If you are suffering from chronic back pain, a walk in the woods can help you better manage the condition, according to a study on Tuesday.

According to a study that was published in The Journal of Pain, spending time in or around nature can assist persons with persistent lower back pain manage their physical agony by allowing them to escape.

Ten individuals with chronic lower back pain—some for nearly 40 years—were asked in a first-of-its-kind experiment by researchers from the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom about the part nature plays in any coping mechanisms they use to manage their disease.

In contrast to those who might otherwise spend much of their time indoors and alone, they discovered that those who were able to spend time outdoors reported that it allowed them to socialize with others.

They also preferred it to gyms or similar settings because it gave them a sense of escape from their everyday lives and a degree of distraction from their discomfort. They also relished the chance to work out in a pleasant environment.

Also Read: Maintaining Good Health this Monsoon: Look out for these 5 Common Conditions

According to the respondents, natural elements like fresh air and the sound and sight of water also contributed to their sense of calm, which helped them cope with the tensions and worries brought on by their pain levels.

Like many other physical discomforts, lower back pain can be taxing, unpleasant, and isolating. However, nature has been proposed as a viable alternative in the context of a drive for innovative and more comprehensive treatments for chronic pain, according to main author Alexander Smith, a researcher in the University’s School of Psychology.

Smith continued, “Our research demonstrated that individuals who were able to spend time in nature recognized the advantages of doing so, both mentally and physically.”

In light of their findings, the researchers advised those who suffer from persistent lower back pain—as well as the medical professionals who treat them—to think more deeply about the benefits of nature for their health and well-being.

“Technological advancements like virtual reality and small adjustments like improved pathways and seating could help ensure that everyone can enjoy those advantages. However, we believe that our results pave the way for more research into how that could be accomplished,” Smith stated.

Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are small to medium in size. They are special because they can fly at a controlled, sustained altitude and operate remotely and independently. Aeronautics and robotics are combined in the drone system. An electric, jet, or combustion motor can power them. They also have very sophisticated equipment, such as high-resolution cameras, GPS, radar control, and infrared.

Similar to airplanes and helicopters, drones operate by turning on their engines, starting them up, and rotating their propellers to allow for flight. The pilot then controls its flight from the ground using the remote control. The ability to autonomously set a course is available on several drones.

This is made feasible by the use of GPS, which is calibrated to arrive at the specified location. The pilot can view the image from their command location once a camera records the route.

While some drone models have three, six, or even eight propellers, the majority have four. Usually double-bladed, the propellers rotate in one direction while the others rotate in the opposite way to keep the vehicle steady in the air.

The “central flight controller” in each drone helps to keep it stable. This device functions similarly to a compass and measures the magnetic field’s strength and direction. Through GPS, the controller learns the drone’s location and relays that information to the Electronic Speed Control, which allows the motor to use the revolutions required to ensure the most stable and safe flying.

Unmanned aerial vehicles can be used for a variety of tasks, including commercial operations, infrastructure and civil works inspections, and leisure activities. Some possible uses of drones include:

• Rescue and search.
• keeping an eye on traffic.
• Weather observations and measurements for battling fires.
• monitoring the harvest, installing irrigation systems, and applying pesticides.
• Airspace defense by the military to separate people from objects and to look for weapons or bombs.
• monitoring of the border.
• archaeological examination.
• tracking animals for scientific studies.
• recording sequences for audiovisual productions that were previously impractical or prohibitively costly to capture.

Here, we’re talking about India’s Top 10 Drone Companies.

1. Bharat Electronics Limited
2. BonV Aero
3. Garuda Aerospace
4. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
5. IdeaForge
6. Larsen & Toubro
7. Paras Aerospace
8. Skydio
9. Throttle Aerospace
10. TechEagle

1.Bharat Electronics Limited

The state-owned business Bharat Electronics Limited develops cutting-edge electronic systems for India’s military. Its drone lineup includes tethered drones for ongoing monitoring, combat drones for tactical defense, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for observation and reconnaissance. Additionally, it provides military-grade drone-based services for defense, logistics, and intelligence collection. Since its founding in 1954, the company has grown into new industries such as space electronics, smart cities, and homeland security. It currently has nine factories and regional support offices throughout the nation.

A Navratna PSU, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is a part of the Indian government’s Ministry of Defence. It produces cutting-edge electronic equipment and products for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Additionally, BEL has expanded into a number of different areas, including telecom products, passive night vision devices, medical electronics, composites, software solutions, home security solutions, smart cities, e-governance solutions, space electronics, including satellite integration, energy storage products, including e-vehicle charging stations, solar, network & cyber security, railways & metro solutions, airport solutions, and electronic voting machines.

2. BonV Aero

Co-Founder and Co-CEO: Gaurav Achha, Abinash Sahoo, Satyabrata Satapathy, Sultan Alam Khan, Rahul Kumar, Umang Kumar Rathi

With a focus on state-of-the-art vertical take-off and landing platforms, BonV Aero was founded in March 2021 and is at the forefront of innovation in aerial mobility. Our company, which is based in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, has revolutionized logistics and transportation by developing intelligent solutions for difficult terrain, urban settings, and disaster response situations. With a team of more than 40 highly skilled professionals and a state-of-the-art 32000 square foot facility, BonV Aero is dedicated to revolutionizing aerial mobility by developing drones that can operate in the most demanding environments, ranging from disaster management to high-altitude defense operations.

An innovative logistics drone manufacturer with a focus on heavy-payload unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed for difficult terrain and high altitudes. With a payload capacity of up to 20 kg, our heavy lift drones are currently operationally deployed between 14,000 and 17,000 feet above sea level.Additionally, at 6,500 feet above sea level, we successfully demonstrated our 50 kg payload drone to the Indian Army.

