India welcomes newest Rajasthan unit to the grid

The site is home to two 700 MWe PHWRs (Image: screengrab from NPCIL video)

Unit 7 at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project is the third 700 MWe indigenous pressurised heavy water reactor to be connected to the Indian grid.

The unit - which is also known as RAPP-7 - reached first criticality in September and was connected to the northern grid early on Monday.

"With the clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board AERB and passing all tests with flying colours, unit 7 is now synchronised with the National Grid," Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) said in a video released to mark the achievement.

Once a new unit has been connected to the grid, it undergoes a process known as power ascension testing when its power levels are gradually raised - under approval from the regulator - until it reaches full capacity. It will then enter commercial operation.

RAPP-7 follows Kakrapar 3 and 4 in a planned fleet of 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs): unit 3 achieved first criticality in July 2020, was connected to the grid in January 2021 and was declared to be in commercial operation in July 2023. Unit 4, which reached first criticality in December 2023, was connected to the grid in February and entered commercial operation in March 2024.

"NPCIL has mastered the art of building and operating these reactors," the company said.

A second 700 MWe unit, RAPP-8, is also under construction at the site at Rawatbhata, which is already home to six operating PHWRs with a total capacity of 1180 MW. NPCIL said it expects RAPP-8 to be operational "in 2025-26".

The government has sanctioned the "fleet mode" construction of further 700 MWe units at Kaiga in Karnataka; Gorakhpur in Haryana; Chutka in Madhya Pradesh; and Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan.Earlier this year, Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman outlined ambitions for the development of at least 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047 to support India's energy transition efforts. This new capacity would include the development of Indian-designed small modular reactors to be operational by 2033, with amendments to Indian legislation to encourage private sector participation in nuclear projects.India welcomes newest Rajasthan unit to the grid

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World agrees hard-fought nature funding plan at UN talks

ROME - Nations cheered a last-gasp deal to map out funding to protect nature, breaking a deadlock at UN talks seen as a test for international cooperation in the face of geopolitical tensions.

Rich and developing countries hammered out a delicate compromise on raising and delivering the billions of dollars needed to protect species, overcoming stark divisions that had scuttled their previous meeting in Cali, Colombia, last year.

Delegates stood and clapped in an emotionally charged final meeting that saw key decisions adopted in the final minutes of the last day of rebooted negotiations at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in Rome.

COP16 President Susana Muhamad of Colombia hailed the fact that countries worked together for a breakthrough, enabling progress "in this very fragmented and conflicted world".

"This is something very beautiful because it's around protecting life that we have come together, and there cannot be anything higher than that," she added.

AFP/File | CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN

The decision comes more than two years after a landmark deal to halt the rampant destruction of nature this decade and protect the ecosystems and wildlife that humans rely on for food, climate regulation, and economic prosperity.

Scientists have warned that action is urgent.

A million species are threatened with extinction, while unsustainable farming and consumption destroys forests, depletes soils and spreads plastic pollution to even the most remote areas of the planet.

- 'Hope' -

The agreement on Thursday is seen as crucial to giving impetus to the 2022 deal, which saw countries agree to protect 30 percent of the world's land and seas.

Talks were also seen as a bellwether for international cooperation.

The meeting comes as countries face a range of challenges, from trade disputes and debt worries to the slashing of overseas aid -- particularly by new US President Donald Trump.

Washington, which has not signed up to the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity, sent no representatives to the meeting.

"Our efforts show that multilateralism can present hope at a time of geopolitical uncertainty," said Steven Guilbeault, Canada's Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

AFP | Alberto PIZZOLI

Ousseynou Kasse of Senegal, speaking on behalf of the Africa Group, also threw support behind global cooperation.

"We believe that this is the way that can save the world, and we must continue down this path," he said.

Countries must be "accountable to our children, to the generations to come", he added, saying he was thinking of what he would tell his own son when he returns home.

"I will give him good news that we have a compromise, we have a deal."

The failure to finalise an agreement in Cali was the first in a string of disappointing outcomes at environmental summits last year.

A climate finance deal at COP29 in Azerbaijan in November was slammed by developing countries, while separate negotiations about desertification and plastic pollution stalled in December.

Muhamad, who has resigned as Colombia's environment minister but stayed on to serve until after the Rome conference, was given a standing ovation as the talks drew to a close in the early hours of Friday.

- 'Key milestone' -

Countries have already agreed a goal to deliver $200-billion a year in finance for nature by 2030, including $30-billion a year from wealthier countries to poorer ones.

The total for 2022 was about $15-billion, according to the OECD.

AFP | Daniel Beloumou Olomo

The main debate in Cali and later Rome was over developing countries' calls for the creation of a specific biodiversity fund, which has seen pushback from the EU and other wealthy nations, who have argued against multiple funds.

Thursday saw intense closed-door talks based on a "compromise attempt" text that Brazil put forward on behalf of the BRICS country bloc that includes Russia, China and India.

The agreement reached in Rome leaves it to the 2028 COP to decide whether to set up a specific new fund under the UN biodiversity process, or to name a potentially reformed existing fund to play that role.

Georgina Chandler, Head of Policy and Campaigns at the Zoological Society of London, said the finance roadmap was a "key milestone", but stressed that money is needed urgently.

Other decisions sought to bolster monitoring to ensure countries are held accountable for their progress towards meeting biodiversity targets.

One achievement in Cali was the creation of a new fund to share profits from digitally sequenced genetic data from plants and animals with the communities they come from.

The fund, officially launched on Tuesday, is designed for large firms to contribute a portion of their income from developing things like medicine and cosmetics using this data.

Delegates in Cali also approved the creation of a permanent body to represent the interests of Indigenous people.by Kelly Macnamara World agrees hard-fought nature funding plan at UN talks

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When is workplace chat ‘just gossip’ and when is it ‘sharing information’? It depends who’s doing it

THEBILLJR/Shutterstock James Greenslade-Yeats, Auckland University of Technology

When two junior employees bump into each other in the corridor and start chatting about their manager’s overbearing manner, it’s typically considered gossip. But what about when two managers have an off-record catch-up to discuss an under-performing employee?

