South Korea kicked off its largest-ever arms fair on Friday, with firms expected to show off new unmanned and artificial intelligence-enhanced weapons from howitzers to suicide drones, as Seoul seeks to strengthen its military and pursues more global defence sales.
As per reports, a record 600 companies from 35 countries are scheduled to participate in the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025.
This year's (2025) ADEX kicked off with three days of public air shows at an air base, including flights by its newly developed KF-21 fighter jet.
Indian Conservationist Vivek Menon Elected as First Asian Chair of IUCN Species Survival Commission
Indian wildlife conservationist Vivek Menon was elected Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), becoming the first Asian to hold the position in the commission's 75-year history. The SSC is a global network of over 11,000 volunteer experts dedicated to protecting biodiversity and ensuring species survival.
Menon, co-founder of five key conservation organisations including the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), is renowned for his lifelong commitment to wildlife conservation, particularly elephants. His work has contributed to the establishment of wildlife reserves and the formulation of conservation policies worldwide.
LIC Launches Jan Suraksha and Bima Lakshmi Insurance Plans
The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) launched two new insurance plans—Jan Suraksha Plan (880) and Bima Lakshmi Plan (881). These are the first policies introduced by LIC under the new GST regime, reflecting its efforts to expand financial protection across diverse income and gender groups. While Jan Suraksha caters to the lower-income segment, Bima Lakshmi is an exclusive offering for women, providing a blend of protection, savings, and health benefits.
The LIC Jan Suraksha Plan (880) is a life micro-insurance endowment plan. It offers a lump sum at maturity and life cover during the policy term.
The plan includes guaranteed additions at the rate of 4% of the annualised premium each year, helping build savings over time.
The LIC Bima Lakshmi Plan is a non-linked life insurance policy with guaranteed benefits and money-back options.
It also includes critical illness coverage, making it a holistic plan for women.
UAE Become 20th & Last Team to Qualify for 2026 T20 World Cup
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) became the 20th and final team to qualify for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup set to take place in India and Sri Lanka from February 6 to March 8, 2026. UAE confirmed its qualification after defeating Japan in their final Super Six match of the T20 World Cup Asia-EAP Qualifier 2025 at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground (Ministry Turf 1) in Al Amerat.
The 2025 edition of the NDTV World Summit - NDTV's flagship event held in New Delhi–featured a host of leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former Australian PM Tony Abbott, and former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant.
Rajnath Singh, Yogi Adityanath Flag off First Batch of BrahMos Missiles Manufactured in Lucknow
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the first batch of BrahMos missiles manufactured at the BrahMos Aerospace unit in Lucknow's Sarojini Nagar.
BrahMos Aerospace, the manufacturer of the "BrahMos" supersonic missile system, has successfully produced the first batch of the missile system from its new Integration and Test Facility in Lucknow. This state-of-the-art unit became fully operational after its inauguration on May 11, 2025. It houses all modern facilities for missile integration, testing, and final quality checks. After successful testing, the missiles are prepared for deployment by the Indian Armed Forces.
Indian Navy Leads 'Prasthan' Multi-agency Drill Off Kakinada Coast
The bi-annual multi-agency coordinated exercise - 'Prasthan' concluded on October 16 by Indian Navy in the Eastern Offshore Development Area off Kakinada. The exercise conducted under the aegis of Eastern Naval Command (ENC), witnessed active participation from the Indian Coast Guard, ONGC, Offshore Defence Advisory Group (ODAG), Intelligence Bureau, Marine Police, the State Fisheries Department and private operators like RIL, Vedanta and others.
The exercise is conducted at regular intervals to validate measures and procedures to respond effectively to various contingencies that may arise onboard offshore installations, including oil production platforms and support vessels. The current edition of 'Prasthan' was conducted onboard the RIL platform 'KG D6 Ruby' and the 'RG' fixed platform with deployment of six Indian Naval ships and two helicopters, an Indian Coast Guard ship, MARCOs teams and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists.
Kancha Sherpa, Last Surviving Member of 1953 Everest Expedition, Passes Away
Kancha Sherpa, the last living member of the historic 1953 Everest expedition led by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, passed away at the age of 92.
Born in 1932 in Namche, Kancha Sherpa began his mountaineering journey at the age of 19 after leaving home for Darjeeling in search of work. There, he met Tenzing Norgay, who recognised him as the son of a fellow mountaineer from a previous expedition. With Tenzing's encouragement, Kancha joined Hillary's 1953 Everest team as one of 103 Sherpas, earning five rupees a day.
Lucknow's GD Goenka Public School Tops CBSE Rankings
GD Goenka Public School, Lucknow, once again reaffirmed its place as a leading institution in education. Ranked No.1 CBSE school (Co-Ed) in Lucknow and No.3 in Uttar Pradesh in the EducationWorld India School Rankings 2025-26, the school has now achieved this milestone for the 11th consecutive year, reflecting its sustained focus on academic excellence and holistic student development.
The award was received by Chairman Sarvesh Goel at a ceremony in New Delhi.