The James Webb Space Telescope, a successor to the legendary Hubble Space Telescope, was launched from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on board the powerful Ariane-5 rocket to a destination nearly 15,00,000 kilometres away from its home planet. Facing the dark side of Earth, away from the Sun, the telescope will observe the early universe going as far back as the big bang itself.
The launch of the telescope came amid a small window that popped up on Christmas Day after the lift-off was postponed from a day before due to dangerously high wind that could have put it off course. However, the holiday spirit seems to be pushing the telescope forward on its way to the second Lagrange point, where it will arrive in the next 30 days.
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The Central Bureau of Investigation Director has received a one-year extension, continuing in the role until May next year. The decision was made by a high-power committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, and the Leader of Opposition.
The latest edition of Statecraft covers major geopolitical shifts as US President Donald Trump arrives in Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. The visit, occurring amid the ongoing West Asia conflict and the Strait of Hormuz blockade, focusses on trade, tariffs, and the Iran war.
In this episode of Newstrack, watch the exclusive interview of Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Ashok Lahiri as he decodes PM Modi's austerity push amid the escalating crisis in West Asia.
The central government has implemented austerity measures, including reducing ministerial convoys to two vehicles, in response to a looming fuel crisis driven by West Asian geopolitical tensions. While the ruling party frames this as a necessary fiscal step, opposition leaders have labeled the move tokenism, demanding a special parliamentary session to address the economic situation and rising oil prices. Simultaneously, the national currency has depreciated to an all-time low against the dollar, prompting calls from experts for fiscal consolidation and reduced political populism. Amidst these economic challenges, a major controversy has emerged regarding the national medical entrance examination. Investigations into an alleged paper leak and an interstate exam mafia have resulted in multiple arrests across several states, revealing potential political links. Education experts are now advocating for a complete overhaul of the testing system, suggesting decentralized, computer-based examinations to ensure future transparency. Transparency activists further urge the government to disclose fuel stock data to prevent public panic and hoarding during this period of economic instability.