Both scenarios meet traditional definitions of gossip – the information being shared is about other people, the people it’s about are absent, the information is shared in a way that casts judgement on those people, and it’s informal. Yet the two situations are viewed very differently.

What counts as gossip is much more slippery than we might think. I reviewed 184 academic articles to understand what really constitutes workplace gossip.

The key, I found, is not any set of objective criteria, but rather people’s shared agreement that a situation counts as gossip.

This understanding of gossip helps us make sense of the “workplace gossip paradox” – the idea that gossip can be considered both a reliable source of social information (“the inside word”) and an unreliable information source (“just gossip”).

My work also provides insights into how businesses can manage gossip before it becomes a scandal.

Knowledge is power – but power controls knowledge

How does recognising the slipperiness of gossip help us understand the workplace gossip paradox? The answer has to do with the role of power in legitimising information.

Leaders and managers need information to justify action. If a manager is going to investigate a sexual harassment claim, they can’t do so based solely on a hunch. They need to hear about it from someone.

If the victim of sexual harassment complains directly to their manager, an investigation is automatically justified. But what if the manager hears about harassment indirectly and unofficially (for example, through “gossip”), with the added complication that the alleged perpetrator is another manager?

If the manager does something about what they’ve heard and the source turns out to be unreliable, they could face negative consequences for acting on what was essentially “just gossip.” But if they don’t act, and the information turns out to be credible, they could face repercussions for ignoring the “inside word.”

There is evidence that such paradoxical situations play out quite frequently in real-world workplaces. For example, inside information about negligence towards patient safety in healthcare settings has, in the past, been dismissed as “just gossip” until it provoked a public scandal.

The same thing happened in a university where gossip shared through a “whisper network” was eventually corroborated by an independent inquiry. In this case, the inquiry also found official complaints had been ignored.

One case study from the United States found managers tended to keep an ear out for information passing through the grapevine and selectively use it to further their own interests.

If gossip threatened their power, they repressed it as “just gossip”. But if gossip provided “useful” information – ammunition against a subversive employee, for example – management legitimised gossip as “official information”.

To avoid workplace scandals when gossip is ignored, managers should co-opt the information and make it safe to address anti-social behaviour. La Famiglia/Shutterstock

How to manage the workplace gossip paradox

To avoid scandals stemming from when gossip is ignored, managers might consider “co-opting” gossip, bringing it into official communication channels.

But there’s a problem with this approach. Gossip gains its credibility as the inside word because it takes place outside official communication channels. Therefore, if managers try to co-opt gossip into formal management processes, it’s likely to have the unintended consequence of discrediting the shared information.

Instead, “managing gossip” requires a better understanding of its functions and motivations.

One function is to reduce uncertainty. Research suggests gossip often arises to fill information gaps. For example, people might speculate about a manager’s salary by gossiping about their expensive car or holiday.

Such gossip is likely to be exaggerated and counterproductive. However, it could be managed simply by being transparent about staff salaries, filling the information gap before gossip does.

Another key function of gossip is to warn against antisocial behaviours like bullying. But if employees feel comfortable speaking up about such behaviour — even when it’s perpetrated by those with official power – managers will not face the dilemma of whether to act on information that could turn out to be “just gossip.”

Gossip is a slippery and paradoxical form of communication. Some would say it’s unmanageable. But what can be managed are the workplace behaviours and hierarchical relationships that gossip loves to sink its teeth into.

---

The author would like to acknowledge Trish Corner, Helena Cooper-Thomas and Rachel Morrison for their contributions to developing this research.

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James Greenslade-Yeats, Research Fellow in Management, Auckland University of Technology

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Shakira cancels Colombia concert over venue safety concerns

Shakira has canceled a concert in Colombia, among dozens of dates on her world tour, due to a damaged stage roof that posed safety concerns, event organizers said on Friday.

The Colombian singer-songwriter is on her first world tour in seven years, with nearly 50 performances scheduled in Latin America through June, followed by more concerts in the United States and Canada.

"During the process of setting up the show scheduled for February 24, the stage roof installed by a local production company suffered damage that put the artist's safety at risk," event organizer Paramo Presenta wrote on social media on Friday.

The company added that it hoped to reschedule the concert, which was due to take place at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellin.

The 48-year-old four-time Grammy winner had already been forced to scrap a tour date in Peru after she received treatment in hospital last week for an abdominal condition.

Titled "Las mujeres ya no lloran" (Women Don't Cry Anymore), the tour kicked off in Rio de Janeiro this month just a few days after she received a Grammy for best Latin pop album.

She returned to her hometown of Barranquilla, where she was welcomed on Thursday by tens of thousands of fans at the Metropolitano stadium.

With more than 90 million records sold worldwide, Shakira is one of the most popular Latin artists of all time.She has back-to-back concerts scheduled in Bogota on Wednesday and Thursday, according to her website. Shakira cancels Colombia concert over venue safety concerns

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No Toilets, No Flight: Air India Chicago-Delhi Passengers Stranded Mid-Air as Lavatories Fail

New Delhi [India], March 10 (ANI): Passengers onboard an Air India flight from Chicago to Delhi on Thursday were forced to circle back to Chicago due to a technical snag, a spokesperson of the airlines said on Monday.

The spokesperson further said that alternative arrangements were made in time for the passengers to take them to their destination.

“AI126 operating Chicago to Delhi on 6 March 2025 air-returned to Chicago due to a technical issue. Upon landing at Chicago, all passengers and crew disembarked normally and have been provided with accommodation to minimise inconvenience,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson further said that they were being given full refunds on cancellation and complimentary rescheduling.

“Alternative arrangements are being made to fly the passengers to their destination. In addition, full refunds on cancellation and complimentary rescheduling are also being offered to passengers if opted by them. At Air India, the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew remain top priority,” the spokesperson said.

The passengers suffered a 10-hour trip to nowhere because all but one of its toilets allegedly became clogged and inoperable. Air India Flight 126 was making its way over Greenland on March 5 when 11 out of its 12 toilets broke down, with the only working toilet located in the business class section for some 300 passengers to use, The New York Post reported.