Our team comprises more than 60 engineers and experts with over ten years of experience in autonomous drone technologies, aerial mobility, and other advanced technology industries. We are a deep-tech company that places a strong emphasis on research and development. Our products are also used in military drone applications, guaranteeing endurance, accuracy, and security in crucial deployments. We are dedicated to creating high-performance, next-generation unmanned aerial vehicles while advancing a tradition of creativity, accuracy, and excellence.

The propulsion system is adjusted to deliver the required torque and RPM with the least amount of energy consumption, making it ideal for high-altitude operations. This leads to increased operational efficiency, especially in low-density, high-altitude air situations where conventional systems would not function well. Longer flight durations and environmentally friendly operations depend on the system’s ability to operate at peak efficiency while using less energy.

In order to anticipate such problems before they materialize, advanced AI continuously checks the health of the vehicle, subsidiary sensors, flying cycles, maintenance plans, airframe state, and battery performance. This system offers a thorough approach to preventative maintenance by preserving the vehicle’s integrity, cutting downtime, and guaranteeing operational dependability.

3. Garuda Aerospace

Founder and CEO: Agnishwar Jayaprakash

Garuda Aerospace is a drone startup based in Chennai that creates reasonably priced drone solutions. It provides over 30 drone types and more than 50 drone-enabled services that span load-carrying delivery, agricultural, disaster, and warehouse management, as well as use cases for mapping, monitoring, and inspection. Established in 2015, Garuda Aerospace is a manufacturer certified by the DGCA with over a million flights done to date.

Training the best drone pilots in the world is the mission of this DGCA-approved remote pilot training organization. a plug-and-play model that would let them launch their new business and provide them the opportunity to create their own company.

4. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is a defense and aerospace business that produces helicopters, airplanes, and other associated systems for the Indian government. The corporation was established in 1940 and manufactures cutting-edge military aircraft to bolster the country’s aerospace capabilities. The combat training team, which consists of a single manned aircraft serving as a “mothership” and commanding a swarm of unmanned aerial vehicles in its wake, is one of the company’s initiatives. Additionally, the business is developing a multimodal drone driven by AI for strategic missions over great distances and at high altitudes.

Originally known as Hindustan airplanes Limited, the company was established on December 23, 1940, in Bangalore by visionary Shri Walchand Hirachand in collaboration with the Mysore government. The company’s goal was to manufacture airplanes in India. The Government of India took over the company’s management in 1942 after becoming a stakeholder in March 1941. The company started producing Harlow Trainer, Curtiss Hawk Fighter, and Vultee Bomber aircraft in partnership with the Inter Continental Aircraft Company of the USA.
Hindustan Aircraft Limited came under the administrative jurisdiction of the Indian government’s Ministry of Defence in January 1951.

5. IdeaForge

IdeaForge, one of the leading drone manufacturers in the world, is renowned for having the most drones that are locally designed, constructed, and developed in India. The Mumbai-based startup creates drones for security, surveillance, mapping, and surveying uses. According to the corporation, its fleet has flown more than 500,000 times so far, with an IdeaForge UAV taking off every five minutes.

The “mission first” approach is used in the architecture of its UAV platforms, which are designed to deliver UAVs that fulfill the criteria, can sustain a high number of flights, and can be operated autonomously without the need for specialized knowledge or training.

Also Read: 5 AI Tools You’ll Regret Ignoring in 2025

6. Larsen & Toubro

A international business with headquarters in Mumbai, Larsen & Toubro is well-known for its high-tech products and services, as well as its engineering, procurement, and construction projects. In order to assist the Indian military with logistics and surveillance, the business has also worked on other drone-related projects. Its high-altitude rotary-wing VTOL UAV is built with a 100-kilometer range and a top speed of 120 kilometers per hour, and its solar-connected drone can carry a base station with 10 terabytes per second while flying continuously for more than a year.

For more than 80 years, Larsen & Toubro has led the charge to create a powerful and independent India. Using its precision and systems engineering skills, L&T entered a number of vital industries, including aerospace, defense, and power, far before the private sector was allowed to enter these fields, starting with defense in 2001 and moving on to space in 2020.

L&T PES offers customized concept-to-design-to-delivery solutions across selected strategic segments with an emphasis on indigenous design and the creation of Indian Intellectual Property (IP), having developed a portfolio of products, systems, platforms, and solutions, and a basket of technologies in line with it.
#AtmanirbharBharat

7. Paras Aerospace

Paras Aerospace is a drone company that specializes in UAV-based services, complete UAV integration, and aerial mapping and surveying specifically for the agricultural industry. Its flagship product, the Agricopter V2.1, has a 30-minute flight time and a 10-liter tank, making it ideal for precision spraying and crop monitoring. The company has three service facilities in Gandhinagar, Satara, and Jhalawar in addition to its headquarters in Mumbai.

With a focus on advanced Agridrone technology, Paras Aerospace is a trailblazing force in drone production in India. In a fast changing technology environment, we work to redefine standards rather than merely establish new ones. By creating optimized solutions that are suited to the particular requirements of our country’s agricultural sector, we at Paras Aerospace hope to transform agricultural practices in India.

With this goal in mind, it presents the Type-Certified Paras Agricopter V2.1, which demonstrates the quality and innovation. As specialists in the field, it committed to utilizing cutting-edge drone technology to empower the agricultural sector and assist in addressing the increasing needs and difficulties of the contemporary agricultural environment.

8. Skydio

In 2024, the largest drone manufacturer in America, Skydio, teamed up with Indian drone maker Aeroarc to jointly construct military defense fleets after establishing a research and development center in Bangalore. The company is well-known for its AI-powered drones with computer vision and top-notch optics. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) gather data, examine, and survey on their own to improve situational awareness during tactical operations or to provide first responders with information from an aerial perspective.

