Reliance Industries is in preliminary conversations with British apparel retailer Primark about introducing the brand to the Indian market. This possible venture would pit Reliance against competitors such as Tata’s Zudio, Landmark Group’s Max, and Shoppers Stop’s new value format InTune, the company said.
Primark, a 55-year-old company famed for its low-cost apparel and shoes, has been studying the Indian market for some years and may partner with Reliance through a joint venture or licensing deal, according to two people.
The majority of the stores in India are anticipated to be on the high street due to the brand’s big box structure, as opposed to global retailers that normally choose malls, according to the article.
Primark’s Global Success
Primark has shown considerable global revenue growth in recent years, with the exception of two Covid-affected years. The firm sells goods at even cheaper costs than competitors like H&M and Uniqlo.
While China is Primark’s principal source nation, India comes second in terms of factories supplying the firm, demonstrating the brand’s dedication to nearshoring in its supply chain strategy.According to Devangshu Dutta, founder of retail consultancy firm Third Eyesight, Reliance, India’s largest retailer with many foreign brand agreements, may give Primark with a significant edge in terms of real estate and operational efficiencies.
Experts believe that India’s consumption structure, which was historically biased toward a small group of wealthy people, is now opening up new chances for bargain brands. Primark, owned by Associated British Foods, wants to have 530 shops worldwide by the end of 2026, with over 400 now open.
Reliance, which has over 18,774 outlets in its existing portfolio, including Trends and the newly established Yousta, competes directly with fast-fashion companies such as Zara and H&M in India.RIL did not react to inquiries. A Primark representative recognized the brand’s openness to new prospects, but declined to comment on the India ambitions.
The Sun’s magnetic field fluctuates throughout time and from point to point, resulting in sunspots, geomagnetic storms, and the northern lights.
In drawings and paintings, the sun frequently appears as a complete circle of light, radiating its energy evenly in all directions. However, if we look closely, we may see sporadic eruptions in certain directions. Solar eruptions occur when the energy contained in the sun’s magnetic field is abruptly released, dramatically heating objects in its vicinity to millions of degrees. This leads in the release of a massive quantity of energy over the whole electromagnetic spectrum, from gamma rays to x-rays to radio waves. While our atmosphere protects us from damaging radiation, when such emissions reach Earth, they can impair media transmissions. But this raises a fascinating question: why does the sun have a magnetic field?
Scalding Magnets
When gas reaches extremely high temperatures, it becomes plasma, an ionized gas state. During the ionization process, electrons are freed from gas atoms, resulting in the production of free charged particles: negative electrons and positive atom nuclei. According to the equations of electrodynamics, when a charged particle is in motion, it produces a magnetic field around it, and a charged particle inside a magnetic field is driven by it, resulting in an electric current. In reality, this idea is the foundation of the dynamo generator.
The sun is a massive plasma sphere that spins about its axis. The sun’s surface temperature is lower than its inside temperature. Temperature differences lead hot matter from deeper layers to rise while cooler matter from the outer layers falls, a phenomenon known as convection, which also accounts for the swirling motion of boiling water in a kettle. The complicated motion of charged plasma particles, driven by convection and the sun’s axial rotation, creates magnetic fields, which influence the motion of the charged particles. The complicated motion induced by the combination of convection, the sun’s spin (which varies in speed across latitude lines on its surface), and local magnetic fields all contribute to the intricate dynamics of the sun’s magnetic field. Indeed, the depth at which the sun’s magnetic field originates is still being investigated.
A Spotted Sunray
Solar eruptions are most common in “active areas” when the sun’s magnetic field is very powerful and its form is distorted. In these places, “sunspots” frequently form, which are black spots that appear on the sun’s surface for a brief period of time before disappearing. In the spot areas, the distortion in the magnetic field prevents convection from the deeper layers outward, resulting in temperature drops and the appearance of darker colors.
NASA’s video explaining fluctuations in the sun’s magnetic field:
Three Millennia of Sun Monitoring
Sunspots were originally documented in the Chinese “Book of Changes” (I Ching), which was written about 2,800 years ago. Beginning in the 28th century B.C., Chinese astronomers carefully chronicled sunspots. The Greek philosopher Theophrastus reported the first sunspots in the Western world around 300 B.C. In December 1610, English astronomer Tomas Harriot was the first to observe, or at least document, sunspots using a telescope.
