Tonight, skywatchers will be treated to a rare and exciting astronomical event: a black moon, which is the second new moon to occur in December. While blue moons, or two full moons in a month, are relatively well-known, black moons are much rarer and are often misunderstood. A black moon occurs when the second new moon of the month takes place, and the new moon’s natural invisibility is further enhanced. As a result, this phenomenon makes it difficult to spot with the naked eye, but it

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, follows the lunar calendar and is one of the most significant cultural celebrations for the Chinese people. In 2025, Chinese New Year will begin on January 29, ushering in the "Year of the Wood Snake." The Chinese zodiac, which consists of 12 animals, assigns one animal and one element (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) to each year. In 2025, the Snake is paired with the element Wood, which symbolizes adaptability and creativity. T

With New Year's Eve celebrations in full swing, cities across India are taking extra precautions to ensure safety and prevent road accidents. Police in major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, and Hyderabad, have issued detailed advisories to discourage drunk driving and manage the heavy traffic expected as partygoers head home late at night. The guidelines aim to ensure a safe and enjoyable evening for everyone, while keeping dangerous driving behaviors in check. In Mumbai

On Day 5 of the 4th Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, India was bowled out for 155, handing Australia a crucial victory and a 2-1 lead in the 5-match series. Yashasvi Jaiswal was the lone fighter for India, scoring 84 runs before a controversial dismissal ended his innings, marking the second time in the match he fell short of a century. India’s downfall started when wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was caught while attempting a pull shot. Senio

In the ongoing India vs Australia 4th Test match in Melbourne, former Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli has been fined 20% of his match fee following a shoulder barge incident with Australian debutant Sam Konstas. The altercation took place after the completion of the 10th over of the Australian innings when both players crossed paths on the field. As they moved across the pitch, Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders, which led to an exchange of heated words. The incident was quickly defused by

Ircon International Ltd. has announced the appointment of Alin Roy Choudhury as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and key managerial personnel, effective January 1, 2025. Choudhury, who is currently the Chief General Manager of the finance division at the company, will succeed B Mugunthan. Mugunthan will be repatriated to the Ministry of Railways on December 31, 2024. Choudhury, a qualified cost and management accountant, has extensive experience spanning over 30 years in various do

Indian cricket team spinner R. Ashwin has announced his retirement from international cricket after the third Test match against Australia in Brisbane on Wednesday. Ashwin, who played a pivotal role in India’s rise to the top of Test cricket, made the announcement during a joint press conference with captain Rohit Sharma, after the game ended in a draw. Ashwin, with 537 wickets in 106 Test matches, is the second-highest wicket-taker for India, following only Anil Kumble's record of

A New York judge recently denied US President-elect Donald Trump's request to have his conviction for covering up hush money payments to a porn star thrown out on the grounds of presidential immunity. Judge Juan Merchan ruled that the immunity typically granted to presidents for official actions does not apply to the conduct involved in this case, which he deemed as "unofficial." This ruling keeps Trump's felony conviction intact, despite his legal team's attempt to use

The recent discontinuation of the Canadian Student Direct Stream (SDS) program as of November 8, 2024, has left many Indian students reassessing their plans to study in Canada. The SDS program previously allowed students to speed up the student visa process if they met specific English proficiency test (EPT) requirements like IELTS or PTE. However, with the end of SDS, students now have the opportunity to explore a broader range of EPTs accepted by Canadian institutions. One of the

Elon Musk’s Tesla has become one of the top employers of H-1B workers, with over 1,700 H-1B visas approved for Tesla employees in 2020. This marks a significant reliance on skilled foreign workers as Tesla continues to grow. Musk’s early career began with illegal work on a student visa in the U.S., but now Tesla’s future is intertwined with the availability of H-1B workers, a visa program that is crucial for attracting talent to the tech industry. The Trump adminis

