1.Ather plugs into Maharashtra to roll out 1 million e2Ws every year

Electric scooter maker Ather Energy, based in Bengaluru, has chosen Aurangabad (formally renamed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar)in Maharashtra for its third plant, which will have the capacity to produce 1 million two-wheelers per annum.

An agreement with the state government is expected to be signed soon, according to sources. A spokesperson for Ather Energy, however, declined to comment on the matter.

The company has firmed up plans to invest Rs 1,000 crore in the plant in phases, which will span 100 acres.

The plant will be located in Aurangabad Industrial City (abbreviated as Auric) in the town of Bidkin, part of the greenfield industrial smart city covering over 10,000 acres and strategically positioned along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor project.

2.The mystery of the absent Indian voter in 2024.

During the recent Lok Sabha election, many voters, especially in urban areas, seemed reluctant to visit the polling booth. The Election Commission highlighted this trend, noting that urban voters were particularly hesitant. Ultimately, only about 65.8% of eligible voters cast their ballot, down from 67.2% in 2019. In some regions like Nagaland and Manipur, the turnout fell significantly, while Jammu & Kashmir saw an increase. Why does this matter? 

Niti Kiran from Mint’s data team explains through charts and maps. Lower turnouts can sometimes indicate voter satisfaction with the current government, which appeared to be the case in this election. The National Democratic Alliance held more seats in areas with lower voter turnout. However, it’s not just about the numbers; it’s about who shows up—or rather, who doesn’t. Metros saw a sharper decline in turnout compared to rural regions.

 Despite all this, the overall gender gap in voting was virtually nonexistent, similar to the last election. Women turned out in higher numbers than men in nearly 20 states. The reasons behind voter participation or apathy can vary widely from state to state, influencing everything from local policy to national politics.

3.Gender Gap index: Indian women earn Rs 40 for every Rs 100 earned by men

India’s ranking in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap index has fallen by two placeS and it now ranks at 129 out of the 146 nations in the list. 

India’s economic parity stands at 39.8% which means that women earn just Rs 39.8 on average for every Rs 100 that men earn in India. 

Although India has made some improvement this year in terms of parity, it needs to improve this by 6.2% to reach the 2012 level of 46%.

4.India to clock highest growth in tech spending in 2024 in APAC

The technology spending in 2025 is likely to surge by 8%, thereby recording the highest in Asia Pacific(APAC) said a report on Wednesday. India’s technology spending will touch around US $54.5 billion (around Rs 4.49 lakh crore), according to Forrester’s ‘Asia Pacific Tech Market Forecast, 2023 to 2027’. Software purchases will contribute significantly as they are expected to grow from 26.4% in 2024 to 30% of total technology spending in 2027, surpassing the other IT categories due to demand generated by artificial intelligence and AI-augmented enterprise software and services.

5.G7 leaders reached a deal over using frozen Russian assets to loan $50 billion to Ukraine. 

Officials must still finalise the details of the agreement, according to Bloomberg and the Associated Press, but Western powers will likely separately lend money to Kyiv to cover its financing needs next year and potentially beyond. The financing mechanism is the latest move aimed at helping Ukraine repel Russia’s invasion: Kyiv is targeting a sale of state-owned companies, the US this year agreed a major aid package, and the European Union is also diverting materiel. The deal marks another success for the summit’s host, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a rare European leader to emerge strengthened from recent bloc-wide elections.

6.Shackleton's Last Ship

The final ship sailed by famed explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton has been discovered, officials announced yesterday, located about a quarter-mile off Canada's eastern coast in the Labrador Sea. Shackleton suffered a fatal heart attack aboard the ship in 1922, with the vessel falling far short of its goal of reaching Antarctica and mapping thousands of miles of unexplored coastline.

One of the most famous explorers of the early 20th century, Shackleton became the first person to reach the magnetic South Pole. Among his adventures, he is best known for leading the “Endurance” expedition, where he carried out a monthslong rescue effort after the ship became stuck in ice and sank. 

The ship itself, named the "Quest," far outlived Shackleton. Following the ill-fated expedition—regarded by historians as the end of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration—the boat served as a seal-hunting vessel, sinking in 1962 after hitting ice.  

7.Take a break

Most of us feel stressed, but inevitably fail to notice it and end up not taking a break. But breaks are essential, writes Angela Haupt in Time magazine. But how do we know it’s time to take a break? 

“If you haven’t taken a break—and need one—you might notice you feel gloomier than usual and are experiencing increased anxiety. “Your mood can absolutely be affected,” says Dr. Gerda Maissel, a physician in New York’s Hudson Valley who works as a patient advocate and helps people navigate the health-care system. Your thoughts might start “circling,” or whirling around on repeat in a loop. And you’ll likely “feel like you can’t remember things, or you can’t find the name for something,” she says.

Meanwhile, stress can deter you from enjoying activities you once relished. Haven’t opened a book you’d been looking forward to? No longer interested in that half-finished knitting project? Consider it a hint that something is off. People who desperately need a break sometimes also lose the ability to engage in basic self-care like exercise and eating well, Maissel says.