Thursday, December 19News That Matters

Breaking News

China Claims 6 Point Consensus on Border Talks India Remains Silent on Agreement

China Claims 6 Point Consensus on Border Talks India Remains Silent on Agreement

Breaking News, Thoughts & Talks
China has announced that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have reached a "six-point consensus" to address the longstanding India-China boundary issue. However, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India has not confirmed or denied this claim, signaling potential discrepancies in the outcomes of the Beijing meeting. According to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement, both sides positively evaluated progress on border-related issues and reaffirmed commitments to a "mutually acceptable package solution" based on the 2005 agreement. Key points reportedly discussed include: Refining border management rules. Strengthening confidence-building measures. Promoting cross-border communication and cooperation. Resuming pilgrimages to Xizang...
Moon Could Be Much Older Than Previously Believed: New Study Reveals a 4.51 Billion-Year History

Moon Could Be Much Older Than Previously Believed: New Study Reveals a 4.51 Billion-Year History

Breaking News, Learning & Developments, Space
A groundbreaking study published in Nature suggests the Moon may be over 100 million years older than previously thought, dating its formation to approximately 4.51 billion years ago. This challenges the long-standing estimate of 4.35 billion years and offers fresh insights into the Moon's tumultuous early history. For decades, scientists have theorized that the Moon formed after a Mars-sized object collided with early Earth. However, the new study, led by Francis Nimmo of the University of California, Santa Cruz, suggests that the Moon formed earlier, with a later event known as "re-melting" reshaping its surface. This re-melting occurred as the Moon gradually drifted away from Earth. Earth's gravitational pull generated intense tidal heating, resetting the "clocks" of lunar mineral...
Astronomers Discover Twin Stars Orbiting Galactic Black Hole: A World-First Revelation

Astronomers Discover Twin Stars Orbiting Galactic Black Hole: A World-First Revelation

Breaking News, Learning & Developments, Space
In an unprecedented discovery, astronomers led by Florian Peißker from the University of Cologne, Germany, have identified a binary star system named D9 orbiting the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* at the center of the Milky Way. This groundbreaking find, published in Nature Communications, unravels mysteries surrounding hypervelocity stars and the extreme environment near black holes. Binary star systems, where two stars orbit each other, are common in the universe, but none have been observed near a supermassive black hole until now. Using the Very Large Telescope, the team detected D9 through subtle shifts in its starlight, known as the Doppler effect, confirming its binary nature. The D9 system, approximately 2.7 million years old, likely formed elsewhere in the galaxy bef...
World Largest One Trillion Iceberg Melt Down After Decades of Stillness

World Largest One Trillion Iceberg Melt Down After Decades of Stillness

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment
The world’s largest and oldest iceberg, A23a, has broken free after decades of being grounded on the seabed near Antarctica. This colossal "mega-berg," weighing over a trillion tonnes and spanning an area twice the size of Greater London, is now drifting into the Southern Ocean. A23a was calved from Antarctica’s Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986, marking the beginning of its extraordinary journey. For over 30 years, it remained grounded on the seabed of the Weddell Sea. In 2020, it began to shift northward, but its progress was slowed by a Taylor Column, an oceanographic phenomenon that kept it spinning in one spot for months. Dr. Andrew Meijers, an oceanographer at the British Antarctic Survey, remarked, “It’s exciting to see A23a on the move again after periods of being stuck. We are curi...
Staying Hydrated New Study Highlights Health Benefits of Drinking More Water

Staying Hydrated New Study Highlights Health Benefits of Drinking More Water

Breaking News, Fact Check, Learning & Developments
Drinking plenty of water has always been considered essential for good health, but a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), sheds new light on the specific advantages it provides. By analyzing 18 previous studies, the research emphasizes the broad health benefits associated with increased water consumption. Key Findings Among the studies reviewed, researchers found significant health benefits in drinking more water, including: Reducing the risk of kidney stones Supporting weight loss Preventing urinary tract infections Managing migraines Improving blood sugar control in diabetes Regulating low blood pressure Not all the studies offered conclusive evidence of causal relationships, but the trends suggest that ...
Delhi Air Quality Hits ‘Severe Plus’ as GRAP Stage 4 Restrictions Return