Drones can be launched from cars or rooftop docks and travel up to 45 mph to any area with a DFR(Drone as First Responder) software, giving the frontlines a clear view of the situation on the ground.
Drones serve as first responders’ eyes and ears by arriving at the scene before them, providing them with real-time situational knowledge to help them make better tactical decisions. Those on the scene can concentrate on what’s happening in front of them by using DFR Command to remotely operate drones.

All set to take off, day or night. rain or shine. Additionally, the X10 will be able to fly on its own and see in low light conditions when outfitted with Skydio’s NightSense technology. Thus, Skydio DFR can assist in combating crime and saving lives around-the-clock.

9.Throttle Aerospace

As the first drone manufacturer in India to receive DGCA approval for civil drones and a license from the MoD to produce military drones, Throttle Aerospace Systems (TAS) is a trailblazer in the drone business. TAS is motivated by a desire to develop cutting-edge goods and services that have the potential to revolutionize mobility across a range of industries.

For a variety of uses, including land mapping, surveillance, cargo, inspection, agricultural, disaster relief, and more, TAS offers a large selection of drones. DOPO, TACT, Nimble, L-Series, Defender, and other products are some of its flagships. Additionally, TAS was the first business in India to finish BVLOS testing and provide the DGCA with recommendations. TAS qualifies for the PLI program offered by the Indian government.

Drone manufacturer Throttle Aerospace creates unmanned aerial vehicles for use in agricultural, disaster relief, transport, surveillance, land mapping, and inspection. The company’s five-model fleet, which has its headquarters in Bangalore, comprises the military-grade TALV-TACT, which can fly for up to 55 minutes, and the delivery drone L-15, which can carry a 40-kilogram load. NeoSky, its parent firm, operates a remote pilot training school that has earned DGCA certification.

One of the biggest industrial areas in Karnataka State, Kolar District, is close to Narsapura, and is home to TAS’s cutting-edge manufacturing facility. TAS also maintains R&D facilities in its offices in Bangalore and Delhi.

10. TechEagle

TechEagle is a firm that enables last-mile logistics through on-demand drone delivery. The Gurugram-based business was first established in 2015 as a means of providing rural populations with healthcare supplies and products. The Vertiplane X3, its flagship drone, is a hybrid eVTOL with a top speed of 120 km/h. Up to three kilograms of temperature-controlled goods, such as medications and vaccinations, can be carried by the Indian-made UAV, which can travel 100 kilometers on a single battery.

In order to address the issue of healthcare and logistics accessibility in both rural and urban locations, the world’s first tea delivery via drone was launched in 2015 in the IIT Kanpur hostel garage.
In 2018, a local food delivery firm in Lucknow partnered with us to offer hot tea by drone. In 2019, thousands of testing flights were completed in collaboration with Zomato to enable food delivery via drone in a hyperlocal setting.

Using a drone, the Telangana government delivered Asia’s first cold chain vaccination in 2021. Also, used drones to deliver medications and vaccinations in the State of Telangana in a cold chain-enabled setting. The HMCA Jyotiraditya Scindia ji initiated the project.

The longest drone delivery trip in India took place in 2022 when India Post delivered the country’s first package in Gujarat’s Kutch region. It was also the longest flight in the country’s most severe winds, reaching 31 kmph.

In 2023, TB medicine was delivered in Uttarakhand in collaboration with AIIMS Rishikesh, enabling the Prime Minister’s vision of a TB-free India by 2025. The drone brought back TB test samples from the patient’s relatives.

Many people want to age well and they did lot of things to make it done. Research from around the world suggests that eating more black tea, berries, citrus fruits, and apples may be beneficial.

Researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (US), Queen’s University Belfast (UK), and Edith Cowan University (Australia) discovered that foods high in flavonoids may help reduce the risk of frailty, diminished physical function, and poor mental health—all of which are important aspects of unhealthy aging.

According to Dr. Nicola Bondonno, an adjunct lecturer at Edith Cowan, “the goal of medical research is not just to help people live longer but to ensure they stay healthy for as long as possible.” He also stated, “those who consume more flavonoids tend to age better.”

Higher flavonoid intake has been linked to longer lifespans and a lower risk of developing major chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and dementia, according to previous research.

According to the study, which examined data from 23,687 men and 62,743 women over a 24-year period, women who consumed the most flavonoids were 15% less likely to experience frailty, 12% less likely to experience impaired physical function, and 12% less likely to experience poor mental health than those who consumed the fewest.

Higher flavonoid intake was associated with a decreased risk of poor mental health, however less relationships were seen in men.

“It is well known that flavonoids can help prevent frailty and preserve physical function and mental health as we age by lowering oxidative stress and inflammation, promoting blood vessel health, and even helping to maintain skeletal muscle mass,” Queens professor Aedin Cassidy said.

Additionally, the study found that people who had three servings of flavonoid-rich food each day had a 15% reduced chance of poor mental health in men and a 6% to 11% lower risk in women for all three ageing outcomes.

“All things considered, these results highlight how basic dietary changes can improve overall quality of life and help optimize healthy aging,” said Harvard Professor Eric Rimm.

With new tools being released on a regular basis and AI-enabled features being added to almost everything, it appears like we are currently experiencing a sort of AI revolution.

We focused on the top 5 AI tools for businesses, even though it seems like everyone is experimenting with generative AI tools – the kind that can paint portraits and create poetry. These solutions are excellent at assisting non-technical and time-constrained users in enhancing their business procedures, boosting their marketing campaigns, and adding excellent content to their websites.

As we progress through 2025, certain AI tools have emerged as indispensable across various domains, from content creation and productivity to research and business operations. Ignoring these tools could mean missing out on significant efficiency gains and creative possibilities.

