DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Sat, 20 Sep 2025 13:18:53 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/food-regulator-cautions-traders-not-to-use-calcium-carbide-for-fruit-ripening-543606.html New Delhi May 19 Keeping the use of banned calcium carbide in concern the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India FSSAI has alerted fruit traders to strictly ensure compliance with the prohibition on calcium carbide for artificial ripening of fruits particularly during the mango season In a statement the FSSAI has also advised the Food Safety Departments of States and UTs to remain vigilant and take serious action and deal stringently against people indulging in such unlawful practices as per lawsThe national food regulator has permitted the use of ethylene gas as a safer alternative for fruit ripeningEthylene gas can be used at concentrations up to 100 ppm depending upon the crop variety and maturity Ethylene a naturally occurring hormone in fruits regulates the ripening process by initiating and controlling a series of chemical and biochemical activities said the FSSAICalcium carbide releases acetylene gas which contains harmful traces of arsenic and phosphorusThese substances can cause serious health issues such as dizziness frequent thirst irritation weakness difficulty in swallowing vomiting and skin ulcersThere are chances that calcium carbide may come in direct contact with fruits during application and leave residues of arsenic and phosphorus on fruits the food regulator saidIt further said that if any use of Calcium Carbide or any wrong practice of using ripening agents for the artificial ripening of fruits is noticed by the consumers the same may be brought to the notice of concerned State Commissioners of Food Safety for taking action against such violators IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/food-regulator-cautions-traders-not-to-use-calcium-carbide-for-fruit-ripening-543606.html Sun, 19 May 2024 11:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/boeing-starliners-manned-mission-delayed-again-likely-to-fly-on-may-25-nasa-543290.html New Delhi May 18 Boeing Starliners historic crewed manned mission has been delayed yet again over a helium leak detected in one of the capsules thrusters said NASA on Saturday The spacecraft aiming to carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and IndianOrigin Sunita Williams to the space station is expected to fly on May 25NASA BoeingSpace and ulalaunch are now targeting no earlier than 309 pm ET May 25 for the launch of the agencys Boeing Crew Flight Test mission NASA said in a post on XcomTeams will use the additional time to finalise next steps that address a stable helium leak on the Starliner service module it addedAfter facing several delays over the years Starliners first crewed mission was planned on May 7However it was scrubbed two hours before launch due to a valve issue on the upper stage of the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocketThe mission then slipped to May 10 and later May 21 due to a helium leakNASA officials performed a pressure testing on May 15 on the Starliners helium system which showed that the leak in the flange is stable and would not pose a risk at that level during the flightThe testing also indicated the rest of the thruster system is sealed effectively across the entire service module NASA saidBoeing said its teams are working to develop operational procedures to ensure the system retains sufficient performance capability and appropriate redundancy during the flightMeanwhile the ULA Atlas V rocket and Boeings Starliner that was rolled back from the launch pad remain in the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex41 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in FloridaThe astronauts Wilmore and Williams will remain quarantined in Houston as prelaunch operations progressThe Starliner mission aims to carry astronauts and cargo for future NASA missions to low Earth orbit and beyond IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/boeing-starliners-manned-mission-delayed-again-likely-to-fly-on-may-25-nasa-543290.html Sat, 18 May 2024 10:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/orange-alert-in-gujarat-till-may-21-amid-soaring-temperature-543323.html Gandhinagar May 18 The summer heat has intensified in Gujarat prompting the state weather department to issue an orange alert till May 21 Temperature is expected to range between 43 and 45 degrees Celsius across the state The alert covers major cities including Ahmedabad Gandhinagar Bhuj Amreli and RajkotAn orange alert for heat is a weather warning issued by meteorological agencies to indicate extreme heat conditions that pose a significant risk to public health It is the secondhighest warning level typically indicating more severe conditions than a yellow alert but not as critical as a red alertAn orange alert is issued when temperature is expected to be very high often in the 4045 degrees Celsius rangeHimmatnagar recorded 45 degrees C temperature followed by Surendranagar 447 degrees C Deesa 444 degrees C Ahmedabad 442 degrees C Gandhinagar 44 degrees C Bhuj 438 degrees C Rajkot 437 degrees C Amreli 432 degrees C Vadodara 422 degrees C Chotaudepur 414 degrees C Dang 411 degrees C Bhavnagar 397 degrees C Valsad 392 degrees C Dahod 389 degrees C Jamnagar 383 degrees C Ankleswar 375 degrees C Porbandar 367 degrees C Surat 358 degrees COn May 17 heat gripped the state with temperatures soaring above 41 degrees in 11 cities Ahmedabad recorded a high of 442 degrees while Himmatnagar emerged as the hottest city reaching a scorching 45 degreesThe Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has urged citizens to take precautions Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can result in high body temperature excessive sweating dizziness nausea hot and red skin and headachesTo avoid heatstroke staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids such as water lemon water buttermilk and coconut water is essentialConsuming fresh fruits and vegetables avoiding spicy and stale foods and limiting tea coffee and soda intake are also recommended IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/orange-alert-in-gujarat-till-may-21-amid-soaring-temperature-543323.html Sat, 18 May 2024 12:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/regional-meteorological-centre-predicts-rain-in-tamil-nadu-till-may-22-543358.html Chennai May 18 The Regional Meteorological Centre RMC on Saturday predicted rain in some districts of Tamil Nadu till May 22 An orange alert has been issued for the stateThe RMC in a statement predicted very heavy rain in a few places of Tenkasi Theni and Dindigul on SaturdayThe weather department also predicted heavy rain in Kanniyakumari Tirunelveli Thoothukudi Virudhunagar Madurai Tiruppur Coimbatore Nilgiris Erode Salem Dharmapuri Krishnagiri and Tirupattur districts of Tamil Nadu on SaturdayOn Sunday Kanniyakumari Tirunelveli Theni Tenkasi and Dindigul districts are likely to receive heavy rainThe weathermen predicted heavy rains in Thoothukudi Virudhunagar Madurai Sivagangai Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai on Sunday IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/regional-meteorological-centre-predicts-rain-in-tamil-nadu-till-may-22-543358.html Sat, 18 May 2024 13:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/lack-of-self-sustained-economic-activity-driving-migration-from-some-states-zoho-ceo-543419.html New Delhi May 18 While people in some southern states have built beautiful homes they have not made enough selfsustaining economic activity said Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu on Saturday The Chettinad region in Tamil Nadu gave rise to people who built so much wealth Yet productive investment by the people hailing from this region happened elsewhere including a lot in Chennai Sridhar said in a post on Xcom in reply to a user who said that the region now remains desertedThe user noted that while tourism is slowly giving hope to the place it is only filled during the marriage season which takes place in ancestral homesSridhar noted that his company has an office in the beautiful Chettinad palace near KaraikudiHe added that the region has not seen much economic development A lot of the palaces are empty as people have migrated to other placesKerala and more recently Andhra Pradesh have also suffered similar migration problems said the CEO of the global softwareasaservice SaaS companyMigrants from these places got rich elsewhere and have built beautiful homes in their native regions but havent invested in enough selfsustaining economic activity It is important to understand this factor he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/lack-of-self-sustained-economic-activity-driving-migration-from-some-states-zoho-ceo-543419.html Sat, 18 May 2024 17:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/second-india-australia-indonesia-maritime-security-workshop-concludes-in-kochi-543233.html Kochi May 17 The second edition of Trilateral Maritime Security Workshop TMSW for India Australia and Indonesia concluded in Kochi on Friday During the threeday workshop the three nations discussed ongoing maritime security challenges and opportunities for collaboration between the three maritime neighbours in the regionThe Ministry of Defence said on Friday that the theme of the workshop was Indian Ocean Region Collaborative Efforts to Enhance Regional Maritime SecurityDuring the workshop the discussions centred on a wide array of topics canvassing presentday opportunities and challenges in the Indian Ocean Region IOR including information exchange mechanisms and capabilities of IFCIOR maritime domain awareness nontraditional and illicit maritime activities maritime law enforcement capability enhancement and capacity building avenues for enhancing interoperability and cooperation etcA visit to the Indian Naval training facilities at Kochi and the Cochin Shipyard Limited was also organised for the delegates from Australian and Indonesian Navies during the workshopThe workshop conducted under the aegis of Headquarters Southern Naval Command witnessed the participation of delegates from the three participating Navies IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/second-india-australia-indonesia-maritime-security-workshop-concludes-in-kochi-543233.html Fri, 17 May 2024 21:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/over-800-diagnosed-with-hypertension-in-gujarats-chhotaudepur-in-six-weeks-543103.html Chhotaudepur May 17 More than 800 cases of hypertension have been reported in Udaipurs Chhotaudepur district within oneandahalfmonth Additionally a recent health checkup camp for government employees revealed that 295 out of 3471 employees were diagnosed with hypertensionChhotaudepur has a significant tribal population primarily comprising communities like the Rathwa Bhil and Naikda tribesWorld Hypertension Day observed on May 17 aims to raise awareness about hypertensionHypertension commonly known as high blood pressure is a medical condition where the force of the blood against the artery walls is consistently too high This condition can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease stroke and kidney diseaseFrom April to May 15 the District Health Department conducted noncommunicable disease diagnosis camps every Friday at various subcenters screening 30385 people Out of these 875 were found to be hypertensiveDistrict Health Department also organised health diagnosis camps for government employees The initiative stressing the moral responsibility of maintaining employee health found 295 hypertensive patients among 3471 employees screened officials sharedExperts attribute the rise in hypertension to modern lifestyle changesC B Choubisa District Health Officer emphasised that hypertension can be managed with proper diagnosis regular medication dietary adjustments and lifestyle changesHe stressed the importance of regular blood pressure checks particularly from age 30 due to increased stress and sedentary habitsOnce a concern for older adults it is now prevalent among younger individuals with significant cases reported among those aged 20 to 30 The shift is largely due to increased stress and decreased physical activity Choubisa addedHe advocated for regular exercise and a healthy daily routine as effective measures against hypertensionA combination of factors can cause hypertension Primary hypertension the most common type typically develops gradually over years and is influenced by genetic predisposition aging obesity physical inactivity a highsodium diet excessive alcohol consumption tobacco use and chronic stressSecondary hypertension which occurs more suddenly is often due to underlying conditions such as kidney disease adrenal gland tumors thyroid problems and illegal drugs like cocaine IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/over-800-diagnosed-with-hypertension-in-gujarats-chhotaudepur-in-six-weeks-543103.html Fri, 17 May 2024 17:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/explained-what-is-hepatitis-a-that-is-causing-an-outbreak-in-kerala-543110.html New Delhi May 17 Vaccination hygiene and a balanced diet are the major ways to prevent hepatitis A a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus HAV said doctors on Friday amid reports of a severe outbreak in Kerala Hepatitis A is spread via ingestion of contaminated food and water or through direct contact with an infectious personHepatitis A outbreak in KeralaKeralas Malappuram district has in the last few days seen a massive outbreak of Hepatitis A with reportedly about 8000 cases and 12 deathsKerala has continually been witnessing such outbreaks since 2018 As per the government data the state has witnessed 1977 confirmed cases and 12 deaths since January this yearIn addition about 5536 suspected Hepatitis cases have also been reported and 15 are suspected to have died due to the virusThe increase in temperature and decrease in rainfall and decreasing surface water has impacted drinking water quality heightening the risk of waterborne illnesses like Hepatitis A typhoid and gastroenteritis which spreads through contaminated water and food particularly when faecal matter pollutes water sources Lorance Peter Director Gastroenterology amp Hepatology Sakra World Hospital Bengaluru told IANSMeanwhile Kerala Health Minister Veena George has reportedly put four districts Kozhikode Malappuram Thrissur and Ernakulam on alert as a maximum number of cases have been reported from hereNaveen Ganjoo Senior Consultant Hepatology amp Integrated Liver Care Aster RV Hospital Bengaluru said that the affected population in Kerala is mainly adults as the state is typically good in sanitation so they have managed to prevent Hepatitis A in childrenIt has been seen that at this age Hepatitis A is more dangerous Also a different strain particular to geography may be in play as there is also renal impairment with liver dysfunction which is the main organ affected Naveen told IANSHepatitis A and its implicationsHepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection But unlike Hepatitis B and C it does not lead to chronic liver disease but can cause severe symptoms and in rare cases lead to liver failureSymptoms often include fatigue nausea abdominal pain loss of appetite and jaundice Most people recover fully within a few weeks to months but the illness can cause severe weaknessEspecially in older adults or those with underlying liver conditions it can cause acute liver failure a lifethreatening conditionHepatitis A spreads primarily through the faecaloral route often via contaminated food or water Common sources include consuming raw or undercooked food drinking contaminated water or ice eating food prepared by someone with the virus who has not practised proper hand hygiene and close personal contact with an infected person or caring for someone who is ill said Lokesh L V Lead Consultant Gastroenterologist SPARSH Hospital BengaluruLorance explained that jaundice is a common symptom of Hepatitis and appears well after the virus has been present in stool for up to two weeks and can persist beyond the resolution of symptoms thereby contributing to silent ongoing contaminationMaintaining liver health and nutrition during a hepatitis attack is paramount necessitating lifestyle adjustments such as no alcohol intake and refraining from smokingA balanced diet during this time should consist of ample whole grains fruits and vegetables packed with essential vitamins and fibre Healthy fats like Mediumchain triglyceride MCT oil and olive oil can help reduce inflammation while lean proteins from poultry fish and legumes are beneficial Despite dietary constraints there are plenty of appetising and nutritious food choices available with an emphasis on fresh seasonal produce to boost overall nutritional intake Lorance saidThe expert also stressed the need to take the vaccination drive seriously to prevent this epidemic as it is easily spread in a larger population which can be detrimental and increase massive burden on healthcareHepatitis A vaccine is safe effective and recommended for all children and adults who are at risk Lokesh saidHe also called for regular handwashing with soap and water cooking food thoroughly and drinking bottled or boiled water IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/explained-what-is-hepatitis-a-that-is-causing-an-outbreak-in-kerala-543110.html Fri, 17 May 2024 17:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-pilot-to-tour-space-on-blue-origins-next-flight-on-may-19-542782.html New Delhi May 16 Captain Gopichand Thotakura a pilot is set to become the first Indian to travel to the edge of space on Blue Origins next flight on May 19 the company announced on Thursday He will become the second Indian to visit space after Rakesh Sharmas iconic journey aboard Russian Soyuz T11 in 1984After Rakesh Sharma only people of Indian origin have been in space Kalpana Chawla 1997 Sunita Williams 2006 and Raja Chari 2021 as NASA astronautsAs the first civilian Indian astronaut embarking on this historic journey with Blue Origins NS25 mission I am honoured to represent India on this voyage Captain Gopichand saidIndia is making a mark in space exploration worldwide This voyage is a symbol of the spirit of human endeavour and ingenuity on a global scale I hope this exploration inspires future generations of STEAM professionals as we push the boundaries of space exploration together he addedAlong with Captain Gopichand Blue Origins NS25 mission will carry distinguished crew members Mason Angel Sylvain Chiron Kenneth L Hess Carol Schaller and former Air Force Captain Ed Dwight to the edge of spaceAccording to the company the mission is expected to lift off from Launch Site One in West Texas with the launch window for the flight starting at 0830 CT 7 pm ISTThe Jeff Bezos owned company has to date undertaken six human flight missions and launched 31 people to the Karman line the internationally recognised boundary of space 100 kms above the ground IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-pilot-to-tour-space-on-blue-origins-next-flight-on-may-19-542782.html Thu, 16 May 2024 17:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/industry-mourns-the-loss-of-vineet-nayyar-one-of-the-finest-it-leaders-542812.html New Delhi May 16 Industry leaders on Thursday mourned the demise of Vineet Nayyar former Tech Mahindra vice chair who passed away at 85 Founding chairman and managing director of the Gas Authority of India GAIL Nayyar served as Managing Director of HCL and Vice Chairman of HCL TechnologiesHe was the key figure in the acquisition of IT services company Satyam by Mahindra and oversaw the subsequent mergerMahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra posted on X that It saddens me to share the news of the passing of Vineet Nayyar this morningVineet was a larger than life figure in the Indian business landscape A distinguished IAS officer who then served with the World Bank he became the first Chairman of GAIL Anand postedNayyar then made a successful transition to the private sectorIT industrys apex body Nasscom said that Nayyars visionary leadership and dedication have left an indelible mark on the industryOur deepest condolences to his family friends and colleagues His impact and achievements have carved a lasting legacy Nasscom commentedAccording to CP Gurnani former MD and CEO of Tech Mahindra India has lost one of its finest leaders todayPersonally its like losing the light that has led me for decades He was a friend philosopher brother guide and statesman par excellence Gurnani posted on X IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/industry-mourns-the-loss-of-vineet-nayyar-one-of-the-finest-it-leaders-542812.html Thu, 16 May 2024 17:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/astrazeneca-covid-vax-linked-to-another-rare-fatal-blood-clotting-disorder-542678.html New Delhi May 16 BritishSwedish pharma giant AstraZenecas Covid19 vaccine made in collaboration with Oxford University has been found to raise the risk of vaccineinduced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis VITT a rare but fatal blood clotting disorder claimed researchers on Thursday While not new VITT emerged as a new disease following adenovirus vectorbased OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine sold as Covishield in India and Vaxzevria in Europe at the height of the Covid pandemic in 2021An unusually dangerous blood autoantibody directed against a protein termed platelet factor 4 or PF4 was found as the reason for VITTIn separate research in 2023 scientists from Canada North America Germany and Italy described a virtually identical disorder with the same PF4 antibody that was fatal in some cases after natural adenovirus common cold infectionNow in a new research Flinders University in Australia and other international experts found that the PF4 antibodies in both adenovirus infectionassociated VITT and classic adenoviral vector VITT share identical molecular fingerprints or signaturesIndeed the pathways of lethal antibody production in these disorders must be virtually identical and have similar genetic risk factors said Professor Tom Gordon from FlindersThe researcher noted that the findings have the important clinical implication that lessons learned from VITT are applicable to rare cases of blood clotting after adenovirus a common cold infections as well as having implications for vaccine developmentThe same team had in a 2022 study cracked the molecular code of the PF4 antibody and identified a genetic risk factorTheir new findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine also have important implications for improving vaccine safetyThe research comes after AstraZeneca accepted in a legal document submitted to the High Court in February that its Covid vaccine can in very rare cases cause Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Syndrome TTSTTS is a rare side effect that can cause people to have blood clots and a low blood platelet count It has been linked to the death of at least 81 people in the UK as well as hundreds of serious injuriesThe company has also voluntarily withdrawn marketing authorisation of its Covid vaccine from Europe and other global markets IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/astrazeneca-covid-vax-linked-to-another-rare-fatal-blood-clotting-disorder-542678.html Thu, 16 May 2024 16:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/womens-internet-adoption-on-mobile-phones-reach-37-pc-in-india-gsma-542416.html New Delhi May 15 Womens internet adoption on mobile phones has reached 37 per cent in India while adoption among men remains stable narrowing the gender gap from 40 per cent to 30 per cent a global report showed on Wednesday In 2023 an additional 120 million women connected to the internet via mobile globallyMore women in lowand middleincome countries LMICs are using mobile internet than ever before 15 billion 66 per cent in total according to the report by the GSMA a global organisation that represents mobile network operators worldwideHowever an alarming 785 million women remain unconnected with approximately 60 per cent in South Asia and SubSaharan Africa said the annual Mobile Gender Gap Report 2024 by the GSMAClaire Sibthorpe Head of Digital Inclusion at the GSMA said that the reduction in the mobile internet gender gap is promising but sustaining momentum is fragileWe are collaborating with the industry policymakers and other relevant partners to address key barriers including affordability awareness and digital skills Sibthorpe addedThe GSMA estimates that closing the gender gap in mobile ownership and usage across LMICs could deliver an additional 230 billion in revenue to the mobile industry over an eightyear periodThe gender gap in mobile internet adoption across LMICs has narrowed for the first time since 2020 driven by women adopting it at a faster rate than men particularly in South AsiaWomen are now 15 per cent less likely than men to use mobile internet across LMICs the findings showedAcross LMICs there are now 14 billion women who own a smartphone meaning that 60 per cent of women now own a smartphone deviceHowever there are still 40 per cent of women in these countries totalling 940 million who do not own a smartphoneMobile remains the primary and often only way people in LMICs access the internet accounting for 84 per cent of broadband connections in 2023 the report noted IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/womens-internet-adoption-on-mobile-phones-reach-37-pc-in-india-gsma-542416.html Wed, 15 May 2024 15:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bro-achieves-breakthrough-of-279-km-sungal-tunnel-on-akhnoor-poonch-road-542226.html Jammu May 14 The construction of a pivotal infrastructure project on National Highway 144A connecting Akhnoor with Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir achieved a significant milestone on Tuesday with a breakthrough in the Sungal tunnel The tunnel spanning 2790 metres is a crucial link connecting Akhnoor with PoonchThe AkhnoorPoonch road or The Golden Arc Road is an old and highlystrategic 200 Km stretch connecting South KashmirJammu region with the West of JampKIt connects the important border districts of Akhnoor Rajouri and Poonch There are four major tunnels in this stretch Kandi tunnel Sungal tunnel Naushera tunnel and Bhimber Gali tunnelDirector General of Border Roads DGBR Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan reviewed the breakthrough ceremony which signifies a major achievement in the construction activity of the tunnelThe breakthrough underscores the importance of this project signifying a major step forward in enhancing regional connectivity and facilitating smoother transportation along the National HighwayDuring his address Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan said that the Border Roads Organisation BRO is spearheading crucial road projects to connect the remote areas with the major centres in the JammuPoonch regionThe JammuPoonch link advancing rapidly is on track for completion in the next few yearsOn being asked about the development of defence infrastructure along the LoC he said it is a continuous process and the BRO is committed towards strengthening the infrastructure by building and upgrading strategic roads at crucial pointsLt Col Suneel Bartwal informed that on January 28 the breakthrough of Naushera tunnel was achieved signifying the efforts of the BRO towards providing connectivity across the areas of Rajouri and PoonchThe progress of the National Highway has picked up pace and the project is expected to be completed by 2026 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bro-achieves-breakthrough-of-279-km-sungal-tunnel-on-akhnoor-poonch-road-542226.html Tue, 14 May 2024 19:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/army-constructs-gun-park-using-lgsf-technology-in-west-bengal-542242.html Kolkata May 14 The Indian Army has built a firstofakind gun park at Telipara in Siliguri West Bengal with Light Grade Steel Frame LGSF Technology Gun parks where stateoftheart artillery guns such as the Dhanush and Bofors are billeted when not in use are normally concrete structures However the LGSF structure not only took about half the time as a concrete building to build but it also offers greater durability against severe weather conditionsThe Army adopted contemporary technological advancements in civil engineering and successfully constructed the gun park with LGSF Technology The park has been named the Astra Gun Park and was dedicated to the Astra Gunners by the General Officer Commanding GOC Brahmastra Corps Construction work started in May 2022 and was completed in record time a spokesperson of the Armys Eastern Command saidThis technology will help in setting up gun parks faster at locations where artillery brigades are located This will also help in protecting strategic assets like artillery guns from the vagaries of natureAmong those present during the ceremony were the commander of the Astra Brigade chief engineer Siliguri Zone as well as commanding officers and all ranks IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/army-constructs-gun-park-using-lgsf-technology-in-west-bengal-542242.html Tue, 14 May 2024 19:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/rain-thundershowers-forecast-for-gujarat-till-may-16-542059.html Gandhinagar May 14 The India Meteorological Department has forecast rain and thundershowers across Gujarat till Thursday May 16 Areas predicted to experience weather disturbances include Banaskantha Sabarkantha Mehsana Gandhinagar Aravalli Kheda Ahmedabad Anand Panchmahal Dahod Narmada Bharuch and MahisagarNotably Aravalli Kheda Ahmedabad Anand and Panchmahal may also witness thundershowers on May 15 followed by further rain in districts such as Banaskantha Sabarkantha Dahod Gir Somnath Amreli and Bhavnagar on May 16Two people died in rainrelated incidents on MondayUnseasonal rainfall accompanied by severe winds disrupted power supply in 249 villages uprooted trees and damaged cropsThe Narmada regions Garudeshwar received the highest rainfall In Junagadh the strong winds uprooted trees and led to power outagesThe states disaster management teams have been mobilised in response to the crisis The administration has directed Paschim Gujarat Vij Company Ltd PGVCL Roads and Building Department Police and the Forest Department to remain activeAfter damage in various districts on Monday evening Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel convened an emergency meetingOfficials shared that Relief Commissioner Alok Pandey provided an overview of the conditions citing rainfall measurements ranging from 2 to 38 millimeters across 41 talukasChief Minister Patel had urged the states Acting Chief Secretary to maintain the readiness of the State Emergency Operation Centre and District Control Rooms to prevent further casualties and minimise property damageThe unseasonal rains have also sparked concerns among farmers particularly regarding the potential damage to the cashew and mango crops in areas like Una of Gir Somnath The Chief Minister has ordered an assessment of the agricultural damage IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/rain-thundershowers-forecast-for-gujarat-till-may-16-542059.html Tue, 14 May 2024 11:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/more-playtime-outside-limiting-gaming-help-china-fight-kids-sedentary-behaviour-541752.html New Delhi May 13 In a worldfirst Chinas recent laws on increasing play time outside while limiting online gaming and homework have shown promise to fight surging sedentary behaviour in children according to a study on Monday Sedentary behaviour is known to raise risks of a host of health issues like obesity heart disease diabetes and cancer among othersResearchers led by the University of Bristol revealed that the Chinese government introduced laws to restrict online gaming companies catering to this age group limited the amount of homework school teachers can assign and also curtailed when private tuition businesses can provide lessonsThe measures helped achieve a 138 per cent drop in daily sitting time which equals more than 45 minutes spent daily in this physically inactive modeAverage daily screenviewing time including using mobile phones handheld game consoles tablets televisions games consoles connected to televisions or computers reduced by 64 per cent 10 minutesThe study published in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity showed that the pioneering measures have proved effective and may help develop future policies and measures aimed at improving childrens physical and mental wellbeing globallyThe results are exciting as this type of regulatory intervention across multiple settings has never been tried before said Dr Bai Li from the Center for Exercise Nutrition and Health Sciences at the Universitys School for Policy StudiesThe lead author said that traditionally children and their parents or caregivers were left to make behavioural changes on their own which never really workedBut the new measures helped shift the onus to online gaming companies schools and private tutoring companies to complyThis very different approach appears to be more effective because it is aimed at improving the environment in which children and adolescents live supporting a healthier lifestyle Bai saidThe findings were based on surveillance data gathered from more than 7000 primary and secondary school students from 31 urban or rural areas across 14 cities in China in 2020 and 2021 before and after the regulations were introduced IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/more-playtime-outside-limiting-gaming-help-china-fight-kids-sedentary-behaviour-541752.html Mon, 13 May 2024 12:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/adani-defence-amp-aerospace-joins-iit-gandhinagar-to-bolster-defence-sector-with-new-age-tech-541950.html Gandhinagar May 13 In a bid to foster collaboration in research education and innovation in defence technology the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar IITGN on Monday joined hands with Adani Defence amp Aerospace a subsidiary of Adani Group to collaborate in areas of emerging technologies The collaboration will encompass joint research projects prototype developments student projects and joint workshops in technologies such as artificial intelligence AI machine learning ML and large language models LLMs for defence applicationsThe MoU was signed by Amit Prashant Dean Research amp Development IITGN and Ashish Rajvanshi CEO Adani Defence amp Aerospace on the IITGN campusOur collaboration with IITGN marks a pivotal moment in the defence sectors technological evolution By combining our industry acumen with IITGNs academic prowess we aim to develop sophisticated innovative solutions for defence said RajvanshiOur joint efforts underscore our dedication to national security and affirm our commitment to Indias selfreliance in defence technology he addedThe partnership between Adani Defence amp Aerospace and IITGN is a strategic step forward in reinforcing Indias defence sector through technological innovation and academicindustry collaborationOur alliance with Adani Defence and Aerospace a trailblazer in the defence industry is a testament to our shared vision of harnessing potential technologies for defence said Rajat Moona Director IITGNThis collaboration offers our faculty and students the opportunity to tackle significant challenges within the defence realm and broadens their industry horizons he addedAdani Defence amp Aerospace is a pioneer in the design development and manufacturing of stateoftheart defence equipmentIt has established a robust platform for startups and MSMEs to help develop a vibrant defence ecosystem with an exportoriented mindset bestinclass processes and quality management systems IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/adani-defence-amp-aerospace-joins-iit-gandhinagar-to-bolster-defence-sector-with-new-age-tech-541950.html Mon, 13 May 2024 19:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/navys-ins-kiltan-arrives-in-vietnam-541613.html New Delhi May 12 Indian Navys INS Kiltan arrived at Cam Ranh Bay Vietnam on Sunday and was received by the Vietnam Peoples Navy and the Indian Embassy members The Navy said that the visit is part of the Operational Deployment of the Indian Navys Eastern Fleet This visit is poised to further strengthen the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two maritime nations the Navy saidThe officials said that India and Vietnam share a comprehensive strategic partnership and the visit by the Indian Naval Ship Kiltan is focused on activities including professional interactions sporting social exchanges and community outreach reflecting the shared values of both navies The visit will conclude with a Maritime Partnership Exercise at sea between the Indian Navy and Vietnam Peoples Navy The exercise would further enhance the interoperability and exchange of best practicesINS Kiltan is an indigenous ASW corvette which was designed by the Indian Navys Directorate of Naval Design and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers GRSE Kolkata INS Kiltan is the third of four P28 AntiSubmarine Warfare ASW corvettes IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/navys-ins-kiltan-arrives-in-vietnam-541613.html Sun, 12 May 2024 19:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/heavy-rain-thunderstorm-lash-bengaluru-541263.html Bengaluru May 11 Heavy rain and thrunderstorm lashed Bengaluru overnight inundating lowlying areas uprooting electric poles and trees and damaging vehicles However the rain brought respite to the people in Bengaluru from the scorching heatA tree uprooted and fell onto an electric transformer near Mahatma Gandhi Park in the Nagarbhavi locality of BengaluruIn Deepanjali Nagar locality three electric poles were uprooted Two cars and one tempo traveller parked outside were crushed by a huge treeA petrol bunk has been inundated due to heavy rains in Rajarajeshwari Nagar The compound wall of the Traffic and Transit Management Centre TTMC in Kengeri locality has collapsed and the parking area has been completely inundated Many residents in Annapoorneshwarinagar were forced to spend sleepless nights as their houses were inundated due to heavy rainThe arterial roads in Rajarajeshwari Nagar Jnanabharathi Airport Road and Magadi Road stretch were inundated and latenight vehicle riders had to struggle to reach their homes Different localities received a minimum of 28 mm to 89 mm of rainfall according to authoritiesThe State Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rainfall for another two days in Bengaluru IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/heavy-rain-thunderstorm-lash-bengaluru-541263.html Sat, 11 May 2024 17:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/inter-services-organisations-act-notified-through-gazette-notification-541117.html New Delhi May 10 The Ministry of Defence on Friday said that the InterServices Organisations Command Control and Discipline Act has been notified through a gazette notification to be enforced with effect from May 10 The act will ensure better coordination between the three services army navy airforce and will also bolster the integrated structure It will prove to be a milestone in the path to Indias military reforms the ministry saidIt said that the InterServices Organisations ISOs bill was passed by both the Parliament Houses during the Monsoon Session of 2023 which received the Presidents assent on August 15 2023The act empowers CommandersinChief and OfficersinCommand of ISOs to exercise control over service personnel serving under them for effective maintenance of discipline and administration without disturbing the unique service conditions of each individual service the ministry saidPiloting the bill in Parliament Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the bill as necessary to strengthen the armed forces in the wake of the global security scenarioThe ministry said that presently the armed forces personnel are governed in accordance with the provisions contained in their specific Service Acts the Army Act 1950 the Navy Act 1957 and the Air Force Act 1950Now there will be various tangible benefits such as maintenance of effective discipline in interservices establishments by the heads of ISOs no requirement of reverting personnel under disciplinary proceedings to their parent service units expeditious disposal of cases of misdemeanours or indiscipline and saving of public money and time by avoiding multiple proceedings the ministry saidIt said that it would also pave the way for much greater integration and jointness amongst the three services lay a strong foundation for the creation of joint structures in times to come and further improve the functioning of the Armed ForcesIt will be applicable to all personnel of all the three services as well as persons of other forces as notified by the Central government who are serving in or attached to an InterServices Organisation the ministry addedIt said that the commanderinchief or officerincommand means the General OfficerFlag OfficerAir Officer Commanding who has been appointed to the post To maintain command and control in their absence the officiating incumbent or the officer on whom the command develops in their absence of a CinC or OiC will also be empowered to initiate all disciplinary or administrative actions over the service personnel appointed deputed posted or attached to an InterServices organisation the ministry added IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/inter-services-organisations-act-notified-through-gazette-notification-541117.html Fri, 10 May 2024 19:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/people-of-nagaland-faced-a-great-ordeal-during-world-war-ii-japanese-ambassador-540524.html Kohima May 9 Japans Ambassador to India Hiroshi Suzuki on Wednesday said that Nagalands people who had nothing to do with World War II inevitably had to go through a great ordeal where many were coerced into cooperation while many lost their lives and most were forced to flee from the land of their ancestors In his address at the inaugural programme of the Kohima Peace Memorial and EcoPark where he was the special guest he expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the people of Nagaland who were caught in the conflict during the war between Japanese forces and the British Commonwealth Forces 80 years agoThe envoy further added that he was deeply honoured to witness the inauguration of the Kohima Peace Memorial and that the monument enabled us to offer our most solemn prayers to all the victims of the battleExpressing his gratitude to the people of Nagaland for their support provided to the KohimaJapan Bone collection team for enabling former soldiers and their families to collect the remains of fallen soldiers Hiroshi said that the EcoPark would be developed as part of the Nagaland Forest Management Project with Official Development Assistance ODA from the Japanese governmentHe expressed his sincere gratitude to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and the states people for erecting the peace memorial and hoped it would be a reason for more Japanese people to visit KohimaI am convinced that the friendship originally fostered through the collection of the remains between Japan and Nagaland would be further strengthened through the construction of the EcoPark as well as the exchange of young people and they would become new bridges between India and Japan he saidChief Minister Rio said that the event marked an important milestone in the narrative of the NagaJapan partnership which though starting under conflict had today matured into one advocating peace and brotherhood of humanity the message that has been embodied by the Kohima Peace MemorialHe expressed his admiration for Japans perseverance and industriousness and how it has shown the world what can be achieved through dedication precision and hard workRio highlighted how Nagalands association with Japan had started almost five decades ago through the Japan Association for the recovery and repatriation of war remains and how the relationship has now matured into bilateral cooperation under which we have two ongoing Externally Aided Projects in the forestry and medical sectorsHe said that the EcoPark once completed would turn out to be a critical centre of urban space and public utility and the park would also become a testament to the collaboration between the people of Japan and India especially the Naga people and would strengthen bonds enhance bilateral ties and open opportunities for the citizens of the two countries to always pursue common goalsEnvironment Forest and Climate Change and Village Guards Minister C L John thanked all officials and dignitaries who have travelled all the way from Japan and Delhi to attend the inauguration of the Kohima Peace Memorial and EcoParkHighlighting how 70 per cent of the state population is engaged in agriculture mostly the traditional method of jhum shifting cultivation which is a major reason for the loss of forest cover in Nagaland he said that in such a situation the sanctioning of JICAassisted Nagaland Forest Management Project NFMP seems providential in rescuing the rich biodiversity of the stateThe Japanese Ambassador who began a twoday visit to Nagaland on Tuesday on Wednesday also visited Kohima village and was shown traditional weaving and folk singing During a discussion with the village elders and members Hiroshi acknowledged the Angamis for their hospitality IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/people-of-nagaland-faced-a-great-ordeal-during-world-war-ii-japanese-ambassador-540524.html Thu, 09 May 2024 00:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/why-is-india-the-thalassemia-capital-of-the-world-540263.html New Delhi May 8 Lack of widespread awareness genetic counselling and traditional belief systems are some of the major reasons why India has the highest number of thalassemia major patients in the world said experts here on World Thalassemia Day on Wednesday World Thalassemia Day is observed every year on May 8 to raise awareness about the disease The theme this year is Empowering Lives Embracing Progress Equitable and Accessible Thalassaemia Treatment for AllEvery eighth thalassemia patient in the world lives in India And yearly about 1000020000 new thalassemia majors are bornIndia has the largest number of children with thalassemia major in the world with around 115 lakhs of children affected Indias status as the thalassemia capital stems from a complex interplay of factors Genetic predisposition consanguineous marriages and lack of awareness contribute to its prevalence The rise in India can be attributed to population growth limited access to screening and lack of awareness Sunil Bhat Director and Clinical Lead Pediatric Hematology Oncology and BMT Narayana Health Network Hospitals told IANSThalassemia Major is a severe inherited blood disorder passed from parents to children The disorder occurs when the body doesnt make enough of a protein called haemoglobin an important part of red blood cells forcing the need for blood transfusions every fortnightIt is particularly prevalent in populations with a high incidence of cousin marriages and within certain ethnic and geographical groupsIn India certain communities such as Sindhis Punjabis Bhanushali Kutchi Marwari Maratha Muslim and Bengalis have a higher prevalence of the gene which increases the incidence of Thalassemia The incidence of Thalassemia Minor in this community varies from 814 per cent Vijay Ramanan Sr Consultant Clinical Haematologist Bone Marrow amp Stem Cell Transplant Ruby Hall Clinic Pune told IANSThe large population and high birth rate in India also contribute to a greater number of individuals being affected by genetic disordersLack of widespread awareness and education about Thalassemia and genetic counselling among the general public leads to insufficient preventive measures Prenatal and premarital screening for Thalassemia is not uniformly practised across the country Vijay saidIgnorance and desire to believe that astrology is more important than science has contributed to an increase in thalassemia minors marrying another thalassemia minor Such marriages have a 25 per cent chance of getting a thalassemia major child he addedThe doctor lamented that while prenatal diagnosis exists in the country to prevent the birth of such children it is not availed by such couples due to religious beliefs or ignoranceMoreover the availability and accessibility of medical services including blood transfusions and chelation therapy can be uneven across urban and rural regions in the countryImportantly the doctor also pointed out a lack of dataThe rough estimate is that about 4 lakh to 6 lakh children with thalassemia major exist in India However the diseases needing transfusions are not usually collected in the data Distribution of thalassemia major patients across states has not been done due to lack of registry Vijay saidComprehensive education on genetic risks premarital counselling and widespread screening is essential to address the burden of thalassemia in India noted the expertsIn addition promoting voluntary genetic testing national policy from the Government and fostering partnerships between doctors and communities can enhance prevention efforts Ultimately proactive measures such as early diagnosis and timely management hold the key to alleviating the impact of thalassemia in India Sunil said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/why-is-india-the-thalassemia-capital-of-the-world-540263.html Wed, 08 May 2024 11:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/two-new-species-of-needlefish-from-indian-waters-identified-by-cmfri-540340.html Kochi May 8 Researchers at the ICARCentral Marine Fisheries Research Institute CMFRI have scientifically described and added two new species of needlefish from Indian waters Genetic and molecular analysis coupled with taxonomic examination confirmed that these newly identified species have unique characteristicsThe newly identified species were scientifically named Ablennes joseberchmansis and Ablennes gracaliiThe research was carried out by Toji Thomas a research scholar at CMFRI under the guidance of EM Abdussamad Principal ScientistThe study focused on specimens collected from Thoothukudi Tamil NaduThese commercially valuable species of fish are known for their palatability and nutritional contentPrimarily caught using hookandline methods they are identifiable by their green spines and elongated beaks with sharp teethTheir market price is around Rs 400 per kilogramFound abundantly along the Indian coast these species of fish are pelagic resources and available for fishing in the upper water column 020 metres depthAccording to CMFRI further research is needed to understand the distribution and population patterns of the newly identified species of fish in Indian watersGiven their high demand the researchers believe these fish have the potential to benefit the countrys marine fisheries sector IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/two-new-species-of-needlefish-from-indian-waters-identified-by-cmfri-540340.html Wed, 08 May 2024 16:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/idiot-syndrome-hampers-asthma-treatment-experts-539984.html Lucknow May 7 A syndrome called Internet Derived Information Obstructing Treatment IDIOT is emerging as a major hindrance in the treatment of asthma Experts at respiratory critical care unit of King Georges Medical University KGMU said that patients especially the educated ones were often misled by information gathered online especially about steroids which could hinder them from getting the right treatmentProf Rajendra Prasad former head of respiratory medicine at KGMU said that every week two to three patients influenced by incomplete internet knowledge resist steroid prescriptions for asthmaHe stressed that steroids when prescribed and monitored by doctors are the most effective asthma treatmentHead of the respiratory critical care department of KGMU Prof Ved Prakash highlighted that around 19 lakh people die due to asthma complications in India annually a concerning statistic given that asthma can be managed well with proper medical guidanceHe pointed out that poor air quality worsens asthma and emphasised the importance of awareness and accurate diagnosisProf Sumit Rungta of the medical gastroenterology and dermatology department added that asthma being an allergy cannot be cured but can be managedMeanwhile experts at KGMU said that according to a survey by the Department of Respiratory Medicine about 60 per cent of 500 asthma patients were found using the inhalers incorrectly This improper use impacts the inhalers delivery to the lungs compromising asthma managementConsequently patients are often prescribed higher medication dosages two to three times a day due to perceived ineffectiveness when once or twice daily usage might suffice with the correct techniqueExperts noted that incorrect inhalation may necessitate a separate inhaler for 10 per cent of patientsExperts also underscored the importance of thorough mouth cleaning after inhaler use to manage respiratory diseases and prevent dental complications He outlined key steps for effective inhaler usage including shaking the inhaler before use exhaling fully before medication administration holding the inhaler in the correct position inhaling deeply while dispensing the medicine holding the breath for at least five seconds and shaking the inhaler between puffs if applicable IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/idiot-syndrome-hampers-asthma-treatment-experts-539984.html Tue, 07 May 2024 11:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-origin-sunita-williams-butch-wilmore-to-fly-to-space-on-boeings-starliner-on-tuesday-539685.html New Delhi May 6 Indianorigin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams is all set to fly to space on Boeings Starliner on Tuesday along with Butch Wilmore The flight is expected to take off from Space Launch Complex41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 804 am IST on May 7 on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocketThe 59yearold is set to create history by being the first woman to fly on the maiden mission of a new humanrated spacecraftThis will be Sunitas third flight to space the first in 2006 and the second in 2012According to NASA Sunita has spent a cumulative total of 322 days in spaceWhen I reach the International Space Station it will be like going back home she was quoted as saying to NDTVSunita who will serve as the mission pilot has named the CST100 Starliner spacecraft Calypso for her love of the oceanIt is also in reference to the ship of famed explorer Jacques Cousteau who sailed across the world on his own ship bearing the same name NASA shared in a post on XcomMeanwhile NASA predicts about a 95 per cent chance of favourable weather conditions at the launch pad for a liftoffThe mission called Crew Flight Test CFT will last about 10 days and will demonstrate the endtoend capabilities of the Starliner systemTomorrow Butch Wilmore and AstroSuni lift off to the stars Bill Nelson NASA Administrator said in a post on XTheir mission to test Starliner for commercial flight Sate travels star sailors You are the pride of our great nation he addedThe Starliner spacecraft with a diameter of 15 feet 456 meters is capable of carrying up to four astronauts or a mix of crew and cargo for NASA missions to low Earth orbit for the agencys Commercial Crew Programme IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-origin-sunita-williams-butch-wilmore-to-fly-to-space-on-boeings-starliner-on-tuesday-539685.html Mon, 06 May 2024 12:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/heavy-rain-forecast-in-tn-on-may-7-8-539447.html Chennai May 5 The Regional Meteorological Centre RMC has predicted heavy rain in several districts of Tamil Nadu on May 7 and 8 The weather department in a statement on Sunday said that there will be heavy rain in Theni Dindigul Tiruppur Coimbatore Erode Nilgiris Salem Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts of the state on May 7According to the statement on May 8 heavy rain is predicted in Virudhunagar Theni Dindigul Tiruppur Coimbatore Nilgiris Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districtsHowever in other districts of Tamil Nadu the abovenormal heat conditions will continue Karur recorded the highest temperature at 435 degrees Celsius on Saturday 67 degrees Celsius above normal temperatureThe RMC also predicted that temperatures will be in the range of 41 to 43 degrees Celsius in a few interior districts of the state till May 8The weather department said that in coastal areas of Tamil Nadu Puducherry and Karaikkal region the temperature is likely to be in the range of 36 to 38 degrees Celsius for the next five days IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/heavy-rain-forecast-in-tn-on-may-7-8-539447.html Sun, 05 May 2024 14:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/kota-suicides-experts-call-april-may-high-risk-months-urge-administration-to-make-counselling-mandatory-539362.html Jaipur May 5 In the wake of rising suicides in Rajasthans Kota experts have termed April and May highrisk months for NEET and JEE aspirants and called on the district administration to make students counselling mandatory in all PGs and hostels Recently two students committed suicide in Kota within a gap of 48 hours a few days before their NEET examination which is scheduled for May 5One amongst them Bharat in his suicide note wrote I am sorry papa please forgive me I couldnt do it this time too Bharat a resident of Dholpur was preparing for the NEET entrance test and had committed suicide by hanging himselfBhupesh Dikshit a public health expert at Shikshit Rozgaar Kendra Prabhandhak Samiti says As major entrance exams are conducted in summer April and May are like highrisk months The administration should pay more attention to all those places where coaching centres are operated The district and police administration should stay alert Monitoring of all PGs and hostels should be done Students counselling should be made mandatory Besides this patrolling during night hours should be intensified and a rapid action team should be formed to monitor the activities of studentsKotas coaching industry is worth up to Rs 5000 crore and has garnered fame for producing toppers in various entrance tests But sadly coaching centres in the city have failed to bring a solution to stop the series of suicides by studentsSo far in 2024 nine students have already committed suicide in the city Last year 29 students lost their lives due to suicidesPsychologist Eena Budhiraja blames rising consumerism for the increasing suicides in Kota She says Its a fact that every child is talented But everyone has a different talent Fish can swim in water but cannot walk on land The human brain develops in different ways But in todays consumerist world money is being given more importance In such a situation parents want children to take a career where they can earn decent money This is why they often think their child should either become a doctor or an engineer without considering the childs actual talentMeanwhile different surveys in Kota have indicated that four out of every ten students in the city are under depression There are about 3000 private hostels in Kota which have thousands of rooms and over two lakh students come to the city for medical and engineering coachingAmong these aspirants a few left this world leaving behind suicide notes for their parents saying sorry to them which bespeaks the kind of pressure they were fighting withJEE aspirant Niharika committed suicide and left a note which read Sorry mummy papa I cant crack JEE so am committing suicide I am a loser and have been unable to be a good daughter Sorry mummy papa but this is the only option left with me Her brother later revealed that she was under tremendous pressureAnother JEE aspirant from Bihars Bhagalpur consumed poison ending his life In his suicide note he wrote Papa I am unable to crack JEE also couldnt gain the courage to speak out this fact to you I quitThe list of such suicides is long and these incidents have left one and all to think why children are under so much pressure Why are they not realising the importance of life Why becoming a doctor or an engineer is so importantDeepa Khandelwal a mother says Our education system is largely responsible for leaving students under pressure There are very few career options in the humanities you can become a teacher but you will get a small salary Similarly it isnt easy to run household expenses with music dance or photography Civil services examination is also not for everyone Medicine and engineering are lucrative careers and to crack entrance exams coaching has become necessaryIn a letter to parents recently Kota District Collector Ravinder Goswami stated A childs happiness means the world to their parents however this happiness should not be connected to scores he gets in examsHe noted that the problem arises when the happiness of children is associated with the marks they obtain in the examsDoes one become successful only by passing an exam No Goswami wrote He urged parents to give their wards a chance to improve themselves as his own parents did to him when he returned home from Kota where he had stayed for the preparation of PMT but failed onceThe District Collector appealed to the parents to speak to their wards regularly listen to them and make them believe that they are the most needed ones and most precious to themGoswami also wrote a letter separately to students in which he noted that failures give one the opportunity to surmount the mistakes committed in life and turn the failures into successThe District Collector also noted that the exam is only a phase in life and not the ultimate goal and it cannot determine the direction of ones life IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/kota-suicides-experts-call-april-may-high-risk-months-urge-administration-to-make-counselling-mandatory-539362.html Sun, 05 May 2024 03:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bmc-imd-alert-high-swell-spring-tide-waves-to-hit-mumbai-in-next-36-hrs-539267.html Mumbai May 4 High swell waves measuring 424 metres shall lash the Mumbai coastal areas in the next 36 hours the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation BMC said in an alert based on the IMDs advisory here on Saturday Accordingly on Saturday afternoon May 4 the low tide waves would be around 140 metres tall 236 pm and the subsequent high tide waves shall be 408 metres high 909 pmOn Sunday May 5 the low tide waves shall be 105 metres high 0330 am followed by the high tide with waves of 404 metres height 0950 am On Sunday the low tide measurement would be 132 metre 335 pm and the subsequent high tide the waves shall be the highest at 424 metres 956 pmThe BMC has called upon citizens tourists or weekend picnickers to avoid going to the beaches shores or seafronts and cooperate with all the concerned agencies as the coastal and lowlying areas may experience high surges due to the tall waves in the Arabian SeaAccordingly the sea levels are expected to rise by an average of half to 15 metres during the high tide and spring tide phases and even fisherfolks have been advised to exercise utmost caution and keep their boats safely moored away from the shores to avoid damage or collisionThe BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani has directed all the city wards and concerned agencies as well the Mumbai Police and Mumbai Fire Brigade plus lifeguards beach security personnel and others to coordinate and be ready for any emergencies IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bmc-imd-alert-high-swell-spring-tide-waves-to-hit-mumbai-in-next-36-hrs-539267.html Sat, 04 May 2024 16:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/apple-watch-saves-delhi-womans-life-by-alerting-abnormal-heart-rhythm-538893.html New Delhi May 3 Apple watch has saved yet another life this time a 35yearold woman from the national capital who suffered from Atrial Fibrillation AFib a rapid and abnormal heart rhythm Speaking to IANS Sneha Saha a policy researcher said that late in the evening on April 9 she started experiencing a rapid heart rateShe ignored it dismissed it as a panic attack due to stress and started doing deep breathing exercises and drinking water but had no respiteWhen the heart palpitations persisted she used her Apple Watch Series 7 which she bought in 2022 to assess her condition It showed a high heart rate and advised visiting a doctorShe again ignored it as it was nearing midnight However later the Apple Watch alerted Sneha of extremely high heart rate 230 bpm and onset of AFibSneha who lives in Munirka was then rushed to the Emergency at the nearby Fortis Hospital in Vasant Kunj where doctors could not read the blood pressure in her bodyAssessing her condition further they had to administer three delivery of direct current DC shocks 5050100 joules to revive her hearts sinus rhythm Subsequently she was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit ICUHad the Apple Watch not alerted me of the serious heart condition I would not have gone to the hospital in the middle of the night and would have lost my life Sneha told IANS noting that the watch has now become her constant companionI would not have measured my heart rate had the watch not been there Whatever I had to say to the doctors was based on Apple Watch readings added Sneha who is on her way to recoveryThe doctors diagnosed her condition to be a type of Tachycardia an increased heart rate for any reason which can get triggered by exercise or stressAfter returning home she wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook on April 23 thanking him and the Apple team for making such an advanced and precise recording ECG appWithin a few hours he responded I am glad you sought the medical attention and treatment you needed Thanks so much for sharing your story with usAfter the harrowing experience I realised it is very important for us to understand our health our sleep patterns our heart rates as we all deal with stress Sneha saidSmartwatches are a very good way of keeping track of your daily activities your heart rate added the PhD degree holder in Science Policy Studies from the Jawaharlal Nehru University IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/apple-watch-saves-delhi-womans-life-by-alerting-abnormal-heart-rhythm-538893.html Fri, 03 May 2024 13:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/icrisat-develops-portable-technology-for-testing-crops-nutrition-level-538682.html Hyderabad May 2 The International Crops Research Institute for the SemiArid Tropics ICRISAT on Thursday announced that its researchers are leading a transformation in crop testing combining AIdriven models and pocketsize nearinfrared spectroscopy NIRS devices These portable sensors allow for quick evaluation of nutrition levels in indigenous food grains right at the farmers gate or in research fieldsICRISAT Director General Dr Jacqueline dArros Hughes championed the integration of this disruptive technology into breeding pipelines and key points of relevant value chains Aligned with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation FAO strategy she foresees the tool as a catalyst for the production of nutrientdense crops both in breeding programmes and in farmers fields a crucial element in the global fight against malnutrition This technology is poised to expedite the breeding of nutrientdense crops while facilitating their integration into the value chain Our goal with this intervention is to provide quality assurance for the distribution of nutritionally fortified crops so that they reach those who need them most she added Traditionally assessing the nutritional quality of grains and feedstock could take a number of weeks involving manual or partially automated processes and laboratory instruments In contrast mobile NIRS devices are more costeffective and can assess over 150 samples per day per person ICRISAT said These nondestructive and robust grain quality measuring devices provide timely information on grain composition and can be used to promote qualitybased payments in the marketbenefiting food producers grain processing industries and farmers alike We see the adoption of portable technology for assessing grain quality as an important step in decentralising and democratising market systems essential to promote the consumption of nutricereals This transition can facilitate qualitydriven payments for farmers while providing quality assurance to healthconscious households moving forward noted Dr Sean Mayes Global Research Director of the Accelerated Crop Improvement Program at ICRISAT In Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh ICRISAT recommends its Girnar 4 groundnut variety to ensure premium prices for farmers and to differentiate the crop from lowervalue varieties ICRISATs Girnar 4 and Girnar 5 groundnut varieties boast oleic acid levels of 7580 per cent far surpassing that of the standard variety at 4050 per cent Oleic acid is a hearthealthy monounsaturated fatty acid which holds considerable importance for the groundnut market as it provides new enduses for the crop Growing consumer awareness of its advantages spurred market demand for high oleic acid content in oils and related products This pioneering approach initially applied in peanut breeding could be replicated across other crops offering efficient and costeffective solutions to address poor nutrition ICRISATs Facility for Exploratory Research on Nutrition FERN laboratory is expanding its prediction models to encompass various traits and crops beyond groundnuts We are currently focusing on developing methods to assess oil oleic acid linoleic acid carotenoids starch moisture and phosphorus in various cereals and legumes such as finger millet foxtail millet pearl millet sorghum maize wheat chickpea mungbean common bean pigeon pea cowpea soybean groundnut and mustard said Dr Jana Kholova Cluster Leader Crop Physiology and Modelling ICRISAT IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/icrisat-develops-portable-technology-for-testing-crops-nutrition-level-538682.html Thu, 02 May 2024 18:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/vice-chief-of-army-staff-visits-iit-kanpur-explores-collaborative-opportunities-538559.html