The first three-day International Pashmina Festival cum Exhibition organised by Nepal Pashmina Industries Association and the Confederation of Nepalese Industries has drawn the attention of consumers towards delicate, lightweight and warm natural fibre obtained from Chyangra or Pashmina goat. Nepal is one of the prominent producers of authentic Pashmina, often branded as “Chyangra Pashmina” to emphasise its high quality and originality. The production involves traditional weaving methods passed down for generations. In Nepal, genuine Pashmina is often branded as Chyangra Pashmina with a government-certified label.

The wool is combed by hand from the undercoat of Pashmina goats during their natural shedding season. The wool is cleaned of impurities and hand-spun into fine threads. Expert artisans use traditional handlooms to create the fabric. Natural dyes are used to colour the fabric, and intricate embroidery is often added for embellishment. The exhibition, which will run until January 25 showcases Over 150 domestic stalls, with more than 40 stalls showcasing pure Nepali Pashmina.

A high-speed train project connecting Abu Dhabi and Dubai in just 30 minutes was announced by Etihad Rail yesterday. The train will travel at speeds of up to 350 km/h, dramatically reducing travel times and enhancing connectivity between the two emirates.

Etihad Rail, which will oversee the development and operation of the project, estimates the initiative will contribute Dh145 billion to the UAE’s GDP over the next 50 years. This new high-speed train is distinct from the previously announced Etihad Rail passenger service, which shares the same network as the UAE’s freight trains.

As part of the announcement, UAE leaders reviewed the country’s first passenger train fleet, which will operate at speeds of up to 200 km/h. The first four passenger stations will be located in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Fujairah, strategically improving access to rail services for residents and visitors. These stations will be integrated with metro and bus lines, creating a seamless and interconnected transport network.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has been selected for the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2025, in the Institutional Category, for its excellent work in disaster management.

Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar was instituted by the Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to recognise and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organisations in India in the field of disaster management.

The award is announced every year on January 23, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh and a certificate in case of an institution and Rs 5 lakh and a certificate in case of an individual.

In the Masters section of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025 held in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju emerged victorious against Germany’s Vincent Keymer after an intense 72-move battle, which was the longest game of Round 5. Playing with the white pieces, the Chennai-born grandmaster showcased exceptional strategic prowess, eventually forcing Keymer to resign under time pressure. This victory marked Gukesh’s second win of the tournament and his first after three consecutive draws.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa maintained his consistent form, securing a draw against Dutch GM Max Warmerdam. The game, which saw Praggnanandhaa playing with the black pieces, was evenly balanced throughout. Despite pressing aggressively, the young Indian could not break Warmerdam’s defence, and the match concluded in 39 moves. This was Praggnanandhaa’s second draw of the tournament. After five rounds, he is tied for the top position with Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov at four points apiece.

In another all-Indian encounter, Arjun Erigaisi and Leon Luke Mendonca played out a stalemate, with both players continuing to search for their best form in the tournament. Similarly, Pentala Harikrishna shared points with Wei Yi of China in a relatively short game.

The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Brig. (Dr.) B. D Mishra kickstarted the opening ceremony of the 5th edition of Khelo India Winter Games today at NDS Ice Hockey Stadium Leh. The opening ceremony of the Khelo India Winter Games at Leh welcomed participants, dignitaries and the audience with bursts of colour and enthusiasm. The Festive vibes were high as the NDS stadium came alive with the band performances and cultural dances. Jabro, the traditional dance of the nomadic changpas of Eastern Ladakh was performed in the opening ceremony.

More than 400 athletes from across the country are participating in the Khelo India events in two categories Ice Hockey and Ice Skating. The event not only attracted audiences from local or national level, but also Tourists from foreign Countries are attending it. The Concluding ceremony of Khelo India at Leh will take place on the 27th of January, 2025. The second leg of Khelo India will be held in the famous Ski Resort Gulmarg of Jammu Kashmir in February this year.