Integrating these AI tools into your workflow can significantly enhance productivity, creativity, and decision-making processes. Whether you’re a content creator, business professional, or researcher, these tools offer tailored solutions to meet your needs.

Here’s a curated list of AI tools you shouldn’t overlook:

Top 5 AI tools for business in 2025 are:

• Wix
• ChatGPT from OpenAI
• HitPaw AI Photo Enhancer
• Grammarly
• Microsoft Copilot

01. Wix

Wix has been using AI for a long time; it started experimenting with artificial design intelligence (ADI) in 2016. With Wix’s AI website builder, you can now construct a polished website in only a few minutes by conversing with AI. You won’t need to manually configure your site because the AI will create a custom website based on your objectives and connect you to all the necessary business tools.

Together with the website builder, you also have an AI text creator that can generate large quantities of excellent product descriptions. Additionally, there are AI tools for creating and editing images, as well as a collection of AI blogging capabilities that combine all of these.

Google Ad copy social media captions, along with emojis and pertinent hashtags, can be produced by Wix’s integrated AI capabilities. To expand your reach across blog articles, advertisements, emails, social media postings, and more, the AI title generator can also provide you with a list of clickable titles and headlines.

A free business name generator that rapidly gives you hundreds of possible business names at the touch of a button and a logo builder that will automatically create a polished logo for you in a minute are two options if you need assistance branding your company.

Wix, which was developed with entrepreneurs and self-creators in mind, provides a collection of the most popular AI solutions (such as AI customer support) for companies in a one location, removing the need to sign up for several platforms for distinct features.

For companies of all sizes, Wix plans offer a variety of features. For additional information, view the pricing page. Currently, Wix’s AI tools provide:

• A website with a polished appearance in only a few minutes
• AI content production can produce hundreds of product descriptions iIn just a few minutes
• Tools for blogging that help with ideation, blog planning, text editing, and creating original content
• Making and manipulating images and making video trailers
• Creation of meta tags
• AI site-chat, which provides a fresh method for users to engage with your website at any time of day, AI product suggestions

02. ChatGPT from OpenAI

We can assure you that the enthusiasm surrounding this specific AI game changer is genuine, even if we are aware that everyone is talking about it. OpenAI developed the AI chatbot known as ChatGPT. It uses natural language processing (NLP) to create original programming code or text. It can converse with you in the same way that you would with any chatbot. Asking it to write material is another option.

ChatGPT’s free version is primarily restricted to GPT-4, an earlier model that was trained using data up until October 2023. Although this model is much more precise and adaptable than earlier models, the fact that it uses older data still makes it susceptible to “hallucinations.”

At the moment, OpenAI grants access to its most recent models (GPT-4o and o1 models) to specific ChatGPT user tiers and restricted free users. Custom GPTs and restricted access to file uploads, online browsing, and image creation are included in the free plan.

Regarding paid options, ChatGPT Plus costs $20 a month and offers limited access to DALL-E 3 and Sora, as well as increased file upload limits and possibilities to test new features. While Sora allows text-to-video generation, including the ability to add AI images to a live-shot scene or modify items within a frame, DALL-E 3 allows text-to-image generation. Unlimited access to GPT-4o and o1, advanced voice, and Sora are all included in the $200/month Pro package. There are also enterprise and team plans available.

ChatGPT’s primary features include:

• Creating text in response to basic or complex requests
• Generation of code in several computer languages
• When asked, provide summaries of lengthy sections or texts.
• Translation of languages
• When inspired, poetry and creative writing are produced.
• Capacity to resolve mathematical problems and provide an explanation of the solution
• sophisticated data analysis
• Surfing the web
• Creation of images
• Creating videos with Sora

03. HitPaw AI Photo Enhancer

HitPaw is a collection of AI tools designed to improve images and videos. With just a single click, the HitPaw AI Photo Enhancer can automatically improve your photos by boosting resolution and sharpening lines without sacrificing quality. It’s especially helpful for jobs like refining fuzzy features, enlarging moving images, and clearing up landscapes.

Unlike other image editing apps that require you to alter multiple parameters, HitPaw Photo Enhancer is entirely automatic, which is one of its most notable advantages. It’s an excellent option for people who don’t frequently edit photographs because it’s a lightweight application with a single purpose.

The fact that HitPaw Photo Enhancer is not cloud-based sets it apart from the majority of the other solutions we’re evaluating. Although there is an online version that you may use from a browser, you must download and install it on your computer.

As of this writing, the price is reduced to $24.99 for the first month, while the initial price for a Mac is $64.99. As an alternative, you can buy a lifetime license for $289.99 (now discounted to $159.99) or a one-year license for $169.99 (currently discounted to $99.99). Additionally, the business provides a seven-day free trial with all plans and unique pricing for Windows devices. The type of device you use and the quantity of devices in use determine the cost of a yearly business plan. A free edition is available, however it restricts access to other services and watermarks your photographs.

HitPaw Photo Enhancer’s primary features include:

• One-click, automatic image enhancing
• Compression of videos
• More than 100 language video translation (including AI voice cloning)
• A voice changer
• Increasing image quality and sharpening for hazy structures
• Simple to use and lightweight
• Apps or web interfaces that can be downloaded
• Price tiers with regular reductions

04. Grammarly

One of those tools for small businesses that has endured throughout time is Grammarly. Similar to having a personal editor on hand anytime you need one, the program leverages AI and NLP to help you write better. Grammarly comes with a desktop application, a browser extension, a Microsoft Office add-in, and an online editor. As you write, its integrated AI-writing features offer ideas. One-click enhancement buttons allow you to edit prewritten text by shortening, simplifying, improving, and changing its tone.

