Thursday, February 12, 2026
Home Blog Page 1381

Kiran Shaw conferred with Australia’s highest civilian honour

Australia’s High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu with Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.

New Delhi (NVI): Biocon company founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has been conferred with Australia’s highest civilian honour Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division.

Shaw was invested as an Honorary Member within the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division by Australia’s High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu at a ceremony in Bengaluru.

“The Australian government has chosen to bestow this honour on Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw for her immense contribution in advancing Australia’s bilateral relationship with India,” Sidhu said.

“Mazumdar-Shaw is a tireless champion of the commercial, educational, and people-to-people links between the two countries and this award recognises her commitment to progressing the Australia-India partnership,” the High Commissioner added.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is the founder of Biocon – one of India’s largest bio-pharmaceutical companies. She contributes immensely to promoting women in STEM through the joint research programs developed between Biocon and Deakin University, Australia, as part of her deep and long-standing commitment to gender equality.

Shaw is also recognised for her sustained and significant contribution to industry academia collaboration between Australia and India.

Honorary appointments in the Order of Australia are made to foreign nationals who have made an outstanding contribution to Australia or humanitarian contribution at large.

Mazumdar-Shaw is the fourth Indian citizen to be awarded with this honour. This follows the conferment of batsman Sachin Tendulkar in 2012, Former Attorney General of India, Soli Jehangir Sorabjee in 2006 and Mother Teresa of Kolkata (Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu) in 1982.

The ceremony was attended by representatives from Indian and Australian businesses, the diplomatic corps, and family, friends and peers of Mazumdar-Shaw.

Ola launches ‘Heroes of Ola’ program 

New Delhi (NVI): Ola, India’s largest ride-hailing companies, has announced the launch of its ‘Heroes of Ola’ programme which recognises the efforts of driver-partners who continue to go above and beyond their call of duty.

The company is reaching out to its 200 million+ consumers through various platforms, to enable sharing their experiences with Ola driver partners, who through big or small gestures, have gone above and beyond to serve customers, or have displayed  exemplary character in service of the public, a company statement said.

This programme brings forth the fact that a driver partner’s heroism can come in many forms – from taking that extra turn to returning a phone or a bag that a customer may have left behind in the cab to even the many instances of showing compassion to injured animals on the roadside or extending support to a pedestrian who may need help!.

Speaking on the initiative, Ola Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Arun Srinivas said the company is focused on providing a platform that is equally convenient for its driver-partners as well as its customers. More often than not, the contributions of driver-partners go unnoticed.

“We find thousands of instances around us of courage, compassion and empathy from our service providers. Heroes of Ola is one such platform to bring these inspiring experiences to the forefront,” he said.

“The ‘Heroes of Ola’ platform aims to showcase and appreciate the efforts of Ola’s driver-partners who ensure that customers have a delightful experience, even if it means going beyond their call of duty,” he added.

“These experiences can serve as inspiration to fellow driver-partners as well as every one of us in whatever we do,” he further added.

As part of the launch campaign, Ola has also unveiled a digital film that highlights how driver-partners are real-life heroes in spite of the trials and travails that they may face in their everyday lives.

The film highlights the sense of responsibility and patience that these driver-partners display by prioritising their customers at all times and serving as an inspiration for their families and fellow driver-partners.

Even the Ola’s customers can also share their stories with ‘Heroes of Ola’ on the company’s social media channels including Instagram and Twitter as well as through their in-app feedback section.

Delhi witnessed foggy morning 

New Delhi (NVI): Delhi woke up to a chilly morning as thick fog blanketed the city with the minimum temperature dropping to 8.4 degrees Celsius from 11.3 degree Celsius recorded yesterday.
The maximum temperature today is expected to be around 18.0 degree Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The weatherman forecast that the temperature will increase in the next two to three days.
Meanwhile,  the overall air quality in the national capital today remained in the “poor” category.
According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR),the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at  218 which falls in the “poor” category.
The worst affected areas are Dhirpur, Delhi University, Chandni Chowk, Pusa, Lodhi Road, Mathura Road, IGI Terminal 3 and the neighbouring Noida.

