The recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in India has sounded alarms nationwide. Three tigers and a leopard succumbed to the virus at Maharashtra’s Gorewada Rescue Centre, as reported by Purnima Sah for The Hindu. This strain of avian flu is known for its deadly effects on animals and its potential to spill over into humans, raising serious concerns. The Times of India's Sarfaraz Ahmed highlighted that zoos and wildlife facilities nationwide are on high alert, with the government issuing quarantine advisories to prevent further spread. In the past month alone, multiple animal deaths have been attributed to the H5N1 virus in India. Siddhant Konduskar for Indian Express reported that beyond Maharashtra, cases are surfacing in various states, prompting a nationwide red alert. Originating in avian species, H5N1 has mutated over time, gaining the ability to infect mammals, raising fears of its potential to jump to humans. This strain first identified decad

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) received an allocation of Rs 4342.55 crore in the Union Budget 2024-25, significantly lower than its proposed expenditure of Rs 5017.64 crore, according to a parliamentary standing committee report on communications and information technology released on December 18, 2024. The report noted a consistent pattern of budget cuts and underutilisation in the past financial year, where the ministry utilised 97.94 per cent of the allocated budget estimate of Rs 4692 crore, with actual expenditure at Rs 4314.24 crore. The ministry explained, "Optimal utilisation of funds has been achieved, with a focus on establishment expenditures and central sector schemes." The budgetary allocations at the budget estimate (BE) and revised estimate (RE) stage, along with the actual expenditure for MIB for the last four years, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24, along with the allocations made for the year 2024-25 at BE stage, are as follows: The redu

Iran’s unexpected involvement in the case of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse on death row in Yemen, is as significant as it is intriguing. Priya, convicted of the murder of a Yemeni national, faces the death penalty in a region controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi movement. Iran’s offer to assist India on “humanitarian grounds” has raised questions about its motivations and the potential impact on Indo-Iranian relations. This is particularly interesting because it’s the same rebel group that is also attacking Indian ships in the Red Sea. For the unversed, the Nimisha Priya case centres around an Indian nurse from Kerala who was sentenced to death in Yemen for the 2017 murder of her Yemeni business partner, Talol Abdo Mahdi. Priya claimed that she acted in self-defence after suffering physical and financial abuse from Mahdi, who allegedly took over her medical clinic and withheld her passport, effectively trapping her in Yemen. The case took a grim turn when Priya was convic

Viacom18 Media has become a direct subsidiary of Reliance Industries, a PTI report stated.  RIL has converted 24.61 crore compulsorily convertible preference shares (CCPS) into an equivalent number of equity shares following the approval granted by the shareholders of Network18.   Viacom18 Media was a material subsidiary of Network18 Media and Investments, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). Earlier, RIL held a 70.49 per cent stake in Viacom18 Media.   Following the conversion, Network18 ceased to exercise control over Viacom18. On November 14, 2024, RIL completed the merger of Viacom18’s media and JioCinema businesses with Star India, creating a joint venture valued at INR 70,352 crore.

Even after almost eight decades of independence, India's school infrastructure continues to have persistent challenges including basic facilities such as ramps for differently-abled children. Certain schools still do not have gender-specific toilets or even electricity, data released in the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report has revealed.  Hot off the Press Manash Gohain for The Times of India pointed out that while over 90% of schools have basic amenities like electricity and gender-specific toilets, advanced facilities such as functional desktops, internet access and ramps with handrails remain limited. "Only 57.2% of schools have functional computers, 53.9% have internet, and 52.3% are equipped with ramps, underscoring significant gaps in accessibility and tech readiness," he wrote. In some states, school dropout rates have gone from bad to worse. In a data-driven narrative, Vignesh Radhakrishnan and Samreen Wani for The Hindu highlight

Image generated through Adobe AI From enhancing creativity to revolutionising productivity, AI tools are now indispensable for journalists and the year 2024 marks a milestone in the mainstream adoption of AI tools.  Journalists have embraced AI tools as they streamline their workflow, improve efficiency, and allow them to produce higher-quality content with speed and accuracy. Content creation, research, writing, and publishing need to happen faster than ever before and AI tools are ensuring this with platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity enhancing research while tools like MidJourney and Canva offer creative solutions for content production. Let’s take a look at some of the tools journalists cannot do without in 2025: ChatGPT  ChatGPT has become an indispensable tool for journalists. It assists with content generation, research, summarisation, and drafting reports. With its advanced natural language processing capabilities, ChatGPT can streamline tasks allowing journalist

The ongoing freebie war between Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP in Delhi ahead of the assembly polls was taken to a new level with the AAP chief Aravind Kejriwal announcing a monthly dole of Rs. 18,000 for pujaris and granthis in the city if the party is re-elected for a third term. The Press View Describing the ‘Pujari-Granthi Samman Yojana’ as a tribute to the spiritual and cultural custodians, Kejriwal said he would launch the scheme on Tuesday by registering the priests of Hanuman Temple in CP followed by AAP MLAs, candidates and workers across Delhi launching a drive, according to a Times of India report. Calling him a “defeated and desperate” neta who reinvented himself as a “dream merchant”, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said Kejriwal was making “populist announcements” daily to stay in office. Kejriwal’s pledge of a hefty monthly honorarium — called the Pujari, Granthi Samman Yojana — is the latest in a string of similar announcements made by the AAP