New Delhi:

Amid regional tensions and global conflicts in 2024, India navigated the complex diplomatic waters to solidify itself as a global leader which can’t be overlooked. However, its ties with Canada remained complicated– and may continue to do so–for at least another ten months till Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to lead the North American nation.

The India-Canada relations have been on a downward trajectory for several years, but they hit rock bottom in October 2024, with tit-for-tat expulsions of top diplomats following Prime Minister Trudeau’s claim that Canadian police were investigating allegations of Indian agents’ – and the Indian government’s – direct involvement in the June 2023 killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Following this, Indian envoy to Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma – now withdrawn by New Delhi — accused Mr Trudeau of wrecking bilateral ties with India and stressed that Ottawa’s allegations were politically motivated. Ottawa has accused Mr Verma of having links to Nijjar’s murder in June 2023.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV upon his return to New Delhi, he said that it was in fact India which had shared detailed evidence of radical and extremist groups operating on Canadian soil with the Justin Trudeau government, but “no action was taken on it” by either the government or the authorities.

India has consistently rejected any link to the killing of Nijjar, a designated terrorist by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and accused Trudeau’s administration of pandering to Khalistani sympathisers for political gain.

In May, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that by allowing political space to Khalistani separatist elements, the Canadian government is sending a message that its vote bank is “more powerful” than its rule of law. He stressed India respects and practices freedom of speech, but that does not equate with the freedom to threaten foreign diplomats, extend support to separatism or allow political space to elements advocating violence.

“If you have people whose presence there is itself on very dubious documents, what does it say about you? It actually says that your vote bank is more powerful than your rule of law,” the minister said.

ALSO READ: Canada Showing Its Vote Bank Is More Powerful Than Its Rule Of Law: S Jaishankar

India-Canada Relations Collapse: A Timeline

In June 2023, Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead by two masked assailants as he left a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia. Canadian authorities, including Prime Minister Trudeau, accused agents linked to the Indian government of carrying out the assassination.

New Delhi called the allegations “absurd” and “preposterous.” India said Ottawa “has not shared a shred of evidence” with the government “despite many requests” from New Delhi.

But the unusual manner in which Canada made public its understanding that Indian officials were somehow involved in his murder derailed bilateral relations and set off a diplomatic firestorm that continues to rage.

ALSO READ: How Far Can Justin Trudeau Go As Personal Electoral Gain Trumps Diplomatic Ties

Canada first expelled an Indian diplomat in 2023. In response, India also sent back a Canadian diplomat and halted consular services for Canadians for nearly two months. The row escalated in May after Canadian police said they had arrested three Indian citizens in connection with Nijjar’s killing and were “investigating if there are any ties to the government of India.”

In October, Ottawa said India’s top diplomat in the country Sanjay Kumar Verma was a “person of interest” in the case. The Trudeau government tied five other expelled Indian officials to Nijjar’s murder and claimed Ottawa has “ample, clear and concrete evidence which identified six individuals as persons of interest in the Nijjar case.”

In response, India slammed Canada’s accusations, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs calling the accusations part of “a deliberate strategy of smearing India for political gains.” India also expelled Canada’s acting high commissioner and five other diplomats.

ALSO READ: Amid India-Canada Diplomatic Rift, Justin Trudeau’s “Khalistani” Backpedal

The rift between the two countries intensified in November after attendees of an Indian consular event at a Hindu temple in Toronto were attacked by pro-Khalistani supporters. New Delhi called out Ottawa for failing to protect Indian citizens and institutions.

Amid the standoff, Mr Trudeau, for the first time, admitted to the presence of Khalistanis in his country. In an unexpected statement during a Diwali celebrations event at Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, he acknowledged the presence of a Khalistan support base within Canada but quickly added that they do not represent the Sikh community as a whole.

“There are many supporters of ‘Khalistan’ in Canada, but they do not represent the Sikh Community as a whole. There are supporters of the Modi government in Canada, but they do not represent all Hindu Canadians as a whole,” he said.