Kanpur May 2 In a significant development aimed at forging strategic partnerships Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi PVSM AVSM Vice Chief of Army Staff VCOAS accompanied by ADG Major General C S Mann and other highranking army officers visited the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur IIT Kanpur The visit facilitated indepth discussions between the army officials and IIT Kanpurs faculty members specialising in defencerelated areas focusing on exploring potential collaborations to develop niche technology solutions for the Indian ArmyAccording to an official release the institutes professors showcased IIT Kanpurs research capabilities by providing an overview of the ongoing defence projects at the instituteSanjay Tandon Director of the DRDO Industry Academia Centre of Excellence at IIT Kanpur elaborated on the CoEs mandate to establish an ecosystem for focused research and collaboration in advanced technology areas for defence and securityThis highlighted the institutes commitment to encouraging industryacademia partnerships in strategic domainsThe faculty members showcased various innovative technologies to the Army officers including a Substation Inspection Robot a generator for precision guidance kits highaltitude logistics and eVTOL solutions Quadruped and Rotary Robots and Kamikaze dronesThree defencetechnology startups incubated at IIT Kanpur also presented outstanding innovations stressing the institutes role as a hub for entrepreneurship and technology transfer The Indian Army team also visited the C3i Hub and FlexE Center at IIT Kanpur IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/vice-chief-of-army-staff-visits-iit-kanpur-explores-collaborative-opportunities-538559.html Thu, 02 May 2024 15:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/educational-institutions-in-kerala-to-remain-closed-till-may-6-due-to-sweltering-heat-538621.html Thiruvananthapuram May 2 In view of the scorching weather and heat wave alert in Kerala all educational institutions in the state will remain closed till May 6 The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on ThursdayThe heat wave warning has been issued for Palakkad Kozhikode Trissur and Alappuzha districtsThe meeting directed that there should be no classes of any sort from 11 am to 3 pm and no parade or open activities at the Police Fire Force or by NCC cadetsThe meeting has decided to ensure that fire audits are conducted at places where a fire can break out easilyMeanwhile in a related development a meeting held by the State Power Minister KKrishnankutty ruled out the imposition of load shedding in the state which has come as a huge relief given the surge in mercury IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/educational-institutions-in-kerala-to-remain-closed-till-may-6-due-to-sweltering-heat-538621.html Thu, 02 May 2024 17:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/risk-of-depression-40pc-higher-in-perimenopausal-women-538138.html New Delhi May 1 Perimenopause the transitional phase before menopause may raise the risk of depression among women by 40 per cent according to a study on Wednesday The study by researchers from the University College London UCL is based on a metaanalysis of seven studies involving 9141 women from across the world including Australia the US China the Netherlands and SwitzerlandCompared to premenopausal women the results published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that perimenopausal women had a significantly higher risk around 40 per cent of experiencing depressive symptoms and being diagnosed with depressionThe finding highlights the clinical need for screening and support in this potentially vulnerable groupNo significant increase in depression risk was found for postmenopausal women compared to those who were premenopausalThis study shows that women in the perimenopausal stage are significantly more likely to experience depression than either before or after this stage said senior author Roopal Desai from UCLs Psychology amp Language SciencesOur findings emphasise the importance of acknowledging that women in this lifestage are more vulnerable to experiencing depression It also underlines the need to provide support and screening for women to help address their mental health needs effectively she addedMindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy can be helpful according to a previous study by the same researchersPerimenopause which occurs three to five years before the onset of menopause causes fluctuation in oestrogen and progesterone levels This leads to mood changes irregular menstrual cycles and other menopausal symptoms including increased feelings of depressionThis stage of menopause continues until one year after a womans last period and can often last for between four and eight years in total IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/risk-of-depression-40pc-higher-in-perimenopausal-women-538138.html Wed, 01 May 2024 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-israel-carry-out-joint-security-drill-in-delhi-538397.html New Delhi May 1 The Embassy of Israel in Delhi in collaboration with the Indian security forces conducted a joint security drill in the national capital the Embassy said on Wednesday The primary objective of the drill was to assess and synchronise the readiness of the security forces to counter potential future threats effectivelyAddressing the event Naor Gilon the Ambassador of Israel to India emphasised the significance of the security drill saying This joint security drill with Indian security forces marks a significant milestone We extend our gratitude for their efforts These collaborative exercises strengthen the two nations cooperation in security and defence and reinforce our shared commitment to global stability We remain steadfast in our determination to foster continued collaboration for a safer worldThe exercise witnessed the involvement of various agencies including the Ministry of Home Affairs the Delhi Police the National Security Guard and local emergency services such as the fire department and traffic policeElite units from the participating agencies were activated in simulated scenarios while the Delhi Traffic Police managed traffic control in the vicinity The exercise served as a platform for both Israeli and Indian forces to refine their coordination communication and operational procedures thereby strengthening their joint efforts against terrorism IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-israel-carry-out-joint-security-drill-in-delhi-538397.html Wed, 01 May 2024 22:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-successfully-test-fires-smart-torpedo-system-538193.html New Delhi May 1 India on Wednesday successfully flighttested Supersonic MissileAssisted Release of Torpedo SMART system from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha Designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation DRDO SMART is a nextgeneration missilebased lightweight torpedo delivery system that will enhance the antisubmarine warfare capability of the Indian Navy far beyond the conventional range of lightweight torpedoThis canisterbased missile system consists of several advanced subsystems namely a twostage solid propulsion system electromechanical actuator system precision inertial navigation system etc The system carries advanced lightweight torpedo as payload along with a parachutebased release systemThe missile was launched from the ground mobile launcher Several stateoftheart mechanisms such as symmetric separation ejection and velocity control have been validated in this testDefence Minister Rajnath Singh has complimented the DRDO and the industry partners on the successful flight test of SMARTThe development of the system will further enhance the strength of our Navy he addedDRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat lauded the synergistic efforts of the entire SMART team and urged it to continue on the path of excellence IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-successfully-test-fires-smart-torpedo-system-538193.html Wed, 01 May 2024 13:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indigenous-traditional-knowledge-should-be-given-proper-emphasis-in-ip-system-cmfri-538342.html Kochi May 1 The ICARCentral Marine Fisheries Research Institute CMFRI has called for the Intellectual Property IP system to be strengthened to fully recognise indigenous peoples ownership of their traditional knowledge The premier institute underscored the role of intellectual property on Sustainable Development Goals SDGs particularly SDG 2 concerning genetic resources and their impact on developing countriesIt also highlighted the risks of biopiracy where genetic resources are exploited without consent or benefitsharing agreements leading to the marginalisation of indigenous communities and exacerbating inequalitiesDr Kavitha Chalakkal Assistant Professor at the InterUniversity Centre for IPR Studies of the Cochin University of Science and Technology CUSAT said developing countries rich in biodiversity and traditional knowledge often face challenges in benefitting from their genetic resources due to asymmetrical power dynamics and inadequate legal frameworksIndigenous people and local communities have a long history of managing genetic resources which are essential to sustain their livelihood About 75 per cent of the worlds population relies largely on plantbased traditional treatments for primary healthcare Indigenous people including smallholders fisher folk and forest dwellers should be given a fair share in the economic medical or social benefits earned by the use of their traditional knowledge or practices she saidCMFRI Director Dr A Gopalakrishnan said utilising intellectual property frameworks effectively allows us to unlock the full potential of innovation addressing complex global challenges such as poverty inequality climate change and healthcare access IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indigenous-traditional-knowledge-should-be-given-proper-emphasis-in-ip-system-cmfri-538342.html Wed, 01 May 2024 19:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/g7-ministers-agree-to-phase-out-coal-use-by-2035-538107.html Rome May 1 Environment Ministers from the G7 nations committed themselves to phase out the use of coal by 2035 as part of a wider effort to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of fossil fuels Climate Energy and Environment Ministers gathered on Tuesday in Reggia di Venaria just outside the northern Italian city of Turin for the latest working session for the G7 which is headed by Italy this year Xinhua news agency reportedMinisters agreed to a host of energy and climaterelated goals including encouraging the development of renewable energy sources increased collaboration on energy from nuclear fusion a reduction in emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases and to break away from Russian imports of natural gasThe participants of the twoday summit focused on measures to eliminate the use of coal and later phase out all fossil fuels These measures are part of the nations commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate changeThough the agreement says countries will eliminate coal use by the first half of the 2030s in other words by 2035 it did allow for that deadline to be changed if it remained on a timeline consistent with keeping a limit of 15 degrees Celsius temperature rise within reachThat caveat is aimed at giving more flexibility to countries highly reliant on coal power such as G7 member states Germany and JapanThe 15degree target compared to preindustrial levels which the United Nations target has imposed to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change was again reiterated last year at the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties in DubaiThe G7s Climate Energy and Environment talks are part of a long series of events organised by the Italian presidency of the G7 The centerpiece of the summit will take place for heads of state and ministers in the southern Italian region of Apulia on June 1315 Italys G7 presidency concludes on December 31 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/g7-ministers-agree-to-phase-out-coal-use-by-2035-538107.html Wed, 01 May 2024 05:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/study-shows-inhaling-fentanyl-may-lead-to-irreversible-brain-damage-537801.html New Delhi April 30 Inhaling the synthetic opioid fentanyl approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use as pain relief and anaesthetic can cause irreversible brain damage according to a new study on Tuesday Fentanyl is cheap readily available and 50 times more potent than heroin warned doctors in the journal BMJ Case Reports after treating a 47yearold man found unresponsive in his hotel room after snorting the drugWe know very well the classic opiate side effects respiratory depression loss of consciousness disorientation said lead author Chris Eden now a secondyear resident in internal medicine at the Oregon Health amp Science UniversityBut we dont classically think of it causing possibly irreversible brain damage and affecting the brain as it did in this case he addedThe middleaged man was diagnosed with toxic leukoencephalopathy by fentanyl inhalation which means the substance caused inflammation and damage to the brains white matter This led to unconsciousness and also to potentially irreversible loss of brain function or possibly deathThe condition is manifest in various signs and symptoms the most obvious of which are neurological and behavioural changes ranging from mild confusion to stupor coma and deathAlthough the recovery is slow some people will recover fully while others will progressively get worseIn this case a brain scan revealed white matter inflammation swelling and injury in his cerebellum part of the brain responsible for gait and balanceThe man remained bedbound for 18 days later and was fed via a tube Doctors prescribed several different drugs to treat urinary incontinence kidney injury cognitive impairment suspected opioid withdrawal pain and agitation and pneumoniaAfter 26 days he underwent rehabilitation and after another month he returned home However outpatient physiotherapy and occupational therapy continuedThe study reported that it took him almost a year to fully recover and return to work fulltime IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/study-shows-inhaling-fentanyl-may-lead-to-irreversible-brain-damage-537801.html Tue, 30 Apr 2024 11:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/fir-against-youtube-channel-in-punjab-for-defaming-raghav-chadha-537470.html Chandigarh April 29 Punjab Police have registered a First Information Report FIR against a YouTube channel for allegedly equating Aam Aadmi Party AAP MP Raghav Chadha with fugitive Vijay Mallya The FIR against the YouTube channel Capital TV was filed on the complaint of Vikas Prashar son of AAP candidate from the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat Ashok Pappi Prashar The complainant accused the channel of using defamatory and misleading contentThe statementscontents of false videos on Capital TV channel and others shall harm the public peace and harmonyand is likely to promote enmity between different groups in the country on grounds of religion caste race and community reads the complaintAs per the FIR the channel made claims that Vijay Mallya fled to the UK after taking public money and similarly a Rajya Sabha member left for England claiming it was for eye treatment IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/fir-against-youtube-channel-in-punjab-for-defaming-raghav-chadha-537470.html Mon, 29 Apr 2024 10:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tn-to-prevent-recurrence-of-mishaps-and-death-stringent-regulations-for-fireworks-industry-537392.html Chennai April 28 As accidents and deaths due to firecracker mishaps become regular the Tamil Nadu government is planning to bring in stringent measures to curb this The state government will make it mandatory that those who work in the fireworks factories and handle mixing and filing colour pellets are certified after proper training The report also suggests that stringent action will be taken against those factories and employers who employ workers without certificationThe firecracker industry of Tamil Nadu has an annual turnover of Rs 6000 crore and leads the industry in the countryA committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal comprising officials of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board Central Pollution Control Board and officials from the state Environment Department as well as Virudhunagar district have given its reportThe report also said that as there are no proper courses in Pyrotechnics in India experts from abroad be roped in for training those working in sensitive areas of making firecrackersThe committee in its report also said that the repeated and regular mishaps in fireworks industries are due to lack of monitoring and implementation mechanismsThe report also suggested creating greater awareness among the community and using the CSR funds of companies to educate the local people on fireworks and the intricacies involved in it including packing themThe committee has also recommended reinforced cement concrete RCC walls and weak roofs in the fireworks factories instead of the present construction of weak walls and concrete roofsThis is for venting explosions vertically and to reduce the impact on nearby buildings IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tn-to-prevent-recurrence-of-mishaps-and-death-stringent-regulations-for-fireworks-industry-537392.html Sun, 28 Apr 2024 19:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iaf-chief-confers-51-air-warriors-with-presidential-awards-536996.html New Delhi April 26 The Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari conferred Presidential awards on 51 air warriors on Friday The recipients included three Yudh Seva medallists seven Vayu Sena medallists Gallantry 13 Vayu Sena medallists and 28 Vishisht Seva medallists The awards were conferred during the Air Force Investiture Ceremony held near the Param Yodha Sthal a part of the National War Memorial NWM complex in Delhi The ceremony began with the awardees paying homage to the countrys fallen heroes by laying wreaths at the Amar Chakra of the NWMThis ceremony was followed by the conferring of Presidential awards on 51 air warriors The CAS complimented each awardee for their gallant actions and distinguished service in the truest traditions of the Indian Air ForceThe IAF said this is the first time any service conducted its Investiture Ceremony at the NWM complex IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iaf-chief-confers-51-air-warriors-with-presidential-awards-536996.html Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/mizoram-once-again-grapples-with-african-swine-fever-outbreak-174-pigs-dead-536701.html Aizawl April 25 The Mizoram government has sounded a high alert after the African Swine Fever ASF struck again in the bordering state resulting in the deaths of as many as 174 pigs so far officials said on Thursday According to the officials of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary AHV Department the outbreak of the ASF has been confirmed in three districts Aizawl Champhai and SaitualAs per the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Disease in Animals Act 2009 the department has declared various villages and localities of the three districts as infected areas following the confirmation of ASF and imposed a prohibition on the export or import of pigs from infected zones of the state and other states besides the sale or slaughter of both healthy and sick pigsDead pigs must be buried with lime powder in designated areas a department notification saidMizoram Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister C Lalsawivunga held a meeting with department officials to review the situation He appealed to all concerned to adhere to the governments guidelines and directives in the fight against ASFThe ASF first hit Mizoram in 2021 and since then reports of the outbreak of ASF have been reported time and againBetween May 2023 and April 2024 the state witnessed the loss of thousands of pigs to the contagious diseaseAHV Department officials said that the outbreak of the ASF mostly occurs when the climate begins to warm up and premonsoon rains commence in the stateAt least 47269 pigs and piglets have died between 20212023 in Mizoram due to the ASF outbreak while at least 25182 pigs have been culled during the same periodThe amount of losses incurred due to the ASF outbreak in the state has been estimated to be over Rs 13220 crore affecting 19017 familiesAccording to experts the outbreak of ASF may have been caused by pigs or pork brought from neighbouring Myanmar Bangladesh and the adjoining states of the northeastThe northeast regions annual pork business is worth around Rs 8000Rs 10000 crore with Assam being the largest supplier Pork is one of the most common and popular meats consumed by both the tribals and nontribals in the northeastern region IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/mizoram-once-again-grapples-with-african-swine-fever-outbreak-174-pigs-dead-536701.html Thu, 25 Apr 2024 22:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-origin-researcher-unravels-link-between-depression-and-heart-disease-536512.html New Delhi April 25 Depression and cardiovascular disease CVD partly develop from the same gene module said a team of researchers establishing the longpresumed link between the two conditions Since the 1990s it has been speculated that the two diseases are somehow related About 280 million people worldwide have depression while 620 million people have CVDResearchers from the University of Finland used blood gene analysis to unravel the clinical link between the twoTheir result published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry showed that depression and CVD have at least one functional gene module in common The study may help identify new markers for depression and CVD as well as find drugs to target both diseasesGene module can be defined as a group of genes with similar expression patterns across different conditions and hence likely to be functionally relatedWe looked at gene expression profile in the blood of people with depression and CVD and found 256 genes in a single gene module whose expression at levels higher or lower than average puts people at greater risk of both diseases said first author Binisha H Mishra a postdoctoral researcher at Tampere University in FinlandThe team studied gene expression data in the blood of 899 women and men between 34 and 49 years oldOther genes in the shared module are involved in brain diseases such as Alzheimers Parkinsons and Huntingtons diseaseWe can use the genes in this module as biomarkers for depression and cardiovascular disease Ultimately these biomarkers may facilitate the development of dualpurpose preventative strategies for both diseases said Mishra IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-origin-researcher-unravels-link-between-depression-and-heart-disease-536512.html Thu, 25 Apr 2024 12:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/sc-orders-immediate-cleaning-of-yamuna-river-bed-in-agra-536381.html New Delhi April 24 The Supreme Court has ordered authorities to immediately clean the river bed of the Yamuna in Agra A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing the application moved by an NGO seeking directions for the restoration of the river bed to its natural state and removal of the silt sludge and garbage up to a depth of 56 metresThe Bench has asked the Centre the Uttar Pradesh government and the Agra Development Authority to file compliance affidavits by the end of June 2024The three authorities while filing the affidavits shall take a clear stand setting out the name of the authority which is under an obligation to undertake continuous work of removal of silt sludge and garbage from the bed of river Yamuna it saidThe top court said that if the authorities concerned need advice from an expert agency to ensure the cleaning of the river bed the Union government will take an appropriate decision in such a caseNeedless to add that removal of the slit sludge and garbage from the bed of river Yamuna has to be a continuous activity the SC order saidThe matter will be taken up for further hearing on July 11In its application filed before the apex court the Agra Development Foundation said that around 90 surface drains flow towards and join the River Yamuna and many of them have untreated and untapped wastewater carrying the wastewater load with solid waste sludge polythene and plastic which fall in the river and get deposited on the river bedThe Supreme Court has been passing orders from time to time to protect the Taj Mahal and other protected monuments falling within the Taj Trapezium Zone TTZ which extends to approximately 10400 square km across 6 districts namely Agra Mathura Firozabad Etah and Hathras UP and Bharatpur Rajasthan IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/sc-orders-immediate-cleaning-of-yamuna-river-bed-in-agra-536381.html Wed, 24 Apr 2024 20:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/israel-prepares-for-major-offensive-in-rafah-region-535961.html Tel Aviv April 23 The Israel Defense Forces IDF has said that it is preparing for a major offensive in the Rafah region of southern Gaza The Israel Defense Ministry sources told IANS that the IDF has prepared a road map for the evacuation of Palestinian civilians in the Rafah region of Gaza before a military offensive commencesAs per sources during the first two to three weeks the IDF would evacuate the civilian population There are around 13 million Palestinians in Rafah region with a large number of women and childrenThe civilians are likely to be moved to the adjacent city of Khan Younis which is now under Israeli control Khan Younis region was serving as the headquarters of Hamas in southern Gaza but IDF has captured the area after flushing out all the militantsThey said that the IDF would set up temporary tents for the accommodation of these civilians who will be evacuated from the Rafah regionThe IDF will then move its troops into Rafah and target areas where it believes Hamas leaders and operatives are hidingIsrael intelligence agencies have said that Hamas has four intact battalions in the Rafah region while 129 Israeli hostages taken by Hamas have also been held in the same regionThe US and other allies have requested Israel not to attack the Rafah region and also communicated to Israelis that the evacuation plan is not acceptable and that civilian casualties would mount during a military operation in Rafah IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/israel-prepares-for-major-offensive-in-rafah-region-535961.html Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/premier-testing-amp-evaluation-hub-space-inaugurated--534796.html New Delhi April 17 The Ministry of Defence on Wednesday said that it has inaugurated the Submersible Platform for Acoustic Characterisation and Evaluation SPACE at Kulamavu in Idukki Kerala on April 17 It said that the facility was inaugurated at the underwater Acoustic Research FacilityThis platform will be suitable for survey sampling and data collection of air surface midwater and reservoir floor parameters using modern scientific instrumentation the ministry saidThe SPACE set up by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory of DRDO has been designed as a premier testing and evaluation hub for sonar systems destined for the Indian Navy onboard various platforms including ships submarines and helicoptersSPACE will consist of two distinct assemblages a platform which floats on the water surface and a submersible platform which can be lowered to any depth upto 100 m using winch systems Upon completion of operations the submersible platform can be winched up and docked with the floating platform the ministry saidIt said that SPACE will mainly be utilised for evaluation of the complete sonar system allowing for quick deployment and easy recovery of scientific packages such as sensors and transducers IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/premier-testing-amp-evaluation-hub-space-inaugurated--534796.html Wed, 17 Apr 2024 21:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/25-yr-old-pushpendra-saroj-jumps-into-up-battlefield-straight-from-london-534612.html Kaushambi Uttar Pradesh April 17 After Iqra Hasan of Kairana Pushpendra Saroj is the second SP candidate who has landed from London straight into the political battlefield This young graduate from Queen Mary University of London who had started campaigning and engaging with people across society even before the formal declaration of his candidature is here to strive to avenge his father Indrajeet Sarojs defeat here during the 2019 pollsAged just a month over 25 Pushpendra Saroj has entered the political fray as a Samajwadi Party candidate from the Kaushambi parliamentary seatHe is the son of a fivetime MLA and a former UP cabinet minister Inderjit SarojPushpendra who completed his schooling at Welham Boys School in Dehradun before heading to London to earn his BSc in Accounting and Management says The biggest issues facing the youngsters and the people in general today are unemployment and inflation and youths participation in politics is a must to resolve these problems effectively I am committed to raising these issues effectively in the Parliament when electedPushpendra is a big advocate of youngsters entering the political area in service to the nationUnless young people enter politics how can they expect to bring in a change They must address their own issues and focus on areas such as water supply sanitation electricity and infrastructure development I am a firm believer in inclusivity and justice for all sections of the society as has been inculcated in me by my father who has been instrumental in shaping my political ideology he saysPushpendra asserts that politics for him is not a profession but a service to the peopleSP leaders maintain that Pushpendras candidacy is a further sign of the party favouring younger leaders who are better in tune with the aspirations and problems being faced by the youngstersThe young people in the fray reflect the partys resolve to involve the young generations in decisionmaking said an SP spokesmanThe BJP candidate in Kaushambi is sitting MP Vinod Sonkar while the BSP has named Shubh Narayan a retired police officer as its candidateKaushambhi will go to polls in the fifth phase on May 20 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/25-yr-old-pushpendra-saroj-jumps-into-up-battlefield-straight-from-london-534612.html Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/rs-25-000-fine-slapped-on-gurugram-mall-for-violating-solid-waste-management-norms-534308.html Gurugram April 15 The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram MCG has imposed a fine of Rs 25000 on Ardee Mall in Sector 52 for not complying with solid waste management rules Joint Commissioner of zone3 Vijay Yadav and Sanitation Inspector Jitender Kumar inspecting the area on Sunday found violations of the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 on the part of the mall managementAccording to the MCG officials under the rules the mall falls under the bulk waste generators category and must dispose of the waste generated from its premises at its level During the inspection it was found that neither the waste generated from the mall was being divided into different categories nor was any system found there for disposal of the waste an MCG spokesperson saidThe team imposed the Rs 25000 fine on the mall management on the spot and directed them to make arrangements for waste management as soon as possibleUnder the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 all malls residential areas industrial units institutional and commercial establishments hotels marriage palaces etc generating 50 kg or more waste per day are bulk waste generators and have to dispose of the waste at their level According to an estimate more than 50 per cent of the daily waste generated in Gurugram comes from bulk waste generatorsIf bulk waste generators fulfil their responsibilities waste management work will accelerate further and our city will become clean the MCG spokesperson said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/rs-25-000-fine-slapped-on-gurugram-mall-for-violating-solid-waste-management-norms-534308.html Mon, 15 Apr 2024 02:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-conducts-successful-trials-of-portable-anti-tank-guided-missile-weapon-system-in-rajasthan-534115.html New Delhi April 14 India has conducted successful warhead flight trials of the indigenous Man Portable Antitank Guided Missile MPATGM weapon system at the Pokhran Field Firing Range Rajasthan The missile and warhead performance was remarkable during the trial the Ministry of Defence MoD said in a statement on SundayThe MPATGM weapon system has been indigenously designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation DRDO It has been fieldevaluated in different flight configurations several times intending to prove the technology with high superiority The system consisted of the MPATGM Launcher Target Acquisition System and the Fire Control UnitAn MoD official informed that an adequate number of missile firing trials have been successfully conducted towards achieving compliance with a complete operational envelope as stipulated in the general Staff Qualitative Requirements Infantry Indian Army on SaturdayPenetration trials of the Tandem Warhead System of MPATGM have been completed and it is found capable of defeating modern armourprotected Main Battle Tank an official addedThe official further said that the ATGM system is wellequipped with day night and top attack capability Dual mode seeker functionality is a great value addition to the missile capability for tank warfare With this technology development and successful demonstration have been concluded and the system is now ready for the Final User Evaluation Trials leading towards its induction into the Indian ArmyDefence Minister Rajnath Singh has complimented the Defence Research Development Organisation and the Army for the successful trials of the system terming it as an important step towards achieving selfreliance in advanced technologybased defence system developmentDRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat also congratulated the teams associated with the trials IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-conducts-successful-trials-of-portable-anti-tank-guided-missile-weapon-system-in-rajasthan-534115.html Sun, 14 Apr 2024 16:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ladakh-apex-body-announces-protest-march-to-china-border-533943.html Srinagar April 13 Ladakh Apex Body LAB the key organisation of protesters in the Union Territory UT have again announced that its leaders will conduct a march to China border to draw attention to their demands Last week LAB had called off the border march due to imposed restrictions by the authorities aiming to avoid direct confrontation with the administrationSpeaking to the media Sonam Wangchuk a climate activist and LAB leader announced that a small group of leaders would embark on a march to Changthang traversing villages to raise awareness about problems faced by the people of the regionWangchuk highlighted concerns over the allocation of 40000 acres of land to industrialists for solar power projects further shrinking the already limited pasturing area in LadakhHe cited Union Home Minister Amit Shahs assurance that not a single inch of land was taken by China as a reason for expecting the administrations cooperation for the marchWangchuk said that the march aims to convey a message to the people in Ladakh and outside Ladakhi people are losing their homeland in the absence of any protection under Schedule Six of the ConstitutionHe added that LAB decided to continue the ongoing struggle through chain hunger strikes and protests without affecting the farming activities and tourism which has started picking up with the onset of springWhile the exact date of the protest march remains undisclosed Wangchuk assured it would happen soonLAB supported by Kargil Democratic Alliance KDA have been carrying protests for past four years IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ladakh-apex-body-announces-protest-march-to-china-border-533943.html Sat, 13 Apr 2024 17:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/as-mercury-soars-goas-lifeguard-agency-issues-advisory-to-stay-safe-on-beaches-533250.html Panaji April 9 With the India Meteorological Department IMD predicting soaring temperatures this summer Drishti Marine the stateappointed professional lifeguard agency has issued a summer advisory suggesting simple ways to stay safe while at the beach on a hot sunny day The advisories by Drishti Marine and the state authorities come at a time when tourists primarily domestic travellers have been heading to Goa with families in tow for their annual summer breakOwing to the present sea conditions it is advisable to swim between the flags marked in red and yellow as they indicate moderate surf and currents while strictly avoiding the red flag areas which indicate nonswim zones advisory readWhile the inviting blue sea offers relief during sweltering summers beachgoers should be cautious of rip currents flash currents and underwater currents before taking a dip Lifesavers stationed along the coast are trained to conduct rescues in rough sea conditions it saidAccording to Navin Awasthi chief executive officer at Drishti Marine The scorching heat can cause skin rashes sunburns and heat strokes Make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day and try to avoid being in direct sunlight between noon and 3 pm when the rays are the harshestThere are 35 lifesaver towers spread across Goa In case of any injury the beachgoers should approach a lifesaver for help as each lifesaver tower is equipped with a firstaid kit Awasthi addsEach morning lifesavers map the sea currents changes in wind patterns and underwater activity to identify safe swim zones along every beach and mark them with the red and yellow flags Unsafe zones that are at risk of underwater and rip currents are marked by red flags indicating that it is unsafe to swimWhenever possible always swim in proximity to lifesaver towers and lifesavers Twentytwo beaches across South Goa and 17 beaches across the North Goa stretch are under the watchful eye of the lifesavers It is best to visit the beach when the lifesavers are on duty between 730 am and 6 pmIf you encounter a rip current while swimming it is safest to stay afloat and alert the lifesaver on duty Lifesavers are constantly monitoring the beach and are trained to identify swimmers in distress Never swim alone If you get into trouble stick your hand in the air and shout for help the advisory further reads IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/as-mercury-soars-goas-lifeguard-agency-issues-advisory-to-stay-safe-on-beaches-533250.html Tue, 09 Apr 2024 18:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/1st-solar-eclipse-of-2024-garners-12-mn-posts-on-x-ceo-linda-yaccarino-533142.html New Delhi April 9 The first total solar eclipse of 2024 garnered a whopping 12 million posts on Xcom said CEO Linda Yaccarino on Tuesday The eclipse which swept across 15 states in the US Mexico and Canada began at 913 PM IST on Monday and continued till 222 AM IST on TuesdayConversation on the eclipse is as BRIGHT as ever Linda said in a post on XSo far 12 million posts on X totalling 300 million impressions The conversation is growing at 38 per cent every hour the post readDuring a total solar eclipse the moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth casting a shadow on the planet The Moon appears almost the same size as the Sun completely blocking the Suns visible diskEarlier Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also posted a video with the caption View of the eclipse from orbitDuring the eclipse three sounding rockets were launched by NASA before during and just after the eclipse to measure changes caused by the sudden darkness of the ionosphere the upper layer of the atmosphere associated with longdistance radio communication IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/1st-solar-eclipse-of-2024-garners-12-mn-posts-on-x-ceo-linda-yaccarino-533142.html Tue, 09 Apr 2024 11:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-headed-for-a-normal-monsoon-skymet-533178.html New Delhi April 9 India is expected to get a normal monsoon in 2024 private weather forecasting agency Skymet said on Tuesday which is good news for the countrys agricultural sector that was hit by an erratic monsoon last year Monsoon rains are expected to be 102 per cent of the longperiod average of 8686 mm for the fourmonth period from June to Sept according to SkymetThe forecasting agency said it expects sufficiently good rains in southern western and northwestern parts of the countryClose to half the countrys farm area is unirrigated and dependent on the rains for raising crops A good monsoon also ensures that the countrys water reservoirs get filled up and can be used for subsequent irrigationEl Nino is swiftly flipping over to La Nina And monsoon circulation tends to be stronger during La Nina years Jatin Singh Managing Director Skymet said in a statement IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-headed-for-a-normal-monsoon-skymet-533178.html Tue, 09 Apr 2024 14:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/as-mercury-soars-goas-lifeguard-agency-issues-advisory-to-stay-safe-on-goas-beaches-533247.html Panaji April 9 With the India Meteorological Department IMD predicting soaring temperatures this summer Drishti Marine the stateappointed professional lifeguard agency has issued a summer advisory suggesting simple ways to stay safe while at the beach on a hot sunny day The advisories by Drishti Marine and the state authorities come at a time when tourists primarily domestic travellers have been heading to Goa with families in tow for their annual summer breakOwing to the present sea conditions it is advisable to swim between the flags marked in red and yellow as they indicate moderate surf and currents while strictly avoiding the red flag areas which indicate nonswim zones advisory readWhile the inviting blue sea offers relief during sweltering summers beachgoers should be cautious of rip currents flash currents and underwater currents before taking a dip Lifesavers stationed along the coast are trained to conduct rescues in rough sea conditions it saidAccording to Navin Awasthi chief executive officer at Drishti Marine The scorching heat can cause skin rashes sunburns and heat strokes Make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day and try to avoid being in direct sunlight between noon and 3 pm when the rays are the harshestThere are 35 lifesaver towers spread across Goa In case of any injury the beachgoers should approach a lifesaver for help as each lifesaver tower is equipped with a firstaid kit Awasthi addsEach morning lifesavers map the sea currents changes in wind patterns and underwater activity to identify safe swim zones along every beach and mark them with the red and yellow flags Unsafe zones that are at risk of underwater and rip currents are marked by red flags indicating that it is unsafe to swimWhenever possible always swim in proximity to lifesaver towers and lifesavers Twentytwo beaches across South Goa and 17 beaches across the North Goa stretch are under the watchful eye of the lifesavers It is best to visit the beach when the lifesavers are on duty between 730 am and 6 pmIf you encounter a rip current while swimming it is safest to stay afloat and alert the lifesaver on duty Lifesavers are constantly monitoring the beach and are trained to identify swimmers in distress Never swim alone If you get into trouble stick your hand in the air and shout for help the advisory further reads IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/as-mercury-soars-goas-lifeguard-agency-issues-advisory-to-stay-safe-on-goas-beaches-533247.html Tue, 09 Apr 2024 17:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/musi-riverfront-draft-master-plan-to-be-ready-by-august-533073.html Hyderabad April 8 The draft master plan for the Musi riverfront development will be ready by the end of August this year an official said on Monday The 24th board meeting of Musi Riverfront Development Corporation Ltd MRDCL was held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari at the SecretariatPrincipal Secretary Municipal Administration and Urban Development Dana Kishore Hyderabad Metro Water Supply Board Managing Director Sudarshan Reddy Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ronald Ross MRDCL Managing Director Amrapali board members and other officials attended the meetingThe Chief Secretary said that the government is giving top priority to the development of Musi riverfront which will be developed on a publicprivate partnership basisShe asked the officials to identify certain projects which could be taken up to boost investor and stakeholder confidence in the project and to trigger growth in the areaShe directed the officials to come out with specific orders on the constitution of expert committeesadvisory committees She also asked to conceptualise the organisation structure for the MRDCLMRDCL MD Amrapali gave a brief overview of the entire project and said that timelines for all project components like feasibility reports DPRs of all projects identified concept master plan etc have been fixedThe draft master plan will be ready by the end of August she saidDana Kishore observed that many private players are evincing keen interest in the project The board discussed the proposal for the development of the Musi River stretch from the Osmansagar Dam downstream point to Outer Ring Road east near Gowrelli and from the Himayatsagar Dam downstream point to the confluence point at Bapughat for a length of 55 km under the first phase of the projectThe board also resolved to consider the proposal for the protection restoration and development of heritage structures around the Musi River in the city IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/musi-riverfront-draft-master-plan-to-be-ready-by-august-533073.html Mon, 08 Apr 2024 20:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ex-tamil-nadu-cm-panneerselvam-faces-triangular-contest-in-ramanathapuram-ls-seat-532842.html Chennai April 7 Former Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam will be facing a stiff challenge in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as he is locked in a triangular contest in the states Ramanathapuram Parliamentary constituency Panneerselvam is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Ramanathapuram as an Independent candidate He is being supported by the National Democratic Alliance NDA His election symbol is Jackfruit and in every public meeting he has been participating he displays the symbol and at times the jackfruit to ensure it is etched in the minds of the votersSitting MP of Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha seat Kani K Navas of the Indian Union Muslim League IUML is seeking reelection from the constituencyThe AIADMK which was an alliance partner of the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections has snapped ties with the BJPThe AIADMK has fielded P Jeyaperumal as its candidate for the Lok Sabha pollsIn the 2019 Lok Sabha elections Kani K Navas won the seat by a margin of 127122 votes defeating the BJP candidate Nainar NagendranHowever Panneerselvam contesting as an Independent candidate has boosted the overall prepoll mood in the NDA campOPS belongs to the influential Thevar community which has a sizeable presence in south Tamil Nadu including Ramanathapuram constituencyAIADMK leader P Jeyaperumal is also a popular candidate in the constituency which makes the contest a threecornered oneRamanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency has six assembly constituencies in Aranthangi Tiruchuli Paramakudi Tiruvadanai Ramanathapuram and MudukulathurWhile Aranthangi constituency is represented by the Congress Tiruchuli seat is with the DMKParamkudi seat is with the DMK while Tiruvadanai seat is represented by the CongressMudukualathur and Ramanathapuram seats are with the DMKHowever the BJP leadership said that elections to the Lok Sabha are entirely different from that of Assembly pollsSenior BJP leader and former MLA H Raja while speaking to IANS said The elections to the Lok Sabha is to decide on who rules the country and the people of Ramanathapuram knows that the NDA is supporting a top leader who is a former chief minister of Tamil NaduHe also said that the DMK government of Tamil Nadu was facing antiincumbency and that this would also reflect in the voting at RamanathapuramThe senior BJP leader claimed that for the development of Ramanathapuram constituency people would vote for O PanneerselvamAccording to political analysts Panneerselvams candidature would lead to a major shift in the AIADMK vote bank as he had been the coordinator of the party before he was expelled and several local leaders of the AIADMK had an emotional connection with himA senior AIADMK leader on the condition of anonymity told IANS Panneerselvam had helped several ordinary party workers while he was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in the capacity of an AIADMK leader Whatever the party says the workers will not forget himK Selvanathan political analyst and psephologist who has been following the southern Tamil Nadu politics for a long time told IANS Panneerselvam is making all the difference His candidature will lead to several AIADMK votes shifting to him While arithmetically the INDIA bloc candidate Kani K Navas has the advantage But elections always have big surprises in store and Panneerselvam would be giving a tough battle to the sitting MP as well as the AIADMK candidate IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ex-tamil-nadu-cm-panneerselvam-faces-triangular-contest-in-ramanathapuram-ls-seat-532842.html Sun, 07 Apr 2024 23:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/project-seabird-navy-gears-up-to-showcase-remarkable-advancements-532673.html New Delhi April 7 Marking remarkable advancements in infrastructure development and bolstering Indias maritime power the Navys Project Seabird is set to be inaugurated on April 9 it announced on Sunday The Navy shared a video on their official X handle to showcase the progress made under Project Seabird in Karwar KarnatakaThe video was captioned Save the date 09 April 2024 Witness glimpses of the transformative efforts at ProjectSeabird Karwar as IndianNavy gears up for a momentous inauguration showcasing remarkable advancements in infrastructure development bolstering the nations might and maritime powerThe video showcases the infrastructure inclusive of the naval base ships patrolling facilities and even the residential townshipThis new infrastructure is designed to hold several major warships yard crafts and submarinesDefence Minister Rajnath Singh had inaugurated several naval infrastructural projects in Karwar last month IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/project-seabird-navy-gears-up-to-showcase-remarkable-advancements-532673.html Sun, 07 Apr 2024 13:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/doctors-caution-on-heat-related-illness-as-mercury-set-to-reach-40-degrees-celsius-532592.html New Delhi April 6 As mercury is set to reach 40 degrees Celsius doctors on Saturday advised caution on heatrelated illness The Indian Meteorological Department IMD on Saturday predicted a possibility of the temperatures rising to 39 degrees Celsius in the coming week in the national capital Various parts of the country including Bihar Odisha Maharashtra and Kerala are already facing severe heat levelsBe cautious Watch for symptoms like dizziness disorientation or warm wet skin These could indicate cardiovascular distress from extreme heat Pankaj Chaudhary Senior Consultant Internal Medicine Max Hospital Vaishali told IANSRemember heat can be deadly especially for vulnerable populations Lets prioritise our wellbeing and adapt to these changing climate conditions he addedEarly this week the Health Ministry held a review meeting on public health preparedness for heatrelated illnesses in the countryTimely advance and wide awareness among people on preventive measures will hugely support in reducing the severe impact of such heat waves said Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya who chaired the meetingStay cool stay safe Remember a little precaution goes a long way in keeping heatrelated illnesses at bay said the Health Ministry issuing heatwave guidelines on XcomMeanwhile the doctors stressed to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids even if one is not thirsty and to opt for water or nonalcoholic decaffeinated beveragesAs summer brings the threat of heatwaves its vital to protect yourself Hydration is paramount carry a water bottle when outdoors to regulate body temperature and prevent heatrelated illnesses Mohan Kumar Singh Senior Consultant Internal Medicine Marengo Asia Hospital Gurugram told IANSRemember dehydration poses serious risks so drink water regularly to stay hydrated and maintain your wellbeing By prioritising hydration and taking precautions against excessive sun exposure you can stay safe and comfortable during hot weather conditions he addedThe doctors also advised to wear sunscreen wear hats and stay in the shade to minimise sun exposure avoid strenuous exercise during peak heat hours and wear loose lightweight and lightcoloured clothing to stay comfortable IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/doctors-caution-on-heat-related-illness-as-mercury-set-to-reach-40-degrees-celsius-532592.html Sat, 06 Apr 2024 13:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tgana-former-dcp-taken-ill-during-questioning-in-phone-tapping-case-532522.html Hyderabad April 5 Former Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Task Force Radha Kishan Rao was taken ill on Friday during questioning by the police in the phone tapping case On the second day of his questioning at Banjara Hills police station the former officials blood pressure shot up The police then called doctors for a checkupThe police on Thursday had taken in custody Kishan Rao after a city court remanded him to police custody for seven daysKishan Rao who worked as Officer on Special Duty OSD in Task Force after superannuation is being questioned about his alleged involvement in the illegal surveillance of individuals and disappearance of evidence pertaining to the surveillanceHe is also accused of facilitating illegal transport of cash at the behest of Bharat Rashtra Samithi BRS during November 2023 Assembly electionsRadha Kishan Rao has been named the fourth accused in the case which came to light last month causing a stir in political circlesKishan Rao was arrested on March 28 The next day Nampally court sent him to judicial custody for 14 daysThere are allegations that Special Operations Team SOT was created in the Special Intelligence Branch SIB for surveillance of rival political leaders and their families and dissidents within the ruling partyFormer SIB chief Prabhakar Rao allegedly created the SOT with his trusted aides including DSP D Praneeth Rao the first police officer to be arrested in the case last monthPrabhakar Rao considered close to then Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao resigned as SIB chief after the Congress party came to powerPolice have issued a lookout notice for Prabhakar Rao who is said to be abroadAccording to the remand report the Task Force seized Rs 70 lakh belonging to Anand Prasad the TDP candidate from Serilingampally constituency during the December 2018 elections after SOT shared information with Radha Kishan RaoOn Praneeths inputs the team also seized Rs 1 crore during the 2020 Dubbaka byelection The money belonged to a chit fund company in Siddipet associated with relatives and associates of BJP candidate M Raghunandan RaoSimilarly during Munugode byelection in October 2022 Rs 35 crore of BJP candidate Komatireddy Raja Gopal Reddy was intercepted and seizedTwo other police officers N Bhujanga Rao and M Tirupatanna were on Tuesday remanded to judicial custody till April 6 The two officers were produced in the court after their fiveday police custody came to an end on TuesdayBhujanga Rao Additional Superintendent of Police in Bhupalpally district and Tirupathanna Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police City Security Wing Hyderabad City Police were arrested on March 23 They had earlier served in SIB IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tgana-former-dcp-taken-ill-during-questioning-in-phone-tapping-case-532522.html Fri, 05 Apr 2024 18:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ugc-launches-training-programme-to-improve-work-culture-at-central-universities-532320.html New Delhi 4 April To improve the work culture and ecosystem in the central universities specialised training will be provided to the staff members of all 45 such universities in the country Accordingly the University Grants Commission UGC on Thursday launched a capacitybuilding training programme in collaboration with the Capacity Building Commission CBC The UGC aims to train at least 5000 employees from all the Central universities in the first phaseUGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar told IANS that the training will cover topics such as understanding the psychology of workflow utilising technology in the workflow grasping the higher education ecosystem managing academics handling establishment matters managing finances and project managementThe UGC has requested the nonteaching staff members in the central universities to finish courses in the above areas available on the iGOT Mission Karmayogi platform within four months The employees will also get certificates after completing the coursesThe Government of India established the CBC to improve standardisation and coordination across various civil services in the countryThe CBC operates under the Mission Karmayogi of the Department of Personnel and Training DOPT with its primary focus on enhancing government employees skills knowledge and abilities This initiative aims to ensure that civil servants are wellequipped to provide highquality public services in todays rapidly changing worldThe UGC recognises the importance of capacity building in promoting professional development improving organisational efficiency and fostering innovation within the higher education sectorIn 2023 UGC joined hands with the CBC team and conducted assessments to identify the specific capacity needs of the UGC employees These needs were classified into behavioural functional and domain competencies Based on these assessments training programmes were designed to address the competency gaps and facilitate longterm capacity building tailored to the roles and responsibilities of the UGC staff IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ugc-launches-training-programme-to-improve-work-culture-at-central-universities-532320.html Thu, 04 Apr 2024 20:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tiger-triumph-24-india-us-conduct-hadr-exercise-in-andhra-531280.html Hyderabad March 30 India and the US conducted a bilateral triservice Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief HADR exercise on Kakinada beach in Andhra Pradesh on Friday as part of Tiger Triumph 24 This exercise aimed at enhancing readiness and cooperation between the two forces is part of the ongoing partnership between India and the US according to a statement from the US Consulate here on SaturdayTeams from the two countries cooperated to perform an amphibious landing and erected a field hospital and a camp for displaced persons as part of the exercise which anticipates the two countries cooperating after a natural disaster The exercise improved interoperability for conducting HADR operations and refined Standard Operating Procedures SOPs to enable rapid and smooth coordination between the armed forces of both countriesIndian Navy ships with helicopters and landing craft Indian Navy aircraft Indian Army personnel and vehicles Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopters along with the Rapid Action Medical Teams participated from the Indian side The US was represented by US Navy ships with embarked troops of the US Marine Corps and US Army Landing craft hovercraft and helicopters from the US Navy provided support The Humanitarian Assistance Exercise on was witnessed by Jennifer Larson Consul General US Consulate General Hyderabad Rear Admiral Joaquin J Martinez de Pinillos Reserve Vice Commander US Seventh Fleet Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankar Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet and Major General Akhilesh Kumar Major General Akhilesh Kumar General Officer Commanding of 54 Infantry DivisionThe defence relationship between India and the United States has grown immensely during recent years This is the third Tiger Triumph Exercise but the current one is magnitude larger and more complex compared to the first two said Rear Admiral Martinez Operations like Tiger Triumph build trust and confidence in our ability to work together and to respond as an integrated joint force to deal with realworld crisis he saidI am confident that both the countries benefited from this exercise Tiger Triumph 2024 has added value towards improving capabilities capacities processes and procedures to save human lives and to undertake coordinated relief activities during HADR operations Rear Admiral Rajesh Dhankar saidIts inspiring to see our close partnership and cooperation in action Unforgettable experience tweeted Consul General Jennifer LarsonThe Tiger Triumph 2024 Exercise began in Visakhapatnam on March 18 and it will conclude on March 31 Amphibious transport ships the INS Jalashwa of the Indian Navy and the USS Somerset of the US Navy along with other vessels including the USS Halsey the INS Airavat and the INS Kesari are participating in the Tiger Triumph Exercise IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tiger-triumph-24-india-us-conduct-hadr-exercise-in-andhra-531280.html Sat, 30 Mar 2024 21:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/jammu-srinagar-national-highway-blocked-due-to-shooting-stones-531163.html Srinagar March 30 The JammuSrinagar National Highway was blocked on Saturday due to shooting stones in Ramban district triggered by incessant rains Traffic department officials said that due to shooting stones in Ramban district traffic on JammuSrinagar National Highway has been stoppedIntending travellers are advised to contact traffic control rooms in Srinagar or Jammu before undertaking the journey the officials saidThe nearly 300Km long road is the lifeline of supplies for the landlocked Valley as all essentials of life are brought into the Valley through this highwayThe stretch of this highway between Banihal and Ramban town is the most vulnerable portion as landslides shooting stones caving problems etc often result in blockade of the highway IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/jammu-srinagar-national-highway-blocked-due-to-shooting-stones-531163.html Sat, 30 Mar 2024 14:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/army-commanders-conference-to-start-on-march-28-in-delhi-530781.html New Delhi Match 27 Army Commanders Conference will start on March 28 in Delhi The hybridmode conference will be held virtually on March 28 and thereafter will be conducted physically in New Delhi on April 1st and 2nd Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also address and interact with senior military leadership during the conferenceOn March 28 the conference will be chaired by the Chief of the Army Staff COAS General Manoj Pande at New Delhi with Army Commanders participating in virtual mode from their respective Command HeadquartersOn April 1 the Armys top leadership will engage in intensive brainstorming sessions The sessions will be aimed at enhancing operational effectiveness the importance of fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability and investing in training and development programmes to ensure readiness for future challengesThis will be followed by a meeting of the Investment Advisory Committee of the Army Group Insurance chaired by the COAS and attended by several experts in the field of financial managementOn April 2 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will deliver a keynote address The senior hierarchy of the Army will also be addressed by the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar and the Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR ChaudhariThe event will also be attended by the Defence Secretary and other senior officials from the Ministry of DefenceThe Army Commanders Conference with its wide scope ensures the Indian Army remains progressive forwardlooking adaptive and futureready IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/army-commanders-conference-to-start-on-march-28-in-delhi-530781.html Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/uk-royal-navy-vessels-arrive-in-chennai-on-landmark-visit-to-undergo-maintenance-530619.html New Delhi March 27 The UKs Littoral Response Group LRG arrived in Chennai on Tuesday as the first engagement of its deployment to the Indian Pacific region The Royal Fleet Auxiliary RFA Argus and RFA Lyme Bay conducted maritime exercises with the Indian Navy as they entered the Arabian Sea and will now undergo essential maintenance at the Larsen amp Toubro shipyard in Kattupalli near Chennai the British High Commission saidThis is the first time a Royal Navy vessel will undergo maintenance at an Indian shipyard a direct result of the logisticssharing agreement signed between the UK and India in 2022British High Commissions Defence Advisor Brigadier Nick Sawyer said The visit of the Littoral Response Group attests to the UKs capability and commitment to the IndoPacific The sight of Royal Navy ships undergoing essential maintenance at an Indian shipyard is yet another example of the IndiaUK Logistic Exchange Memorandum of Agreement in practiceIt also signals the continued growing importance of the strategic defence partnership between the UK and India as we build towards achieving the ambition set out in the IndiaUK 2030 RoadmapFollowing the completion of its maintenance in India the LRG will operate in the IndoPacific to conduct training exercises and wider engagement with allies and partnersThe UK and India committed to continue strengthening ties during the visit of Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to the UK in January this year In the same month the UK launched Defence PartnershipIndia a bespoke office designed to further defence collaboration between the two countries This includes sending the UKs Littoral Response Group South to India for joint exercises and use of the Indian dockyard at Chennai for essential maintenanceThe UK has also announced plans for the Carrier Strike Group 2025 to visit the IndoPacific which includes the intent to operate and train with the Indian Armed ForcesThe logisticssharing agreement between the UK and India allows for the provision of logistic support supplies and services between the UK and Indian Armed Forces for joint training joint exercises authorised port visits and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief HADR operationsIn the coming years the UK and India will also embark on more complex exercises between their respective militaries building up to a landmark joint exercise to be conducted before the end of 2030 supporting shared goals of protecting critical trade routes and upholding the international rulesbased system IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/uk-royal-navy-vessels-arrive-in-chennai-on-landmark-visit-to-undergo-maintenance-530619.html Wed, 27 Mar 2024 01:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/clinical-trials-of-tb-vaccine-mtbvac-begin-in-india-530067.html Hyderabad March 24 The clinical trials of MTBVAC the Spanish tuberculosis vaccine began among adults in India The trials of the first live attenuated vaccine of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from a human are being carried out by Bharat Biotech in close collaboration with Biofabri a Spanish biopharmaceutical companyTrials to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of MTBVAC have started with a pivotal safety immunogenicity and efficacy trial planned to start in 2025 the companies said in a joint statement on SundayAfter more than three decades of research it is a giant step to test in adults and adolescents in the country where 28 of the worlds TB cases accumulate said Esteban Rodriguez CEO of BiofabriThe only vaccine in use today BCG Bacillus Calmette and Guérin is an attenuated variant of the bovine TB pathogen It is more than 100 years old and has a very limited effect on pulmonary tuberculosis which is responsible for the transmission of the disease The companies hope that the new vaccine will be a milestone in global vaccinology and called it an example of publicprivate national and international collaborationOur quest for a more effective vaccine against Tuberculosis received a big boost today with clinical trials in India Our goal to develop TB vaccines to prevent disease in adults and adolescents has taken a big step today We are honoured to partner with BioFabri Dr Esteban Rodriguez and Dr Carlos Martin in this noble effort to reinvent TB vaccines said Krishna Ella Executive Chairman Bharat BiotechAfter the completion of a Phase2 dose finding trial the MTBVAC vaccine a doubleblind controlled Phase3 clinical trial in newborns started in 2023 comparing the vaccine with the current BCG vaccine 7000 newborns from South Africa 60 from Madagascar and 60 from Senegal will be vaccinated To date more than 1900 babies have been vaccinatedThe aim is to assess the immunogenicity and efficacy of MTBVAC which is administered intradermally to infants on the first day of lifeHealth restrictions imposed during the COVID19 pandemic led to an increase in infections and a decrease in diagnosis and treatment As a result annual TB deaths have risen to over 16 millionThis Phase3 neonatal project