Author: Supriya Jena

  • Boeing Secures Massive $36 Billion Order from Pegasus Airlines

    Boeing Secures Massive $36 Billion Order from Pegasus Airlines

    Boeing has secured a huge order worth $36 billion from Pegasus Hava Tasimaciligi AS, a low-cost airline in Turkey. This is a significant deal for Boeing, as it pushes ahead in 2023 and competes with Airbus, which was previously Pegasus’s main choice.

    Pegasus has ordered 100 of Boeing’s latest 737 Max 10 planes, which are not yet approved for flying. They expect to start getting these new planes in 2028, with the option to buy another 100 if they want. The total value of this order could grow even more if Pegasus decides to convert the options into firm orders.

    This order is the largest in Pegasus’s history and is a vital win for Boeing, especially after a tough year with a long worker strike and an accident earlier this year. Just two years ago, Pegasus announced they wanted to buy only Airbus planes.

    The news caused Boeing’s stock price to rise by about 4% during trading in New York, hitting a peak not seen in four months. Boeing is hoping to finish the year on a strong note, having also sold 14 planes to China Airlines earlier.

    Kelly Ortberg, the new CEO of Boeing, is seeing a boost in customer confidence, according to an analyst. The company is also getting back to full production after the strike, making it a crucial time for new orders.

    Pegasus plans to expand its services and fly to more destinations in North Africa and the Baltic states. Currently, they have over 100 planes, mostly Airbus, but this new order marks a shift towards Boeing for the future. The airline stated that they will keep working with both Boeing and Airbus but believe this order strengthens their relationship with Boeing.

    Turkey aims to be a major hub for tourism and business, using its new airport in Istanbul. Pegasus flies from Sabiha Gokcen airport in Istanbul, which is also expanding with a new runway. This deal could lead to more production and job opportunities for Turkish companies, indicating a partnership between Turkey and Boeing. Meanwhile, Airbus remains strong in Turkey, having secured a significant order from Turkish Airlines last year.

  • Massive Fire in Noida Electronics Firm: 75 Firefighters Respond

    Massive Fire in Noida Electronics Firm: 75 Firefighters Respond

    A fire started in a basement of an electronics company in Noida’s Sector 65 on Sunday morning. According to the police, about 15 fire trucks and 75 brave firefighters are working hard to put out the flames. Noida’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shakti Mohan Avasthy, reported the incident and said that emergency teams are doing everything they can to control the fire. More details will be shared as they come in.

  • 2024 FPI Trends: What’s Next for Investments in India?

    2024 FPI Trends: What’s Next for Investments in India?

    In 2024, money coming from foreign investors into Indian stocks wasn’t very stable. Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) sold a lot of shares, especially in two sectors: financials and oil & gas. They sold more than ₹1 lakh crore (which is a lot of money!). In some months, they sold more stocks than they bought. In total, they purchased shares worth ₹6,770 crore by December 20, 2024.

    Some months, like January, April, May, October, and November, saw big sell-offs. October was the worst month, with investors selling shares worth ₹94,017 crore. On the other hand, September was great for inflows with ₹57,724 crore coming in.

    Breaking it down by sector, FPIs really targeted the financial sector, selling off ₹53,942 crore worth of shares. The highest selling happened in January and October. They did buy some shares back in September, totaling ₹27,200 crore.

    The oil and gas sector didn’t fare well either, with ₹50,851 crore worth of shares sold, mostly in October and November. Other sectors like FMCG, automobile, construction, media, metals, and power saw some outflows too, but not as much.

    On the bright side, certain sectors like capital goods, healthcare, and telecommunications saw inflows.

    Looking ahead to 2025, expert V K Vijayakumar believes that returns will be moderate. He thinks India’s GDP will improve in the last parts of the year, thanks to more government spending, which will get investors back on board. However, the economy faced challenges in Q2 with only 5.4% growth, one of the lowest rates in a while.

    Sunil Damania, another expert, sees slow economic growth as a big risk for companies’ earnings. He thinks 2025 will be a tougher market and suggests focusing on specific sectors rather than broad trends.