ALSO READ: Trudeau Calls His Officials “Criminals”, Media “Wrong” Over Leaks, Fake Report On Indian Leadership

Later in November, he also called his intelligence officials “criminals” for linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to violence on Canadian soil. His statement came after Globe and Mail newspaper published a report, alleging that Canadian security agencies believed PM Modi knew about the violent plots and said Mr Jaishankar and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval were also in the loop.

In a major medical advancement, the injectable HIV treatment lenacapavir has been hailed as the 2024 Breakthrough of the Year by Science magazine. This innovative therapy has shown extraordinary promise in preventing new HIV infections, as evidenced by two large-scale clinical trials.

Despite the ongoing challenge of HIV, which affects over a million people globally each year, lenacapavir offers a beacon of hope. With a vaccine still elusive, this groundbreaking treatment provides a crucial alternative. As Science magazine observed, “But this year the world got a glimpse of what might be the next best thing: an injectable drug that protects people for 6 months with each shot.”

Super-Earth discovered in habitable zone

A team of astronomers has made a thrilling discovery, uncovering a planet orbiting a star located approximately 137 light-years from Earth. The planet designated as TOI-715 b, is a “super-Earth” with a diameter roughly 1.5 times that of Earth.

What’s particularly exciting about TOI-715 b is its orbital position within the star’s habitable zone, where temperatures are potentially suitable for liquid water to exist on its surface. This raises intriguing possibilities about the planet’s potential for supporting life.

Stem cells can save Giant Pandas from extinction

In a significant leap forward for conservation efforts, a team of scientists led by Jing Liu, a renowned stem cell biologist, has made a groundbreaking discovery that could potentially save the giant panda from extinction.

Liu’s team has successfully generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from the skin cells of giant pandas, paving the way for a revolutionary new approach to conservation. This cutting-edge technology has already shown promise in preserving other endangered species, including the Sumatran rhinoceros, Grevy’s zebra, and Tasmanian devil.

Marmosets monkeys use ‘names’ for one another

In a fascinating discovery, scientists have found that tiny marmoset monkeys possess a unique form of communication, where they use personalised vocalisations to “name” and address specific individuals within their social group.

By analysing the high-pitched conversations between pairs of marmosets in a controlled environment, researchers identified distinct vocal patterns, known as “phee-calls,” which serve as a form of identification and greeting.

World’s first rhino IVF could save species

Scientists in Berlin announced the first successful embryo transfer in a white rhinoceros using a method that offers hope for saving the critically endangered northern white rhino subspecies from extinction.

A new medical breakthrough with embryo transfer offers hope for Africa’s northern white rhinos-there are only two left.

Northern white rhinos were once found across central Africa, but illegal poaching, fuelled by the demand for rhino horn, wiped out the wild population.

The diagnostic power of menstrual blood

A long-overlooked bodily fluid is emerging as a treasure trove of health data: menstrual blood. Rather than being discarded as waste, researchers are now harnessing the unique composition of menstrual blood to gain valuable insights into human health.

The complex mixture of cells, proteins, and microorganisms present in menstrual blood has been shown to hold diagnostic potential for a range of conditions, from hormonal imbalances and cervical cancer to endometriosis, chlamydia, and diabetes. This innovative approach to health monitoring has already garnered significant attention, with the US FDA recently approving its first-ever health test utilising menstrual blood.

Complete map of a fruit fly brain

In a trailblazing achievement, a research team backed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has created the first comprehensive atlas of the neural connections in the brain of the humble fruit fly. This intricate map reveals the complex wiring of the brain and sheds light on the underlying signals that govern healthy brain function.

The significance of this breakthrough extends far beyond the fruit fly itself. As a widely used model organism in scientific research, the fruit fly’s brain map serves as a vital template for understanding the neural circuits that govern behavior and function in more complex brains, including our own.

