China successfully launches satellite to test space debris mitigation technology
The satellite, named Shijian-21, was launched by a Long March-3B carrier rocket and it entered the planned orbit successfully.
China successfully launched a new satellite on Sunday to test and verify space debris mitigation technologies. It was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
The satellite, named Shijian-21, was launched by a Long March-3B carrier rocket and it entered the planned orbit successfully.
XICHANG, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) — China successfully launched a new satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province Sunday.
The satellite, Shijian-21, was launched at 9:27 a.m. (Beijing Time) by a Long March-3B carrier rocket and entered the planned orbit successfully.
The satellite will be mainly used to test and verify space debris mitigation technologies.
This launch marked the 393rd mission for the Long March series carrier rockets.
Entire world looking up to India in view of its vaccination drive success: PM Modi.
The entire world is looking up to India in the backdrop of the success of its COVID-19 vaccination drive, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday as he lauded vaccine manufacturers for playing a “big role” in the success story of the country.
Modi made the remarks during his meeting with Indian COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers who said his leadership was a key factor in India being able to administer 100 crore doses of the jabs in just about nine months. The domestic vaccine manufacturers appreciated the vision and dynamic leadership of the prime minister in providing continuous guidance and support towards the development of the vaccines, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.
They also praised the never-seen-before collaboration between the government and the industry, and applauded the regulatory reforms, simplified procedures, timely approvals, and forthcoming and supportive nature of the government throughout this endeavor, the PMO said…
The vaccine manufacturers noted that had the country been following old norms, there would have been a considerable delay and “we would not have been able to reach the vaccination level that we have attained till now,” the statement said.
Prime Minister Modi praised the efforts of the vaccine manufacturers, which has resulted in the country crossing the milestone of 100 crore vaccinations, and said that they have played a big role in the success story of India. He said that the entire world is looking up to India in the backdrop of the success of the vaccination drive. Modi also said that the vaccine manufacturers should continuously work together to be ready to face future challenges.
The interaction was attended by Cyrus Poonawalla and Adar Poonawalla, Serum Institute of India; Dr. Krishna Ella and Suchitra Ella, Bharat Biotech International Ltd; Pankaj Patel and Shervil Patel, Zydus Cadila; Mahima Datla and Narender Mantela, Biolog ..Bharat Biotech International Ltd; Pankaj Patel and Shervil Patel, Zydus Cadila; Mahima Datla and Narender Mantela, Biological E. Ltd; Sanjay Singh and Satish Ramanlal Mehta, Gennova Biopharmaceuticals Ltd; Satish Reddy and Deepak Sapra, Dr. Reddy’s Lab; and Rajesh Jain and Harshit Jain, Panacea Biotec Ltd.
Saudi Arabia pledges net zero emissions by 2060.
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince said on Saturday that the world’s top oil exporter aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2060 and more than double its annual target to reduce carbon emissions.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his energy minister said OPEC member Saudi Arabia would tackle climate change while ensuring oil market stability, stressing the continued importance of hydrocarbons.
They were speaking at the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI), which comes ahead of COP26, the UN climate change conference in Glasgow at the end of the month, which hopes to agree deeper emissions cuts to tackle global warming
hina and India, the top emitters of greenhouse gases after the United States, have also resisted committing to a 2050 timeline to achieve net zero, a target that US President Joe Biden’s administration has adopted.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aims to reach zero-net emissions by 2060 under its circular carbon economy programme … while maintaining the kingdom’s leading role in strengthening security and stability of global oil markets,” Prince Mohammed said in recorded remarks.
He said the kingdom would join a global initiative on slashing emissions of methane by 30% from 2020 levels by 2030, which both the United States and the EU have been pressing.
US climate envoy John Kerry is due to attend a wider Middle East green summit Riyadh is hosting on Monday.
Jammu Srinagar National Highway closed due to heavy rains.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has been closed due to landslides caused by heavy rains.
“Jammu Srinagar National Highway closed as heavy rains trigger shooting stones and landslide at Ramban and Udhampur,” Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police said in a statement.
Jammu today witnessed heavy rains and hailstorms following which the temperatures dipped in the city. Gulmarg in the Baramulla district received the season’s first snowfall on Saturday morning.
Pahalgam was also covered in a blanket of snow today morning.
The minimum temperatures have dropped throughout the valley. Srinagar recorded 5.6 degrees Celsius as its minimum temperature, while Pahalgam and Gulmarg recorded 0.3 degrees Celsius and minus 1.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Meanwhile, India Metrological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rainfall, snowfall with thunderstorms, gusty winds and lightning at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab on October 23.
US’ work with India on vaccine manufacturing saving people’s lives, says DFC chief.
India is the most important and largest partner for DFC investment amounting to more than USD 2.3 billion, which is almost eight per cent of its overall exposure, Marchick said ahead of his India visit beginning Sunday.
India is a “vaccine powerhouse” and America’s work with the country in vaccine manufacturing is saving people’s lives, the head of the US International Development Finance Corporation, David Marchick, has said ahead of his India visit. The United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) is America’s development bank, which invests in developing countries around the world.
