01 November 2025
After a brief speculation over its fate, the Japanese space agency, Jaxa, confirmed that its ambitious Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) landed on the Moon.
However, there was a hitch during the landing attempt and the spacecraft is yet to receive solar power. The spacecraft is currently powered on battery life.
The landing makes Japan the fifth country to touch the lunar surface.
Coaching institutes are now prohibited from admitting students below the age of 16, and they are also restricted from making deceptive assurances such as guaranteeing high marks or rankings. These guidelines have been established to establish a legal framework and to control the rapid expansion of private coaching centers.
The formulation of these guidelines was prompted by government complaints related to student suicides, fire incidents, inadequate facilities in coaching institutes, and concerns about their teaching methods. According to the guidelines, coaching institutes are not allowed to hire teachers with qualifications below graduation. Additionally, they are prohibited from making false promises to parents regarding student enrollment, rank assurance, or guaranteed high marks.
The idol of Ram Lalla was placed in the sanctum sanctorum of Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi temple on Thursday afternoon, setting the stage for the upcoming grand consecration ceremony on January 22.
Covered with a veil, the first photo of the idol was revealed during the placement ceremony in the sanctum sanctorum earlier today, accompanied by the chanting of prayers.
Oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday alluded to India's pivot towards Russia after top suppliers like Saudi Arabia and Iraq started "charging a premium" for crude oil supplies to Asian markets.
In an interview to Reuters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, Puri said that costly shipments from traditional Middle East suppliers forced India to diversify its crude sources.
In a recent development in the Qatari court commuting the death sentence given to eight former Indian Navy personnel, the Indian Ambassador to Qatar and other embassy officials got consular access to the 8 ex-Indian Navy personnel on Thursday, January 18.
On Qatar court commuting death sentence to 8 Indian ex-Navy personnel, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "Our ambassador, along with our embassy officials, met the eight detained. As we had conveyed to you last time, the legal team is looking into the appeal aspect. There is a period of 60 days within which they have to file this appeal. On December 28, the court of appeal had given their verdict. Now, the matter is to go to the court of secession, which will be decided by the legal team...We still have some time. The consular access we had, our ambassador went and met and looked after their well-being."