Christian Horrebow, a Danish astronomer, discovered in 1775 that the quantity and size of sunspots alter every few years. In an essay published in 1801, British astronomer William Herschel claimed to have discovered a relationship between the number and form of sunspots and the temperature observed on Earth’s surface, as well as between the number of sunspots and wheat prices in Britain. However, these statements were eventually debunked.
In 1843, German astronomer Heinrich Schwabe presented a clear cycle in the average number of sunspots, and in 1852, Swiss astronomer Rudolf Wolf established a numbering system for solar cycles dating back to the mid-18th century, with the cycle that began in 1755 considered the first in the count. A solar cycle is defined as the time between two periods of low solar activity and lasts around eleven years on average.
By analyzing the frequency of the carbon 14 isotope in tree rings, in 2004 scientists successfully reconstructed solar activity levels for the past 11,400 years, since the last ice age. The researchers found that during ninety percent of this prolonged period, the level of solar activity was lower than that observed between the 1940’s and the early 2000’s, and nearly all previous periods of enhanced activity were shorter than this period. In the last solar cycle, cycle number twenty four, that lasted from December 2008 to December 2019, solar activity was significantly lower than what was considered usual in recent decades, similar to the levels documented between the late 19th century and the early 20th century.
Is there a link between solar activity levels and global warming on Earth? Most researchers believe that the sun’s contribution to the observed warming trend in recent decades is insignificant. For instance, despite Earth experiencing a gradual warming since the mid-20th century, the intensity of solar radiation reaching us has remained relatively stable since at least the mid-19th century. Moreover, if solar activity were the main driver of global warming, we would expect warming across all layers of the atmosphere, whereas the upper atmosphere is actually exhibiting a cooling trend.
When Solar Wind reaches the Earth
Aside from eruptions and sunspots, the sun’s magnetic field may cause coronal mass ejections. The corona is a form of very hot halo that surrounds the sun and is primarily made of ionized hydrogen. Because of the corona’s tremendous temperature, charged particles are constantly released into space, resulting in the phenomena known as “solar wind”. These charged particles are drawn to Earth’s magnetic poles and may become trapped in the magnetic field near the poles. When these charged particles hit with molecules in the higher levels of the atmosphere, a characteristic light is produced, causing the phenomena known as the northern lights (Aurora Borealis).
When the sun’s magnetic activity amplifies solar wind, it can cause a geomagnetic storm, which is a transient disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field. In severe circumstances, such storms can impair satellite operations, high-voltage power lines, media transmissions, radar and navigation systems, and other infrastructure. Earth’s atmosphere and magnetosphere protect life from the impacts of geomagnetic storms. However, astronauts or persons flying at high altitudes, outside of this protective envelope or on its fringes, may suffer serious physiological consequences, such as the creation of cancer-causing mutations, as a result of geomagnetic storm exposure. Some claim that such storms damage species that rely on the Earth’s magnetic field for navigation and migration, however research into this is still in its early stages.
It’s Always the Sun
The current solar cycle (number twenty-five) began in December 2019 and is expected to run until 2030. While most estimates predict a very weak cycle, similar to the previous one, measurements from its first three years indicate higher-than-expected activity levels, albeit still lower than those of past cycles. For example, two particularly powerful eruptions happened in late August. Nonetheless, the peak of solar activity is still ahead of us, expected to occur at the end of 2024 or in early 2025.
While most academics believe that solar activity levels have minimal effect on global warming, solar cycles may nevertheless impair communication and navigation systems, as well as cause damage to high-voltage power lines. The study of solar activity is important theoretically as well as practically. Continued study and monitoring of the sun and its magnetic activity will help us better understand the mechanisms that govern the genesis and evolution of the sun’s magnetic field—as well as that of other stars in the cosmos.
Finland:The Finnish economy will enter a recession again in the second half of 2023, according to the national statistics office, as high inflation and rising interest rates hampered investment and economic optimism.
According to official figures, gross domestic product (GDP) fell 0.7% in October-December compared to the preceding quarter, and 1.1% in July-September.
The Finnish economy quickly recovered with 0.4% growth in the second quarter of 2023 after sliding into recession at the end of 2022.The electronics, forestry, and hospitality industries were struck the worst, with banking and insurance being the only area that witnessed considerable increase, according to the statistics office.In December, the Finnish central bank predicted that rising interest rates and prices, weaker investment, and future uncertainty would continue to weigh on the economy this year. It expected recovery to begin by the end of 2024.
