Hyderabad's Tilak Varma played a sensational match-winning innings to guide India to victory in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan. His calm and composed knock of 69 not out off 53 balls helped India chase down a target of 147 with just two balls remaining, securing a thrilling 5-wicket win. Varma's stellar performance, combined with vital contributions from Shivam Dube and the exceptional bowling effort by Kuldeep Yadav and his teammates, sealed India's ninth Asia Cup title. This victory also marked India's unbeaten record against Pakistan in the tournament, as they defeated their arch-rivals three times in Asia Cup 2025. Tilak Varma's match-winning display earned praise from cricketing legends and fans, confirming his rising star status in Indian cricket.
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Kandukur is a suburban village and the mandal headquarters located in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana, India. Situated about 40 kilometers from Hyderabad, it is poised to be a significant area in ongoing development projects like the Bharat Future City, which aims to attract global investments including all Fortune 500 companies over the next decade. The project envisions transforming Kandukur and its surrounding region into a modern hub with state-of-the-art infrastructure, thereby creating a future-ready city inspired by the historical development of Hyderabad and Secunderabad under earlier rulers. This development is part of Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's vision to drive rapid urban and economic growth in partnership with visionary leadership at state and national levels. Opposition propaganda against the project has been criticized by government officials as attempts to stall this ambitious plan.
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In the financial year 2025, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh ranked third and fourth respectively in the sales of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in India, each contributing around 9 percent of total IMFL sales with 3.71 crore and 3.55 crore cases sold. Together, the two Telugu states accounted for 18 percent of the country's total IMFL sales. South Indian states dominated the market, contributing 58 percent of IMFL sales nationwide, with Karnataka leading at 17 percent. The five southern states—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana—along with Union Territory Puducherry, jointly consumed over 23 crore cases, underscoring South India's near-absolute dominance in the IMFL market in FY25.
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The Indian Roller, locally known as Palapitta, is the state bird of Telangana and is considered a symbol of good luck during the Dasara festival. However, due to a superstition that seeing or handling the bird during Dasara brings fortune, many Palapittas are illegally captured, caged, and mistreated. This has caused a significant decline in their population, exacerbated by habitat loss and pesticide use. Conservation efforts by NGOs and authorities focus on rescuing and releasing these birds and raising public awareness to stop illegal capture and protect the species, which also plays an important ecological role in controlling insect populations harmful to crops. The Indian Roller is facing a 30% population decline and is being considered for inclusion on the IUCN Red List due to these threats.
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Engels' pause refers to a historical economic paradox during Britain's Industrial Revolution (circa 1790-1840) when industrial productivity and output surged significantly, but the wages and living standards of the working class stagnated for decades, creating a widening inequality gap before broad-based welfare improvements occurred much later. The term was coined by economist Robert C. Allen after Friedrich Engels, who described this phenomenon in his book "The Condition of the Working Class in England".
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Around 1975, Kodaikanal hill station was gaining international tourism recognition, with plans announced by the then Union Minister for Tourism, Raj Bahadur, to give it the widest possible publicity to attract foreign tourists. The government aimed to include Kodaikanal in tourism literature and films to boost its profile as a premier international hill resort, while also emphasizing the development of facilities for domestic tourists and preserving the natural beauty of the area, such as the lake. At the time, Tamil Nadu attracted 25% of foreign tourists visiting India, highlighting the state's popularity as a tourist destination even then.
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On September 28, 1925, a social event was held aboard the H.M.S. "Colombo," a warship of the East Indies Naval Squadron docked in Madras Harbour. The officers of the ship hosted an entertainment function for the officers of the Madras City Police and their families, featuring decorations with flags, buntings, and colored electric lights, along with refreshments and various amusements. This event highlighted the cordial relations between naval officers and local police forces during the British colonial period in India.
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India won the Asia Cup 2025 by defeating Pakistan in the final by 5 wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, securing their 9th Asia Cup title.
India successfully chased a target of 147, finishing at 150/5 with two balls to spare.
Tilak Varma was the star performer for India, scoring an unbeaten 69 runs off 53 balls with 3 fours and 4 sixes, playing a crucial role in the tense chase and winning the Player of the Match award.