partially funded by the European Union through its EDCTP European amp Development Countries Clinical Trial Partnership programme is being coordinated by Biofabri as part of a consortiumAfter completing a dose escalation trial in HIV uninfected adults a Phase2 study in HIV infected adults has started in 2024 to determine whether MTBVAC is safe in this population This ongoing trial at 16 sites in South Africa involving the vaccination of 276 adults is evaluating safety and immunogenicity in HIVnegative and HIVpositive adults and adolescents vaccinated with MTBVAC IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/clinical-trials-of-tb-vaccine-mtbvac-begin-in-india-530067.html Sun, 24 Mar 2024 15:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/how-neurodevelopmental-treatment-is-helping-kids-with-down-syndrome-529740.html New Delhi March 21 Neurodevelopmental treatment is a holistic approach to helping children suffering from Down syndrome said an expert on World Down Syndrome Day on Thursday World Down Syndrome Day is observed every year on March 21 to raise awareness about the genetic conditionThe theme this year End The Stereotypes urges people to integrate people with the condition and not discriminate against themThe genetic disorder occurs when all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21 is present in the DNA Approximately one in every thousand children is born with Down syndrome In India it reportedly affects about 3000035000 childrenMohini MPT in neurology paediatric physiotherapist at Artemis Special Children Centre Gurugram told IANS that neurodevelopmental treatment NDT is an advanced intervention to address motor skills coordination and overall physical development for kids with Down syndromeIt involves individualised treatment plans incorporating technology such as virtual or interactive apps multidisciplinary collaboration early intervention and familycentred approach which contribute to better outcomes increased independence and enhanced quality of life for individuals with Downs syndrome she saidStudies have shown that light regular exercise can help improve the cognitive as well as physical health of those suffering from Down syndrome suggested a studyNDT as a holistic approach emphasises individualised therapeutic handling based on movement analysis for achievements of development milestones with patients of Downs syndrome Mohini addedReflecting on a case of a Down syndrome child from Kashmir she noted that with only three sessions of 45 minutes the child showed improvements in his head and trunk control which improved her sitting and also initiated crawlingAdvanced NDT techniques may also incorporate strategies to enhance cognitive and socialemotional development the doctor said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/how-neurodevelopmental-treatment-is-helping-kids-with-down-syndrome-529740.html Thu, 21 Mar 2024 12:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/saffron-infuses-the-colours-of-holi-in-up-529772.html Lucknow March 21 Pokemon Doraemon Chhota Bheem and Barbie are no longer on the shelves They have been replaced with sprinklers shaped like bulldozers and a double engine one that has two train bogies to hold the colour Almost every second sprinkler has a Modi and Yogi sticker and these are known as Modi pichkari and Yogi pichkariBesides there are masks of these two leaders that are recording brisk sales in the marketIt is abundantly clear that this Holi is infused with the saffron colour and sends out a clear political message as wellThere is a huge demand for saffron gulal this year instead of the red and yellow that once used to be top favourites We have colour bombs known as Modi bomb that explodes into three distinct colours when it hits the ground We also have sprinklers shaped like LPG cylinders said Yogesh Kumar who has set up a shop selling Holi colours in AminabadApart from sprinklers Ram temple shaped hampers are also selling at a premiumA replica of the Ram temple opens up from the top and carries five gujiyas a small sprinkler gulal water colours and tiny packets of savouries along with a small idol of Lord Ram and a copy of Hanuman Chalisa It is priced at Rs 1500This is being mainly bought for gifting and attracts customers who want to convey their good wishes along with the Lord Rams blessings Vishal the salesman of a prominent sweet shop in Lucknow IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/saffron-infuses-the-colours-of-holi-in-up-529772.html Thu, 21 Mar 2024 13:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-successfully-test-fires-indigenous-1500-hp-engine-for-main-battle-tanks-529674.html New Delhi 20 March The Ministry of Defence on Wednesday said that it has successfully testfired the first indigenous 1500 Horsepower HP engine for Main Battle Tanks at BEMLs Engine division in Mysuru complex The MoD said that the first testfiring of the 1500 HP engine signifies the completion of Generation One focusing on technology stabilisation Generation Two will see BEML producing engines for various trials at Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment a DRDO laboratory and their integration into actual vehicles for user testingThe project is slated for completion by mid2025The 1500 HP engine represents a paradigm shift in military propulsion systems possessing cuttingedge features such as high powertoweight ratio and operability in extreme conditions including high altitudes subzero temperatures and desert environments Equipped with advanced technologies the engine stands on par with the most advanced engines globallyInaugurating the Test Cell the Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane described the achievement as a transformative moment which will enhance the capabilities of the Armed ForcesCMD of BEML Shantanu Roy stated that the accomplishment solidifies BEMLs position as a key contributor to defence production in the country underscoring its commitment to serving the nations needs in this critical sectorThe Defence Secretary also inaugurated the Wall of Fame to recognise the extraordinary efforts of the BEML teamHe said it symbolises their contribution towards advancing the defence capabilities of the country and achieving milestones in indigenous technological innovation IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-successfully-test-fires-indigenous-1500-hp-engine-for-main-battle-tanks-529674.html Wed, 20 Mar 2024 19:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/robust-recycling-of-increasing-solar-waste-critical-for-indias-energy-security-ceew-529625.html New Delhi March 20 As India expands its renewable capacity to go netzero cumulative waste from its existing and new solar energy capacity deployed between FY24 and FY30 could reach up to 600 kilotonnes by 2030 equivalent to filling up 720 Olympicsize swimming pools a new study by the Council on Energy Environment and Water CEEW released on Wednesday said Most of this waste will come from five states Rajasthan Gujarat Karnataka Andhra Pradesh and Tamil NaduThe waste from Indias current installed solar capacity alone will increase to 340 kilotonnes by 2030 containing about 10 kilotonnes of silicon 1218 tonnes of silver and 16 tonnes of cadmium and tellurium the majority of which are critical minerals for IndiaThe study found that the rest of the 260 kilotonnes of waste will come from new capacity that will be deployed in this decade This is an opportunity for India to emerge as a leading hub of circular economy for the solar industry and ensure resilient solar supply chainsIndia plans to amass around 292 GW of solar capacity by 2030 making solar PV waste management crucial for environmental economic and social reasonsThe CEEW study Enabling a Circular Economy in Indias Solar Industry Assessing the Solar Waste Quantum for the first time estimates Indiaspecific solar waste generation from various streams excluding manufacturingThis information is crucial for creating datadriven waste management policies India is already implementing several measures to tackle the waste Last year the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change MoEFCC issued Ewaste Management Rules 2022 that shall govern the management of solar PV cells and modules waste in India These rules mandate the producers of solar cells and modules to manage their waste under the extended producer responsibility EPR frameworkArunabha Ghosh CEO CEEW said India must proactively address solar waste not just as an environmental imperative but as a strategic necessity for ensuring energy security and building a circular economyAs we witness the remarkable growth of solar from only 4 GW in March 2015 to 73 GW in December 2023 robust recycling mechanisms become increasingly crucial They safeguard renewable ecosystems create green jobs enhance mineral security foster innovation and build resilient circular supply chainsNeeraj Kuldeep Senior Programme Lead CEEW said Indias G20 Presidency had identified a circular economy as a thrust area for sustainable development A circular solar industry and responsible waste management will maximise resource efficiency and make domestic supply chains resilientThe CEEW study provides robust evidence of the opportunity in solar waste management However solar recycling technologies and the industry are still at a nascent stage and require policy push and supportWhile the design life of the solar modules is currently 25 years some witness an early end of life due to factors such as damage during transportation module handling and project operationsThe CEEW study recommends that the Indian solar industry prepare for these new responsibilities by arranging reverse logistics storage dismantling centres and recycling facilities The industry should also explore innovative financing mechanisms and business models for solar waste management IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/robust-recycling-of-increasing-solar-waste-critical-for-indias-energy-security-ceew-529625.html Wed, 20 Mar 2024 15:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/no-drinking-water-problem-in-telangana-says-government-529503.html Hyderabad March 19 The Telangana government on Tuesday clarified that there is no problem with drinking water supply during the current summer season as there is enough water in the reservoirs of the state Chief Secretary Santhi Kumaris statement came amid media reports of drinking water scarcity in parts of the state especially in north TelanganaDuring a review meeting with the officials on the situation of drinking water supply in the state the Chief Secretary directed that repairs be carried out on a war footing and that the supply of drinking water should be continued She clarified that sufficient water is being supplied in Greater Hyderabad and if anyone requests additional water tankers they are also being providedShe stated that there is no need to worry about fresh water supply The availability of water in all the reservoirs of the state and the measures taken for the supply of drinking water in the summer season were reviewed with the secretaries during the meetingPrincipal Secretary Municipal Department Dana Kishore Principal Secretary Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Sandeep Sultania Secretary Irrigation Rahul Bojja Panchayat Raj Commissioner Anita Ramachandran GHMC Commissioner Ronald Rose Municipal Department Director Divya Mission Bhagirathas NC Krupakar Reddy and other officers participated in this review meetingThe Chief Secretary also directed the officials to successfully conduct the Class 10 exams in the same spirit exhibited during the recently concluded intermediate exams She held a teleconference with the district Collectors on the conduct of the examinations and said that the rest of the exams should also be conducted without any problemsElectronic devices and mobile phones are not allowed in the examination centres under any circumstances She said that Section 144 has been imposed at the examination centres and at least one constable or home guard has been appointed at each centre She asked the officials to make proper arrangements while taking the examination papers back to the post officesThe Education Department and police officials should work in proper coordination in this regard she addedDGP Ravi Gupta Principal Secretary Education Burra Venkatesham and Education Departments Commissioner Devasena participated in this teleconference IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/no-drinking-water-problem-in-telangana-says-government-529503.html Tue, 19 Mar 2024 20:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/hundreds-stranded-in-australia-as-cyclone-evacuations-suspended-529347.html Canberra March 19 Hundreds of residents of remote northern Australia have been left stranded after Tropical Cyclone Megan forced the suspension of evacuation efforts Tropical Cyclone Megan made landfall in the northeast of Australias Northern Territory NT on Monday afternoon as a category 3 storm bringing with it wind speeds of up to 200 km per hour and heavy rainfall Xinhua news agency reportedEarlier on Monday air evacuations from nearby towns being led by the Australian Defence Force ADF were suspended due to deteriorating weather conditionsEvacuation efforts which focused on the town of Borroloola nearly 50 km inland from where the cyclone made landfall and more than 700 km southeast of Darwin began on Monday morning but were called off because Royal Australian Air Force RAAF aircraft were unable to land safelyIt left 700 people trapped in the region as the cyclone approaches with power cut off and residents urged to conserve batteriesSpeaking at a press conference on Monday NTs Chief Minister Eva Lawler said there were up to 71 buildings in Borroloola rated to withstand a category 3 cyclone that remaining residents could shelter in including the police station health centre and homesWere working with the local emergency management team to keep the community safe she addedThere are enough buildings in Borroloola that are rated to withstand a category 3 cyclone to keep the community safeThe Bureau of Meteorology BoM has issued flood warnings across the northeast of the NT with up to 300 mm of rain expected but has said that largescale destruction is unlikely IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/hundreds-stranded-in-australia-as-cyclone-evacuations-suspended-529347.html Tue, 19 Mar 2024 06:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tiger-triumph-24-bilateral-exercise-between-india-us-commences-529280.html New Delhi March 18 A bilateral triService Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief HADR exercise between India and the US Tiger Triumph24 commenced on Monday a Navy official said The Tiger Triumph24 exercise will continue on the Eastern Seaboard till March 31 The officials said that the Indian Navy Ships with integral helicopters and landing crafts embarked Indian Navy aircraft Indian Army personnel and vehicles and Indian Air Force aircraft and helicopters along with the Rapid Action Medical Team RAMT will participate in the exercise The US would be represented by US Navy Ships with embarked troops of the US Marine Corps and US Army The exercise is aimed at developing interoperability for conducting HADR operations and refine the Standard Operating Procedures SOPs to enable rapid and smooth coordination between forces of both countriesThe Harbour Phase is scheduled from 18 to 25 March Personnel from both navies would participate in Training Visits Subject Matter Expert Exchanges Sports Events and Social interactions On completion of the Harbour Phase the ships with the troops embarked would sail for the Sea Phase and undertake Maritime Amphibious and HADR operations in accordance with injected situations the navy said The Navy said that the joint exercise is being organised in consonance with the established partnership between India and the US The Joint exercise would culminate with a closing ceremony on completion of the sea phase IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tiger-triumph-24-bilateral-exercise-between-india-us-commences-529280.html Mon, 18 Mar 2024 17:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iaf-aircraft-lands-at-bhopals-raja-bhoj-airport-due-to-engine-malfunction-529289.html New Delhi March 18 A twinengine Indian Air Force IAF aircraft on Monday made a precautionary landing at Bhopals Raja Bhoj International Airport after suffering an engine malfunction an official said Following an inflight indication of engine malfunction an IAF Avro aircraft had carried out a precautionary landing at the Bhopal civil airport Further analysis revealed the need for an engine change onsite an IAF official saidAccording to the official the onground assistance was provided by the IAF and Indian Army technicians IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iaf-aircraft-lands-at-bhopals-raja-bhoj-airport-due-to-engine-malfunction-529289.html Mon, 18 Mar 2024 18:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/us-defence-secretary-lauds-indian-navys-role-in-anti-piracy-operations-529300.html New Delhi March 18 The US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin has appreciated the important role being played by the Indian Navy in conducting antipiracy operations in the Indian Ocean region He appreciated the Navy while having a discussion with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the phone on Monday Both ministers briefly discussed a range of bilateral regional security and defence cooperation issuesAccording to the Ministry of Defence they reviewed the recent bilateral events such as the INDUSX Summit held in New Delhi in February 2024 and the bilateral TriService exercise Tiger Triumph which has also commenced in India on March 18 2024The two Ministers discussed ways and means to implement the IndiaUS Defence Cooperation Roadmap which was concluded last year Other defence industrial cooperation issues such as repair of US naval ships in Indian shipyards were also briefly discussedBoth had last met in New Delhi in November 2023 during the IndiaUS Ministerial 22 Dialogue IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/us-defence-secretary-lauds-indian-navys-role-in-anti-piracy-operations-529300.html Mon, 18 Mar 2024 19:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/chaddi-gang-loots-rs-785-lakh-from-school-in-hyderabad-529143.html Hyderabad March 17 The notorious Chaddi Gang struck in Hyderabad looting Rs 785 lakh cash from a private school at Hafeezpet The theft was committed on Sunday night at the World One School under the limits of Miyapur Police Station of the Cyberabad Police CommissionerateThe crime was recorded on CCTV cameras The footage shows two masked offenders wearing underwear and gloves breaking into the school and searching a table for valuablesThe police took up the investigation after the school management lodged a complaint on SundayMembers of the Chaddi Gang keep resurfacing in different areas especially on the outskirts In August last year the gang was spotted at a gated community in Madhapur The gang was also found active on the outskirts of Tirupati in neighbouring Andhra PradeshPolice believe that Chaddi Gang members hail from other states They often target locked houses and commercial buildings on the outskirts of towns and cities IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/chaddi-gang-loots-rs-785-lakh-from-school-in-hyderabad-529143.html Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/jampk-authorities-expect-record-breaking-voter-participation-in-ls-polls-528915.html Srinagar March 16 Authorities on Saturday said that they expect recordbreaking voter participation in upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the Kashmir Valley V K Bidhuri Divisional Commissioner Kashmir said that all preparations have been met while a recordbreaking voter percentage in upcoming elections is expected The ECI delegation which recently concluded its JampK visit also expressed their satisfaction with regard to the preparationsOnce any directive is received the elections will be conducted in a free and fair manner the Divisional Commissioner said Talking about the security of candidates he said that candidates will be provided due security as recordbreaking voter turnout in the upcoming elections is expected IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/jampk-authorities-expect-record-breaking-voter-participation-in-ls-polls-528915.html Sat, 16 Mar 2024 15:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ls-polls-nearly-25-lakh-voters-will-cast-votes-in-gurugram-528825.html Gurugram March 16 The Gurugram administration revealed on Friday that more than 2494 lakh people from Gurugram Rewari and Mewat regions will be eligible to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer Nishant Kumar Yadav said that a total of 2407 polling stations have been created in the Gurugram Lok Sabha constituency Of these 989 are in urban areas and 1418 are rural polling boothsGurugram Lok Sabha constituency includes nine assembly seats of Gurugram Rewari and Mewat regions which include Bawal Rewari Pataudi Badshahpur Gurugram Sohna Nuh Firozpur Jhirka and Punhana areasYadav said that around 224458 voters are in Bawal assembly constituency 246801 in Rewari assembly constituency 245787 in Pataudi assembly constituency 462765 in the Badshahpur constituency 45814 in the Gurugram assembly constituency and 270259 voters are in the Sohna assembly constituencyApart from this there are 20310 voters in the Nuh assembly constituency 238 807 voters in the Firozpur Jhirka and 109943 voters in the Punhana assembly constituencyOf these 989 polling booths are located in urban areas and 1418 booths are located in rural areas In these auxiliary polling stations will also be built at polling stations with more than 1500 voters Yadav saidMeanwhile in Bawal assembly constituency 10 booths are in urban areas and 247 booths are in rural areas There are 257 polling booths here in Bawal There are 250 polling stations in Rewari assembly seat including 117 urban and 133 rural polling boothsSimilarly there are 247 polling booths including 26 urban and 221 rural booths in Pataudi 428 including 379 urban and 49 rural polling booths in Badshahpur and 351 urban polling booths in GurugramLikewise there are 244 polling booths including 59 urban and 185 rural in Sohna 193 including 11 urban and 182 rural polling booths in Nuh 242 including 20 urban and 222 rural polling booths in Firozpur Jhirka and a total of 242 polling booths including 16 urban and 179 rural in Punhana assembly constituency IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ls-polls-nearly-25-lakh-voters-will-cast-votes-in-gurugram-528825.html Sat, 16 Mar 2024 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-navy-rescues-bangladeshi-nationals-held-hostages-by-pirates-528731.html New Delhi March 15 Indian Navy on Friday said that it has rescued Bangladeshi nationals held hostage by the pirates The Navy said that MV Abdullah a Bangladeshiflagged vessel was en route to the United Arab Emirates from Mozambique which was hijacked by piratesTo rescue the hijacked vessel the Indian Navys Mission Deployed warship and a Long Range Maritime Patrol LRMP were deployed It located the hijacked vessel on March 14 the Navy saidAn official said that the safety of the MVs crew all Bangladesh nationals held hostage by the armed pirates was ascertainedIndian Navy warship continued to maintain in close vicinity of the MV till its arrival in the territorial waters of Somalia a statement noted IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-navy-rescues-bangladeshi-nationals-held-hostages-by-pirates-528731.html Fri, 15 Mar 2024 18:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/former-navy-chief-admiral-l-ramdas-a-hero-of-1971-war-passes-away-at-91-528763.html HyderabadMumbai March 15 Former India Navy chief Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas who played a heroic role during the 1971 IndiaPakistan War which led to the birth of Bangladesh passed away in a military hospital in Telangana on Friday morning He was 91 With profound grief and a heavy heart we regret to announce the sad demise of Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas PVSM AVSM VrC VSM Retd former Chief of the Naval Staff age 90 years on 15 Mar 24 at Secundarabad the Indian Navy saidHe is survived by his wife Lalita and their three daughters and grandchildrenAdmiral Ramdas retd who was also the recipient of the Magsaysay Award for Peace in 2004 breathed his last at the military hospital in Secunderabad owing to old agerelated issuesHis funeral will be held in Hyderabad on SaturdayAdmiral Ramdas served as the 13th Chief of Navy Staff for around three years between December 1 1990 to September 30 1993 and postretirement espoused the cause of global nuclear disarmament demilitarisation and other major international campaignsHe was involved with the PakistanIndia Peoples Forum for Peace amp Democracy and advocated peace between the two neighbours demilitarisation and denuclearization of South Asia which earned him global recognition and the Magsaysay AwardThe couple were familiar faces in Alibaug sea resort in Raigad where they lived and were popularly known as Ramu and Lolly and also popular in MumbaiLalita Ramdas is the daughter of the third Indian Navy chief Admiral RD Katari who was the first Indian to hold the post after IndependenceThe Indian Navy in a social media tribute said During his illustrious career spanning over 40 years the Admiral held several important appointments such as Commanding Officer INS Beas during the 1971 IndoPak War Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet Controller Warship Production and Acquisition Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff FOCinC South and FOCinC East and rose to the helm as the 13th CNS of the Indian Navy on 01 Dec 1990Born in Mumbai he became a cadet at the Armed Forces Academy in Dehradun and later at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth England before being commissioned to the Indian Navy on September 1 1953He was promoted to Commander on June 30 1969 and went on to establish and head the Naval Academy in Keralas KochiDuring the 1971 IndiaPakistan war he was part of the Eastern Fleet and commanded frigate INS Beas At that time he took part in the effective naval blockade by India of the erstwhile East Pakistan which foiled Pakistans attempts to evacuate 93000 troops who ultimately surrendered to the Indian forces leading to the creation of BangladeshAdmiral Ramdas Vir Chakra citation read throughout the period of operations he was called upon to operate within enemy waters where there was constant danger to his ship from enemy mines and submarines Undeterred he carried out continuous probes into the enemydefended harbours in Bangladesh and inflicted heavy damage on the enemy During one of the sorties an enemy submarine was sighted close to his ship He attacked the submarine repeatedly which was presumably destroyedLater he was also involved in the anticorruption movement worked briefly with the Aam Aadmi Party and in 2022 the Ramdas couple joined Rahul Gandhis first Bharat Jodo Yatra on its Telangana leg IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/former-navy-chief-admiral-l-ramdas-a-hero-of-1971-war-passes-away-at-91-528763.html Fri, 15 Mar 2024 19:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ls-polls-bengaluru-rural-constituency-likely-to-witness-high-voltage-contest-528593.html Bengaluru March 15 The Bengaluru Rural constituency is likely to witness a highvoltage contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as Deputy Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and family members of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowdas families have taken it as a matter of prestige to ensure the victory for their respective sides The seat is considered as a fortress of the Shivakumar familyShivakumars brother DK Suresh has represented the seat since 2013Former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy registered victory in the seat in the 2009 general electionsAfter his resignation DK Suresh grabbed it from the Janata DalSecular JDS in 2013 bypolls by defeating HD Kumaraswamys wife Anita KumaraswamyIn 2014 and also in 2019 Suresh registered thumping victoriesNow with the BJP and the JDS deciding to field Dr CN Manjunath soninlaw of former PM Deve Gowda as NDA candidate from the BJP the seat is all set to witness an intense contestDK Suresh on Thursday told JDS workers that they should take a call now as Deve Gowdas soninlaw himself is not contesting for the JDS but as a BJP candidateSoninlaw has decided that JDS led by Deve Gowda and his son former CM HD Kumaraswamy is not good JDS workers will have to think on these lines The intelligent soninlaw has chosen to contest for a different party Their party workers will decide on the rest Suresh saidMeanwhile Congress Karnataka unit president DK Shivakumar on Thursday said that he respects CN ManjunathPolitics is different It is shocking to see a family member of Deve Gowda contesting on a BJP ticket he saidFormer CM HD Kumaraswamy reacting to statements of DK Suresh said the services of CN Manjunath have been appreciated at the national levelBut this person Suresh has been badmouthing about him He is nothing when compared to Manjunath he statedI am pained to see the comments made against him There is no question of tolerating if comments are made against Manjunath Kumaraswamy added IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ls-polls-bengaluru-rural-constituency-likely-to-witness-high-voltage-contest-528593.html Fri, 15 Mar 2024 01:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/eam-jaishankar-irish-trade-minister-discuss-new-areas-of-collaboration-528506.html New Delhi March 14 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed new areas of collaboration between India and Ireland as he met Simon Coveney Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment in the national capital on Thursday Simon Coveney is leading a trade delegation that arrived in India this week to focus on economic ties and growing business collaboration as the two countries mark 75 years of diplomatic relationsGlad to meet Ireland Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment simoncoveney A very positive discussion on new areas of collaboration between India and Ireland EAM Jaishankar wrote on his X handleThe two leaders also exchanged views on warwrecked Gaza and UkraineThis is a fascinating country in many ways one of the fastest growing economies and one of the fastest developing societies in the world Simon Coveney said in a video message before leaving for IndiaPraising the Indian community in his country he said that there are 91000 Indian citizens living in Ireland today forming a big part of the Irish society and economyWe have about 50 Indian companies in Ireland employing between 50006000 people and that is a growing influence on the Irish economy and a very positive one Simon Coveney saidThe visit which began in Bengalurus Garden City on Monday was put together by Enterprise Ireland the Irish governments trade and innovation agency along with Irelands FDI agency IDA Ireland in conjunction with the Irish EmbassyIn Bengaluru Simon Coveney called on pharma company Biocon as well as IT giants Infosys and WiproUpon his arrival Irish Ambassador to India Kevin Kelly said on X that the visit will afford a great opportunity to explore the potential that exists between India and Ireland to foster even greater tradeKevin Kelly said that trade between the two countries already stands at a healthy Euro 10 billion per annumAs part of its renewed Asia Pacific strategy launched last year Irelands Deputy Prime Minister Micheal Martin had said that his country intends to further deepen its economic and cultural relationship with IndiaThe strategy according to Micheal Martin will fuel economic growth into the future and support Irelands ambitions to expand across the Asia Pacific IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/eam-jaishankar-irish-trade-minister-discuss-new-areas-of-collaboration-528506.html Thu, 14 Mar 2024 15:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/vhp-to-help-refugees-in-getting-indian-citizenship-after-caa-528145.html Lucknow March 13 Vishwa Hindu Parishad VHP will get in touch with refugees living in hundreds of various camps in the border states to facilitate them in getting Indian citizenship The decision comes two days after the Centre notified the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act CAAVHP President Alok Kumar said that the workers have been asked to allay the fear of refugees get them registered for citizenship and help them gain access to all the facilities which every Indian is entitled toMany of the refugees essentially persecuted minorities of Pakistan Afghanistan and Bangladesh are living in subhuman conditions They need to be reached out immediately he told reportersThis is in accord with the Indian tradition of giving refuge respect and dignity to all those who suffer indignities outside and seek shelter in India he saidThe CAA was passed in December 2019 and subsequently got the Presidents assent However it was notified on MondayProtests had initially erupted in several parts of the country against it in December 2019 stalling the process Many opposition parties including the Congress and Samajwadi Party spoke out against the law calling it discriminatoryThe VHP President said that a host of refugees have managed to get ration and Aadhaar but not citizenship and voting rightsAll these problems need to be sorted out by coordinating with the authorities he said maintaining that the applicants need to be mollified so that they come into the mainstream of developmentSources said that the cadres within the VHP have been advised to fan out across the country as early as possible and help the refugees complete the requisite formalitiesA senior VHP functionary said that the workers have already been working in a host of camps for the past many yearsThese camps have come up in the past 30 to 40 years in bordering states like Punjab Rajasthan West Bengal and NorthEast states Communities which would be covered under CAA include Hindus Sikhs Parsis Christians and BuddhistsVHP Spokesperson Vinod Bansal said that nearly a dozen such camps exist in Delhi and the National Capital Region NCR itselfOur workers have been providing them food medicines and other facilities for the past many years With the notification of the CAA rules the relief process will be expedited in the days to come he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/vhp-to-help-refugees-in-getting-indian-citizenship-after-caa-528145.html Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/wont-affect-gorkhas-gjm-welcomes-caa-528173.html Kolkata March 13 Gorkha Janmukti Morcha GJM Supremo Bimal Gurung on Wednesday said that his party welcomes the Citizenship Amendment Act CAA as it would not affect Gorkhas He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for notifying the CAAMany people have fled from other countries seeking shelter in India The Act is perfect for such people The Act was necessary for these people seeking shelter in India Gurung saidHe said that the Act will have no impact on the Gorkha population as he is confident that the government will ensure the wellbeing of the people who sacrifice their lives for the country Illegal infiltration like the Rohingyas is a problem for the country he saidMeanwhile Trinamool Congress Left Front and Congress in West Bengal have vehemently opposed the Central governments notification on the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act CAA IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/wont-affect-gorkhas-gjm-welcomes-caa-528173.html Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/naidu-sacrificed-fight-for-special-status-ysr-congress-528199.html Amaravati March 13 YSR Congress parliamentary party leader V Vijayasai Reddy on Wednesday said that by partnering with the BJP the TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu has sacrificed Andhra Pradeshs fight for special category status The Rajya Sabha member alleged that in greed to become Chief Minister Naidu has also allowed for the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel PlantVijayasai Reddy said by partnering with the BJP the former Chief Minister also decided to stop the socioeconomic caste census and go back to National Pension Scheme for government employeesThe YSR Congress leader was reacting to Telugu Desam Party TDP entering into an alliance with the BJP and Jana Sena for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha electionsHe had earlier stated that YSR Congress would not decimate TDP as Naidus actions will do it first He slammed the TDP leader for disowning his cadre leaders and ideology to prostrate in front of anyone to become the Chief Minister for the last timeThe TDPBJPJSP alliance was forged last week after Naidu and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan held talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in DelhiThe three parties on March 11 announced seatsharing deal Under the tripartite deal TDP will contest 144 Assembly seats out of total 175 seats It will also contest 17 out of 25 Lok Sabha seatsNaidu has left 31 Assembly seats and eight Lok Sabha seats for the two alliesWhile Jana Sena will contest 21 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats the BJP will field its candidates in 10 Assembly and six Lok Sabha constituencies IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/naidu-sacrificed-fight-for-special-status-ysr-congress-528199.html Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/yoga-can-help-in-women-empowerment-ayush-secy-528231.html New Delhi March 13 Yoga is a comprehensive tool to empower women said Ministry of Ayush Secretary Rajesh Kotecha here on Wednesday He was speaking at the Yoga Mahotsav2024 an event held at the Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital to mark the 100day countdown to the 10th edition of International Day of Yoga IDYObserved annually on June 21 the theme this year is Yoga for Women EmpowermentYoga is a comprehensive instrument for empowering women encompassing their physical mental emotional social and spiritual wellbeing Rajesh Kotecha saidEmpowered women take on roles as leaders educators and advocates for change promoting inclusivity diversity and empowerment across society he addedFurther Rajesh Kotecha stated that the purpose of Yoga Mahotsav 2024 is to propel Yoga into a widespread movement with a focus on womens wellbeing and promoting global health and peaceThe Ayush Ministry has actively supported studies on various conditions affecting women including PCOSPCOD stress management and the like to focus on womens health irrespective of their age or condition promoting womens empowerment through evidencebased research IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/yoga-can-help-in-women-empowerment-ayush-secy-528231.html Wed, 13 Mar 2024 18:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/is-mobile-screen-the-new-cocaine-528289.html New Delhi March 13 In 2017 Frontiers in Psychiatry published An Update Overview on Brain Imaging Studies of Internet Gaming Disorder as part of their research on IGD or Internet Gaming Disorder The conclusion was startlingThere is an emerging evidence that IGD is associated with similar brain mechanisms responsible for substance use disorders The brain imaging studies in IGD show similarity in brain mechanisms between IGD and substance use disorder and therefore support the classification of IGD as a behavioral addictionIn simple words Screen addiction is an addiction classified as per WHO Its impact on the brain is similar to substance eg Narcotics like Cocaine use addictionIn short there may be an irreversible long term impact on the brains of children addicted to Internet games However the question arises if only internet games are to be blamed or the problem is broader In 2019 researchers made an attempt to bring together all the use cases under the umbrella of SmUD Smartphone Use DisorderIt was the research of Joel Billieux who provided clear pathways into problematic mobile phone usage He emphasised on the following four pathways for SmUD Impulsive Relationship Extraversion Cyber AddictionBillieux further broke down cyber addiction into online gambling online video games online sex social networks and mobile phone thereby defining a spectrum of cyber addictionsFig 1 Spectrum of cyber addictionsMany parents despair at the amount of time their kids spend glued to screens as a recent study by Kantar for Amazon India showed However they may not be in a position to corelate symptoms in a childs behaviour with cyber or mobile addictionA research published by national library of medicine suggests that both physical and mental wellbeing can be adversely affected by too much screen use It divided students into low cellphone usage and high Cell Phone usage groups and came up with the following conclusions Physical High Cell Phone usage group observed higher numbers of eye strain neck pain back pain and gain in weight Mental High Cell Phone usage group were more likely to report loneliness depression and mood disordersIn short excessive phone usage is going to do you and your children harm And what you may be passing off as a lifestyle aberration may be the symptom of a larger disorder taking shape for eg eye strain and lack of concentration may be the trigger point for ADHD attention deficit hyperactivity disorder aggravated by years of mobile phone usageAt this point it is important for us to introduce neurotransmitters especially dopamine commonly called the happiness hormone But sudden surges in dopamine release causes addiction this is exactly what cocaine or narcotics do inside our body They release a lot of dopamine the brain responds less to the excess dopamine Then we consume more to release more dopamine Eventually this cycle leads to mania hallucinations and delusions Now here is the fun fact the reason you cant put that mobile phone down is because it releases cheap and plentiful dopamine in your brain So you are on a high without consuming anything just by spending more and more time on a mobile screen on gaming gambling sex or social networksA logical question therefore is how many hours a day is classified as addiction A few researchers came up with a limit of 20 hours a week But this is hotly contested and WHO has refrained from providing hourbased classification of mobile addiction Among practitioners a generally held view is that the behaviour of the addict should be such that spending time on the phone comes at the expense of normal life commitments An often cited example is that you have an exam or an assignment submission but you skip it because you were unable to keep your mobile phone awayYou may start wondering if this is such an important problem considering that 70 per cent of Indias population has smartphones What is being done to solve the problem To begin with is it being identified as a problem The bugle was sounded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Pariksha Pe Charcha wherein he highlighted the distractions mobile phones may cause to students preparing for examsThere is a lot that needs to be done by different stakeholders like Educators Health Practitioners Mobile Device Manufacturers Mobile Gaming CompaniesHowever the biggest question to ask is for a parent themselves When you hand over a phone or a mobile device to a young child are you aware you may be starting a oneway cycle for impairing the potential of your own child What do you think you can do as a parent to change course midway If you are just starting out what may be your alternatives to entertain your newborn beyond the mobile screen To all parents the question is are you making your child addicted to cocaineThe author is cofounder of Trumsy an initiative to reduce screen time of children IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/is-mobile-screen-the-new-cocaine-528289.html Wed, 13 Mar 2024 18:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ktaka-govt-announces-opening-of-600-indira-canteens-ahead-of-ls-polls-527953.html Bengaluru March 11 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday announced that at at least 600 Indira canteens will come up across the state ahead of Lok Sabha elections Indira Canteens will serve breakfast at Rs 5 and lunch at Rs 10 for all the Chief Minister said while speaking to the media after inaugurating the Indira Canteen at Kempe Gowda International Airport in Bengaluru organised by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike BBMPWe are starting 188 new Indira canteens in Bengaluru Two canteens are being started as per the demand of taxi drivers and other drivers to start Indira canteens near the airport Of these 40 have already been completed and the rest are underway the Chief Minister saidHe said that Indira Canteen was required at Kempe Gowda Airport One has already been inaugurated and another Indira Canteen is coming up here Its purpose is to provide meals and breakfast to the poor at low rates the Chief Minister saidHe said that the food menu has also been changed and a dining hall has been arranged Indira canteens will be set up in every ward of Bangalore and also in other parts of the state The previous government did not provide meals and some of them have been closed We have restarted the programme because the poor need to eat the Chief Minister saidOn drinking water issue in Bangalore the Chief Minister said that he has given clear instructions that the drinking water should not be disrupted for any reason IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ktaka-govt-announces-opening-of-600-indira-canteens-ahead-of-ls-polls-527953.html Mon, 11 Mar 2024 16:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/former-judge-ex-party-leader-now-twin-headaches-for-trinamool-before-ls-polls-527619.html Kolkata March 10 Both have been whistleblowers against corruption for quite some time though with a difference While one was vocal against corruption from inside the other was constantly trying to alert his own party leadership in taking the events of internal corruption seriously to avoid bigger backlash And now both have changed their fields In the case of one it is professional and in case of the other it is political affiliation Now both have decided to be more vociferous in raising their voices against corruption from a specific political platform And both have become the twinheadaches for the ruling Trinamool Congress before the forthcoming Lok Sabha pollsThe outside whistleblower is the former judge of Calcutta High Court Abhijit Gangopadhyay who joined BJP on March 7 after resigning from judiciary services on March 5 Since his public address at Siliguri on Saturday Gangopadhyay has made it clear that his voice against corruption while sitting in the judges chair will take a more scathing shape in his new role as a political personalityGangopadhyays consecutive verdicts and observations in the different cases relating to the cashforschooljob scam in West Bengal has already made him extremely popular among the common people His style of functioning fixing timebound deadlines for actions as an erstwhile judge has led to the popular coinage in West Bengal that tarikh pe tarikh dates after dates is not in the panache of GangopadhyayAs a former judge Gangopadhyay had to maintain some refrain in vociferously airing his agenda against corruption However now being a full fledged political personality he is not bound by those restraints and hence is now expected to make more indepth public interaction exercises on the issue of corruptionThat is where he becomes a major headache for Trinamool Congress before the Lok Sabha polls Considering the height of popularity that Gangopadhyay has already reached among public sentiments his allegations against the ruling party are slated to be more meaningful among the common votersHowever at the same time Gangopadhyay will have to keep his defences ready against a negative campaign by Trinamool Congress which the latter has already started that as a judge his judgements in the school job cases were biased and prompted by his political ambitionsWhile the ruling party has at least one forceful counter argument against Gangopadhyay so far it is yet to display any similar scathing point against sixtime legislator Tapas Roy who also quit Trinamool Congress this week and joined BJPOn the contrary a theory has been floated from within Trinamool Congress especially the partys maverick state general secretary and former spokesman Kunal Ghosh that had the leadership been serious long back the exit of Roy could have been preventedWhat had made Roy different is that he had set a precedent of first resigning as a member of the Legislative Assembly as well as the general member of Trinamool Congress before officially joining the BJP Even though his current term as an MLA was till 2026 Roy had for quite some time been appealing to his own party leader not to neglect the issue of corruption and take disciplinary action against those indulging in thatSecondly barring a singleday ED operation at his residence in connection with the municipalities recruitment case never ever has there been a single allegation of involvement in corruption in his long political career Roy who is always known for his humble lifestyle and amicable behaviour has claimed that the singleday ED operation at his residence was orchestrated by the leader of Trinamool Congress in Lok Sabha Sudip BandopadhyayWhile resigning from Trinamool Congress Roys main grievance was that while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been so vocal in supporting the accused mastermind Sheikh Shahjahan in the attack on ED and CAPF personnel in Sandeshkhali she had never raised her voice over the ED operations at his residenceIn fact Tapas Roys grievances on this count sounded quite logical as after the ED operation at his residence several leaders from the opposition camps including BJP Congress and CPIM expressed views that corruptionlinks with him are simply unbelievable even though his political path is different from themNow Roy as he has already said will reach out to the public in a major way in explaining how having failed to convince the Trinamool Congress leadership to be sensitive on the issue of corruption finally decided to quit the ruling party and join the BJPConsidering his immense personal popularity over a large area both in North Kolkata and adjacent North 24 Parganas district Tapas Roy is all set to be a major headache for Trinamool Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/former-judge-ex-party-leader-now-twin-headaches-for-trinamool-before-ls-polls-527619.html Sun, 10 Mar 2024 12:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/1ts-lead-ship-ins-tir-participated-in-exercise-cutlass-express-navy-527690.html New Delhi March 10 Indian Navy on Sunday said that INS Tir the lead ship of First Training Squadron 1TS participated in Exercise Cutlass Express24 along with 16 friendly foreign navies The Navy said that as part of Cutlass Express the training was conducted on theoretical and practical aspects of Maritime Interdiction Operations Visit Board Search and Seizure procedures and Diving operations CE24 was held at Port Victoria Seychelles from February 26 to March 8 The exercise was inaugurated by the President of Seychelles in attendance of dignitaries from India the USA and African countries the Navy in a statement saidThe Navy said that during the sea phase the ships VBSS team boarded Seychelles Coast Guard SCG ship LE Vigilant and demonstrated procedures of boarding operations Indian divers along with US and Seychelles divers undertook joint diving operations post rigorous training week the Navy said It said that the ship hosted R Adm Calvin M Foster Deputy Commander of US Navy 6th Fleet who shared his views on the importance of maritime cooperation and shared commitment in the region appreciating the crucial role played by the Indian Navy Earlier INS Tir undertook joint EEZ surveillance with Seychelles Coast Guard from March 1 to 3 During the ships stay at Seychelles as part of longrange training deployment professional exchanges crossdeck visits and friendly sports fixtures were held with Seychelles Defence Forces the Navy said It said that the Indian Naval band performed at the National Museum Port Victoria and enthralled a huge crowd The extant deployment of INS Tir at Seychelles and participation in exercise Cutlass Express underscores close ties between Indian Navy and the regional Navies towards joint training fostering interoperability and building bridges of friendship the Navy said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/1ts-lead-ship-ins-tir-participated-in-exercise-cutlass-express-navy-527690.html Sun, 10 Mar 2024 15:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/gurugram-docs-give-new-life-to-taxi-driver-with-rare-brain-haemorrhage-527469.html Gurugram March 9 A 43yearold taxi driver who suffered a rare brain haemorrhage has been given a new lease of life said doctors at a hospital here on Saturday The man the sole breadwinner for his family was rushed to Manipal Hospital Gurugram in a state of deep coma He had a massive brain impact resulting from a slip and fall at home while climbing the stairsThe man was first rushed to a nearby hospital and owing to his serious condition he was referred to Manipal HospitalDoctors found that he had an extradural haemorrhage a condition of blood clotting and skull fracture which could have turned fatal if delayedThe team of doctors took the patient for an emergency surgery within 15 minutes of his evaluation and admissionThe surgery saved his life and his brain started to recover within 12 hours of surgery said the hospital in a statement Significant progress was also observed within 24 hoursHead injuries are very common in slip and fall cases but this patient had an extradural haemorrhage which is a rare condition and only 1 out of 10 patients happen to come with this condition due to a severe injury to the head Nishant Shanker Yagnick Senior Consultant NeurosurgeryDue to the hard hit on the ground the patient had a fracture in the skull which required immediate surgery and with timely intervention we were able to save his life Its just a matter of a few minutes which can lead to mortality in such cases he addedThe patient is doing well now the doctors said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/gurugram-docs-give-new-life-to-taxi-driver-with-rare-brain-haemorrhage-527469.html Sat, 09 Mar 2024 17:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/us-records-over-100-pediatric-deaths-from-flu-this-season-527321.html Los Angeles March 9 More than 100 fluassociated pediatric deaths have been reported in the US so far this season according to data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC Seasonal influenza activity remains elevated nationally with increases in some parts of the country Xinhua news agency reported The CDC estimates that there have been at least 28 million illnesses 310000 hospitalisations and 20000 deaths from flu so far this seasonMore than 10000 patients were admitted to hospitals with flu in the latest week ending March 2 according to the CDCThe CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine as long as influenza viruses are spreading IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/us-records-over-100-pediatric-deaths-from-flu-this-season-527321.html Sat, 09 Mar 2024 07:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-gets-measles-amp-rubella-champion-award-for-disease-prevention-527193.html New Delhi March 8 India has bagged the prestigious Measles and Rubella Champion award for the countrys efforts in preventing the highly infectious and contagious diseases Indias Deputy Ambassador to the US Sripriya Ranganathan received the award from the Measles and Rubella Partnership at the American Red Cross Headquarters in Washington DC US on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on WednesdayIndia has provided inspiration to regional measles and rubella elimination programmes tracing measles outbreaks to strengthen routine immunisation across the country Thank you to our MampRP champions MRPartnership the agency wrote in a post on XThe Union Health Ministry said that Measles and Rubella Partnership comprises a multiagency planning committee including the American Red Cross BMGF GAVI US CDC UNF UNICEF and WHO all dedicated to reducing global measles deaths and preventing rubella illnessThis accolade celebrates Indias unwavering commitment to public health and its outstanding leadership in curbing the spread of these infectious diseases among children It further recognises India for providing regional leadership to the measles amp rubella elimination programme by using measles as a tracer to strengthen routine immunisation under the countrys Universal Immunisation Programme UIP the ministry said in a statementDespite facing numerous challenges India has demonstrated remarkable progress in reducing measles and rubella cases and preventing outbreaks through a series of comprehensive interventions it addedMeasles is a highly contagious viral illness that spreads easily when an infected person breathes coughs or sneezes according to the WHO and can cause severe disease complications and even deathRubella is also a contagious disease caused by a virus Most people who get rubella usually have a mild illness with symptoms that can include a lowgrade fever sore throat and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the bodyThe diseases are preventable by vaccines and MR Vaccine is part of Indias Universal Immunisation Programme since 2017The health ministry also congratulated the frontline health workers healthcare professionals policymakers and communities for their dedication and hard workThe ministry said the efforts resulted in 50 districts consistently not witnessing any measles case while 226 districts have not reported rubella cases over the past 12 months IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-gets-measles-amp-rubella-champion-award-for-disease-prevention-527193.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iafs-newest-transport-aircraft-c-295-mw-makes-maiden-landing-at-agatti-airport-527069.html New Delhi March 8 Indian Air Forces one of the largest transport aircraft C295 MW has made its maiden landing at Agatti Airport in Lakshadweep The IAF said that as part of a training mission the IAF C295 MW aircraft made its maiden landing at the Airport recentlyLanding at the remote location after taking off from the hinterland this marks a significant milestone in enhancing our nations aerial capabilities the IAF addedIndia had signed a deal with Airbus for 56 C295 aircraft in 2021 and received the first aircraft last year The aircraft are replacing the IAFs fleet of British origin AVRO a twinengine turboprop inducted way back in the 1960sAccording to the deal the first 16 aircraft will be assembled in Seville Spain The remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured and assembled by the Tata Advanced Systems TASL in Vadodara Gujarat as part of an industrial partnership between the two companies IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iafs-newest-transport-aircraft-c-295-mw-makes-maiden-landing-at-agatti-airport-527069.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 11:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/womens-day-breaking-the-glass-ceiling-in-leadership-roles-in-asia-526952.html New Delhi March 7 Asias economic landscape is undergoing a significant transformation with women increasingly asserting their presence and influence across various sectors A new white paper Women Leadership in India Inc offers a glimpse into the future of women leadership in corporate India and the larger Asian business ecosystem underlining the opportunities as well as challenges The findings have the potential to be applied to all of Asia as well This collaborative study effort that saw contributions and support from the Confederation of Indian Industry CII and the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development among others delves into the current state of women in leadership roles within Indian companies Through extensive research and insightful discussions with industry leaders the study identifies both the progress made and the obstacles that persist on the path of achieving gender parity at the topProgress and ChallengesThe white paper acknowledges the positive impact of government initiatives in promoting womens participation in the workforce However it also highlights the need for a shift in focus emphasising the crucial role of individual companies in taking ownership of the advancements of women in leadership positionsThe study identified gender inequality within organisations as a fundamental obstacle hindering womens advancement in leadership roles This manifests in various ways including Organisational policies and practices Existing company structures and policies may inadvertently create barriers for women such as limited access to flexible work arrangements or unconscious bias in promotion decisions Limited career advancement opportunities The lack of clear and transparent career progression pathways can leave women feeling discouraged and unsure of their future within the organisation Worklife balance challenges Balancing professional and personal responsibilities remains a significant hurdle for many women particularly those with childcare or eldercare responsibilities Cultural norms and stereotypes Deepseated societal biases regarding gender roles can create an unfavorable environment for women seeking leadership positionsActionable Solutions The white paper recognises the need for a multipronged approach to address these challenges and accelerate progress towards increased womens leadership in Asia It proposes eight key actionable solutions1 Plugging the Leaky Pipeline This proposal aims to address the leaky pipeline phenomenon where women lose out at various stages of their careers particularly at the middlemanagement level The paper suggests incentivizing companies through tax breaks or awards to encourage them to actively promote gender diversity through initiatives such as unconscious bias training targeted mentorship programs and flexible work arrangements2 Mandatory Actionable and Transparent Diversity Reporting The white paper advocates for mandatory diversity reporting for all companies not just the listed ones This transparency would allow for better monitoring of progress and identification of areas where improvement is needed Additionally the study recommends establishing industryled diversity councils to track progress share best practices and create a forum for dialogue and collaboration3 Appointment of more Women on the Board While the number of women on boards of listed companies has seen a rise in recent years the white paper proposes further steps The suggestion includes raising the minimum mandatory number of women on boards and expanding the pool of qualified women by considering individuals from diverse backgrounds including academia the social sector and the arts and culture world4 Promote Sponsorship and Allyship for Career Advancement One of the major roadblocks identified is the lack of active support from the senior leaders for promoting womens leadership The white paper emphasizes the need for a shift from mentorship to sponsorship While mentorship provides guidance and advice sponsorship involves active advocacy and support by influential individuals which can significantly impact career progression Additionally the study proposes the establishment of industry or governmentled initiatives to connect qualified women with potential sponsors5 Systemic Changes in Expanding the Talent Pipeline Recognising the need to broaden the talent pool the white paper recommends addressing societal biases and promoting equal opportunities for women in all sectors including STEM Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics fields This could involve initiatives such as offering scholarships and internships for girls pursuing STEM education and challenging traditional gender roles in various professions6 Strengthening the Support Infrastructure The lack of childcare eldercare facilities and flexible work arrangements are identified as significant hurdles for women in the workforce The white paper proposes solutions like offering accessible and affordable childcare and eldercare services adopting genderneutral parental leave policies and providing support for returning mothers through reskilling programs and facilitating smooth reintegration into the workforce7 Fostering PublicPrivate Partnerships at the State Level The white paper highlights the need for collaboration between companies and state governments Inconsistent laws and regulations regarding womens night work in different states can create challenges for organizations Working with state governments to create a safe and enabling environment for women workers could significantly encourage their participation in the workforce8 Implementing GenderSpecific Hiring Mandates The white paper acknowledges that drastic solutions might be necessary in the interim to address the existing gender gap It proposes implementing temporary quotas for genderspecific hiring at various levels to ensure women are adequately represented Additionally it suggests adopting blind hiring practices where candidate identities are masked during evaluations for promotions or role changes to mitigate unconscious bias and ensure selection based solely on merit Finally the paper advocates for the use of genderneutral language in job applications and forms to further promote inclusivity and remove any potential languagebased barriersCollective Endeavour for More Equitable FutureThis white paper Women Leadership in India Inc serves as a valuable resource and a call to action for stakeholders across various sectors By implementing these actionable solutions companies can create a more inclusive and equitable work environment for all This not only empowers women to reach their full potential but also unlocks the collective potential of the Asian workforce contributing significantly to the nations economic and social progress The journey towards achieving greater gender diversity in leadership is a collective endeavour that requires sustained commitment and collaborative action from policymakers businesses industry bodies and individuals alike By breaking down barriers and fostering an environment that actively supports and empowers women the East can unlock its true potential and become a global leader in fostering inclusive and sustainable growthDeepshikha Kumar an Indian entrepreneur is the founderdirector of SpeakIn and is currently based in Singapore IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/womens-day-breaking-the-glass-ceiling-in-leadership-roles-in-asia-526952.html Thu, 07 Mar 2024 20:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iafs-c-17-aircraft-successfully-airdrops-indigenously-built-heavy-platform-526752.html New Delhi March 7 Indian Air Force IAF transport aircraft C17 has airdropped an indigenously developed heavy platform that can carry a maximum load of over 22 tonnes An IAF official said that it was a major milestone on its path towards Atmanirbhar BharatThe extra long and heavy platform indigenously developed by ADRDE and capable of carrying approximately 45000 Lbs of load was successfully airdropped during trials from an IAF C17 aircraft the official saidCapable of carrying multiple such platforms combat capabilities of C17 aircraft will be further enhanced in its varied missions to airdeliver critical loads to troops on groundADRDE is the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment which is a premier defence research laboratoryThe Defence Ministry is stressing on indigenous techniques and indigenously developed modern equipment for the armed forces It also launched Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX ADITI scheme on March 4 It is to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologiesUnder the scheme startups are eligible to receive grantinaid of up to Rs 25 crore for their research development and innovation endeavours in defence technology IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iafs-c-17-aircraft-successfully-airdrops-indigenously-built-heavy-platform-526752.html Thu, 07 Mar 2024 10:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/new-delhi-police-sub-inspector-opts-to-go-back-to-being-head-constable-526643.html New Delhi March 6 A Delhi Police Head Constable who had cleared the exam for a SubInspectors post has chosen to go back to his earlier lower rank The Delhi Police has accepted the unprecedented requestWhereas SI Neeraj Kumar was appointed in Delhi Police as Head Constable AWO on July 5 2016 and confirmed in the rank of HC AWO wef July 5 2018 Consequent to his selection to the post of SI in the pay scale of Level6 he was relieved from the Communication Unit on February 16 2024 with the direction to join Delhi Police Academy on February 19 2024 for his basic training read the order by Delhi Police Academys Deputy Director Jitendra ManiHowever Neeraj Kumar then requested that he be allowed to rejoinrevert to his previous post under the provisions of FR13 and the order said that he has been allowed to do so with immediate effectHe will deposit all the Government belongings in his possession issued from the Delhi Police Academy before his departure and clear all dues He will make his departure in the Daily Diary in Delhi Police AcademyJK New Delhi the order said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/new-delhi-police-sub-inspector-opts-to-go-back-to-being-head-constable-526643.html Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/up-govt-makes-it-easy-to-change-land-use-for-development-526428.html Lucknow March 6 To speed up development the Uttar Pradesh government has now permitted the housing development authorities to acquire land for planning large townships and change the usage of the agricultural land While aggregating land for creating townships measuring more than 50 acres the authoritys board has been delegated the power to change the original usage of landAll this while change of land use was carried out with the approval of the government and concerned authority had to put up the file and wait for several monthsFrom now on the authority would have the power to notify