The issue arose merely 5 hours into the 14-hour trip, forcing the airliner to head back to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, as per NYP.

As per NYP, the passengers claimed they were forced to jump through hoops to get their flights rescheduled or refunded.

Just one or two clogged toilets may trigger a flight crew to turn the plane around and land due to the limited number of lavatories available onboard, New York Post reported, No Toilets, No Flight: Air India Chicago-Delhi Passengers Stranded Mid-Air as Lavatories Fail

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Shakira kicks off first world tour in seven years

RIO DE JANEIRO - Shakira launched her first worldwide tour in seven years from Rio de Janeiro this week for her latest Grammy-winning album "Las mujeres ya no lloran" (Women Don't Cry Anymore).

The Colombian singer-songwriter treated fans at the 46,000-capacity Nilton Santos Olympic Stadium to the top hits from her 12th album on Tuesday.

"Music heals," Shakira told the audience. "Loving somebody else is a very good thing, but it's better to love oneself."

She notably performed "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53," a track that alludes to her highly publicized separation from former Spanish footballer Gerard Pique in June 2022.

"She has been through a very difficult time in her personal life," said Juliana Modenesi, a fan who traveled 600 kilometers (370 miles) to see her perform for the first time.

"She has reinvented herself and today, she is stronger than ever."

AFP | Pablo PORCIUNCULA

It is the first tour since 2018 for Shakira, who shot to fame with her 2001 hit song "Whenever, whenever."

She entertained the crowd with a blend of styles from pop and reggaeton to salsa and Dominican bachata during her two-and-a-half-hour performance.

The show came just a few days after she received a Grammy for best Latin pop album, which she dedicated to migrants in the United States who are facing deportation under President Donald Trump.

She also performed some of her classic hits including "Hips Don't Lie," "Chantaje" and "Waka Waka," the official song of the 2010 football world cup in South Africa.

With more than 90 million records sold worldwide and four Grammy Awards under her belt, among many other prizes, Shakira is one of the most popular Latin artists of all time.

She is set to perform nearly 50 dates in Latin America by the end of June, followed by more in the United States and Canada.By Lucía Lacurcia Shakira kicks off first world tour in seven years

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World's longest cargo sail ship launched in Turkey

TUZLA - The world's longest wind-powered cargo ship was launched in Turkey, offering a promising way to slash carbon emissions from merchandise trade.

The 136-metre Neoliner Origin was floated at the Turkish port of Tuzla, and will now undergo six months of fitting-out.

Designed by French company Neoline and built by Turkish shipyard RMK Marine, the ship can carry 5,300 tonnes of freight over long distances thanks to its two masts and 3,000 square metres of sails.

"Thanks to the wind, and by reducing speed from 15 knots (about 30 kilometres or 18 miles an hour) to 11 knots, we can cut fuel consumption and therefore emissions by a factor of five compared with a conventional ship," Jean Zanuttini, president of Nantes-based Neoline, told AFP.

With about 90 percent of world trade going by sea, the maritime transport sector is responsible for about three percent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the International Maritime Organization.

The ship will leave Turkey during the summer of 2025 for the French Atlantic port of Saint-Nazaire, then will begin its first rotation toward North America, serving the French island of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, the US port of Baltimore and Halifax in Canada.

The project received support from France's public investment bank (BPI) and the French shipping company CMA-CGM. Zanuttini said the shipyard would soon begin work on a second similar ship. World's longest cargo sail ship launched in Turkey

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Japanese reactor cleared for use beyond 50 years

The four-unit Takahama plant (Image: Kansai)

Kansai Electric Power Company has received approval from Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority to operate unit 1 at its Takahama nuclear power plant - the country's oldest operating reactor - beyond 50 years.

The utility applied to the NRA in November last year to operate the 780 MWe (net) pressurised water reactor (PWR), which entered commercial operation on 14 November 1974, for a further ten years after conducting an ageing technical evaluation and formulating a long-term facility management policy.

At that time, Kansai said: "As a result of the ageing technical evaluation conducted this time, we have confirmed that the plant can be maintained in a sound manner even 50 years after the start of operation by implementing additional maintenance measures for some equipment and structures as a long-term facility management policy, in addition to the current maintenance activities for equipment and structures that are important for safety."

At a 16 October meeting, the NRA approved Kansai's plan for ageing countermeasures at the unit over the next ten years.

"We will continue to actively incorporate the latest knowledge from Japan and abroad and reflect it in plant design and equipment maintenance, thereby striving to improve the safety and reliability of nuclear power plants," Kansai said.

Under regulations which came into force in July 2013, Japanese reactors had a nominal operating period of 40 years. One extension to this - limited to a maximum of 20 years - could be granted, requiring among other things, a special inspection to verify the integrity of reactor pressure vessels and containment vessels after 35 years of operation.

However, in December 2022, the NRA approved a draft of a new rule that would allow reactors to be operated for more than the current limit of 60 years. Under the amendment, the operators of reactors in use for 30 years or longer must formulate a long-term reactor management plan and gain approval from the regulator at least once every 10 years if they are to continue to operate. The new policy effectively extends the period reactors can remain in operation beyond 60 years by excluding the time they spent offline for inspections from the total service life.

The legislation was approved by Japan's Cabinet in February last year and enacted in May 2023. It comes into full effect in June next year.Takahama 1 - which was restarted in July 2023 after being offline since January 2011 - becomes the first Japanese unit to be approved for operation beyond 50 years. Japanese reactor cleared for use beyond 50 years

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Nepal hikes Everest climbing fee by a third

Nepal has hiked the cost of an Everest climbing permit by a third, arguing it will help tackle pollution and boost safety on the world's highest mountain, the tourism chief said Tuesday.

Fees for the peak spring climbing season will rise from $11,000 to $15,000 for a permit to scale the 8,849-metre peak, Narayan Prasad Regmi, director general of the tourism department, told AFP.

"The cost had remained constant for a decade and it was high time to revise that," he said.

