New Taliban Order on Women Employment in NGOs The Taliban government has declared that all national and foreign NGOs in Afghanistan must stop employing women or face being shut down. This decision follows a previous instruction to suspend female employment due to the alleged improper wearing of the Islamic headscarf. NGOs that fail to comply with this order will lose their licenses to operate in Afghanistan, as per a warning issued by the Ministry of Economy on Sunday. Impact

Pakistan's Largest Nuclear Power Plant Pakistan has received approval to construct its largest nuclear power plant, the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit 5 (C-5), after the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) issued the construction licence. With a capacity of 1200 MWe, C-5 will be a significant addition to Pakistan’s nuclear energy infrastructure, contributing substantially to the country’s electricity supply. Design and Safety Features of C-5

Introduction to Generation Beta Generation Beta, comprising individuals born between 2025 and 2039, will be the next generation after Generation Alpha. These children, the offspring of Millennials and older Gen Z, will likely witness the 22nd century. By 2035, Generation Beta is expected to make up 16% of the global population, marking the beginning of a new societal era. Challenges and Transformation Generation Beta will inherit a world filled with significant challen

Extension of Minimum Export Price (MEP) on Honey On Monday, the Indian government extended the Minimum Export Price (MEP) of $2,000 per tonne for natural honey until December 2025. This extension was crucial as the initial MEP was set to expire on December 31, 2024. The MEP ensures that honey exports will only be permitted if the price per tonne meets or exceeds this threshold. This step is expected to help stabilize the market and ensure quality exports. Honey Export Statist

JEE Main 2025: Exam City Intimation Slip Release The National Testing Agency (NTA) will soon release the exam city intimation slips for the JEE Main 2025 January session. These slips are crucial for students as they contain important details such as the exam center location. Students who registered for the exam can visit the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in, to access and download the city intimation slip. The first session of JEE Main 2025 is scheduled t

CTET 2024 Answer Key Release Details The Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) 2024 answer key is expected to be released by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on January 1 or 2, 2025. Candidates who appeared for the exam can access the answer key and their response sheets via the official CTET website. If they find any discrepancies or errors, candidates will have the opportunity to raise objections. Steps to Check the CTET Answer Key To

Belgium is set to become the first EU country to ban disposable e-cigarettes, popular among young people for their wide variety of flavors like apple, watermelon, and cola. Starting January 1, the sale of single-use vapes will be prohibited as part of Belgium's national anti-tobacco plan aimed at protecting young people's health. The European Union is working toward a tobacco-free generation by 2040, aiming to reduce the bloc's smoking population from around 25% to less

Fixed Deposit Changes Starting January 1, 2025, new rules will make Fixed Deposits (FDs) more flexible, especially for emergencies. One of the key updates allows depositors to withdraw the full principal amount of their FD in case of critical illness, before the maturity date, but without earning interest. Other changes include easier nomination processes, quicker maturity notifications, and improved withdrawal options in emergencies. These rules will also affect Non-B

A new study conducted by University College London (UCL) has revealed that smoking has a more significant impact on life expectancy than previously believed. The study, commissioned by the Department for Health and Social Care, found that each cigarette smoked reduces a person’s life by an average of 17 minutes for men and 22 minutes for women. These findings are higher than earlier estimates, which suggested that each cigarette took around 11 minutes off a person’s life. This mea

What Is a Black Moon and How to Experience This Rare Phenomenon? Skywatchers are in for a treat as 2024 concludes with a rare astronomical event called the "black moon." This fascinating term refers to the second new moon occurring within a single calendar month. While not officially recognized in astronomy, the phenomenon has gained popularity among amateur astronomers and stargazers over the years. According to the US Naval Observatory, the black moon will oc

The National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) is set to begin its recruitment process for various positions in 2024, targeting 518 vacancies across two complexes—S&P Complex in Angul and M&R Complex in Damanjodi. Interested and eligible candidates can apply through the official website, mudira.nalcoindia.co.in, starting from tomorrow. The last date to submit the online application is January 21, 2025. Vacancies are available in diverse roles such as Fitter, Electrical

On December 30, the cryptocurrency market saw a decline in most assets, including Bitcoin, which experienced a minor dip of under one percent. According to CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin was trading at $93,197 (approximately Rs. 79.6 lakh) on international exchanges, while Indian exchanges such as Giottus and CoinDCX showed the price at around $101,719 (approximately Rs. 86.9 lakh). Despite the pullback, Bitcoin remained above its 200-day moving average, signaling strong buying interest. The next res

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 117th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat' was filled with inspiring quotes and announcements. He began by emphasizing the importance of the Indian Constitution, calling it "our guiding light" ¹. With India completing 75 years of its Constitution next January, PM Modi announced a nationwide campaign inviting citizens to read the Preamble and share their videos on a special website.

In a recent development regarding the Sandhya theatre incident, which has sparked widespread debate in the Telugu states, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has expressed his thoughts on the matter. Allu Arjun was arrested and later released on bail in connection with the controversial episode, which led to significant public discussion. Pawan Kalyan did not place blame on any individual or group but stated that Allu Arjun and his team should have taken more responsib

Andhra Pradesh is set to welcome its new Chief Secretary, K Vijayanand, who will assume the role on December 31. Vijayanand, an IAS officer from the 1992 batch, will replace Neerabh Kumar Prasad, who is retiring after reaching the age of superannuation. Neerabh Kumar Prasad had been serving as Chief Secretary since shortly after the Andhra Pradesh elections in June 2024. His retirement has led to the swift appointment of K Vijayanand, a highly respected and experienced IAS officer.

A severe storm system swept across the Southern United States, producing multiple tornadoes and killing four people. The storms caused widespread damage, downing trees and power lines, and damaging homes.   Confirmed Tornadoes   The National Weather Service confirmed over two dozen preliminary and confirmed to

Despite high mortgage rates discouraging many potential buyers, home prices in most major U.S. cities have continued their upward trend throughout 2024. According to data from Redfin, the median home prices in the 50 largest U.S. cities have risen by 5.8% through November compared to 2023. This surprising growth highlights the resilience of the housing market, even in the face of challenging economic conditions. Among these cities, Anaheim, California, recorded the highest

The US economy is facing uncertainty ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration, with the Conference Board's Expectations Index dropping to a five-month low. This decline in consumer confidence is a significant concern, as it can have a ripple effect on the US stock market and the national economy ¹.   Rising inflation and interest rates, coupled with Trump's reportedly inflationary

In South Korea's deadliest air disaster, a Jeju Air passenger jet, Flight 7C2216, crashed during its landing attempt at Muan International Airport on Sunday, resulting in 179 fatalities. The crash occurred after a series of events, starting with a bird strike reported by the pilot as the flight was approaching the airport. According to the final timeline of the flight, the aircraft was cleared by air traffic control at 8:54 am to land on runway 01. However, just minutes later, a

Google is preparing for a critical 2025, with CEO Sundar Pichai stating that the company will focus heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) and scaling its Gemini chatbot to disrupt the market. During a strategy meeting on December 18, Pichai highlighted the stakes as being "high," calling 2025 a year of disruption. He stressed the need for the company to rapidly scale its AI products, particularly Gemini, to solve real user problems and compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT.