The Technology Development and Acceleration Cell of the Naval Innovation Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) under the "Indian Navy" and "Drone Federation of India" have joined hands to collaboratively work towards promoting indigenous development, manufacturing and testing of a drone, counter-drone, and associated technologies for the Navy.

 

As a part of this collaboration, the Navy and the drone industry body will increase the Navy-industry-academia synergy, and source technology development challenges towards component indigenisation, an official statement said on Wednesday(26th Oct 2022).

"A special maritime drone testing site shall also be earmarked for the Indian drone industry to facilitate faster development and testing of drones, especially in maritime environments thus enabling development for a host of applications"..

Source : Economic Times

For residents of the national capital’s authorised and regularised colonies, Delhi Lieutenant-Governor "Vinai Kumar Saxena" on 26 October 2022 announced a one-time property tax amnesty scheme, The Hindu quoted officials at the Raj Niwas as saying.

 

Under the Strengthening & Augmentation of Municipal Revenue for Infrastructure Development in Delhi (SAMRIDDHI) 2022-23 scheme, the NCR people will be able to pay only the principal amount of the current and pending tax of past five years for residential properties.

 

Apart from this, the people can also get a waiver on all pending dues, including penalty and interest through this scheme. However, for commercial properties, the duration will be six years.

 

“The MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) will have no right to reopen any property tax case after one year," the daily quoted a Raj Niwas official as saying.

 

“In a win-win for residents as well as MCD, the funds received from ‘SAMRIDDHI 2022-23’ will be utilised for improving municipal infrastructure for efficient delivery of services like sanitation, roads, education, and hospitals.".

Source : Mint

India’s representative to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Shefali Juneja, has been unanimously elected as chairperson of the UN specialised aviation agency’s Air Transport Committee (ATC).

 

India has won this coveted position in ICAO after 28 years when Juneja got unanimously elected in the ICAO council for the same on Monday(24th Oct 2022). Incidentally, Juneja is the first woman to represent India in ICAO.

 

India secured this position in ICAO after 28 years when Juneja was unanimously elected to the post on Monday(24th Oct 2022). She is the first woman to represent India in the ICAO. ATC is a standing committee of the ICAO created by the Chicago Convention in 1944.

 

About Dr Shefali Juneja :  Dr Shefali Juneja, a 1992 batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax cadre) was serving as India’s Representative in the council of the ICAO, Montreal, Canada, for a period of 3 years. In 2019, she replaced senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Alok Shekhar, who was appointed for the post in 2015. She served as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation before joining the ICAO..

Source : Times of India

The Kremlin repeated its claim that Ukraine plans to use a radioactive “dirty bomb”, warning the West it was dangerous to dismiss Moscow’s position. Ukraine, the United States, Britain and France have all rejected Moscow’s claims – voiced by several officials in recent days – that Kyiv could be preparing to detonate a radioactive device in Ukraine.

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin remotely monitored the drills of his strategic nuclear forces, which involved multiple practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles in a show of force. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to Putin that the exercise simulated a “massive nuclear strike” retaliating for a nuclear attack on Russia.

 

The Biden administration said Russia provided advance notice of the drills. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) is carrying out its own long-planned annual nuclear exercises in northwestern Europe..

Source : NY Times

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (WDAH) is celebrated on October 27 every year to highlight and promote the importance of such preservation.

 

Audiovisual heritage refers to documents like film, sounds, radio, television programmes and other audio and video that are of socio-cultural importance and need preservation for posterity. Such documentations help us observe and understand the past, protect our memories and culture.

 

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage 2022 Theme : “Enlisting documentary heritage to promote inclusive, just and peaceful societies” is the theme for WDAH this year. It refers to the importance of archiving visual and sonic information to preserve history for society’s benefit and progress.

 

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage History : On October 27, 1980, the Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images was adopted in the 21st General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at Belgrade, Serbia.

 

This adoption occurred as a result of the efforts of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF) since the late 1970s. The 33rd session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 2005 proclaimed October 27 as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1980 recommendation mentioned above.

 

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage Significance : Recorded images, motion pictures and sounds give us insights into people’s lives, cultures, languages, communities and the global flora and fauna. Such documents are vital as a source of knowledge for humanity and help preserve cultural and social diversity. Conservation of those documents ensures present and future generations get access to them and helps preserve our collective memories..