Costs of climbing at less popular -- and more demanding -- times of year such as during winter or the monsoon rains have also risen at similar rates, including from $5,500 to $7,500 during the autumn season.

Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 peaks over 8,000 metres and welcomes thousands of climbers each year.

Foreign climbers already spend tens of thousands of dollars in their attempt to climb Everest, with more than 400 purchasing permits last year, bringing in around $4 million to government coffers.

The funds are put towards cleaning trash from the mountain left by climbers as well as search and rescue operations.

Mountaineering expedition companies hoped the price hike would not deter climbers, warning some might look to scale Everest through China.

"Some climbers might shift to Tibet where the facilities are much better," said Mingma G Sherpa, who runs the Imagine Nepal mountaineering company, saying the fee must be spent on improving conditions.

"Our government just increases the royalty, but doesn't do much," he said.

"It needs to also provide support to the climbers and guides."

Nepal has been criticised for allowing too many climbers on Everest while doing little to keep the peak clean.

Last year, the Nepal government ordered Everest mountaineers to carry mandatory trackers and carry bags to remove their excrement.

The fee increase was approved by the government in January, but was only published in the national gazette late Monday Nepal hikes Everest climbing fee by a third

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Indian Governor Offers $1 Million to Anyone Who Can Decipher This 5,300-year-old Writing System

Stamp seals in the Indus Valley script.

An Indian state governor has offered a $1 million reward to anyone who can prove definitively they’ve deciphered the script of the Indus Valley Civilization.

One of the oldest urban societies in history, the Indus Valley, or Harappan people began building settlements in the Indus River Valley in Pakistan/India 5,500 years ago.

They left behind a script and language that have yet to be deciphered, and M.K. Stalin, the Chief Minister (equivalent to a US governor) of Tamil Nadu, has offered a massive bounty to any codebreakers who are able to do so.

Mr. Stalin announced the prize after a recent scientific publication linked a variety of graffiti marks found on ancient Tamil pottery to the Harappan script, and believes there may be a connection with these two ancient lands.

If there were, it would be almost as remarkable a discovery as the ability to read the various seal stamps and symbols on Harappan artifacts, as Tamil Nadu is the southernmost state on the Indian subcontinent, thousands of miles away from the Harappan heartland.

Numerous efforts by linguistic scholars have been made to try and gain some understanding of how to read the language, but all have failed. According to the BBC, many modern IT workers and AI pioneers are contacting the government of Tamil Nadu claiming they have cracked the code, so to speak, but scholars are doubtful machine learning and algorithms alone can make any headway.

The total research base is around 4,000 inscribed or stamped artifacts of pottery, sandstone, and copper, consisting of around 68 symbols. Most of these bear only very brief inscriptions—between 5-6 characters—with the single longest measuring 34 symbols.

Does this brevity mean the Harappan script is logographic such as Chinese or Egyptian hieroglyphics? Some have attempted to link Harappan to Sumerian, or even more obscure writing systems like proto-Elamite, but according to scholars publishing around the turn of the 21st century, there’s as yet no substantial connection between Harappan and anything else.

This isn’t necessarily unusual in history, as many societies invented their own writing systems, and researchers would probably be happy to grant that the Harappans did the same. It’s just that, without any translatory document, such as the famous Rosetta Stone, granting that means accepting that there’s no way to read it at this time; and where’s the fun in that?

Throughout the history of linguistics, scholars have often had to try and figure out whether ancient writing systems were printed versions corresponding to the spoken lingua franca of the society, or were purely writing systems.

All these questions and more face any intrepid techies, archaeologists, and scholars who want to try and grab that $1 million prize, as well as the honor of solving one of the biggest outstanding mysteries in human communication.

Cash prizes, ancient documents, and artificial intelligence featured in the news last year when a Silicon Valley tech entreprenuer offered $750,000 to anyone who could figure out how to decipher carbonized scrolls from a library in the Roman city of Pompeii. Burid under mountains of ash and pummis, they were preserved, but any attempt to unroll them resulted in instant dissolving of the documents.

A trio of young students shared the reward for achieving different degrees of success in somehow identifying the written Greek from the burnt papyrus.A separate linguistic team studying the decoded texts provide this sentence—from an Epicurean philosopher writing almost 2,000 years ago: “…as too in the case of food, we do not right away believe things that are scarce to be absolutely more pleasant than those which are abundant.” Indian Governor Offers $1 Million to Anyone Who Can Decipher This 5,300-year-old Writing System

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WEF 2025: Infosys to expand Hyderabad campus, create 17,000 jobs

Hyderabad, (IANS): IT major Infosys Limited will expand its presence in Hyderabad to create 17,000 jobs.

The announcement was made at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos following the meeting of Infosys CFO Jayesh Sanghrajka with the Telangana IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu on Thursday.

The state government and Infosys agreed to further strengthen their strategic partnership with the expansion of Infosys' IT campus at Pocharam.

The expansion plans will create an additional 17,000 jobs in the Pocharam Campus where Infosys already employs over 35000 jobs making it one of their largest in the country, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

Construction of new IT buildings in phase 1 with an investment of Rs 750 crores will be completed in the next 2-3 years that will accommodate 10,000 people.

These new centres will contribute significantly to the state's thriving IT ecosystem and further enhance Telangana's status as a leading IT destination in the country, the CMO said.

"Our partnership with the Government of Telangana reflects our shared vision of driving innovation, empowering communities, and strengthening the IT landscape," said Jayesh Sanghrajka.

The IT minister said the state government remained dedicated to nurturing talent, creating opportunities, and fostering strategic alliances to propel the state's economy forward.

Earlier, Wipro also decided to expand its campus at Gopanapalli in the Financial District with a new IT centre to create 5,000 new jobs. The announcement was made after Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and IT Minister Babu met Wipro Executive Chairman Rishad Premji in Davos.

According to the CMO, the new IT centre will be completed in 2-3 years. This expansion is likely to further strengthen the IT ecosystem in Hyderabad.

Welcoming Wipro's decision to expand, the Chief Minister assured it of full support from the government.

