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PM talks to Macron, expresses support to France against terrorism

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dialed French President Emmanuel Macron and conveyed his condolences for the recent terror attacks in France. The PM reiterated India’s full support to France in the fight against terrorism, extremism and radicalism.

The two leaders also discussed other bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest, including improving the affordability and accessibility of COVID-19 vaccines, post-covid economic recovery, cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, maritime security, defence cooperation, digital economy and cybersecurity, strengthening multilateralism, and climate change & biodiversity, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Apart from that, the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the depth and strength that the India-France Strategic Partnership has acquired in recent years and agreed to continue working closely together in the post-COVID era.

In addition to this, Prime Minister Modi also expressed his wish to welcome President Macron in India after the normalisation of the public-health situation.

-ARK

2021 edition of Paris Air Show cancelled due to Covid concerns

2021 edition of Paris Air Show cancelled due to Covid concerns

New Delhi (NVI): The 2021 edition of the famous Paris Air Show has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 concerns, the organisers of the event said today.

“In light of the uncertainty linked to the current COVID-19 health crisis, the Paris Air Show organization has made the decision to cancel the 2021 edition of the show, which was scheduled to take place from 21 to 27 June 2021,” read an official release in this regard.

“Together with the Board of Directors of the GIFAS (French Aerospace Industries Association), the Board of Directors of the Paris Air Show has taken this inevitable decision in response to the international health crisis and the large number of visitors that this popular show attracts,” the statement read.

According to the organisers, the “reasonable decision” was agreed upon unanimously by the Paris Air Show Board members in the context of a crisis that has had an unprecedented impact on the aerospace industry.

The next edition of the Paris Air Show will be held in June 2023, at a date that will be announced shortly.

Exhibitors will receive a full refund of all sums already paid and the Paris air Show will take full financial responsibility for this decision, as per the statement.

“We are obviously disappointed not to be able to hold the 2021 edition of the Paris Air Show. After many months of all trade show activities being suspended throughout the world, the entire international aerospace and defence community was very much looking forward to being able to meet. We have already started work to ensure that the 2023 edition celebrates the resurgence of the aerospace industry on an international scale,” said Patrick Daher, Chairman of the International Paris Air Show and Chairman of the Daher Group.

Gilles Fournier, CEO of the International Paris Air Show said, “We would like to extend a huge thank you to all of our partners, exhibitors and service providers for the trust they have placed in us. We share their disappointment, as the Paris Air Show continues to be an extremely popular event, even in periods of crisis. The 2023 edition will be larger than ever, and our teams are already working to ensure its success.

Established in 1909, the International Paris Air Show is still the most important show in the world for the aeronautics and space industry.

In France, the show is a real driver for this sector and a major catalyst for much international collaboration. As such it is the place where the sector’s decision-makers choose to meet and gather as they come here to exhibit, sell and buy all the latest innovations.

Since the Show is so massively popular with the worldwide aerospace community and the general public, it offers unrivaled opportunities for conducting business, and for being seen and known. An absolute key event for the whole profession, the International Paris Air Show is organised by SIAE, a subsidiary of GIFAS, the French Aerospace Industries Association.

-ARK

India, Israel hold 16th Foreign Office Consultations

India, Israel hold 16th Foreign Office Consultations

New Delhi (NVI): India and Israel today held the sixteenth round of Foreign Office Consultations via video conference in which the two sides reviewed the progress in ongoing cooperation in the strategic fields of defence and security, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, etc.

While the Indian side was led by Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Secretary (CPV & OIA), the Israeli side was led by Alon Ushpiz, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel.

During the consultations, both sides also held discussions in other important areas of water and agriculture, science & technology, innovation and start-ups, energy, academic collaboration, furthering trade and mutual investments, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

The success stories of the jointly developed Centres of Excellence in Agriculture, pilot project on water conservation in Bundelkhand region, and close collaboration between the Ahmedabad-based International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology (iCreate) and Israel’s Start-Up Nations Central (SNC) to provide incubation support for co-development of niche technologies came up for particular praise, MEA said.

Apart from that, both sides noted the helpful role of the India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F) and the University Grants Commission (UGC)-Israel Science Foundation (ISF) Fund in facilitating joint academic and scientific research work.

