News Broadcasting
BBC’s interactive initiative seeks to rewrite the Oxford dictionary
MUMBAI: UK public broadcaster The BBC has announced an interactive initiative in the UK Wordhunt. This aims at rewriting the the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). BBC Two is asking viewers to join The Wordhunt Project and help rewrite what it has dubbed as ‘the greatest book in the English language’.
A major series next year will present the results and will be the biggest, boldest attempt yet to ask the nation, “Where do words come from?”. 250 years after Doctor Johnson wrote his celebrated dictionary with the aid of just six helpers, the BBC and the Oxford English Dictionary are joining forces for The Wordhunt Project, and appealing to Britain to help solve some of the most intriguing recent word mysteries in the language.
Wordhunters should log on to bbc.co.uk/wordhunt to see how their evidence could be included in the OED. BBC Two controller Roly Keating said, “We’re launching a nationwide hunt for the origin of words and it’s a fantastic opportunity for viewers to contribute to a historic project. Any valid evidence will not only rewrite the Oxford English Dictionary but will feed into a major series for BBC TWO on the origin of words. The OED and this series promise a fascinating and unique insight into British history.”
The Oxford English Dictionary is appealing to the public for a focussed effort on 50 words. They include back to square one, jaffa (cricketing term), Beeb, to bonk (sexual intercourse), cyberspace, tikka masala and full monty. The OED seeks to find the earliest verifiable usage of every single word in the English language – currently 600,000 and counting – and of every separate meaning of every word.
Quite a task! The 50 words on the appeal list all have a date next to them – corresponding to the earliest evidence the dictionary currently has for that word or phrase. No dictionary is ever finished. Therefore the BBC is also appealing for interested word hunters to find new words that aren’t present in the OED.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