Sridhar Babu posted on social media platform 'X' that he and Rishad Premji discussed plans to establish innovation centres that will drive cutting-edge advancements in AI, IoT, and cybersecurity in line with the state government’s vision of building a brighter tech-driven future. “Wipro’s commitment to empowering youth through skill development aligns perfectly with Telangana’s vision to nurture global talent. Together, we’re ensuring Telangana remains a beacon for innovation, sustainability, and growth," the minister said.--IANS WEF 2025: Infosys to expand Hyderabad campus, create 17,000 jobs | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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Sri Lanka’s passport slips to 96th in Henley Passport Index 2024 rankings

• Sri Lanka’s passport slipped one rank in the Henley Passport Index 2025, landing at 96th place, according to the latest rankings released by Henley and Partners.
• Sri Lanka shares the 96th spot with South Sudan and a visa-free score of 44. Despite the slip in position, it is still an improvement from its rankings of 100th in 2023, 102nd in 2022 and 107th in 2021.
• The Henley Passport Index, considered the most authoritative ranking of global passports, assesses the number of destinations their holders can access without prior visas.
• The top spot in the index is held by Singapore with a visa-free score of 195, followed by Japan at second place with a visa-free score of 193, whilst the third spot was shared among Finland, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea and Spain, with a visa-free score of 191, making them the world’s most powerful passports. Regionally, Maldives ranked 53rd position with visa-free score of 94, India ranks 85th, Bhutan 90th, Bangladesh 100th, Nepal at 101th spot, and Pakistan stands at 103rd place.
• At the bottom of the index, Afghanistan remains in the last position or 196th place with a visa-free access score of 26, accompanied by Syria at 105 and Iraq at 104, marking them as the countries with the weakest passports globally.
• With data covering 199 passports and 227 travel destinations, it provides comprehensive information on global access and mobility. The Henley Passport Index is based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
• (https://www.henleyglobal.com/ passport-index/ranking) Sri Lanka’s passport slips to 96th in Henley Passport Index 2024 rankings | Daily FT

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Brazil's Angra 1 approved for 20-year life extension

Angra 1 and 2 (Image: Eletronuclear)

Eletronuclear's Angra 1 nuclear power unit has been authorised by Brazil's National Nuclear Energy Commission to operate to 2044 - extending its life to 60 years.\

Angra 1 reached criticality in 1982 and entered commercial operation in 1985. The Westinghouse pressurised water reactor has a design capacity of 640 MWe. Eletrobras Eletronuclear also operates Angra 2, a 1275 MWe PWR which began commercial operation in 2001.

The request for the life extension was submitted in 2019. Since then there has been a "meticulous technical evaluation" of the request, a series of studies, four missions undertaken by International Atomic Energy Agency experts and an Integrated Implementation Plan for Safety Improvements.

As part of this plan there will be upgrades to control systems, physical protection structures and radioactive waste management protocols, the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN) said. They will be implemented during maintenance and refuelling shutdowns.

CNEN’s Director of Radiation Protection and Safety Alessandro Facure said: "Each aspect of this process was analysed with technical rigour and responsibility. Our mission is to ensure that the Angra 1 operation remains safe for workers, the environment and society."

Eletronuclear said it will be investing BRL3.2 billion (USD550 million) between 2023 and 2027 and noted that similar plants in the USA had been going on to receive approval for further extensions to 80 years.

In May the company said that it also uses the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's License Renewal Application process and said that measures already taken to extend the service life include new steam generators, changing the reactor pressure vessel cover and replacing the main transformers, as well as implementing ageing/obsolescence management systems. It said it would get short-term financing from its main shareholders, ENBPar and Eletrobras, while negotiations were completed with the US Export-Import Bank for the full modernisation programme.

President of Eletronuclear Raul Lycurgo said: "The renewal of Angra 1 should be celebrated and praised as it is the culmination of the great work carried out by our technical team. Everyone has dedicated themselves to the maximum over the last five years and have proven that Angra 1 continues to be completely safe and able to deliver steady, clean energy for the development of Brazil."

Angra 1 generated 4.78 million MWh in 2023 and has had a load factor of 88.24% for the past five years. It delivers enough energy to supply a city of two million people.

CNEN said that an important part of the authorisation process had been the Local Emergency Plan and the Fukushima Response Plan, implemented after 2011 - "CNEN teams will continue to monitor the implementation of these measures, including technical improvements and emergency response protocols, which are fundamental to the safety and protection of the plant and surrounding areas".The decision was a "milestone" not just in terms of energy production but also in showing the maturity of the regulatory system in Brazil. It said Eletronuclear will also be required to carry out a Periodic Safety Reassessment in 2033 "where compliance with the highest international safety standards will be verified". Brazil's Angra 1 approved for 20-year life extension

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Chelsea sign Girma in reported world record deal for female footballer

Chelsea signed United States defender Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave on Sunday in a reported world-record deal for a female footballer.

Girma is believed to have cost Chelsea £900,000 ($1.1 million), surpassing the previous world record of £685,000 paid by Bay FC for Racheal Kundananji in February 2024.

The 24-year-old was unveiled on the pitch by the Women's Super League champions ahead of Sunday's game against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

"I'm so happy and really excited to be here. It doesn't feel real," Girma told Chelsea's website.

"There are a lot of things about Chelsea that made me want to come here, the culture, the winning mentality, staff and players. It's a top environment to learn and grow in."

Girma becomes Chelsea Women's boss Sonia Bompastor's first signing of the January transfer window.

She was targeted by Bompastor after Chelsea defender Kadeisha Buchanan suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury that could rule her out for the rest of the season.

The fee eclipses the previous British record set when Chelsea signed striker Mayra Ramirez from Levante for £384,000 a year ago.

Girma played every minute of the United States' victorious Olympic campaign in Paris last year and was also named US Soccer's female player of the year in 2023.Chelsea head of women's football Paul Green said: "Naomi is a world-class defender who is now coming into the prime years of her career." Chelsea sign Girma in reported world record deal for female footballer

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'Bound by love, happily ever after': Neeraj Chopra ties knot with Himani

New Delhi, (IANS) Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra shared the news of his marriage with Himani in a social media post on Sunday.