According to Statistics Finland, output in the chemical, metal, electrical, and electronics industries decreased in October-December compared to the previous quarter. The forest industry’s output declined dramatically in the second and third quarters, but the trend stopped in the fourth quarter.
Looking ahead to 2023, Statistics Finland could only predict growth in the metals sector, energy, water supply, and waste management.Construction activity has been declining since early last year and will continue to do so until 2023. The fall in home building has been especially sharp, although the trend in civil engineering has been more mixed.
The trade sector dropped sharply from January to March last year, but has subsequently exhibited mixed growth.Hospitality services expanded last year due to a robust first quarter, but the trend has since shifted downward. Among other service activities, information and communication increased steadily last year. The amount of transportation was smaller than the previous year, but it did show growth in the second and third quarters.
Ramaswamy joins Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Sundar Pichai (Google), and others as yet another Indian-born CEO of a multinational corporation.On Thursday, Sridhar Ramaswamy was appointed CEO of Snowflake, a data cloud startup located in the United States, adding to the ever-growing roster of Indian-origin CEOs.
Ramaswamy, whose appointment is effective immediately, follows Frank Slootman, joining an illustrious roster that includes Satya Nadella (Microsoft) and Sundar Pichai (Google).
In a recent study published in the journal Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, researchers summarized existing understanding on the effects of food additives and ultra-processed foods (UPFs) on gut health.
ultra-processed foods to gut health risks.
As ultra-processed foods and food additives become more prevalent in the world’s diets, they have been linked to negative gut outcomes such as changes in microbial communities and intestinal permeability, which can lead to chronic inflammation or diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and colorectal cancer. However, human intervention research on this area is scarce.
Identification of ultra-processed foods
Nutritionists utilize criteria to define foods as UPFs, including how different an item is from the original unprocessed foodstuff, how it is processed, if additives were used, whether it was professionally created rather than handmade, and whether it was used for appearance or convenience.
However, differing classification schemes make comparisons difficult; the most common is used by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and includes powdered and packaged meals, carbonated soft drinks, and sweetened morning cereals as UPFs. However, some items, like as wholemeal bread and plant-based animal substitutes, are frequently regarded as healthful while meeting UPF standards.
UPF consumption and intestinal health.
While UPFs are common, there are significant variances across people and nations. In the United States, UPF consumption contributes for 59.7% and 67% of total energy intake in adults and young individuals.
Individual variables related with higher UPF consumption include female sex, younger age, poorer income, lesser education, living alone, being overweight or obese, reduced physical activity, and mealtime screen use.
People that eat more UPFs had higher levels of free sugars, saturated fats, and calories in their diets, but less dietary fiber, protein, and micronutrients. Vegetarians and vegans are more likely to eat UPFs, whereas individuals on Mediterranean diets ingest less.
Controlling for dietary quality and food intake, evidence of links between UPF consumption and illness exists. However, UPF intake from fruit yogurts, fortified morning cereals, and wholemeal bread is better than UPF consumption from ready meals, burgers, and pastries.
Cohort studies have revealed a link between UPF consumption and increased mortality and morbidity from cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Observational studies reveal associations with depression, metabolic syndrome, overweight, and obesity. These impacts are most likely due to processing, rather than UPFs’ nutritional and energy content.
Effects of Food Additives
Sweeteners, colors, stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickeners, and gelling agents are all examples of food additives. There is a lot of overlap between UPFs and food additives since anything containing a commercial food ingredient is considered a UPF. Mechanistic research on the influence of food additives on the microbiota have included animal and in vitro experiments, with few human population studies.
In vitro studies demonstrate that emulsifiers like polysorbate 80 can induce bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, whilst carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) can transport germs across in vitro epithelial cells. This might result in chronic inflammatory illness, as proven in mouse studies. In mice, consumption of CMC and polysorbate 80 was linked to tumor growth and anxiety-like behaviors.
Artificial sweeteners, which pass through the gastrointestinal tract but are not digested, come into direct touch with the gut flora, but this has not been well investigated in people. However, in vitro and animal studies have shown that sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin can alter the microbiota, affect gut permeability, shorten colonic length, and increase mortality.
However, they were short-term experiments with far larger dosages than those used in humans. An observational research on humans discovered no variations in microbiota intake after four days of sweetener use, but did not account for baseline diet or dose-response associations.