the change without seeking a nod from the housing department as the power has been vested with the board from this monthA senior officer from Lucknow Development Authority LDA said In case proponents of a project wanted to acquire agricultural land to construct an apartment building an officer was deputed to survey the area and provide his feedback With recommendation of the board the file was put up before the housing department It took months to get the approval thereafter to finally give permission to the developer to start work on the groundThe board would now have the power to change the land usage to allow residential projects to come up if the size of the land is 50 acres and a township is being planned within the acquired areaThe authority would be able to take up land use applications within the notified area which is being regulated by the master planAdditional chief secretary of the housing department Nitin Ramesh Gokarn said that the change would speed up projects being planned under UP govts township policy and promote planned urbanisation within key cities IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/up-govt-makes-it-easy-to-change-land-use-for-development-526428.html Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/manipur-introduces-mine-protected-quick-reaction-fighting-vehicles-for-state-police-526686.html Imphal March 6 The Manipur government on Wednesday introduced mineprotected Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicles QRFVs for the state police to deal with the prevailing situation more efficiently and effectively Chief Minister N Biren Singh flagged off the QRFVs at a function held in Imphal on WednesdayLater the Chief Minister posted on X Launched the Mine Protected Vehicle for the Manipur Police at 1st Bn Manipur Rifle Imphal With the evervigilant service of Manipur Police this addition will enhance our capabilities in ensuring the safety and security of our citizens Together well continue striving towards a safer and more secure ManipurThe Ministry of Home Affairs MHA has provided Manipur with 10 QRFVs with mine protection features to enable the security forces in the ethnic unresttorn northeastern state to operate more effectivelyA senior police officer said that out of the 10 QRFVs seven have already arrived in the state while three more are on the wayThe MHA provided the QRFVs to better equip the security forces to deal with the law and order situation in the state in a very effective manner the officer said adding that these QRFVs with various other protection features would greatly help in providing a safety net to the security forces while performing their duties at the vulnerable spotsThe highlyadvanced QRFVs would enhance the ability of the security forces to meet the diverse needs of modern policing he addedThe officer also said that the inclusion of the QRFVs will not only strengthen the security forces but will also highlight the several initiatives taken by the Government of India to deal with the situation in ManipurDirector General of Manipur police Rajiv Singh said that even if the tyre is hit by bullets the QRFV would ply over 100 km and enhance the operational capabilities of the security forces to fight against the militants and other armed attackers IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/manipur-introduces-mine-protected-quick-reaction-fighting-vehicles-for-state-police-526686.html Wed, 06 Mar 2024 22:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/donor-hands-to-help-delhi-man-start-painting-again-526541.html New Delhi March 6 A Delhibased painter who lost both his hands in a train accident in 2020 will now be able to take his brush again after receiving donor hands The 45year old man has become the first in Delhi to undergo a successful bilateral hand transplantDoctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital transplanted the hands of donor Meena Mehta former administrative head of a prominent South Delhi school who was declared braindead Mehtas kidney liver and corneas have also been donated to three othersIn the 12hour long complex surgery the doctors connected every artery muscle tendon and nerve between the donors hands and the recipients arms The man is expected to be discharged tomorrowIndia faces the lowest organ donation rate worldwide with a mere 01 per cent of the population donating their organs after death in stark contrast to 7080 per cent in Western countries Every year hundreds of people die in India waiting for an organ transplantAs per the data available with NOTTO in 2022 11 cadaver donations were done with successful retrieval of 30 organs in DelhiDue to lack of awareness and misconceptions there is a shortage of organ donors and with each passing year the gap between the number of organs donated and the people waiting for transplant is growing widerTimely cadaveric organ donation can save many lives and more people would come forth and pledge their organs if they receive more information and are educated on the benefits of organ donation IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/donor-hands-to-help-delhi-man-start-painting-again-526541.html Wed, 06 Mar 2024 15:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/expecting-a-wife-to-do-household-chores-not-cruelty-delhi-hc-526587.html New Delhi Mar 6 Setting aside a family courts order denying grant of divorce to a man the Delhi High Court recently clarified that expecting a wife to undertake household chores does not amount to cruelty The judgement came from a division bench comprising Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Neena Bansal Krishna which was hearing an appeal filed by a man against a family courts ruling that had dismissed his request for marriage dissolution over alleged cruelty by his wifeThe bench stressed the shared responsibilities that come with marriage stating that tasks done by a wife for her household stem from love and affection and should not be compared to the work of a maidservantThe expectation from a wife to manage household duties according to the court falls within the traditional division of responsibilities and cannot be viewed as crueltyDespite setting aside the family courts judgement and granting the husband divorce based on other grounds of cruelty under Section 131ia of the Hindu Marriage Act 1955 the courts observation on household chores drew attention to the balancing of roles within a marriageThe couple who got married in 2007 and became parents to a son born in 2008 experienced a strained relationship from the startThe husband accused the wife of reluctance to perform household duties and failing to integrate with his family claims the woman contested by stating that her contributions went unappreciatedThe bench noted the husbands efforts to salvage the marriage including arranging separate accommodation to please his wife However the court observed that her frequent departures to live with her parents suggested a reluctance to uphold matrimonial unity and depriving the husband of a shared life with his son IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/expecting-a-wife-to-do-household-chores-not-cruelty-delhi-hc-526587.html Wed, 06 Mar 2024 17:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/rajasthan-bjp-flags-off-led-raths-with-suggestion-boxes-to-collect-input-for-poll-manifesto-525757.html Jaipur March 4 Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and state unit BJP president CP Joshi on Sunday flagged off the partys LED Raths LEDinstalled vehicles fitted with suggestion boxes to collect input from the people for the partys election manifesto CP Joshi while addressing the programme said that during the Assembly elections last year BJP had prepared its manifesto by taking suggestions from the common people organisations and institutionsJoshi said that for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections a Viksit Bharat manifesto is being prepared with the suggestions of the common peopleThe LED Raths were flaggedoff from the partys Rajasthan unit headquarters in JaipurCommon people and workers can also give their suggestions by giving a missed call on 9090902024 through NaMo app and social mediaCP Joshi said the LED Rath initiative would be launched in the district headquarters as wellTwo LED Raths would visit villages in each Lok Sabha constituencySuggestion boxes will also be kept at party campaigns and public meetingsChief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said that on the lines of the Assembly elections we have flaggedoff LED Raths for the Lok Sabha elections with the aim of fulfilling Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of Viksit Bharat 2047Just as we had prepared a manifesto during the assembly elections by seeking suggestions from the people similarly this time as well suggestions from the common people will be collected by visiting the Lok Sabha constituencies and we will include the good suggestions in our manifesto the Chief Minister saidBhajan Lal Sharma further said we are working rapidly towards fulfilling the promises made in the manifesto at the time of the Assembly electionsBJP state coincharge Vijaya Rahatkar partys National Vice President Vasundhara Raje MP Ghanshyam Tiwari former leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore among other leaders were also present on the occasion IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/rajasthan-bjp-flags-off-led-raths-with-suggestion-boxes-to-collect-input-for-poll-manifesto-525757.html Mon, 04 Mar 2024 01:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/up-purchases-537-lakh-tonnes-of-paddy-525569.html Lucknow March 3 The Uttar Pradesh government has purchased around 5379 lakh tonnes of paddy for Rs 11745 crore in the kharif marketing season 202324 against its target of 70 lakh tonnes This quantity has been picked up from more than eight lakh farmersFor the paddy procurement which commenced on October 1 2023 the government had set a minimum support price of Rs 2183 per quintal for common paddy and Rs 2203 per quintal for GradeA paddy However the state failed in meeting its target of procuring 70 lakh tonnes reportedly due to farmers selling directly in the open marketThe procurement started from west UP on October 1 for Lucknow and Ayodhya divisions on October 20 and for eastern divisions on November 1 Paddy was procured from 801624 farmers at 5207 centres said an official spokesmanThe Lucknow division has reported the highest procurement with over 752 lakh tonnes Bareilly division stood second with 649 lakh tonnes followed by Varanasi division with over 618 lakh tonnes IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/up-purchases-537-lakh-tonnes-of-paddy-525569.html Sun, 03 Mar 2024 10:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iit-madras-develops-green-technology-to-combat-amr-525608.html New Delhi March 3 IIT Madras researchers have developed a green technology to tackle Antimicrobial Resistance AMR in wastewater In 2029 bacterial AMR was directly responsible for the deaths of 127 million people globally World Health Organization WHO has said that AMR is one of the top global public health threatsIIT Madras said that the technology developed is an integrated water and wastewater purification process known as Advanced Oxidation Processes AOPs which is ecofriendlyThe institute said that the research on developing a technology to tackle AMR was undertaken by Prof Indumathis former student Dr Sasikala RathnaveluIt said that presently the pilot project on the Advanced Oxidation Processes to tackle Antimicrobial resistance AMR is being led by Prof Indumathi Nambi and her Student Ms Thara M V PhD scholarThe misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans animals and plants are the main drivers in the development of drugresistant pathogens IIT Madras told IANSThe institution said that the human waste carrying AMR components reaches Wastewater Treatment Plants through excreted urine and faeces which contributes to AMR including hospital wastewater and bulkdrug manufacturing effluents rich in antibiotics ARB ARGs and other pharmaceuticalsIt said that this unique technology eliminates the need for external chemical addition simplifies handling and allows seamless retrofitting into existing treatment systems significantly lowering capital investmentThe IIT said the WHOs One Health framework is increasingly recognised as an effective strategy to manage AMR across humans animals plants and the environmentIn India rising antibiotic consumption influenced by seasonality prescription frequency availability and price intensifies antibiotic concentrations in environmental matrices the IIT saidThe institute said that the researchers found that less than 45 per cent of Indian hospitals have wastewater treatment facilities and discharge standards for treated hospital effluent are not stringentUnauthorised discharge into domestic sewer systems contributes to a 95 per cent increase in resistant bacteria in Wastewater Treatment Plants with only 2030 per cent of sewage being treated in India and 83 per cent is discharged after secondary treatment it saidProf Indumathi M Nambi said a recent study conducted by our team along the 18km stretch of Adyar River spanning from upstream to within Chennai City provides crucial insights into water quality and AMR dynamics during both dry and wet seasonsEmploying advanced molecular techniques such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction qPCR and Resistomap HTqPCR the researchers analysed water and sediment samples for various parameters including Antibiotic Resistance Genes ARGs Nambi told IANSHe said that unlike traditional disinfection methods such as chlorine and ozone this process created by the team of researchers at IIT Madras achieves complete pollutant mineralisation preventing the generation of toxic byproductsIt inhibits bacterial regrowth postdisinfection ensuring irreversible cell damage a distinction from UV and ozone methods The technologys prowess extends to comprehensive removal of emerging pollutants Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria ARB and Antibiotic Resistance Genes curbing AMR dissemination in the environment he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iit-madras-develops-green-technology-to-combat-amr-525608.html Sun, 03 Mar 2024 13:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/the-rise-and-rise-of-pawan-singh-bhojpuri-star-forced-by-trolls-to-opt-out-of-ls-polls-525709.html Mumbai March 3 Bhojpuri actorsinger Pawan Singh who was named in the BJPs first list as the partys candidate from Asansol West Bengal has humbly declined the opportunity under relentless pressure from social media trolls But who is Pawan Singh and what makes him so special Born in 1986 at Jokahri village near Arrah in Bihar the same Arrah that featured in the 2017 Swara Bhasker film Anaarkali of Aarah Bhojpuri cinemas Power Star learnt singing from his uncle Ajit SinghHe started doing stage shows when he was still a child and his first album Odhaniya Wali was out when he was still in his teens In 2004 he turned to acting and made his debut with Rangli Chunariya Tohre NaamHe kept doing supporting roles until he played the lead in Rangli Chunariya Tohre Naam which was released in 2007 In the next year he released the album Lollypop Lagelu its titular song turned out to be a breakout success across the nation and helped Pawan Singh rise to prominenceAnd then in the same year Saniya Mirza Cut Nathuniya became a big hit from the album Dont Touch My BodyIn 2020 he collaborated with American dancer and actress and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa regular Lauren Gottlieb for the Hindi single Kamariya Hila Rahi Hai His second Bollywood single was Babuni Tere Rang Me which was a Holi song featuring Tridha ChoudhuryThis was followed by the track Current featuring composersinger Payal Dev of Genda Phool fame The next year he teamed up with veteran singer Sonu Nigam for a Chhath song He also released Bhojpuri cover versions of popular Bollywood songs notably Lut gaye originally sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali KhanCloser home in Bhojpuri cinema he has delivered some of the biggest hits namely Satya Crack Fighter Raja Sher Singh and Mera Bharat MahaanPawan Singh is also a huge sensation on social media owing to the viral video of his dance with fellow Bhojpuri actor Khesari Lal Yadav The two danced to the song Saj Ke Sawar Ke at an eventThe viral video from the event shows them vibing to the beats of the song and it has set Instagram on fire with countless memes and ReelsOn Monday Pawan took to X addressed BJP President JP Nadda and said that due to some reason he wont be able to contest the elections from Asansol He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the top leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party for trusting him IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/the-rise-and-rise-of-pawan-singh-bhojpuri-star-forced-by-trolls-to-opt-out-of-ls-polls-525709.html Sun, 03 Mar 2024 19:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/telangana-to-launch-indiramma-housing-scheme-on-march-11-525543.html Hyderabad March 3 The Congressled government in Telangana will launch the Indiramma housing scheme for the poor on March 11 Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy took the decision on Saturday and instructed the officials to make the necessary arrangements for the launch Under the scheme the government will provide Rs 5 lakh financial assistance to construct houses for those who already owned a housing plot A piece of land and Rs 5 lakh will be given as a housing scheme to benefit the poor who do not possess the plot As part of the implementation of six guarantees the government will take up the ambitious housing scheme as a prestigious programme the Chief Minister said He along with Housing Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Chief Ministers Advisor Vem Narendra Reddy held a review meeting to prepare guidelines for the implementation of the housing scheme Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari RampB Secretary Srinivasa Raju and other officials also participated The Chief Minister directed officials to extend the housing scheme benefits to all the eligible poor who do not possess their own houses The officials have been asked to finalise the guidelines accordingly Revanth Reddy said that priority should be given to all the eligible people who submitted applications in the Praja Palana He cautioned officials not to repeat the mistakes committed by the previous government in the construction of double bedroom houses and to ensure that only real beneficiaries are benefited A tentative decision was taken to grant 3500 houses to each constituency at the meeting The CM expressed his hope that the dream of owning a house for the homeless poor will be fulfilled in a phased manner The chief minister instructed the officials to prepare the rules and guidelines for the release of funds in a phased manner Revanth Reddy said that strict guidelines should be made to prevent the misuse of the funds to be received by the beneficiaries He suggested that different types of house models and designs be made available for those who are building a house in their own plot The CM also suggested the officials to handover the responsibilities of monitoring house construction to the engineering wings in the various departments under the supervision of the District Collectors IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/telangana-to-launch-indiramma-housing-scheme-on-march-11-525543.html Sun, 03 Mar 2024 01:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/hearing-loss-early-screening-diagnosis-is-key-to-ensue-sound-future-for-children-525339.html Hyderabad March 2 The ring of the school bell at the end of the day friends calling us to play cricket or football mother humming our favourite lullaby our favourite song on the radio for many of us these sounds are an inherent part of the happy nostalgic memories of our childhood But not everyone gets to enjoy such memories every day in India over 300 babies are born with some degree of hearing loss This World Hearing Day March 3 it is important that we remember just how much hearing and early diagnosis matters in changing the quality of rest of their lives of hearingimpaired childrenIn addition to missing out on the wonderful sounds the rest of us take for granted the lack of sound auditory stimulation makes it difficult for these children to pick up language skills which has a profound impact on the way they relate with others for the rest of their lives said Janardhan Rao Jagini Cochlear Implant Surgeon KIMS Hospitals HyderabadUnfortunately it is easy to miss the early signs of hearing loss in infants however if recognized early timely intervention can help these children pick up speech and language skills helping them integrate more seamlessly into the mainstream world of sound observed JaginiAccording to him the ability to hear starts much before birth By 15 weeks the growing child in the womb begins to hear sounds from the outside world including the sound of their mothers voice her heart beat and sounds from her digestive system as wellOnce outside the womb a baby listens and gradually gets attuned to the sounds of hisher parents cooing talking singing and reading in addition to environmental sounds These sound cues and signals picked up during the first three years of life when the brain is still developing and maturing are crucial for a baby to develop linguistic skills explains the doctorUnaddressed hearing loss affects language development However if these babies get help early in life they are often able to develop language skills that are on par with their hearing peers Sadly many of these babies are not identified until their second birthday by which time significant damage has already occurredThe earlier we diagnose loss of hearing in a child the sooner we can intervene and the better the outcome Screening hinges on the 123 guideline issued by experts Screen for hearing loss within 1 month from birth diagnose and confirm hearing loss by 23 months of age organise early intervention services by 36 months of age said JaginiThe right intervention at the right time helps the child develop normal speech and have a regular educationHearing aids are usually the first line of treatment for children with permanent hearing loss Hearing aids amplify sound meaning they make sounds louder and can be fitted within the first month of life For children with significant hearing loss a cochlear implant may be recommendedWhile these implants do not restore normal hearing they directly stimulate the nerve auditory nerve responsible for hearing and the brain recognizes these as sounds In my opinion cochlear implants must ideally be fitted around 9 months of age This is the optimal time for children to be exposed to sounds to help them comprehend language and music and pick up speaking skillsThe doctor mentioned that there was a time when children with hearing loss had no option but to pick up sign language and learn to cope and adjust for the rest of their livesToday the situation is thankfully very different At my hospital a child as young as 9 months old has been fitted with a cochlear implant though I believe that elsewhere globally a child as young as 6 months has successfully received the implant What a difference these make to their lives Within a year from the implant these children have normal speech developmentAs a doctor it is so encouraging and satisfying for me to watch these children play with their siblings communicate with other kids their age and be exposed to an entire world of sound that would have otherwise been completely foreign to themHe pointed out that in many other countries including the US UK and Australia every newborn is screened for hearing loss He is of the view that Indian experts must also recommend that a similar guideline is put in place very soon IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/hearing-loss-early-screening-diagnosis-is-key-to-ensue-sound-future-for-children-525339.html Sat, 02 Mar 2024 11:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/defence-ministry-inks-mous-worth-rs-39-125cr-to-procure-military-equipment-525106.html New Delhi March 1 Ministry of Defence MoD on Friday said that it has signed five major capital acquisition contracts worth Rs 3912539 crore to procure military equipment which includes procurement of Aeroengines for MiG29 aircraft Closein Weapon System CIWS highpower radar and shipborne BrahMos system The ministry said that out of the five contracts one has been signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for procurement of Aeroengines for MiG29 aircraft two contracts have been signed with Larsen and Toubro Limited for procurement of CIWS and procurement of HighPower Radar HPR while two more contracts have been signed with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited BAPL for procurement of BrahMos missiles and procurement of shipborne BrahMos system The contract for RD33 Aeroengines for MiG29 aircraft has been signed for Rs 524972 crore These aeroengines will be produced by the Koraput Division of HAL These Aeroengines are expected to fulfill the need of the Indian Air Force IAF to sustain the operational capability of the MiG29 fleet for the residual service life the ministry saidIt said that the Aeroengines will be manufactured under a Transfer of Technology TOT license from the Russian OEM It would help increase the indigenous content of future Repair and Overhaul ROH tasks of RD33 Aeroengines the ministry saidThe contract for procurement of CIWS has been signed for Rs 766882 crore CIWS will provide terminal Air Defence to select locations in the country The project will boost and encourage active participation of Indian aerospace defence and associated industries including MSMEs The direct and indirect employment generated by this project would be approximately an average of 2400 persons per year over five years the ministry saidThe contract for procurement of HPR has been signed for Rs 570013 crore It will replace existing longrange radars of lAF with modern Active Aperture Phased Arraybased HPR with advanced surveillance features It will significantly enhance the terrestrial Air Defence capabilities of IAF with the integration of sophisticated sensors capable of detection of small Radar Cross Section targets the ministry saidThe contract for the procurement of BrahMos missiles has been signed for Rs 1951865 crore This project is likely to generate employment of nine lakh mandays in Joint Venture entity and around 135 lakh mandays in ancillary industries including MSMEs of the country the ministry said The contract for procurement of shipborne BrahMos system has also been signed with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited BAPL for Rs 98807 crore This system is the Navys primary weapon for maritime strike operations fitted onboard various frontline warships The system is capable of hitting land or sea targets from extended ranges with pinpoint accuracy at supersonic speeds the ministry said The contracts were exchanged in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Secretary Giridhar AramaneThe ministry said that these deals will further strengthen indigenous capabilities save foreign exchange and reduce dependency on foreignorigin equipment manufacturers in future IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/defence-ministry-inks-mous-worth-rs-39-125cr-to-procure-military-equipment-525106.html Fri, 01 Mar 2024 15:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/legal-profession-is-a-service-should-not-be-a-money-making-avenue-says-kerala-hc-524927.html Kochi Feb 29 The Kerala High Court on Thursday made certain oral observations about lawyers stressing that the legal profession is a service to the society and they should not treat it as a moneymaking avenue A bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran said that charging by the hour for legal services is a misconception and is definitely not the practice in KeralaYou come here after reading on the internet what the Americans and all are doing We dont work by the hour For us the profession is still a service he said adding that law cannot be viewed as an ATMLaw is not a moneymaking profession If anybody who enters this profession believes that this is a machine that behaves like an ATM you put in the hours and you get the money they are sadly and grossly mistaken Law being a profession where you charge by the hour is a misconception It may be true in other parts of the world but not in Kerala And I dont want it to happen in Kerala and preferably in the rest of the country None of us have worked like this nor do I work like that even nowHow many hours do you think we are putting in We dont blow our trumpet for that How many hours do you think the government pleaders are putting in Many of them dont sleep in the night because in my court they will have 200250 matters to look up each day We dont work by the hour he addedMoney is something that will come to you when you do better You need time and perseverance he stressedJustice Ramachandrans observations came while hearing a petition moved by a lawyer practicing in Kottayam and appointed as an advocate commissioner by the Chief Judicial Magistrate to take possession of scheduled premises She received an allowance of Rs 8500 following which she visited the premises on three separate occasions accompanied by officers of the bank concernedOn the third visit the officials requested the petitioner to take partial possession However when the case was called the bank told the magistrate that the petitioner had only taken partial possession of the secured asset without their consensusAt this she informed the bank that she would not be able to complete taking possession and she relinquished her post Later the magistrate directed her to remit the balance allowance However since she had visited the premises thrice the petitioner said that there was no balance amount The bank filed an objection to this and ultimately the magistrate passed an order directing the petitioner to return Rs 2500 out of the Rs 8500 that she had receivedUpset by the lower courts directive she approached the High CourtThe impugned order demonstrates a clear disregard for the legal principles governing the appointment and duties of advocate commissioners setting a dangerous precedent for the administration of justice The impugned order is unreasonable and in violation of principles of natural justice as it penalises the petitioner without proper adjudication and consideration of the facts and circumstances of the case she said in her petitionThe High Court has posted the case for next hearing on March 5 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/legal-profession-is-a-service-should-not-be-a-money-making-avenue-says-kerala-hc-524927.html Thu, 29 Feb 2024 21:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/siddaramaiah-accepts-controversial-caste-census-report-ahead-of-ls-polls-524930.html Bengaluru Feb 29 In a major development Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday accepted the controversial SocioEconomic and Educational Survey Report also known as the caste census report The Congressled governments move is likely to trigger a controversy in the state ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections Chairman of Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes K Jayaprakash Hegde submitted the report to CM Siddaramaiah at his office in Vidhana Soudha on Thursday in the presence of Minister for Kannada and Culture Shivaraj Tangadagi Siddaramaiah said the caste census report will now be placed before the Cabinet for discussions He however refused to divulge any further information on the report Speaking to the media after the submission of the report Jayaprakash Hegde said that the report has been accepted and it will be placed before the next cabinet meeting We cant divulge the details our responsibility was to prepare the report and submit it he said The report was prepared by the 160 lakh government officers led by the Deputy Commissioners in 201415 The report is prepared based on the data collected during the tenure of former Chairman of the Commission H Kantharaju For technical reasons he could not submit the report This is a socioeconomic survey I wont talk about politics he said while reacting to the opposition to the report Hegde maintained that there is no relevance to the allegation about the missing original copy of the caste census report We have got it prepared and there is no confusion in it he addedWhen asked about the caste census report being dubbed as unscientific Hegde stated that without reading the report how can anyone arrive at the judgment that the report is unscientific He also clarified that the report is not leaked and it has the signatures of all officers Minister for Law HK Patil said that if needed legal opinions will be sought on the report First we will have to see how much time is required to study the report he saidMeanwhile former chairman of the State Commission for Backward Classes H Kantharaj said he was happy that the report is finally being submitted Once you study the report the pros and cons will be known The report is prepared to ensure the welfare of all sections of people It gives voice to the voiceless It is for the welfare of all he said The move to accept the report came amid strong opposition by the influential Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities The associations of both these communities have declared that they would reject the report dubbing it as unscientific Former Chief Minister and JDS state President HD Kumaraswamy had even challenged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah that if he had the capacity he should accept the caste report prepared by Kantharaj Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar was one of the signatories in the memorandum submitted to the state government urging not to accept that report Seers of the backward communities on the other hand had urged CM Siddaramaiah to accept the caste census report Amid the opposition the CM had declared that he would accept the controversial report Union minister Pralhad Joshi had stated that the state government does not have the authority to conduct a caste census Joshi maintained that the task of conducting a caste census rests only with the Central government IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/siddaramaiah-accepts-controversial-caste-census-report-ahead-of-ls-polls-524930.html Thu, 29 Feb 2024 21:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/over-36-mn-ai-gaming-credentials-compromised-by-infostealers-in-3-yrs-report-524726.html New Delhi Feb 29 Investigating the dark web market for credential theft from popular AI and gaming websites the researchers on Thursday said that more than 36 million credentials logins and passwords were compromised by infostealers in the past three years According to the cybersecurity company Kaspersky 34000000 Roblox users credentials were compromised with malware and leaked on the dark web over the past three years This figure rose by 231 per cent from roughly 4700000 in 2021 to 15500000 in 2023The reason behind such high volumes of thefts of login credentials associated with Roblox is that children are among the most vulnerable audiences as they are susceptible to various kinds of social engineering said Yuliya Novikova head of Kaspersky Digital Footprint IntelligenceCredentials from various AI services image editing translation text tuning chatbots to voice generators are being compromised due to their growing popularity the researchers notedOver the past three years about 1160000 application users credentials from AIpowered online graphic design tool Canva were compromised with datastealing malwareAnother popular AI writing assistant Grammarly had around 839000 user credentials stolen between 2021 and 2023 the report saidThe credential compromises in question stem from infostealer activity a specialised form of malware designed to steal user credentials for cyberattacks dark web sales or other malicious activities Novikova saidBoth personal and corporate devices can be infected by infostealers through phishing emails or websites publicfaced sites with malicious content and various other means she added IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/over-36-mn-ai-gaming-credentials-compromised-by-infostealers-in-3-yrs-report-524726.html Thu, 29 Feb 2024 12:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/sc-orders-tn-govt-to-properly-train-police-officers-on-collection-of-digital-evidence-524567.html New Delhi Feb 28 The Supreme Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to impart proper training to state police officers on the procedure to collect digital evidence A bench headed by Justice Abhay S Oka said that the state government must ensure that the police officers are imparted proper training of the procedure to be followed for obtaining a certificate under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act which deals with admissibility of electronic recordsThe bench also comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing a criminal appeal against the Madras High Court order confirming the conviction and sentence of the two accused under Section 364A kidnapping for ransom read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal CodeThe appellants were sentenced to undergo life imprisonmentThe High Court had discarded the prosecution evidence in the form of the call records for want of a certificate as required under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence ActTurning the conviction into the lesser offence of kidnapping under Section 363 of the IPC the apex court observed that the call records could have been the best possible evidence for the prosecution to prove the threats allegedly administered by the accused and the demand of ransomIn its judgment it noted that the Investigating Officer was not aware of the procedure to be followed for obtaining a certificate under Section 65B of the Evidence ActHe Investigating Officer cannot be blamed as a proper training was not imparted to him The state government must ensure that the police officers are imparted proper training on this aspect the Supreme Court saidFurther noting that the appellants are in custody and as they have undergone maximum sentence for the offence punishable under Section 363 of the IPC it directed that they will be set at liberty forthwith IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/sc-orders-tn-govt-to-properly-train-police-officers-on-collection-of-digital-evidence-524567.html Wed, 28 Feb 2024 18:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/heres-how-political-parties-spend-their-money-524622.html New Delhi Feb 28 The most common and popular items of expenditure for National Parties for FY 202223 are election expenses and administrativegeneral expenses according to a report released by the Association of Democratic Rights ADR on Wednesday The analysis based on audited reports of the political parties shows that BJPs expenditure towards Administrative Costs was Rs 1914 crore The maximum expenditure for Congress has been towards Administrative amp General Expenses which amounted to Rs 2358 crore followed by expenses towards Election Expenditure Rs 1926 croreThe Aam Aadmi Party AAP spent the maximum of Rs 588 crore on Propaganda Expenses followed by expenditure of Rs 363 crore on Election ExpenditureCommunist Party of IndiaMarxist and Bahujan Samaj Party have incurred the maximum spending on Administrative amp General Expenses of Rs 556 crore and Rs 163 crore respectively IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/heres-how-political-parties-spend-their-money-524622.html Wed, 28 Feb 2024 21:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-court-reserves-order-on-charges-against-former-wfi-chief-in-sexual-harassment-case-524292.html New Delhi Feb 27 A Delhi court on Tuesday reserved its order on framing of charges against BJP MP and former Wrestling Federation of India WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in an alleged sexual harassment case by six women wrestlers Earlier this month he had sought to be discharged in the case citing delay in reporting the alleged offence and contradictions in the complainants statementsAdditional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot of Rouse Avenue Court heard arguments presented by the complainants Delhi Police and the accused including Vinod Tomar former Assistant Secretary of WFI The court has posted the pronouncement of order on March 15During the proceedings the complainants and police said that there was ample evidence to proceed with the trial against the accused individuals The Delhi Police refuted the accuseds argument that certain incidents occurred overseas and thus fell outside the jurisdiction of Delhi courts contending that the alleged acts of sexual harassment attributed to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh both abroad and in India including Delhi constituted part of the same offenceHis counsel had earlier told the court that the incidents were said to have occurred in 2012 but were only reported to the police in 2023In addition he had contended discrepancies in the timing and locations of the alleged incidents asserting no clear link between themThe defence had pointed out contradictions between the complainants affidavits and statementsThe Delhi Police had concluded its arguments last month It was contended that incidents of alleged sexual harassment whether occurring overseas or within the country were interconnected and part of the same transaction Hence the police had said that the court had jurisdiction to hear the caseThe BJP MP had earlier questioned the jurisdiction of the Delhi court claiming that there was no action or consequence which happened in IndiaAdditional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava representing the Delhi Police had argued that under Section 354 of the IPC the case is not timebarred as it carries a maximum punishment of five yearsAddressing the issue of delay in filing complaints Srivastava had brought up issue of fear among the women wrestlers saying that wrestling held immense significance in their lives and they were hesitant to come forward due to concerns about jeopardising their careersThe prosecution had argued that Brij Bhushan Sharan Singhs defence claiming his actions were fatherly demonstrated awareness of his acts The accuseds justification that he was checking breathing patterns had contradicted the victims statements about inappropriate touching The police had claimed that there is sufficient prima facie evidence to proceed with trial against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and coaccused TomarThe prosecution had earlier said that the act of sexual harassment of the victims was a continuing offence as it did not stop at any particular timeDelhi Police had also told the court that Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh never missed an opportunity to sexually harass women wrestlers adding that there is sufficient evidence to frame charges against him and proceed with the trial IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-court-reserves-order-on-charges-against-former-wfi-chief-in-sexual-harassment-case-524292.html Tue, 27 Feb 2024 20:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/vhp-to-expand-its-organisation-to-one-lakh-villages-524198.html Ayodhya Feb 27 The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has decided to expand its organisation in its 60th year to meet the challenges facing the Hindu society The threeday meeting of the Central Board of Trustees and the Governing Council of Vishwa Hindu Parishad VHP that concluded on Tuesday in the holy city of Ayodhya took this decisionThe newly elected secretary general of Vishwa Hindu Parishad Bajrang Lal Bagra said that the representatives from the country and abroad discussed many topics in the meeting and resolved that as the grand temple of Shri Ram has at long last been rebuilt now the spread of Ramtva Holistic Altruistic and Syncretic Ram Consciousness refinement grace and dignity in the organisation society and the diaspora Hindus will reestablish a highly cultured and strong societyFor this by the end of the 60th year of VHP we will ensure the organisational footprints of our work in about one lakh villages across the country We will again ensure a cultured enlightened committed dedicated and safe Hindu society by again invoking the values of Lord Ram in the conscience and consciousness of every person he saidThe VHP secretary general said that subjects such as expansion of Seva work protection and promotion of cow progeny stopping of religious conversions giving more speed to the GharWapsi HomeComing work were also discussed in detail in the meetingThe representatives from various countries also presented their action plans to strengthen the liaison togetherness and coordination among Hindus living in their respective countries and work out proper solutions for their concerns and issuesBagra said while congratulating the Uttarakhand government on implementing the Uniform Civil Code UCC the Board of Trustees expressed the hope that the rest of the states would also enact their respective strong Uniform Civil Codes so that discrimination among the countrymen can end and also all children and women can get equal rightsIt was also underlined that as soon as the rules of CAA Citizenship Amendment Act come into the public domain and play our workers ought to take immediate action to ensure Indian citizenship for Hindu Jain Sikh and Buddhist brothers and sisters from Pakistan Afghanistan and Bangladesh who have taken refuge in the country to save themselves from religious persecution and socioeconomic traumatisation IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/vhp-to-expand-its-organisation-to-one-lakh-villages-524198.html Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/army-inducts-indigenously-developed-46-metre-long-modular-bridge-524216.html New Delhi 27 Feb The Ministry of Defence on Tuesday said that it has inducted indigenously developed 46meter Modular Bridge into the army The ministry said that the bridge is a mechanically launched singlespan fully decked 46metre assault bridgeThe 46metre long Modular Bridge has been indigenously designed and developed by DRDO A total of 41 modular bridges at the cost of Rs 2585 crore will be progressively inducted in the army over next four years the ministry saidOn Tuesday the bridging system was formally handed over to the Army in the presence of Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj PandeThe ministry said that each set of the Modular Bridge consists of seven carrier vehicles based on 8x8 Heavy Mobility Vehicles and two launcher vehicles based on 10x10 Heavy Mobility VehiclesThe bridge can be employed over various types of obstacles like canals and ditches with quick launching and retrieval capabilities The equipment is highly mobile versatile rugged and capable of keeping pace with wheeled and tracked mechanized vehicles the ministry saidThe modular bridges will replace the manually launched Medium Girder Bridges MGB which are currently being used by the army The indigenously designed and manufactured Modular bridges shall have many advantages over the MGB such as increased span less time for construction and mechanical launching with retrieval capabilityThe ministry said that the acquisition of these bridges not only enhances the armys operational effectiveness but also showcases Indias growing prominence in defence technology and manufacturing IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/army-inducts-indigenously-developed-46-metre-long-modular-bridge-524216.html Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tn-water-resources-minister-lashes-out-against-andhra-for-allocating-funds-to-build-new-check-dam-524217.html Chennai Feb 27 Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister S Duraimurugan on Tuesday termed the allocation of funds by the Andhra Pradesh government for construction of a check dam across Palar river anticonstitutional and against federal principles In a statement here the senior DMK leader said that other than this the act of the Andhra Pradesh government was disrespect of the Supreme Court as two suits were pending before the court regarding interstate river dispute and called on it not to move ahead with the proposalThe Andhra government had in its budget for financial year 202425 allocated an amount of Rs 215 crore for the construction of a check dam across Palar river in its Kuppam districtThe farmers of northern Tamil Nadu had raised the issue before the Tamil Nadu government and asked it to immediately act to prevent the construction of the check dam as it would totally affect cultivation in the areaFarmers of Vellore Ranipet and Tirupattur has raised the issue before the Tamil Nadu governmentDuraimurugan in the statement said that the Supreme Court in its verdict dated February 16 2018 on the Cauvery water dispute had overtly stated that no structure should be constructed across an inter state river without the consent of the lower riparian statesHe said that the SC order had clearly said that the two inter state river agreements of 1892 and 1924 had neither any political arrangements nor touched any facet of sovereignty of the country The minister also said that the government of Andhra Pradesh had violated the 1982 agreement and the Supreme Courts verdictThe Tamil Nadu government had filed a case in the Supreme Court against the Andhra Pradesh government on February 6 2006 when the latter attempted to build a reservoir without the consent of the lower riparian states he added He also said that another civil suit was filed against the Andhra government for increasing the height of the check dams in 2016Duraimurugan said that even after the two civil suits were pending before the Supreme Court the Andhra government unilaterally tried to build a check dam across the Palar river and allocated funds for the project He said that this would amount to contempt of court and not good for healthy relationships between the neighbouring states and called upon the AP government to refrain from such activities in future IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tn-water-resources-minister-lashes-out-against-andhra-for-allocating-funds-to-build-new-check-dam-524217.html Tue, 27 Feb 2024 17:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-navy-conducts-airborne-insertion-ops-over-arabian-sea-523956.html New Delhi 26 Feb In response to the ongoing maritime security situation in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea the Indian Navy undertook airborne insertion by Special Forces The Navy informed on Monday that this is also being done to ensure prompt action against any maritime threat The Indian Navy undertook airborne insertion by Special Forces by paradropping inflatable crafts and MARCOs from C130 aircraft in the Arabian Sea for continued antipiracy operations in the regionThe Navy remains committed and poised towards safety and security of merchant shipping and seafarers in the region an official saidConsidering the recent spate of attacks in the Arabian Sea the Indian Navy has already deployed guided missile destroyers INS Mormugao INS Kochi and INS Kolkata in various areas to maintain a deterrent presenceThe last few weeks have witnessed increased maritime security incidents on merchant vessels transiting through international shipping lanes in the Red Sea Gulf of Aden and Central and North Arabian SeaA few weeks back a piracy incident was reported on MV Ruen approximately 700 nautical miles from the Indian coast followed by a drone attack on MV Chem Pluto approximately 220 nautical miles southwest of Porbandar IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-navy-conducts-airborne-insertion-ops-over-arabian-sea-523956.html Mon, 26 Feb 2024 21:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iafs-sarang-team-enthralls-crowd-on-culmination-of-singapore-airshow-523552.html New Delhi Feb 25 As the Singapore Airshow drew to an end the Sarang Helicopter Display Team of the Indian Air Force presented their last display for the event at the Changi Exhibition Centre on Sunday The IAF said that it was at this very venue that the Sarangs began their journey 20 years ago when they performed their first public display as a three helicopter team for the Asian Aerospace Show in February 2004 Since then the Sarangs have graduated to a four helicopter display and recently included a five helicopter display profile to their achievementsApart from thrilling aerobatics displays nationally and internationally the Sarang Team has also undertaken numerous HADR operations The Team was at the forefront in Uttarakhand during the flash floods of 2013 wherein the Unit helicopters rescued close to 1000 people and supplied 12 tonnes of relief material at altitudes in excess of 10000 feet in inclement weather and hazardous terrain the IAF saidThe Air Force said that the Unit has also been involved in providing succour to the people affected by floods in its area of responsibility from time to time including the rescue and relief operations in Chennai Dindigul Tirupati and Nellore In the recent past the team was one of the first responders for HADR missions during Cyclone Okhi in December 2017 the devastating floods in Kerala in August 2018 and Tuticorin floods in December 2023The achievements of the Sarang Team are synonymous with the rapid strides of the Indian aviation industry which has diversified into development and production of state of the art helicopters and fighters In the near future the country is also expected to produce its first transport aircraft the C295 the officials added IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iafs-sarang-team-enthralls-crowd-on-culmination-of-singapore-airshow-523552.html Sun, 25 Feb 2024 15:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/drdo-hands-over-licensing-agreements-for-transfer-of-technology-to-22-industries-523654.html New Delhi Feb 25 The DRDO on Sunday handed over 23 Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology LATOT across the domains of electronics laser technology armaments life sciences materials science combat vehicles naval systems and aeronautics to 22 industries an official statement said The Defence Ministry statement said that these include manufacturing of carboncarbon aircraft brakes for LCA Tejas 100 m floating infantry foot bridge 40 mm highexplosive antipersonnel HEAP grenade for UBGL full trailer of 70t tank transporter for MBT Arjun Mk1A expendable mobile solarheated shelter NMRsupercapacitor weaponisation of handheld thermal imager with LRF and highpressure water mist fire suppression systemSecretary Defence RampD and DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat was present at the handover at a DRDOIndustry Meet during the Maharashtra MSME Defence Expo 2024 at Pune it said adding that the products based on these DRDO technologies will further boost the defence manufacturing sector and selfreliance in defence it saidThe DRDO handed over SAMAR System for Advance Manufacturing Assessment and Rating a benchmark to measure the competency of defence manufacturing enterprises certificates to nine Industry partnersAddressing Industry partners Dr Kamat iterated DRDOs commitment to provide all technology support towards the development of Indian defence industries for realisation of Aatmanirbhar Bharat as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi He elaborated that the recent success of DRDO products have not only made the country more selfreliant in defence technology but also provided immense opportunities to the industries in defence manufacturing sectorHe further stressed that the industries are invaluable partners and it is an apt time for an Indian industry to take advantage of the latest initiatives and policies of the Government and make the country a hub of defence manufacturing IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/drdo-hands-over-licensing-agreements-for-transfer-of-technology-to-22-industries-523654.html Sun, 25 Feb 2024 22:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/astro-zindagi-weekly-horoscope-523458.html New Delhi Feb 25 Here is a guide to the week ahead for you This is your forecast for February 26 to March 3 AriesThis is the time to network and meet the people of influence who can help you move forward in your profession The superiors would notice your efforts and dedicationIt is time to assess your relationships and connections and ensure they serve you Shift the focus on creating and nurturing strong significant relationships with others and you will discover that they are the greatest tools to help you succeedIn your love life you might face the dilemma of challenging assumptions and seeking clarity Take advantage of the fact that youre single by being open to new connections and hearing what others have to sayTip of the week Assess your relationshipsTaurusThis is the time to be disciplined and focused as effort and endurance will eventually lead to longterm achievements You may encounter some bumps or barriers on your way to your career but with persistence and patience you can manage them Focus on becoming a person of integrity and dont seek shortcuts or do things halfway When it comes to love this week encourages you to take a downtoearth and realistic approach to your relationships This is the moment to solidify a strong basis of trust and stability with your partner If you are a student dont procrastinate nor give in to distractions as they will only slow you downTip of the week Dont seek shortcutsGeminiThis week the focus of your career will shift to a more serious tone You may be tempted to return to college for more education or training to advance your career Now is the right time to ask for advice from your mentors or experts related to your field Dont hurry up with the decisions about your career calmly explore your choicesThe week may bring a more serious tone to family matters It is a good opportunity to talk seriously with your family members especially about old issues that have never been resolvedNow is the perfect opportunity to register for those courses that align with your longterm interestsTip of the week Seek advice from mentorsCancerThis is the time to introspect on your career and ambitions Ponder over your longterm plans and how they align with your aspirations Adapting to change and being flexible in transforming your career is vital This may require letting go of the old mindsets that do not work for you and welcoming new things that come your way Trust and believe in your ability to survive all the challenges that lie ahead and youll be more resilient and successfulDig into the core of your feelings and relationships You might discover yourself facing your longdenied fears or insecurities which kept you from being successful in romantic relationshipsTip of the week Be adaptive to changeLeoThis week you may face difficulties in partnerships or collaborations The planetary effect may cause delays or complications in the partnership tasks You must talktransparently and be patient with your coworkers Focus on creating deep and sustainable trustbased partnerships rooted in mutual respect This is the week when you have to be careful in new relationships Dont rush getting to know someone before making a full commitmentRegarding family affairs Leos will have to deal with some unpleasant issues The influence of planets can result in problems among the family that require patience and empathyTip of the week Talk transparentlyVirgoThis is the time to display your persistence and commitment Keep your eyes on the goals be persistent and dont be impatient Ultimately your efforts will be rewarded and you can move to the next stage in your careerThe planets might create some tension or difficulties regarding your relationships You might feel more serious or formal than usualmaking your partner think something is wrong You may be forced to undertake extra tasks or tackle health or welfare problems affecting your relatives Selfcare is necessary and setting boundaries is crucial to avoid overloadingTip of the week Set boundariesLibraHave the courage to think out of the box and explore new approaches to your work You may be attracted to creative activities or new ideas among others This is a time to take risks and try out new things as long as you remain rooted and pragmatic in your approach Your superiors will see your strenuous effort and devotion to a task In your personal life you could feel a lack of stability and security in your relationship as a result of which you might have conflicts with your partner Singles do not jump headlong into a new relationship instead slow down discover more about yourself and decide what you want in a partnerTip of the week Try out new thingsScorpioThis week you may explore the hidden force influencing your career You could decide to make longterm plans and stick to the schedule It is an opportune moment to reevaluate your goals to make appropriate modifications to fit your genuine aspirations Although this may require you to have some level of patience you should be ready for such challenges In relationships you may experience depth and intensity You might experience a sharp craving for closer ties and a greater intensity of your relationship with your partnerThere is a high chance that you will enjoy acquiring new knowledge and receiving fresh points of viewTip of the week Stick to the scheduleSagittariusThis is the perfect time for you to practice your interpersonal skills Be clear and concise in the messagesincreasing the chances of people understanding your ideas You might also notice that the duties of your job become more extensivewhich could open up new ways of developing yourself or moving up in the company It is good to take this opportunity to enhance communication with your family members Spend time listening to their ideas and opinions and be ready to compromise if necessaryFor singles this week could open new chances through simple things like social events or short travelsTip of the week Practice your interpersonal skillsCapricornThis week you may find that you are emphasising your finances and career security more than usual This is when you need to take a pragmatic stand regarding your professional objectives and duties Instead work on a solid base for your future success If you have been thinking about making investments or taking on more tasks at work now is the time to carefully analyse the pros and cons before moving on If single dont be in a hurry to get to know someone new but rather concentrate on building a solid emotional link before it gets too seriousYou might have a strong urge to build a pattern of order and structure in your householdTip of the week Work on a solid baseAquariusThis week you could have a feeling of being restricted or limited in your relationships that can end up in conflicts or disagreements It is crucial to communicate openly with your partner and be ready to make concessions and find ways out together In your career think about your professional purpose and ambitions in detail You might experience a great desire to do something new or to be different Be careful and patient in your decisionmaking process because rushed decisions can create difficulties Focus on developing a strong platform that will support future growth and success This is also an opportunity to solicit advice from mentors or colleagues who could give you invaluable insightsTip of the week Avoid impulsive decisionsPiscesThis week you may experience feelings of loneliness and separation from your family members It is crucial to keep the communication open and grasp the viewpoints from different angles You can use this time to work on your inner healing process and reinforce your family tiesAs regards career this week may seem stressful You can experience a lack of inspiration Its necessary to stay focused and disciplined even when feeling discouraged Take this opportunity to reconsider your career goals and make any changes that may be needed If you are single consider your past relationships and what partner you would likeTip of the week Work on your inner healingNeeraj Dhankher is an Astrologer with proficiency in Vedic KP and Nadi Astrology He is the Founder and CEO of Astro Zindagi The observations are made by the writer based on his analysis IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/astro-zindagi-weekly-horoscope-523458.html Sun, 25 Feb 2024 09:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/haryana-cm-opens-sanjha-bazaar-for-empowering-women-523321.html Chandigarh Feb 24 Empowering women within selfhelp groups SGH Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday unveiled an initiative by inaugurating states first Sanjha Bazaar in Karnal district making a significant step towards creating opportunities for economic empowerment and community development Addressing the gathering the Chief Minister said in the Sanjha Bazaar the women members of SHGs would find a platform to display and sell products as a secure source of livelihoodHe said places have been identified for the Sanjha Bazaar in six districts in the first phase Each Sanjha Bazaar will have 10 portable cabins which will be increased as required in the future The rent for each of these cabins will be only Rs 100 per dayHe said under the selfhelp groups 58000 groups have been formed in the state These groups are leading six lakh women towards selfreliance as members Among these 6 lakh women there are one lakh women whose annual income is less than Rs 1 lakhAccording to the Central governments Drone Didi scheme 500 women are being trained in the first phase The government is emphasising on empowering selfhelp groups not only in villages but also in cities said KhatarIn Karnal district 5298 selfhelp groups have been formed with 57175 women associated the highest number in the state In this series 386 gram organisations have been formed and 17 clusterlevel federations are operational The government has provided Rs 582 crore to the SGHs and Rs 757 crore to the gram organizations in Karnal district DW https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/haryana-cm-opens-sanjha-bazaar-for-empowering-women-523321.html Sat, 24 Feb 2024 16:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/himachal-cm-seeks-collaboration-with-uk-on-green-hydrogen-e-vehicles-522954.html Shimla Feb 23 A joint delegation of the British High Commission and the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association HPCA called on Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu here on Friday who expressed interest in exploring collaboration with the UK in green hydrogen electric vehicles tourism and water bodies The delegation led by Deputy Head of Mission of the British High Commission Amandeep Grewal and Political Press and Projects Adviser for the UK government Rajinder Nagarkoti extended an invitation to the Chief Minister for a UKHPCA joint reception on March 7 at the Dharamsala cricket stadiumThe reception coinciding with the first day of the fifth Test Match between India and England aims to showcase a fusion of British and Himachali cuisine while fostering stronger ties between the UK and Himachal PradeshThe delegation provided insights into the reception highlighting the presence of British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis among the guestsThe Chief Minister urged the UK team to collaborate closely with the state to leverage UKs expertise in these fields for mutual benefitsHe said further meetings with the UK delegation to delve deeper into the proposed collaborations would be held shortly ensuring that Himachal Pradesh maximises the potential of partnering with the UKHPCA Director Surinder Thakur also extended a warm invitation to the Chief Minister to witness the test match between India and England IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/himachal-cm-seeks-collaboration-with-uk-on-green-hydrogen-e-vehicles-522954.html Fri, 23 Feb 2024 13:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/manipur-hc-cancels-order-for-examining-inclusion-of-meitei-community-in-scheduled-tribes-list-522764.html Imphal Feb 22 The Manipur High Court has modified its March 2023 order in part whereby a contentious direction was issued to the state government for considering the inclusion of Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribes ST list observing that a paragraph of that order was in conflict with the Supreme Courts constitution bench observation court sources said on Thursday The single judge bench of Justice Golmei Gaiphulshillu was hearing a review petition filed against para 17 iii of the decision dated March 27 2023 rendered by the then acting Chief Justice MV Muralidharan in a petition by a Meitei organisationthe direction given at Para No 17 iii needs to be deleted and is ordered accordingly for deletion of the Para No 17 iii of the judgment and order dated 27032023 passed in WPC No 229 of 2023 the order of Wednesday saidThe contentious paragraph no 17 iii of last years High Court verdict instructed the state to expedite consideration of Meitei community inclusion in the ST listThen acting Chief Justice MV Muralidharan who was subsequently transferred to the Calcutta High Court in his March 27 2023 order directed the state government to send a recommendation to the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry to consider the ST status for the Meitei communityThe directive is believed to be a catalyst for ethnic conflict between the nontribal Meitei community and tribal KukiZo community claiming over 200 lives and injuring 1500 and displacing over 70000 people of both communitiesErstwhile princely state Manipur merged with the Indian Union in 1949Justice Gaiphulshillus order said The Meetei Meitei of Manipur has lost the identity of the tribe while merging with the Union of India on September 21 1949 and earlier Manipur was a simple classless tribal society However at the time of merging 29 communities of Manipur have been included in the Scheduled Tribe list of Indian Union and thereafter as per the order of May 26 2003 of the Gauhati High Courts Imphal bench Chongthu Khoibu and Mate have been included in the list of Scheduled Tribes Accordingly now there are 34 numbers of tribal communities of Manipur included in the list of Scheduled Tribes of the Indian Constitution but the Meetei Meitei tribe was left outAfter the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3 last year post the March 27 High Court order several petitions including challenges to the high court directive were filed to the Supreme CourtThe ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state after March 27 High Court order as a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei communitys demand for ST statusMeiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipurs estimated population of about 3649 lakh and live mostly in the six Imphal Valley districts while tribals which include Naga and KukiZo constitute 40 per cent and reside mainly in the 10 hill districts IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/manipur-hc-cancels-order-for-examining-inclusion-of-meitei-community-in-scheduled-tribes-list-522764.html Thu, 22 Feb 2024 21:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/peeved-mumbai-congress-mla-slams-rahuls-team-keeps-options-open-522771.html Mumbai Feb 22 A day after he was abruptly ousted as Mumbai Indian Youth Congress President Congress MLA Zeeshan B Siddique on Thursday criticised Rahul Gandhis team and also dropped veiled hints of examining fresh political alternatives If the Congress does not want me I will have to look for new options They should have at least consulted me I learnt of the development through the media said Zeeshan an MLA from Bandra East who was the youngest to get elected to the Assembly in 2019 rattling Congress circlesThe developments came barely two weeks after Zeeshans father Baba Ziauddin Siddique threetime exMLA from Bandra West and exMinister suddenly quit the Congress and joined the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Targetting the Congress leadership Zeeshan told mediapersons that though Rahul Gandhi is a good leader his team is the biggest factor leading to the Congress downfall and claimed that the party is riddled with hypocrisyIt seems they have taken a contract from some other party to wipe off the Congress I had gone to Nanded for the previous Bharat Jodo Yatra and sought to meet Rahul Gandhi I was told to return after shedding 10 kg he saidZeeshan also slammed the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi government saying that he was not able to resolve the issues of his constituencyOn his removal as the MYC chief Zeeshan said that while his father had joined NCP there are many instances of families staying in different political partiesHe cited the instance of the late Rajiv Gandhi and his brother Sanjay Gandhi whose families are now in different political parties Sonia Gandhi Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka are with the Congress but Maneka Gandhi and Varun Gandhi are with Bharatiya Janata Party BJPSimilarly Madhavrao Scindia and Vijaya Raje Scindia were with Congress but their other relatives are with the BJP AK Antony is a Congressman but his son Anil A Antony has joined BJPOn his future plans Zeeshan said that he was elected by 88517 members the highest in MYCs history as the city President and would consult his supporters before taking a call on his political optionsSpelling rumblings within the city and state Congress the Mumbai Congress President Prof Varsha Gaikwad removed Zeeshan on Wednesday and named Akhilesh Yadav as the new Mumbai Youth Congress President and Sufiyan M Haider as the Working President dreams and aspirations of young India have been crushed due to rising unemployment and joblessness The BharatJodoNyayYatra is committed to fighting for and achieving YuvaNyay I look forward to working closely with Akhilesh and Sufiyan in Mumbai to ensure that the Congresss call for justice reaches every young Mumbaikar said Prof Gaikwad an MLA from Dharavi and an exminister posted on XAfter giving 12 years to the organisation having fought three elections it is unfortunate that I have not received any official intimation from the party and I have to learn about my ousting from the media and social media he said venting his ire on X IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/peeved-mumbai-congress-mla-slams-rahuls-team-keeps-options-open-522771.html Thu, 22 Feb 2024 21:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/foreign-visitors-to-japan-in-january-returns-to-pre-pandemic-level-522451.html Tokyo Feb 22 The number of foreign visitors to Japan in January came to 2688100 reaching the prepandemic level in 2019 government data showed The latest figure surged 795 per cent from a year earlier nearing the record high of 2689339 for the month set in 2019 before the Covid19 pandemic according to a report by the Japan National Tourism Organisation on Wednesday as quoted by Xinhua news agency reportThe number of overseas visitors has been growing after Japan lifted border control related to Covid19 in late April while a weak yen has also been fueling the return of inbound tourists the report saidThe impact of a powerful earthquake that jolted central Japan on New Years Day has been limited according to the organisationThe largest number of travellers came from South Korea at 857000 up 10 per cent from the same month in 2019 the data showedMeanwhile the number of Japanese nationals travelling overseas in the reporting month jumped 893 per cent from a year earlier to 838600 but was still down 423 per cent from January 2019 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/foreign-visitors-to-japan-in-january-returns-to-pre-pandemic-level-522451.html Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/if-party-doesnt-want-me-will-review-options-mumbai-cong-mla-522731.html Mumbai Feb 22 A day after he was unceremoniously dumped as Mumbai Indian Youth Congress President city unit Congress MLA Zeeshan B Siddique said on Thursday that he would consider fresh political alternatives If the Congress does not want me I will have to look for new options retorted Zeeshan an MLA from Bandra East who was the youngest to get elected to the Assembly in 2019 rattling Congress circlesThe developments came barely two weeks after Zeeshans father Baba Ziauddin Siddique threetime exMLA from Bandra West and exMinister suddenly quit the Congress and joined the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy CM Ajit PawarSpelling rumblings within the city and state Congress Mumbai Congress President Prof Varsha Gaikwad removed Zeeshan on Wednesday and named Akhilesh Yadav as the new Mumbai Youth Congress President and Sufiyan M Haider as the Working President dreams and aspirations of young India have been crushed due to rising unemployment and joblessness The BharatJodoNyayYatra is committed to fighting for and achieving YuvaNyay I look forward to working closely with Akhilesh and Sufiyan in Mumbai to ensure that the Congresss call for justice reaches every young Mumbaikar said Prof Gaikwad an MLA from Dharavi and an exminister posted on XReacting sharply to the humiliation Zeeshan Siddique said he would respond today February 22 on his next course of action and said that 88517 MYC members voted for him the highest in the MYCs history to become the Congress city unit presidentHe pointed out that the MYC Presidents post is not a nominated assignment attainable by lobbying or being a yes man but through proper electionsAfter giving 12 years to the organisation having fought three elections it is unfortunate that I have not received any official intimation from the party and I have to learn about my ousting from media and social media he said venting his ire on X IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/if-party-doesnt-want-me-will-review-options-mumbai-cong-mla-522731.html Thu, 22 Feb 2024 19:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/previous-govts-involved-in-some-of-the-biggest-scams-union-minister-521985.html Mumbai Feb 20 Previous governments inadequately regulated critical sectors such as telecom amid massive scams but our approach in creating a framework of regulation has been open and transparent Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar has saidDuring a discussion at the Mumbai Tech Week Chandrasekhar emphasised the transformative approach of the Narendra Modi governmentThe telecom sector had some of the biggest scams So there is also a healthy dose of cynicism and skepticism when the government talks about regulation because there is a feeling that regulation is either pushing for a particular agenda or pushing forward the need for the government or a politician to control the minister told the gatheringBut our approach to creating a framework of regulation has been open transparent and consultative And it is not so much about government regulation as it is about all of the stakeholders coming together and creating the guardrails that are important for the orderly growth of any segment of our economy Chandrasekhar stressedIf it were just about innovation if it were just about entrepreneurs doing their thing and we did not have some rules laws and guardrails you would have chaos he addedThe White Paper on Indian Economy tabled in the Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier this month enumerated about 15 cases of corruption and scams that happened during the 10year rule of the Congressled UPA governmentAs per the document the UPAs decade of governance was marked by a series of scams in multiple sectors ranging from coal to telecom to aviationThe 2G scam involved a loss of about Rs 176 lakh crore of potential revenue to the government as estimated by the CAG at the rates paid for 3G spectrum The corruption cases are in the appellate court IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/previous-govts-involved-in-some-of-the-biggest-scams-union-minister-521985.