Fundamentally, Grammarly is a grammar program that tightens up your writing, removes superfluous words, and fixes frequent errors (“their” vs. “they’re”). Grammarly features a free version that offers simple writing advice along with various payment tiers. In addition to a unique Enterprise plan, paid plans start at $30 per member per month ($12 per member per month if billed annually).

Grammarly’s primary features include:

• Checks for spelling and grammar
• Correction of punctuation, such as missing periods and commas
• Tips for writing that will make your work simpler to read
• Detecting plagiarism by comparing your writing to billions of online sites
• Word choice recommendations
• Tone detection to show the potential impression of your message

5. Microsoft Copilot (formerly called “Bing Chat”)

Free tools are great, especially for small firms with limited resources. In February 2023, Microsoft’s Bing search engine introduced Bing Chat. Later, it was paired with Copilot, another Microsoft AI product, to provide even better outcomes.

Copilot uses OpenAI’s GPT-4 technology, just like ChatGPT. Poems, music, and stories are among the creative works it can produce. Additionally, it can produce code in a variety of computer languages, including Python, JavaScript, and others, and create graphics in response to text-based requests. An additional useful feature is the ability to utilize Copilot to summarize a webpage’s content and view it from a sidebar while you navigate through it.

There are only a few discussions available in Copilot’s free edition. The monthly cost of Microsoft Copilot Pro is $20 per user. For a month, you can test it out for free and take advantage of features like Copilot Voice, priority access, and integration with Microsoft Word and Excel.

As an alternative, Copilot is available for $30 per person each month with an annual subscription when combined with a Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise account. Along with other cutting-edge capabilities, this provides access to Copilot Studio, where business process automation is possible.

• Microsoft Copilot’s primary features include being more research-oriented based on the prompt
• A search engine that is fully operational
• Integrating Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams with the ability to create graphics from text
• Copilot Studio allows you to create automation and agents
• Pages for Copilots
• Business executives’ Copilot Dashboard

A recent study indicates that sodium, which is present in chips, processed meat items, bread, and dairy products, particularly cheese, may also be a major risk factor for the global increase in obesity rates, even though sugary meals and drinks are more often held responsible.

A concerning association between sodium consumption and obesity, as measured by total body fat and abdominal fat, was brought to light by the research presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025).

The study, which was headed by researchers from Finland’s Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, examined the sodium consumption and urine sodium content of over 5,000 men and women who were 18 years of age or older in order to determine whether or not they were obese.

Interestingly, it was discovered that every participant consumed more sodium than the World Health Organization’s recommended daily intake of 5 grams or less.

High dietary sodium intake was found to be strongly associated with both general and abdominal obesity, especially in women. Obesity and excessive sodium intake are recognized risk factors for diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Individuals who consumed the most sodium were 3.4 times more likely to have abdominal obesity and 4.3 times more likely to be considered obese overall.

Men were 6 times more likely to be obese overall and 4.7 times more likely to be obese around the abdomen if their urine salt concentration was in the highest quartile.

Generally speaking, males eat more food, including more of the foods that are the primary sources of sodium in the diet, such cheese, bread and bakery goods, and meat products. Since our analyses took total calorie intake into account, the larger correlations observed in men may be the result of higher salt intake in relation to total energy intake. However, the correlations were in a similar direction for both men and women, independent of the strength of the relationship, according to Annika Santalahti, Finnish Institute.

With comparable results for both dietary sodium and urine sodium concentration, these findings support the notion of a link between salt intake and obesity. It is crucial to learn more about the biological mechanism underlying the link“, she added.

 LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, has launched the Skills on the Rise 2025 list, spotlighting 15 skills that professionals should invest in to stay ahead at work. The top 5 fastest growing skills that companies in India are hiring for include creativity and innovation (#1), code review (#2), problem solving (#3), pre-screening (#4), and strategic thinking (#5).

With 64% of the skills used in most jobs projected to change by 2030 in India, LinkedIn research shows that 25% of professionals worry about not having the skills needed for the future. Nearly 4 in 10 (43%) professionals in Bengaluru find it challenging to determine if they’re a good match for a job. With 35% not knowing which of their skills are fit for a job’s requirements, understanding which skills are in demand is more critical than ever. On the other hand, 69% of recruiters in India report a skills mismatch between the skills professionals have and the skills companies need.

Nirajita Banerjee, LinkedIn Career Expert and India Senior Managing Editor says, “India Inc. is experiencing a fundamental skills reset. As AI changes the way we work, soft skills like creativity, problem solving, and strategic thinking are no longer ‘nice to have’; they’re business-critical. At the same time, AI literacy is becoming a baseline expectation across all job functions. Employers are also doubling down on customer engagement and stakeholder management, making business acumen more valuable than ever. This year’s Skills on the Rise list is a must-have resource for professionals to identify and learn the skills that companies are hiring for in 2025.”

Soft skills take centre stage

As AI automates tasks, the skills that set professionals apart are becoming deeply human. Creativity and innovation (#1), problem solving (#3) and strategic thinking (#5) are seeing increased demand, not just in traditionally creative fields like arts & design and marketing, but also in business development and education. Similarly, communication is now essential beyond people-centric roles like sales and HR, extending into IT, consulting, and finance.

AI literacy is a baseline expectation across job functions

The ability to work with AI is a mainstay in today’s work landscape. With 95% of C-Suite leaders in India prioritising AI skills over traditional experience, Large Language Models (LLM) (#8), AI literacy (#9), and prompt engineering (#13) skills are becoming key differentiators for job applicants. While these skills have traditionally been associated with IT, their growing relevance in education and marketing highlights the expanding role of AI and tech fluency across job functions.

Customer engagement skills are in demand across India Inc.