The All-India Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL) and Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) remained unchanged at 1,320 and 1,331 points for December 2024 as compared to points for November 2024. According to the data released by the Ministry of Labour and Employment today, the CPI-AL and CPI-RL for December eased to 5.01 per cent and 5.05 per cent, compared to 7.71 per cent and 7.46 per cent in the same month the previous year.
The corresponding figures for November last year were 5.35 per cent for CPI-AL and 5.47 per cent for CPI-RL. The data showed that sub-indices including Pan, Supari, Fuel and Light, Clothing, Bedding, and Footwear and miscellaneous, for both agricultural and rural labourers, marked a marginal rise in December.

The Indian short film Anuja secured nomination in the Best Short Film (Live Action) category at the 97th Academy Awards. The film will compete against Alien, I’m Not a Robot, The Last Ranger, and A Man Who Would Not Remain Silent. The nominations for the 97th Academy Awards were announced on Thursday by Bowen Yang and Rachel Sennott.

The Netflix movie musical Emilia Perez led the nominations, giving the streaming service another shot at its first Best Picture trophy. It was followed by the historical drama The Brutalist and the box-office smash Wicked.

Emilia Perez, a Spanish-language story about a Mexican drug lord who transitions to a woman and starts a new life, earned 13 nominations. The Brutalist, a 3 1/2-hour tale about a Holocaust survivor and architect chasing the American dream, and The Wizard of Oz prequel Wicked each picked up 10 nods.

Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare, organized a workshop on National Anubhav Awards Scheme, 2025 for the Anubhav Nodal Officers of various Ministries/Departments including 12 Public Sector Banks and Central Public Sector Enterprises on 23rd January, 2025 at CSOI, Vinay Marg under the chairmanship of Secretary (Pension).

The participants were benefited from the experiences shared by the eminent speakers from major stakeholders.

Sh. Dhrubajyoti Sengupta, Joint Secretary (Pension) presented an overview of the National Anubhav Awards Scheme, 2025. He emphasised upon the inclusivity and customized marking system of the Scheme. He urged to adopt all possible means for encouraging the retiring employees for submission of their write-ups on Anubhav portal.

Sh. Mohammad Jamshed, Ex- Member (Traffic), Railway Board and Anubhav Awardee, 2023 highlighted the role of the scheme in creating institutional memory and nation building.

The 15th National Voters’ Day (NVD) will be celebrated across the country on 25th January. This year’s celebration comes soon after the historic and successful conduct of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, the largest democratic exercise in the world. The Election Commission also celebrates 75 years of its dedicated service to the nation.

The event, celebrating the voters of the country again assumes a grand scale this year in light of the fact that India’s total electorate is approaching 100 crore mark. The electoral database now stands at 99.1 crore and counting. The electoral rolls bear a youthful and gender balanced look with 21.7 crores young electors, in the 18-29 age group and a 6-point increase in Electoral Gender Ratio from 948 in 2024 to 954 in 2025.

The Hon’ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu will grace the national function in New Delhi as the Chief Guest. Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent Charge), Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal will grace the occasion as the Guest of Honour, besides the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners leading the event.

India’s space economy has grown to $8 billion and is set to expand to $44 billion over the next decade, according to Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, according to a press release issued by the Ministry on Tuesday.

In a conversation with Rajya Sabha Member Vijay Tankha on Sansad TV, Dr. Singh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s space sector reforms for opening the industry to private investment, enabling significant growth.

Dr. Singh highlighted major milestones, such as the indigenous Gaganyaan Mission, the forthcoming Chandrayaan-4 (2027), Shukrayaan (2028), and the Indian Space Station (2030), marking India’s progress in space exploration. He lauded the role of startups and foreign direct investment (FDI) in driving innovation, mentioning key advancements like SPADEX’s docking capabilities and the Vyom Mitra robo mission, a precursor to human space exploration.