Published on: October 26, 2024

Snippets : 26 OCTOBER 2024

Snippets : 26 OCTOBER 2024

  • Former World No. 1 Maria Sharapova and the US doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan were announced on Thursday as 2025 inductees to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion, is among only 10 women to have achieved a career singles Grand Slam. She was atop the world rankings five times in a WTA career that spanned from 2001-2020. The Bryan brothers teamed to win 16 Major doubles titles and became the ATP’s most successful duo, with a record 438 weeks atop the ATP doubles rankings.
  • The Mekong River’s Giant Salmon Carp, thought to be extinct, has been spotted three times in recent years, offering hope for its survival. This critically endangered species, also known as Aaptosyax, is a freshwater fish that grows up to 4 feet long, characterized by a distinctive knob on its lower jaw and striking yellow patches around its large eyes. Native to the Mekong River’s middle reaches in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, its population had declined by over 90% due to overfishing and habitat degradation, prompting its classification as Critically Endangered on the IUCN list.
  • Indian Navy’s Destroyer INS Delhi, German Navy’s Frigate Baden-Württemberg and Tanker Frankfurt Am Main undertook a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) in the Indian Ocean. The exercises conducted include cross deck flying operations, underway replenishment, weapon firing and tactical manoeuvres.
  • The 31st edition of the Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) is scheduled from 23 to 29 Oct 2024, in the Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam. Republic of Singapore Navy Ship RSS Tenacious with embarked helicopter, arrived at Visakhapatnam on 23 October 24 for participating in SIMBEX2024. SIMBEX, which began as ‘Exercise Lion King’ in 1994, has since evolved into one of the most significant bilateral maritime collaborations between the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
  • A study by the National Institute of Advanced Studies has identified 80 hotspots in Bengaluru Urban District where PM2.5 pollution exceeds critical thresholds, with industrial zones, traffic junctions, construction sites, and solid waste management facilities being the dominant sources. Using drone-based technology and Artificial Intelligence-based Machine Learning, the study found that the top ten hotspots include areas like Baganipura Municipal Solid Waste processing plant and Sankey Road, with six being transport-related, one industrial, and three solid waste processing plants. The transport sector accounts for 39% of PM2.5 emissions in the region, with two-wheelers making up 70% of vehicles but contributing 11% of emissions, while textile plants contribute 44% of emissions despite making up only 22% of industries. The study recommends measures such as separate lanes for slow-speed vehicles, affordable metro fares, and mechanical sweeping of roads to mitigate pollution, with findings indicating that 61% of emissions in Bengaluru Urban District come from the BBMP region, which has annual particulate emissions of 41.7Gg/year for PM2.5.
  • The European Investment Bank (EIB) has announced a €300-million loan to build a new suburban railway network covering four dedicated rail corridors in Bengaluru.
  • The Indian government is reviving and relaunching the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM), a project established in 2003 to preserve India’s vast manuscript wealth. The NMM has made significant progress, with metadata prepared for 5.2 million manuscripts and over 300,000 titles digitized, although only a third of these have been uploaded. To further boost conservation efforts, the government is considering forming an autonomous body, tentatively named the National Manuscripts Authority, under the Ministry of Culture. This new entity aims to enhance the preservation of ancient texts in India.
  • The Mormugao Port Authority has gained global recognition by being listed as an incentive provider on the Environment Ship Index (ESI) portal, as acknowledged by the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), a non-governmental organization established in 1955. With 185 ports and 160 port-related businesses in 88 countries, IAPH represents over 60% of global sea-borne trade and container traffic. The Mormugao Port Authority’s ‘Harit Shrey’ initiative, launched in October 2023, offers discounts on port charges based on ESI scores, rewarding ships with higher environmental performance in reducing air emissions, including Nitrogen Oxide, Sulphur Oxide, and greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative supports long-term emission reductions in maritime operations, aligning with IAPH’s goal of promoting sustainable port practices, and solidifying Mormugao Port Authority’s commitment to environmental stewardship on the global stage, recognized by IAPH, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
