Former Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Taranjit Singh Sandhu has joined India’s ruling BJP and is contesting the elections. After Sri Lanka, he also served in the United States.

He is a BJP candidate from the Amritsar seat and on Friday he declared his total assets worth Rs 39.92 crore, according to his poll affidavit, the NDTV reported.

Sandhu, 61, on Friday filed his nomination papers in Amritsar for the June 1 Lok Sabha polls.

According to his affidavit, Sandhu declared moveable and immovable assets owned by him and his wife to be Rs 10.88 crore and 29.04 crore, respectively.

A thick atmosphere has been detected around a planet that’s twice as big as Earth in a nearby solar system, researchers reported Wednesday.
The so-called super Earth — known as 55 Cancri e — is among the few rocky planets outside our solar system with a significant atmosphere, wrapped a blanket of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. The exact amounts are unclear. Earth’s atmosphere is a blend of nitrogen, oxygen, argon and other gases.

“It’s probably the firmest evidence yet that this planet has an atmosphere,” said Ian Crossfield, an astronomer at the University of Kansas who studies exoplanets and was not involved with the research.

The research was published in the journal Nature.

Super Earth refers to a planet’s size — bigger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. The boiling temperatures on this planet — which can reach as hot as 4,200 degrees Fahrenheit (2,300 degrees Celsius) – mean that it is unlikely to host life.

Instead, scientists say the discovery is a promising sign that other such rocky planets with thick atmospheres could exist that may be more hospitable.

The exoplanet 41 light years away is eight times heavier than Earth and circles its star Copernicus so closely that it has permanent day and night sides. A light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles (9.7 trillion kilometers). Its surface is encrusted with magma oceans.

To identify the makeup of its atmosphere, researchers studied Webb Space Telescope observations before and after the planet passed behind its star.

They separated the light emitted from the planet versus its star and used the data to calculate the planet’s temperature. There’s evidence the planet’s heat was being distributed more evenly across its surface – a party trick atmospheres are known for.

Gases from its magma oceans may play a key role in holding its atmosphere steady. Exploring this super Earth may also yield clues to how Earth and Mars might have evolved first with magma oceans that have since cooled, scientists say.

“It’s a rare window,” said Renyu Hu, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who was part of the research. “We can look into this early phase of planet evolution.”

(The Washington Post)

Australia has announced a significant increase in the financial requirement for international student visas, aiming to control record migration and address concerns over student exploitation.

The new rule, effective from Friday, mandates international students to demonstrate savings of at least A$29,710 ($19,576) to qualify for a visa. This is the second increase in about seven months, following a previous hike to A$24,505 from A$21,041 in October.

These changes come amid broader efforts to tighten student visa rules, as the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022 triggered a surge in migration, contributing to the strain on Australia’s rental market. In March, the government also increased English language requirements for student visas, and has been implementing policies to prevent students from prolonging their stay through various loopholes.

In addition, the government has sent warning letters to 34 education providers regarding “non-genuine or exploitative recruitment practices.” Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil indicated that these institutions could face significant penalties if found guilty of misconduct. “Dodgy providers have no place in our international education sector. These actions will help weed out the bottom feeders in the sector that seek to exploit people and trash the reputation of the sector,” she said.

International education is a major contributor to Australia’s economy, valued at A$36.4 billion ($24 billion) in 2022/23. However, the rapid rise in migration, primarily driven by international students, has led to increased rental costs across the country. According to government data, net immigration rose by 60% to a record 548,800 in the year ending September 30, 2023.

The government is now seeking to reduce migration rates significantly, aiming to cut the current intake by half over the next two years. “We are significantly reducing migration levels – we are in the middle of the biggest drop in migration numbers in Australia’s history, outside of war or pandemic,” O’Neil stated.

These changes reflect the government’s broader strategy to manage migration, maintain a sustainable rental market, and ensure that the international education sector operates with integrity.

(economictimes.indiatimes.com)