NATO is launching a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region, the alliance's leader said on Tuesday.

Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that the mission dubbed Baltic Sentry would include frigates, maritime patrol aircraft and a fleet of naval drones to provide "enhanced surveillance and deterrence."

Announcing the new operation, Rutte noted that more than 95 per cent of internet traffic is secured via undersea cables, and 1.3 million kilometres (8,08,000 miles) of cables guarantee an estimated USD 10 trillion worth of financial transactions every day. (ANI/WAM)

Infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has launched the second multi-purpose vessel for the Indian Navy from its Kattupalli Shipyard near Chennai.

The launch of the vessel, christened INS Utkarsh, comes within three months of the launch of the first MPV INS Samarthak.

The first vessel is being readied for undergoing tests and trials prior to its delivery to the Indian Navy, L&T said in a statement on Tuesday.

The multi-purpose vessels (MPVs) are highly specialised and play multiple roles, including serving as trial platforms, for the development of next generation weapons and sensors. They will perform maritime surveillance, humanitarian assistance, combat sea pollution, besides taking up launch and recovery of surface and aerial assets, etc.

Indian pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for December 2024, following a string of extraordinary performances during India’s tour of Australia. The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the accolade on Tuesday, recognizing Bumrah’s dominance over world-class opposition.

Bumrah edged out tough competition from Australia’s Pat Cummins and South Africa’s Dane Paterson to claim the award. Over three grueling Test matches, Bumrah spearheaded India’s bowling attack, scalping an impressive 22 wickets at an exceptional average of 14.22, reaffirming his stature as one of the finest bowlers in world cricket.

The Adelaide Test marked the beginning of Bumrah’s stellar run, where his four-wicket haul curtailed Australia’s lead in the first innings, keeping India in contention. His heroics continued in Brisbane, where a devastating six-wicket spell in the first innings and three more wickets in the second innings left Australia’s batting line-up in tatters. Despite rain curtailing the match, Bumrah’s performance ensured India remained alive in the series.

Uttar Pradesh is looking to privatise two of its four power distribution companies, a State government tender showed, as the country's most populous state grapples with power losses and a lack of sufficient transmission infrastructure.

The State is inviting private companies to form partnerships with or privatise state-owned Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam and Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam, per the tender dated January 12.

A majority of State power distribution companies in India are suffering losses due to older power transmission systems and frequent power losses, prompting the government to bring in private players.

The Australian government has launched the first national strategy to improve the lives of people with autism. The minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth today unveiled the first National Autism Strategy, promising improved inclusion, support and life outcomes for all autistic Australians.

The 42.3 million Australian dollar plan includes 22 commitments on four key reform areas to address the barriers autistic people face in areas like education, employment and diagnosis.

The Rural Development Ministry has approved 56 new Watershed Development Projects that will be undertaken at a cost of Rs 700 crores in the ten best-performing states, the government said on Monday.

In a statement issued here, the ministry said the projects will be undertaken in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Nagaland, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.

"Department of Land Resources announces sanction of 56 new Watershed Development Projects at a cost of Rs 700 crores under the ongoing scheme of PMKSY-WDC 2.0 in the 10 best-performing states...," the ministry said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit to be held held in France in February, President Emmanuel Macron has said.

“France will be hosting on February 11 and 12 the AI Summit, a summit for action, which will enable us to have a discussion on artificial intelligence,” President Macron said while addressing the 30th Conference of Ambassadors.

This summit will allow for an international conversation on AI, Macron said.

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal unveiled the Bharat Cleantech Manufacturing Platform, an initiative designed to enhance India's cleantech value chains in the solar, wind, hydrogen, and battery storage sectors on Friday at the Bharat Climate Forum 2025 in New Delhi.

According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, during the address, Goyal highlighted that the Product Linked Incentives (PLIs) and subsidies are detrimental to the long-term growth and development of the clean energy sector.

He said, "The PLI scheme can only help kickstart the sector, but the clean energy sector must strive to become self-sustaining. The Cleantech sector must become independent of the Government."

A team of researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has discovered a new pangolin species — the Indo-Burmese pangolin (Manis indoburmanica) — in Arunachal Pradesh.

They have identified a previously unknown species of pangolin, genetically distinct from the Chinese and Indian pangolins that are typically found within the country.

As per the findings of the ZSI scientists, this species diverged from the Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) approximately 3.4 million years ago.

The species is believed to have evolved in isolation during dramatic geo-climatic changes in the Indo-Burma region.

The National Health Authority (NHA) on Monday signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Odisha to implement Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) in the eastern state.

With this agreement, Odisha has become the latest state to implement the PMJAY in convergence with the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana Scheme (GJAY) in the Odia heartland.

So far 26 states and all 18 union territories have signed on to the scheme, leaving only Delhi and West Bengal to do so.

A total of 10.3 million families will benefit from the scheme in Odisha, out of which 6.78 million families will be supported by the Central government.