their car before getting in himself.

    Recently, Katrina praised Vicky’s new movie, Chhaava, on Instagram. She highlighted how amazing the film is and complimented Vicky’s performance. She wrote, “The last 40 minutes will leave you speechless. Vicky, you are outstanding! The way you change for your characters is incredible. I’m so proud of you!” Katrina also appreciated the whole team behind the film.

    Chhaava is a historical drama about the great ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, played by Vicky. The movie shows his heroic life, starting with his crowning in 1681. So far, it has earned ₹219.75 crore at the Indian box office in just a week!

  • Market Sinks as Walmart’s Weak Outlook Spurs Tariff Fears

    Market Sinks as Walmart’s Weak Outlook Spurs Tariff Fears

    On Thursday, the U.S. stock market dropped sharply. Investors were worried about new tariffs (taxes on imports) and disappointing news from Walmart, which is the biggest retail store in the world. This led to a selloff, making all three major stock indexes – the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq – go down. The Dow had the biggest drop.

    Walmart announced that it expects lower sales and profits than what experts predicted. This raised alarms about how well U.S. shoppers are doing since consumer spending is a big part of the economy. “Walmart’s bad news made some people nervous about how much we’ll spend in the future,” said Robert Pavlik, a money manager.

    When Walmart’s stock price fell, it pulled the whole market down with it. Meanwhile, gold prices soared to a new high, which usually means that people are looking for safer investments amidst worries.

    Walmart’s difficulties also hinted at how the company might be affected by U.S. President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on things like cars and drugs. “There’s a lot of uncertainty with tariffs—people are asking if this is a tactic or if it’s serious,” said Mike Dickson, another expert in finance.

    Even though recent reports show that the job market is doing fine, some experts fear that job cuts from new government changes could disrupt things.

    Here’s how the major indexes finished the day:

    – S&P 500: Down 26.52 points (0.43%) to 6,117.63
    – Nasdaq Composite: Down 94.22 points (0.47%) to 19,962.03
    – Dow Jones Industrial Average: Down 450.69 points (1.00%) to 44,180.80

    Other companies had mixed results. Palantir Technologies fell after the Pentagon signaled possible budget cuts. But shares of Alibaba went up after it beat revenue expectations, and Hasbro, the toy company, also did well. Baxter International, a medical device company, jumped after it gave a positive profit forecast for 2025.

  • Siddaramaiah Cleared: Major Report on Land Case Submitted!

    Siddaramaiah Cleared: Major Report on Land Case Submitted!

    The Karnataka Lokayukta—a special ombudsman—submitted a huge report with 11,000 pages to a court in Bengaluru regarding the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land case. This happened just a day after police cleared Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife Parvathi of any wrongdoing. Police said there was not enough proof to charge them.

    The police, led by Superintendent Udesh, shared 27 volumes of documents with a court that handles cases involving lawmakers. They assured the public that the investigation is ongoing and the documents are important for the inquiry.

    Recently, it was reported that the Lokayukta was likely to absolve Siddaramaiah and Parvathi from all accusations. On Wednesday, Lokayukta Police closed the case, stating no evidence was found to support the allegations made against the chief minister, his wife, and two others.

    The case began when an activist named Snehamayi Krishna raised concerns about land allocated by MUDA. The report noted that the accusations were either misunderstandings of the law or simply not proven enough to take further legal action. Krishna was informed that if he disagrees with the findings, he can challenge them in court.

    The land in question was a three-acre plot that Siddaramaiah claimed was given to his wife in 1998. In 2014, MUDA acquired this land for development without proper permissions, and Parvathi later applied for compensation. She ended up getting 14 residential plots worth over ₹8 crore, making people suspicious that this somewhat unfairly benefited their family.

    In September 2024, the Karnataka High Court allowed Lokayukta to investigate the land allotment. On November 5, the court directed the Lokayukta Police to present a status report on Krishna’s claims for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. However, on February 7, the court decided that the Lokayukta Police would continue the investigation.

    Some skepticism arose from the opposition party, BJP, who questioned the fairness of the inquiry, suggesting it should be handed over to the CBI. Senior BJP leader Pralhad Joshi stated they could not trust the investigation since the same police officers were appointed by Siddaramaiah.