  • Bengaluru recently saw the inauguration of 10 food testing kiosks in major malls by the Food Safety and Standards Department. These kiosks, featuring advanced testing tools approved by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), are equipped with “magic boxes” and rapid testing kits to detect adulterants in commonly consumed food items, including pulses, sugar, cooking oil, tea powder, salt, milk, ghee, paneer, butter, vegetables, coriander powder, and drinking water. Each kiosk is manned by an FSSAI-trained worker who can conduct on-the-spot testing of samples brought in by the public. If samples are found to be substandard, FSSAI will take appropriate action to halt the sale and distribution of the product. This initiative primarily aims to tackle pollutants in food, air, and water to prevent food adulteration and protect public health. During a recent inspection in September, food stalls at 142 railway stations, 35 Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) units, and various food samples were checked, with some found substandard or unsafe. Of 184 mutton and goat samples, 5 were found substandard, while 1 of 81 egg samples, 10 of 246 chicken samples, and 5 of 230 ghee samples were also found substandard, though none contained animal fat.
  • Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has partnered with Sarla Aviation, a Bengaluru-based startup named after Sarla Thakral, India’s first licensed female pilot, to introduce electric air taxi services between Electronics City and Kempegowda International Airport at a fare of ₹1,700 per trip. The 19-minute commute is facilitated by electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed for urban journeys of up to 40 kilometers and offering a range of up to 160 kilometers. These aircraft feature enhanced safety systems, including seven propellers for balance and multiple layers of redundancy, making them “100 times safer than helicopters.” BIAL and Sarla Aviation are developing the necessary airport infrastructure, aligned with Karnataka’s building regulations that require helipads on buildings over 60 meters. The air taxi service is expected to be operational within two to three years, with anticipated cost efficiencies due to advances in battery and powertrain technologies.
  • The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), launched in April 2015, aims to refinance collateral-free loans to support small borrowers in non-agricultural sectors and allied agricultural activities like dairy, poultry, and beekeeping. The recent update doubles the loan limit under PMMY to ₹20 lakh, introducing a new “Tarun Plus” category for loans ranging between ₹10 lakh and ₹20 lakh, specifically for entrepreneurs who have successfully repaid loans under the Tarun category. The objective is to promote entrepreneurship and align with government efforts to foster a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem. Additionally, loans up to ₹20 lakh under PMMY will now be covered by the Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units (CGFMU). Distinct features of the scheme include the Mudra Card, which provides access to working capital through ATMs and card machines.
  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has entered into a partnership with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to design and conduct experiments that will be integrated into the forthcoming Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), India’s proposed indigenous space station, expected to be established between 2028 and 2035. This collaboration aims to facilitate various experiments in biotechnology and other fields within a space environment, exploring key areas such as the impact of weightlessness on muscle loss in astronauts, identifying algae species suitable for nutritional supplements or food preservation, examining methods to process certain algae for use as jet fuel, and studying the effects of space radiation on astronaut health. Additionally, the DBT’s BIOE3 Policy promotes biotechnology in India with a goal for the bio-economy to reach a value of $300 billion by 2030, while fostering innovations in human health, novel pharmaceuticals, regenerative medicine, bio-based waste management technologies, and support for biotechnology startups.
  • The Chanakya Defence Dialogue is an important international seminar organized by the Indian Army, taking place on October 24 and 25, 2024. This year’s theme is “Drivers in Nation Building: Fuelling Growth Through Comprehensive Security,” with six expert-led sessions covering critical aspects of comprehensive security. The sessions focus on geopolitical dynamics, economic development strategies, environmental sustainability, social cohesion, technology and security, and the future of land warfare. The dialogue serves as a regular forum for global defense and strategic experts to exchange insights and integrate intelligence and strategy. Participants include representatives from Australia, France, Japan, and the United States, highlighting the dialogue’s international collaboration and emphasis on addressing a broad spectrum of security challenges, particularly in South Asia and the Indo-Pacific region.