Mumbai, Aug 20 (IANS) Retired actor Ian Somerhalder marked National Aviation Day by flipping through photos from his aviation journey and reflecting on the incredible people, engineering and machines he has encountered along the way. Somerhalder shared a slew of images from his flying journey and expressed his deep gratitude to aviation professionals worldwide for their tireless efforts in keeping travellers safe. He wrote in the caption: “Happy #nationalaviationday NATIONAL AVIATION DAY! I ha…

Seoul, Aug 20 (IANS) Unionised workers at internet-only Kakao Bank will launch a five-day strike as talks with management over wage increases and other benefits have stalled, its union said on Thursday.The labour union and Kakao Bank’s management have been in negotiations over a pay raise and other benefits but failed to narrow outstanding differences.The union said the strike will run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4. On July 31, the unionised workers also went on a full strike, reports Yonhap news agen…

Washington, Aug 20 (IANS) Renewable energy backed by battery storage can provide India with reliable, round-the-clock electricity at a price below that of new coal-fired plants, according to a new University of California, Berkeley study. The study examined a landmark 1,000-megawatt auction conducted by the Solar Energy Corporation of India, or SECI, which produced a tariff of Rs 5.25 per kilowatt-hour, fixed in nominal terms for 25 years.Researchers said the auction demonstrated that renewable …

Washington, Aug 20 (IANS) The Trump administration has invoked emergency federal authority to reduce the risk of power outages across the US Mid-Atlantic region, which supplies electricity to about 65 million people in 13 states and Washington, D.C. Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued the emergency order on Wednesday (local time) under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, allowing a generating unit in Maryland to continue operating beyond its current limit to meet anticipated electricity de…

Chennai, Aug 20 (IANS) A weak low-pressure circulation prevailing in the lower levels of the atmosphere over coastal Tamil Nadu is expected to bring rain to parts of the state over the next few days, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Chennai said in its latest weather bulletin.According to the department, one or two places in districts along the Western Ghats are likely to receive moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning from Thursday.Strong surface winds may also occur…

New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 82nd birth anniversary, crediting him with helping prepare India for the “promise of the 21st century”.The former Prime Minister’s birth anniversary is observed as ‘Sadbhavana Diwas’ (Harmony Day) across the nation.Taking to X, Kharge said: “Today, on Sadbhavana Diwas, we remember Rajiv Gandhi, a visionary leader who awakened hope in millions and helped prepare Ind…

Chennai, Aug 20 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly will on Thursday take up the demands for grants of the Food and Consumer Protection and Cooperation departments, continuing a series of departmental debates that have highlighted the priorities of the new government. The members of the ruling party and the Opposition will discuss the functioning of the two departments. Food and Consumer Protection Minister Venkataramanan and Cooperation Minister Gandhiraj will reply to the issues raised …

Ghaziabad, Aug 20 (IANS) A man wanted in connection with a murder triggered by a dispute over Rs 20 was arrested after a police encounter in the Shalimar Garden area of Ghaziabad on Thursday. The accused sustained a gunshot injury to his leg during retaliatory firing by the police. Police said they recovered an illegal .315 bore country-made pistol, a live cartridge, a spent cartridge case and a stolen motorcycle from the accused. The operation was carried out by a team from Shalimar Garden poli…

Nagapattinam, Aug 20 (IANS) Salt manufacturers in Tamil Nadu’s Vedaranyam are confident of achieving this year’s production target of 1.75 lakh tonnes after completing nearly 85 per cent of the estimated output. The prolonged spell of intense summer heat has helped accelerate production following disruptions caused by unseasonal rain earlier in the season. Salt is manufactured across nearly 3,000 acres in Agasthiyampalli, Kodiyakkadu and Kadinalvayal, the principal production centres in the Ve…

Mumbai, August 20 (IANS) Television superstar Shweta Tiwari has raised serious concerns over hygiene standards after she allegedly found a cockroach inside her home following a cold drink delivery.The Kasautii Zindagii Kay actress took to her social media account and shared a video showing the cockroach crawling around her house.She also tagged the delivery platform and Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Munde, asking him to look into the matter.In the video, Shw…