Conclusion
There is significant evidence that UPFs and food additives cause negative health consequences, however methodological discrepancies and deficiencies in human studies must be resolved. The authors emphasize the need of high-quality research for interpreting the effects of dietary treatments. As UPF availability and use grow, public health policy should prioritize ultra-processed foods reformulation and consumer behavior.
Mumbai: Bollywood actor Shreyas Talpade, who just recovered from a heart attack, teased the audience about the upcoming comedy-thriller film Golmaal Part Five, directed by Rohi Shetty. During an interview , Shreyas shared some big developments about his next flick Golmaal 5.
Shreyas Talpade updates on Golmaal 5: ‘I’m Hoping…’
In an interview with the media, Shreyas Talpade said, “Just before the epidemic, Rohit and Ajay bhai had announced that we will shortly begin filming for Golmaal 5. Unfortunately, the epidemic struck, throwing everything into disarray. He recently stated that we will be shooting Golmaal 5. I’m hoping to do it next year, and the next Diwali will be when we get to see Golmaal 5 (sic).
Shreyas Talpade on Working In The Golmaal Franchise.
Shreyas continued, “Golmaal is really near to our hearts. We missed Golmaal, especially after the last one. We couldn’t face each other and say our lines because we were laughing so hard. Golmaal is something extremely unique for all of us, and we are looking forward to it (sic).
Shreyas Talpade Mentions, Film Industry ‘Lacks Comedy and Humour’
While Shreyas continued his conversion with the media firm, he also stated that the film business lacks a sense of humor, citing comic films such as Golmaaal and Housefull. Shreyas said, “There has been a revolution in comedy. We haven’t lately produced something comparable to Golmaal or Housefull. If you notice a lot of memes going popular, they’re from older films, not contemporary ones. It makes you question what’s wrong (sic).
Shreyas Talpade explains why the industry does not produce comedy films.
Continued his chat. Shreyas Talpade describes the period in 2005 when humor and humour films were frequently released. He said, “All of these filmmakers never took anything for granted. They felt obligated to amuse the audience and went to great lengths to ensure that the picture was entertaining. They were producing films, not projects. They wanted to hire the best individuals, not just those who were available. It once contained a soul. Rohit Shetty was a major director in the genre. I miss these comedy. Why don’t we make more Golmaals? But again, the beauty of Golmaal is likely that it arrives after a break when people are looking forward.
Shreyas Talpade’s Work Front
Shreyas’ professional experience includes a Marathi film, Hee Ankohi Gath, and he will also appear in the highly awaited comedy-thriller film Welcome To The Jungle in 2024.
Disney is looking for a new head of its streaming business in EMEA, after the announcement that Luke Bradley-Jones will leave the company this summer.
Luke Bradley-Jones DAVID M. BENETT/DAVE BENETT/GETTY IMAGES
Bradley-Jones, who was most recently SVP and General Manager of Disney+ in EMEA, will leave the company to become president of The Economist, a UK-based journal.
He has been in charge of Disney+’s roll-out and operations in EMEA since January 2020, reporting to Disney’s EMEA president, Jan Koeppen.
Bradley-Jones joined Disney after working at Sky for eight years, when he rose to the position of chief marketing officer. He previously worked at BBC Studios for five years as the managing director of BBC.com and the company’s global iPlayer service.
His departure comes after substantial layoffs at Disney, which has reduced both people and content as it strives to boost profitability from its streaming business.
Earlier this month, Disney+ removed around 120 titles from its service in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, following an initial cull last year that included episodes including The World According To Jeff Goldblum, Dollface, and Willow.
Others, such as Nautilus and The Spiderwick Chronicles, were never released on Disney+ since the streaming service removed them from the lineup in order to save money.
Koeppen stated, “There is a great team in place that will ensure the future success of Disney+, and it is an honor to be on that journey with them.” And, while it’s difficult to lose such a valuable team member, he’ll do an excellent job at The Economist, a firm about which he is really devoted.”
He said: “It’s been a privilege to lead the incredible launch and growth of Disney+ across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and I know the business will continue to flourish under Jan’s stewardship and the brilliant DTC teams across the region.”
The PML-N leader defeated Rana Aftab of the PTI-backed SIC to win the chief ministerial elections for the strategically significant Punjab province, which has 120 million people.