Delhi Air Quality Hits ‘Severe Plus’ as GRAP Stage 4 Restrictions Return

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment
Delhi air quality deteriorated further on Wednesday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) surpassing 440, marking another day in the ‘severe’ category. By 7 am, several monitoring stations reported AQI levels above 450, pushing parts of the city into the ‘severe-plus’ category. Areas like Anand Vihar, Nehru Nagar, and Jahangirpuri recorded AQI levels near 480, signifying hazardous air. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) defines AQI above 450 as “severe-plus,” with serious health implications for all age groups. In response, authorities have reimposed Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), banning construction, restricting diesel trucks, and recommending work-from-home for 50% of employees. Public health experts warn breathing Delhi’s air is akin to smoking 10 cigarett...
Delhi Chokes Again AQI Hits ‘Severe’ Levels Amid Winter Smog

Delhi Chokes Again AQI Hits ‘Severe’ Levels Amid Winter Smog

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment
Delhi’s air quality plummeted further on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, breaching the hazardous threshold with the Air Quality Index (AQI) soaring to 421 at 7 a.m., according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Key areas like Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Bawana, Jahangirpuri, and Alipur reported AQI levels ranging from 400 to 470, marking a dire escalation in the city's ongoing battle with toxic air. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classified Delhi’s air as “Very Poor,” though localized areas ventured into the more alarming “Severe” zone. Such levels pose significant health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. Adding to the city’s challenges, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reco...
Study Warns Claims that Pet Cats May Trigger New Bird Flu Pandemic

Study Warns Claims that Pet Cats May Trigger New Bird Flu Pandemic

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment, Learning & Developments
A recent study has raised alarms about pet cats potentially becoming carriers of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, which has devastated poultry farms in the U.S. over the past two and a half years. Published in the journal Taylor and Francis, the study warns that just one or two mutations in cats could allow the virus to jump to humans, posing significant public health risks. Bird Flu’s Hidden Threat H5N1, responsible for the deaths of over 100 million birds, has remained a limited threat to humans due to its difficulty in transmitting between people. However, scientists fear cats common household pets could serve as a bridge for the virus to evolve and spread more easily. The warning comes after the deaths of 10 cats in South Dakota earlier this year. Researchers found that the cat...
Low-Pressure Area in Bay of Bengal to Bring Heavy Rainfall to Tamil Nadu

Low-Pressure Area in Bay of Bengal to Bring Heavy Rainfall to Tamil Nadu

Breaking News, Disasters
A new low-pressure area has formed over the Bay of Bengal, and it is expected to intensify and move toward the Tamil Nadu coast over the next two days, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC). This weather system is likely to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall to several coastal districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu, until December 19. The low-pressure area, which developed on December 16 in the central part of the south Bay of Bengal, is being influenced by an upper air cyclonic circulation over the southeast Bay. This circulation extends up to 3.1 kilometers above sea level and is predicted to strengthen further. As the system moves west-northwestward, it will impact coastal Tamil Nadu with significant rainfall. Rainfall Warnings ...
North India Freezes Coldwave Grips Delhi, Punjab, Haryana with Dense Fog Predicted

North India Freezes Coldwave Grips Delhi, Punjab, Haryana with Dense Fog Predicted

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment
New Delhi: A severe cold wave swept across North India on Sunday, with temperatures plunging to as low as 1°C in some regions. Punjab’s Faridkot recorded the lowest at 1°C, while Haryana’s Hisar followed at 1.7°C. In the national capital, Delhi residents woke up to a frigid morning as Safdarjung reported 4.9°C, marking a sharp 3-degree drop in 24 hours. Palam recorded a slightly higher 6.2°C. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cold wave conditions will persist in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir from December 15 to 19. Rajasthan will experience similar weather from December 17 to 20. Dense fog is likely to blanket Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Northeast India on December 16 and 17, reducing visibility. Ground frost is also exp...