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 12:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/digital-flight-control-computer-for-tejas-mk1a-flown-successfully-522254.html New Delhi Feb 20 In a significant development towards the Tejas Mk1A programme the Digital Fly by Wire Flight Control Computer DFCC was integrated in prototype LSP7 and successfully flown by the Indian Air ForceThe IAF informed the aircraft with DFCC was successfully flown on Monday The DFCC has been indigenously developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment ADE Bengaluru for Tejas Mk1AThe DFCC features Quadraplex Power PC based Processor highspeed autonomous state machine based IO controller enhanced computational throughput and complex onboard software complied to DO178C level A safety requirementsAll critical parameters and performance of the flight controls were found satisfactory The maiden flight was piloted by Wg Cdr Siddarth Singh KMJ Retd from the National Flight Test Centre The Aeronautical Development Agency under the aegis of Department of Defence RampD and Ministry of Defence has successfully certified the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft LCAThe Indian Air Force has already operationalised Tejas LCA Mk1 The improved version of the aircraft Tejas MK1A features advanced mission computer highperformance DFCC Smart MultiFunction Displays SMFD Advanced Electronically Scanned Array AESA Radar Advanced Selfprotection Jammer Electronic Warfare Suit etcDefence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented the joint teams from the DRDO IAF ADA and industries involved in the development and successful flight test of this critical system for Tejas Mk1A and termed it as a major step towards Aatmanirbharata with reduced count of special imports IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/digital-flight-control-computer-for-tejas-mk1a-flown-successfully-522254.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 20:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indonesia-to-launch-first-hydrogen-refueling-station-521907.html Jakarta Feb 20 Indonesia has established its first hydrogen refueling station for hydrogenfuelled vehicles and was planned to be launched at the end of this month Indonesias electricity firm saidThe breakthrough was showcased at the countrys annual automotive show on Monday in Jakarta Xinhua news agency reportedPresident Director of the countrys stateowned electricity company PLN Darmawan Prasodjo said that the hydrogen station was a part of Indonesias commitment to the development of new renewable energy and the future vehicle ecosystem which includes providing green hydrogen for transportation needsIndonesia is ready to become a major player in the ecosystem of hydrogenfuelled vehicles just like we become one of the pioneers in the establishment of electricvehicle ecosystem Prasodjo added in a statementThe station facilities would include hydrogenbased electric vehicle charger as well as Hydrogen Center and Hydrogen Gallery Room as a centre for hydrogenrelated training and education in IndonesiaThe promotion of the new station at the automotive event he said was expected to invite business people and communities in the automotive world to start switching to green hydrogenbased future vehiclesIndonesia the worlds fourthlargest populous nation is on its track to reduce carbon emissions and pursue the target of net zero emissions by 2060 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indonesia-to-launch-first-hydrogen-refueling-station-521907.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 03:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iit-d-gets-academic-complexes-worth-rs-260-cr-for-20-hi-tech-units-522196.html New Delhi Feb 20 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday virtually inaugurated the East and West Complex the two newlyconstructed academic complexes of IIT Delhi IIT Delhi authorities said that this is the largest ever singletime construction activity for research and academic purposes in the history of the instituteThe two multistorey complexes are developed at a cost of Rs 260 crore with a plinth area of over 60000 sq mt which have come up as an addition to the existing academic area on the campusExpressing his gratitude to the Prime Minister Rangan Banerjee Director IIT Delhi said The two academic complexes that have been inaugurated by the Prime Minister will strengthen the existing academic and research facilities on the campus The institute is known for the cuttingedge research done by the faculty and students The new research facilities in these two academic blocks will help us reach new heights The East and West Complex will host more than 20 academic units of the institute including School of AI School of Public Policy Department of Design Department of Textile and Fibre Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Material Science and Engineering The Department of Mathematics Department of Energy Science and Engineering School of Biological Sciences Centre for Biomedical Engineering Department of Biotechnology Centre for Automative Research and Tribology Department of Electrical Engineering School of Interdisciplinary Research and Central Research Facilities will also be housed thereMore than 300 researchcumteaching labs focusing on research and development in the areas of energy environment and sustainability artificial intelligence and other scientific research will be set up in the two new complexes The complexes also have 200 faculty offices 10 committee rooms 13 conference rooms and other facilities like faculty lounges and department library IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iit-d-gets-academic-complexes-worth-rs-260-cr-for-20-hi-tech-units-522196.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 18:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/six-up-varsities-secure-rs-100-cr-each-funding-under-pm-usha-521512.html Lucknow Feb 19 Uttar Pradesh has secured Rs 740 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan PMUSHA programme the highest amount in the country with six universities receiving Rs 100 crore each for the development of these institutions as multidisciplinary education and research universities MERUsA sum of Rs 140 crore has been distributed among eight other universities in the state for renovating dilapidated buildingsThe six UP universities to get Rs 100 crore each under the programme are the University of Lucknow Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Awadh University in Ayodhya Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilhand University in Bareilly Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University in Gorakhpur Bundelkhand University in Jhansi and Chaudhary Charan Singh University MeerutSimilarly out of the 52 universities identified nationwide under the strengthening of universities initiative grants were allocated to eight universities in Uttar PradeshDr Bhim Rao Ambedkar University Agra Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University Kanpur Maa Shakumbhari University Saharanpur and Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth Varanasi each received a grant of Rs 20 croreVeer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University Jaunpur received Rs 199 crore while Prof Rajendra Singh Rajju Brother University in Prayagraj also got Rs 199 croreJananayak Chandrashekhar University Ballia and Siddharth University Kapilvastu have received Rs 1338 crore and Rs 653 crore respectivelyUniversity of Lucknow in a communication said that this financial boost made possible through the PMUSHA initiative would help the university to enhance its academic infrastructure research capabilities and overall educational ecosystemThe funds will be utilised to upgrade laboratories modernise classrooms foster innovation hubs and promote interdisciplinary research said LU vicechancellor Prof Alok Kumar RaiThis funding will play a pivotal role in elevating the University of Lucknow to new heights of excellence It will not only benefit our current students and faculty but also contribute to the nations knowledge landscape he saidDeen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University too has been selected for a Rs 100 crore meritbased grant under PMUSHA schemeProf Poonam Tandon DDU vicechancellor said The funding will be utilised to develop the university as a MultiDisciplinary Education and Research University MERU in alignment with the National Education Policy NEP IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/six-up-varsities-secure-rs-100-cr-each-funding-under-pm-usha-521512.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 09:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/with-two-aircraft-carriers-indian-navy-kicks-off-milan-2024-joint-exercise-521813.html New Delhi Feb 19 The 12th edition of the Naval exercise Milan began on Monday in which more than 50 nations are taking part According to the Ministry of Defence the theme of Milan this is year is Forging Naval Alliances for a Secure Maritime FutureThe Indian Navy said that LCA Tejas Flying Bullets of IAF announced their grand arrival at INS Dega Visakhapatnam for Milan 2024 hosted by the Sunrise Command of the Indian Navy Two aircraft carriers INS Vikrant and Vikramaditya will take part in the exerciseThe exercise is a testament to the unbreakable bond between our armed forces across air and sea the Navy saidCommenting on the joint naval exercise the French forces deployed in the Indian Ocean and stationed in the UAE said Twentyfive years of strategic partnerships lots of bilateral exercises and operational activities and once again France and India come together for a multinational maritime exercise MILAN 24 with a maritime patrol aircraft Atlantique 2 Thanks to Indian Navy for the inviteThe Ministry of Defence said that the exercise aims to strengthen the collaboration among the participating navies One maritime patrol aircraft and 15 ships from friendly foreign countries and nearly 20 ships from the Indian Navy will participate in the sea exercise Nearly 50 aircraft including MiG 29K and P8I along with aircraft carriers Vikrant and Vikramaditya will also participate in the exerciseThe 12th edition of the MILAN exercise will continue till February 27 The exercise aims to provide a platform for the participating navies to share ideas to enhance security on the high seas and ensure safety of maritime commerce for growth and prosperity of all an official saidDuring the sea phase from February 2427 the participating navies will conduct advanced air defence antisubmarine and antisurface warfare drills Gunnery shoots on aerial and surface targets manoeuvres and underway replenishment would also be conducted IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/with-two-aircraft-carriers-indian-navy-kicks-off-milan-2024-joint-exercise-521813.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 19:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iafs-sarang-team-to-display-skills-in-singapore-airshow-521629.html New Delhi Feb 19 The Sarang Helicopter Display Team of the Indian Air Force IAF will perform a fourhelicopter display at the Singapore Airshow on TuesdayThe team after arriving in Singapore conducted its first practice display on SundayThe IAF said on Monday that the team was operating from the Changi Airbase of the Republic of Singapore Air Force RSAFThe Singapore Airshow will feature a variety of display teams from all across the globe The show also features leading aircraft and system manufacturers and operators showcasing their productsThe Ministry of Defence said the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited HAL manufactured Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv which the Sarang team operates is featuring in the show for the very first time However the first international display for the Sarang team also happened to be in Singapore for the Asian Aerospace Airshow at Changi Exhibition Center in 2004The Sarang team is performing a four helicopter display for the audience at the Singapore Airshow The display is designed to highlight the ALH Dhruvs agility and manoeuvrability as well as the high degree of skills of the IAF pilots flying these machines the IAF saidAccording to the MoD the indigenously manufactured ALH and its advanced variants are operated by all the military services of IndiaThe successful induction and operational utilisation of this platform is one of the glowing success stories of selfreliance Aatmanirbharta in the defence sector IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iafs-sarang-team-to-display-skills-in-singapore-airshow-521629.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 14:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/students-take-to-anti-sleep-pills-in-exam-season-521344.html Lucknow Feb 18 Prajakta Swarup a Class 10 student underwent a major brain surgery for a clot that led to swelling of nerves last weekThe girl had been staying up all night preparing for her board examinations Her mother had been giving her steaming cups of coffee to help her stay awakePrajakta collapsed one evening and was hospitalised Her parents later found a bottleful of pills in her drawer and when they handed them over to the doctor they were shocked to learn that their daughter had been on antisleep pillsShocking though it may sound an increasing number of students today are taking these antisleep pills that help them stay awake during examinations This is a very dangerous trend and the drugs are being smuggled in from countries like Bangkok These drugs can have dangerous side effects especially if taken with an overdose of caffeine too many cups of coffee as it happened in Prajaktas case said a leading neurosurgeon Dr Sharad SrivastavaAccording to the doctor these drugs are being sold over the counters with names like chuniya and meethiThese are variants of Modafinil that is said to improve memory and enhance ones mood alertness and cognitive powers The drug has a smoother feel than amphetamines and enables the user to stay awake and alert for 40 hours or more at a stretch Once the drug wears off you just have to catch up on some sleep said another medical practitioner who did not wish to be namedA chemist Surinder Kohli admitted that the sale of antisleep pills memory enhancers has shot up for the past one monthCustomers are ready to pay any amount for these drugs They also buy energy drinks to ward off fatigue he said but parried questions about the legality of overthecounter selling of these drugsModafinil sold under the brand name Provigil among others is mainly used in treatment of disorders such as narcolepsy shift work sleep disorder idiopathic hypersomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apneaA senior police official made a shocking revelation when he said It is terrorists who are now using these antisleep drugs to stay awake during combat hours It was first found during the 2611 attacks that the terrorists carried drugs in the backpacks Most of us do not know details about these drugs and there have been no complaints so far from the common people so no action has been takenDr R K Saxena a wellknown psychiatrist said that the increasing trend of students using antisleep pills during examinations was actually a result of growing stress and peer pressureThere is immense pressure on children to score high percentages so that they can get admissions in good colleges The children are berated if they get even half a per cent less than their friends The pressure to score 98 and 99 per cent in board examinations is slowly killing them Parents should accept the fact that such high percentages can be unrealistic and not every child can score these marks he saidDr Saxena said that in todays world parental guidance was almost nonexistent especially in cases where both the parents were workingParents do not have the time to watch changes in their childs behaviour and counsel her or understand the pressure that he feels The child is left on his own and starts taking these drugs on the recommendation of friends he saidPrajaktas parents now admit that they did not realise the kind of pressure their daughter was facing She kept telling us that she wanted high scores in examinations so that she could get admission in a good college in Delhi because that is where her friends would be going her father saidTeachers meanwhile blame the parents as well as students for not maintaining a consistent study patternPushpa DSouza a retired teacher from an English medium girls school said Students do not study all year through They bunk classes and the parents remain blissfully unaware If the parents monitor their childrens study pattern throughout the year the examination tension will ease to a considerable extentThe student on the other hand blame parents for pushing the envelopeSuniti who is Prajaktas classmate said rather indignantly It is the parents who keep reprimanding us and pushing us to get top scores They compare us with their friends children and tell us that we are good for nothing What else can we do in such a situationSome names have been changedwithheld on request IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/students-take-to-anti-sleep-pills-in-exam-season-521344.html Sun, 18 Feb 2024 15:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-founders-meet-nvidia-ceo-as-part-of-peak-xvs-ai-focused-trip-521382.html New Delhi Feb 18 Indian founders of venture capital fund Peak XV earlier Sequoia Capital India and Southeast Asia have met the CEO of chipmaker Nvidia Jensen Huang at the companys campus in the Bay Area in the US as part of an AIfocused immersion tripWere just scratching the surface when it comes to AI Peak XV Partners said in a post on X and Linkedin sharing a conversation its managing director Shailendra J Singh had with Sequoia Capital partner Doug LeoneAI like the internet in the 90s is real but should be played out over the next 20 years it addedThis was part of an immersion trip organised by Peak XV as part of the closing of the ninth cohort of Surge Surge is the venture capital funds scaleup programme for earlystage startupsMore than 60 Peak XV and Surge founders engaged with Nvidia CEO at the companys campus Peak XVs founder immersion trip took place from February 13 to 16 Startups attended the US week from India Southeast Asia and AustraliaFounders who were part of the cohort shared that the tour included a demo of all the chipmakers solutions and how they fit into various industries and sectors Huang also spoke to founders about his journey and the current focus areas for NvidiaNvidia has recently made headlines globally after its market capitalisation rose to 183 trillion surpassing Googleparent Alphabets 182 trillion market cap The company also surpassed Amazon closing with a higher market cap on February 13 for the first time since 2002 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/indian-founders-meet-nvidia-ceo-as-part-of-peak-xvs-ai-focused-trip-521382.html Sun, 18 Feb 2024 18:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/gsf-cossipore-to-supply-air-defence-guns-for-next-generation-missile-vessels-521121.html Kolkata Feb 17 Cochin Shipyard Ltd has ordered a dozen 30mm AK630M CloseIn Weapons System CIWS naval guns for Next Generation Missile Vessels NGMVs being built by it These guns will be manufactured by Gun and Shell Factory GSF Cossipore in KolkataGSF Cossipore is now a part of Advanced Weapons and Equipment Ltd AWEIL Kanpur one of the companies that came up in 2021 after restructuring and corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory BoardThe Rs 27476 crore order for the guns is to be executed over a period of four years This order will further establish capabilities of AWEIL and GSF Cossipore to meet demands for a wide range of weapons systems for Indias defence forcesThe fully automatic 30 mm AK630 CIWS rotary canon has six barrels and a high rate of fire of 40005000 rounds per minute The system is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar and electroopto detection and tracking The weapons primary purpose is defence against aircraft and helicopters It is a tried and tested CIWS and is also effective against antiship missiles and drones This has been demonstrated during exercises This makes the AK630 an extremely potent antiair weapons system on naval vessels The system is also effective against ships and small craft coastal targets and floating mines said Rajesh Kumar Pandey executive director GSF CossiporeThe AK630 systems that will be manufactured at GSF Cossipore will have substantial indigenous content involving three major DPSUs AWEIL AVNL and BEL as well as nearly 50 private companies Our efforts towards Atmanirbharta is providing opportunities to these companies he addedThe order is of particular significance at a time when Indian naval assets are being deployed near conflict zones to protect merchant vessels from attacks by missiles and armed drones IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/gsf-cossipore-to-supply-air-defence-guns-for-next-generation-missile-vessels-521121.html Sat, 17 Feb 2024 17:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/next-generation-rocket-project-report-ready-isro-chairman-521185.html Sriharikota Andhra Pradesh Feb 17 The project report for the next generation rocket has been submitted by the project team and the next stage is to seek government funds said S Somanath Chairman Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO He also said internal discussions are on about the next moon mission Chandrayaan4 as to what it should achieve differently that was not done by others Speaking to the reporters here after the successful orbiting of the countrys latest weather satellite INSAT3DS Somanath said The project team of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle NGLV has submitted its reportThe project team has also estimated the cost The next stage is to approach the government for funds and also establish the mechanism for development along with the private industry The rocket design work is underway The next generation rocket will be partially reusable and will have a carrying capacity of about 10 tonnes to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit GTO Currently ISROs heaviest rocket LVM3 has a carrying capacity of four tonne Queried about the next Moon mission Somanath said it has to achieve something new that was not done earlier by others say bringing a lunar sample back using a robot It will be a complex rocket and highend technology is being developed We are working on some novel design he said while underlining the requirement for funds Somanath however ruled out categorically that IndiaUS collaboration earth observation satellite NASAISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar NISAR will be used for surveillance He said the NISAR will be used only for earth observation and focus will be on the Earth as a system As to the status of other weather satellites like INSAT3D and INSAT3DR Somanath said the INSAT3D launched in 2013 will be put to a different use On the status of the countrys human space mission Somanath said 2024 will be the year of Gaganyaan for ISRO as it will be carrying out various tests and other activities to realise the countrys manned space mission in 2025 Somanath said ISRO will be carrying out two more abort missions in 2024 Last year the space agency carried out the first Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission1 TVD1 to demonstrate the crew escape system One test vehicle is ready According to him ISRO will carry out two unmanned missions helicopter drop test launchpad abort tests and several others Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at vjagannathaniansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/next-generation-rocket-project-report-ready-isro-chairman-521185.html Sat, 17 Feb 2024 21:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-74-degrees-celsius-minimum-temperature-520951.html New Delhi Feb 17 The national capital on Saturday recorded 74 degrees Celsius minimum temperature four notches below the seasons average the India Meteorological IMD Department saidThe IMD predicted that the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 27 degreesThe weather department said that there will be mainly clear sky throughout the dayMeanwhile the air quality at several stations across the city fell under the very poor category on SaturdayIn the Anand Vihar area at 9 am PM 10 levels were severe standing at 439 and PM 25 at 345 or very poor while the NO2 at 166 and the CO at 112 both in moderate levels according to the Central Pollution Control Board CPCBThe Air Quality Index AQI between zero and 50 is considered good 51 and 100 satisfactory 101 and 200 moderate 201 and 300 poor 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 severeThe Indira Gandhi International IGI Airport T3 recorded PM 25 levels at 286 which is counted as poor and PM 10 at 168 falling under moderate categoryDwarka Sector 8 witnessed PM 25 levels at 326 and PM 10 was at 309 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-74-degrees-celsius-minimum-temperature-520951.html Sat, 17 Feb 2024 10:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/woman-loses-rs-80-lakh-to-fraud-she-met-on-matrimonial-app-520569.html Lucknow Feb 16 An employee of a multinational company lost Rs 80 lakh to a conman she met on a matrimonial application who even staged his deathAccording to the complaint the woman met the man on the app in 2019 when he introduced himself as Sameer Chadha There was telephonic and online communication for over months during which he posed as a highly successful professional owning property in Bangalore and NoidaThe woman got impressed and considered him for marriage said the police on the basis of the complaintThe man fabricated a story about quitting his job and said that he needed assistance to pay EMIs of loans for his car and flat and talked the woman into transferring a total of Rs 80 lakh to him through Paytm between 2020 and 2023She got suspicious when while making a payment she was notified about receivers PAN card identifying him as Lalit Sai Krishna Blocked phone numbers further fuelled her doubts Eventually she received messages claiming that Sameer was dead and and on the address that he had shared she found a liquor shop in BengaluruThe police spokesman said that the investigations in the case had been initiated by the cyber cell IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/woman-loses-rs-80-lakh-to-fraud-she-met-on-matrimonial-app-520569.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 10:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/law-enforcement-should-stay-ahead-in-modern-tech-to-counter-terrorists-interpol-chief-520570.html New York Feb 16 Law enforcement agencies must stay ahead of the curve on modern technologies to be able to counter terrorist groups who are exploiting the lawless frontiers of technology according to Interpols SecretaryGeneral Jurgen StockModern technology has been used by criminal groups terrorist groups and of course they are not bound by any regulation he told reporters here on ThursdayThey use what is available including social networksLaw enforcement of course needs to be equipped needs to be trained because without modern technology we cannot do our job in law enforcement he saidSpeaking outside the Security Council chamber before briefing Council members met on the threat posed by Daesh he added that the group has been diminished but the threat is not overIt is particularly important to keep the pressure high on the group better known by the acronym ISIS for Islamic State in Iraq and alShams even though it operates in a much broader area directly and through affiliatesAny gap we leave and any weakness would be exploited by it Stock saidThe group has been strengthened by the use of modern emerging technologies he addedStock said that it was important for members of the Interpol to share information as that remains key in the fight against international terrorismInterpol is providing a unique early warning system against terrorism by sharing investigative leads and important data like biometric data on terrorists he addedSpeaking at the Council UnderSecretaryGeneral Vladimir Voronkov who heads the UN CounterTerrorism Office said that the efforts against Daesh has yielded some resultsSuch progress has translated into a sizeable reduction in the groups operational capacities in some regions and one of the indications was the prolonged delay in announcing a new leader after the killing of Abu Hussein alHusseini alQurashi last yearThe delay in naming Abu Hafs alHashimi alQurashi as the successor reflects internal challenges and difficulties in ensuring the new leaders security he addedBecause of efforts by UN members to counter the financing of terrorism Daeshs financial reserves are currently estimated between 10 million and 25 million down from hundreds of millions a few years ago he saidIn Afghanistan he added that efforts by the Taliban regime have reportedly had an impact on the ability of the Daesh affiliate to conduct attacks inside the country although the group maintains an intention to carry out attacks abroadCounterterrorism actions by Indonesia Malaysia Egypt and Mozambique have yielded results against terrorist activity by Daesh affiliatesBut the threat levels of Daesh affiliates have increased in some places in Europe and Africa as well as in Iraq and Syria he saidChinas Permanent Representative Zhang Jun drew attention to Daesh activities in PakistanHe condemned the recent bombings by Daesh in Pakistan and said Beijing backed Islamabads efforts to fight itArul Louis can be contacted at arulliansin and followed at arulouis IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/law-enforcement-should-stay-ahead-in-modern-tech-to-counter-terrorists-interpol-chief-520570.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 10:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/andhra-pradesh-signs-mou-with-edx-for-free-online-courses-520827.html Amaravati Feb 16 The government of Andhra Pradesh on Friday signed MoU with the edX a leading global Elearning platform that conducts Massive Open Online Courses MOOCs The MoU enables 12 lakh students in Andhra Pradesh pick and pursue their chosen verticals from more than 2000 modern and emerging courses free of cost the state government The MoU was signed by Higher Education department officials and edX founder Anant Agarwal in the presence of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at the Camp OfficeThe programme was virtually witnessed by the ViceChancellors and students of 26 universitiesSpeaking on the occasion the Chief Minister reaffirmed that quality education only can make our students globally competitive and fetch them highend salariedjobs in topnotch companiesRight to education is old slogan but the right to quality education is the present day necessity he said adding that the MoU incorporates a golden chapter in the history of education in Andhra Pradesh as it helps our students get international joint certification from edX and Harvard MIT Oxford Cambridge Universities and other world educational institutionsAsserting that the competition of our students is not just with those in other states in the country but with the students across the world he said adding that worldstandard education only can give a bright future for themThe MoU with the edX is only a beginning and it may take four to five years to give its results but we have to make a beginning somewhere he said pointing out that steps are being taken to transform the educational system from the elementary stage to higher education levelIn every part of our educational reforms beginning with introduction of English Medium schools to filling of teaching faculty vacancies to introducing podcasts to getting NAAC National Assessment and Accreditation Council affiliation to 180 educational institutions to the signing of MoU with edX government has been working with dedication as it strongly feels that investment in human resources is one of our key priority sectors he saidFollowing the MoU students would be able to learn locally unavailable courses like AI Artificial Intelligence Machine learning Data sciences Real estate management cyber forensic stock exchange wealth and risk management and other modern verticalsThe Chief Minister said that the government also signed a MoU with the IB International Baccalaureate to introduce IB curriculum for the students of Class I from the academic year 202526 in government schools and teachers would undergo training from next academic yearDisclosing that Padmavati University has introduced fullfledged courses in AI computer vision and meta verse learning the Chief Minister asked the ViceChancellors of other Universities to follow suit and introduce modern courses in augmented technology and 3D learning and improve the online learning capabilities of studentsEducation Minister B Satyanarayana Chief Secretary Dr KS Jawahar Reddy Higher Education Council Chairman Prof K Hemachandra Reddy Higher Education Special CS B Rajasekhar Education Principal Secretary Praveen Prakash College Education Commissioner P Bhaskar and others were present IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/andhra-pradesh-signs-mou-with-edx-for-free-online-courses-520827.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 19:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/549-children-reunited-over-200-rescued-an-account-of-railways-life-saving-act-in-january-520829.html New Delhi Feb 16 The Indian Railways over the years has played a pivotal role in ferrying people and commercial goods from one part of the country to the otherThe Railway Protection Force RPF a dedicated unit for safeguarding rail passengers has done a remarkable job over the recent years rightfully earning the goodwill of the travellersThe national carrier did a marvelous in January this year as it achieved many milestones and set new benchmarks in providing not just safe and secure but also comfortable and convenient journey to lakhs of passengersSharing data of its lifesaving acts the Railways on Friday informed that it reunited close to 550 children with their estranged family saved lives of more than 200 individuals under Jeevan Raksha and also cracked down on the hooligan elements and seized narcotics worth more than Rs 4 crore in January 2024Railways rescue acts Under the mission Nanhe Faristey RPF played a pivotal role in reuniting more than 549 children with their families These children were separated from their families for various reasons Under Operation Jeevan Raksha the RPFs swift action saved the lives of 233 passengers who had accidentally fallen while deboarding or boarding moving trains narrowly avoiding being caught under the wheels at platforms and railway tracks The RPF launched the Meri Saheli initiative for the safety of women passengers About 229 Meri Saheli teams attended 13615 trains and provided security assurance to 41 lakh lady passengers Under Operation Uplabdh the RPF swooped down on touts and arrested 379 individuals in January and took legal action against them as per the law Additionally they seized future reserved railway tickets valued at Rs 4446 lakh Under Operation NARCOS RPF arrested 76 individuals and seized narcotics valued at Rs 413 crore in January These criminals were handed over to government agencies Under Operation Yatri Suraksha the RPF arrested 225 criminals involved in offences against passengers delivering them to the concerned GRPpolice for taking onward legal action Under Operation Satark the RPF seized illegal tobacco products and illegal liquor worth Rs 3015 lakh apprehending 86 individuals IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/549-children-reunited-over-200-rescued-an-account-of-railways-life-saving-act-in-january-520829.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 19:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/western-himalayan-region-more-prone-to-climate-change-induced-risk-iit-madras-520637.html Chennai Feb 16 The western himalayan region in India exhibits a higher overall climate changeinduced risk compared to the eastern region according to a study by researchers at the Indian Institute of TechnologyIIT Madras on Friday In a study published in the peerreviewed International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction the team conducted a risk assessment and ranked 109 administrative districts panIndian Himalayan Region based on the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC criteriaThe assessment carries significant implications for policymakers as it is critical to identify districts vulnerable to climate change and the extent of their vulnerability before addressing risk said the researchersWhile the Eastern Indian Himalayan Region housed the top three riskprone districts the Western Indian Himalayan Region faced a higher overall riskMore than twothirds of Western Indian Himalayan Region districts 32 out of 47 fell into the highest and highrisk categories In contrast the Eastern Indian Himalayan Region had more than threefifths of its districts 39 out of 62 categorised as either low or lowest riskThe heightened risk in the Western Indian Himalayan Region results from the western region experiencing higher hazards and greater exposure compared to the eastern region Although the Eastern Indian Himalayan Region is highly vulnerable overall its relatively low scores in hazard and exposure prevent it from being more prone to risk said Aayush Shah Research Scholar IIT Madras in a statementThe Eastern Indian Himalayan Region districts with the highest and highrisk scores exhibit similarities to western himalayan region districts displaying elevated rankings in hazard and exposure indices he addedThe Western Indian Himalayan Region also demonstrated elevated rankings in hazards and exposure indicesHimachal Pradeshs Shimla was identified as the most hazardprone district in the Indian Himalayan Region while Kiphire Nagaland was identified as the least hazardprone districtThe Eastern Indian Himalayan Region is observed to be less inclined to hazards housing all 25 districts in the lowest hazard district category and 51 out of its 62 districts falling into the lowest low and medium hazard categoriesNagaland and Mizoram predominantly have their districts in the lowest hazard districts category and none outside the lowest and low hazard district category indicating them to be the two least hazardprone states in the IHRWe have used the latest method suggested by the IPCC making our index a standardised measure acceptable internationally Further we have used data from multiple publicly available sources to construct the risk index This makes our index reliable and replicable said Krishna Malakar Assistant Professor Climate Policy Department of Humanities and Social Sciences IIT Madras in the statementThe Himalayan region is extremely vulnerable to climate change because of its geographical as well as demographic characteristics The findings of our work will enable policymakers and disaster managers to identify the regions at risk and the underlying reasons for the risk Consequently this will enable them to design their plan of action Krishna added IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/western-himalayan-region-more-prone-to-climate-change-induced-risk-iit-madras-520637.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 12:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-88-degrees-celsius-minimum-temperature-520220.html New Delhi Feb 15 Delhi on Thursday recorded a minimum temperature of 88 degrees Celsius two notches below the seasons average the India Meteorological IMD Department saidThe IMD predicted that the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 24 degreesThe weather department said that there will be mainly clear sky throughout the dayMeanwhile the air quality at several AQI stations across the city fell under the severe and very poor categoryIn the Anand Vihar area at 9 am PM 10 levels were recorded to be in the severe category standing at 406 and PM 25 reached 362 or very poor while the CO was at 150 in moderate levels according to the Central Pollution Control Board CPCBThe Air Quality Index AQI between zero and 50 is considered good 51 and 100 satisfactory 101 and 200 moderate 201 and 300 poor 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 severeThe Indira Gandhi International IGI Airport T3 recorded PM 25 levels at 280 which is counted as poor and PM 10 at 165 falling under moderate categoryDwarka Sector 8 witnessed PM 25 levels at 337 and PM 10 was at 215 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-88-degrees-celsius-minimum-temperature-520220.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 16:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/up-teachers-to-be-trained-to-handle-cross-disabilities-in-classrooms-520224.html Lucknow Feb 15 Nearly 60000 head teachers in staterun schools will be given special training to sensitise them in handling crossdisabilities in classroomsThe training is aimed at bringing inclusiveness to classroomsThe state education department in collaboration with Shakuntala Mishra National Rehabilitation University SMNRU and UNICEF have come up with 90day training module 80 days online and 10 days offlineThis will make the teachers aware of the concept of inclusive education and introduce them to different disabilities They will be trained in working with children with special needs CWSN in classrooms parent counselling screening of physical barriers of CWSN early identification types causes prevention and strategies of children with hand limb sight and hearing disabilitiesIn addition these teachers will also be sensitised to autism spectrum disorder specific learning disability individualised education plan and specific teachinglearning disabilityThrough this we will be able to instill confidence in teachers to reach out to special children said Nand Kumar who is heading the project in the education departmentThere are 340 lakh CWSN enrolled in 132 lakh schools across UP for which there are only 2256 special educatorsWith few special educators against high number of CWSN it was thought appropriate to train head teachers to increase their knowledge understanding and training to deal with children with special needs Understanding will lead to empathy said a district coordinator Inclusive EducationEducation specialist UNICEF UP Ritwik Patra said When a teacher sees a child with disabilities they are clueless They feel they cannot deal with them or that the child is not capable of doing anything both of which are untrue Diagnostic teaching module of UNICEF will help the teachers to navigate the ways to support the children with disabilities in best possible waysAssociate professor department of visually impaired SMNRU VS Mishra said We are aiding the education department with our expertise so that special educators who are our master trainers will train general education teachers to impart education to all including children with disabilities These teachers will gradually through their handson experience benefit CWSN IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/up-teachers-to-be-trained-to-handle-cross-disabilities-in-classrooms-520224.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 16:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tripura-govt-launches-universal-health-insurance-scheme-520499.html Agartala Feb 15 Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday launched a universal health insurance scheme Mukhya Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana MMJAY under which 415 lakh families in the state are expected to be benefited by cashless medical treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per yearThe MMJAY launched in line with the Centres Ayushman Bharat Pradhanmantri Jan Arogya Yojana would cover 415 lakh families including government employees who are not covered under PMJAYMany helpless people who are not covered under PMJAY seek financial assistance from us to meet their medical expenditure While it is not possible to help all these people an alternative health insurance scheme has been launched for those who need financial aid for medical treatment the Chief Minister said after launching the MMJAYHe said the scheme is designed in such a way that the patients family would get free medicines for 15 days even after discharge from government or private hospitals and the entire process would be cashlessBasant Garg additional chief executive officer of the National Health Authority claimed that Tripura is the first northeastern state to introduce universal health insurance coverage for allChief Secretary JK Sinha termed the rollout of MMJAY as a historic and brave move for the welfare of the people adding that the scheme would ensure all the families in the state get health insurance benefitsIn the 202324 state budget the MMJAY was announced by Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy and Rs 59 crore was allocated for this purpose Rs 100 crore expected to be required for the scheme in the subsequent fiscals IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tripura-govt-launches-universal-health-insurance-scheme-520499.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 23:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/kaleshwaram-project-economically-unviable-says-cag-report-520503.html Hyderabad Feb 15 Terming Kaleshwaram project built by Telangana across Godavari River as economically unviable the Comptroller and Auditor General of India every rupee spent on the project would yield only 52 paise The cost of the project is now likely to exceed Rs 14742741 crore as against the cost of Rs 8191101 crore projected to the Central Water Commission CWC According to performance audit report the BenefitCost Ratio BCR of the project was inflated Even with the understated project cost of Rs 8191101 crore BCR works out to 075 Considering the latest likely project cost Rs 14742741 crore the BCR works out to 052 This means that every rupee spent on the project would yield only 52 paise It clearly indicates that the project was abinitio economically unviable reads the report presented in Telangana Assembly on Thursday The report also highlighted improper planning and undue haste in award of works The report mentioned that the government did not accord administrative approval to the project as a whole and instead it issued separate approvals as many as 73 administrative approvals aggregating to Rs 11024848 crore There are no orders from the government about the funding pattern of the project Out of the total expenditure of Rs 8678806 crore incurred on the project March 2022 an expenditure of Rs 5580786 crore ie 643 per cent was met from the offbudget borrowings OBBs The absence of a comprehensive plan duly spelling out the sources of funds for a project of this scale which will have a long term impact on the finances of the state is an indication of improper planning it said It also mentioned that the peak energy demand when all the pumps are operated is more than the average daily energy availed in the entire state 202122 It observed that providing power to lift irrigation schemes will pose a challenge to the state The CAG report states that the department showed undue haste in award of works Seventeen works costing Rs 2504999 crore were awarded even before approval of the Detailed Project Report DPR In the DPR water for the project was proposed to be lifted from River Godavari at the rate of 2 TMC per day The pumping capacity was later increased to 3 TMC per day involving an additional cost of Rs 28151 crore it said It also noted that due to reengineering of the PranahitaChevella Sujala Sravanthi PCSS Project and changes made in the project works certain portions of works already executed had become redundant resulting in a loss of Rs 76778 crore Against targeted new CA command area of 1826 lakh acres the works entrusted so far March 2022 included development of distributary network for only 1483 lakh acres The actual command area created so far was 40888 acres only March 2022 says the report Of the 56 project works only 12 works were completed 40 works were ongoing while 4 works have not even commenced as of March 2022 Lands required for distributary network etc are yet to be fully identified The CAG observed that the possibility of undue benefit of at least Rs 268473 crore to the contractors for supply and commissioning of pumps motors etc cannot be ruled out Further post tender inclusion of price adjustment clause resulted in avoidable payment of Rs 134248 crore IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/kaleshwaram-project-economically-unviable-says-cag-report-520503.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 23:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/34-defence-sector-projects-to-be-unveiled-in-gbc-in-up-520304.html Lucknow Feb 15 Nearly 34 investment projects worth Rs 358585 crore are ready to be included in the upcoming groundbreaking ceremony GBC in Uttar PradeshThe Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor UPDIC is attracting major investments and demonstrating commitment to make India Atmanirbhar selfreliant in the defence and aerospace sectorSo far the sector has attracted 114 investment intents with a proposed investment of Rs 2451060 crore and potential employment generation of 41667These projects are spread across Aligarh Jhansi Kanpur and Lucknow nodes of the defence industrial corridor and would generate over 8530 employment opportunitiesAmong major companies which have proposed investment in defence industrial corridor include BrahMos Aerospace and Areolloy Technologies at Lucknow Bharat Dynamics Ltd Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd Tata Technologies Ltd Global Engineers Ltd and WB Electronics India Ltd at Jhansi Adani Defence Systems amp Technologies Ltd Ananth Technologies and Genser Aerospace at Kanpur Anchor Research Labs LLP and Amitec Electronics at AligarhThese investors have either established their units or are in the process of implementing their projectsIt may be recalled that the establishment of Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor was announced in February 2018 by the Prime Minister The state government also moved fast in acquiring greenfield land parcels at Agra Aligarh Chitrakoot Jhansi Kanpur and Lucknow nodes creating a land bank of in PhaseIThe Government of Uttar Pradesh is investing in developing basic infrastructure across nodes creating a conducive environment for investors IIT Kanpur and IIT BHU Varanasi have been nominated as the Centres of Excellence conducting research and filling critical RampD gapsThe Ministry of Defence Government of India has launched the Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme with an outlay of Rs 400 crore for creating state of the art testing infrastructure in partnership with the private industriesA grantinaid of Rs 11706 crore has been approved by Ministry of Defence Government of India for establishing three defence testing facilities in Kanpur and LucknowUP Defence Industrial Corridor has collaborated with financial institutions to offer customized loans and cater to the specific needs of MSMEs and startups in the defence and aerospace sectorThe current surge in investment and investors aligns with the governments indigenisation policy emphasizing the manufacturing of 509 items on the positive list and 4666 LineReplaceable Units that will be compulsorily manufactured in India translating into a total homegrown business of Rs 175000 croreUP Defence Industrial Corridor is transforming Uttar Pradesh into a major hub for defence and aerospace manufacturing contributing to Indias selfreliance and economic growth The Yogi governments commitment to creating a supportive ecosystem and fostering innovation is attracting leading players and propelling the corridors success IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/34-defence-sector-projects-to-be-unveiled-in-gbc-in-up-520304.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/navy-to-get-stabilised-remote-control-guns-mod-520065.html New Delhi Feb 14 The Ministry of Defence MoD on Wednesday said it has signed a contract with Advanced Weapon Equipment India Ltd AWEIL Kanpur for manufacturing and supply of Stabilised Remote Control Guns SRCG for the navyA total of 463 indigenously manufactured 127 mm stabilised remote control guns at a total cost of Rs 1 752 crores will be purchased the Ministry of Defence saidThe ministry said that these guns will be manufactured with Indigenous Content IC of more than 85 per centThe ministry said that this weaponry will enhance the capability of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard to accurately engage small targets that pose threat to ships in an asymmetric environment both by day and nightThis contract will also open up a large avenue in defence manufacturing for over 125 Indian Vendors and DPSUs for over a period of 5 years the ministry saidThe ministry said that the Navy will also get 11 Shakti Electronic Warfare SystemThe procurement of 11 Shakti Electronic Warfare Systems along with associated equipment and accessories for Indian Navy is being done under Buy Indian IDDM category at a total cost of Rs 226954 crore he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/navy-to-get-stabilised-remote-control-guns-mod-520065.