The Congress party launched its campaign anthem, “Har Jarurat Hogi Puri, Dilli Mein Congress Hai Jaruri” (“Every Need Will Be Fulfilled, Congress is Essential in Delhi”), on Thursday, marking a significant step in its strategy for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

The 2-minute 48-second song serves as a potent weapon in the party’s arsenal, aiming to capture the attention of Delhi’s electorate and sway their votes in its favour.

The anthem’s lyrics directly confront the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), highlighting the prevalent disillusionment among Delhi’s residents regarding the current governance.

It boldly addresses critical local issues, painting a vivid picture of the city’s shortcomings under AAP’s rule. The polluted Yamuna River and the subpar quality of drinking water serve as central themes, with the powerful line “Yamuna Saaf Nahi, Pani Na Saaf Hai” (The Yamuna is not clean, the water is not clean) encapsulating the public’s growing discontent.

Beyond highlighting the existing problems, the Congress anthem meticulously outlines its own vision for Delhi, presenting a compelling alternative to the incumbent AAP government. The party pledges free electricity for households consuming up to 300 units, a promise designed to resonate with the city’s residents struggling with rising energy costs.

The ambitious “Pyari Didi Yojana,” promising a monthly allowance of Rs 2,500 to women from low-income families, aims to further strengthen the Congress’ appeal among the electorate.

Addressing the widespread concern about women’s safety in the city, the anthem criticizes the AAP government’s perceived lack of focus on this crucial issue, arguing that despite promises, women continue to feel unsafe. This pointed critique underscores the Congress’ commitment to addressing this critical aspect of governance, distinguishing its approach from its rivals.

The release of the anthem is strategically timed, closely following the BJP’s launch of its campaign song, “Jo Ram Ko Lekar Aaye Unka Raj Hoga Dilli Mein” (“Those who carry Ram will rule Delhi”). The timing underscores the intensity of the upcoming electoral battle, with both the Congress and BJP vying for the support of Delhi’s voters.

Congress leaders, including Delhi Chief Devendra Yadav and national spokesperson Pawan Khera, expressed confidence in the anthem’s impact, emphasising its ability to capture the public mood and convey the party’s commitment to resolving Delhi’s pressing issues.

The anthem’s release signifies the Congress party’s full-fledged entry into the electoral fray, setting the stage for a closely contested election on February 5th, with results due on February 8th. Over 1.5 crore voters will play a crucial role in deciding the fate of the 70-member Delhi Assembly.

On January 23, OpenAI’s popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, suffered a significant global outage, leaving millions of users unable to access the service. The disruption affected multiple access points, including the web interface, the mobile application, and even integrations on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). This widespread failure quickly drew significant attention, with reports flooding in from users worldwide.

The outage tracking website, Downdetector, registered a surge in user reports, exceeding a thousand complaints within a short period. This volume underscored the scale of the disruption and the significant impact on ChatGPT’s user base.

The majority of these reports indicated a complete inability to use the chatbot, highlighting the severity of the problem. A smaller percentage of users reported encountering difficulties with the website or API, suggesting a less comprehensive but still noticeable impact.

OpenAI swiftly acknowledged the outage, publishing updates on their dedicated status page. This transparency, while offering little in the way of immediate solutions, served to reassure users that the company was actively addressing the situation.

The official statements consistently described the problem as “degraded performance” and “elevated error rates” within the API, hinting at underlying technical issues that required investigation. However, specific details regarding the root cause remained undisclosed, pending a more thorough examination.

According to reports, the outage commenced around 5 PM IST and persisted for several hours. The lack of a definitive timeline and the ongoing nature of the disruption underlined the complexity of the problem and the challenges faced by OpenAI’s engineering teams in resolving the issue.

As of the latest updates, the exact cause of the outage remains under investigation by OpenAI. The company is actively working to restore full functionality and provide a more comprehensive explanation once the underlying problem has been identified and rectified.

The ongoing Maha Kumbh, revered as one of the largest spiritual assemblies on the planet, has reached a historic milestone this year, recording an attendance of over 10 crore pilgrims at the Triveni Sangam. This confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers has been the site of profound religious activities since January 13, with the festival set to conclude on February 26.

This year’s event, presided over by the Uttar Pradesh government under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has drawn attention worldwide for its scale and the deep spiritual fervor it inspires. The government’s initial projections estimated a turnout of about 45 crore visitors throughout the duration of the Kumbh, highlighting the event’s massive appeal and importance.

Daily arrivals have surged into the lakhs, with devotees coming from across India and abroad, eager to partake in the sacred bathing rituals believed to cleanse sins and bring spiritual merit. This influx peaks significantly during special bathing days like Makar Sankranti and Paush Purnima, where numbers have reached around 3.5 crore and 1.7 crore, respectively.

The 10 crore milestone, achieved by noon last Thursday, not only underscores the festival’s massive draw but also the logistical prowess in managing such a vast crowd without disrupting the daily life of Prayagraj significantly. The city has continued to function smoothly, with only necessary restrictions applied on major bathing days to accommodate the large numbers.

The participation of ‘kalpvasis’, devout pilgrims who stay at the Sangam for the entire month, dedicating their time to ascetic practices and religious observances, has been particularly noteworthy. Their presence adds a profound spiritual depth to the occasion, enhancing the sanctity of the month-long religious observance.

The local administration has successfully balanced the city’s routine operations with the extraordinary influx of pilgrims. Schools, businesses, and government offices remain open, with only slight modifications to their schedules on key festival days.

The Maha Kumbh not only serves as a beacon of faith but also as a significant event for cultural exchange and spiritual rejuvenation, attracting scholars, spiritual leaders, and tourists keen to observe and participate in this ancient tradition. This year’s record-setting attendance highlights the enduring appeal and spiritual significance of the Kumbh Mela, reinforcing its status as a crucial event in the Hindu religious calendar.