As companies sharpen their focus on business growth, strong customer relationships remain a top priority. Customer engagement (#11) is a critical skill—with an increasing emphasis on customer satisfaction—across sales, business development, and marketing functions. Professionals who can help businesses build enduring customer relations and loyalty will have an advantage.

Majority professionals in Bengaluru are looking for new jobs in 2025

As per new research from LinkedIn, 86% of professionals in Bengaluru plan to look for a new job this year. However, 50% professionals in the city say they are applying for more jobs than ever, but are hearing back less. To guide these professionals towards the right opportunities, LinkedIn has unveiled its annual Jobs on the Rise list, revealing insights on the fastest-growing jobs over the past three years.

Here are this year’s Top 15 Skills on The Rise in India:

1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Code Review
3. Problem Solving
4. Pre-screening
5. Strategic Thinking
6. Communication
7. Adaptability
8. Large Language Models (LLM)
9. AI Literacy
10. Debugging
11. Customer Engagement
12. Statistical Data Analysis
13. Prompt Engineering
14. Market Analysis
15. Stakeholder Management

Here’s the full list of Jobs on the Rise in Bengaluru

1. Brand Associate
2. Power System Engineer
3. Artificial Intelligence Engineer
4. Communications Associate
5. Facilities Manager
6. Sales Development Manager
7. Electrical Manager
8. Delivery Consultant
9. Piping Design Engineer
10. Logistics Specialist

LinkedIn’s career expert Nirajita Banerjee shares tips to help professionals unlock new opportunities:

• Take stock of what you’ve got. Go back through your job history to do a skills inventory. Don’t forget to consider skills you’ve gained from other experiences including volunteering, sports clubs – you likely have more skills than you thought! This exercise will help you ID skills to highlight during your job search and can help remind you of skills that you would want to build in the future.
• Show off your soft skills. While many jobs require technical skills, skills like communication and adaptability are in demand and are super transferable across roles and industries. These skills matter to employers, so don’t bury the lead – members who list five or more skills receive up to 5.6x more profile views from recruiters and 24x recruiter InMails, and are 2.9x more likely to receive connection requests. Be sure to add your skills to your profile, and include context that demonstrates the impact your skills have made.
• Go skill surfing and get in growth mode. Identify the areas of growth – possibly around skills that you were missing for a specific job you want, as detailed in the job description. You can then check out your company’s continuing education offerings or ask for a stretch assignment in your current role. Take online courses like those offered by LinkedIn Learning, or take on a volunteer role for a local club or organisation. Don’t be afraid to try new things and get out of your comfort zone – you’ll be building your skills muscle.

To support professionals, LinkedIn Learning is offering free courses to help them develop these essential skills. Additionally, LinkedIn’s new AI-powered coaching feature enables learners to practice real-world workplace conversations—like performance reviews and feedback discussions—using text or voice, with personalised feedback to build confidence.

Methodology:

Consumer and Global HR Professionals Research: This research was conducted by Censuswide between November 27 to December 16, 2024 among 22,010 consumer respondents, and among 8,035 global HR professionals between November 28 to December 18, 2024. Markets included UK, USA, France, Germany, India, Spain, Brazil, Ireland, the Netherlands, Singapore, Japan, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Australia, Indonesia, and Italy. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles. Censuswide are members of the British Polling Council.

Jobs on the Rise: LinkedIn Economic Graph researchers examined millions of jobs started by LinkedIn members from January 1, 2022 to July 31, 2024 to calculate a growth rate for each job title. To be ranked, a job title needed to see positive growth across our membership base and sufficient job postings in the past year, as well as have grown to a meaningful size by 2024. Identical job titles across different seniority levels were grouped and ranked together. Internships, volunteer positions, interim roles and student roles were excluded, and jobs where hiring was dominated by a small handful of companies in each country were also excluded. Additional data points for each of the job titles are based on LinkedIn profiles of members holding the title and/or open jobs for that title in the country.

Skills on the Rise: LinkedIn measures the growth of skills based on three pillars: skill acquisition, hiring success and emerging demand. Skill acquisition counts the rate at which members are adding new skills to their profile. Hiring success is measured by the share of a skill possessed by members who have been hired in the past year. Emerging demand measures the increased presence of a given skill in paid job postings. Growth rates for all metrics are measured by comparing LinkedIn data from January 1 to December 31, 2024 to the same period in the previous year (January 1 to December 31, 2023).

Some of the finest players in football history have dominated the list of the highest international goal scorers. These renowned players not only succeeded at the club level, but also left an everlasting imprint on international football by frequently scoring for their respective national teams. These players are remembered for their amazing ability to score on the international level.

These footballers have achieved great success not only with their clubs, but also on the international level. Their goal-scoring prowess has made them household names in world football.

Let us take a deeper look at the top five highest international goal scorers of all time:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (2001- present)

924 goals in 1,256 games 

Ronaldo, a modern great for Portugal, Manchester United, and Real Madrid, has won everything in the game and continues to thrive today. Ronaldo is the only player to have scored in five different World Cups, yet he isn’t done yet, with the man himself claiming that talk of retirement is premature.

In fact, Ronaldo has shattered additional records, signing the most expensive contract in sports history with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr until the summer of 2025, for a salary of £178 million. He attained the astounding milestone of 500 career league goals while with the club, and he contributed 100 goals for them in January.

On the international level, he already has almost 200 caps, a world record, and has scored 135 goals for his country. Ronaldo has also became the first player in history to achieve 927 career goals, and he hopes to reach 1000 before retiring.

2. Lionel Messi (2003 – present)

851 goals in 1081 games 

Messi, a true legend, has won several medals to go with his goals, including an unprecedented eight Ballon d’Or titles. Now at Inter Miami in the United States, the Argentine has a few years remaining to add to his impressive score and is aiming for 900 career goals.