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/student-ends-life-in-kota-fourth-suicide-this-year-519680.html Jaipur Feb 13 A student from Chhattisgarh pursuing coaching for JEE in Rajasthans Kota has committed suicide said police on TuesdayShubhkumar Chaudhary was found dead on Monday making it the fourth student suicide in Kota in the last 20 days confirmed officialsThe officials said On Monday night a student from Chhattisgarh committed suicide by hanging himself The student was preparing for JEE while staying in Kota for two years The result of the Joint Entrance Exam JEE Mains was declared on Monday night Soon after the student committed suicideChaudhary 16 lived in a hostel said DSP Bhavani Singh adding Shubhkumar was a student of Class 12 This morning when his parents called there was no response They immediately called the warden who pushed open the gate of his room where the student was found hanging from the fanPolice officials said that the student had also pursued Class 11 from here The reason for suicide has not been revealed yet Jawahar police station removed the body and kept it in the hospital mortuaryIt needs to be mentioned here that on February 2 Noor Mohammad 27 resident of Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh committed suicideOn January 31 Niharika 18 living in Kota committed suicide She was preparing for JEE She left a suicide note saying Mummy Papa I could not do JEE that is why I am committing suicide Im a loser Im not a good daughter Sorry mom and dad this is the last optionOn January 24 Mohammad Zaid 19 resident of Moradabad UP committed suicide He lived in a hostel in Kota and was preparing for NEET IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/student-ends-life-in-kota-fourth-suicide-this-year-519680.html Tue, 13 Feb 2024 12:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-83-degree-celsius-minimum-temp-light-rain-or-drizzle-likely-519600.html New Delhi Feb 13 Delhi on Tuesday recorded 83 degrees Celsius minimum temperature two notches below the seasons average the India Meteorological IMD Department saidThe weather department has forecast generally cloudy sky with light rain or drizzle throughout the dayAir quality at several AQI stations across the city fell under the severe and very poor categoryThe IMD predicted that the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 24 degreesIn the Anand Vihar area at 9 am PM25 levels were recorded to be in the severe category standing at 420 and PM10 reached 406 according to the Central Pollution Control Board CPCBThe Air Quality Index AQI between zero and 50 is considered good 51 and 100 satisfactory 101 and 200 moderate 201 and 300 poor 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 severeThe Indira Gandhi International IGI Airport T3 recorded PM25 levels at 383 which is counted as very poor and PM10 at 266 falling under poor categoryDwarka Sector 8 witnessed PM25 levels at 385 and PM10 was at 302 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-83-degree-celsius-minimum-temp-light-rain-or-drizzle-likely-519600.html Tue, 13 Feb 2024 09:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/isb-further-improves-its-global-ranking-519450.html Hyderabad Feb 12 The Indian School of Business has been ranked 31 globally in the Financial Times FT Global MBA Ranking 2024 consolidating its position as the best business school in India and among the topranked in the worldLast year the ISB had a global ranking of 39 At the Asia level the ranking of the school has gone up to the 5th spot up from the 6th last year The ranking highlights the ISBs strengths across various criteria such as research alumni network and career services the business school said in a statement on Monday Inresearch one of the major focus areas of the school the ISB is again ranked number one in India with a global rank of 52 this time up from 61 last year This underlines its continued focus on the quality of research produced by the faculty A stated mission of the school is to create and disseminate researchbased knowledge that influences scholarship practice and polity In terms of salary percentage increase ISB is ranked number one globally FT data says PGP candidates at the ISB see a massive 229 per cent rise in salaries comparing before and after the course The ISB is the ranked best in India also in alumni network and career services and ranked 8 and 19 globally on these parameters respectively The consistent ranking as the top Bschool in India in the FT Global MBA Ranking underscores the ISBs commitment to academic rigour quality research and unparalleled alumni support and success said Ramabhadran Thirumalai Deputy Dean Academic Programmes ISB From leading the world in Salary Percentage Increase to topping the charts in Alumni Network and Career Services the ranking reaffirms our position as a global leader in management education IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/isb-further-improves-its-global-ranking-519450.html Mon, 12 Feb 2024 17:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/chief-of-army-staff-departs-for-us-to-discuss-various-security-issues-519288.html New Delhi Feb 12 Chief of Army Staff COAS General Manoj Pande on Monday morning departed on a significant official tour to the USThe Ministry of Defence said that the COAS will be in the US from February 13 to 16The ministry said that during his visit the COAS will exchange ideas on crucial topics such as the Transformation in the Indian Army Global Threat Perception Transformation to Army20302040 Human Resource Challenges Future Force Development and Modernisation and CoProduction and CoDevelopment InitiativesThese discussions are aimed at sharing insights ideas and best practices between the two armies the ministry saidIt said that the visit underscores the deepening military cooperation and strategic partnership between India and the US aiming to further strengthen defence cooperation and foster stronger bonds between the armies of both nationsThe ministry said that the COAS will engage in highlevel discussions and interactions with General Randy George United States Chief of Staff of the Army CSA and other senior military leadersIt said that General Randy George US CSA had recently visited India for the IndoPacific Army Chiefs Conference IPACC that was jointly hosted by the Indian Army and the US Army The conference was attended by 18 Chiefs of Armies and 12 countries represented by Heads of DelegationsHighlights of the tour include a prestigious US Army Honour Guard ceremony a solemn laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery and a comprehensive tour of the Pentagon the ministry saidThe ministry said that these engagements symbolise the respect and mutual commitment towards global peace and security shared between the two countriesThe ministry said that the visit includes the Army Geospatial Centre at Fort Belvoir the National Defence University at Fort McNair and interactions with leadership at Headquarters 1 CorpsThe COAS will also engage with units at the forefront of military innovation and strategy including the Stryker Unit 1st MultiDomain Task Force the 1st Special Forces Group at Seattle and the Defence Innovation Unit in San Francisco the ministry saidThe ministry said that a visit to the California National Guard is also planned which highlights the comprehensive nature of the visit aimed at exploring avenues for more significant training codevelopment and coproduction engagementsIt said that during IPACC General Randy George and General Manoj Pande will also engage in constructive dialogue addressing a wide range of issues related to military cooperation synergising approaches to HADR increasing military exchange endeavours and other issues of mutual interestTheir interactions including a joint press conference underscore the deepening cooperation and collaborative spirit between the military leadership of the two nations setting a positive backdrop for General Pandes current visit to the United States the ministry saidThe ministry said that COASs visit is another milestone in the IndoUS defence relationship reflecting a mutual desire to enhance military collaboration exchange strategic perspectives on global threat perceptions and work together toward future force development and modernisationThe engagements between General Manoj Pande and senior leadership of the United States Army are poised to yield substantive outcomes fostering an environment conducive to shared security interests and defence cooperation the ministry said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/chief-of-army-staff-departs-for-us-to-discuss-various-security-issues-519288.html Mon, 12 Feb 2024 13:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/for-us-constitution-is-national-religion-ktaka-guv-in-address-to-legislature-519375.html Bengaluru Feb 12 Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot in his address to the joint session of both Houses of the State legislature here on Monday said the Constitution is the national religionThe Governor said As per our Constitution there are restrictions on the use of religion caste in elections We should ensure that all our actions and activities are in accordance with the Constitution We all need to be determined and protect the Constitutional institutions so that they are not weakened or misused for any reason For us the Constitution is the national religion We have to take a firm pledge that if we protect the Constitution the Constitution will protect usThe government has realized the necessity of correcting deficiency in the field of education and restructuring it according to the needs of the times The State Education Policy will show a new direction for the country in this regard he statedThe Governor further said Survival and growth of Kannada language is a matter of life and death for us We will not tolerate any attack on our language and culture My government is committed to preserve and develop our mother tongue and the Karnataka culture advocated by Basavanna Kuvempu at any cost Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act 2022 is framed for the holistic development of Kannada language and it will be implemented shortlyDevelopment where wealth is concentrated in a few individuals cannot be called development Therefore the government has decided to make economic development in such a way that the disadvantaged masses will be included in the overall economic development and the fruits of economic development will naturally be available to all Guarantee schemes are just a beginningNew innovations in technology are occupying all aspects of peoples lives and creating new opportunities We are devising a new education policy to equip our youth to embrace these opportunities and inculcate entrepreneurship The State Education Policy of Karnataka will open up new possibilities of providing education that will meet the needs of present and future with the educational progress that the state has achieved he saidThe Governor further stated that in these eight months investments of more than Rs 77000 crore have come into the state Up to the end of January I am proud to state that the rate of growth in the GST collection of our state stands first in the country he stated IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/for-us-constitution-is-national-religion-ktaka-guv-in-address-to-legislature-519375.html Mon, 12 Feb 2024 15:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-52-degrees-celsius-minimum-temperature-518595.html New Delhi Feb 10 Delhi recorded 52 degrees Celsius minimum temperature on Saturday five degrees below the seasonal average according to India Meteorological Department IMDThe IMD further said that on Saturday the maximum temperature was likely to hover around 24 degrees with mainly clear sky during the dayThe relative humidity at 830 am was 97 per cent said the weathermanMeanwhile the overall air quality of the national capital continued to be in the poor categoryHowever at Anand Vihar air quality index monitoring station at 9 am PM25 levels were recorded to be in the severe category standing at 427 and PM10 reached 421 according to the Central Pollution Control Board CPCBThe Air Quality Index AQI between zero and 50 is considered good 51 and 100 satisfactory 101 and 200 moderate 201 and 300 poor 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 severeThe Indira Gandhi International IGI Airport T3 recorded PM25 levels at 323 or very poor and PM10 at 270 falling under poor category IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-52-degrees-celsius-minimum-temperature-518595.html Sat, 10 Feb 2024 09:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/deepfakes-eu-prepares-1st-guidelines-for-digital-platforms-ahead-of-election-518189.html London Feb 9 The European Union has asked digital platforms like Facebook Google TikTok and X Twitter to give feedback on firstever draft guidelines to maintain integrity of electionsThe draft guidelines include recommendations to avoid democratic risks from generative AI and deepfakes along with content moderation and political ads transparencyOnline platforms are invited to give feedback to draft election guidelines under the EUs Digital Services Act DSA on the integrity of elections said the European CommissionThe public consultation is open for feedback until March 7With the Digital Services Act Europe is the first continent with a law to address systemic risks on online platforms that can have realworld negative effects on our democratic societies said Thierry Breton the EUs commissioner for internal market2024 is a significant year for elections That is why we are making full use of all the tools offered by the DSA to ensure platforms comply with their obligations and are not misused to manipulate our elections while safeguarding freedom of expression Breton addedAccording to Euro News these are the first guidelines to mitigate systemic risks on their platforms ahead of the European Parliament elections in JuneWith the Digital Services Act we have concrete tools to work together with online platforms We can address the emerging online risks to electoral processes like deep fakes said Margrethe Vestager the Commissions Vice PresidentWe can enable people in a safe way to engage discuss and make up their minds without illegal interference Vestager addedGenerative AI can notably be used to mislead voters or to manipulate electoral processes by creating and disseminating inauthentic misleading synthetic content regarding political actors false depiction of events election polls contexts or narratives according to draft guidelinesGenerative AI systems can also produce incorrect incoherent or fabricated information so called hallucinations that misrepresent the reality and which can potentially mislead votersThe draft election security guidelines include the recommendation that tech giants put in place reasonable proportionate and effective mitigation measures tailored to risks related to the creation and potential largescale dissemination of AIgenerated fakes IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/deepfakes-eu-prepares-1st-guidelines-for-digital-platforms-ahead-of-election-518189.html Fri, 09 Feb 2024 10:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/centre-accounts-for-approx-60-of-total-liabilities-of-india-all-states-put-together-for-rest-40-kerala-tells-sc-518489.html New Delhi Feb 9 The Centre accounts for approximately 60 per cent of the total debt or outstanding liabilities of India and all the states put together account for the rest 40 per cent the Kerala government has told the Supreme Court in a recent affidavit Replying to the Centres note the state government said that Kerala accounts for a miniscule 170175 per cent of the total debt of the Centre and the states put together for the period 20192023 Kerala said that the note submitted on behalf of the Attorney General the highest law officer of the Centre relies upon selective and incomplete concepts on Indian public finance management and does not touch upon the very serious constitutional issues raised in its suit Regrettably the note seems to be intended to divert the attention of this suit from the substance of the legal issues raised in the plaint it said adding that the Union government cannot assume a role or seek to exercise powers that are extraconstitutional or violate provisions of the Constitution The reply affidavit filed by the state stressed that under pretext of sound public financial management the Union government cannot violate or encroach upon the plenary powers of the states granted under the Constitution Encroachment into the exclusive legislative and executive domains of the states cannot be justified on the basis of any theory of necessity impact on the national economy potential abuse of powers by the states or the fact that states have a certain level of dependence upon the Union in certain respects and may be considered to be subsidiary to the Union in such respect Keralas affidavit alleged that the Union government without conforming to the Finance Commission recommendations is expected to close this year with a borrowing of Rs1180 lakh crores in 20232024 far beyond what it should have borrowed if it had complied with the recommendations of the Fifteenth Finance Commission It added that the borrowing of all states and Union Territories of Rs722 lakh crores will be well within the combined limit prescribed by the Finance Commission Responding to an original suit filed by Kerala raising grievance over the Centres interference with the states power to borrow and regulate its own finances Attorney General R Venkataramani in a written note stated Kerala has been one of the most financially unhealthy States and its fiscal edifice has been diagnosed with several cracks Squeezed for funds for capital expenditure and to circumvent borrowing limits Kerala has resorted to substantial offbudget borrowings through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board KIIFB As per the details published on the website of the apex court a bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan will take up the matter for further hearing on February 13 and decide the application filed by the plaintiff state seeking interim relief In a suit filed under Article 131 of the Constitution the Kerala government has raised questions over the authority of the Union government to interfere with the powers of the state to regulate its own finances under several provisions of the Constitution IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/centre-accounts-for-approx-60-of-total-liabilities-of-india-all-states-put-together-for-rest-40-kerala-tells-sc-518489.html Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/student-slap-case-sc-takes-dim-view-of-up-govts-failure-to-provide-counselling-facilities-to-children-518383.html New Delhi Feb 9 The Supreme Court on Friday took a stern view of the UP governments failure to provide counselling facilities to the children involved in the viral incident where a school teacher was seen instructing students to slap a fellow classmate from a particular community Observing that there has been complete breach of the apex courts directions a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the state government to file a fresh compliance affidavit before the next date of listing The bench stressed that the state authorities should implement in true letter and spirit the recommendations made by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences TISS in relation to the incident that occurred in UPs Muzaffarnagar in August last year The apex court said that it will take up the matter for further hearing on March 1 In an earlier hearing the Supreme Court had orally remarked that the incident should shock the conscience of the state if the viral video is found to be true There cannot be any quality education if a student is sought to be penalised only on the ground that he belongs to a particular community it had remarked In the viral video fellow students were seen slapping a 7yearold at the behest of the teacher of a private school who referred to his faith in a derogatory manner The plea filed in the Supreme Court sought directions for a timebound and independent investigation in the incident and setting up of guidelines for preventing violence against students belonging to religious minorities in schools IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/student-slap-case-sc-takes-dim-view-of-up-govts-failure-to-provide-counselling-facilities-to-children-518383.html Fri, 09 Feb 2024 17:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/keeladi-excavation-madras-hc-serves-notice-to-centre-on-plea-to-publish-report-517670.html Chennai Feb 8 The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered a notice to the Centre directing the ASI to publish the report submitted to it after the first two phases of Keeladi archaeological excavations in Tamil Nadus Sivaganga districtA Division Bench of Justices D Krishnakumar and R Vijayakumar on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre on the petition filed by P Prabhakar Pandian of MaduraiIt may be noted that Superintending Archaeologist of the Archaeological Survey of India ASI Amarnath KRamakrishnan had submitted a 982page report on the findings of the first two phases of excavations to the then Director General of ASI in 2023Prabhakar Pandian who filed the Public Interest Litigation PIL said that about 5800 artefacts were unearthed in Keeladi during the Phase I and Phase II of the archaeological excavationsThe ASI also stated that there were no significant findings in the Phase III of the excavations and the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology has carried out the excavations from the fourth phase and so far nine phases have been completedThe PIL said that several significant findings have been made at Keeladi and that this would throw light on the rich culture that prevailed in the area during the Sangam periodThe petitioner also said that people from all hues in Tamil Nadu including political leaders historians academicians researchers archaeological and Tamil enthusiasts are demanding the reason for the delay in the publication of the 982page reportHe also sought direction to the ASI to publish the report in the public domainThe court ordered notice and adjourned the hearing in the case by four weeks IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/keeladi-excavation-madras-hc-serves-notice-to-centre-on-plea-to-publish-report-517670.html Thu, 08 Feb 2024 09:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/infructuous-sc-on-curative-pleas-filed-against-2013-ruling-that-recriminalised-homosexuality-518049.html New Delhi Feb 8 The Supreme Court on Thursday said that the curative pleas filed against its 2013 ruling recriminalising homosexuality between consenting adults has been rendered infructuous as a result of the judgment in Navtej Singh Johar versus Union of IndiaThe curative petitions have been rendered infructuous by the judgment which has been delivered by this court in Navtej Singh Johar said a 5judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India CJI DY Chandrachud In the landmark 2018 Navtej Johar judgment the top court unanimously declared the Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code IPC unconstitutional in so far as it criminalises consensual sexual conduct between adults of the same sex on a writ petition filed by social activist Johar and five others belonging to sexual and gender minority communities The fivejudge Bench decriminalised consensual homosexual intercourse by keeping out of the purview of Section 377 of the IPC even as the curative petition against the 2013 decision of the Division Bench that upheld the provision was pending The Delhi High Court had decriminalised homosexuality in 2009 However in 2013 a twojudge bench of the Supreme Court overturned this verdict and restored the offence of sodomy immaterial of the consent in the statute book Section 377 of the IPC 1860 criminalised homosexuality as a sexual activity that went against the order of nature Recently a 5judge Constitution Bench headed by CJI Chandrachud refused to grant any legal recognition to samesex couples and review petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court against its ruling given on October 17 2023 IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/infructuous-sc-on-curative-pleas-filed-against-2013-ruling-that-recriminalised-homosexuality-518049.html Thu, 08 Feb 2024 20:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/women-officers-represent-india-at-riyadh-defence-show-517810.html New Delhi Feb 8 Indian women from the TriService were representing the country at the World Defence Show WDS currently being held in Riyadh Saudi ArabiaWDS 2024 witnessed TriService women representation a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modiled governments vision of leveraging Nari Shakti across domainsThe Ministry of Defence MoD said that Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth Colonel Ponung Doming and Lieutenant Commander Annu Prakash represented the Armed Forces in the various seminars of the WDS 2024 especially in the International Women in Defence themed eventsOn February 7 Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth a fighter pilot from the Indian Air Force took centre stage as a panellist at the seminar titled International Women in Defence Investing in an Inclusive Future hosted by Saudi Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar AlSaudThe Squadron Leader shared her inspiring journey of breaking barriers and soaring through the skies thus becoming a part of the revered fighter pilot club in India Her insights on leadership resilience and the evolving role of women in modern warfare resonated with the diverse audience who were impressed to know about her journey She is the first woman fighter pilot to take part in the Republic Day Parade 2021 She also participated in the Republic Day 2024 Flypast officials addedColonel Ponung Doming from the Indian Army is the first woman officer to command the worlds highest Border Task Force located above 15000 feet in the Northern sector with multiple firsts to her credit in over 20 years of service She has been at the forefront of many challenging assignments being an Engineering officer the MoD addedLieutenant Commander Annu Prakash of the Indian Navy brought her expertise in maritime security and operations to the forefront Her participation underscored the crucial role women play in safeguarding Indias vast coastline and ensuring regional stability Her presence at the event helped in fostering stronger ties and collaboration between India and other nations in the maritime domain said the MoDThe Ministry of Defence said that participation of these three exceptional women officers at the WDS 2024 served as a testament to the growing role of Indian women in the defence landscape The trio will deliver an inspirational talk about their remarkable journey at International Indian School Riyadh on Thursday to about 600 school children from various schoolsThe event will serve as a platform in showcasing the diverse talents and leadership skills of Indian women in uniform inspiring future generations to follow their dreams and cover new groundsThe WDS 2024 commenced on February 4 and will culminate on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/women-officers-represent-india-at-riyadh-defence-show-517810.html Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-france-to-increase-cooperation-in-maritime-domain-518100.html New Delhi Feb 8 The armed forces of India and France will increase cooperation in maritime domain The decision is important considering the recent attacks by pirates in Arabian Sea and Red Sea The Ministry of Defence said the cooperation between the Indian Navy and French Navy also includes training SME exchangesAccording to the ministry the 17th Indian Navy and French Navy staff twoday talks were held in Delhi The meeting was cochaired by RAdm Nirbhay Bapna ACNS FCI and RAdm Jean Marc Durandau Director of International Engagements French NavyThe major discussions included operational training SME exchanges etc Both sides also acknowledged the growing cooperation between the two Navies as they agreed to enhance collaboration and interoperability in the maritime domain an official saidOn the sidelines of the talks Jean Marc Durandau called on VAdm Tarun Sobti Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and underscored the highlevel of synergy and interoperability between the two forces IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-france-to-increase-cooperation-in-maritime-domain-518100.html Thu, 08 Feb 2024 22:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-hc-seeks-rapidos-reply-on-accessibility-barriers-in-mobile-app-for-differently-abled-users-518103.html New Delhi Feb 8 The Delhi High Court has called for the stance of biketaxi aggregator Rapido regarding a plea filed by two differentlyabled individuals citing accessibility issues on the platforms mobile applicationDisability rights activist Amar Jain and visuallyimpaired banker Dipto Ghosh Chaudhary have expressed dissatisfaction with Rapidos response to their concerns despite multiple updates to the app Justice Subramonium Prasad issued a notice on the application filed by Jain and Chaudhary urging Rapido to address the critical barriers hindering the daily commute of differentlyabled users The petitioners cited challenges such as the inability to independently cancel rides track driver locations and message drivers within the app Despite six updates to the mobile application the petitioners claim that none of the flagged issues have been resolved indicating Rapidos casual and insensitive attitude towards accessibility concerns Last year the petitioners had approached the high court seeking directions for Rapido to conduct an immediate accessibility audit and address accessibility barriers promptly They stressed the importance of ensuring comprehensive accessibility for differentlyabled individuals in digital services The plea also sheds light on broader challenges faced by differentlyabled users across various cab aggregator platforms stressing the need for industrywide measures to accommodate their needs The petition which is now listed for next hearing in April talks about the failure of the Road Transport Ministry to enforce mandates ensuring functional and digital accessibility for all cab aggregatorsThe court had previously issued notice to relevant authorities including the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Roppen Transportation Services owner of Rapido IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-hc-seeks-rapidos-reply-on-accessibility-barriers-in-mobile-app-for-differently-abled-users-518103.html Thu, 08 Feb 2024 23:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/osd-appointments-become-the-talking-point-in-rajasthan-517428.html Jaipur Feb 7 Suspense continues in Rajasthan over the appointment of officers on special duty and special assistants for minsters as two months after the formation of the new government the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues are yet to get their teamsThe issue came out in public after there were instances when the OSDs for a few ministers were appointed but their appointments were cancelledBesides these delayed appointments the High Court rebuked the state government as well for its delay in appointment of Advocate General And it was 49 days after the establishment of the new dispensation that the BJP government on Saturday appointed senior advocate of the High Court Rajendra Prasad Gupta as the Advocate General of the stateRajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra approved the proposal put forth by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and issued necessary orders in this regardThe state government initiated the move after a petition was filed in the High Court regarding the delay in the appointment of the Advocate General The High Court had sought answers from the state government regarding the delay in the appointment of the Advocate GeneralMeanwhile the delay in the appointment of OSDs is now being commented upon by the opposition as wellCongress state President Govind Singh Dotasra said that the people of the Parchi government who talk about our infighting should tell how the SAs Senior Assistants of their ministers are doingI have heard that the earlier SAs of both the Deputy Chief Ministers have been removed and new ones have been appointed Diya Kumari refused to let him join After this a call came from Delhi it was then that Diya Kumaris SA was put in place he saidDotasra said this on Tuesday in the party workers programme organised in Sikar State incharge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully and many Congress workers and officials were present in the programmeMeanwhile political sources said the file of OSD names will be finalised from DelhiAt present Anand Sharma is managing the show at the CMs place Sharma told IANS I am a party worker and will serve the role whatever party givesMeanwhile there is a long list of OSDs awaiting approval Let Delhi decide on these names Abhi to sabhi pooch rahe hain Kau banega Mantriji Ka OSD said party sources when IANS inquired IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/osd-appointments-become-the-talking-point-in-rajasthan-517428.html Wed, 07 Feb 2024 12:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/i-quit-shiv-sena-after-telling-balasaheb-raj-thackerays-jibes-at-turncoats-517488.html Mumbai Feb 7 A day after the Election Commission of India ECI awarded the Nationalist Congress Party NCP founded by Sharad Pawar and its symbol Clock to the breakaway faction of Ajit Pawar the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS reacted to the current era political scenario here on WednesdayThe sharp barbs were directed at Ajit Pawar and without mentioning any name at Shiv Sena leader and Chief Minister Eknath ShindeMNS President Raj Thackeray said that years ago in November 2005 he had gone to meet the original Shiv Sena founderpatriarch Balasaheb Thackeray along with former Lok Sabha Speaker and exCM Manohar JoshiAt that time Balasaheb had realised that I would no longer remain with the Shiv Sena I went to meet him and he guessed it was my farewell call Manohar Joshi stepped out of the room Balasaheb opened his arms wide and gave me an affectionate hug and said You go nowAnd it was my last meeting with him said Raj ThackerayLater Raj Thackeray said he was asked by the media after the Shiv Sena had suffered the rebellions by Chhagan Bhujbal Narayan Rane later Eknath Shinde and also his own severing links with the partyI tell them clearly I did not rebel I did not backstab anybody or committed treason I did not insult any senior leaders or grab any party All the others who left went to join other parties for power I quit the party after informing Balasaheb Thackeray facetoface And I did not join any party for power Much later March 2006 I founded the MNS with your trust and blessings said Raj ThackerayWhile Bhujbal had joined the Congress 1991 and later the NCP 1999 founded by Sharad Pawar Rane went to the Congress 2005 then formed his own outfit before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party 2019 while Shinde split the Shiv Sena vertically toppled the then CM Uddhav Thackeray and became the CM June 2022It is easy to take over a party established by an elderly uncle Sharad Pawar on the strength of someone else ECI but to found ones own party on ones own strength without disrespecting a senior leader to get a symbol it takes struggle and patience Like Raj Thackeray it takes courage commented the MNS on its official X handleIn another post the MNS said that what Raj Thackeray had predicted in his May 6 2023 meeting in Ratnagiri about Ajit Pawar finally came true todayAnyway but we are rightly proud that we are working under the leadership of Raj Thackeray who has innovated his own political existence from zero without usurping anything from anyone and without insulting the elderly leaders said the MNS tweetsThe opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Congress Shiv Sena UBT MNS and NCP SP tore into the ECI ruling and now the Sharad Pawarled group has been asked to submit its options for a new name and party symbol by Wednesday eveningQuaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmiiansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/i-quit-shiv-sena-after-telling-balasaheb-raj-thackerays-jibes-at-turncoats-517488.html Wed, 07 Feb 2024 14:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/minimum-temp-in-delhi-dips-to-69-degrees-celsius-517372.html New Delhi Feb 7 The national capital on Wednesday recorded a minimum temperature at 69 degrees Celsius three notches below the seasonal average the India Meteorological IMD Department saidFrom the last few days the temperature was hovering around 12 degrees and on Tuesday minimum temperature was recorded at 72IMDs Wednesday forecast showed that the maximum temperature was likely to hover around 21 degrees with the minimum at around 7 degrees againAccording to the weather office there will be strong surface winds during the dayAir quality at several stations across the city fell under the moderare and poor category after days of being in the very poor and severe categoryIn the Anand Vihar area at 9 am PM25 levels were recorded to be in the moderate category standing at 151 and PM10 reached 210 according to the Central Pollution Control Board CPCBThe Air Quality Index AQI between zero and 50 is considered good 51 and 100 satisfactory 101 and 200 moderate 201 and 300 poor 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 severeThe Indira Gandhi International IGI Airport T3 recorded PM25 levels at 189 and PM10 at 169Dwarka Sector 8 witnessed PM25 levels at 297 and PM10 was at 437 both falling under the poor and severe category respectively IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/minimum-temp-in-delhi-dips-to-69-degrees-celsius-517372.html Wed, 07 Feb 2024 09:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/black-parade-new-pune-top-cop-summons-goons-to-march-outside-his-office-517201.html Pune Feb 6 Signalling the resolve to crack down on growing incidents of crime in Pune newlyappointed Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar on Tuesday resorted to an unprecedented black parade of goons to restore peoples faith in the lawenforcersCracking down on crime and those who perpetrate it Kumar summoned more than 200 notorious gangsters or mafiosi on police records to report to his office for firsthand information of their antecedents and activities with the Lok Sabha elections round the cornerMany of the dreaded goons who marched to the Commissionerate office are reputed to flaunt political connections including the likes of Gajanan Marne Nilesh Ghaiwal Baba Bodke bigwigs of the Andekar gang Mohol gang and other known police historysheetersGhaiwal shot to prominence for recently meeting Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his photos have gone viral on social media prompting sharp attacks from the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi MVALast fortnight Parth A Pawar the son of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar had dropped in to meet Marne sparking a political uproar and ultimately Papa Pawar had to own up the blame for sons indiscretionOn January 5 dreaded mafia don Sharad Mohol was shot in a public spot outside his home igniting apprehensions of a possible big gangwar erupting in the cityA majority of those who joined the parade have various big and small crimes lodged against them ranging from kidnapping to extortion to dacoity to murder attempts rape and murders Waiting to welcome the baddies was Kumar along with a posse of police personnel in what was seen as an attempt to reassure the people that the lawenforcers were seriously going about their prime duty enforcing the lawAn IPS officer of 1995 batch Kumar who took over as Pune top cop on Feb 1 was earlier the Commissioner of Nagpur the states second capital where he meticulously ensured that the underworld remained well underground or behind barsAccording to officials over 200 of the notorious underworld figures emerged into the public and police spotlight with the media present to click the goons black parade and were made to cool their heels in the blazing sun for several hours before they were allowed to goIn a bid to keep tabs on them the mafiosi have been asked to report daily to the nearest police stations and give their daily timetable of activities to the policeSince the past two days MVA leaders like Congress state President Nana Patole and the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar and Shiv SenaUBT MP Sanjay Raut among others have accused the MahaYuti government of hobnobbing with and hiring gangsters ahead of the parliament pollsThe new police chiefs move was lauded in various quarters and seemed to instill confidence among the people who have been terrorised by crime and criminals in what is the states cultural academic and IT capitalOn Monday Kumar cracked down on various clubs and pubs that flouted rules and remained open beyond the stipulated hours some till as late as 4 am and he ordered that they must down shutters at 130 am and has many more aces up his khaki sleeveQuaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmiiansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/black-parade-new-pune-top-cop-summons-goons-to-march-outside-his-office-517201.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 19:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/himachal-records-third-lowest-rainfall-in-january-in-123-years-517242.html Shimla Feb 6 Himachal Pradesh witnessed large deficient precipitation of 92 per cent in January the third lowest since 1901 the meteorological office said here on TuesdayThe state received 68 mm rainfall against 853 mm normal rainfall in January Chamba district received the highest rainfall at 138 mm it saidBilaspur Chamba Hamirpur Kullu Shimla Solan Una Kangra Mandi Kinnaur and LahaulSpiti districts received a large deficient rainfall while Sirmaur district received no rainfallThe previous low in January in the state was recorded in 2004 with a precipitation deficiency of 92 per cent while it was 985 per cent in 2007 and 996 per cent in 1966 an alltime low in 123 yearsAnother low was recorded in 2018 at 9 mm and in 2016 at 19 mmOn January 31 there was sufficient amount of snowfall in Udaipur 259 cm and Keylong 8 cm both in LahaulSpiti Kothi 15 cm in Kullu district Sangla 5 cm in Kinnaur district and Khadrala 14 cm in Shimla districtOn the same day Tissa 31 mm Chamba 252 mm Manali 12 mm and Jubbal 112 mm received rainfall IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/himachal-records-third-lowest-rainfall-in-january-in-123-years-517242.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 20:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/cbi-gets-details-on-forgeries-in-bengal-school-job-case-517008.html Kolkata Feb 6 The Central Bureau of Investigation CBI probing the cashforschool job case in West Bengal has got the details on how irregularities in the marks of candidates were done by scanning the OMR sheets used in the written examinationSources said the CBI sleuths have already submitted the details relating to their findings at the Calcutta High Courts special division bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi which is constituted to specially hear the matter related to the multicrore cashforschooljob cases in West Bengal following an instruction from the Supreme CourtBased on the reports submitted by the central agency the said division bench has given permission to the deprived candidates who are parties in different cases in the alleged school job case to check their respective OMR sheets for written examinations by applying to the CBIIt is learnt that CBI has also detailed on how the manipulation in marks were made through scanning of the OMR sheets involving joint efforts by a section of staff within West Bengal School Service Commission WBSSC and NYSA the outsourced agency for supply of OMR sheets for written examination for recruitment of teaching and nonteaching staff in the staterun schoolsLast month only WBSSC faced the ire of the said special division bench for making repeated mistakes in the school job case The bench had also held the commission responsible for not informing the court about the details of its database on this count earlier IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/cbi-gets-details-on-forgeries-in-bengal-school-job-case-517008.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 13:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/guns-goons-govt-mva-accuses-ruling-mahayuti-of-hiring-gangsters-before-elections-517018.html Mumbai Feb 6 Congress Leader of Opposition Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar and Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut accused the ruling Mahayuti government of recruiting gangsters and baddies in its grand coalition ahead of the elections here on TuesdayBefore the elections the recruitment of gangsters in the grand coalition All the three parties in power have a fierce competition to strengthen their own gangs said Wadettiwar referring to the ruling trio of Shiv SenaBharatiya Janata PartyNationalist Congress Party APThe rule of gangsters continues in Maharashtra MLAs of the ruling party shoot inside the police station Why did the gangsters become so strong Who is responsible for this state of affairs demanded Raut of the MVA blocReacting to the MVA charges Shiv Sena Minister Deepak Kesarkar said that many people call on the CM daily We cannot stop them from meeting the CM or clicking pictures with him The allegations have no basis said KesarkarCiting examples Wadettiwar said that the Chief Minister Eknath Shindes son Dr Shrikant E Shinde held a meeting with a known gangster Hemant Dabhekar an aide of the slain Pune don Sharad MoholPictures of Dabhekar allegedly visiting the CMs official residence Varsha to felicitate Dr Shinde on his birthday are viral on the social mediaAnother Pune baddie Nilesh Ghaiwal called on the CM at Varsha and photos of that trip are also doing the rounds on social media embarrassing the ruling coalitionDeputy CM Ajit Pawars son created waves when he wittingly or unwittingly called on a notorious historysheeter Gajanan Marne in Pune leading to many red faces in the breakaway NCP AP last monthEven as a muchconcerned father he pulled the ears of his son for the indiscretion Ajit Pawar himself came under a cloud when a purported shady element Asif Mohammed Iqbal Shaikh alias Asif Dadhi allegedly having links with the banned SIMI terror outfit called on himHow can people expect law and order from rulers who entertain goons demanded Wadettiwar sharply adding that the mafia is getting the full backing of the Mahayuti regimeRaut said that gangsters are roaming around freely with the blessings of the state government and asked who is feeding themThe MVAs hitlist came just a day after a worried group of ruling Shiv Sena Ministers called on Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and complained to him about the allegations hurled against the CM by a BJP MLA Ganpat Kalu GaikwadThe Kalyan East MLA Gaikwad is charged with shooting a Shiv Sena Kalyan chief Mahesh Gaekwad and his aide Rahul Patil inside the Hill Lines Police Station in Ulhasnagar on February 2 shocking the state and sparking a huge political rowShinde is trying to establish a kingdom of goons in the state He deceived Uddhav Thackeray he will betray the BJP also He owes me crores of rupees Shinde should quit if Maharashtra has to be administered well This is my humble plea to Fadnavis and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Gaikwad blurted out before he was whisked off by the Thane Police early on SaturdayRattled by the political ramifications of Gaikwads allegations which the Shiv Sena has termed as baseless and unwarranted the ministers sought Fadnavis action in the matterQuaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmiiansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/guns-goons-govt-mva-accuses-ruling-mahayuti-of-hiring-gangsters-before-elections-517018.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 13:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/global-companies-evince-interest-in-musi-riverfront-project-517309.html Hyderabad Feb 6 Reputed companies from all over the world have evinced interest in executing the prestigious Musi Riverfront development project conceived by the Telangana government it was announced on TuesdayOfficials of the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority HUDA and the Musi River Front Development Corporation are holding talks with various companies As part of these meetings top officials of Meinhardt Group a global planning engineering and project management company called on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy at the Secretariat on Tuesday According to the Chief Ministers Office CMO the company officials made a powerpoint presentation on the project designs they have undertaken in different countries as well as the models of the projects to be adopted for Musi development in Hyderabad The Chief Minister suggested the company representatives to design the models to suit the future needs of the city He mentioned that the outline of the Hyderabad city will change with the expansion of Outer Ring Road ORR Regional Ring Road RRR and the upcoming railway lines around the city The CM suggested the companies develop the Musi riverfront development model in accordance with the expansion plans A delegation of Singaporebased Meinhardt led by CEO Omar Shahzad and Suresh Chandra met the Chief Minister Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari Municipal Administration and Urban Development Authority Principal Secretary Dana Kishore Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority HMDA Joint Commissioner and Musi River Front Development Corporation MD Amrapali also participated in the meeting During his recent visit to London and Dubai the Chief Minister inspected the riverfront projects and held special meetings with representatives of many foreign companies design planning architecture firms and consultancy experts in Dubai IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/global-companies-evince-interest-in-musi-riverfront-project-517309.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 23:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tg-to-replace-ts-as-telangana-abbreviation-516411.html Hyderabad Feb 4 The Telangana government on Sunday decided to change the states abbreviation to TG from present TS The decision was taken at the state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth ReddyFollowing the Cabinet decision TG will replace TS in the gazette of the Union governmentAfter formation of Telangana in 2014 then TRS government had opted TS as the state abbreviationBriefing media persons about the decisions taken by the Cabinet minister D Sridhar Babu said the previous government did not follow any rule and rhyme and decided to go with TS as per its whimsFollowing this decision vehicle registration numbers will now have TG as prefixThe Cabinet decision was taken to implement an announcement made by Revanth Reddy during the election campaign He had said TG was replaced by TS only to suit the TRS party No other state in the country has state in the alphabet component in the vehicle registration number he had pointed outThe Cabinet also decided to change Telangana Talli statue to reflect the sentiments of Telangana people It decided to adopt Andesris Jai Jai Ho Telangana as the state song It was also decided to design a new state emblem in consultation with all stakeholdersThe Cabinet decided to conduct state Assembly session from February 8 It approved the Governors speech It was also decided to implement two more guarantees after discussion in the AssemblyThese guarantees are gas cylinders for Rs500 and free power up to 200 units to householdsThe Cabinet also decided to take up caste census in the state Notifying Kodangal Area Development Authority upgradation of 65 Government ITIs as advanced technology centres allocation of 100 acres of land for constructing High Court and formulating guidelines to award remission to convicts were the other key decisions taken IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/tg-to-replace-ts-as-telangana-abbreviation-516411.html Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/parents-smash-4-month-old-girl-to-death-in-bengal-516561.html Kolkata Feb 5 In a gruesome incidents a couple has killed their own four monthold child by smashing her against the wallAllegedly the victim has been killed as she was the third consecutive girl child born to the parentsThe incident took place in Domkal in Murshidabad district of West BengalThe victim has been identified at Khadija Khatun while the parents have been identified as Rintu Mondal and Beluwara Bibi who have been arrested by the copsThe incident was first noticed by the victims grandmother Firoza Bibi on Monday morning She immediately drew the attention of other family members and neighboursProbably the incident took place on Sunday night but the parents kept it secret for the entire night to ensure that the girl child dies My son always remains intoxicated Since the birth of the third girl child there were regular events of tiff between my son and his wife over the birth of the victim But I never thought that the tiff would result in such an end Firoza Bibi told the media personsA district police official said that murder charges have been slapped against the parents The body of the victim has been sent for post mortem The exact reason behind the death will be known only after the autopsy report is available he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/parents-smash-4-month-old-girl-to-death-in-bengal-516561.html Mon, 05 Feb 2024 12:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/pranab-mukherjees-daughter-says-her-father-was-sad-with-current-state-of-affairs-in-cong-516860.html Jaipur Feb 5 Sharmistha Mukherjee daughter of former President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday recalled that her father a late Congress veteran was quite sad with the current state of affairs of the grand old party during his last daysShe said this while speaking on a plethora of subjects at the Jaipur Literature Festival hereSpeaking of her book Pranab My Father A Daughter Remembers Sharmistha said the former President was a diehard fan of former PM Indira Gandhi even as during his last days he was quite sad with the state of affairs in Congress My father had told Sonia Gandhi that it would have been better to be in the opposition than to have a weak government Had my father been there he would have been very upset with the current condition of Congress This is the state of mind not only of him but of every Congress leader I am also troubled by the current situation There is a rumour about me joining the BJP but I am not going anywhere I am a hardcore Congress worker she said Meanwhile Sharmistha said that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should also get Bharat Ratna He has made an important contribution in improving the economy of India He should get Bharat Ratna My father respected him a lot Even after Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister he used to address my father as Sir My father had also expressed objection to this many times Both respected each other she said while adding that she believes that a nonGandhi should be given an opportunity to lead Congress Sharmistha also spoke about the controversy regarding her father visiting RSS headquarters in Nagpur Once my father went to Nagpur I was active in Congress then I strongly opposed his visit to the RSS programme I also had a fight with him about this matter I asked him if he gave legitimacy to the RSS by visiting there Once he got irritated and said who am I to give legitimacy to RSS He then told me I had gone to the RSS programme to explain the ideology of Congress There I had spoken about the thoughts of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru she recalled IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/pranab-mukherjees-daughter-says-her-father-was-sad-with-current-state-of-affairs-in-cong-516860.html Mon, 05 Feb 2024 23:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/nitish-has-to-master-the-art-of-managing-his-political-foes-in-new-alliance-516191.html Patna Feb 4 Political history repeated itself in Bihar with JDU president Nitish Kumar returning to the NDA forming the government and taking oath as Chief Minister but this time Sushasan Babu faces the herculean task of managing his political foes in the BJPled allianceThere is no doubt in the fact that this time the BJP government in the state is the strongest everHowever the NDAs allies include Nitishs political opponent LJP Ram Vilas chief Chirag Paswan In the new government in the state BJPs Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha have been made Deputy Chief Ministers and both of them are also considered as political opponents of NitishChaudhary used to say that he will remove his turban only when Nitish is dethroned as chief ministerBoth deputy chief ministers have a hardliner image in the party and under such circumstances Nitish is facing a challenge to mange them in the allianceMeanwhile Jitan Ram Manjhis HAMS which has just four members in the state Assembly has demanded two ministerial berthsManjhi said that if his demand is not accepted then it would be injustice with his partyHe also made it clear that in the Mahagathbandhan in the state he was being considered for the post of chief ministerAfter Manjhis statement Bihar Congress chief Akhilesh Prasad Singh has invited HAMS founder to join the Mahgathbandhan saying will make CM if you return to Grand AllianceHowever even if Manjhi parts his ways with the NDA it wouldnt have any impact on the BJPled alliance so the chances of fulfillment of his demands are minimalLJPRam Vilas State President Raju Tiwari said we do not have any personal enmity with Nitish if he runs the government well we are with himOne week has passed since the formation of the NDA government in the state and former union minister Upendra Kushwaha has met Manjhi and Nitish but how much of their differences were sorted out will be revealed in the near future IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/nitish-has-to-master-the-art-of-managing-his-political-foes-in-new-alliance-516191.html Sun, 04 Feb 2024 11:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/first-survey-vessel-large-ship-commissioned-into-indian-navy-516033.html New Delhi Feb 3 INS Sandhayak Yard 3025 the first Survey Vessel Large SVL ship was commissioned into the Indian Navy in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at a ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam on SaturdayThe primary role of the ship is to carry out full scale hydrographic surveys of ports harbours navigational channelsroutes coastal areas and deep seas towards enabling safe marine navigation In its secondary role the ship will be capable of undertaking a range of naval operations the ministry of defence MoD said in a statementThe MoD informed that the ship has a displacement of 3400 tons and an overall length of 110 meters with a beam of 16m INS Sandhayak is equipped with stateoftheart hydrographic equipment including Deep and Shallow Water MultiBeam EchoSounders and satellitebased positioning systemsSingh termed the commissioning as historic exuding confidence that INS Sandhayak will further strengthen Indias role as a superpower in the IndoPacific region and help the Indian Navy in maintaining peace and securityThe Defence Minister said The ocean is vast and bottomless The more we are able to explore its elements the more our knowledge will expand and we will become stronger The more we gather information about the ocean its ecology its flora and fauna the closer we will get to achieving our objectives The more we know about the ocean the more meaningfully we will be able to fulfil our strategic interestsSingh assured that those involved in maritime piracy and smuggling will not be tolerated under any circumstances describing it as the pledge of New IndiaHe lauded the Indian Navy for providing security not only to the Indian ships but also those from friendly countries He referred to the recent drone attack on a British ship in the Gulf of Aden which resulted in the oil tankers catching fire He commended the Indian Navy for its prompt response in extinguishing the fire stating that the effort was recognised and appreciated by the worldSingh praised the Indian Navy for averting five piracy attempts and assisting ships attacked by drones and missiles in the last few days in addition to rescuing 80 fishermenmarinesHe said The Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean region is facilitating safe trade while ensuring peace and prosperity Many defence experts are calling this the rise of a superpower This is our culture to protect everyoneChief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar stated Be it the mighty aircraft carrier Vikrant the deadly destroyers of Visakhapatnam Class the versatile Nilgiri class Frigates the stealthy Kalvari class submarines the nimble Shallow Water ASW Craft or the specialised Diving Support Vessels we are carefully crafting a balanced Aatmanirbhar force in service of an ascendant BharatAdmiral R Hari Kumar asserted that 64 out of 66 ships and submarines under order are being built in Indian shipyards This means that the Navy will invest thousands of crores in this sector enhancing capacity of the shipyards and capabilities of the workers as well as those employed in ancillary industries he emphasisedHe said Not only India but the entire world has seen the effect of Shri Rajnath Singhs instructions in the last fourfive weeks The Indian Navy will not stop until the Indian Ocean becomes completely open safe and free We are ready IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/first-survey-vessel-large-ship-commissioned-into-indian-navy-516033.html Sat, 03 Feb 2024 16:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/criminal-defamation-should-be-retained-in-the-country-law-commission-515850.html New Delhi Feb 2 The 22nd Law Commission chaired by Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi retd has recommended retention of criminal defamation within the scheme of criminal laws in the country The panel said it is important to keep in mind that right to reputation flows from Article 21 of the Constitution of India and being a facet of right to life and personal liberty needs to be adequately protected against defamatory speech and imputationsIn its 285th report the Commission said that it studied the relationship between the right to reputation and the right to freedom of speech and expression and how the two need to be balancedOn a reference made by the Union Ministry of Law amp Justice in 2017 the panel was examining various issues relating to the defamation lawsThe Commission referred to the historic judgement of the Supreme Court in the Subramanian Swamy versus Union of India case where the apex court of the country dismissed the challenge to Section 499 of the Indian Penal Code IPC 1860 and held it to be constitutionally valid on account of it being a reasonable restriction to the freedom of speech and expression enshrined in Article 191a IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/criminal-defamation-should-be-retained-in-the-country-law-commission-515850.html Fri, 02 Feb 2024 23:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/paediatric-oncology-ward-opens-at-rmlims-in-up-515485.html Lucknow Feb 2 A paediatric oncology ward has been inaugurated at the Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences RMLIMS in Uttar PradeshThis initiative precedes World Cancer Day February 4 and International Childhood Cancer Day February 15The ward under the SuddridhLucknow for Access2Care campaign is aimed at providing better access to children with cancer and their families in the stateSoniya Nityanand officiating director of RMLIMS said This dedicated ward is an important step towards becoming a centre of excellence for paediatric oncology in UPChief Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra said We are happy to hold the hands of the cancer patients families guide them from primary health centres tertiary care centres and provide them with the financial medical social educational and psychological support they needFifty women cyclists participated from the Lucknow womens cycling club on Thursday led by childhood cancer survivor Sugandha Kumari The rally covered 8 kms from RMLIMS to KGMU as part of the Shaping their future call for a plan for childhood cancer campaign from February 4 to March 10A blood donation unit has also started at RMLIMS Mother and Child Referral Hospital Subrata Chandra head of the blood and transfusion medicine department said a crucial step has been taken to alleviate challenges faced by attendants IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/paediatric-oncology-ward-opens-at-rmlims-in-up-515485.html Fri, 02 Feb 2024 10:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/wet-spell-over-northwest-india-to-continue-for-next-24-hours-imd-515235.html New Delhi Feb 1 The India Meteorological Department IMD on Thursday said that a wet spell over northwest India is likely to continue during next 24 hours and thereafter another spell is likely to affect the region on Saturday and February 5 It further said that a Western Disturbance as a trough in middle tropospheric westerlies is running roughly along longitude 72 degrees east to the north of latitude 30 degrees north with an induced cyclonic circulation over northwest Rajasthan and neighbourhood in lower tropospheric level Another Western Disturbance is likely to affect northwest India from Saturday the IMD said in its daily bulletin Under the influence of these systems lightmoderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfallsnowfall is very likely over Jammu Kashmir Ladakh Gilgit Baltistan Muzaffarabad Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand till February 5 it said The IMD further predicted that isolated heavy rainfallsnowfall is also likely over Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on Thursday while lightmoderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfall is very likely over Punjab Chandigarh Haryana Delhi and isolated to scattered rainfall over Uttar Pradesh and east Rajasthan on Thursday Lightmoderate isolated to scattered rainfall is very likely over the above regions on Saturday and Sunday the IMD said Isolated hailstorm is also likely over Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand Punjab Haryana Chandigarh west Uttar Pradesh on Thursday and over west Rajasthan on Saturday and over east Rajasthan on Sunday it said The IMD also predicted that strong and chilly surface winds of the order of 3040 kmph are very likely over Punjab Haryana Chandigarh Delhi and west Uttar Pradesh on Saturday Lightmoderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfallsnowfall is very likely over Arunachal Pradesh during next five days and isolated to scattered rainfall over West Bengal amp Sikkim Odisha Assam Meghalaya Nagaland Mizoram Manipur and Tripura till Friday it said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/wet-spell-over-northwest-india-to-continue-for-next-24-hours-imd-515235.html Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/coast-guard-celebrates-48th-raising-day-with-kerala-mumbai-motorbike-rally-515259.html Mumbai Feb 1 The Indian Coast Guard celebrated the 48th Raising Day with a fiveday long motorcycle rally from Vizinjam Kerala to Mumbai Maharashtra here on Thursday officials saidThe bike rally which was flagged off in Kerala on Jan 28 interacted with coastal and fishing communities in four states and Union Territory of Daman en route stressing the importance of safety at sea clean beaches and ecology culminating here this afternoonStarting in a modest way with just 7 surface platforms in 1978 today the ICG has grown into a formidable force with 152 ships 78 aircraft and will grow to a forces level of 200 surface platforms and 100 aircraft by 2030Living up to its motto Vayam Rakshamah We Protect in 48 years it has saved over 11554 lives and 200 lives in 2023 aloneKeeping a 24x7 vigil to ensure security in the Maritime Zones of India the ICG daily deploys around 5060 ships and a dozen aircraft to keep the seas safe and secure for the progress of the blue economyThe vast seas with overlapping jurisdiction provide avenues for antinationals to exploit the maritime routes by posing themselves as mariners at work in the seaThe ICG has also strongly enforced maritime laws in the near coast and the blue waters with seizure of weapons contraband and narcotics worth Rs 15343 Crores since inception with Rs 478 crore worth being seized in the year 2023 aloneOur collaborative actions have created an effective deterrence and created a shield at sea where the penetration by the smugglers has been made nearly impossible said an officialOver the years the ICG has inducted indigenous ships aircraft equipment and other assets in tune with Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat missionsAnother 21 ships are under construction at three shipyards including two Pollution Control Vessels to combat maritime pollutionThe ICG has inducted 16 ALH MKIII aircraft and another 9 ALHs 8 Dornier and 6 multimission surveillance aircraft are likely to join its fleet soonOn the marine environment protection front the ICG being the Central Coordinating Authority for Oil Spill response in Indian EEZ has ensured that there were no major oil spill incidents in Indian waters throughout last yearThe President of India Vice President Prime Minister and Defence Minister have greeted and congratulated the ICG on completion of 47 glorious years of yeoman service to the nation and appreciated the remarkable role played by the service in pursuit of the nations interests in the Maritime Zones IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/coast-guard-celebrates-48th-raising-day-with-kerala-mumbai-motorbike-rally-515259.html Thu, 01 Feb 2024 16:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/siddaramaiah-warns-of-strict-legal-action-over-manual-scavenging-514882.html Bengaluru Jan 31 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday warned of strict legal action if anyone is found engaging any individual in manual scavenging while saying there should be no manual scavengers in the state He said this while speaking at a programme in which some people who were engaged in manual scavenging were identified and paid a compensation of Rs 40000 eachSpeaking at the programme the Karnataka chief minister said It is our partys as well as the governments commitment to ensure civic workers live with dignity Therefore I raised the salary of Safai Karmacharis from Rs 7000 to Rs 17000 immediately after becoming the Chief Minister Manual scavenging is not allowed in the stateThe senior Congress leader further said It is our government that implemented a scheme to provide Rs 75 lakh assistance to build houses to construction workers I implemented these programmes as Chief MinisterSocial Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa Malavalli MLA Narendraswamy Mayakonda MLA Basantappa Nelamangala MLA Srinivas were also present at the programme organised by Social Welfare Department and Karnataka State Safai Karmachari Development CorporationFinancial assistance was distributed to more than 4000 Safai Karmacharis IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/siddaramaiah-warns-of-strict-legal-action-over-manual-scavenging-514882.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 22:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/siddaramaiah-hiding-behind-tricolour-to-mask-hatred-against-hanuman-flag-ashoka-514655.html Bengaluru Jan 31 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is taking shelter behind the Tricolour to hide his hatred against the Hanuman flag Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said on Wednesday Ashoka alleged that after getting the Hanuman flag removed in Keragodu Village in Mandya district the Karnataka Government was facing the ire of the HindusFollowing the development the grand old party is showering statements in respect and honour of the national flag On the occasion of the Republic Day in 2011 the Congress Government did not allow hoisting of the Tricolour at the Lal Chowk in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir and arrested BJP leaders who had taken out the Ekta Yatra Ashoka statedThe same Congress party prevented the hoisting of the national flag at the Idgah Maidan in Hubballi whereas the previous BJP Government had permitted the hoisting of the national flag at Chamarajpet in Bengaluru after 75 years he addedI was serving as the Minister for Revenue then Ashoka saidMr CM Siddaramaiah you stated earlier that you were scared of saffron and vermillion To hide your hatred towards the Hanuman flag there is no need for you to hide behind the national flag The saffron colour is part of our national flag and saffron robes are worn by Hindu sants sadhus pontiffs and religious heads Saffron is also a sacred colour for the HindusSaffron which stands for sacrifice is permanent not your power Just the way the Hanuman flag was removed Hindus will push you out of power soon Ashoka statedHe added that at a time when there were no funds available for drought relief and development the state government had given Cabinet rank to 73 MLAs leading to unnecessary expenditureHe added that the Cabinet rank was given to 34 ministers chairmen of boards and corporations advisors and New Delhi representatives If 10 members of the Guarantee Implementation Committee are given Cabinet rank more than 80 people will have it he saidCM Siddaramaiah who is not able to quell the dissidence of MLAs is providing Cabinet ranks to everyone to save his chair These appointments are against the Constitution and they should be terminated immediately CM Siddaramaiah has violated the rule that only 15 per cent of the total number of legislators should be given Cabinet rank status Ashoka claimed IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/siddaramaiah-hiding-behind-tricolour-to-mask-hatred-against-hanuman-flag-ashoka-514655.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 14:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/dhoni-invested-garuda-aerospace-launches-droni-consumer-drone-514677.html Chennai Jan 31 Chennaibased Garuda Aerospace on Wednesday announced the launch of consumer drone Droni at an introductory price of Rs 85000 on AmazonGaruda Aerospace a company in which cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni has invested said the Droni drones are also launched on the social handles of Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings the Indian Premier League cricket teamThis launch is an exciting one for us Besides being out first B2C product in the market it is a product that is cuttingedge and purposefully designed for convenience and quality Moreover it strengthens our partnership with our brand ambassador Mahendra Singh Dhoni and offers consumers an opportunity to own a product that is created in association with him Agnishwar Jayaprakash Founder and CEO Garuda Aerospace saidAccording to Garuda Aerospace India is home to over 7 lakhs consumer drones and nano drones ie under the 250 gram category that doesnt require DGCA Certifications or Pilot LicencesMost of the consumer drones and toy drone segment originate from China with customers traditionally preferring DJI the company saidDroni is a compact smallsized foldable quadcopter nano drone weighing under 250 gms which can fit into ones pocket It has a 48 MP camera with wide angle lens and has a flight time of 60 minutes IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/dhoni-invested-garuda-aerospace-launches-droni-consumer-drone-514677.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 15:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/belgian-farmers-block-roads-protesting-against-rising-costs-eu-environmental-policies-514494.html Brussels Jan 31 Belgian farmers stopped their tractors on highways and urban motor roads on Tuesday in protest of rising costs unfair competition and European Union EU environmental restrictionsOther problems include red tape the inconsistency with the CAP Common Agricultural Policy and the green regimen Xinhua news agency reportedThe farmers protests have caused major traffic disruption across Belgium with blockages on access roads to the port of Zeebrugge and significant bottlenecks in the road networkBelgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo met the farmers unions in Brussels late on Tuesday and promised to raise the issues with European Commission President Ursula von der LeyenDe Croo said the concerns will be discussed by Agriculture Ministers in February Belgium is now holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EUThe past weeks have witnessed the farmers fury in major European countries like Germany and France IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/belgian-farmers-block-roads-protesting-against-rising-costs-eu-environmental-policies-514494.