"Starting a new chapter of life with my family. Grateful for every blessing that brought us to this moment together. Bound by love, happily ever after," Chopra wrote in the post on social media on Sunday.

The star athlete bagged a silver medal in the Paris Olympics last year and clinched his second consecutive medal in the Games. He became the first Indian track and field athlete to win a gold medal in the Olympics in Tokyo.

He ended his 2024 season with a second-place finish in the prestigious Diamond League Final in Brussels.

In November last year, the 27-year-old partnered with Javelin legend Jan Zelezny, who comes on board as his new coach. Zelezny, a three-time Olympic and World champion and the current world record holder, has long been an idol to Chopra."Growing up, I admired Jan’s technique and precision and spent a lot of time watching videos of him. He was the best in the sport for so many years, and I believe that working with him will be invaluable because our throwing styles are similar, and his knowledge is unmatched. It’s an honour to have Jan by my side as I push towards the next level in my career, and I can’t wait to get started,” Chopra had said during the announcement. 'Bound by love, happily ever after': Neeraj Chopra ties knot with Himani | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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Sri Lanka’s south coast crowned as winter’s hottest travel destination by Vogue

• In a dazzling spotlight on Sri Lanka’s allure, Vogue has names the island’s south coast as the must-visit destination this winter, capturing the hearts of wanderers with its unspoiled beaches, vibrant wildlife, tranquil tea estates and immersive cultural experiences.
• Through a vivid feature titled ‘Waves to Wildlife, Tea to Tranquility: Sri Lanka’s south coast is this winter’s hottest destination’ penned by Christine Chitnis, the international lifestyle magazine portrays the southern stretch as the ultimate haven for those seeking warmth, adventure and serenity during the colder months.
• The feature published on 8 January, unfolds a sensory journey through Sri Lanka’s diverse landscapes and its enduring spirit of resilience. Chitnis, a renowned photographer and travel journalist explores the south coast’s myriad of natural offerings, where luxury and adventure harmoniously converge.
• “Sri Lanka’s landscapes are vast and varied, welcoming and wild. This island nation of 22 million is a place where leopards slip like a whisper through the undergrowth, blue whales breach offshore, tea estates paint the hill region a lush green, and ancient Buddhist and Hindu temples whisper stories of centuries past. In the coastal towns, surfers line the golden sand beaches and tuk-tuks zip along twisting roads, their horns blending with the rhythmic clink of fishmongers’ knives and the sizzle of hoppers frying in street stalls. Plates heaped with rice and aromatic curries showcase the island’s culinary riches, while orange king coconuts are cracked open and offered as a sweet, refreshing balm to the humid heat,” she described.
• (https://www.vogue.com/article/sri-lanka-south-coast-travel) Sri Lanka’s south coast crowned as winter’s hottest travel destination by Vogue | Daily FT

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Inauguration of World’s Largest 2nd Gen. Ethanol Plant Will Cut Emissions by 30% with Sugar Cane

credit – Raízen, released to the press

In late May, Brazilian President Luis Ignacio da Silva visited São Paulo to inaugurate the world’s largest manufacturing plant for second-generation ethanol.

The new Bonfim Bioenergy Park will produce 82 million liters of ethanol per year utilizing a new method that produces 30% fewer emissions.

Located in the Brazilian state of Guariba, the nation’s largest center for the cultivation of sugarcane, the second-generation ethanol, also known as ‘bioethanol’ is made from the waste products of sugar production, known in the industry as bagasse.

Raízen, the company behind the Bonfirm plant, says that making ethanol from this waste creates 30% fewer emissions than if previous manufacturing methods were used.

New technologies allow for the extraction of residual sucrose from these already-crushed canes. A hydrolysis process uses enzymes to separate the individual cellulose fibers so they can be fermented more easily.

Raízen has another 9 second-gen plants under construction, and the company is aiming to produce 1.6 billion liters of biofuel per year in the future.

The largest single use of ethanol is as an engine fuel and fuel additive. Brazil in particular relies heavily upon the use of ethanol as an engine fuel being the world’s leading producer of ethanol. 90% of all new gasoline-powered cars sold in Brazil can also run on hydrous ethanol.

Along with the 30% reduction in emissions from manufacturing bioethanol compared to manufacturing conventional ethanol blends, the reduction in emissions from its use as a fuel is as high as 50 and 60%, according to a study from the Argonne National Laboratory.

“I realize that our engineering, that our researchers have managed to do what no country in the world that thinks it is better than us has done: we are able to transform that bagasse into something that produces ethanol of much better quality than the normal ethanol that we produced before, which is second-generation ethanol,” said President da Silva at the inauguration. Inauguration of World’s Largest 2nd Gen. Ethanol Plant Will Cut Emissions by 30% with Sugar Cane

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Air India launches inflight Wi-Fi services on domestic routes

New Delhi, (IANS) Tata group-owned Air India becomes the first airline to offer inflight Wi-Fi Internet connectivity services on domestic flights, according to the airline's press release on Wednesday.

According to Air India, passengers can avail of Wi-Fi Internet connectivity service on domestic routes in Airbus A350, Boeing 787-9 and select Airbus A321neo aircraft.

"This makes Air India the first to offer in-flight Wi-Fi Internet connectivity on flights within India, enabling travellers – flying for leisure or business – to stay connected to the Internet during their flights, and to enjoy browsing, accessing social media, catching up on work, or texting friends and family," the airline said.

Rajesh Dogra, Chief Customer Experience Officer, Air India, “Connectivity is now an integral part of modern travel. For some, it is about the convenience and comfort of real-time sharing, while for others, it is about greater productivity and efficiency."

"Whatever be one’s purpose, we are confident that our guests will appreciate having the option of connecting to the web and enjoy the new Air India experience on board these aircraft,” he added.

Air India said passengers can use Wi-Fi via laptops, tablets, and smartphones with iOS or Android operating systems, the in-flight Wi-Fi will also allow guests to connect multiple devices simultaneously when above 10,000 feet.

The deployment of Wi-Fi on domestic routes follows an ongoing pilot programme on international services operated by the Airbus A350, select Airbus A321 neo and Boeing B787-9 aircraft serving international destinations; including New York, London, Paris and Singapore.

At present, Wi-Fi service is being provided free of cost by Air India.As with the domestic offer, Wi-Fi is complimentary for an introductory period. Air India will progressively roll out the service on other aircraft in its fleet over time, Air India said. Air India launches inflight Wi-Fi services on domestic routes | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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India Law Allows Villagers to Claim 2000 Acres of Bamboo Forest to Turn Poverty into Prosperity

An Indian man transports bamboo, unrelated to the story – credit Matthieu Aubry, CC 2.0. via Flickr

From India comes the story of a tribal community who gained ownership of a lush bamboo forest and used it to brighten the futures of the otherwise poverty-stricken inhabitants.

According to a monumental piece of legislation passed in 2006, any indigenous community can apply for ownership of federally-owned land on which they have a traditional claim. Called the Forest Rights Act, its effectiveness has been spotty, since many indigenous forest dwellers are unaware that it exists, and few are willing to litigate on their behalf.

But for the dwellers of Pachgaon in the Indian state of Maharashtra, three years of persistent inquiries and form-filing rewarded them with ownership over a 2,500-acre bamboo forest which they have turned into a community silviculture business that takes care of the whole community.

It also stymied migration to the urban centers of Gujurat and Karnataka, keeping community members in the region of their ancestors, while making a not-insignificant profit of around $41,000 a year for the village.

“The day we got the papers was a festival,” says Vinod Ramswaroop Tekam, a 35-year-old villager. “We were overwhelmed that we had won this right, that our [nonviolent protest] had paid off. We were now 100% assured that the forest was really ours.”

At a depot on the outskirts of Pachgaon, stacks of bamboo lie neatly cut and sorted into various sizes. Across Asia, bamboo is used in construction for scaffolding and aiding the correct setting of concrete. Because of this, hundreds of thousands of long sections are needed every day, and can generate a land owner millions of rupees.

The village’s bamboo business made a profit of 34 million rupees in the last 10 years, or $400,000, according to a special feature in the Guardian.

Not too dissimilar to a Western co-op, a village assembly called a gram sabha runs the bamboo lumber business. There are no foremen or CEOs, just one person designated to handle the paperwork.

The bamboo thrives even throughout the difficult monsoon years, when villagers from Pachgaon would often watch their crops flooded and destroyed in the rains, and, left thusly destitute, migrate to cities to perform odd jobs for low pay.

The profits made are spread through the gram sabha and address things like higher education for the community’s children, infrastructural improvements, and the acquisition of neighboring land to expand the business.

When the monsoons come and the bamboo cutting ceases, profits are used to pay villagers to perform work like digging drainage ditches and filling potholes.

“It’s simple,” says Gajanan Themke, 43, a worker-manager at the gram sabha. “If we don’t create jobs, people will migrate. More people in the village means better work and better execution of work.”The dream of the gram sabha and Pachgaon is simple: keep the next generation here and keep their traditions alive. India Law Allows Villagers to Claim 2000 Acres of Bamboo Forest to Turn Poverty into Prosperity:

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Year Ender: Kabhi alvida na kehena: Iconic Indians lost in 2024 who will live on in their legacy

New Delhi, (IANS) India, a country of 140 crore people doesn’t have a dearth of talent. Yet, in this massive sea of humanity and diversity that comprises our nation, there are a few who became legends, inspirations and icons in their lifetime. As the year comes to a close, here’s a look at some of the iconic Indians we lost in 2024, but who will live on in the legacy they have left behind.

Dr Manmohan Singh: The ‘Accidental Prime Minister’, and the ‘Architect of India’s economic reforms’, are some of the names by which India will remember its economic wizard. An alumnus of Panjab University and University of Cambridge, he earned a doctorate in economics from the University of Oxford.

The economic foundation that this gentle soul and man of few words laid during his tenure as the two-time Prime Minister of India in the Congress-led UPA Government, made sure that Bharat came out of the economic crisis it was in when he came at the helm and breezed through the 2008 global economic meltdown as well.

Dr Manmohan Singh will be remembered for his legacy of the National Rural Health Mission, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, for solidifying India’s borders with the historic Indo-US Civil Nuclear deal, for the Right to Education Act, for providing food security to millions of Indians with the National Food Security Act, for the Right to Information Act, for championing the rights of the backwards with the Land Acquisition Act and providing relief to millions of farmers with the Agricultural Debt Waiver and Debt Relief Scheme. No matter how he was perceived by his opponents and the media during his tenure as Prime Minister, but history, his nation and the world does remember him kindly and will do so, going into the years ahead.

Ratan Tata: A well-loved Indian business leader, a brand and trusted name in himself, the head of Tata Sons, Ratan Tata was an iconic industrialist and philanthropist who taught people the art of living a life where making money, nation-building and taking care of and uplifting the underprivileged went hand in hand. One of India’s most elegant, sought after and eligible bachelors for decades Ratan Tata in his sunset years became an inspiration and idol for the young generation of the country as he was an epitome of humanity, humility and business acumen.

His passing away was mourned by all Indians and even the strays on the streets of the country as he made sure that no four-legged furry guest who came to beg for food at his world-famous Taj chain of hotels went away hungry.

Ratan Tata was responsible for bringing in aspirational brands like Tetley, Starbucks, Zara and Jaguar Land Rover into the country. However, in his true spirit of caring for one and all, he launched the Nano, so that every Indian who did not have deep pockets could still own a car with pride and keep the family secure while travelling. With his vision for India’s progress and penchant for philanthropy, he was truly India’s Ratan.

Ustad Zakir Hussain: The famous tabla player, composer and actor who will always be remembered for his immense talent and cherubic face will be mourned by all who love Indian classical music and fusion. Zakir Hussain, who was the eldest son of the legendary tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha, took his father’s legacy even further and became world-renowned for his innovative contributions to music and collaborations with Pandit Ravi Shankar, George Harrison, John McLaughlin, L Shankar and TH Vinayakram. For those who are not so much into music, he will be remembered because of the eternal lines for Taj tea, “Aree huzoor, wah Taj boliye”.