Messi scored seven goals at the World Cup in Qatar, two of which came in the dramatic penalty shootout victory over France in the final, which will undoubtedly go down as the highlight of his career. He scored almost 650 goals for Barcelona before joining PSG, where he added 32 more.

The icon currently plays in the MLS and continues to score goals while also representing Argentina on the international scene, helping them win the 2024 Copa America.

3. Josef Bican (1931-1956)

805+ goals in 530+ games
Josef “Pepi” Bican was an Austrian-Czech professional football striker. Some consider him the greatest goalscorer in the sport’s history.

During his athletic peak, he was said to be capable of running 100 metres in 10.8 seconds, which was comparable to the top sprinters of the time. After retiring from playing, Bican became a manager, coaching numerous clubs from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Between 1937 and 1948, the famous striker scored an amazing 395 goals in 217 appearances for Slavia Prague. He also played for other clubs in Czechia, scoring an incredible quantity of goals.

This implies that Bican was football’s all-time leading goalscorer for more than 60 years before being surpassed. Although he is reported to have scored about 1,500 goals in all during his playing career, only 805 of them were registered by FIFA.

4. Romario (1985 – 2007)

772 goals 994 games

Romario de Souza Faria, or simply Romario, is a Brazilian politician and former professional footballer. A prolific striker known for his clinical finishing, he scored over 700 goals and is one of the few players to have scored at least 100 for three different clubs.

Romario guided Brazil to World Cup victory in 1994, scoring five goals during the tournament. He had a successful career with a lot of elite clubs across the world.

The forward played for ten different teams, totaling over 700 games. His most successful period in front of goal came during his tenure at PSV, where he scored 98 goals in 110 matches. Romario also scored 55 goals in 70 appearances for his country.

Romario has also played for other European clubs, including PSV Eindhoven, FC Barcelona, and Valencia. However, Romario did not win the Ballon d’Or due to the eligibility criterion. However, he was recognized in 1994.

5. Pele (1957 – 1977)

757 goals in 831 games

One of the greatest players in history, having won the World Cup three times.Pele only played for two clubs but led Brazil to victory throughout his career.

During his 656 competitive games for Santos, he averaged nearly a goal per game and claimed to have scored over 1,000 times.However, it is widely known that hundreds of those goals occurred during tours or friendly matches. Pele would have told you otherwise.

When the Brazilian legend, who was then playing for the New York Cosmos, came to India for a friendly versus Mohun Bagan, one of the country’s oldest and most famous football clubs, it was a historic occasion. Kolkata, a city that considers football more than just a sport, erupted in joy.

According to the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, Pele died at 3:27 p.m. Due to multiple organ failures resulting from the progression of colon cancer associated with his previous medical condition,
the icon died in 2022, but his impact continues in the football world.

Holi is a prominent Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love, and Spring. It commemorates the eternal and divine love between the deities Radha and Krishna. Furthermore, the day represents the triumph of good over evil, commemorating Vishnu’s victory as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu. Holi originated and is mostly celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, although it has since expanded to other parts of Asia and the Western world via the Indian diaspora.

Holi also commemorates the entrance of spring in India, the end of winter, and the blooming of romance.It’s also an invocation for a prosperous spring crop season. It lasts for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (full moon day) falling on the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around the middle of March in the Gregorian calendar.

The celebration has several functions, the most important of which is to mark the start of spring. In 17th-century literature, it was described as a festival that praised agriculture, good spring crops, and fertile soil. Hindus think it is the moment to celebrate spring’s vibrant colors and bid farewell to winter. Many Hindus view Holi festivities as an opportunity to reset and restore broken relationships, resolve problems, and cleanse oneself of emotional pollutants from the past.

It also has a religious purpose, as represented by the legend of Holika. Bonfires are lit the night before Holi as part of the Holika Dahan (burning of Holika) or Little Holi festival. People congregate around flames to sing and dance. The next day, Holi, also known as Dhuli in Sanskrit, or Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated.

In northern India, children and youth spray coloured powder solutions (gulal) at each other, laugh, and rejoice, while adults spread dry coloured powder (abir) over their faces. Visitors to homes are first teased with colors before being fed Holi dishes (such as gujhia, shakkarpaare, matri, and dahi vada), desserts, and drinks. After playing with colors and cleaning up, folks bathe, change into clean clothes, and visit friends and family.

Kama Dahanam, like Holika Dahan, is celebrated in certain parts of India. Rangapanchami, or the festival of colours, takes place on the fifth day following Poornima (the full moon).

Holi is also a celebration of forgiveness and new beginnings, with the ritualistic goal of promoting social harmony.Groups sing and dance, with some playing drums and dholaks. Gujiya, mathri, malpuas, and other traditional delicacies are served after each stop of fun and colour play.Cold drinks, especially those infused with marijuana, are also part of the Holi celebration.

On Holi, the people of Odisha celebrate Dola or Pushpadola, in which Jagannath’s idols substitute Krishna and Radha’s. Dola Melana is honored in villages, with deity processions and bhoga offerings. “Dola yatra” was popular even before 1560, long before Holi began, and the idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra were brought to the “Dolamandapa” (podium in Jagannath temple). People used to present natural colors called “abira” to the deities and use them to enhance each other’s abilities.

Barsana, a town near Mathura in Uttar Pradesh’s Braj district, celebrates Lathmar Holi in the huge Radha Rani Temple courtyard. Thousands flock to see the Lath Mar Holi, in which women beat up males with sticks as those on the sidelines go frenzied, singing Holi songs and shouting “Radhe Radhe” or “Sri Radhe Krishna“. Braj Mandal’s Holi songs are sung in pure Braj, the indigenous language.