Rinku Singh hit the winning runs, coming in for the injured Hardik Pandya.
Indian spinners Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel collectively took 8 wickets, with Kuldeep taking 4 wickets for 30 runs.
Pakistan started well with openers Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46) putting up an 84-run partnership, but then collapsed losing 9 wickets for 33 runs.
India lost early wickets including Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill but rebuilt with a 57-run partnership between Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson.
The match was tense and competitive, with India overcoming mid-innings pressure to seal a memorable victory over their arch-rivals.
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In 1998, France legislated the 35-hour workweek through laws promoted by Labour Minister Martine Aubry, aiming to reduce unemployment by encouraging work sharing. The law reduced the standard workweek from 39 to 35 hours for companies with over 20 employees by 2000, with smaller firms following by 2002. The policy intended to increase jobs during a period of high unemployment by limiting working hours without reducing income, and it was rooted in the belief that increased productivity required less labor and that leisure was a valuable good for workers' welfare. The law marked a significant socio-economic experiment in labor reform and job redistribution in France.
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The Lahore Conspiracy Case trial, which began in 1929 and ended in 1930, centered on Indian revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru. They were tried for their roles in retaliating against British oppression, notably the assassination of British police officer John Saunders (intended for Superintendent James Scott) and the bombing of the Central Legislative Assembly in Delhi. The trial concluded with death sentences for Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru, who were executed on March 23, 1931, making them iconic martyrs in India's freedom struggle. The case highlighted the harsh repression of Indian revolutionaries by the British colonial regime and has been subject to extensive historical analysis and debate.
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In 2024, the people of Ladakh, primarily indigenous tribes, held a unique 21-day "climate fast" in sub-zero temperatures demanding autonomy under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to self-govern their fragile high Himalayan ecology. This movement highlighted the urgent need to protect Ladakh's glaciers—the world’s largest freshwater reserves—from industrial exploitation and climate change, emphasizing that local self-governance is crucial for preserving the natural ecosystem that sustains their traditional livelihoods and the water supply for millions downstream. The fast and subsequent march to Delhi drew national and global attention to Ladakh’s plea for constitutional safeguards to preserve their environment and way of life.
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The city with the number one GDP in the world as of 2025 is Tokyo, Japan, with an estimated nominal GDP of around $2.05 trillion. It is followed by New York City, USA, with approximately $1.87 trillion, and Los Angeles, USA, with $1.13 trillion. Tokyo remains the largest metropolitan economy globally, serving as a major hub for finance, electronics, broadcasting, and transportation industries.
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Hyderabad, the capital city of Telangana, has a nominal GDP of around USD 95 billion as of 2022, making it one of India's top economic hubs. Hyderabad's economy is driven predominantly by the IT/ITES sector, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, finance, and a growing real estate market. The city houses numerous Global Capability Centres and technology companies, contributing significantly to Telangana's overall Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which is projected to reach about USD 210 billion (₹1,80,000 crore) by 2025-26.
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The Bathukamma festival in Telangana secured two Guinness World Records at Saroor Nagar Stadium: the tallest Bathukamma floral stack (63 feet) and the largest group Bathukamma folk dance (1,354 participants). The record-setting event was attended by state dignitaries and celebrated Telangana’s cultural heritage on the global stage.
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"Revolutionaries on Trial: Sedition, Betrayal, and Martyrdom," authored by historian Aparna Vaidik, is a groundbreaking study of the Lahore Conspiracy Case that led to the trial and execution of Indian revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar, and Shivaram Rajguru. Drawing on rare archival material, including trial records from the Punjab Archives in Lahore, Vaidik explores the colonial judiciary's legal strategies, the roles of prosecution witnesses like Hans Raj Vohra, and the complex interplay of loyalty and betrayal during the trial. The book challenges conventional narratives by examining the trial not only as a miscarriage of justice but also as a calculated colonial spectacle to maintain authority, while shedding light on the psychological and political dimensions of the revolutionary movement in India.