The musical genius was a four-time Grammy Award winner. Back home he was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Shree and Padma Bhushan as Ustad Zakir Hussain put Indian classical music on the global stage like no other percussionist of his time did.

Rohit Bal: One of India’s most legendary designers who dominated the fashion fraternity for decades through his flamboyant creations for men and women alike, Rohit Bal was known for designing clothes that incorporated the country’s rich sartorial traditions and stitched them into bespoke apparels that combined modern convenience with elegance and glamour.

An alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Gudda as he was popularly known, personified haute couture at one point of time till others inspired by him came on the scene. A founding member of the Fashion Design Council of India, Rohit Bal’s artistry, flair and innovative creations inspired a generation of fashion designers and redefined Indian couture.

Sitaram Yechury: Leader of India's largest communist party the CPI(M), Sitaram Yechury was a key figure in Indian politics for decades. As a student, he had a brilliant academic record and went on to study at St. Stephen’s College and later Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), but his attempts to complete a Ph.D. in Economics from the university were disrupted by his arrest during the Emergency days.

Sitaram Yechury got into politics from his student days and began his career as a leader with the Student Federation of India (SFI). In fact, he was the first SFI president who did not hail from the states of Kerala or Bengal. Later, as a seasoned politician, Yechury remained a member of the CPI(M) politburo for 32 years and became its General Secretary in 2015. He played a key role in ensuring the stability of governments during the peak years of coalition politics in India and will always be remembered for contributing to coalition dharma in the true sense.

Pankaj Udhas: The ghazal singer with a soulful, magical voice mesmerised generations of Indians with his famous renditions and needs no introduction. It is a measure of his talent that he not only brought out 50 albums but also sang in the Hindi film industry. Which Indian has not cried, laughed or slow danced to his beautiful ghazals like ‘Chitti Aai hai’, ‘Chandi jaisa’ ‘Yeh halki si baarish’ ‘Mein nashe mein hoon’ and so on.

Recognising his immense contribution to the popularity and spread of Indian music especially the dying genre of ghazals, not just among the citizens of the country but also among the diaspora, the Indian government honoured him with a Padma Shri. His melodic voice will live on forever digitally but he will still be missed by many generations of Indians who swore by his music.

Ameen Sayani: The most recognised voice on radio, in an era where televisions were not even a distant dream for crores of Indians, was that of Ameen Sayani. With his cheerful greeting of “Ji haan bhaiyon aur beheno. Main hoon apka dost” he would have people glued to their radio sets every Wednesday at 8 p.m. as he played famous Hindi film songs on the legendary music show Geetmala. Later on it went on to become the Binaca Geetmala and was India’s answer to America’s Billboard rankings that could make or break a music composer’s and singer's career. The cheery and golden voice of the RJ will be missed for its captivating charm and warmth by a whole generation of Indians.

Sharda Sinha: Known as the nightingale of Bihar, Sharda Sinha will forever be remembered for her contributions to Chhath Puja through her devotional hymns. Even though her voice has been silenced by death, she will live on in the hearts and minds of the Purvanchali people who did not celebrate any wedding or festival without her soulful voice singing in the background.

All her life Sharda Sinha endeavoured to keep alive Bihar’s folk traditions and introduce people to the richness of Bhojpuri and Maithili. She also passionately revived folk songs and made sure that they did not die out in today’s fast-paced world, unsung and unappreciated by the younger generation. She will always be remembered for preserving her homeland’s culture and traditions.

Dr. Ram Narain Agarwal: Popularly known as the ‘Father of Agni Missile’ or the ‘Agni Man of India’, Dr Agarwal was born in Jaipur into a family of businessmen. However, in a departure from tradition he charted his own course in life and studied Aeronautical Engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology and did his Master's from the prestigious Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

In his long career he went on to work closely with notable scientists including Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The Padma Bhushan awardee was the Agni programme director and also the director of the Advanced Systems Laboratory in Hyderabad.

The Agni missile was the most ambitious of the five missiles, Prithvi, Akash, Nag, and Trishul that India sought to develop under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme launched in 1983 by the Union Government. A brilliant engineer, Dr Agarwal established all-composite heat shields, onboard propulsion systems, re-entry technology and advanced guidance and control systems for missiles. The nation has much to thank its ‘Agni man’ for.

Anshuman Gaekwad: Indian cricketer of yesteryears Anshuman Gaekwad was the epitome of bravery in the face of adversity. The history of Indian cricket would be incomplete without the mention of his indomitable spirit and endless patience while playing test cricket for his nation, match after match. In the stuff of legends, Gaekwad batted an incredible 11 hours in a 1982 match in Jalandhar against rivals Pakistan.

Gaekwad proved his mettle in an era when helmets and visors were not worn by players by facing Jamaican cricketer Michael Holding's brutal bowling in a 1975 match.

He even got a punctured eardrum after getting clipped on the ear in dreaded bodyline bowling by Holding, but all that was taken care of after the match got over! After leaving active cricket he became a selector and national coach and though not a legend in the league of some others, he will still be remembered for his fortitude and dedication to the Gentleman's game.

Some of the others who left for their heavenly abode in 2024 and who deserve a mention here are the famous Tamil actor Ganesh, Malayalam actor Mohan Raj, Gusadi dance master Kanaka Raju, Yamini Krishnamurthy who was one of India’s top Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancers, industrialist Ram Buxani, Ramoji Rao who was the founder of the Ramoji Film City, Girish Sahni who served as the director of CSIR, Aziz Qureshi who was the former Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Mizoram, Ustad Rashid Khan Indian classical vocalist and former national hockey player Ajit Singh Gill to name a few.Though these Indians, who made a name for themselves in their respective fields are gone, they will live on in the legacy they left behind. Year Ender: Kabhi alvida na kehena: Iconic Indians lost in 2024 who will live on in their legacy | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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