Union Ministers’ seven-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir begins today

J&K Bar Association issued 3 notices over its constitution
Kashmir (Representative Pic)

New Delhi (NVI): A group of Union Ministers will visit Jammu and Kashmir today as part of the Modi Government’s outreach programme and will spread awareness about the positive impact of the abrogation of Article 370 provisions.

Starting today, the delegation of 36 ministers will visit the Union Territory including sensitive areas in the Valley to disseminate information on the development measures taken by the government for the region.

The ministers will visit different districts in both the divisions of Union Territory — Jammu and Kashmir — from January 18 to 24. The visit is being coordinated by the Home Ministry. The initiative in regard was taken by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

On Wednesday, Minister of State for Home G Kishen Reddy had written a letter to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, informing about the visit of the ministers.

Yesterday, the Chief Secretary chaired a meeting with the Administrative Secretaries, Divisional and District Administrations to review the preparations for the visit of ministers.

The Chief Secretary briefed all the concerned officials about the visit of ministers to undertake an extensive tour of the districts across 60 different locations.

The outreach programme will cover five themes viz rapid development after President’s Rule from June 2018 and after reorganization in August 2019, 100% coverage of 55 beneficiary oriented schemes to all residents of J&K, rapid infrastructure development including implementation of PMDP, flagship schemes and iconic projects, good governance and rule of law with equality of opportunity to all and rapid industrial and economic growth in all sectors with focus on incomes and employment.

Earlier on Friday, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam visited Poonch and Rajouri Districts to take stock of the preparations made by the respective districts for the visit of the Union Ministers.

EESL’s smart meter programme reaches Andaman

New Delhi (NVI): The smart meter programme of Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL), a joint venture of PSUs under the Power Ministry, reached Andaman and Nicobar Islands today, with

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu launching it in the union territory .

The programme entails installation of 76,000 smart meters under the
government’s Deen Dayal
Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and Integrated Power Development Scheme.

EESL has signed an agreement with electricity department of Andaman and Nicobar administration to enable the multiple benefits to the consumers and DISCOMs

Speaking during the launch of the programme, Naidu said, “I am happy to have launched the project for the replacement of traditional electricit meters with smart meters.

Smart meters will increase the ease of bill payment & eliminate the possibility of incorrect billing.”

He added that paperless billing would also help the environment by saving trees.

EESL has already commissioned first 10 Smart Meters in the union territory and hopes to enable more billing efficiency and consumer satisfaction.

Introduction of energy-efficient technologies, including smart meters, is aimed at reducing electricity network losses and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

We’re still a player in search of identity: EU representative

Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

New Delhi (NVI): The European Union (EU), often seen as a unifying body for Europe, has a fair share of challenges, according to its High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.

“We are still a player in search for identity,” Borrell said while addressing the Raisina Dialogue here.

He said a nation’s foreign policy is often a means to project itself as a unified entity on the international stage but “The diverse backgrounds and contexts of EU states makes this positioning increasingly difficult.”

Commonality does not imply uniqueness. This was the overarching message from the EU Representative on the final day of Raisina Dialogue held in the national capital.

He acknowledged the differing narratives of the history of the EU member states that shape its diverse conceptions of an ideal future. In order to deal with these inherent differences, he advocated for economic cooperation as reflected in the common Euro currency and social cohesion through porous borders.

Borrell also admitted the fact that the EU is “facing a nationalist and populist comeback” that is threatening the foundations of a “multilateral rules based order” espoused by the EU. To address the rise of such authoritarian regimes, Borrell made a call towards taking onus for shaping the future world order.

Since its inception, the EU had built its image on not using brute power, he said. However, this trend must change and enhancement rather than curtailment of power is necessary: “If we want to take destiny in our hands, we need to talk the language of power. Soft power is not enough.”

He also criticised the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and said that it jeopardised the progress made towards a stable and peaceful global regime.