    On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar supported the Lokayukta’s report, saying that the allegations were politically motivated and Siddaramaiah was innocent. He emphasized that the Lokayukta is an independent body that operates without influence from the Chief Minister.

  • Meet Aaryan Shukla: The 14-Year-Old Who Broke 6 Guinness Records!

    Meet Aaryan Shukla: The 14-Year-Old Who Broke 6 Guinness Records!

    At just 14 years old, Aaryan Shukla, a “human calculator” from India, amazed everyone by breaking six Guinness World Records in one day! Last year, he made headlines when he became the fastest person to mentally add 50 five-digit numbers before a live audience. He completed this incredible task in only 25.19 seconds, which is about one addition every half second!

    After this impressive achievement, Aaryan was invited to Dubai by Guinness World Records to face an even tougher challenge. In one amazing day, he broke six records, including:

    – The fastest time to mentally add 100 four-digit numbers
    – The fastest time to mentally add 200 four-digit numbers
    – The fastest time to add 50 five-digit numbers
    – The fastest time to divide a 20-digit number by a 10-digit number
    – The fastest time to multiply 10 sets of 2 five-digit numbers
    – The fastest time to multiply 10 sets of 2 eight-digit numbers

    Aaryan shared his daily routine with Guinness World Records, saying, “Daily practice is super important for competitions, so I practice for about 5-6 hours each day.”

    He also explained how he thinks while solving math problems. “Many calculations happen really quickly in my head, so I can’t explain what goes on inside my brain; I just do it naturally. It’s so fast that I don’t have time to think, I just calculate,” he shared. To help him stay calm and focused, he practices yoga.

    Aaryan’s mother noted that he has loved numbers since he was very young. “He liked studying and playing with numbers. At age 6, he started practicing mental calculations, and he was really good at it. We began researching more about it. By age 8, he participated in an international competition and won medals and trophies, which was amazing!” she said.

  • Delhi’s New Ministers: Criminal Charges and Billionaire Profiles Revealed!

    Delhi’s New Ministers: Criminal Charges and Billionaire Profiles Revealed!

    A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) shows that most of the new ministers in Delhi, including Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, have criminal cases against them. Out of the seven ministers, five (about 71%) are involved in these cases. One minister, Ashish Sood, has serious charges.

    In terms of wealth, two ministers are billionaires. The richest, Manjinder Singh Sirsa from Rajouri Garden, has assets worth Rs 248.85 crore. The minister with the least money, Kapil Mishra from Karawal Nagar, has Rs 1.06 crore. On average, each minister has Rs 56.03 crore. They also have debts, with Parvesh Sahib Singh from New Delhi having the most at Rs 74.36 crore.

    Educationally, six out of seven ministers (86%) have at least a college degree. One minister only completed 12th grade.

    As for their age, five ministers (71%) are between 41 and 50 years old, while two (29%) are between 51 and 60. There is only one woman minister in the new cabinet, which is the Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

  • Viral Video Confuses Haldi Ceremony with Basant Panchami Party in Agra Metro

    Viral Video Confuses Haldi Ceremony with Basant Panchami Party in Agra Metro

    A social media influencer named Divyata Upadhyay shared a video claiming to find a Haldi ceremony inside an Agra Metro train. In her Instagram video, she showed one train coach that was blocked off with a shiny yellow curtain at the entrance. Upadhyay suggested that the metro was being rented for special events since there weren’t many passengers on the train. She mentioned that although food is usually not allowed on the train, it seemed like a fun idea for celebrations.

    After her video went viral, the Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation responded and clarified that the event was not a Haldi ceremony but a private Basant Panchami party. They stated that no wedding events are allowed on the metro, and they encouraged people not to spread false information.

    On their Instagram, the authorities shared pictures from the party, showing women dressed in yellow and enjoying themselves with balloons and kites. They also promoted the metro as a venue for celebrating birthdays and other special occasions, inviting people to book the train for events.

  • Blackpink Announces Epic 2025 World Tour: Dates & Locations Revealed!

    Blackpink Announces Epic 2025 World Tour: Dates & Locations Revealed!