Simple Alzheimer’s blood test proves 90% accurate

A revolutionary study has yielded remarkable results, confirming the exceptional accuracy of a novel blood test for detecting Alzheimer’s disease in a real-world healthcare setting. This breakthrough may signal the culmination of a long-standing quest for a straightforward, reliable diagnostic tool.

Traditionally, diagnosing Alzheimer’s has required costly and invasive procedures, such as PET scans and cerebrospinal fluid tests. In contrast, this innovative blood test measures Plasma Phospho-Tau217 levels, offering a faster, more accessible, and minimally invasive alternative. The test’s impressive performance in a routine healthcare trial heralds a new era in Alzheimer’s diagnosis, potentially transforming the lives of millions worldwide.

Brain cells restoration

In a major breakthrough, researchers have discovered a potential treatment for Timothy syndrome, a rare and debilitating genetic disorder that affects brain development. By using a novel type of medication called an antisense oligonucleotide, scientists were able to reverse the damaging effects of the mutation, allowing human brain cells to grow and function normally.

This innovative approach not only offers hope for individuals affected by Timothy syndrome but also has far-reaching implications for the treatment of other genetic disorders. The same therapeutic strategy could potentially be applied to conditions such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder, paving the way for new and effective treatments for these complex and often devastating conditions.
 

New Year is always such a overwhelming time, full of anxieties regarding what’s about to come, what’s about to change, what’s the next thing to happen, however, it is important to hold a neutral position about what’s to come, and it would be even better if one finds things to look forward to. Here are the top 10 things you can await with pleasure over the next year.

Future of TikTok?

Congress has overwhelmingly passed legislation for TikTok to be banned from US app stores by January 19 unless Beijing-based ByteDance sells its stake. However, after they appealed to the Supreme Court on grounds that the ban violates First Amendment rights to free speech, the court will hear the case on January 10th.

Yet, with Trump’s aligned conservatives in the court and Trump himself batting for the app saying, “We got to keep this sucker around for a little while”, it will be interesting to see if both US and ByteDance’s concerns could be satisfied.

Photo Credit: Reuters

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returning back

NASA announced that the stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will be coming back to Earth by March 2025, after yet another delay.

The astronauts had left for the ISS on June 5th 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft as a part of a test flight, with plans to return back to Earth a week later, but technical issues in the spacecraft delayed their return.

Photo Credit: Reuters

Oasis reunion

Brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher are reuniting for an Oasis Live 2025 tour after a 15-year-long feud between them. The tour will begin on July 4th, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales, although the band has promised more dates outside the UK later in the year.

This finally answers one of rock’s biggest will-they-won’t-they questions.

In a release, they stated, “There has been no great revelatory moment that has ignited the reunion – just the gradual realisation that the time is right.”

Photo Credit: @Oasis on Instagram

Grand Theft Auto VI release

Although the release date of Grand Theft Auto VI has not been disclosed, it is expected to fall sometime in fall 2025. The game has already broken a Guinness World Record for most-viewed video game reveal with its trailer with more than 168 million views.

Grand Theft Auto V, has sold over 190 million units.

Photo Credit: @gta6ixofficial on Instagram

COP 30 in Brazil

The 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 30) will convene in November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, and will include the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 30). but ironically, the meeting might harm the environment.

A new highway, Avenida Liberdade, has been approved for the facilitation of traffic into and out of Belém, that will cut through its protected area, and disturb wildlife movement.

Session of COP 28 in Dubai, where COP 30 was formalized in Brazil, in Belém

Jubilee of 2025

Italy’s capital is gearing up for a spectacular celebration as the Catholic Church’s Jubilee returns in 2025. This momentous event, which occurs every 25 years, is expected to draw millions of devout pilgrims to the city.

The festivities will commence on December 24, 2024, with a symbolic ceremony: the Opening of the Holy Door.

