Day: September 7, 2023

90 countries have confirmed attendance for Belt and Road Initiative: China

Manish Kumar

The third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) will be held in Beijing in October.  China said that 90 countries have confirmed attendance for it.  Russian President Vladimir Putin also has a scheduled visit to China in October when the country hosts the One Belt One Road forum.  China’s foreign ministry said the country has signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with more than 150 countries and over 30 international organizations.  “Over the past decade, Belt and Road cooperation has achieved fruitful outcomes,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson…

Global finance system fragmenting; Myanmar crisis worsens: UN chief

Manish Kumar

The world risks a “great fracture” of its economic and financial systems, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said at the ASEAN summit.  Guterres called on world leaders to find peaceful and inclusive solutions to the challenges facing the world.  “There is a real risk of fragmentation – of a great fracture in world economic and financial systems; with diverging strategies on technology and artificial intelligence and conflicting security frameworks,” he said.  He also voiced support for re-channeling an additional $100 billion of the International Monetary Fund’s Special Drawing Rights through multilateral…

UPI ATM machine: UPI users just scan the code and withdraw cash; no card is needed

Manish Kumar

A revolutionary UPI ATM, dubbed ‘India’s first UPI ATM’ that offers cardless cash withdrawals was showcased for the first time at the ongoing Global Fintech Fest in Mumbai.  The new feature eliminates the need to carry physical ATM cards and is hailed by internet users as a ‘game changer.”  The unique ATM has been developed by the National Payments Corporation of India and powered by NCR Corporation.  The UPI ATM will act as just a regular ATM, and charges may be applied beyond the allowed free usage limit.  Recently, UPI…

Sanatana Dharma Row: While Stalin has come to his son’s defence, DMK MP A Raja further Ignites by saying ‘Sanatana Dharma Is Like HIV, Leprosy’

Manish Kumar

The controversy over statements made by Udhayanidhi Stalin has not simmered down, another minister A Raja said Sanatana dharma should be compared to diseases having social stigma, like HIV and leprosy.  DMK party leaders have been continuing to make controversial remarks against Sanatan Dharma.  Tamil Nadu CM Defends Son, saying, Udhayanidhi’s speech at a Sanatan Eradication Conference aimed to critique the inhuman principles associated with ‘Sanatana dharma.’  Udhayanidhi released a statement, emphasizing the need to uphold the ideologies of leaders like Periyar, Anna, Kalaignar, and Perasiriyar.  Udhayanidhi, along with Congress’…

Bharat vs. India row: UN says it considers name change requests ‘as and when they come’

Manish Kumar

A political storm was kicked off in the country over the India-Bharat naming in the invitations for a G20 dinner on behalf of the President, describing her position as ‘President of Bharat’ instead of the customary ‘President of India’.  A top United Nations official on Wednesday said that the world body considers requests from countries to change their names as and when it receives them.  A top UN official said that the world body considers requests from countries to change their names as and when it receives them  Deputy Spokesperson…

Netaji’s grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose quits BJP: ‘Impossible for me’

Manish Kumar

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s grandnephew Chandra Bose, on Wednesday quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), tendering his resignation from the primary membership.  In a letter to BJP’s national president, Bose wrote that Netaji and his elder brother stood for “an inclusive and secular ideology for independent India”.  Bose stated that he had joined the BJP in 2016, as he was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “leadership and expansive development programme”.  In 2016, Bose had contested assembly elections from Bhawanipur constituency in south Kolkata against Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee.  …

Japan launches ‘moon sniper’ lunar lander SLIM into space after three postponements

Manish Kumar

Japan launched its lunar exploration spacecraft aboard a homegrown H-IIA rocket.  Japan hoping to become the world’s fifth country to land on the moon early next year.  Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ lander blasts off into space after three postponements  The rocket is carrying a research satellite, developed by NASA, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).  SLIM is set to touch down on the near side of the moon close to Mare Nectaris, a lunar sea that, viewed from Earth, appears as a dark spot.  Its primary goal is to test…

Rishi Sunak’s first visit to India as PM, family in India ‘Gearing up for non-stop dancing’; and a grand welcome

Manish Kumar

Rishi Sunak will be accompanied by Akshata Murty on his first visit to India as PM.  Rishi Sunak is likely to receive a grand welcome from his relatives when he lands in New Delhi later this week  Subhash Berry, Sunak’s paternal uncle, said a plan was in place to welcome the British Prime Minister.  Gautam Dev Sood, a maternal uncle of Sunak of Punjabi heritage, said all relatives have been asked to come to Delhi  According to reports, a bilateral meeting between Rishi Sunak and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is…

Addressing the KAMP Pratibha Utsav-2023 in New Delhi, Dr Jitendra Singh said, this is the Best Times happening in India as the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 has sparked global aspirations in Indian students

Manish Kumar

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said, Indian Youth today is no longer a prisoner of aspiration because a host of new openings available now beckon him with opportunities of livelihood as per his inherent aptitude. A lot of this has been possible because of groundbreaking reforms brought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including StartUp policy, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Space sector and Drone deregulations, new geospatial policy, National Research Foundation etc, he…

“TDB-DST supports M/s Eco Recycling Limited’s Innovative “Recycling on Wheels Smart ER” to address India’s E-waste Challenge”

Manish Kumar

The rising global e-waste crisis has raised widespread alarm, and India is no stranger to this pressing issue. The informal sector’s improper management of e-waste has resulted in significant environmental dangers and health hazards for people involved. Shockingly, a mere 20% of e-waste in India undergoes formal recycling, even as the country generated an astounding 3.2 million tonnes of e-waste in the fiscal year 2019-20. In response to this critical challenge and in alignment with Hon’ble Prime Minister’s recent call during the 97th Mann Ki Baat episode for heightened awareness regarding…