Intro of Maryam Nawaz Sharif
Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, became Pakistan’s Punjab province’s first female chief minister on Monday.Maryam, the 50-year-old senior vice president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, won the chief ministerial elections despite a walkout by parliamentarians from former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party-backed Sunni Ittehad Council.
اسپیکر پنجاب اسمبلی کے انتخاب کے موقع پر نامزد وزیراعلی پنجاب مریم نوازشریف نے اپنا ووٹ کاسٹ کردیا pic.twitter.com/OGLDeluMIg
The PML-N leader defeated Rana Aftab of the PTI-backed SIC to win the chief ministerial elections in Punjab, a politically important province with a population of 120 million.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif made a visit to her mother’s tomb at Jati Umra before proceeding to the Punjab Assembly, where the chief minister election was held.
In a post on X, the PML-N stated that Maryam Nawaz Sharif also visited her paternal grandparents’ graves.
“For the first time in our country’s history, a woman would be elected chief minister of Punjab. Maryam Nawaz Sharif will be the first woman to take the oath as Chief Minister of Punjab,” the PML-N said in a post on X before to the election.
Falco rose to fame after he was spotted on a Fifth Avenue sidewalk the night after he escaped the Central Park Zoo.
‘Flaco’, a Eurasian eagle owl which fled the Central Park Zoo, has died. According to the New York Times, the bird became a local sensation after fleeing the Zoo when someone ripped off his netting. He had made Manhattan his new home.Flaco perished on the night of February 23rd after’striking’ a building on Upper West Side.
The Wildlife Conservation Society issued an official statement stating that Falco was discovered on the ground, after which the building residents contacted the Wild Bird Fund, who confirmed him dead.According to the New York Post, the 4.1-pound celebrity bird experienced “substantial hemorrhage under the sternum and in the back of the body cavity around the liver” according to the necropsy report.
Fans grieve Flaco Owl’s death
Flaco’s admirers quickly flooded social media with tributes and condolences upon his demise. Manhattan Bird Alert shared a stunning video of Falco on X, stating, “Listen to one of Flaco’s hooting sessions in Central Park’s North Woods. We’ve always found his hoots comforting, a means for him to communicate his existence and vitality—and, in recent months, the only way to find him at night. “Hoot on, Flaco!”
Check out the post here
Listen 🔊 to one of Flaco's hooting sessions in Central Park's North Woods. We always found his hoots reassuring, a way for him to make his presence and vitality known—and in recent months the only way to find him at night. Hoot on, Flaco! 🦉 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/UNoY3luXQd
Another admirer posted a sequence of images from Falco’s monument at 104th and East Drive, captioned “02/24/24 Today at Flaco’s Memorial on 104th and East Drive.”
“Before his untimely death, my mom (@doreenkassel) memorialized Flaco on one of her hand-painted ceramic pinch pots,” the third member of the public commented. “At Flaco’s Memorial!” “What a stunning photo of Flaco by JacquiUWS,” said another admirer, lamenting Falco’s passing.Falco got to prominence after he was discovered on a Fifth Avenue sidewalk the night after fleeing the Central Park Zoo.
Sunday, outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, a US Air Force member set himself on fire. He is currently in serious condition. He recorded himself standing before the Israeli embassy’s gates and identifying himself as a member of the US Air Force.
He then live broadcast the self-immolation incident on Twitch.”I refuse to participate in the genocide occurring in Gaza.” The man reportedly said, “I am going to engage in an extreme act of protest,” before lighting himself on fire and yelling, “Free Palestine!” several times.
Although the man’s identity was kept private, the New York Times and the New York Post reported that it matched the LinkedIn profile of a Texas-based active-duty Air Force officer. His identity is still unknown.Three fire extinguishers were used by the neighboring law enforcement officials to put out the flames in response. According to a Task and Purpose report, during the encounter, law officials also pulled a revolver on the man who was on fire.
The man was originally heard pleading for assistance from the authorities, “May I help you, sir?” but as soon as he was enveloped in flames, they began shouting at him to get down on the ground. Before anybody forced them to acquire fire extinguishers to put out the flames, they even pulled their firearms on the man who was on fire.The disturbing video was swiftly pulled by Twitch due to its violation of the broadcasting app’s policies. The man’s reported status as an active duty member could not be confirmed, the Air Force informed US major media agencies.
