Millions of Indians are celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights and one of the most important events in the Hindu calendar. The annual festival tends to fall between October and November, but the exact date varies each year as the Hindu calendar is based on the Moon. This year, Diwali is being celebrated on Thursday, but some parts of the country will observe the festival on Friday. People light oil lamps and candles on the day to symbolise the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. In the lead up to Diwali, people clean and organise their homes. New clothes are bought and sweets and gifts are exchanged with friends, families and neighbours. Many draw traditional designs like rangoli - made using colourful powders - outside their doors to welcome luck and positivity. On this day, families worship Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. Lamps are lit and windows and doors are left open to help the goddess find her way into people's homes. Read more 

Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL, New Delhi, India) and Airbus (Toulouse, France) have inaugurated the final assembly line (FAL) complex for the Airbus C295 aircraft in Vadodara, Gujarat in India. TASL and Airbus are partnering for the “Make in India” project to deliver 56 C295 aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The C295 aircraft features six-bladed composite propellers (Hamilton Standard, Windsor Locks, Conn., U.S.), as well as winglet and winglet tabs assembled via a one-shot approach versus conventional rib production methods. Its wingbox development is connected to the Clean Sky 2 OUTCOME project — replacing autoclave-cured thermoset composite construction with thermoplastic composites via an energy-efficient out-of-autoclave, one-shot process. In 2022, a C295 Flight Test Bed 2 (FTB2) technology demonstrator underwent a flight campaign to test a composite semi-morphing wing achieved through the IIAMS project. Read more 

Nigeria conferred its second-highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, making him the second foreign dignitary to receive this prestigious award. Queen Elizabeth was the first foreign recipient of the GCON in 1969. After receiving the award from Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, PM Modi expressed his gratitude, dedicating the honour to the 140 crore people of India and highlighting the strong bond between India and Nigeria. Read more 

Raj Kapoor, fondly called the "greatest showman of Indian cinema", was a leading filmmaker, producer and actor whose work continues to shape and inspire Indian films. Today, almost four decades after his death in 1988, he remains one of India's most-loved stars. Kapoor began his film career in India's post-independence era. His early work often carried a socialistic undertone, mirroring the country's mood and aspirations of the time. "Kapoor brought romance, sexuality, song and soul to Indian socialism," said historian Sunil Khilnani, in Incarnations: India in 50 Lives, a 2015 BBC Radio 4 series on the men and women who made India. So perhaps it isn't surprising that celebrations to mark what would have been his 100th birthday on Saturday are taking place across the country, honouring his enduring legacy. Among them is a retrospective showcasing 10 of his iconic films that will screen across 40 cities and 135 cinemas in India at the weekend. Read more 

Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who was the architect of the country’s landmark economic reforms of 1991, passed away in New Delhi on December 26, 2024. He was 92. Singh, who was being treated for “age-related medical conditions”, was rushed to the emergency ward of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after he lost consciousness, the hospital said in its bulletin. “Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to medical emergency at AIIMS Delhi at 8.06 pm. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9.51 pm,” said the AIIMS bulletin. Singh was twice prime minister in the Congress-led UPA governments of 2004 and 2009, and was the finance minister in the Narasimha Rao government of 1991 which opened up the Indian economy and ushered in the era of economic liberalisation. Read more 

Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani clinched a historic 28th world title, seventh in a row, defeating England’s Robert Hall 4-2 at the IBSF World Billiards Championship in Doha on November 9, 2024. Advani’s winning streak had begun in 2016 and has also survived two years (2020, 2021) of vacuum created by the Covid-19 pandemic. Hall took an early lead in the opening frame, but the Indian rallied to reach the magic 150 first. He then delivered an astonishing unfinished 147 break in the second frame, leaving Hall stunned. The third frame was a masterclass in tactical brilliance from both finalists. Advani emerged victorious in the cerebral duel, positioning himself just one frame away from making history. However, Hall refused to bow out quietly, crafting a flawless 151 break in the fourth frame to keep his hopes alive. The fifth frame saw Hall on fire once more, delivering another stunning 154 break to level the pressure on Advani. Read more