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Hello,

Onwards to the land of blue sunsets.

SpaceX is targeting launching its first uncrewed Starships to Mars in two years. Elon Musk stated that these will test the reliability of landing intact on Mars, following which the first crewed flights may take off in four years. 

Establishing a colony on Mars has been the ultimate goal of space agencies and visionaries for decades. Earlier this year, NASA sought applicants to participate in a simulated one-year Mars surface mission.

But everything comes at a cost. The American space agency estimated that the first human mission to the Red Planet could cost half a trillion dollars. 

Nevertheless, one can dream.

And, humans on Mars may not even sound like Earthlings. Linguists from the University of Munich have theorised that new accents will emerge by imitation over long periods. 

Even a biotech startup is working to find out whether humans can multiply on the planet. SpaceBorn United plans to send a mini lab on a rocket into low Earth orbit to perform in vitro fertilization, or IVF.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, love is changing colours. According to a new poll, Paris, the city of love, has lost its coveted title of being the most romantic destination to Maui, an island city in Hawaii. 

Moving on is never easy…

In today’s newsletter, we will talk about 

• GCCs embrace freshers amid hiring crunch
• Mainstreaming cosmetic dermatology

Here’s your trivia for today: What is the record for the largest area covered by artificial snow?

Jobs

GCCs embrace freshers amid hiring crunch

For the longest time, GCCs were synonymous with grunt work and low salaries. Now, GCCs in India—numbering over 1,600 and employing 1.66 million people—are places for research and development. More importantly, they are hiring at a time when IT services companies have slowed recruitment.

“As GCCs have become more integral to business operations they have started investing in product development, and technology roles like system engineers, data engineers, software engineers, and analysts,” says Krishna Vij, Business Head, TeamLease Digital.

Attracting talent:

• GCCs offer 25% to 30% higher salaries on average than IT services companies, making them an attractive option for freshers, Vij tells YourStory.
• Over the last two years, due to uncertainty, layoffs, and other factors, the stability offered by GCCs has made them more attractive compared to startups, which have faced significant churn and instability, he explains.
• GCCs also offer internship opportunities for 6-12 months, often through their own walk-ins, to hire candidates with specific skills and upskill them according to project needs.

Woman Entrepreneur

Mainstreaming cosmetic dermatology

From a young age, Dr Rinky Kapoor wanted to become a doctor and dermatology, especially cosmetics,

In 2009, Dr Kapoor started The Esthetic Clinics at Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad. The centre offers a wide range of skin, hair, cosmetic, reconstructive and dental treatments. In 2019, she introduced QR678 Neo product, which focuses on hair growth.

The journey:

• “Aesthetics is a challenging speciality to practice because the results of treatments are immediately visible on the skin, requiring precision and a lot of guidance,” says Dr Kapoor.
• Esthetic Centers International Pvt Ltd, which was later established in 2017 has four properties—The Esthetic Clinics, QR678, a clinical research and innovation segment called TECCRO, and the International Academy of Facial Cosmetic Surgery.
• “Entrepreneurship wasn’t always a dream for me; it evolved over time. I don’t come from an entrepreneurial background—initially, my focus was solely on medicine,” Dr Kapoor says.

News & updates

• Potential deal: Elon Musk denied a report that his artificial intelligence startup xAI has held talks for a share in future Tesla revenue in return for giving Musk’s electric vehicle maker access to xAI’s technology and resources.
• Unnerving: The chief executive of Germany’s Volkswagen Group has described the situation at the company’s core VW brand as “alarming,” days after plans for spending cuts and potential plant closures in its home market caused outrage among employees.
• AI for good: New research highlights the potential for predicting major earthquakes months in advance by using machine learning to detect early signs of seismic activity. However, the effectiveness and ethical implications of such predictive technology remain subjects of debate.

What you should watch out for

• Tax talks: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council is set to discuss various tax proposals at its 54th meeting, including taxation of insurance premiums, rate rationalisation, and a status report on online gaming. Reports suggest the Council may consider imposing 18% GST on payment aggregators for small digital transactions up to Rs 2,000 via debit and credit cards. The Council is also expected to review several relief measures, such as potential reductions in GST for cancer drugs, possible exemptions for electricity meter services, and adjustments to support the real estate and metal industries. 
• IPO plans: Electric two-wheeler maker Ather Energy is expected to file its draft red herring prospectus with SEBI to raise Rs 4,500 crore from its IPO, in a mix of a fresh issue and an offer for sale. According to reports, the company, which entered the unicorn club last month, is eyeing a $2.5 billion valuation. The primary market is all set to witness one of the busiest weeks with over 13 new IPOs scheduled to open, along with eight new listings.

What is the record for the largest area covered by artificial snow?

Answer: 30 acres. It was achieved by the crew of Ridley Scott’s 2023 historical epic, Napoleon.

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