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 06:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-73-degrees-celsius-minimum-temp-dense-fog-514524.html New Delhi Jan 31 The national capital on Wednesday recorded a minimum temperature at 73 degrees Celsius one notch below the seasonal average the India Meteorological IMD Department saidThe IMDs forecast for the day showed that the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 21 degrees with the minimum at around 7 degreesThis morning Delhi and its neighbouring regions were enveloped by dense fog causing zero visibility and significant disruptions in road rail and air travelThe capital is expected to face adverse weather conditions for the next two days with reports attributing this phenomenon to a western disturbance in the Himalayan regionAccording to the weatherman there will be dense to very dense fog and light rain or thundershowers accompanied with gusty winds towards evening or nightWhile the air quality continued to remain in the very poor category at several stations across the city various stations witnessed it in severe category as wellIn the Anand Vihar area at 9 am PM25 levels were recorded to be in the very poor category standing at 396 and PM10 reached 306 according to the Central Pollution Control Board CPCBThe Air Quality Index AQI between zero and 50 is considered good 51 and 100 satisfactory 101 and 200 moderate 201 and 300 poor 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 severeThe Indira Gandhi International IGI Airport T3 recorded PM25 levels at 333 and PM10 at 205Dwarka Sector 8 witnessed PM25 levels at 388 and PM10 was at 269 both falling under the very poor and poor category respectively IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-73-degrees-celsius-minimum-temp-dense-fog-514524.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 10:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/nhrc-seeks-report-from-bengal-govt-on-convicts-death-in-judicial-custody-514339.html Kolkata Jan 30 The National Human Rights Commission NHRC has sought a report from the West Bengal government regarding the unnatural death of a convict in judicial custody in a correctional home in the stateWest Bengal Human Rights Commission WBHRC too has sought a report from the state government on this countAlready the court of the chief judicial magistrate has ordered a judicial probe behind that unnatural deathThe victim Hatem Ali Mondal 83 died at the Burdwan District Correctional Home in East Burdwan district of West Bengal on MondayAs per records he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a district court at Kalna in East Burdwan district then undivided Burdwan district in the year 2005 during the previous Left Front regime in West BengalAs per complaints filed the convict was taken to the Burdwan Medical College amp Hospital from the correctional home premises after he complained of physical uneasiness on late Sunday night However the accusation against the correctional home authorities is that instead of getting him admitted at the hospital the convict was provided with some preliminary medications at the outdoor department of the hospital and was taken back to the correctional home after a few hoursOn Monday morning as his conditions deteriorated he was again brought to the Burdwan Medical College amp Hospital where he was declared dead The postmortem report of the deceased is yet to come following which the exact reason of his death could be known IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/nhrc-seeks-report-from-bengal-govt-on-convicts-death-in-judicial-custody-514339.html Tue, 30 Jan 2024 16:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/central-govt-give-waivers-to-industrialists-but-not-to-farmers-rahul-gandhi-514384.html Patna Jan 30 Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the Central government is giving waivers to the industrialists of the country but not to the farmersModi government is giving waivers to the industrialists but is not giving the same to farmers of the country The government had brought three laws for the farmers to snatch their land I have raised these points but the media has been after me and the CongressI went to Bhatta Parsaul village in UP a few years ago and pointed out that the land of farmers was being captured by the government and given to the industrialists Instead of talking against it the media started accusing me Rahul Gandhi said in Purnia district of Bihar on the second day of Bharat Jodo Nyay YatraEarlier Rahul Gandhi went to Araria district and visited a temple there and paid respects to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversaryIn Purnia he attended Kisan Chaupal in Sisabadi village and interacted with farmersCongress on X wrote that the Mahayatra of justice is inspired by the ideology of Mahatma GandhiThey are trying to mow down this ideology The Congress will stand there where they try to mow the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi Congress said in its X postSenior Congress leader said that the hatred forces killed Mahatma Gandhi 76 years agoTo remember him Rahul Gandhi was present in Araria district and paid homage to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi Ramesh saidHe said that Congress fight with the hatred ideology will continue across the countryThose who have opposed Mahatma Gandhi in his entire life refused his ideology and murdered him are now trying to grab his heritage Those who are glorifying Nathuram Godse are not allowed to define Idea of India Ramesh said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/central-govt-give-waivers-to-industrialists-but-not-to-farmers-rahul-gandhi-514384.html Tue, 30 Jan 2024 17:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-87-degree-celsius-minimum-temp-aqi-very-poor-514157.html New Delhi Jan 30 Delhiiites woke up to dense fog and chilly morning with minimum temperature settling at 87 degree Celsius seasonal average according to India Meteorological Department IMDThe IMDs forecast showed that the maximum temperature on Tuesday is likely to hover around 22 degrees CelisusThe IMD said that due to fog visibility at Palam and Safdarjung reduced to 50 metres at 530 am disrupting flight and train operationsWhile landings and takeoffs continue at Delhi Airport flights that are not CAT III compliant may get affected Passengers are requested to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted the Delhi International Airport Limited DIAL said in an advisory for passengers on Tuesday at 6 amAt 9 am the visibility continued to be reduced to 50 metres at Palam and Safdarjung said the weathermanMoreover the air quality continued to remain in the very poor category at several stations across the cityIn the Anand Vihar area at 9 am PM25 levels were recorded to be in the very poor category standing at 355 and PM10 reached 233 or poor according to the Central Pollution Control Board CPCBThe Air Quality Index AQI between zero and 50 is considered good 51 and 100 satisfactory 101 and 200 moderate 201 and 300 poor 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 severeHowever the IGI Airport T3 witnessed PM25 levels at 192 and PM10 was at 118 both falling under the moderate category respectively IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-records-87-degree-celsius-minimum-temp-aqi-very-poor-514157.html Tue, 30 Jan 2024 09:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/lu-to-offer-masters-degree-in-hindu-studies-514282.html Lucknow Jan 30 The Lucknow University LU will now offer masters degree in Hindu studies in which students will be taught Vedas and Sanatan dharma from the academic session 202425The Sanatan Vedic culture will be taught as a mandatory paper at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in SanskritLU also plans to establish an autonomous centre for research on the subject and a proposal for the same will be sent to the state government soonThe announcement of introducing such subjects was made by the vicechancellor Alok Kumar Rai and Acharya Abhishek Brahmachari Maharaj the disciple of Samrat Karpatri Maharaj founder of Akhil Bhartiya Ram Rajya ParishadThe university plans to establish a centre for Hindu Studies and offer an MA course in the same in the Sanskrit department We are going to propose to the government to establish a research chair in Hindu Studies A proposal in this regard is being prepared said RaiHe said the university will get the syllabus passed by the board of studies faculty board and other committees soonSwami Ji Maharaj suggested that like students study different religions in their curriculum they should also be taught about Hindu studies So we have decided to offer MA course in the subject said the VCAbhishek Brahmachari maharaj said I had requested the VC to establish research chair and teach students about Vedas and let the world know about our Vedas Hindu traditions and Sanatan Dharma People are influenced by our Vedas and thoughts Our Vedas talked about Pushpak Viman people dont believe but India has proved it and now fighter planes are being made by scientists based on the same Veda Shastras IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/lu-to-offer-masters-degree-in-hindu-studies-514282.html Tue, 30 Jan 2024 14:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/jaishankar-discusses-ongoing-situation-in-west-asia-with-israel-514290.html New Delhi Jan 30 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has discussed the ongoing situation in West Asia with his Israeli counterpart Israel KatzIn a post on social media on Monday the EAM shared Good to talk to Israeli Foreign Minister IsraelkatzDiscussed the ongoing situation in West Asia Spoke about Indias views assessments and interests in that regard Agreed to stay in touch he addedThe discussion between the two leaders comes days after Israel on January 26 called for continued efforts for shared growth and enduring friendshipMentioning the bond with India as strong Katz had called for continued efforts for shared growth and enduring friendshipKatz had posted on X Commemorating Indias 75th Republic Day I extend my respect to Dr SJaishankar and the people of India Katz had also tagged the EAM in the postMore than 100 days have passed since Israel declared war on Palestinian militant group Hamas in response to the October 7 2023 attack on the country IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/jaishankar-discusses-ongoing-situation-in-west-asia-with-israel-514290.html Tue, 30 Jan 2024 14:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/3-080-selected-for-jobs-in-israel-from-up-to-take-skill-test-now-513815.html Lucknow Jan 29 Nearly 3080 workers have been selected for various jobs in Israel The walkin registration of workers to be sent from India to Israel has ended at the Government ITI in Lucknow and now a skill test will be conducted till January 30So far 3080 workers have been selected for jobs in Israel There are 10000 vacancies of construction workers and for which thousands queued up at the ITI office an official said late on SundayOnly candidates having application form with signature and seal issued by the institute and registered with the labour department would be able to participate in the skill test that would now be conducted till January 30 Government ITI principal Raj Kumar Yadav saidYadav said that candidates who are not registered with the Labour department and have not approached Government ITI Aliganj Lucknow by January 28 to get the application form signed will not be able to appear for the skill test where abilities of aspirants to do shuttering work tiles and marble fitting and wall plastering among others are being testedNearly 2400 forms were distributed and only these many candidates will be allowed to appear in the skill test till January 30 Nearly 4200 candidates took the test and another 2400 would appear over the last two days he saidHe said thousands of candidates gathered at ITI Aliganj gates and created ruckus on Sunday as thousands of jobseekers from UP and even outside queued up for skill tests to try their luck against 10000 vacancies of construction workers in IsraelThe Israel job offer is accompanied with lucrative perks like a decent salary of Rs 137250 per month besides a fund bonus of Rs 15000The skill test is organised by the state government to provide employment opportunities to Indian workers in Israel under the Chief Minister Mission Employment Scheme IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/3-080-selected-for-jobs-in-israel-from-up-to-take-skill-test-now-513815.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 09:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/in-a-first-cmfri-to-develop-lab-grown-fish-meat-513885.html Kochi Jan 29 In a landmark move the ICARCentral Marine Fisheries Research Institute CMFRI has embarked on a pioneering initiative to develop labgrown fish meat a first in IndiaThe project aims to establish India to make strides in the field of cultured marine fish meat thereby addressing the growing seafood demand and reducing excessive pressure on wild resourcesCultivated fish meat or lab grown fish meat is produced by isolating specific cells from the fish and growing them in the laboratory setting using animal component free mediaThe final product will replicate the original flavour texture and nutritional qualities of the fishIn the initial phase the institute focuses on developing cellbased meat of high value marine fishes such as king fish pomfret and seer fishIn line with this CMFRI has entered into a collaborative research agreement with Neat Meatt Biotech a startup working towards developing cultivated meat to launch this initiative in a publicprivate partnership modeCMFRI Director Dr A Gopalakrishnan and Cofounder and CEO of the Neat Meatt Biotech Dr Sandeep Sharma signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding thisAccording to the MoU CMFRI will carry out research on early cell line development of high value marine fish speciesThis involves isolating and cultivating fish cells for further research and developmentAdditionally CMFRI will handle genetic biochemical and analytical work related to the projectThe institute is equipped with a cell culture laboratory with basic facilities providing a solid foundation for research in cellular biologyNeat Meatt with its expertise in cell culture technology will lead the optimisation of cell growth media development of scaffolds or micro carriers for cell attachment and scaling up production through bioreactorsThey will also provide necessary consumables manpower and any additional equipment needed for the projectDr A Gopalakrishnan director of CMFRI said this project aims to accelerate development in this field ensuring India is not left behind in this emerging industryThis publicprivate partnership marks a crucial step in bridging the gap between India and other nations like Singapore Israel and the USA which are already advancing cultured seafood research Labgrown fish offers immense potential for environmental and food security benefits and this collaboration leverages CMFRIs marine research expertise with Neat Meatts technological knowhow in this field paving the way for a sustainable and secure future for seafood production in India said GopalakrishnanSharma said that the proof of concept of the project could be established within a couple of months IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/in-a-first-cmfri-to-develop-lab-grown-fish-meat-513885.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/up-reported-23k-deaths-in-road-mishaps-in-2023-513926.html Lucknow Jan 29 More than 23000 lives were lost in road mishaps in Uttar Pradesh in 2023According to the data available with the UP transport department 31098 persons were injured in 44534 road mishaps that took place last yearThe state witnessed an alarming average of approximately three individuals losing their lives and four sustaining injuries every single hourWhile the increase in the number of deaths over the previous year is marginally less the absolute figures surged by over 1050 fatalitiesP Satyarthi additional transport commissioner road safety said Fatalities are slightly less in comparison to 2022 when the increase in the number of deaths over 2021 was 62 per cent but in 2023 the increase is only 47 per cent But we feel there is a lot to do to save the lives of people and we are consistently working in that directionLucknow district emerged as a hotspot for accidents by reporting 1460 accidents the highest in the state in 2023Kanpur stood out with the highest number of deaths at 638 while the highest number of people were injured in Bareilly districtThe highest number of deaths after Kanpur were reported from Bulandshahr 607 and Prayagraj 582 districts while in terms of cases of road accidents Kanpur 1442 Prayagraj 1297 followed LucknowThe highest number of people after Bareilly 1091 were reported injured in Mathura 1015 and Kanpur 985Further dissection of the data shows that 56 of the 75 districts in the state recorded an increase in the number of road accidents and 47 in fatalitiesThe top three districts registering an increase in the number of deaths over the year 2022 are Baghpat 331 per cent Pratapgarh 30 per cent and Shahjahanpur 295 per centLucknow Kanpur Prayagraj and Agra are among the districts where the number of fatalities is marginally lower compared to 2022Barring Lucknow these districts show a declining trend regarding the number of road mishaps tooIn Lucknow the number of road accidents rose from 1349 in 2022 to 1460 in 2023 an increase of 82 per centIt may be recalled that UP leads all other states in the country by reporting the highest number of deaths in road accidents despite reporting a lower number of mishaps though the national data for 2023 is not revealed yet IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/up-reported-23k-deaths-in-road-mishaps-in-2023-513926.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 13:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/will-remove-turban-tonsure-head-in-ayodhya-samrat-choudhary-513689.html Patna Jan 29 A day after the formation of the NDA Government in Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Monday claimed that he will tonsure his head and remove his turban in AyodhyaThe BJPs Samrat Choudhary had taken the oath that he would remove his turban which he had donned after his mothers death only after he removes Nitish Kumar from the post of Chief Minister of BiharHowever in a twist of fate Nitish Kumar retained his post as Bihar Chief Minister and now Samrat Choudhary has to work under him as the Deputy Chief MinisterWhen asked about his vow Samrat Choudhary said After my mother died in 2022 I tonsured my head and tied a turban When I became the Leader of Opposition in Bihars legislative council soon after that I took an oath that I would remove my turban only after removing Nitish Kumar from the post of Chief Minister of Bihar As the BJP is my second mother I would do anything for my second motherWhen the national leadership of the BJP decided to go with Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister it was a sentimental moment for me I told our top leadership that I will go to Ayodhya and remove the turban and shave my head and place it at the feet of Lord Ram he saidI am a soldier of the BJP and I can do anything for my partys respect Personal interest is not bigger than the party Choudhary said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/will-remove-turban-tonsure-head-in-ayodhya-samrat-choudhary-513689.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 19:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-saudi-arabia-joint-military-exercise-begins-in-rajasthan-513701.html New Delhi Jan 29 Saudi Arabian armed forces personnel and Indian soldiers on Monday began the inaugural edition of joint military exercise Sada Tanseeq at the Mahajan firing range in Rajasthan officials said According to the Defence Ministry the aim of the exercise which will go on till February 10 is to train troops of both sides for joint operations in semidesert terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter The exercise which has 45 personnel of the Royal Saudi Land Forces and an equal number from a battalion from the Indian Armys Brigade of the Guards Mechanised Infantry will enable both the sides to share their best practices in the tactics techniques and procedures of conducting operations in subconventional domain a statement said It will also facilitate developing interoperability bonhomie and camaraderie between troops from both the sides it said The exercise will involve establishment of a mobile vehicle check post cordon and search operation house intervention drill reflex shooting slithering and sniper firing it said As per the ministry the exercise will provide an opportunity to both the contingents to strengthen their bond and will act as a platform to achieve shared security objectives enhance level of defence cooperation and foster bilateral relations between the two friendly nations IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-saudi-arabia-joint-military-exercise-begins-in-rajasthan-513701.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 20:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/biennial-rs-polls-for-56-seats-on-feb-27-513979.html Mumbai Jan 29 The Election Commission of India has said that the biennial elections for 56 Rajya Sabha seats including six in Maharashtra shall be held on February 27 The states going to the RS polls are Uttar Pradesh 10 seats Maharashtra and Bihar six each Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal five each Gujarat and Karnataka four each Andhra Pradesh Telangana Odisha and Rajasthan three each Chhattisgarh Haryana Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand one seat eachThe elections are being held to fill up the seats after the term of the 56 incumbents end in early AprilThe election notification will be issued on February 8 the last date for filing nominations is February 15 scrutiny will be done on February 16 and the last date for withdrawals shall be February 20The polling shall be held on February 27 from 9 am to 4 pm followed by the counting of votes and the election process shall be completed by February 29 said the ECI IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/biennial-rs-polls-for-56-seats-on-feb-27-513979.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 15:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bmc-bans-illegal-posters-hoardings-banners-on-all-mumbai-roads-513770.html Mumbai Jan 29 In wake of a Bombay High Court order the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation has banned any illegal posters banners hoardings or announcements on all public roads in the city and suburbs an official said here on MondayThe BMC has published a list of locations where such displays are authorised and will now initiate a campaign to remove the illegal displays in other areas The civic body has also appealed to citizens social organisations and political parties to refrain from erecting any such hoardings banners or posters without the prior permission of the department concerned at the ward level The issue was also discussed at a statelevel committee chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary Home recently to discourage such unauthorised displays on public roads pathways etc The BMC said that violators will be penalised under the Maharashtra Prevention of Defacement of Property Act 1995 and Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act 1888 In 2022 the BMC had initiated several drives and uprooted over 16300 illegal posters banners hoardings announcements flags etc from main and arterial roads and conducted regular campaigns against the public nuisance in different parts of the city and suburbs There have been instances when such illegal hoardingsbanners have posed a risk to pedestrians or vehicles by obstructing the view of traffic signals and hindering visibility of major heritage buildings or monuments or scenic locations IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bmc-bans-illegal-posters-hoardings-banners-on-all-mumbai-roads-513770.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 22:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bjp-seeks-out-new-faces-cong-falls-back-on-stalwarts-as-both-get-into-poll-mode-in-mp-513385.html Bhopal Jan 28 Both Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress have started preparing for the Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh While BJP is eyeing new faces Congress will bet on experienced and veteran leadersThere are 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state out of which BJP holds 28 and Congress has one While BJP is trying to win at all places Congress is trying to improve its position compared to the last election Both the parties have started ground work to find better candidatesBJP has started taking feedback from all the 29 seats and report cards of MPs are also being prepared The party is first in search of candidates for those five seats where MPs have won the recently held assembly electionsAt the same time two MPs had to face defeat in the Assembly elections The party is brainstorming what to do at these two seats The party is also not happy with the working style of half a dozen MPs In such case the BJP has likely decided to field new candidates in about a dozen constituenciesOn the other hand Congress has only Chhindwara parliamentary seat from where former Chief Minister Kamal Naths son Nakul Nath is the MP In such a situation the party is planning to field veteran leadersApart from Kamal Nath the party is preparing to bet on Digvijay Singh former Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh former Union Minister Arun Subhashchandra Yadav Kantilal Bhuria The party is facing a crisis of good facesPolitical analysts believe that BJP has very little chance to further increase its strength in Madhya Pradesh while Congress has a lot of opportunityIn such a situation while BJP wants to maintain its strength Congress will try to increase its position IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bjp-seeks-out-new-faces-cong-falls-back-on-stalwarts-as-both-get-into-poll-mode-in-mp-513385.html Sun, 28 Jan 2024 17:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/imd-predicts-wet-spell-over-western-himalayas-on-jan-30-31-513428.html New Delhi Jan 28 The India Meteorological Department IMD on Sunday said that a wet spell was expected over western Himalayan Region till February 3 with the possibility of isolated heavy fall on January 30 and January 31The IMD also predicted that dense to very dense fog and cold day to severe cold day conditions are very likely to continue over Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during the next two days and improve gradually thereafterIn its daily bulletin the weather forecast agency said that two Western Disturbances in succession are likely to affect northwest India from January 30 and another from February 3Under the influence of these systems light to moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfallsnowfall is very likely over Jammu Kashmir Ladakh Gilgit Baltistan Muzaffarabad and Himachal Pradesh during next seven days said the IMDIt further said that isolated heavy rainfallsnowfall is also likely over Kashmir on January 30 and January 31 over Himachal Pradesh on January 31Lightmoderate isolated to scattered rainfallsnowfall very likely over Uttarakhand and light rainfall over Punjab Chandigarh Haryana West Uttar Pradesh during January 31 and February 2 said the IMDThe IMD also said that minimum temperatures are in the range of 69 degree over many parts of plains of Haryana Chandigarh Delhi Uttar Pradesh Bihar Punjab and Madhya Pradesh in the range of 810 degree Celisus over many parts of RajasthanThese are below normal by 36 degree Celsius over many parts of plains of Bihar and East Uttar Pradesh in the range of 13 degree Celsius over Haryana Chandigarh West Uttar Pradesh East Madhya Pradesh Gangetic West Bengal and north Chhattisgarh Today the lowest minimum temperature of 52 degree Celsius was reported at Gorakhpur East Uttar Pradesh said the IMD IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/imd-predicts-wet-spell-over-western-himalayas-on-jan-30-31-513428.html Sun, 28 Jan 2024 18:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/dense-to-very-dense-fog-to-prevail-over-up-bihar-for-next-2-days-imd-513064.html New Delhi Jan 27 The India Meteorological Department IMD on Saturday said that dense to very dense fog and cold day to severe cold day conditions are very likely to continue over Uttar Pradesh and Bihar during the next two days and improve gradually thereafterIn its daily bulletin the weather forecast agency said that minimum temperatures are in the range of 46 degree Celsius over many parts of plains of Uttarakhand Punjab in the range of 68 degrees Celisus over many parts of Uttar Pradesh Haryana Chandigarh Delhi and north Rajasthan and they are in the range of 810 degree Celisus over many parts of central Rajasthan and north Madhya PradeshThese are below normal by 35 degree Celsius over many parts of plains of Uttarakhand Haryana Chandigarh Uttar Pradesh East Madhya Pradesh West Bihar and north Chhattisgarh Today the lowest minimum temperature of 31 degree Celisus was reported at Hisar Haryana said the IMDThe IMD said that a fresh western disturbance is likely to affect western Himalayan Region from Sunday and another western disturbance is likely to affect western Himalayan region and adjoining plains of Northwest India from January 31Under the influence of these systems light isolated rainfallsnowfall is very likely over Jammu Kashmir Ladakh Gilgit Baltistan Muzaffarabad and Himachal Pradesh during next two days and moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfallsnowfall during subsequent threefour days said the IMDThe IMD said that isolated heavy rainfallsnowfall is also likely over Jammu Kashmir Ladakh Gilgit Baltistan and Muzaffarabad on Sunday and January 31The IMD also predicted that dense to very dense fog conditions very likely to prevail for a few hours in nightmorning over many parts of east Uttar Pradesh over some parts of Punjab Haryana Chandigarh West Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on Sunday and dense fog in isolated pockets over the region thereafter for subsequent three daysCold day to severe cold day conditions are very likely to continue in some parts of Bihar on Saturday and Sunday and cold day conditions thereafter for subsequent three days Cold day to severe cold day conditions are also very likely to continue in some parts of East Uttar Pradesh on Saturday and cold day conditions in isolated pockets on Sunday said the IMD IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/dense-to-very-dense-fog-to-prevail-over-up-bihar-for-next-2-days-imd-513064.html Sat, 27 Jan 2024 14:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ugc-cautions-21-bengal-universities-for-not-appointing-ombudsmen-512803.html Kolkata Jan 26 University Grants Commission UGC has cautioned that as many as 21 universities in West Bengal have defaulted in appointing ombudsmen meant for addressing the grievances of the students there Among the 21 universities 17 are staterun while the remaining four are private operating universities UGC has not disclosed the names of the universities Sources said among 21 universities also include two iconic institutions University of Calcutta and Jadavpur University JU However the JU authorities have claimed that there might be some miscommunications regarding the name of the university appearing among the list of defaulters since an ombudsman has already been appointed by the university authorities within the specified date IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ugc-cautions-21-bengal-universities-for-not-appointing-ombudsmen-512803.html Fri, 26 Jan 2024 14:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/protest-in-delhi-not-a-meeting-clarifies-cpi-m-kerala-512954.html Thiruvananthapuram Jan 26 CPIMs Kerala state secretary MV Govindan on Friday clarified that the February 8 event at Delhis Jantar Mantar led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his entire cabinet besides law makers is not a meeting but a protest against the Centres wrong attitude towards the stateVijayan and his team from Kerala will march from the Kerala House to Jantar Mantar and stage a sit in protestGovindan was peeved after the media here reported that the protest that was earlier announced has been changed to a meeting What more hurt the CPIM the most was when the Congressled opposition took pot shots against Vijayan and his cabinet that they changed from protests to meeting because they are scared of Prime Minister Narendra Modi The media made this assessment based on the letter that Vijayan had written to his counterparts in Tamil Nadu Bihar Odisha Punjab and Delhi besides former Chief Ministers Sharad Pawar Farooq Abdullah his son Omar Abdullah that it was a meeting against the dilution of federal principles by the Modi government Its not a meeting but its a protest Govindan told the media adding that when the protest will be staged in Delhi all across Kerala Left Front activists will stage protests expressing solidarity with the Delhi protesters Of late numerous state ministers and even Vijayan have slammed the Centre for its antiKerala attitude which is going to be the highlight of the Delhi show IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/protest-in-delhi-not-a-meeting-clarifies-cpi-m-kerala-512954.html Fri, 26 Jan 2024 22:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bengal-school-job-case-ed-gets-written-statement-on-shell-companies-opened-for-proceeds-diversion-512723.html Kolkata Jan 26 Enforcement Directorate ED has some more concrete evidence now on how former West Bengal education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee had floated different shell companies through its confidante promoters with the sole aim to divert the illgotten proceeds in the cashforschool job case to various channels Sources said that one such promoter recently handed over a written statement to the central agency sleuths on how he was under pressure of the former minister and virtually secondincommand in the ruling party to float these shell companies Chatterjee who was arrested by the ED sleuths in connection with the school job case in July 2022 is currently serving his judicial custody at the Presidency Central Correctional Home in South Kolkata Sources said that the legal brains of the central agency are of the opinion that the written statement will help the agency sleuths to make the case more watertight against the former minister Already in its subsequent charge sheets the ED had described Chatterjee as the principal mastermind behind the school job case It is learnt that the ED had summoned the said promoter this week at the agencys Salt Lake office and he was in a total cooperative mood since the beginning of integration First he verbally briefed the interrogating official that he was under pressure from the former minister to float these shell entities and he submitted a written statement on this count to the agency officials Sources said the promoter besides detailing on the floating of the shell entities also provided some details on how the illgotten proceeds of the school job case were invested in different mushrooming real estate projects in and around Kolkata This is the second instance within a month where someone close to Partha Chatterjee has given a statement against the latter to any central agency Earlier this month the Income Tax department got some specific clues and evidence on how the former state minister purchased different properties in different pockets of West Bengal in the name of his soninlaw Kalian Bhattacharya Bhattacharya himself detailed this matter to the Income Tax officials then besides handing over certain related documents pertaining to his statement IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bengal-school-job-case-ed-gets-written-statement-on-shell-companies-opened-for-proceeds-diversion-512723.html Fri, 26 Jan 2024 11:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/rahuls-nyay-yatra-enters-bengal-faces-administrative-hurdles-512257.html Kolkata Jan 25 As Nyay Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi entered West Bengal on Thursday the state Congress leadership was apprehending major administrative hurdles following which some changes in the schedule of the rally might be made As the rally led by Gandhi entered the Bengal territory at Boxirhat in Tufanganj subdivision in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal he was welcomed by senior Congress leaders including the state Congress president and the fivetime party Lok Sabha member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury Meanwhile since the entry of the rally in Bengals territory it has started facing administrative hurdles The original stage that was set up to welcome Rahul Gandhi had to be dismantled and raised at an alternative private place The police themselves dismantled the original stage set up for that purpose The cops claimed that the stage was raised without police permission on the national highway So we had to set up the same welcome stage at a private place on the opposite side of the road said senior Congress leader from Cooch Behar district MM Hossain Incidentally on Wednesday only the Trinamool Congress supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made an official announcement of her party contesting alone in West Bengal from all the 42 constituencies in the state in the Lok Sabha polls scheduled this year State Congress leaders said that the schedule of Nyay Yatra at Jalpaiguri town on January 28 will also have to be changed to an extent following the insistence of the district police authorities The district police have communicated to us insisting that the Nyay Yatra rally enters Jalpaiguri town only after 2 pm on Sunday since on that morning there will be a police recruitment examination in the town Rahul Gandhi was supposed to have his lunch at the same venue where he was supposed to hold a rally Now with the police communiqué not only the schedule of the rally will have to be changed but so will be the venue for his lunch a senior state Congress leader said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/rahuls-nyay-yatra-enters-bengal-faces-administrative-hurdles-512257.html Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/three-students-die-amid-cold-wave-in-bihar-in-last-24-hours-512526.html Patna Jan 25 Amid the severe cold waves three school children died in Bihar in the last 24 hours officials said on Thursday The first incident occurred at Ragho Majholi middle school when a class 6 student named Mohammad Qurban fell sick in the school on Wednesday He was immediately taken to a primary health centre in Bochaha block where he died during the treatment in the night The family members refused to let a postmortem be conducted The second incident occurred in Aurangabad when a student named Rajvir Kumar died inside the school He vomited as the school was about to get over on Wednesday evening and passed away The school administration has not confirmed the incident The third incident occurred in Lakhisarais Kajra block when a student fell sick and vomited inside the school He was sent home and his mother took him to a rural doctor who suggested she be admitted to a big hospital of Suryagarha block or Lakhisarai The victim was admitted in Lakhisarai where he died during the treatment on Wednesday night Ranjana Kumari the block education officer of Kajra said A student fell sick inside the school and was sent home after vomiting We learnt that he succumbed during the treatment in a private hospital We are waiting for the postmortem report to ascertain the actual cause of his death IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/three-students-die-amid-cold-wave-in-bihar-in-last-24-hours-512526.html Thu, 25 Jan 2024 20:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/dense-fog-conditions-very-likely-in-some-parts-of-delhi-tomorrow-512337.html New Delhi Jan 25 Dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to prevail over many places of North India during next two days and improve thereafter with reduction in intensity and duration said the India Meteorological Department IMD on Thursday The IMD further predicted that cold day to severe cold day conditions are likely to continue to prevail over North India during the next two days and decrease in intensity thereafter In its daily bulletin the weather forecast agency said that minimum temperatures are in the range of 36 degree Celsius over most parts of plains of Uttarakhand Punjab Haryana Chandigarh Delhi in many parts of Uttar Pradesh in isolated pockets of northwest Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh while 710 degree Celsius over remaining parts of Rajasthan Madhya Pradesh in most parts of Bihar Jharkhand and SubHimalayan West Bengal These are below normal by 24 degree Celsius over many parts of plains of Uttarakhand Haryana Chandigarh Delhi Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and in isolated pockets of Bihar and SubHimalayan West Bengal Today the lowest minimum temperature of 3 degree Celsius was reported at Kanpur west Uttar Pradesh said the IMD The IMD warned that dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to prevail for a few hours in the nightmorning over somemany parts of Punjab Haryana Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh during Thursday to January 30 morning Dense fog conditions are very likely in some parts of Delhi on Thursday night and Friday morning Dense to very dense fog conditions are also very likely to prevail for a few hours in nightmorning in isolated pockets of Uttarakhand and Rajasthan during Thursday night and Saturday morning said the IMD The IMD said that cold wave conditions are very likely in isolated pockets of Punjab Haryana and Chandigarh during Thursday and Saturday Similar conditions are also very likely in west Uttar Pradesh on Thursday and Friday Ground frost conditions are very likely at isolated places over Himachal Pradesh Uttarakhand Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan during Thursday night and Friday morning said the IMD IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/dense-fog-conditions-very-likely-in-some-parts-of-delhi-tomorrow-512337.html Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/national-voters-day-1732-crore-voters-in-1951-to-around-95-crore-in-2024-512448.html New Delhi Jan 25 The date chosen for National Voters Day commemorates the formation of the Election Commission of India ECI on January 25 1950 The first general elections of independent India were held on October 25 195152 The part results of the first general elections of India were announced on February 10 1952 about 72 years ago It was a mission to successfully conduct first general election in a country with such a vast topography diverse cultures and varying climatic conditions The first elections had 196084 polling booths and 27527 booths were reserved for only women The first vote was cast in the Tehsil of Chini in Himachal Pradesh About 1874 candidates of 53 parties contested elections for 489 seats The Congress won the elections with 364 seats as the people voted for the party led by Jawaharlal Nehru CPI finished second with 16 seats as they got about 329 per cent votes Approximately 45 per cent of the total votes were polled for the Congress in the first Lok Sabha elections As Indias first democratic giant leap in the first general elections in India the Congress had won the elections with 364 seats out of 489 seats During the first elections the population of India was 36 crore out of which 1732 crore population was eligible to vote Today Indias population is as high as 144 crore with 66 per cent of Indias population nearly 808 crore below the age of 35 years In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections there were 15 million firsttime voters and the numbers are expected to rise this year as the Indian populations median age stays less than 30 In 2024 the country has around 95 crore voters This makes India a country that has the privilege of housing worlds largest youth population and also young voters population You call them the change makers or growth engine of economy the truth is that this AIdriven generation would set the tone for the growth of Indian economy for the next 25 years My one vote will make the difference in Indian democracy you see as there are many like me who are discussing which party to vote in General Elections 2024 said a college student a firsttime voter Under Rajiv Gandhi government when the Parliament had passed the Constitution Sixtyfirst Amendment Act 1988 in Lok Sabha which lowered the voting age for elections to Lok Sabha from 21 years to 18 years by amending Article 326 of the Indian Constitution who knew that one day such a decisive population of Indian youth would be driving India to deliver best in the world These young and vibrant voters are already assessing their priorities and Indias vision to be amongst the top three economics of the world and be a 10 trillion economy Pavan Kaushik is a wellknown Author and Storyteller IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/national-voters-day-1732-crore-voters-in-1951-to-around-95-crore-in-2024-512448.html Thu, 25 Jan 2024 19:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/1-132-personnel-awarded-gallantry-service-medals-on-r-day-512208.html New Delhi Jan 25 On the occasion of the 75th Republic Day a total of 1132 personnel of Police Fire Service Home Guard and Civil Defence and Correctional Service have been awarded the GallantryService Medals The Ministry of Home Affairs said on Thursday that the government has taken many steps in recent years to rationalise and transform the entire award eco system of various awards In this regard 16 GallantryService Medals for Police Fire Service Home Guard and Civil Defence and Correctional Service have been rationalised and merged into four medals that are Presidents Medal for Gallantry PMG Medal for Gallantry GM Presidents Medal for Distinguished Service PSM Medal for Meritorious Service MSM After recent restructuring of medals a total of 1132 personnel of Police Fire Service Home Guard and Civil Defence and Correctional Service have been awarded the Gallantry Service Medals on the occasion of the Republic Day 2024 an official said The Ministry of Home Affairs MHA said that there are two Presidents Medal for Gallantry PMG and 275 Medal for Gallantry GM Presidents Medal for Gallantry PMG and Medal for Gallantry GM are awarded on the ground of Rare Conspicuous Act of Gallantry and Conspicuous Act of Gallantry respectively in saving life and property or in preventing crime or arresting criminals the risk incurred being estimated with due regard to the obligations and duties of the officer concerned Among the majority of the 277 Gallantry Awards 119 personnel from the Left Wing Extremism affected areas 133 personnel from Jammu and Kashmir region and 25 personnel from other regions are being awarded for their gallant action the official added The Ministry of Home Affairs said that among the personnel receiving Gallantry Medals two PMG have been awarded to BSF personnel for their outstanding contribution in the prestigious task of peace keeping as part of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo MONUSCO as members of the 15th Congo Contingent of BSF at the Moroccan Rapid Deployment Battalion MORRDB Camp at Butembo Out of 277 Gallantry Medals 275 GM have been awarded to 72 personnel from JampK Police 18 personnel from Maharashtra 26 personnel from Chhattisgarh 23 personnel from Jharkhand 15 personnel from Odisha eight personnel from Delhi 65 personnel from CRPF 21 personnel from SSB and the remaining personnel from the other statesUTs and CAPFs official added The Presidents Medal for Distinguished Service PSM is awarded for special distinguished record in Service and Medal for Meritorious Service MSM is awarded for valuable service characterised by resource and devotion to duty Out of 102 Presidents Medal for Distinguished Service PSM 94 have been awarded to Police Service four to Fire Service and four to Civil Defence and Home Guard Service Out of 753 Medal for Meritorious Service MSM 667 have been awarded to Police Service 32 to Fire Service 27 to Civil Defence and Home Guard Service and 27 to Correctional Service the MHA official added IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/1-132-personnel-awarded-gallantry-service-medals-on-r-day-512208.html Thu, 25 Jan 2024 11:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/defence-ministry-signs-pact-to-acquire-14-fast-hi-tech-patrol-vessels-for-icg-512056.html New Delhi Jan 24 The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract for acquisition of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels FPVs equipped with multipurpose drones and AI worth Rs 107047 crore for the Indian Coast Guard ICG an official said on Wednesday The FPVs will be indigenously designed developed and manufactured by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd Mumbai under Buy IndianIDDM Category The Defence Ministry said that the FPVs would offer greater flexibility and operational edge to the ICG to face new age multidimensional challenges These modern FPVs will play a critical role in enhancing fisheries protection and monitoring control and surveillance antismuggling operations search and rescue operations including in shallow waters assistance to shipaircraft in distress towing capabilities assistance and monitoring during marine pollution response operations and antipiracy operations The acquisition of these FPVs is aimed to boost ICGs capability and reinforces the increased focus of the government towards maritime security an official said In line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat the contract will boost the nations indigenous shipbuilding capability bolster maritime economic activities and foster growth of ancillary industries especially the MSME Sector The project will effectively generate employment opportunities and expertise development in the country the official added IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/defence-ministry-signs-pact-to-acquire-14-fast-hi-tech-patrol-vessels-for-icg-512056.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 20:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/navys-ammunition-cum-torpedo-cum-missile-barge-lsam-19-launched-512068.html New Delhi Jan 24 The launch of ammunition cum torpedo cum missile ACTCM barge LSAM 19 Yard 129 fifth barge of 11 x ACTCM Barge Project built by MSME shipyard Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd Thane for Indian Navy was undertaken on Wednesday an official said The launch ceremony was presided over by Commodore V Pravin AWPS Mbi In a statement the Indian Navy said that the contract for building 11 X ACTCM Barge was signed between Defence Minister and Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd Thane on March 5 2021 The availability of these barges would provide impetus to operational commitments of Indian Navy by facilitating transportation embarkation and disembarkation of articles ammunition to Indian Navy Ships both alongside jetties and at outer harbours the statement read According to the Ministry of Defence these barges were indigenously designed and built under relevant Naval Rules and Regulation of Indian Register of Shipping The model testing of the Barge during design stage was undertaken at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory Visakhapatnam IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/navys-ammunition-cum-torpedo-cum-missile-barge-lsam-19-launched-512068.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 21:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/myanmar-army-flies-back-remaining-92-soldiers-from-mizoram-512083.html Aizawl Jan 24 Myanmar Army authorities on Wednesday took back their remaining 92 soldiers a day after Myanmarese Air Force aircraft which came to Mizoram to evacuate them skidded off the tabletop runway of the Lengpui airport here injuring eight of the 14 crew members Officials said that an ATR aircraft of Myanmar Air Force in two sorties evacuated the 92 Myanmar soldiers and 14 crew members of Tuesdays plane All necessary formalities including collection of biometric details of the Myanmar military personnel have been conducted Necessary medical support was also given to the soldiers and the eight injured crew members an official said The 276 Myanmar Army personnel took refuge in Mizorams Lawngtlai district on January 17 after their camps were captured by the Arakan Army militants The Myanmar soldiers with their arms and ammunition reached Bandukbanga village situated on the MizoramMyanmarBangladesh border trijunction in Lawngtlai and were taken to Assam Rifles Parva camp in the district A Myanmar Air Force transport plane from Mandalay Myanmar landed at Lengpui airport on Monday Jan 22 and evacuated 184 Myanmar soldiers to Sittwe Akyab in two sorties and the remaining 92 Myanmar soldiers were supposed to be airlifted on Tuesday but could not done due to the aircraft accident a senior official told IANS Officials said that out of the 14 people who were on board the medium size aircraft along with the pilot eight were injured who were immediately rushed to Lengpui hospital and subsequently discharged Due to the faulty landing and the overshoot from the runway the plane was partially damaged Mizoram disaster management officials along with the district administration and police officials rushed to the Lengpui airport 30 km from Aizawl and rescued the injured crew A Following the accident all Lengpui airportbound flights were either cancelled or diverted Normal flight operations were resumed on Wednesday With the latest influx the number of soldiers who fled Myanmar since November 13 last year after their camps were overrun by the ethnic armed groups and took refuge in Indias Mizoram had increased to 636 Earlier in several phases all the Myanmar Army personnel were sent back to their country Due to the fighting between the Army and the prodemocracy forces thousands of Myanmar civilians including women and children also fled to Mizoram in the recent months The first influx from Myanmar happened in February 2021 after the Military junta seized power there Since then over 32000 people including women and children have taken shelter in the northeastern state from Myanmar IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/myanmar-army-flies-back-remaining-92-soldiers-from-mizoram-512083.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 22:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/telangana-transfers-forest-land-for-navys-second-vlf-station-512087.html Hyderabad Jan 24 The Telangana government has transferred 1174 hectares of forest land in Vikarabad district for the Indian Navys Very Low Frequency VLF communication transmission station The Navy uses VLF communication transmission stations to communicate with ships and submarines This station will be set up in Damagudem forest area near Puduru of Vikarabad mandal and will be completed in 2027 according to the Chief Ministers Office CMO Commodore Karthik Shankar Circle DEO Rohit Bhupathi and Captain Sandeep Das met Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday The officials of Vikarabad DFO and Naval Command Agency signed the agreement for transfer of forest lands This will be the second such station in the country INS Kattabomman Radar Station at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu was the first of its kind and has been serving the Navy since 1990 The Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam has already identified Telangana as a suitable area for setting up a second radar station Since 2010 the Navy has been in touch with the state government Despite all the environmental permits and clearances the allotment of land did not proceed due to the negligence of the previous government the CMO said adding that with the special initiative of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy all the obstacles to this project were removed The Union Forest and Environment Department approved the Navys proposals in 2014 Campa funds of Rs 13354 crore for handing over forest land have been paid The Navy has also paid Rs 1856 crore for the works undertaken for land conservation measures The Damagudem Forest Protection Joint Action Committee had filed a petition in court seeking to cancel this project The court has issued orders to take all precautions in accordance with the conditions decided by the government Along with the navy station the township would have schools hospitals banks and markets This naval unit will consist of around 600 naval personnel and other civilians About 2500 to 3000 people will live in this township Adequate measures would be taken to preserve biodiversity and ecological balance in the region through extensive planting As a part of this project about 27 km of road will be constructed around Damagundam Reserve Forest the CMO added IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/telangana-transfers-forest-land-for-navys-second-vlf-station-512087.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 22:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/centre-agrees-to-transfer-defence-land-for-skywalk-in-hyderabad-512104.html Hyderabad Jan 24 The Centre on Wednesday approved transfer of 3380 square yards of land to the Telangana government for construction of a skywalk in Hyderabad This has cleared hurdles for the skywalk which is expected to ease traffic congestion at Mehdipatnam one of the busiest areas in the city The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority HMDA has announced that the construction will be taken up soon According to a statement from the Chief Ministers Office CMO the proposal to build a skyway for the safety of pedestrians has been pending due to the increased traffic congestion The Defence Ministry had not agreed to give their lands located in the Rythu Bazar area for years Efforts made by the previous government for the transfer of 051 acre of defence land were futile As a result the work could not be started Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy focused on the measures to overcome traffic congestion in the city During his Delhi visit on January 5 he met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and brought to the notice of pending transfer of defence land Singh responded positively after he was explained the need to transfer the defence lands to Telangana Government The CM made many changes in the design of the skyway in accordance with the suggestions from the Centre without disturbing the defence zone The revised proposals were sent to the Centre recently and it approved the allotment of land required for the construction of the skyway A total of 3380 square yards of land will be handed over to the Telangana government In lieu of transferred lands the Centre will provide infrastructure worth Rs1515 crore to the defence The Defence Ministry has agreed to hand over the land within four weeks IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/centre-agrees-to-transfer-defence-land-for-skywalk-in-hyderabad-512104.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 23:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/diya-kumari-meets-unga-president-says-india-is-now-the-voice-of-global-south-511641.html Jaipur Jan 23 Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Diya Kumari on Tuesday met Dennis Francis President of the United Nations General Assembly UNGA at the City Palace here Indias Permanent Representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj IFS and United Nations Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp were also present on the occasion Diya Kumari later said that during the discussions on various international and contemporary issues the UNGA President praised Indias foreign policy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi He highlighted the G20 Summit chaired by India Indias help to many countries during the Covid19 pandemic and raising voice against the ongoing wars around the world The Deputy CM said the entire world is impressed by the efforts being made by the Prime Minister for the overall development of the Global South The Prime Minister also gave the slogan of One World One Family One Future in the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam at the G20 conference and is trying to unite the world through the International Solar Alliance Diya Kumari also talked about the heritage conservation in detail on the occasion Dennis Francis is on a fiveday visit to India IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/diya-kumari-meets-unga-president-says-india-is-now-the-voice-of-global-south-511641.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 00:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/exercise-desert-knight-india-france-uae-conduct-joint-air-drills-511741.html New Delhi Jan 24 Indian Air Force French Air and Space Force FASF and United Arab Emirates UAE Air Force have conducted joint air drills called Exercise Desert Knight The Ministry of Defence said that F16 Su30 MKI Sukhoi MiG 29 Jaguar AWACS C130J Air to Air Refueller and Rafale fighter aircrafts were part of this air defence exercise The exercise in Indian FIR was conducted over the Arabian Sea with IAF aircraft operating from bases within India the ministry said The Ministry of Defence informed on Wednesday that on 23 Jan 24 the Indian Air Force IAF conducted Exercise Desert Knight along with French Air and Space Force FASF and United Arab Emirates UAE Air Force While the French participation included the Rafale fighter aircraft and a Multi Role Tanker Transport the UAE Air Force fielded the F16 These aircraft operated from the Al Dhafra air base in the UAE the ministry said It said that the main focus of Exercise Desert Knight was on enhancing synergy and interoperability between the three air forces The Ministry of Defence said that the interactions during the exercise facilitated the exchange of operational knowledge experiences and best practices amongst the participants Such exercises are indicative of the growing diplomatic and military interactions in the region apart from showcasing the prowess of the IAF the ministry said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/exercise-desert-knight-india-france-uae-conduct-joint-air-drills-511741.html Wed, 24 Jan 2024 12:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-hc-rejects-plea-against-changes-in-iim-director-eligibility-criteria-511516.html New Delhi Jan 23 The Delhi High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation PIL challenging the changes made by the Central government in the eligibility criteria for the appointment of Directors to the Indian Institutes of Management IIMs The PIL was filed by Firoz Ahmad arguing that the amendments restricted people from applying for the post and that terms like PhD degree from a distinguished institution were vague Previously the criteria required candidates to be a distinguished academic with a PhD or equivalent The changes brought to the Indian Institutes of Management Rules 2018 specify that a prospective candidate for the position of IIM Director must have a firstclass degree at both the Bachelors and Masters levels along with a PhD or an equivalent qualification from a reputed institute The petitioner also claimed that the changes violated the Bhargava committee report on the governance of IIMs which recommended broadbased criteria for director appointments to rule out political factors A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora rejected the PIL saying that mediocrity cannot be supported in institutions like IIMs The court stated that the additional conditions of having a firstclass degree at both levels would attract the best talent and reduce the possibility of political factors influencing appointments The order said that the petitioner failed to demonstrate how the changes were discriminatory to any class creed or caste IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/delhi-hc-rejects-plea-against-changes-in-iim-director-eligibility-criteria-511516.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 19:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/cmfri-to-offer-lessons-on-marine-biodiversity-and-environment-511518.html Kochi Jan 23 The ICARCentral Marine Fisheries Research Institute CMFRI is set to offer lessons on marine biodiversity and environment to postgraduate students researchers and academicians recognising its crucial role for ensuring the health of oceans for the wellbeing of future generations A fiveday training course on Know Your Marine Biodiversity and Environment MARBIE will be held from February 5 to 9 at the institute It will offer a deeper understanding on marine biodiversity taxonomy ecosystem functions and environmental challenges and develop skills and tools for assessing managing and conserving marine resources A range of topics including coral reef diversity marine mammal conservation marine fish identification mapping spatial distribution of marine resources marine environmental quality assessment sea turtle conservation and tackling marine debris will be included Handson practical sessions and field visits will also be offered at the programme CMFRI director Dr A Gopalakrishnan said in the face of mounting threats including climate change and pollution understanding and protecting marine biodiversity is crucial in ensuring global food security and mitigating climate change IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/cmfri-to-offer-lessons-on-marine-biodiversity-and-environment-511518.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 19:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-not-having-permanent-seat-in-un-security-council-is-absurd-elon-musk-511286.html New Delhi Jan 23 Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has called the absence of India as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council UNSC absurd despite being the most populous country on Earth On Sunday UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres posted on X saying How can we accept that Africa still lacks a single Permanent Member in the Security Council Institutions must reflect todays world not that of 80 years ago To which author Michael Eisenberg replied by asking about India And what about India Better yet is to dismantle the UN and build something new with real leadership Later Musk replied to Eisenbergs post saying At some point there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council despite being the most populous country on Earth is absurd Africa collectively should also have a permanent seat imo he added For years India has been fighting for a permanent place at the UNSC table Currently the US the UK France Russia and China are the five permanent members of the UNSC often referred to as the P5 Meanwhile Musk has denied the report claiming that his artificial intelligence AI company xAI secured 500 million in funding toward a 1 billion goal A report by Bloomberg citing sources stated that xAI was in talks with investors for an additional 500 million in funding However Elon Musk dismissed the report saying This is fake news from Bloomberg in response to a user who shared the news article on X IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/india-not-having-permanent-seat-in-un-security-council-is-absurd-elon-musk-511286.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 12:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/coal-scam-delhi-court-allows-naveen-jindal-to-go-abroad-for-20-days-511546.html New Delhi Jan 23 A Delhi court on Tuesday granted permission to Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal who is accused in three cases related to alleged irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks to travel abroad from February 1 to 20 He is a key accused in multiple cases involving coal block allocations with one case being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI and another by the Enforcement Directorate ED These cases revolve around allegations of irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj allowed Jindals application seeking to travel to the US UK Mozambique Italy Spain Czech Republic and Venezuela taking into account his previous travel history and his consistent return to India to face trial within the prescribed time frame The judge observed that out of the three cases only one matter being probed by the CBI was recording prosecution evidence The judge also directed the accused to furnish a fixed deposit of Rs 1 crore and to not tamper with evidence or try to influence any witness Jindal had undertaken not to dispute his identity and not to question the legitimacy of proceedings conducted in his absence In October last year the judge had allowed Jindal to travel to Oman the UAE Guinea Venezuela the US the UK Poland and the Czech Republic on the same grounds IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/coal-scam-delhi-court-allows-naveen-jindal-to-go-abroad-for-20-days-511546.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 20:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/assam-cms-resignation-sought-over-attack-on-rahuls-bharat-jodo-nyay-yatra-511109.html Guwahati Jan 22 The United Opposition Forum UOF an alliance of several parties in Assam on Monday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma citing his failure to maintain law and order in the state as the reason behind the alleged attacks on Congress leaders during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra being led by former Congress president Rahul Gandhi UOF general secretary and leader of Assam Jatiya Parishad Lurinjyoti Gogoi speaking to the media along with chief of Raijor Dal Akhil Gogoi said that Sarma must resign from his post as it is indeed shameful that the attacks took place on the leader of the largest opposition party of the country who was a guest in our state The opposition leaders said that Rahul Gandhis convoy was attacked by hired goons of BJP who also pelted stones at the car of Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh and injured Assam unit Congress chief Bhupen Borah on Sunday in Sonitpur district They submitted Even if we assume that the Chief Minister did not incite these attacks it clearly reflects his failure to maintain the law and order situation The Opposition leaders also said that the attacks on the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra brought disgrace to the state known for its hospitality and demonstrated Sarmas inability to protect opposition leaders and citizens The forums leaders submitted that Sarma must accept his failure and tender his resignation immediately IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/assam-cms-resignation-sought-over-attack-on-rahuls-bharat-jodo-nyay-yatra-511109.