Indian cricket stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have seen a significant drop in the latest ICC Test batting rankings following India's heavy 10-wicket loss to Australia in the Adelaide pink-ball Test. Kohli dropped six spots, now sitting at No. 20, while Rohit fell out of the top 30, currently ranking 31st after losing five places. Kohli, who had regained form with a century in the Perth Test, struggled in Adelaide, scoring just 7 and 11. Similarly, Rohit, who had been ranked No. 6, cou

After a disappointing performance in the pink-ball Test against Australia in Adelaide, Virat Kohli is leaving no stone unturned in his preparation for the upcoming third Test at the Gabba. The Indian batter has been intensively practicing in the nets, focusing on improving his backfoot defense to counter the excessive bounce expected from the Gabba pitch. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has played alongside Kohli for many years, explained that Kohli is working on playing the shorter

Sanjay Malhotra, a 1990-batch IAS officer from Rajasthan, has been appointed as the 26th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), succeeding Shaktikanta Das. The government announced that Malhotra will take charge from Wednesday for a term of three years. With a background in computer science from IIT Kanpur and a Master's in Public Policy from Princeton University, Malhotra has had a distinguished career spanning over three decades in various sectors, including finance, taxation, pow

Rohit Sharma, the Indian cricket team captain, has struggled with his form in the ongoing series against Australia. After missing the first Test in Perth due to family commitments, Rohit returned to the squad for the day-night match in Adelaide but failed to make an impact. In the second match, his poor form continued, as he was dismissed cheaply in both innings. Rohit's dismissals were concerning due to his lack of foot movement, as he was trapped in front of the stumps in both innings.

An extraordinary series of events unfolded on Day 1 of the India vs Australia day-night Test in Adelaide, where KL Rahul was given two lifelines after seemingly being dismissed for a duck. The incident occurred when Rahul, who opened for India alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, appeared to have edged the ball into the hands of Australian wicket-keeper Alex Carey off pacer Scott Boland’s delivery. However, it was later revealed that Boland had overstepped, and the delivery was a no-ball, granti

Brian Thompson, the CEO of US-based UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot outside the New York Hilton Midtown hotel on Wednesday morning. Thompson, 50, was walking toward the hotel to deliver a keynote address at an investor conference when a gunman ambushed him. Surveillance footage captured the suspect, a white male wearing a hooded jacket and a black mask, approaching Thompson from behind and firing several shots with a semi-automatic handgun fitted with a silencer. Thompson was str

 In a dominant performance at the U19 Asia Cup 2024, India secured their spot in the semi-finals with a resounding 10-wicket victory over the UAE in their final group match in Sharjah. Chasing a modest target of 137, India sailed through to the target in just 16.1 overs, thanks to an unbroken 143-run partnership between Vaibhav Suryavanshi (76*) and Ayush Mhatre (67*). Earlier, UAE, who opted to bat first, were bowled out for just 137, with six overs to spare. Muhammad Rayan was the top

The Indian cricket team has significantly boosted its chances of qualifying for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final with a commanding 295-run victory over Australia in Perth. However, the qualification process remains complex, with multiple scenarios playing out over the next few months. India, currently leading the WTC points table, needs to secure a solid result against Australia in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series, while also hoping for specific outcomes from South Africa and Sr

India's fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Test bowling rankings, overtaking South Africa's Kagiso Rabada and Australia's Josh Hazlewood. Bumrah's match-winning performance in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Perth, where he took 8 wickets for 72 runs, played a crucial role in India's 295-run victory over Australia. With this performance, Bumrah's ranking points surged to a career-high of 883, putting him back at No. 1.

In the Perth Test, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar observed that a subtle adjustment in Virat Kohli's batting stance played a crucial role in his recovery of vintage form. After a lean period in international cricket, Kohli scored his 30th Test century, silencing critics who questioned his place in the team. Gavaskar noted that Kohli, who had struggled in the first innings, seemed more relaxed in the second, with a slight change in his stance—his legs positioned a bit wider, whi