    Finally, with Donald Trump as the new U.S. President, there are concerns about tariffs and their impact on inflation. Experts recommend avoiding risky investments tied to these geopolitical changes, instead, focusing on businesses that are less affected by global issues

  • Manipur Tragedy: NCW Demands Action After Six Brutally Murdered

    Manipur Tragedy: NCW Demands Action After Six Brutally Murdered

    Guwahati: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked the Manipur government for a detailed report within 10 days about the tragic deaths of six people, including three women and three children, last month. The NCW received a complaint from the Republican Party of India (Athawale) about the violent incident that took place in Jiribam, Manipur. On November 11, 2024, these six individuals were kidnapped and murdered in a very shocking manner. The NCW expressed deep concern and stated that such violent acts are very disturbing and require immediate action. They said, “As the main body working to protect women’s rights in the country, we are here to help ensure justice for the victims’ families and prevent such violence from going unpunished.” The Commission urged the State Government to prioritize actions to handle this serious issue and protect the rights and safety of women and children. Recently, there has been unrest in Jiribam after the bodies of the six victims were found. In gun battles, around 10 armed militants were killed, and two CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel were injured. Kuki groups claimed that the deceased were village volunteers, not militants. Security advisor Kuldiep Singh mentioned that 258 people, including militants, have lost their lives since the violence began on May 3 last year. The conflict between non-tribal Meiteis and tribal Kuki-Zo groups started after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ opposed the Meitei community’s request for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

  • Diddy Faces Legal Issues: Diageo May Sell Ciroc Vodka”

    Diddy Faces Legal Issues: Diageo May Sell Ciroc Vodka”

    Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing serious legal problems, including sex trafficking charges. He is currently in jail at a tough New York City detention center. Because of this situation, Diageo, the company behind popular drinks like Gordon’s gin and Baileys, is thinking about selling Cîroc Vodka, a brand Diddy used to support. Experts say Cîroc could be worth over $100 million right now.

    This discussion follows Diageo’s settlement with Diddy. He had accused the company of racism because they did not promote his vodka and tequila. Although details of the settlement are not fully known, insiders believe he received millions. Back in January, Diddy ended his connection with the brands and put his lawsuits on hold.

    Diageo is having a tough time selling Cîroc since Diddy’s arrest in September, with reports showing a 15% drop in sales in important Asian markets. They are also facing challenges with Guinness beer, which has been in short supply in many UK pubs during the holiday season.

    A Diageo spokesperson did not comment on reports about selling Cîroc. Recently, there have been many high-profile sales of luxurious alcohol brands, showing that there is still interest in this market.

    Diddy’s Health in Jail

    While in prison, Diddy has lost a lot of weight, which has caught public attention. After a recent court hearing, a reporter noticed that he looked “astonishingly thinner.” This is very different from his luxury lifestyle before going to jail. Diddy has been denied bail multiple times and was under suicide watch at first, but that was lifted when his lawyer said he was doing well.

  • Uttar Pradesh’s Forest Cover Grows: A Step Toward Sustainability

    Uttar Pradesh’s Forest Cover Grows: A Step Toward Sustainability

    Uttar Pradesh (UP) is making great strides in increasing its forest and tree cover. According to a statement from the state government, UP recorded an increase of 559 square kilometers, making it the second-highest in the country! This news was shared during the release of the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) in Dehradun.

    Arun Kumar Saxena, the Minister of Forests and Environment, praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for guiding everyone to plant more trees. Thanks to teamwork, UP achieved this impressive result, coming in second place for growing its green cover. Only Chhattisgarh did better!

    As a whole, India’s forest and tree cover has increased by 1,445 square kilometers since 2021, now covering 25.17% of the country. This means a lot more trees are helping clean our air! The report also stated that India has added a carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes since 2005.

    The country aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes by 2030 to meet its goals under the Paris Agreement. Currently, India’s forest cover stands at 715,343 square kilometers, which is 21.76% of the land. The tree cover has also gone up by 1,289 square kilometers, now accounting for 3.41% of the geographical area.

    In summary, the major states that saw the biggest rises in forest and tree cover were Chhattisgarh (+684 sq km), Uttar Pradesh (+559 sq km), Odisha (+559 sq km), and Rajasthan (+394 sq km). This shows how much progress is being made in protecting our environment!

  • Devotee Demands iPhone Back from Temple: A Clash of Beliefs”

    Devotee Demands iPhone Back from Temple: A Clash of Beliefs”

    The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department has said no to a man who wanted his iPhone back after it accidentally fell into a donation box at the Sri Kandaswamy temple. The phone is now considered the temple’s property.

    Dinesh, the man who lost his phone, was trying to make a donation when the phone slipped from his hand. After finding out the phone was in the donation box, he asked temple officials to give it back. However, they told him he could only retrieve the data from it, not the phone. Dinesh was not happy with this answer and wanted his phone back.

    HR and CE Minister P K Sekar Babu responded to this situation by saying that anything that goes into the donation box belongs to God. He explained that all donations are considered offerings to the deity of the temple. Therefore, the rules say they cannot return any items dropped in the donation box.