One of the highlights of the Jubilee is the historic Seven Churches Pilgrimage. This revered tradition, which dates back to the 16th century, involves a 25km journey on foot through the city and surrounding countryside, visiting seven major basilicas along the way.

Photo Credit: Reuters

World Expo 2025

Osaka is preparing to host the World Expo in 2025, 55 years after setting a record for the best-attended Expo of the 20th century in 1970. The city is determined to surpass its previous success, and its plans are nothing short of impressive.

Renowned Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto has designed a breathtaking centerpiece for the Expo: a 20-meter-high, 2-kilometer-long Grand Ring that will encircle the entire site. Visitors will be able to walk along the ring, taking in stunning views of the Expo and Osaka Bay.

With its unique blend of architecture, technology, and international collaboration, Expo 2025 is shaping up to be an unforgettable experience.

Photo Credit: @expo2025japan on Instagram

TV Shows

2025 will be an exciting year for television shows as the most anticipated shows are returning after quite some gap. Be it comedies, mysteries or dramas, the year will be a jam-packed one.

• Yellowjackets (survival thriller and drama) will be returning with a Season 3 of the show. The show will premiere on February 16th, 2025.
• The White Lotus (dark comedy, social satire) will be returning in February 2025, and will be set in Thailand.
• The Handmaid’s Tale (dystopian fiction), based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, will also be released in 2025 with Season 6 of the show. This will be the final season for the show.
• The Last Of Us (post-apocalyptic drama) is a zombie drama series based on a video game of the same name, which became HBO’s most watched debut season.
• Stranger Things (supernatural action-drama) will wrap up its final season on Netflix. The series pays homage to Stephen King and Steven Spielberg. The fourth season was the second-most-streamed Netflix show of all time.

Photo Credit: @strangerthingstv on Instagram

Movies

• Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eight movie of the franchise sees the 62 year old Tom Cruise reprise his role as Ethan Hunt. It will pick up from where 2022’s Dead Reckoning Part One left off.
• Superman, which sees David Corenswet play the 25-year-old version of DC character, is given the title “Chapter One: Gods and Monsters”. Rachel Brosnahan stars as Lois Lane in the movie.
• 28 Years Later, starring Cillian Murphy, is a zombie apocalypse movie bringing the undead to run. This is the first in a planned trilogy.
• Snow White, co-written by Greta Gerwig stars Rachel Zegler in the titular role with Gal Gadot playing the Evil Queen.
• Michael, Lionsgate’s most anticipated movie of the year, is a biographical film chronicling the life of Michael Jackson. The movie stars the pop icon’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson.

Photo Credit: @28yearslatermovie on Instagram

Books

• How to Sleep at Night by Elizabeth Harris; the book follows a couple who have grown apart because of their political differences. The book is about romantic and sibling love, how identities evolve over time, ambition and monogamy.
• Three Days in June by Anne Tyler; this is the Pulitzer prize winning author’s 25th novel, which revolves around a marriage story, not something one would quite expect.
• Tilt by Emma Pattee, is a natural disaster adventure novel that anxieties surrounding motherhood, marriage and career.
• The Next Day by Melinda French Gates; a memoir in which she explores themes of life’s changes, becoming a parent and recent departure from a foundation she started with her ex-husband Bill Gates.
• Matriarch: A Memoir by Tina Knowles; Beyonce and Solange’s mother tells her story through this book, about how she raises superstar daughters and the challenges that come along the way, basically how she came to be one of the most famous moms in the world.

Photo Credit: @melindafrenchgates on Instagram

Tallest Dog (Male)

Kevin, a gentle three-year-old Great Dane from Iowa, USA, was recognised as the world’s tallest male dog, standing at an impressive 0.97 m (3 ft 2 in) tall in June 2024.

Sadly, Kevin’s life was cut short just days after receiving this accolade. He passed away during surgery after falling ill. He had taken the record over from the Great Dane Zeus. He was 3 ft 5.18 in (1.046 m) tall.