Leading a high-powered delegation, DFC Chief Operating Officer (COO) Marchick would travel to India from October 24 to 26.
India is the most important and largest partner for DFC investment amounting to more than USD 2.3 billion, which is almost eight per cent of its overall exposure, Marchick said ahead of his India visit beginning Sunday.
“We have a very ambitious pipeline. We are very, very excited to work with India to drive economic development and strengthen the partnership between the United States and India,” Marchick told PTI in a recent interview. The DFC COO is currently visiting South Africa, from where he is scheduled to travel to India.
“Normally the DFC’s work lifts up people’s lives. Our work with India on vaccine manufacturing is saving people’s lives,” he said in response to a question.
During his India trip, Marchick is scheduled to travel to Hyderabad where he will visit the offices of the Indian vaccine manufacturer Biological E and participate in a signing ceremony to open a new facility with substantial.
Sri Lanka seeks USD 500-million loan from India for fuel purchases amid forex crisis.
Gammanpila indicated that continuous fuel supplies can only be guaranteed till January next year as the island was facing a foreign exchange crisis and higher global prices.
The Sri Lankan government on Saturday said it is continuing efforts to secure a USD 500 million loan from India to ensure fuel supplies amid a severe foreign exchange crisis in the island nation.
“The proposal has been sent to the Treasury for approval and would be submitted to the Cabinet thereafter,” said Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila.
He said the Cabinet had already sanctioned a USD 3.6-billion loan from Oman for fuel purchases.
Gammanpila indicated that continuous fuel supplies can only be guaranteed till January next year as the island was facing a foreign exchange crisis and higher global prices.
Long queues were seen at fuel pumps since Thursday due to speculation that retail prices would be hiked by the state fuel corporation.
Lanka IOC (LIOC), the subsidiary of the Indian Oil Corporation in Sri Lanka, had hiked the retail prices of both petrol and diesel by Rs 5 per litre.
The new prices were effective from Thursday midnight in the wake of the rising global oil prices.
State-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has asked the government to allow a price hike in view of its losses.
Gammanpila ruled out a price revision for the time being.
He also blamed the opposition for spreading rumors of an impending fuel shortage in the country.
The price hike in the global oil prices has forced Sri Lanka to spend more on oil imports this year.
The country’s oil bill has jumped 41.5 percent to USD 2 billion in the first seven months of this year compared to last year.
Sri Lanka is facing a severe foreign exchange crisis after the pandemic hit the nation’s earnings from tourism and remittances, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa had said last month.
The country’s gross domestic product contracted by a record 3.6 percent in 2020 and its foreign exchange reserves plunged by half in one year to just USD 2.8 billion in July.
This has led to a 9 per cent depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee against the dollar over the last year making imports more expensive.
Tirupati farmpreneur sows seeds of soil-less farming.
Sandeep added that the vegetables grown through the Hydroponic farming are in great demand in metro cities like Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.
Meet 23-year-old Sandeep Kannan, a young farmpreneur from Tirupati, who is striving to deliver nutritious, clean and pesticide-free leafy vegetables to the residents of Tirupati. Unlike his peers, who are now preparing for competitive exams, Sandeep, after completing his BSc Agriculture from Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) has set up an ‘urban farm’ called ‘Vyavasayi Bhoomi’ and started farming in his half-an-acre agriculture land at Thanapalle. He is cultivating vegetables through Polyhouse Hydroponic farming.
Lettuce, spinach, red amaranath, kale basil, broccoli, pak choi (Chinese cabbage) are some of the leafy vegetables being cultivated by Sandeep at his farmland. Speaking to TNIE, Sandeep said the vegetables grown using Polyhouse Hydroponic farming are rich in nutrients and fibre when compared to the products cultivated through organic farming.
This kind of farming involves less cost and the plants are grown in a temperature-controlled system that provides enough nutrient supplements for their growth,’’ he said. Sandeep said, “Unlike traditional farming practices, Hydroponic farming involves soil-less cultivation thus allowing the farmers to get a better yield on their investments. After sowing seedlings in net cups, the plants are allowed to grow in a man-made environment for 45 to 60 days and then the plants are ready for harvest.”
He said hydroponic farm produce is regarded as beyond organic farming in terms of quality and quantity. In organic farming, farmers use baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and neem oil for killing pests but in hydroponics farming the percentage of pests striking plants is minimal as it is soilless farming and involves a controlled environment.
Sandeep added that the vegetables grown through the Hydroponic farming are in great demand in metro cities like Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. “People in Tirupati are slowly adapting to the shift by including it in a portion of healthy meals and in this regard, the plants grown at our farmland are being made available at supermarkets and through door-delivery in the city.”
Of late, the urban farmland maintained by Sandeep has become a source of knowledge sharing centre for students who aspire to become farmers by providing them visits to his farmhouse and teaching the techniques of the Polyhouse Hydroponics farming.
The News Editorial Analysis 23 October 2021