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ups-60-parachute-field-hospital-gets-subhash-chandra-bose-aapda-prabandhan-puraskar-511387.html New Delhi Jan 23 The 60 Parachute Field Hospital in Uttar Pradesh has been selected for the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar2024 in the Institutional category The Ministry of Home Affairs said that the work of the hospitals is excellent in Disaster Management The Government of India has instituted an annual award known as Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar to recognize and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organisations in India in the field of disaster management The award is announced every year on January 23 the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose The award carries a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh and a certificate in case of an institution and Rs 5 lakh and a certificate in case of an individual For the award of year2024 online nominations were solicited from 1st July 2023 onwards The award scheme for the year 2024 was given wide publicity through print electronic and social media In response to the award scheme 245 valid nominations were received from institutions and individuals officials added The Ministry of Home Affairs said that the 60 Parachute Field Hospital Uttar Pradesh was established in 1942 It is the sole airborne medical establishment of the Indian Armed Forces recognized for its exceptional service in various global crises The primary mission includes Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief HADR operations during natural calamities nationally and internationally both in times of peace and war It had provided medical assistance during the Uttarakhand floods 2013 Nepal Earthquake under the operation name Maitri 2015 and Indonesian Tsunami as part of operation Samudra Maitri 2018 Recently in response to the 78 magnitude earthquake in Turkey and Syria in February 2023 the unit rapidly assembled a 99member team and established Indias pioneering level2 medical facility in Turkey overcoming resource constraints and language barrier to set up a 30 bed hospital in Hatay provinces school building The unit provided a wide range of medical services including rescue triage surgery dental treatment X Ray and lab facilities and offered care to 3600 patients during a 12day period as a part of Operation Dost official added IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ups-60-parachute-field-hospital-gets-subhash-chandra-bose-aapda-prabandhan-puraskar-511387.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 15:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/184-myanmar-soldiers-who-fled-to-mizoram-flown-back-home-511172.html Aizawl Jan 22 As many as 184 of the 276 Myanmarese soldiers who fled to Mizoram on January 17 after their camps were captured by armed prodemocracy ethnic groups were flown back home on a Myanmar military aircraft on Monday officials said Officials said that a Myanmar Air Force aircraft landed at the Lengpui airport here in the afternoon to take back the soldiers A Myanmar Air Force transport plane from Mandalay Myanmar landed at Lengpui airport and evacuated 184 Myanmar soldiers to Sittwe Akyab in two sorties Before the departure of the Myanmarese soldiers the Indian authorities have completed all necessary formalities a senior official told IANS The remaining 92 Myanmar soldiers would be airlifted on Tuesday the official said The 276 Myanmar Army personnel took refuge in Mizorams Lawngtlai district on January 17 after their camps were captured by the Arakan Army militants The Myanmar soldiers with their arms and ammunition reached Bandukbanga village situated on the MizoramMyanmarBangladesh border trijunction in Lawngtlai and were taken to Assam Rifles Parva camp in the district Necessary formalities including collection of biometric details of the Myanmar military personnel have been conducted Necessary medical support was also given to the soldiers the official said With the latest influx the number of soldiers who fled Myanmar since November 13 last year and reached India has touched 636 Earlier Indian Air Force helicopters airlifted some of these soldiers to Manipurs Moreh and handed them over to the Myanmar Army authorities from the border town On January 2 and 9 a total of 151 Myanmarese soldiers were flown back home on a Myanmar military aircraft that came to Lengpui airport Fierce gun battles between the Myanmar Army popularly known as Tatmadaw and the armed fighters resumed in October last year in areas close to the Indian border leading to the fresh influx of soldiers and civilians into Indian territories Due to the fighting between the Army and the prodemocracy forces thousands of Myanmar citizens including women and children also fled to Mizoram in the recent months The first influx from Myanmar happened in February 2021 after the Military junta seized power there Since then over 32000 people including women and children have taken shelter in the northeastern state from Myanmar IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/184-myanmar-soldiers-who-fled-to-mizoram-flown-back-home-511172.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/kerala-minister-ganesh-kumar-vows-to-remain-mum-finds-left-tougher-than-cong-511432.html Thiruvananthapuram Jan 23 Actorturnedpolitician Kerala Minister KB Ganesh Kumar appears to have realised that unlike in the Congressled UDF where he was a Minister things in the Left Government are different and has decided to keep mum Kumar was sworn in as a Minister in Decemberend according to a pact in the ruling CPIM that after twoandhalfyears from May 2021 he will replace State Transport Minister Antony Raju Kumar 57 has been a legislator since 2001 and he was a minister in the Cabinet of Congress leader AK Antony in 2001 but made way for his father after a few years He was again in the Oommen Chandy Cabinet in 2016 but following a domestic issue with his then wife he quit and since then he had been upset with the UDF Finally he along with his father moved into the Left Democratic Front Kumar is known for his brusque style of functioning and while in the UDF he gave a tough time to Oommen Chandy As soon as he became a Minister under Pinarayi Vijayan he had a runin with his predecessor Raju over an issue concerning Ebuses in the state transport department This brush with Raju left many in the CPIM including Chief Minister Vijayan redfaced and when he persisted the CPIM state Secretary MV Govindan made it clear to him that he has to calm down On Tuesday a melloweddown Kumar blamed the media and said that he would not say anything and his officials would be communicating with everyone I stand by my position on the Ebus and from now on I will not take any decisions and the officials will be communicating with everyone said a peeved Kumar IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/kerala-minister-ganesh-kumar-vows-to-remain-mum-finds-left-tougher-than-cong-511432.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 16:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ddu-university-in-ups-gorakhpur-to-set-up-centre-for-studies-on-ayodhya-510996.html Gorakhpur Jan 22 The Deen Dayal Upadhyay DDU University in Uttar Pradeshs Gorakhpur has announced the setting up of a Centre for studies on Ayodhya CSA The university also announced to offer a course Historicity of Ayodhya for postgraduate students pursuing history from academic session 202425 The CSA being established in the faculty of Arts will focus on encouraging studies on tracing various dimensions of spiritual cultural and historical journey of Ayodhya which is developing as a modern tourism centre The centre will coordinate with different departments of the university pursuing various research works related to Ayodhya and Lord Ram Gorakhpur university vicechancellor Prof Poonam Tandon said Our university is an important centre of learning in Purvanchal region surrounded by the birthplace and important places related to great religious spiritual and historical personalities Stating that while Lord Rams birthplace Ayodhya is 134 km away Gautam Buddhas Parinirvan sthal Kushinagar is just 55 km away his birthplace Lumbini is 122 km away and Saint Kabirs Samadhi place is 30 km away The upcoming CSA will provide a platform to the students and researchers to study and learn more about the lives of these great personalities and study their contributions she said The CSA will be established in the department of ancient history archaeology and culture The main objective of this centre is to promote studies on topics related to the transformation of Ayodhya from an ancient city to a modern pilgrimage and tourism site The course on historicity of Ayodhya will also be offered as an elective course for students of other subjects disciplines The course will trace the historical journey of Ayodhya from preVedic period to contemporary days The course will be run by the department of ancient history archaeology and culture and the department of medieval and modern history IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ddu-university-in-ups-gorakhpur-to-set-up-centre-for-studies-on-ayodhya-510996.html Mon, 22 Jan 2024 23:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ddu-university-in-ups-gorakhpur-to-set-up-centre-for-studies-on-ayodhya-513578.html Gorakhpur Jan 22 The Deen Dayal Upadhyay DDU University in Uttar Pradeshs Gorakhpur has announced the setting up of a https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ddu-university-in-ups-gorakhpur-to-set-up-centre-for-studies-on-ayodhya-513578.html Mon, 22 Jan 2024 23:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bengal-doles-for-girls-dont-seem-to-be-stopping-their-early-marriage-510528.html Kolkata Jan 21 Are the West Bengal Governments schemes for the girl child failing to meet their primary objective of arresting underage marriages As per a recent report in the LANCET the rate of underage marriages among girls before the official age of 18 is as high as 41 per cent in West Bengal This is not only the highest among all the Indian states but also much above the national average of 22 per cent Although the period covered in the survey from 1993 to 2021 is vast what is embarrassing for West Bengal is that even during the period between 2016 and 2021 when the welfare schemes for girls were on there was a marginal increase in the rate of underage marriages While the state government has expressed doubts over the findings of the report officials say that the number of cases being reported in West Bengal is much higher unlike in other states where the incidents of child marriage are more but reporting is low However experts say lack of awareness about the realtime benefit of schemes for the girl child poverty the belief in rural areas that early marriages are less costly and in some cases premarriage pregnancy of minor girls are some of the reasons behind their alarming trend According to medicalteacher writer and filmmaker Dr Tirthankar Guha Thakurta The girl child is often seen as a burden an unnecessary expense till she is married off Poverty cultural norms poor educational and vocational opportunities reinforce the practice Thakurta who is part of the faculty at the KPC Medical College amp Hospital described the LANCET study as alarming and said that it eventually exposes the futility of a system that flaunts empowerment but lacks implementation It signifies that poverty lack of education unemployment and social security has not been achieved by the masses he added Social activist Anurag Maitrayee is of the opinion that despite an effort by the West Bengal Government to prevent marriages of minor girls through the introduction of welfare schemes exclusively for them a lack in awareness creation regarding the illeffects of early marriages has continued to exist She also pointed out that often in rural areas proper sex education is not given in schools resulting in teenage pregnancies Though limited in number there are instances of unwanted pregnancies in minor girls in rural areas resulting in them being married off at an early age to prevent social embarrassment to the parents I do not really blame the parents always in such cases since society is such However parents need to be made aware that by resorting to early marriages in such cases they are actually pushing their children particularly the girl into a deeper crisis said Maitrayee Experts are of the opinion that there is an urgent need for the West Bengal Government to launch a massive awareness campaign involving reputed nongovernment organisations working in the area of womens welfare and experts from related fields Recently the West Bengal Women amp Child Development and Social Welfare Department in association with UNICEF decided to roll out a campaign using religious texts from different faiths to spread messages on child care These messages with a focus on the girl child addressed teething issues like anaemia among minor girls high rates of underage marriages and early pregnancies IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bengal-doles-for-girls-dont-seem-to-be-stopping-their-early-marriage-510528.html Sun, 21 Jan 2024 09:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/canada-to-reduce-number-of-international-students-510267.html Toronto Jan 20 Canada is set to reduce the number of international students coming to the country for postsecondary education The cut in study visas will likely come later this year After the Covid19 pandemic Canada issued a record 579075 study visas in 2023 As a result the number of international students jumped from 617250 in 2021 to over 900000 in 2023 Public opinion has blamed high immigration levels and international students for housing affordability problems in the urban areas of the country As per media reports the Canadian government plans to reduce study visas to sustainable levels Currently educational institutions in various Canadian provinces are free to admit any number of international students But now the federal government plans to decide the number of study visas to be issued to international students and allot a certain quota to each province Though there has been a huge drop of over 80 per cent in study visas for Indian students this year the cut in the numbers will impact Indian students the most There are over 340000 Indian students in Canada IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/canada-to-reduce-number-of-international-students-510267.html Sat, 20 Jan 2024 13:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/two-mothers-are-killed-in-gaza-every-hour-un-women-510195.html New Delhi Jan 20 The raging war in Gaza is impacting women and girls at unprecedented levels with loss of life and catastrophic levels of humanitarian needs This was the main conclusion of the Gender Alert The Gendered Impact of the Crisis in Gaza issued by UN Women At least 24620 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza about 16000 of whom were women or children The number of people killed has tripled the total of the previous 15 years combined And the demographic percentage has been shifted around 70 per cent of people killed in Gaza are today estimated to be women and children including two mothers per hour killed since the beginning of the crisis We have seen evidenced once more that women and children are the first victims of conflict and that our duty to seek peace is a duty to them We are failing them That failure and the generational trauma inflicted on the Palestinian people over these 100 days and counting will haunt all of us for generations to come highlighted UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous in a statement Gaza is fundamentally a protection crisis for women Out of the 19 million people displaced close to one million are women and girls seeking refuge in precarious sheltering conditions yet nowhere and no one is safe in Gaza The impossible decisions regarding whether to evacuate how and when to do so and where to go are entrenched with gender differentiated fears and experiences as gendered risks including attacks and harassment emerge along displacement routes UN Women estimates that at least 3000 women may have become widows and heads of households in urgent need of protection and food assistance and at least 10000 children may have lost their fathers In this context more women fear that families will resort to desperate coping mechanisms including early marriage Womenled and womens rights organisations continue to operate despite the escalation of hostilities 83 per cent of womens organizations surveyed in the Gaza Strip are at least partially operational mainly focusing on the emergency response However UN Womens analysis of funding to the 2023 Flash Appeal reveals that 009 per cent of funding has directly gone to national or local womens rights organizations Through the sixmonth response plan UN Women in Palestine has been addressing the crisis by providing lifesaving assistance such as emergency food assistance to over 14000 womenheaded households onethird of all womenheaded households in Gaza and supporting the distribution of clothing sanitary products and baby formula UN Women is also partnering with womenled organisations to deliver gender responsive services for genderbased violence establishing womenled protection and response committees in shelters for displaced women and convening regular consultations with womens organisations in Palestine to discuss the challenges they face It continues to call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and that no effort be spared to ensure womens and girls protection and safe access to rapid unimpeded and genderresponsive humanitarian assistance The UN body also reiterates its deep concern at the accounts of unconscionable sexual violence and other genderbased violence during the October 7 2023 Hamas attacks its call for accountability justice and support for all those affected and for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/two-mothers-are-killed-in-gaza-every-hour-un-women-510195.html Sat, 20 Jan 2024 09:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/offshore-uk-navy-patrol-vessel-reaches-kochi-510451.html New Delhi Jan 20 HMS Spey an offshore patrol vessel of the Royal Navy of the UK has reached Kochi on a goodwill visit to India The Ministry of Defence said that the ship was accorded a warm reception amidst fanfare by the Indian Naval band on arrival During the port call at Kochi professional and social interactions and sports fixtures were held between the Indian Navy and Royal Navy the ministry said It said that the Royal Navy personnel visited onboard INS Sunayna and shared best practices towards enhancing interoperability between the two navies Cdr Paul Caddy Commanding Officer HMS Spey called on Cmde Sarvpreet Singh Chief Staff Officer Operations Southern Naval Command and discussed issues of mutual interest the ministry said It said that a team from Headquarters Sea training HQST conducted a training module on Force Protection Measures Damage Control and Firefighting onboard HMS Spey The ministry said that these exercises aided teams from HQST and the ship to understand the procedures and SOPs followed by both the navies The professional exchange exemplified the commitment of both navies to foster strong naval partnerships emphasising the significance of mutual cooperation in maritime security and training the ministry said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/offshore-uk-navy-patrol-vessel-reaches-kochi-510451.html Sat, 20 Jan 2024 19:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/29-bridges-six-roads-in-border-states-build-at-a-cost-of-rs-670-cr-509976.html New Delhi Jan 19 The Border Roads Organisation BRO has completed 35 infrastructure projects at a cost of Rs 670 crore which include 29 bridges and six roads built in seven border areas which were on Friday inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Of these 11 are in Jammu amp Kashmir nine in Ladakh eight in Arunachal Pradesh three in Uttarakhand two in Sikkim and one each in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh While inaugurating these Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that these projects have been constructed under challenging weather conditions at the most inhospitable terrain The Defence Minister highlighted the governments approach towards border area development which he said completely differs from the previous governments He said Other governments did not focus on development of the border areas as they considered these zones as the last areas of the country We on the other hand consider border areas as the face of India which is why were ensuring that worldclass infrastructure is created in these zones He stressed that connectivity is being provided to every border area in the country through roads bridges and tunnels describing the work as not only of strategic importance but also pivotal for the welfare of the people residing in these regions He said People living near the borders are no less than soldiers If a soldier protects the country by wearing a uniform the residents of border areas are serving the motherland in their own way Rajnath Singh pointed out that the government has changed the approach adopted by the previous governments that the border areas are buffer zones between the plains and the potential adversary He emphasised that the present government considers border areas a part of the mainstream and not a buffer zone There was a time when the border infrastructure development was not given much importance The governments used to work with the mentality that the people living in the plains are the mainstream people They were worried that the developments on the border might be used by the adversary Due to this narrow mentality development never reached the border areas This thinking has changed today Under the leadership of PM Modi our government is committed to the development of border areas keeping in view the Nations security needs We do not consider these areas as buffer zones They are a part of our mainstream he added Referring to the large migration from the border areas in Uttarakhand Rajnath Singh termed it as a matter of concern He said the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers are taking the schemes related to infrastructure development to the last person as the aim is to cover the development journey from the seas to the borders He also drew attention to the increasing number of natural disasters in some border states and UTs including Uttarakhand Ladakh Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim in recent years stating that many experts believe that climate change is the reason behind these incidents He called climate change as not just a weatherrelated phenomenon but a very serious issue related to national security The Ministry of Defence is taking this very seriously and will seek cooperation from friendly countries in this regard he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/29-bridges-six-roads-in-border-states-build-at-a-cost-of-rs-670-cr-509976.html Fri, 19 Jan 2024 15:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/kolkata-police-to-act-tough-against-use-of-coal-or-wood-ovens-by-roadside-eateries-510048.html Kolkata Jan 19 Acting on the prolonged call of the environmental activists in the city the Kolkata Police have decided to act tough against the use of highlypolluting coal or wood ovens by roadside eateries here City police headquarters have instructed all traffic guards in the city to prepare a list of such roadside eateries in the areas under their jurisdiction The traffic guards will send it to the city police headquarters which in turn will finally compile the individual reports sent by the traffic guards and send the final report to the National Green Tribunal NGT As per estimates in Kolkata there are 10000 street food vendors and since majority of them use coal or wood ovens the extent of pollutants gas emitted from is well imaginable About ten years back a process was started regarding distribution of electric ovens to the owners of the street food vendors The process started with Salt Lake on the northern outskirts of Kolkata Currently only around 750 street food vendors are operating with electric ovens and that too restricted mainly in the Salt Lake areas while the others are operating with coal and wood ovens and some with kerosenegas Environmental activists said that the city police should not stop just at preparing and filing the report to NGT and rather act against the highlypollutant ovens at public places At the same time the activists feel the police should also start a sustained awareness campaign drive on the issue while the state government should mull the idea of some financial assistance schemes to help the vendors in replacing the coal or wood ovens with electric ovens IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/kolkata-police-to-act-tough-against-use-of-coal-or-wood-ovens-by-roadside-eateries-510048.html Fri, 19 Jan 2024 18:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/akasa-air-signs-mou-with-noida-international-airport-for-strategic-collaboration-510109.html New Delhi Jan 19 Akasa Air has entered a strategic collaboration with the Noida International Airport to support each other in their growth journeys and will base its aircraft at the airport to operate domestic and international flights and support the growing air travel demand in the region an official said on Friday Noida International Airport CEO Christoph Schnellmann said We are excited to welcome Akasa Air as our airline partner marking a significant step forward as we progress towards airport opening This partnership highlights our commitment to strengthen air connectivity in the Delhi NCR region and western Uttar Pradesh Akasa Air is one of the fastestgrowing airlines in the country and we are thrilled to have them join us on our mission to establish a comprehensive air network connecting major metros as well as Tier 2 and 3 cities across the country Our goal remains to offer passengers unmatched connectivity and an exceptional travel experience Akasa Air Founder and CEO Vinay Dube said Noida International Airport exemplifies our governments focus on developing aviation infrastructure as the country moves towards becoming an international aviation hub Akasa Airs proposed partnership with the airport is in line with our endeavour to build a holistic network that connects the length and breadth of the nation We are confident that the synergy will enable us to further fortify connectivity to and from the state of Uttar Pradesh and offer a seamless travel experience to passengers across the country We look forward to the muchawaited launch of the airport and working towards our collaborative goal of making air travel accessible for a greater number of Indians The first phase of the Noida International Airport with one runway and one terminal will have the capacity to handle traffic of 12 million passengers annually After the completion of the fourth phase the airport will have the capacity to manage 70 million passengers per year IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/akasa-air-signs-mou-with-noida-international-airport-for-strategic-collaboration-510109.html Fri, 19 Jan 2024 20:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/rafel-sukhoi-jaguar-tejas-in-flypast-women-officers-to-lead-marching-contingent-509864.html New Delhi 19 Jan At the Republic Day parade a total of 51 IAF aircraft comprising 29 fighter aircraft eight transport aircraft 13 helicopters and one heritage aircraft will participate in the flypast Rafel Sukhoi Jaguar C295 C17 LCH Prachand helicopter and Mig29 aircraft will be the part of flypast during the Republic Day Four Tejas aircraft will also debut in the Republic Day Parade The Indian Air Force informed on Friday that four aircraft from the Indian Army and one from Indian Navy will also fly in two separate formations with the IAF aircraft All these aircraft will operate from six different bases According to the IAF the Air Force marching contingent will be led by all women officers Squadron Leader Rashmi Thakur with Squadron Leader Sumita Yadav Squadron Leader Pratiti Alhuwalia and Flight Lieutenant Kirti Rohil as supernumerary Officers will lead the IAF marching contingent In addition to the IAF Marching Contingent a triservices contingent of Agniveervayu Women would be participating in Republic Day Parade 2024 A total of 48 Agniveervayu Women would be part of this contingent Flight Lieutenant Shrishti Verma would be marching as supernumerary Officer of the contingent IAF added The IAF said that the Beating Retreat ceremony will be carried out at Vijay Chowk The IAF Band comprising 121 musicians would be participating in the event The band will be led by Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar The IAF said that the theme of the IAF tableau is Bharatiya Vayu Sena Saksham Sashakt Atmanirbhar Indian Air Force Potent Powerful and SelfReliant Flight Lieutenant Ananya Sharma and Flying Officer Asma Sheikh both Su30 pilots would be present on the tableau The IAF said that participating aircraft will fly in several formations It includes Dhwaj Formation Rudra formation Baaz Formation Prachand Formation Tangail Formation Arjan Formation Netra Formation and Varuna Formation Dhwaj formation comprising four Mi17 IV helicopters will be flying in an Inverted Wineglass formation trooping the National Ensign as well as those of the three services Helicopters of the formation will shower flower petals on the audience The Rudra formation would comprise helicopters from the Army Aviation Corps and would include one LCH Prachand and three ALH WSI helicopters flying in a four aircraft Diamond formation Baaz Formation Three MiG29 aircraft will fly past in a Vic formation IAF added According to the IAF Prachand formation would have an LCH Prachand helicopter in lead with two each Apache and ALH MKIV aircraft together flying in a five aircraft Arrow formation Tangail formation comprising one Dakota aircraft in lead with two Dornier aircraft in echelon will fly in Vic formation A C295 aircraft flanked by two C130 aircraft in echelon will fly as the Arjan formation Netra formation comprising one AEWampC aircraft and two Su 30 aircraft in echelon will fly in Vic Formation An Indian Navy P81 flanked by two IAF Su30 aircraft will fly as the Varuna formation IAF said that Bheem formation consisting of a C17 and two Su30 aircraft in echelon streaming fuel will flypast in Vic formation Making its debut in the Republic Day Parade will be the Tejas formation comprising four Tejas aircraft in Diamond formation Vajraang formation comprising six Rafale aircraft will fly in Inverted Wine Glass formation IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/rafel-sukhoi-jaguar-tejas-in-flypast-women-officers-to-lead-marching-contingent-509864.html Fri, 19 Jan 2024 12:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/cong-seeks-court-monitored-probe-into-it-firm-owned-by-kerala-cms-daughter-509441.html Thiruvananthapuram Jan 18 A day after the Bengaluru Registrar of Companies ROC found a grave violation of rules by the Chief Ministers daughter Veena Vijayans Bengalurubased IT firm Exalogic Solution the Congress party on Thursday demanded a courtmonitored probe into it Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan said The findings of the ROC based on a preliminary probe in a complaint against the dealings of Veenas IT firm the ideal thing would be to have a court monitored probe but what has been announced now is a probe by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs The ED deals with cases relating to public money laundering and the CBI deals with cases pertaining to corruption But what is now announced is a probe by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs which we do not agree to Why we do not agree to it is because what we have been seeing in Kerala is there is a secret deal between the Sangh Parivar forces and Vijayan Cases pertaining to both these parties are being settled and with the Lok Sabha polls now round the corner the settlement deals will intensify and hence we demand the probe against Veenas IT firm should be under the judiciary added Satheesan For the past few months the issue has been raging both inside and outside the Assembly after a media report quoting a report from the Income Tax Settlement Board claimed that Veenas firm had received Rs 172 crore from CMRL a mining company for no services rendered Following which based on a complaint the probe started and the ROC has now also found out that the application given by Veena to freeze the company contained incorrect details When the allegation against this surfaced first the Congress was up in arms and the CPIM Kerala unit and Vijayan himself led the defence for Veena stating that there was nothing irregular in the dealings between these two firms and gave a clean chit to Veena On Thursday CPIM state secretary MV Govindan in a column in the party organ Deshabhimani stated that the sudden influx of cases against CPIM leaders and their families by using agencies by the Centre is nothing but playing politics and there is nothing untoward in the dealings of the IT firm This case is also being heard in the Kerala High Court after a complaint to this was filed against the irregular dealings of Veenas IT firm The Central government has informed the Kerala High Court that it has issued an order under the Companies Act for initiating an investigation into Veenas firm and posted the case for Wednesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/cong-seeks-court-monitored-probe-into-it-firm-owned-by-kerala-cms-daughter-509441.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 13:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/66-post-60-individuals-including-four-deceased-get-appointments-as-primary-teachers-in-bengal-509716.html Kolkata Jan 18 In an unprecedented development appointment letters for primary teachers in West Bengal have been issued to 66 individuals who are above 60 years of age while four of them have passed away All these 66 individuals including the four dead have been issued the appointment letters by the Hooghly District Primary School Council the district wing of the West Bengal Board of Primary Education WBBPE In the appointment letters it has also been said that their employment will be in effect from 2014 On investigations it was found that the root of this was in petition filed at Calcutta High Court was back in 1983 during the previous Left Front government headed by Chief Minister Jyoti Basu The entire panel of the primary teachers elected in that year was cancelled following which some of selected candidates approached the Calcutta High Court The WBBPE officials are maintaining a total silence in the matter However an official on strict condition of anonymity pointed out that probably the development has some relation to the court case filed in 1995 the order for which had come recently However he was unable to furnish further details Now the question comes to whether these persons will really be able to join services in different primary schools despite getting the appointment letter since the official retirement of primary teachers in state runschool is 60 The All Bengal Teachers Association ABTA has claimed that the development proves in what an inefficient manner the state Education Department and the various boards and councils under it are operating This is an unprecedented incident in the history of West Bengal We demand a thorough probe in the matter an ABTA office bearer said CPIM Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya ridiculed the state government and said that such things happen when the basis of an entire system is nothing but corruption Till the time the report was filed there was no comment from the Trinamool Congress in the matter IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/66-post-60-individuals-including-four-deceased-get-appointments-as-primary-teachers-in-bengal-509716.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 22:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/global-alliance-calls-for-inclusive-access-to-advanced-ai-509523.html DavosKlosters Jan 18 The AI Governance Alliance AIGA released on Thursday a series of three new reports on advanced artificial intelligence AI The papers focus on generative AI governance unlocking its value and a framework for responsible AI development and deployment The alliance brings together governments businesses and experts to shape responsible AI development applications and governance and to ensure equitable distribution and enhanced access to this pathdeparting technology worldwide The AI Governance Alliance is uniquely positioned to play a crucial role in furthering greater access to AIrelated resources thereby contributing to a more equitable and responsible AI ecosystem globally said Cathy Li Head AI Data and Metaverse World Economic Forum We must collaborate among governments the private sector and local communities to ensure the future of AI benefits all The AIGA is calling upon experts from various sectors to address several key areas This includes improving data quality and availability across nations boosting access to computational resources and adapting foundation models to suit local needs and challenges There is also a strong emphasis on education and the development of local expertise to create and navigate local AI ecosystems effectively In line with these goals there is a need to establish new institutional frameworks and publicprivate partnerships along with implementing multilateral controls to aid and enhance these efforts While AI holds the potential to address global challenges it also poses risks of widening existing digital divides or creating new ones These and other topics are explored in a new briefing paper series released on Thursday and crafted by AIGAs three core workstreams in collaboration with IBM Consulting and Accenture As AI technology evolves at a rapid pace and developed nations race to capitalize on AI innovation the urgency to address the digital divide is critical to ensure that billions of people in developing countries are not left behind On international cooperation and inclusive access in AI development and deployment Generative AI Governance Shaping Our Collective Global Future from the Resilient Governance and Regulation track evaluates national approaches addresses key debates on generative AI and advocates for international coordination and standards to prevent fragmentation The AIGA also seeks to mobilize resources for exploring AI benefits in key sectors including healthcare and education As we witness the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence globally the UAE stands committed to fostering an inclusive AI environment both within our nation and throughout the world Omar Sultan Al Olama Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications of the United Arab Emirates said Our collaboration with the World Economic Forums AI Governance Alliance is instrumental in making AI benefits universally accessible ensuring no community is left behind We are dedicated to developing a comprehensive and forwardthinking AI and digital economy roadmap not just for the UAE but for the global good IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/global-alliance-calls-for-inclusive-access-to-advanced-ai-509523.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/aicc-issues-show-cause-notice-to-spokesperson-alok-sharma-for-remarks-on-kamal-nath-509558.html Bhopal Jan 18 The All India Congress Committee AICC on Thursday issued a show cause notice to the partys spokesperson Alok Sharma for his objectionable remarks on former Chief Minister Kamal Nath on news channels The Congress has termed Sharmas remarks on the partys veteran leader as baseless defamatory and his act has been judged as an attempt to undermine the party and senior colleagues The notices were issued by the AICCs Chairman of the Media and Publicity Department Pawan Khera on Thursday Being a member of the Indian National Congress you are aware that party discipline is sacrosanct and any violation of the same has served consequences Hence you are hereby put to notice and given two days from the receipt of this notice to provide a clarification on your statement the notice issued to Sharma read After the Congress lost the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh Sharma during a debate with some news channels had leveled serious allegations against Kamal Nath accusing him of collusion with the BJP for his own benefit The partys high command issued a notice to Sharma around two weeks after he made the remarks on Kamal Nath under whom the Congress contested two Assembly elections While the party won in 2018 it lost in 2023 Sources in Madhya Pradesh Congress claimed the incident had upset Kamal Nath a lot and more so because the partys high command had initiated no disciplinary action against Sharma for the allegations against him Sources privy to the matter told IANS that Kamal Nath expressed his disappointment with the partys top leadership over the delay in action against Sharma The partys late response has also surprised the state Congress workers who worked under Kamal Nath for over five years Recently when the newlyappointed Chief Minister Mohan Yadav arrived at Kamal Naths residence and the duo talked for around one hour there was a buzz in political circles that the veteran leader had sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi There is also a murmur that Kamal Naths son and Chhindwara MP Nakul Nath is likely to look beyond the Congress the party his family has been associated with for five decades Notably after the Congress was reduced to 66 seats in the Assembly election held in November 2023 against its tally of 114 in 2018 the high command expressed disappointment in the partys performance in Madhya Pradesh and Kamal Nath was asked to step down from the post of state President Sources in the AICC told IANS that some senior Congress leaders wanted Kamal Nath to continue as state President at least till the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections however Rahul Gandhi had already made up his mind to replace him with a new face Jitu Patwari IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/aicc-issues-show-cause-notice-to-spokesperson-alok-sharma-for-remarks-on-kamal-nath-509558.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 16:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/closing-womens-health-gap-could-help-boost-global-economy-by-1-tn-annually-wef-509327.html DavosKlosters Jan 18 A new World Economic Forum WEF report shows closing the womens health gap would allow more women to live healthier higherquality lives and provide an unprecedented boost to the global economy Closing the Womens Health Gap A 1 Trillion Opportunity to Improve Lives and Economies developed in collaboration with the McKinsey Health Institute analyses the health conditions that uniquely or disproportionately affect women and quantifies the health gap today and the potential economic boon of bridging it tomorrow Addressing shortcomings which limit the ability of many women to engage in the workforce and earn a living for themselves and their families could reduce the time women spend in poor health by almost twothirds improve the health outcomes and daily lives of over 39 billion people and add 1 trillion to the economy annually by 2040 Our analysis demonstrates that addressing the womens health gap and investing in womens health must be a priority for every country said Shyam Bishen Head of the Centre for Health and Healthcare at the World Economic Forum at the report release on Wednesday Beyond improving womens quality of life ensuring women have access to innovations in healthcare is one of the best investments that countries can make for their societies and their economies Critically better health is correlated with economic prosperity According to the report women on average spend 25 per cent more of their lives in poor health than men Closing the health gap facing women globally could lead to a 17 per cent increase in per capita GDP with every 1 invested in these efforts potentially unlocking 3 in economic growth It urges for greater access to genderspecific care and calls on industry leaders to create new financing models and innovative business policies with broad multisector collaboration highlighted as a crucial step towards achieving these goals Investing in womens health goes far beyond individual women It is a direct investment in families communities societies and economies said Anita Zaidi President Gender Equality Division at the Bill amp Melinda Gates Foundation Our collective future rests on closing the womens health gap In response to the report findings and to bridge the womens health gap the WEF has launched the Global Alliance for Womens Health a multisector global platform that is centred on evidence that investing in womens health would not only improve billions of individual lives but also provide a revolutionary economic boon for societies and economies as a whole Fortytwo organisations have expressed interest in joining the alliance including government leaders and representatives from the private sector entertainment industry and philanthropic space Together they will pledge new commitments to advance the alliances priorities across three pillars financing science and innovation and agendasetting Key partners have already announced 55 million in pledges to improve womens health outcomes and shape a new future for womens health across the world The Global Alliance for Womens Health alliance will be guided by an influential multisector governing board that is made up of world leaders representing the diversity of stakeholders that must be involved to advance investments in womens health IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/closing-womens-health-gap-could-help-boost-global-economy-by-1-tn-annually-wef-509327.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 10:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/wef-announces-alliance-to-provide-platform-to-raise-awareness-on-clean-energy-needs-509340.html DavosKlosters Jan 18 The World Economic Forum has announced the launch of a new alliance to provide a platform for developing economies to raise awareness about their clean energy needs share best practices and sustainably accelerate their energy transitions The Network to Mobilise Clean Energy Investment for the Global South is made up of 20 plus CEOs and government ministers including from across Colombia Egypt India Japan Malaysia Morocco Namibia Nigeria Norway Kenya and South Africa The network will provide a collaborative space for its members to accelerate clean energy capital solutions in emerging market contexts through innovative policies new business models derisking tools and finance mechanisms and exchange best practices for attracting sustainable flows of clean energy capital Accelerating the clean energy transition is imperative to address the climate emergency but current investment levels remain far below the scale and pace of change needed said Roberto Bocca Head of the World Economic Forums Centre for Energy and Materials Unlocking this financing today is not only a key first step towards a secure and equitable energy system tomorrow but represents a clear opportunity for businesses as emerging economies account for the lions share of the global population The Forum also released a new report on Wednesday Building Trust through an Equitable and Inclusive Energy Transition that outlines a framework to guide policymakers and business leaders from the energy sector towards a just equitable and inclusive energy transition particularly in developing economies which account for less than onefifth of global clean energy investments Its findings make clear that neglecting equity justice and inclusivity could severely delay the transition making it crucial to address these aspects holistically at all levels local national and global The overall annual investment in clean energy in the Global South needs to triple from 770 billion currently to 2228 trillion by the early 2030s While recent spending has increased the report finds that it remains concentrated in a few countries and sectors with over 90 per cent of investment growth having occurred in advanced economies and China since 2021 The network will be chaired by two global leaders working closely with the World Economic Forum to shape its activities Rania A AlMashat Minister of International Cooperation of Egypt and Samaila Zubairu President and Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Finance Corporation The network will play a crucial role in bringing together public and private players to pinpoint investment needs breaking down barriers and unlocking practical solutions for a just equitable and sustainable energy transition in the Global South said AlMashat This will be a new space for emerging economies to exchange best practices and lessons learned and foster collaboration around value chain strategies regulatory policies and investment mechanisms These issues and more are addressed elaborately in the Sharm ElSheikh Guidebook for Just financing launched during COP27 by the Egyptian Ministry of International Cooperation with 100 plus partners which also introduces for the first time a definition for just financing As well as galvanising efforts around the energy transition the new network highlights the growing importance and untapped potential of emerging nations to the global economy Seizing these opportunities presents a dual opportunity as it could help mitigate risks in emerging markets while also ensuring sustainable growth and positive societal impacts IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/wef-announces-alliance-to-provide-platform-to-raise-awareness-on-clean-energy-needs-509340.html Thu, 18 Jan 2024 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/climate-change-may-claim-145-mn-lives-by-2050-wef-509009.html Davos Jan 17 Climate change threatens to cause an additional 145 million deaths and 125 trillion in economic losses worldwide by 2050 according to a World Economic Forum WEF report published here The report jointly compiled by the WEF and the consulting firm Oliver Wyman is based on scenarios developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the most likely trajectory for the planets rising average temperature 25 to 29 degrees Celsius over preindustrial levels Xinhua news agency quoted a WEF statement as saying The report analysed six major consequences of climate change floods droughts heat waves tropical storms wildfires and rising sea levels Flooding alone is estimated to cause 85 million deaths by 2050 posing the highest acute risk of climateinduced mortality according to the study Droughts as the second leading cause of climaterelated mortality are forecast to claim 32 million lives Heat waves on the other hand are expected to cause the highest economic losses an estimated 71 trillion by 2050 The report warned that climate crisis will further exacerbate global health inequality and the most vulnerable populations will suffer the most Regions such as Africa and southern Asia will remain particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change due to their limited resources such as infrastructure and essential medical equipment The WEF in the report called on global stakeholders to take decisive and strategic action to reduce emissions and mitigate the negative health impacts of climate change Recent progress will be lost unless critical emission reduction and mitigation measures are improved and decisive global action is taken to build climate resilient and adaptable health systems said Shyam Bishen head of the Centre for Health and Healthcare and member of the Executive Committee at the WEF IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/climate-change-may-claim-145-mn-lives-by-2050-wef-509009.html Wed, 17 Jan 2024 18:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/gujarat-court-fines-local-singer-for-copyright-infringement-509094.html Ahmedabad Jan 17 A local court in Ahmedabad Gujarat has imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on popular Gujarati singer Kinjal Dave The penalty has been imposed after Dave flouted a previous court directive which prohibited her from performing her hit song Char Char Bangadi Wali Gaadi amid an ongoing copyright dispute initiated by a music company The legal tussle began in 2019 with Red Ribbon Entertainment Pvt Ltd filing a copyright infringement lawsuit The dispute hinges on the original creation of the song Red Ribbon has alleged that Kartik Patel first uploaded the song from Australia on his YouTube channel Kathiyawadi Kings However Dave has said that the song was written by Manubhai Rabari and composed by Mayur Mehta before RDC Medias release In October 2022 the city civil court had issued an injunction against Dave restraining her from singing the contentious song The order also extended to two music companies RDC Media and Studio Saraswati restricting them from selling the disputed song in cassettes and CDs Despite the courts restraining order Red Ribbon accused Dave of continuing to perform the song publicly reportedly around 2025 times This led to a call for her to be held accountable under Order 39 Rule 2A of the Civil Procedure Code for defying the courts ruling In her defense Dave cited unawareness of the legal implications a claim dismissed by the court emphasising her educational background and selfmade status Her argument that her international performances fell outside the courts jurisdiction was also rejected with the court clarifying that the order was personally against her and valid worldwide IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/gujarat-court-fines-local-singer-for-copyright-infringement-509094.html Wed, 17 Jan 2024 19:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iranian-guards-clash-with-terrorists-at-pakistan-border-509181.html Tehran Jan 17 The Iranian Border Guard Command has said that a team of terrorists was trying to infiltrate in Iran by crossing the shared borders with Pakistan and were confronted by border guards media reports said The Iranian Border Guard Command informed of an armed conflict and the destruction of the terrorists which intended to enter the country for sabotage activities The incident was reported by the border guards in the southeastern borders of the country Mehr News reported The Iranian news report said that a terrorist group that was planning to enter the country for destructive actions was prevented from entering the country through the vigilance of the border guards of the Jakigur border regiment in an armed conflict exchange of heavy fire and fierce confrontation In the ensuing clash one member of the terrorist group was killed and two others were injured and fled the scene the media reports said It said that a vehicle and significant amounts of weapons and ammunition explosive devices from the terrorists were recovered IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/iranian-guards-clash-with-terrorists-at-pakistan-border-509181.html Wed, 17 Jan 2024 20:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/coast-guard-rescues-182-stranded-pilgrims-in-west-bengal-508723.html New Delhi Jan 16 In a swift operation the Indian Coast Guard ICG on Tuesday rescued 182 pilgrims stranded on a grounded ferry off Kakdwip in West Bengal an official said The Ministry of Defence MoD has said that merchant vessel Swasthya Sathi was ferrying about 400 pilgrims from Ganga Sagar Mela at Sagar Island to Kakdwip when it ran aground due to extremely poor visibility After receiving a message from the District Magistrate South 24 Parganas early Tuesday morning the operations team of the ICG swung into action immediately and dispatched two air cushion vehicles hovercrafts from Haldia and Sagar Island to provide assistance the ICG said The hovercrafts evacuated 182 pilgrims before guiding the boat with the remaining pilgrims to a safe destination the official added The MoD added that to ensure the safety of people during the annual mela the ICG had already deployed sea borne units at various strategic locations A rapid lifesaving action team of divers with a Gemini boat is positioned at the Mela site for any eventuality In addition an officer from ICG Ship Frazerganj is positioned at Sagar Island for coordination with the state administration and supervision of seafront safety aspects MoD said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/coast-guard-rescues-182-stranded-pilgrims-in-west-bengal-508723.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 18:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bengal-bjp-outlines-outreach-programme-to-make-namo-navmatdatta-a-success-508475.html Kolkata Jan 16 With an aim to make BJPs Namo NavMatdatta a success in the West Bengal its youth wing has outlined a massive outreach programme to reach out to the new voters in the state who will be voting for the first time in the Lok Sabha polls this year Under the Namo NavMatdatta programme Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be addressing firsttime voters virtually on January 25 According to the state president of BJPs youth wing in West Bengal Dr Indranil Khan for the next few days the volunteers of the youth wing will reach out to voters between 18 and 25 years of age in different pockets of the state encouraging them to register in the portal specially opened for the purpose Our volunteers will be targeting different educational institutions coaching centers public playgrounds and libraries among other places with an attempt to reach out to voters in this age bracket Khan said Apart from that he said on January 20 the youth wing will organise rallies in all state Assembly constituencies as a part of making new voters aware of the Namo NavMatdatta programme He also said that there are plans to organise conclaves in all the Assembly constituencies on January 25 to broadcast the Prime Ministers programme through giant LED screens at the conclave venue Our target is to ensure as much participation of the first time voters as possible in those conclaves Khan added A state committee member of BJP said that such mass outreach programmes are extremely crucial considering that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had recently set a target for the state party unit to ensure victory in at least 35 out of the total 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal in the general elections this year Besides the state unit of the party its affiliated mass organisations had also been given specific assignments to reach out to people as far as possible to go somewhere near the target set by the Union home minister the state committee member said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/bengal-bjp-outlines-outreach-programme-to-make-namo-navmatdatta-a-success-508475.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 10:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/haryana-making-efforts-to-increase-farmers-income-barala-508731.html Chandigarh Jan 16 Haryana Public Enterprise Bureau Chairman Subhash Barala on Tuesday said the state government is making efforts to increase the income of farmers A policy Haryana Farmer Producers Organisation is also being formulated Barala said during a meeting with the Northern Farmer Mega FPO an apex body comprising 1200 farmers having an annual turnover of approximately Rs 10 crore He said that the Northern Farmer Mega FPO of the governments cooperation in the formation of the policy He also expressed interest in promoting the export of agricultural products Barala said that the government is committed to making farmers in the region economically stronger He said the rules and conditions of the policy formulated based on the needs of the farmers will be further simplified He said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattars vision is to increase the income of farmers Strengthening farmers will lead to increased purchasing power in the market creating an economic cycle that benefits everyone from farmers to traders and every section of society he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/haryana-making-efforts-to-increase-farmers-income-barala-508731.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 18:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/pm-modi-appreciates-kannada-devotional-song-dedicated-to-shri-ram-508546.html Bengaluru Jan 16 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday appreciated the Kannada devotional song uploaded on YouTube which is sung by singer Sivasri Skandaprasad dedicated to Shri Ram PM Modi sharing the video on his social media platform X said This rendition by Sivasri Skandaprasad in Kannada beautifully highlights the spirit of devotion to Prabhu Shri Ram Such efforts go a long way in preserving our rich cultural heritage The Prime Minister has also given the hashtag ShriRamBhajan to the post shared on X The 359minute song has received 450000 views Sivasri replying to the post by Modi said Thank you so much sir This is an honour beyond imagination My pranams to you Poojisalende is a popular Kannada film song sung by famous south Indian singer late S Janaki from the movie Eradu Kanasu starring Kannada film legends Rajkumar and Kalpana released in 1974 Sivasri has shot to fame with the appreciation by Modi The song describes the devoutness towards Shri Ram of a devotee who is all set to worship the god with flowers She hails from the family of musicians and developed a love for music from early childhood Her grandfather was a popular musician and she is also a Bharatanatyam dancer Sivasri runs her own YouTube channel and has 154000 subscribers IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/pm-modi-appreciates-kannada-devotional-song-dedicated-to-shri-ram-508546.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 12:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/memorial-dedicated-to-jaipal-reddy-on-birth-anniversary-508589.html Hyderabad Jan 16 Spoorthi Sthal a memorial built to honour former Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy was dedicated here on Tuesday to mark his 82nd birth anniversary The memorial has come up on the banks of Hussain Sagar lake on Necklace Road next to the memorial of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao State ministers and senior Congress leaders paid rich tributes to Jaipal Reddy who passed away in 2019 at the age of 77 The new Congress government in Telangana has decided to celebrate the birth and death anniversary of Jaipal Reddy in a befitting manner A government order was issued to this effect on January 12 Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy who is married to the niece of Jaipal Reddy paid tributes to the late leader The chief minister who is away in Davos to attend the World Economic Forum meeting posted his tributes on X He described Jaipal Reddy as a symbol of Gandhism and a pride of Telangana Ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao Jupally Krishna Rao and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy paid tributes to Jaipal Reddy at his memorial They stated that the former Union minister always stood by his principles and ideology Nageswara Rao said the late leader enjoyed respect cutting across party lines The minister described Jaipal Reddy as a leader who upheld high values in public life He said that the entire Telangana is proud of Jaipal Reddy who was also honoured as the best Parliamentarian Jaipal Reddy Memorial Foundation has developed Spoorthi Sthal The Indian Society of Landscape Architects on behalf of the SJaipal Reddy Memorial Foundation organised a memorial landscape design competition The best design was adopted and developed accordingly keeping in mind the local environment IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/memorial-dedicated-to-jaipal-reddy-on-birth-anniversary-508589.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 13:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/believe-in-team-unity-collective-performance-says-tejashwi-508639.html Patna Jan 16 In a veiled message to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said that he believed in teamwork and not individual players While inaugurating a cricket tournament at Urja Park in Patna Tejashwi Yadav who was also an IPL player before joining the political legacy of his father Lalu Prasad and mother Rabri Devi in Bihar said that individual performance does not matter it is the team work that always wins the matches When asked about when he will hit sixes in politics Tejashwi said If one player hits sixes and others lose wickets cannot be a good thing We believe in team unity and collective performance of all players The statement of Tejashwi Yadav is important as there appears to be some rift between Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar over the seatsharing formula and the approach of RJD during the meetings of INDIA bloc in Delhi on December 19 last year Nitish Kumar went to the house of Lalu Prasad on Makar Sankranti but the two leaders did not interact much during there In democracy its the people who are the boss They have elected us and we are trying to come out faithfully to their hope We have given jobs to two lakh people from Bihar and other states and this is a world record We are working in every field Tejashwi Yadav said Mahagathbandhan is strongly standing with the people of Bihar There is no chance of if and but here especially BJP has no scope here he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/believe-in-team-unity-collective-performance-says-tejashwi-508639.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 15:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ai-to-select-best-marching-contingent-at-army-day-parade-today-508023.html Lucknow Jan 15 The Indian Army will celebrate the 76th Army Day with a grand parade in Uttar Pradeshs capital city Lucknow on Monday The Army Day parade has been moved out of Delhi for the second consecutive year Last year the parade took place at Bengalurus MED amp Centres Parade Ground Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Anandi Ben Patel will be in attendance as chief guests at the parade ground in Lucknow This year the parade will be held under the Command of Armys Central Command which is headquartered in Lucknow Central Command is one of the seven operational commands of the Indian Army Last year the Southern Command was responsible for the parade in Bengaluru This years Army Day parade will be special because of the use of Artificial Intelligence to select the Best Marching Contingent Artificial Intelligence is being used for the first time to identify the best marching contingent Major General Salil Seth said All marching contingents do drills but there is a pattern of doing it raising your hands and legs to a certain level and doing your movement with the weapon within a certain timeframe We will capture the individual movement with a camera and then the computer software using the AI will give marks for every movement This will also be supervised by humans We have done two to three practices the officer added The grand spectacle will take place at the parade ground of the 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre in Lucknow under the command of Major General Salil Seth Six marching contingents from the Armys different regiments a military band comprising five regimental brass bands and three pipe bands will participate 50th Independent Parachute Brigade Sikh Light Infantry Jat Regiment Garhwal Rifles Bengal Engineer Group and the Army Air Defence contingent will march down the parade ground The five regimental brassmilitary bands are Punjab Regiment Centre Grenadier Regimental Centre Bihar Regiment Centre Sikh Light Regiment Centre Kumaon Regimental Centre and SIKH Regimental Centre The five regimental pipe bands are the SIKH Regiment Centre SIKH LI Regiment Centre JAT Regiment Centre KUMAON Regimental Centre and 1 Signal Training Centre Army Chief General Manoj Pande will review the parade and present gallantry awards which will be followed by a daring motorcycle display by the Army Service Corps ASC Tornadoes a skydiving display by the Paratroopers daredevil jumps and a flypast by of helicopters of the Army Aviation Corps Army Day is celebrated every year on January 15 to commemorate the occasion when General Later Field Marshal KM Cariappa took charge of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Roy Bucher in 1949 and became the firstever Indian to command the Army in its long rich history General Sir Francis Roy Bucher was the last Britishserving chief of the Indian Army From 1949 till 2022 the Army Day parade was organised at the Cariappa Parade Ground in the Delhi Cantonment The Chief of Army Staff reviews the marching contingents who also take part in the Republic Day Parade every year IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/ai-to-select-best-marching-contingent-at-army-day-parade-today-508023.html Mon, 15 Jan 2024 08:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/calcutta-hc-judge-recuses-himself-from-case-on-primary-education-508305.html Kolkata Jan 15 A Calcutta High Court judge on Monday recused himself from hearing a petition for permanent inclusion of Class 5 in the primary education system in West Bengal Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay recused himself from hearing the case stating that the issue involved with it is of public interest and hence a petition in the form of public interest litigation PIL should be filed in the matter at the division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam In his petition the petitioner pointed out that in 2009 the National for Teacher Education NCTE issued a guideline for inclusion of Class 5 standard as part of primary education However in several schools in West Bengal Class 5 is a part of the higher grade of which is upper primary Considering that nationally Classes 6 7 and 8 are in the upperprimary grades the petition argued for the permanent inclusion of Class 5 in the secondary level Justice Gangopadhyay observed that since the issue of the states education policy is involved in the matter any petition in the matter should be in the form of a PIL to be filed at the division bench of the Chief Justice IANS https://dailyworld.in/deep-dive/calcutta-hc-judge-recuses-himself-from-case-on-primary-education-508305.html Mon, 15 Jan 2024 19:40:00 +0530