Source : News18

Global soft drinks major Coca-Cola Company on Tuesday(25th Oct 2022) said its lemon and lime-flavoured soft drink Sprite has become a billion-dollar brand in the Indian market.

     

The company has recorded a "strong" volume growth in its India business in the third quarter of 2022, helped by its sparkling soft drinks portfolio and fruit drink brand Maaza.

     

During an earnings call, while speaking on the performance in the Indian market, Coca-Cola Company Chairman and CEO James Quincey said, "Trademark Coke delivered strong growth through effective execution and occasion-based marketing."  

     

"We drove 2.5 billion transactions in India at affordable price points through the expansion of returnable glass bottles and single-serve PET packages," he noted.

     

In the first half of 2022, Coca-Cola continued to strengthen as it gained share in sparkling offerings, he added.

     

"Sprite has grown to become a billion-dollar brand in the market, driven by the success of locally adapted, occasion-based global marketing campaigns and screen time," said Quincey.

     

Earlier in January this year, Coca-Cola had said its Indian soft drink brand Thums Up had become a billion-dollar brand in 2021. India is the fifth-largest market for Coca-Cola globally.

     

For the three months that ended September 30, 2022, overall, Coca-Cola Company's unit case volume grew by 4 per cent. Its developed markets grew in the mid-single digits while developing and emerging markets grew in low single digits...

Source : Outlook India

Apple Inc said on Tuesday(25th Oct 2022) it would make fresh investments to set up solar and wind projects in Europe and called on its suppliers to decarbonize operations related to the production of iPhones and other products.

 

The company in 2020 had pledged to remove carbon emissions from its entire business, including products and its sprawling supply chain - which spans from Vietnam to Brazil - by 2030.

 

The iPhone maker will now require its supply partners to report on progress on carbon neutrality goals, specifically Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reductions, related to the production of Apple products and will audit their progress annually.

 

More than 200 suppliers, representing 70 per cent of Apple's direct manufacturing spending and including Corning Inc, Nitto Denko Corp, SK Hynix Inc, STMicroelectronics, TSMC and Yuto, have committed to using clean power such as wind or solar for all Apple production, Apple said.

 

Apple had previously asked suppliers to commit to 100 per cent renewable energy for Apple's production..

Source : Economic Times

An Iranian loner, also popular as the "dirtiest man in the world" for not taking a shower for more than half a century, passed away at the age of 94 The man named Amou Haji was afraid of water and had not bathed for over 60 years. He breathed his last on 23rd October 2022 (Sunday) in the village of Dejgah in Iran's southern province of Fars.

 

Haji was single and avoided taking a shower in the fear of "getting sick", IRNA News. However, a few months ago, he was forced by the villagers to wash for the first time. Several pictures of Haji are being shared on social media with netizens wondering if his "non-bathing" record was for real..

Source : India Today

Ladakh MP "Jamyang Tsering Namgyal" on Saturday(22nd OCt 2022) launched “Main Bhi Subhash'' campaign from Leh. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose-INA Trust in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture is organizing a series of events on the occasion of Netaji's 125th Birth Anniversary on 23rd January 2023.

 

Mr. Namgyal also inaugurated an exhibition on Netaji at Boys Higher Secondary School in Leh. Speaking on the occasion, he said, the Main Bhi Subhash campaign in every nook and corner will create awareness of Netaji's contribution in the freedom fight.

 

Suchi Chakraborty of INA Trust said,  Main Bhi Subhash campaigns begin from Mumbai and Kolkata simultaneously as well..

Source : AIR

India suffered an income loss of 5.4% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the highest among the G20 nations in 2021, according to the new report of Climate Transparency.

 

The report highlighted that India witnessed a record heatwave that greatly affected workers, labour migrants, low-income households, and the homeless, and reduced the yields of wheat crops.

 

Despite the fact that India is responsible for 3% of global emissions, the report mentioned that around 142 million people in India may be exposed (10% of the population) to summer heatwaves at 1.5 Degrees Celsius.

 

The higher temperature resulted in the reduction of working hours, which further led to substantial income losses in services, manufacturing, agriculture, and construction.

 

The 'Climate Transparency Report 2022' was developed with experts from 16 partner organisations from the majority of the G20 (Group of 20) countries.

 

Further, talking about global emissions, the USA ranked first, as America contributes 25% of it, followed by the European Union with 22%.

 

"G20 members account for around 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world's population, and are responsible for around three-quarters of global emissions"..

Source : Mint