Photo Credit: Guinness World Records

Longest Plank (Female)

DonnaJean Wilde, a 58-year-old retired high school vice principal from Canada, achieved an incredible feat by holding an abdominal plank position for 4 hours and 30 minutes in March 2024.

This remarkable record breaks the previous one by over 10 minutes which was set by fellow Canadian Dana Glowacka in 2019.

Photo Credit: Guinness World Records

Longest Hair On Teenage Boy

Reuben Looks Twice Jr., a 16-year-old Native American from Rapid City, South Dakota, had been officially recognised as having the longest hair on a male teenager in June 2024, measuring an astonishing 161 cm (5 ft 3.3 in).

His untrimmed locks surpassed the previous record holder, Sidakdeep Singh Chahal from India, whose hair measured 146 cm (4 ft 9.5 in) last year.

Photo Credit: Guinness World Records

Fastest Journey From Cape Town To Cairo On Foot (male)

In an incredible feat of endurance, 57-year-old Keith Boyd has become the fastest person to run the length of Africa, covering the 8,000-mile journey from Cape Town to Cairo in a record-breaking 301 days.

Boyd’s remarkable achievement shatters the previous 25-year-old record by an impressive 17 days.

Photo Credit: Guinness World Records

Most European Men’s Football Titles

The European championships in Germany witnessed a plethora of record-breaking moments, redefining the benchmarks in men’s football.

Spain emerged as the most successful team in the men’s Euro tournament, clinching their fourth title. Meanwhile, 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal made history by becoming the youngest player and goal scorer in the tournament.

At the opposite end of the age spectrum, several veterans etched their names into the record books. Portugal’s Pepe became the oldest player in tournament history at 41 years and 130 days, while Croatia’s Luka Modric registered as the oldest goal scorer at 38 years and 289 days. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal participated in his sixth Euros, setting a new record for the most appearances in the tournament.

Additionally, Albania’s Nedim Bajrami achieved the fastest goal in the tournament, scoring a mere 23 seconds into his team’s match against Italy.

Photo Credit: Guinness World Records

Most Tour De France Stage Wins

British cycling sensation Mark Cavendish has shattered a 47-year-old record at the Tour de France, securing his 35th career stage win in July 2024. This impressive achievement surpasses the previous record of 34 stage wins, held by Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx since 1975.

Photo Credit: Mark Cavendish Instagram handle (markcavendish)

Largest Genome

The title of the largest known genome belongs to the Tmesipteris oblanceolata fork fern, boasting an astonishing 160.45 billion base pairs of DNA. This surpasses the previous record holder, Paris japonica, a Japanese woodland plant with a genome of approximately 149 billion base pairs.

Photo Credit: Yale.edu

Fastest Marathon (Female)

Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya shattered the women’s marathon world record with a blistering time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, and 56 seconds at the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 13, 2024. Chepngetich made history as the first female athlete to complete the 26.2-mile distance in under 2 hours and 10 minutes. Her remarkable performance sliced nearly two minutes off the previous world record, smashing the previous record of 2:11:53 held by Ethiopian Tigst Assefa.

Photo Credit: Ruth Chepngetich’s Instagram handle (ruthchepngetich94)

Tallest Matchstick Sculpture

French artist Richard Plaud has set a new record for the tallest matchstick sculpture, standing at 7.18 meters (23 ft 6 in) in Saujon, Charente-Maritime, France on 7th January 2024. Created over several years, this intricate masterpiece showcases the Eiffel Tower using over 700,000 matchsticks.

Photo Credit: Guinness World Records

World’s Longest Baguette

The Municipality of Suresnes, in collaboration with Confédération National de la Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Française and Nutella, set a new world record for the longest baguette at 140.53 meters on May 5, 2024. A team of 12 French bakers from Suresnes successfully baked a record-breaking 140.53-meter baguette, reclaiming the title for France after an Italian team’s achievement in 2019.

Photo Credit: Guinness World Records