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The 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly elections are witnessing a major political realignment marked by the rising influence of religion, identity, and new political forces. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is promoting regional Hindutva and religious symbols like Murugan to challenge the traditional Dravidian dominance of the DMK. In response, the DMK has organized events like the “Global Murugan Conference” to counter the BJP’s narrative and reposition itself around themes of federalism and state autonomy. Meanwhile, the BJP’s renewed alliance with AIADMK and intensive campaigning by leaders like Amit Shah signal its focused efforts to break Tamil Nadu’s long-standing resistance to its rule. The political discourse is shifting from language and social justice to religion-centered identity politics, making the 2026 elections in Tamil Nadu a crucial and fiercely contested battleground.
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India clinched its record-extending ninth Asia Cup title in 2025 by defeating Pakistan in a tense final that went down to the last over. The match was low-scoring and intense, with India’s spinners staging a remarkable comeback after Pakistan’s strong start. The final was also overshadowed by political tensions between the two countries, highlighted by Team India's refusal to accept the trophy from the Pakistani ACC chairman, who controversially took the trophy away after the ceremony was delayed. Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69 guided India’s chase, while Kuldeep Yadav’s four wickets triggered Pakistan’s dramatic collapse. The tournament underscored the inseparability of cricket and politics in the subcontinent, with players and officials alike navigating a charged atmosphere amid ongoing regional conflicts.
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As of 2025, the world's highest bridge is the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou province, China. It stands 625 meters (2,051 feet) above the ground, surpassing previous record holders. The bridge spans 2,890 meters in length with a main span of 1,420 meters, dramatically reducing travel time across the canyon from two hours to just two minutes. Opened in September 2025, it is also noted as the largest-span bridge constructed in a mountainous area, combining engineering excellence with spectacular natural scenery.
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In 2024-25, India’s pharmaceutical exports to the US amounted to approximately $10.5 billion, mostly comprising generic drugs. A proposed 100% tariff by US President Donald Trump is expected to impact only a small portion of these exports, particularly branded or patented drugs, which make up a minor share of India’s pharmaceutical shipments. The tariff aims to revive US domestic drug manufacturing for job creation, but the move primarily challenges the free trade principle and is unlikely to severely disrupt India's dominant generic drug export industry due to the price inelasticity of patented drug demand and the broad generic market
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In 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping sought a major shift in U.S. policy by urging President Donald Trump to officially state that the United States “opposes” Taiwan’s independence. This would mark a departure from the traditional U.S. policy of “strategic ambiguity,” which acknowledges China’s claim over Taiwan but does not explicitly support or oppose Taiwanese independence. Xi views this rhetorical change as crucial to isolating Taiwan diplomatically and reinforcing his goal of eventual reunification under Beijing. The Trump administration, while engaging in trade talks with China, has maintained opposition to unilateral changes to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait but has not yet formally altered its longstanding policy. This diplomatic tension reflects the complex and high-stakes nature of U.S.-China relations regarding Taiwan.
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Before becoming one of Britain’s most beloved children’s authors, Sir Michael Morpurgo was a primary school teacher. He observed early on that children’s access to storytelling was deeply affected by social and economic deprivation, a problem he noted has persisted for over 50 years. Morpurgo, famous for works like "War Horse," believes that children must have access to stories through any medium—books, film, TV, or audiobooks—and advocates for live storytelling by authors visiting schools. He is also a strong supporter of quality school libraries and founded the charity Farms for City Children to give urban children hands-on experiences with nature, aiming to nurture their love of stories and learning.
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One key takeaway about AI's impact on online news traffic is that AI-powered “answer engines” like ChatGPT are drastically reducing direct user visits to news websites. These AI chatbots scan and mine massive amounts of web content to provide users with summarized answers, but often do not link back to the original sources. This results in a sharp decline in traffic and ad revenue for news publishers, who rely heavily on web visits. Unlike traditional search engines which send users to websites, AI chatbots provide information directly, posing a challenge for media companies to monetize their content and sustain their business models. This shift is prompting calls for new revenue-sharing or licensing models between AI companies and news publishers to ensure media sustainability
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