Author: News Desk

Former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has invested in Kuku, an AI-driven, mobile-first storytelling platform, the company announced on March 30, without revealing financial details. Dhoni will also serve as the brand ambassador for Kuku’s microdrama app, Kuku TV. Founded in 2018 by Lal Chand Bisu, Vikas Goyal, and Vinod Kumar Meena, Kuku operates multiple storytelling apps including Kuku TV (microdramas), Kuku FM (audio content), and Guru (edutainment). The company recently expanded into theatrical releases with its first Hindi feature film, Indian Institute of Zombies (IIZ). Dhoni said he is drawn to Kuku’s founders, who come from small towns like his, and…

NEOM’s Trojena Mountains project, which includes the construction of artificial lakes at 2,000 meters elevation and stretching 2.8 kilometres, has hit a pause. Originally, three dams were planned to create a continuous reservoir, but as of March 2026, NEOM has issued a “termination for convenience” to the lead contractors, halting the main dam construction at 30% completion. The Winter 2029 Asian Games, initially scheduled for Trojena, have been moved to Almaty, Kazakhstan. The Olympic Council of Asia cited delays in the original construction schedule and the need to recalibrate NEOM’s infrastructure priorities, including the main road connecting Baraka and Trojena.…

Building on the success of Vande Bharat passenger trains, Indian Railways is preparing to launch high-speed freight services using Vande Bharat-based freight trains. According to sources, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai will roll out the first prototype of the Vande Bharat Freight EMU for testing this week. The prototype will undergo thorough evaluations by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) before entering service. Tests will include oscillation checks, emergency braking distance assessments, and full-load performance trials. Key Specifications of Vande Bharat Freight Trains The 16-car EMU rake is designed to transport up to 264 tonnes of palletised…

Over 3 million officials in India will spend the next year counting every person in the country, undertaking the world’s largest population survey, which was delayed in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally scheduled for 2021, the census will begin on April 1, with a brief window for citizens to register online, the government said on Monday. The census will then proceed in two physical phases. The first phase will record houses and housing conditions, while the second will document inhabitants and their social and economic details, Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan told reporters. With a population exceeding 1.4…

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called on Saudi Arabia on Monday to remove US forces from its territory, emphasizing that Iran’s attacks in the region are directed only at its enemies. Araghchi wrote on X that Iran respects Saudi Arabia as a “brotherly nation” and that its military actions target aggressors who show no respect for Arabs or Iranians and cannot ensure security. He referenced the recent damage to enemy aerial command systems as evidence and stressed it is time to expel US forces. Earlier, an Iranian missile strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia destroyed an E-3…

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and actor C. Joseph Vijay has declared assets totaling nearly ₹625 crore in his election affidavit, including both his own and his family’s holdings. Vijay’s affidavit lists ₹404.58 crore in movable assets and ₹220.15 crore in immovable assets, while his spouse Sangeetha holds ₹15.51 crore in movable and ₹2.5 crore in immovable assets. The movable assets include 883 grams of gold, five cars, and a two-wheeler in Vijay’s name, and 3,132 grams of gold along with 134.91 carats of diamonds in his spouse’s name. He has ₹2 lakh in cash, while Sangeetha has ₹1 lakh.…

Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman is scheduled to visit India next week, according to several media reports. This will be the first official visit by a senior Bangladeshi politician since Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s landslide win in the 12 February election. The visit comes as both countries work to rebuild ties after tensions under the caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus. It is expected to reset the relationship between the two neighbours. AgendaRahman is set to hold meetings in New Delhi before traveling to Mauritius to attend the Indian Ocean Conference,…

Bangladesh is set to receive a new shipment of 7,000 tonnes of diesel through the pipeline from India’s Numaligarh refinery. Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku told Parliament on Monday that hoarding, rather than a shortage caused by the West Asia crisis, is the main issue. The diesel started flowing through the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline on Saturday evening and is expected to be fully delivered by Tuesday. Previously, 15,000 tonnes were supplied via the pipeline, following a 5,000-tonne delivery on March 25, to support Bangladesh, which relies heavily on imports from the Gulf. Authorities said the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation is…

Frequent highway commuters will soon have to pay more, as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has revised the FASTag Annual Pass fee for the financial year 2026–27. Starting April 1, 2026, the annual pass will cost ₹3,075, up from the current ₹3,000, marking a modest increase of ₹75 (around 2.5%). The FASTag Annual Pass is designed for private vehicles like cars, jeeps, and vans, allowing users to travel across national highways with a one-time yearly payment instead of paying tolls per trip. The pass typically offers validity for one year or up to 200 toll crossings, whichever comes earlier, making it especially useful…

Indian Railways has announced a major upgrade of facilities at 76 high-traffic stations to ensure smoother travel for passengers, particularly during peak periods such as summer holidays, festivals, and large events like the Maha Kumbh. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined the new measures aimed at making journeys safer and more comfortable. Under the updated rules, passengers on the waitlist will no longer get direct platform access; instead, they will first enter designated waiting areas for regulated entry. Key measures being implemented include: These upgrades are part of Indian Railways’ efforts to modernize infrastructure, improve passenger experience, and efficiently manage heavy…