News Broadcasting
Ariane 5 EC-A launch aborted at last minute
KOUROU (French Guiana): Arianespace’s first increased-lift Ariane 5, that was to lift off for its inaugural flight with two satellites Thursday failed to take off from the launch pad in French Guiana after problems with its Vulcain engine.
The countdown of the Ariane 5 EC-A had been flawless but the rocket failed to take off at the end of the countdown.
The cryogenic arms providing hydrogen and oxygen to the launcher failed to operate properly, causing the countdown to be stopped, the AFP news service quoted Arianespace CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall as saying.
It will be several days before another launch attempt is made, AFP reported.
The rocket was the first upgraded version of Europe’s Ariane-5 rocket. It has a capacity to launch payloads of up to 10 tons into geostationary transfer orbit. Previous versions of the rocket had the maximum capacity of 6.8 tons.
The rocket was carrying Hot Bird 7, a communications satellite for the Paris-based satellite operator Eutelsat, and Stentor, an experimental satellite developed by the French Space Agency (CNES), France Telecom and France’s Defence Procurement Agency.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