    Get ready, Blackpink fans! The amazing K-pop girl group is going on a big 2025 World Tour! YG Entertainment announced the exciting news on Wednesday. This tour will have many shows in the USA and Canada, and here’s what you need to know:

    Tour Dates and Locations:

    Blackpink, made up of talented members Lisa, Rose, Jennie, and Jisoo, will start their tour with some shows in South Korea. After that, they will travel to the United States and Europe. Here are the tour dates:

    – July 5: Goyang, South Korea, at Goyang Stadium
    – July 6: Goyang, South Korea, at Goyang Stadium
    – July 12: Los Angeles, USA, at Sofi Stadium
    – July 18: Chicago, USA, at Soldiers Field
    – July 22: Toronto, Canada, at Rogers Stadium
    – July 26: New York, USA, at Citi Field
    – August 2: Paris, France, at Stade De France
    – August 6: Milan, Italy, at Ippodromo Snai La Maura
    – August 9: Barcelona, Spain, at Estadi Olímpic
    – August 15: London, England, at Wembley Stadium
    – January 16, 2026: Tokyo, Japan, at Tokyo Dome
    – January 17, 2026: Tokyo, Japan, at Tokyo Dome
    – January 18, 2026: Tokyo, Japan, at Tokyo Dome

    Possible Songs to Hear Live:

    Although Blackpink hasn’t shared the full list of songs yet, fans can expect to hear their biggest hits. Some popular songs that might be performed include:

    – DDU-DU DDU-DU
    – Whistle
    – As If It’s Your Last
    – Stay
    – Playing With Fire

    They may also perform songs from their latest album, Born Pink, which came out in 2022.

  • Maharashtra’s Women Empowerment Program: What You Need to Know

    Maharashtra’s Women Empowerment Program: What You Need to Know

    In Maharashtra, a program called the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ helps many women by giving them monthly money. This program has already given support to about 2.5 crore women, which helped the ruling political alliance in winning the elections in November 2024.

    The program gives married, divorced, widowed, or destitute women between the ages of 21 to 65 a monthly aid of Rs 1,500 if their family earns less than Rs 2,50,000 a year. Unmarried women can also receive this aid, with one unmarried woman allowed per family.

    According to officials, most beneficiaries—83%—are married women. Unmarried women make up 11.8%, while widows represent 4.7%. Women who are divorced, deserted, or in tough situations make up less than 1%.

    The majority of the women who benefit fall in the age group of 30-39 years (29%), followed by those aged 21-29 (25.5%) and 40-49 (23.6%). Only a small number (5%) of beneficiaries are between 60 and 65 years old.

    The districts with the most applicants for the scheme are Pune, Nashik, and Ahmednagar, while Sindhudurg and Gadchiroli have the least. The program was started in July last year.

    Before the elections, the ruling alliance promised to increase the monthly aid to Rs 2,100. Since taking power, the new government is reviewing the list of beneficiaries, and so far, they’ve removed about five lakh women who no longer qualify. They plan to check more and might cut around 15 lakh women from the program. Women who own cars, work for the government, or receive more than Rs 1,500 from other programs cannot get this aid.

    When it started, the program was expected to cost the government Rs 46,000 crore a year and has faced some issues related to dishonesty and political tricks.

  • Fakhar Zaman Ruled Out of Champions Trophy: Impact on Pakistan’s Team!

    Fakhar Zaman Ruled Out of Champions Trophy: Impact on Pakistan’s Team!

    Big news for Pakistan’s cricket team: they will not have their star player, Fakhar Zaman, for the important match against India. Fakhar hurt his knee while playing against New Zealand in their first match on Thursday. He tried to keep playing but looked really uncomfortable, especially during his batting. He scored only 24 runs off 41 balls and had to get help before he got out.

    After the game, Mohammad Rizwan, the captain, said he didn’t know how serious Fakhar’s injury was but confirmed he was in pain. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier said they were watching his muscle sprain closely. However, it now seems that Fakhar’s injury is serious, which means he not only misses the game against India but might also not be ready to play against Bangladesh next week. A reliable source has told Hindustan Times that Fakhar is “almost ruled out” of the tournament.

    This news is a relief for the Indian team because Fakhar was the one who scored a century in the 2017 Champions Trophy final and helped Pakistan win against India. He scored 114 runs, leading Pakistan to a big score that India couldn’t match.

    To make things worse for Pakistan, they are also missing another player, Saim Ayub, from the tournament. There were concerns about Haris Rauf’s fitness too, but he showed up ready to play against New Zealand.