The main day of the festival is known as “Holi”, “Rangwali Holi”, “Dol Purnima”, “Dhuleti”, “Dhulandi”, “Ukuli”, “Manjal Kuli”, “Yaosang”, “Shigmo”, “Phagwah”, or “Jajiri”.

Holi is also known as Dol Jatra (swing festival) and Boshonto Utshob in Bengal (West Bengal and Bangladesh), Phakua in Assam, Phagu Purnima in Nepal’s hilly region, Dola Jatra in Odisha, Fagua or Phagua in eastern Uttar Pradesh, western Bihar, and northwestern Jharkhand, Phagwah or Phagwa in the Caribbean (namely Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, and Jamaica), and Phagua in Fiji.

Holi, also known as Phagu Purnima, is a national celebration in Nepal, along with many other Hindu holidays. is observed in the Nepali month of Falgun and commemorates the stories of the Hindu god Krishna.

Holi is celebrated by Pakistan‘s tiny Hindu population. The Hindu tribes of Cholistan play the game Khido in the days leading up to Holi. They consider the game Khido to be sacred since Parhlad is said to have played it as a youngster.

Phagwah is a public holiday in Guyana, and people of all races and religions engage in the festivities. The primary event in Georgetown takes place at the Mandir at Prashad Nagar.

Holi is celebrated in Mauritius shortly after Shivaratri. It marks the start of spring, honoring good harvests and fertile land. Hindus think it is a time to celebrate spring’s vibrant colors and say goodbye to winter.

Holi is celebrated in numerous US states by mostly South Asian Americans, notably those of Indian descent. It is mainly held at Hindu temples or cultural halls. In addition to temple devotees, members of Hindu associations and volunteers help to organize the event.

In Indonesia, Indian Indonesians and Balinese Hindus celebrate Holi as a festival of colours. The main ceremonies are held in Medan and Bali.

Some colours produced and sold in India contain metal-based industrial dyes, which might cause skin problems for some people in the days following Holi. These hues are made in India, primarily by small informal firms, with no quality standards and are widely available in the market. The colors are offered without labels, so the consumer has no idea where the colors came from, what they include, or whether they are harmful.

Some organizations have initiated programs to teach youngsters how to manufacture their own Holi colours using safer, natural chemicals. Meanwhile, some commercial companies have started marketing “herbal” dyes, which are far more expensive than the harmful alternatives.

Let us come together to celebrate the festival of love and happiness – Happy Holi!

ICC Champions Trophy: Team List

1. India

2. Pakistan

3. New Zealand

4. Bangladesh

5. Australia

6. South Africa

7. England

8. Afghanistan

Childhood obesity is becoming a critical public health issue in India, with alarming statistics pointing to its rapid growth. The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity among kids aged 5-15 in India raised concerns not only among low- and middle-income populations but also globally, as the country is projected to contribute 11% of the global burden of childhood obesity by 2030.

 A recent meta- analysis of 21 studies, which included 1,86,901 children from 2003-2023, revealed that 8.4% of children in rural areas were affected by obesity, while 12.4% were categorized as overweight. The study further highlights that male children have a higher risk of obesity compared to female children, and that children in private schools face a greater risk of obesity than their counterparts in government schools.

 India faces a dual challenge where malnourishment has been a longstanding issue, yet childhood obesity is now rapidly emerging as an equally critical concern. Over the past eight years, childhood obesity rates in the country have seen a staggering 50% increase, rising from 5.6% in 2015 to 8.4% in 2023.

According to Dr. Deepa Mohan Sharma, Consultant Pediatrician and Neonatologist at Motherhood Hospitals, Indiranagar, Bengaluru, parents must monitor their child’s growth trends from birth and stay vigilant for early signs of overweight and its associated complications.

She explains, “Parents should look for dark skin near the back and front of the neck and underarm regions, which may vary depending on the child’s skin tone. As the condition progresses, the skin becomes thicker with more prominent lines, ill-defined edges, and may develop a wart-like surface. Skin tags often appear in these areas. While usually harmless,these skin changes could indicate insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

Insulin resistance, in particular, has emerged as a significant health concern among children, with its incidence rising alongside childhood obesity rates. Studies now indicate that type 2 diabetes is being diagnosed in children as young as seven—a worrying trend that was previously rare in this age group. Contributing factors include early nutritional habits, such as formula feeding, eating food high in calories, sugary drinks and processed foods, which further exacerbate the risk of diabetes and other related conditions.

Dr. Sharma emphasizes that early detection is crucial. “Routine growth chart assessments, BMI checks, and regular health screenings are key to identifying obesity risks. Alongside monitoring skin changes, BP checks and understanding your child’s activity levels and dietary patterns is essential. Comprehensive evaluations can help rule out associated complications, such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, which are increasingly being diagnosed in children at very young ages,” she adds.

The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the issue, replacing active playtime with excessive screen time and unhealthy eating habits. These factors contribute to a range of health concerns, including high cholesterol, joint pain, and weakened immunity. Poor gut health, influenced by diet and lifestyle, also plays a significant role in the development of chronic conditions and behavioral issues.

Parents can take proactive steps to address this growing concern by fostering healthier habits, encouraging balanced diets, limiting screen time, promoting outdoor play, and scheduling preventive health checks to monitor growth and development. Raising awareness and ensuring early intervention can help prevent long-term complications, paving the way for a healthier future for children.

Childhood obesity is a pressing public health issue with far-reaching consequences. Early awareness, preventive health checks, balanced diets, and regular physical activity are essential to address this growing concern. By instilling healthy habits from a young age, we can ensure stronger immunity, better mental well-being, and improved overall health. Tackling obesity today is crucial for securing a healthier and brighter future for the next generation.