Published on: January 17, 2025
Snippets : 17 JANUARY 2025
Snippets : 17 JANUARY 2025
- The BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) has launched a campaign to promote the harmonious coexistence of community animals within Bengaluru. The primary objective of this campaign is to raise awareness about community animals, focusing on the importance of public health through animal health. The campaign will cover 250 locations across the BBMP jurisdiction and is themed “Public Health through Animal Health.” Key areas of focus include educating citizens about laws related to community animals, promoting responsible handling of issues related to them, and preventing acts of cruelty towards animals. The campaign will feature street performances, such as dramas and dances, across the city’s eight zones, along with informational pamphlets and online resources. Legal actions against animal cruelty include prohibitions on relocating animals, denying food or water, or inflicting harm. Penalties for cruelty can include up to five years of imprisonment and fines under IPC Section 325, and harassment of animal feeders could lead to up to seven years of imprisonment.
- Bengaluru is set to host the fifth US consulate in India, with the site-dedication ceremony scheduled for January 17, 2025. The consulate aims to strengthen political and economic ties between the US and Karnataka, with a particular focus on leveraging the state’s investment and trade opportunities. The new consulate will work to promote economic opportunities, such as export prospects from Karnataka to the US, as well as providing services for US companies exploring South Indian markets. Karnataka, known as India’s IT hub, contributes $51 billion annually to exports, with Bengaluru hosting 750 multinational companies, 370 of which are headquartered in the US. The consulate will also ease the burden of consular services on Chennai and Hyderabad by providing more accessible services to South Karnataka residents, who currently have to travel 300 km to Chennai for consular services. Initially, the consulate will operate from the US Commercial Service office at JW Marriott Hotel, focusing on economic and political initiatives rather than visa services.
- The Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 16 at several major airports in India. Initially launched at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi in June 2024, the programme aims to simplify and secure international travel by utilizing automated e-gates for quicker and smoother immigration clearance. It is designed to facilitate faster movement for Indian Nationals and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) and will later be expanded to foreign travellers. The registration process involves submitting an online application along with biometric verification, with the registration valid for five years or until the passport expires. The programme will be implemented in two phases, with the first phase covering Indian citizens and OCI cardholders at 21 major airports. The overall objective is to enhance India’s global mobility as part of the country’s vision for becoming a developed nation by 2047 (Viksit Bharat @2047).
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently liberalized regulations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to encourage the use of the Indian Rupee (INR) for cross-border trade and investments. Key changes include allowing Indian exporters to open accounts in any foreign currency overseas for settling trade transactions, including export proceeds, which can also be utilized for import payments. Overseas branches of authorized dealer banks can open INR accounts for non-residents, enabling them to facilitate current and capital account transactions with residents in India. These balances can be used for bona fide transactions. Additionally, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) can use funds in repatriable INR accounts for foreign investments, including foreign direct investment (FDI) in non-debt instruments. The aim of these reforms is to promote the global use of the INR, strengthen the rupee, and boost investor confidence. However, challenges such as volatile export performance and geopolitical risks remain, as seen in the contraction of merchandise exports and global uncertainties. FEMA, enacted in 1999, regulates cross-border trade and payments, and its objectives are to facilitate external trade, develop an orderly foreign exchange market in India, and govern foreign exchange dealings through authorized persons. The scope of FEMA covers all of India and overseas entities managed by Indian citizens, including NRIs, overseas companies with Indian ownership, and cross-border transactions.
- ISRO has successfully conducted its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission, marking a significant achievement as India joins the ranks of the U.S., Russia, and China in satellite docking. The operation involved two satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), which docked under the management of ISRO’s Mission Operations Complex at ISTRAC. The docking procedure started with a 15-meter hold point and proceeded to a 3-meter final approach, followed by precision alignment, spacecraft capture, close positioning, and rigidisation for stability. After the docking, the satellites function as a single object, and upcoming steps will include undocking and power transfer checks. The SpaDeX mission serves to develop satellite manoeuvring and docking technologies, with future applications in Indian astronaut missions to the Moon, space station management, and in-space robotics. Post-docking, the satellites will demonstrate power transfer and support payload activities for a mission life of up to two years.
- Blue Origin, founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, successfully launched its New Glenn rocket into orbit for the first time, marking a significant step in the commercial space race. The rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with the second-stage engine reaching its final orbit and the Blue Ring advanced spaceship prototype performing well. Although the first-stage booster was lost during descent. The successful launch puts Blue Origin in competition with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which dominates the commercial space industry.
- The Indian government has approved the construction of a third launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, with a budget of ₹3,984.86 crore and a completion timeline of four years. This new launch pad will serve as a standby for the existing two pads and support the launch of newer vehicles, including the Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLVs) starting in 2031. It will also facilitate Indian-manned spaceflight missions, with a target launch date of 2026. The third launch pad is designed to be versatile and adaptable, accommodating various launch vehicles and configurations. Its establishment is crucial for meeting India’s evolving space transportation needs for the next 25-30 years.
- K. Singh sworn in as Governor of Mizoram
- The Indian government has reconstituted the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) with new members, including T V Somanathan, Manoj Govil, and Pankaj Kumar Mishra . Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy, will serve as the Chairman. Other members of the commission include National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, and former chairpersons of the AEC. The AEC is responsible for formulating policies for the Department of Atomic Energy.
- According to a study by the climate attribution group ClimaMeter, the three wildfires that have devastated large parts of Los Angeles are primarily attributed to a phenomenon known as ‘hydroclimate whiplash.’ This rare meteorological condition occurs when an extremely wet season is followed by an extremely dry one. The process is driven by global warming, which enables the atmosphere to hold significantly more water vapor for extended periods before releasing it as intense precipitation. This dual capability of the atmosphere—holding more water and creating more prolonged water vapor deficits—leads to extended dry spells and intensified rainfall when it does occur. The impacts of hydroclimate whiplash are profound, including increased droughts and floods, heightened respiratory and cardiovascular diseases caused by wildfire smoke, and a rise in waterborne illnesses such as cholera and leptospirosis during floods. Since the mid-20th century, such conditions have surged globally, with a 31–66% increase in three-month periods (sub-seasonal) and an 8–31% increase in 12-month periods (inter-annual). These findings underscore the critical role of climate change in amplifying extreme weather events and their cascading consequences.
