Kannada short film titled Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know will now compete for the Oscar in 2025. On Monday, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting announced that Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know has qualified for the Oscars 2025 in the Live Action Short Film category.

The film was produced by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Chidananda S Naik is director of the film. Earlier this year, the film won the first Prize at the Cannes Film Festival’s La Cinef Selection, which led to global recognition for this Kannada- language project inspired by Indian folk stories and traditions.

It showcases the expertise of a talented team, including Suraj Thakur (Cinematography), Manoj V (Editing) and Abhishek Kadam (Sound Design). “It revolves around an elderly woman who steals the village rooster, leading to a cessation of sunlight and resulting in turmoil within the community. In an effort to restore order, a prophecy is invoked, resulting in the exile of the woman’s family as they undertake a desperate mission to retrieve the rooster.”

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday said India has been re-elected as the President of Indian Solar Alliance (ISA) from 2024 to 2026.

Addressing the press conference at 7th General Assembly of the ISA, Joshi informed that France has been reelected as Vice-President of the ISA.

India's election to the President post is a testament to the impactful work the country, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been doing over the years for the global good in advancing solar energy adoption across the globe and boosting investment in essential solar projects, including mini-grids and healthcare solutions, Joshi opined.

In its 7th Assembly session, the International Solar Alliance (ISA) has elected Ashish Khanna from the Republic of India as its third Director General. Khanna will succeed the current DG, Ajay Mathur, whose term concludes in March 2025.

The ISA, an international organisation with 120 Member and Signatory countries, works collaboratively with governments to enhance energy access and security worldwide while promoting solar power as a key component in the global transition to a carbon-neutral future.

The Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, underlined the critical role ISA plays in mobilising resources and facilitating solar energy projects, particularly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

India remains the top source market for Sri Lanka, with 36,417 tourist arrivals in October 2024. Indian tourists represent 27 per cent share out of the total of 1.35 lakh for the month. The total Indian tourists that have travelled to Sri Lanka this year has reached 3.23 lakhs, which is well above the 3.03 lakh tourist arrivals from India last year.

Statistics from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) show that in the year so far, over 1.6 million tourists arrived in the island nation. The number is more than the total arrivals of 1.48 million recorded last year. With healthy numbers clocked this year so far, led primarily by India, a projection of 2.9 million tourist arrivals for 2025 is being made. Connectivity with India has improved with daily flights to Jaffna as well as the ferry service from Nagapattinam complement flights from several important Indian cities.

Indian table tennis star Harmeet Desai claimed dual titles at the WTT Feeder Caracas in Venezuela today, winning both the Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles events. In Mixed Doubles, Desai and partner Krittwika Roy edged past Cuba’s Jorge Campos and Daniela Fonseca Carrazana in a tight 3-2 final. Earlier, they defeated China’s Wang Kaibo and Liu Xinran in straight sets to reach the final.

Desai also excelled in Men’s Singles, defeating France’s Joe Seyfried 3-0 in the final, following a close semifinal win over Portugal’s Joao Monteiro. Indian player Snehit Suravajjula made it to the semifinals, ultimately falling to Seyfried after a strong quarterfinal victory against Campos. Desai’s success underscores India’s rising prominence in international table tennis.

The fifth edition of Vietnam-India Bilateral Army Exercise (VINBAX) 2024 started at Ambala, Haryana today. The aim of VINBAX-2024 is to enhance the joint military capability of both countries.

This edition marks a significant increase in the scope with Bi-Service level participation for the first time by personnel of the Army and Air Force from both countries. The Indian Army contingent comprises 47 personnel, represented by a Regiment of the Corps of Engineers along with personnel from other arms and services. VINBAX-2024 will conclude on the 23rd of this month.

India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, highlighted the deepening bilateral ties between India and Australia during the inauguration of a new Indian consulate in Brisbane on Monday. He described the opening as a “landmark moment” in the evolving partnership between the two nations.

The consulate is expected to play a vital role in addressing the needs of the expanding Indian community in Queensland, where a considerable number of Indian students are pursuing higher education.

Jaishankar referred to the Indian diaspora as a “living bridge” between India and Australia, highlighting their contributions to Australia’s vibrant, multicultural society.

“We have a million-strong Indian diaspora, and certainly, they are making their contribution to the vibrant and multicultural society here,” he said.

Cairn Oil & Gas, part of Vedanta Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding with United Nations Environment Programme's flagship methane reporting and mitigation initiative - Oil & Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) 2.0, making it the first oil and gas producer in India to commit to effective reduction of methane emissions.

OGMP 2.0 established a comprehensive framework that includes best practices for emissions management and a robust reporting system. It emphasises accurate measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) of methane emissions to drive reductions effectively.

"Under this MoU, Cairn will establish a 5-year methane reduction target and transparently report its progress to OGMP. This would enable Cairn to analyse its emission profiles and utilise the data to mitigate emissions cost-effectively. With this partnership, Cairn reaffirms its commitment to accelerate its efforts towards becoming Net Zero Carbon by 2030," the company said in a statement.

Leading commodity exchange MCX on Friday said Praveena Rai has assumed office as its Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director for a five-year term.

Rai took charge on October 31, the exchange said in a statement.

She succeeds P S Reddy, who completed his five-year tenure in May 2024.

Prior to joining MCX, Rai served as the CEO at National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), where she spearheaded marketing, business development, product management, and operations strategy.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the global economy today—fundamentally reinventing labour markets, industries, and societal dynamics, which have thereby brought both opportunities and challenges.

As there’s growing adoption of AI, a forecast by Grand View Research highlights that the global AI market size is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 36.6% from 2024 to 2030.

IMF highlights this will result in advanced economies experiencing its benefits and pitfalls sooner than the emerging market and developing economies, primarily owing to their employment structure focused on cognitive-intensive roles.