    He mentioned he would talk with department officials to see if they could help Dinesh in some other way.

    This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. In May 2023, a woman named S Sangeetha dropped her gold chain into a donation box at the Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple in Palani. After checking the security footage and seeing the chain fell by accident, the temple chairman bought her a new gold chain to help her out.

    According to the temple rules set in 1975, anything put into the donation boxes belongs to the temple and cannot be returned to the owner.

  • Taiwan Boosts Defense with New M1A2T Abrams Tanks from U.S.”

    Taiwan Boosts Defense with New M1A2T Abrams Tanks from U.S.”

    Taiwan has recently received 38 M1A2T Abrams tanks from the United States. This is the first time in 23 years that the US has sent tanks to Taiwan. Radio Free Asia reported that this delivery is just part of a larger order of 122 tanks that Taiwan is expecting over the next two years.

    The M1A2T Abrams is known as one of the best main battle tanks in the world, but some experts are worried about how it will perform in Taiwan’s hilly and crowded areas. Still, these tanks are a big upgrade for Taiwan’s defense, especially with rising tensions with China.

    The M1A2T has a powerful 120mm gun that can fire at armor as thick as 850mm and is fast and strong. Compared to Taiwan’s old tanks, the M60A3 and CM11, which are more than 30 years old, the M1A2T is a giant step forward in technology.

    This tank also has a special feature called “hunter-killer,” which means it can track and shoot at multiple targets at once. Eric Gomez, an expert at the Cato Institute, pointed out that the main purpose of the M1A2T is to help protect important areas in case of a Chinese invasion. He mentioned that while China has light armored vehicles, they won’t be sending big tanks, making the M1A2T a crucial defense tool.

    Even with worries about the tank’s ability in tough places, many experts believe that the M1A2T will help Taiwan handle the military pressure from China. This delivery of tanks comes at a time when tensions with China are growing. China has always opposed US support for Taiwan and claims Taiwan as part of its territory. In response to the tank deal, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Taiwan’s efforts to become independent with the help of other countries will fail, and China will strongly protect its sovereignty and security.

  • AAP Launches Ambedkar Scholarship for Dalit Students to Study Abroad

    AAP Launches Ambedkar Scholarship for Dalit Students to Study Abroad

    The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has started a new scholarship called the Ambedkar Scholarship. This program is specially for Dalit students who want to study abroad. The goal of this scholarship is to help more Dalit students get a chance to study in other countries and achieve their dreams.

    With the Ambedkar Scholarship, talented Dalit students can apply for financial help to cover their study expenses. This includes tuition, living costs, and travel. The scholarship aims to create more opportunities and support for Dalit students, encouraging them to pursue higher education and build a better future.

    The AAP believes that education is a powerful tool for change. By funding Dalit students to study internationally, they hope to promote inclusivity and diversity in higher education. This initiative is part of a larger effort to empower Dalit communities and ensure they have equal opportunities in society.

    If you are a Dalit student wanting to study abroad, keep an eye out for more details about how to apply for this exciting scholarship!

  • PM Modi’s Landmark Visit to Kuwait: Strengthening India-Kuwait Relations

    PM Modi’s Landmark Visit to Kuwait: Strengthening India-Kuwait Relations

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just arrived in Kuwait for a two-day visit. This is a big deal because it’s the first time in 43 years that an Indian Prime Minister has visited this Gulf country. Modi received an invitation from Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait.

    During his trip, Modi plans to talk with the leaders of Kuwait to build a better partnership for the future. He also emphasizes the strong friendship between India and Kuwait that has lasted for many years. The two countries have a lot in common, including interests in peace and stability in the West Asia region.

    Modi looks forward to meeting the Emir, the Crown Prince, and the Prime Minister of Kuwait. Plus, he will attend the start of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup event.

    Indira Gandhi was the last Indian Prime Minister to visit Kuwait back in 1981. Today, India is one of Kuwait’s top trading partners, with a trade amounting to around USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24.

    The Indian community in Kuwait is very vibrant and large, making up 21% of Kuwait’s total population, which is about 1 million people. Indians also form 30% of the workforce in Kuwait, both in the private and domestic sectors. Indian exports to Kuwait recently reached USD 2 billion for the first time!

    Kuwait is also important for India’s energy needs since it is the sixth-largest supplier of oil to India, meeting 3% of its energy supply. India and Kuwait’s friendship goes back to a time when trade by sea was crucial for Kuwait’s economy.