Speaking on climate change, he urged for a will to fight the menace. “Let’s call it a green will,” he said while reiterating the EU’s commitment to be a carbon-neutral economy. While claiming that the EU is contributing “only 9 % of global emissions”, Borrell urged other developed countries also to join the journey towards zero-emission goal.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also held bilateral talks with the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs on Friday. In his meeting with Borrell, Jaishankar discussed global and regional issues, multilateralism, connectivity, and counter-terrorism.

Health Ministry reviews preparedness for Coronavirus 

cooling proize
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

New Delhi (NVI): The Union Health Ministry today reviewed the preparedness for dealing with Novel Coronavirus after 41 confirmed cases of people affected by the virus were reported.

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has been monitoring the situation.

Health and Family Welfare Secretary Preeti Sudan is regularly reviewing the public health preparedness in the country since the news broke out.

As directed by the Health Ministry, meetings of the Joint Monitoring Group (JMG) were convened under the Chairmanship of Director General of Health Services (DGHS) on January 8 and 15 with representations from various stakeholders (health and non-health sectors) and WHO.

While speaking in New Delhi today, Preeti Sudan said that the public health preparedness is being reviewed on a day-to-day basis and the core capacities to timely detect and manage the importation of the nCoV into the country are being strengthened further.

She also mentioned that the situation is being monitored in consultation with WHO and keeping in view the limited human to human transmission the risk at global level is perceived to be low.

The first case was confirmed in a person who travelled to Wuhan, China. Japan and Thailand have also informed the (World Health Organisation) about the new cases of Chinese Coronavirus.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, which cause illnesses to people and also circulate in animals including camels, cats and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can also evolve and infect people.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the situation is still evolving and preliminary investigations suggest a link to the seafood market.

Missing Mumbai blast convict arrested

Jalees Ansari

New Delhi (NVI): Jalees Ansari, a convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, who was out on parole but disappeared on Thursday morning, was arrested by the UP Police in Kanpur today.

The 68-year-old convict, also known as ‘Doctor Bomb’ — for his alleged expertise in making bombs — was arrested by the police when he was coming out from a mosque in Kanpur, UP DGP OP Singh said. The officer added that Ansari has been brought to Lucknow.

The convict, who is currently serving a life imprisonment in Rajasthan, was out on a parole. According to police, Ansari had filed an application in the Supreme Court and was granted parole in December for 21 days.

He was produced at a police station in Mumbai, following which he got out on parole so that he can stay at his home in the city. He was granted parole on the condition that he has to mark his attendance at Agripada Police Station every day. On Wednesday, he came to the police station to mark his attendance but didn’t turn up on Thursday. Following this, his son lodged a missing complaint on Thursday at Agripada Police station.

Japan, Thailand confirm new cases of Coronavirus

New Delhi (NVI): The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare today informed the World Health Organisation of confirmed new cases of a novel Coronavirus that was found in a person who travelled to Wuhan, China.

This is the second confirmed case of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that has been detected outside of China, following confirmation of a case in Thailand. Considering global travel patterns, additional cases in other countries are likely, the WHO said in a tweet.

“Not enough is known about the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to draw definitive conclusions about how it is transmitted, clinical features of the disease, or the extent to which it has spread,” the global health organisation said in another tweet.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. 2019-nCoV is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

Nirbhaya: Fresh death warrants issued

New Delhi (NVI): A Delhi court today issued fresh death warrants and a new date to hang the four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case. The convicts will be hanged on February 1 at 6 am in Tihar Jail. This comes hours after President Ram Nath Kovind rejected the mercy petition of Mukesh Singh, one of the four convicts.

On Wednesday, the Delhi government had told the Delhi High Court that irrespective of a date and time fixed for the execution, it cannot take place as long as their mercy petition was pending before the President.

Mukesh Singh and the three other convicts– Vinay Sharma, Akshay Kumar and Pawan Gupta– were scheduled to be hanged on January 22 at 7 am in Tihar Jail.

Nirbhaya, a 23-year-old girl, was brutally raped and murdered on the night of December 16, 2012 in a south Delhi area.

1...1,3801,3811,382...1,516Page 1,381 of 1,516

MUST READ