Author: News Desk

Leena Nair, the Global CEO of Chanel, has been honoured with the title Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This award was given by Prince William in recognition of her major contributions to the retail and consumer sectors. Part of 2025 Honours List The award is part of King Charles’ New Year Honours list for 2025. This list celebrates people who have made significant achievements or provided outstanding service in the UK. Leena Nair’s Reaction Leena expressed deep gratitude after receiving the award at Windsor Castle. She thanked her family, her colleagues at Unilever and Chanel, and especially her…

Varun Grover, known for films like Masaan, All India Rank, and Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, recently spoke about the early days of his career and the harsh realities of the entertainment industry. During his time as a scriptwriter on Oye! It’s Friday!—a celebrity talk show hosted by Farhan Akhtar—Grover realized the massive difference in earnings between writers and actors. While he was paid ₹45,000 per episode, the host reportedly earned ₹45 lakh for saying the jokes Grover wrote. This made him question the value placed on writing versus performance. Extravagant Sets and Low Pay Grover highlighted the irony of working…

The upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Avengers: Doomsday is on track to become the most costly movie ever produced. With production expenses alone estimated between $500 million and $600 million, it surpasses previous record-holder Star Wars Episode IX, which cost $447 million to make. Marvel has already spent $8 million during pre-production, more than three times the amount spent on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Record-Breaking Production and Cast Costs The film’s extravagant budget includes a cast salary bill reportedly exceeding $250 million. Avengers: Doomsday will feature around 35 A-list actors in various roles, contributing heavily to the overall…

Vietnam stands as the world’s largest producer and exporter of dragon fruit, often called pitaya. This tropical fruit is mainly cultivated in the southern and central regions of Vietnam, particularly in provinces such as Binh Thuan, Long An, and Tien Giang. Thanks to Vietnam’s favorable climate and advanced farming methods, its dragon fruit is famous worldwide for its vibrant color, sweet flavor, and long-lasting freshness. Year-Round Production and Export Markets Vietnam produces over one million metric tonnes of dragon fruit annually, with the majority coming from the Binh Thuan area. While the main harvest occurs between May and August, Vietnam…

The Central Bank of the UAE has unveiled a new currency symbol for the dirham, blending Arabiccalligraphy and the letter “D” with a visual inspired by the national flag. It represents a fusion of tradition and futuristic design, aligning with the country’s innovation-driven economic vision. Official Guidelines ReleasedThough officially adopted in March 2025, the usage guidelines for the dirham symbol were released recently. The new symbol will now replace “AED” across all official, digital, and financial documents in the UAE. Standard Usage Rules Where to Use the SymbolThe new symbol is to be used in: Keyboard Shortcut IntroducedUpdated UAE keyboards…

The Chennai-Surat Expressway is one of the biggest infrastructure projects being developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). This greenfield, access-controlled expressway will cover around 1,271 kilometers, connecting Chennai in Tamil Nadu to Surat in Gujarat. Covers Six Key States The expressway will pass through six states: Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Its 8-lane design aims to improve long-distance connectivity across southern and western India. Built to Reduce Congestion Once operational, the expressway will significantly cut travel time between Chennai and Surat by nearly 6 hours. It will help vehicles bypass major congested urban…

Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently spoke about how he fits sleep into his packed schedule. He said that even with the pressures of running a major tech company, he tries to get around six hours of sleep every night. “Of course, sleep is important,” he said, adding that six hours is his usual target. He admitted it’s not always perfect, but he generally manages to stay close to that goal. A Night Owl’s RoutinePichai described himself as someone who works late into the night. He said, “I’ve always been a late-night person,” explaining that he often gets things done toward…

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu publicly applauded Professor G. Madhavi Latha, calling her a “Telugu daughter” and one of the “brilliant minds” behind the world’s highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge. He praised her for 17 years of dedicated service on this landmark project. Contribution to Chenab Bridge Professor Madhavi Latha, a rock engineering expert from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), played a key advisory role in the bridge’s construction. She guided slope stabilization and foundation strategies essential for the success of the arch-shaped structure. Project Inauguration and Features The Chenab Bridge was inaugurated by Prime Minister…

The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) has named Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif as the global tourism ambassador for the Maldives. The announcement was made through MMPRC’s social media channels on Tuesday. Kaif will now serve as the Global Brand Ambassador for the country, promoting its tourism appeal worldwide. Strategic Timing Before PM Modi’s Visit The appointment comes just weeks before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the island nation. This development follows a period of strained relations between India and the Maldives since early 2024, marking a potential step toward renewed engagement. Part of Visit Maldives’…

The Digital India Bhashini Division (DIBD) and the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate multilingual artificial intelligence technologies into key public-facing railway platforms. The agreement was signed in New Delhi by Shri Amitabh Nag, CEO of BHASHINI, and Shri G.V.L. Satya Kumar, Managing Director of CRIS. BHASHINI’s Language AI Stack to Power Rail Platforms The partnership will bring BHASHINI’s advanced language solutions—including Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Text Translation, Text-to-Speech (TTS), and Optical Character Recognition (OCR)—to CRIS-managed platforms like the National Train Enquiry System (NTES) and RailMadad. This move will enable users…