As the New Year 2025 approaches, many cultures around the world celebrate with traditional foods believed to bring good luck, prosperity, and happiness for the year ahead. From lentils to fish, these foods symbolize various aspects of wealth, health, and good fortune. Whether you're looking to add a bit of cultural flavor to your celebrations or simply want to try something new, here are some popular New Year's foods from across the globe that are said to bring good luck. 8

Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations draw massive crowds, with festivities reaching their peak during the midnight fireworks display. While the energy of the night is thrilling, it also presents certain risks, particularly when it comes to overcrowding, alcohol-related violence, and other hazards. One of the primary dangers of large public gatherings is the risk of a crowd crush, which can occur when crowds become too dense, pushing individuals uncontrollably forward. These situations

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

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recently addressed Chief Minister Atishi in a letter filled with both praise and sharp criticism directed at her predecessor, Arvind Kejriwal. Saxena expressed disappointment over Kejriwal's remark calling Atishi a "temporary Chief Minister," emphasizing that such a comment disrespects the democratic principles laid out by India's Constitution. He clarified that there is no such position, calling the remark an insult to the President of In

In a major setback to the unity of the opposition bloc, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has demanded that Congress be removed from the INDIA alliance unless the party takes action against its Delhi leader, Ajay Maken. AAP leaders Atishi and Sanjay Singh accused Maken of helping the BJP in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, claiming that Maken's statements were made at the BJP's behest. The dispute intensified when Maken called AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal "anti-national," a comm

The Delhi High Court has denied anticipatory bail to former IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar, who is facing serious charges of forgery, cheating, and attempting to deceive authorities in order to secure benefits for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam. Khedkar is accused of falsely claiming physical and mental disabilities, altering her name and surname, and forging an OBC certificate to qualify for the examination. The court observed that her actions were part of a larger conspir

The World Bank has approved a substantial USD 800 million loan for the Amaravati Integrated Urban Development Program, which will support the development of Andhra Pradesh's greenfield capital city, Amaravati. The loan, approved by the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank, aims to establish Amaravati as a sustainable, climate-resilient urban center that will create economic opportunities and improve the lives of its residents. The project is set to focus on building the city as

Infosys Ltd. has launched its new state-of-the-art development centre in Kolkata, West Bengal, marking a significant milestone in the company's expansion and commitment to innovation in the region. The 320,000 sq. ft. facility, built with an investment of over Rs 426 crore, will host over 4,000 employees who will work on cutting-edge technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital transformation. This centre will cater to a variety of industries, including

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

A fire broke out at the Udaan Bhawan office complex, located near Safdarjung airport in South Delhi, on Wednesday. The incident, which occurred at around 12:54 pm, was reported from the building's basement, specifically from the battery room in the second basement. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported so far. The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) responded swiftly, deploying five fire tenders to control the blaze. The fire has now been brought under control, and a police team was

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

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Prayagraj on Friday, hailed the 2025 Maha Kumbh as a "mahayagya of unity" that would elevate the country's cultural and spiritual identity. Addressing a public meeting, Modi emphasized that the Maha Kumbh brings people together, transcending caste and sect divisions. He inaugurated 167 significant development projects worth Rs 5,500 crore to enhance Prayagraj's infrastructure in preparation for the upcoming Kumbh Mela.

On Friday, at least six schools in Delhi, including Delhi Public School in East of Kailash, Salwan School, Modern School, and Cambridge School, received bomb threats via email. This marks the second such incident this week, following a similar scare on December 9 when over 40 schools in the city received similar threats. The emails claimed that explosives had been planted within the school premises, warning of potential bomb blasts on December 13 and 14, particularly targeting schools with sc

Delhi has recorded its coldest morning of the season today, with the temperature dropping to 4.9 degrees Celsius, significantly lower than the season's average by five notches, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The relative humidity was recorded at 64% at 8.30 am, and the temperature is expected to rise to around 23 degrees Celsius by afternoon. As temperatures remain in single digits, homeless individuals in the national capital have sought refuge in night

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

On Monday morning, around 40 schools in Delhi, including prominent institutions such as DPS RK Puram, GD Goenka, and Modern School, received a bomb threat email. The sender demanded $30,000, warning that bombs were planted inside the buildings. The email prompted a swift response, with bomb detection teams, fire officials, police, and dog squads conducting thorough checks at the affected schools. Fortunately, no suspicious items were discovered at any of the locations. The bomb thre

Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will be contesting the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections from Jangpura, as announced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Alongside Sisodia, civil services teacher Avadh Ojha has been named as the party's candidate for the Patparganj seat in East Delhi. This announcement comes with AAP’s release of its second list of 20 candidates for the Delhi Assembly polls, which are expected early next year. Last month, AAP had already released

In response to improved air quality in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has eased pollution curbs. The CAQM announced the revocation of Stage-4 and Stage-3 measures of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) in the entire NCR, effective immediately. This decision comes after the Supreme Court allowed the relaxation, following consistent improvement in the air quality index (AQI) since November 29, with AQI levels falling below 300. Howev