Author: Swati Pandey

In an age of digital petitions and viral hashtags, a tale from rural India has burst onto the nation’s conscience for its utter desperation and stark symbolism. Two sisters - Kusum Lata Baudai and Sanjana, the younger one – had recently written a letter in blood to the President Droupadi Murmu an extreme step given to their anger. The ‘bat invasion’ or the ‘bat menace’ has been a year-round suffering that many families living in old, dilapidated structures across the Valley have had to put up with. However, this particular form of protest is just an analogy for a much graver and deeper…

Lohri, being one of the vibrant and most culturally enriched festivals of North India, is especially celebrated in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and partially in Delhi and Jammu. It signifies the end of peak winter and the beginning of longer days. Lohri has a strong affiliation with agriculture, seasonal change, and community bonding. In 2026, the Lohri will also be celebrated with bonfires, folk songs, and all those traditional rituals that have defined it for generations. Lohri Date in 2026: Tuesday, 13 January 2026 Time of Celebration: During the hours of the evening, following sunset. Lohri is always celebrated on…

People loved a social media post claiming that the Indian Army was in difficulty for saving a YouTuber in Sikkim. This post has led to a lot of confusion and worry online. The post made it sound like the army was getting complaints or pressure from the government or public groups because they helped a content maker who was stuck in the country. However, authorities and experts have said that the things that the message said are not true. The Indian Army did what it had to do to help people who were in trouble, and there are no public…

A new version of WhatsApp is coming out that will make talks easier to understand and more fun. The update combines three useful tools: better event alerts, text-based stickers, and user tags for group chats. In busy groups, these features are meant to make things clearer, help people communicate in simple ways, and keep plans on track. It’s no longer just a small test group that’s getting the changes; soon, more people will be able to see them in their regular talks. With member tags and events, WhatsApp makes group chats better The new person tags for group talks are…

India’s young hitting star Tilak Varma can’t play in the current T20 International series against New Zealand because he’s hurt. Fans are asking if he will be healthy enough for the T20 World Cup 2026. Varma hurt his muscle and will miss at least the first game of the series, according to the board and team management. This news has caused a lot of debate among cricket fans and experts, with many being worried about his ability to play in the big global event next year. Tilak Varma’s great form and powerful hitting have made him a strong candidate for…

The search took place at the Kolkata office of a political consultancy company, I-PAC (Indian Political Action Committee), and at the home of its director, Pratik Jain, who resides in Kolkata. This search has quickly become a focal point for the political standoff that is emerging between the government of West Bengal and the central authorities leading up to critical elections. This search and seizure happened on Thursday, January 8, 2026. What Happened: Location and Scope of ED Action Coordinated searches were conducted by ED teams at the office of I-PAC located in Salt Lake (Sector V) and some associated…

Ready-made garments In the spirit of Eurocentrism, we sometimes forget, all our clothes could have a story. The nation has been one footed in the “factory of the world” for high-street brands, as the second largest apparel exporter at a global level. But as we step into the early part of 2026, the force driving this growth is starting to run out of gas. New data from Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) have dire ramifications: RMG exports are in trouble, slowing across nearly all major international destinations. In the first half of fiscal year 2025-26 (from July to December), total garment exports declined by 2.63 percent,…

In a world where coverage of conservation often focuses on loss there’s a rare and welcome good news story unfolding in the mist-draped forests of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On Jan. 3, 2026, trackers with the historic Virunga National Park learned that a mountain gorilla had given birth to twins — a “major event” for a subspecies that has been struggling to pull itself back from the brink of extinction. It was spotted as the Bageni family, the park’s largest group of gorillas, underwent a routine health check. When the community trackers found 22-year-old mother Mafuko, she was holding two strapping baby…

Here in Ahmedabad, the early mornings have acquired an edge this week. The date on most New Yorker’s iMacs and Blackberries may be well into January 2026, but winter does not seem to want to let go of the city this year. Overall, it turned out less of a warm morning on Thursday, January 8 when Amdavadis woke up to the ‘only slight’ increment in the temperature reading.The ‘feel good factor’ eluded as cold northerly winds continued sweeping dry plains of Gujarat. As per India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature in Ahmedabad settled at 14.7 degrees, which was about 1.5 degrees more…

Once stacked with bits of heavy iron and steel cables to run the lines, a manual log, and human knowledge of these tools – the maritime industry has now leapt hundreds of nautical miles into the digital age. In a major development Ocean Network Express (ONE) the sixth largest container line in the world and Monohakobi Technology Institute (MTI), an NYK Group company, have established QUAVEO Company Limited. Based in the tech epicenter of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, this collaborative project is no research experiment. The brainchild of declared founder Vasily Riazanov was founded in December 2025 and publicly launched on January…