In addition to this, there was a discussion on respective national approaches to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing collaboration in medical and testing tools research.

The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, MEA said.

They agreed on the importance of continuing the upward momentum in the relationship through exchange of regular visits and consultations, and agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations at a mutually convenient date.

-ARK

Over 50% voter turnout in 4th phase of J&K DDC polls

Over 50% voter turnout in 4th phase of J&K DDC polls

Jammu (NVI): The fourth phase of polling in the District Development Council (DDC) election was held peacefully across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir today, recording over 50 per cent voter turnout.

State Election Commissioner, KK Sharma, while addressing a press conference here said that 50.08 per cent voter turnout was registered in the fourth phase.

The SEC said that a large number of people came out to cast their votes during this phase of DDC polls. Long queues were seen right from morning despite severe cold conditions in Kashmir division and hilly areas of Jammu division, he added.

Polling has been peaceful in the 34 constituencies of DDC including 17 in Kashmir and 17 in Jammu division, he said. A total of 3,64,527 voters (including 1,95,206 males and 1,69,321 females) voted to choose their representatives in their respective councils, the SEC said. He also informed that polling was held in 1,916 polling stations including 1,129 from Kashmir division and 787 from Jammu division.

SEC Sharma said that out of 3,64,527 voters, 1,19,733 were from Kashmir division including 65,522 males and 54,211 females while 2,44,794 were from Jammu division including 1,29,684 males and 1,15,110 females.

Jammu division recorded an average voter turnout of 69.31% with Poonch District recording the highest percentage of 75.42% followed by Doda district with 75.03%. The lowest turnout in Jammu division was in Udhampur district which recorded 59.90%. The Kashmir Division recorded 31.95 % average voter turnout with Ganderbal district recording the highest polling at 56.28 % followed by Baramulla District at 47.43% and Bandipora with around 45.22% polling.

Giving district-wise details, SEC Sharma informed that in Kashmir division, the polling percentage recorded in Kupwara was 44.35%, Budgam 38.04%, Anantnag 27.04, Kulgam 8.73%, Pulwama 6.70% and 1.96% polling was registered in Shopian.

Similarly, in Jammu division poll percentage of 71.97% was recorded in Samba, 71.80% in Jammu, 71.22% in Rajouri, 70.32% in Kishtwar, 67.39% in Ramban, 62.67% in Reasi and 61.23% in Kathua.

The counting of votes for Sarpanch and Panch constituencies which went to poll in the 4th phase is being conducted immediately after the close of polls and results shall be declared soon, he said.

-ARK

Armed Forces Flag Day observed in Srinagar

Armed Forces Flag Day observed in Srinagar

Srinagar (NVI): On the occasion of Armed Forces Flag Day today, a programme was held at Sainik Bhawan in Srinagar, where Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Pandurang K Pole, interacted with the veterans and assured all support from the civil administration towards welfare of ex-servicemen and their families.

The Divisional Commissioner also inaugurated a new Annexe building for Old Aged Ex-servicemen, disabled soldiers and Veer Naris in the presence of Deputy Commissioner (Srinagar) Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.

The ex-servicemen community also expressed their gratitude to the HQ 15 Corps, HQ 31 Sub Area, JAK LI Regimental Centre (JAK LI RC), Pandurang K Pole, Dr Shahid Iqal Choudhary, other DCs and concerned civil and police officers for their support.

Among other officials, ex-Servicemen, Veer Naris, police officers, senior veterans and District Social Welfare Officer Mohammad Ashraf Akhoon, were also present.

On the occasion, the Div Com said that 7th December is observed as the Armed Forces Flag Day (AFFD) throughout the Country to honour the martyrs and men in uniform who voluntarily fought and continue to safeguard the country’s honour.

He said soldiers are one of the greatest assets of any country. “They are guardians of the Nation and protect its citizens. To fulfill their duties, soldiers sacrifice a lot of things in their lives. It becomes, therefore, the duty of every citizen to not only show admiration for the martyrs and the living heroes but also their families who have been a crucial part of their sacrifice” he said.

Apart from government measures, it becomes the collective duty of every citizen to make his/her unstinted and volunteer contribution towards providing care support rehabilitation and financial aid, he said.

-ARK

Body of missing MiG-29K Navy pilot found off Goa coast 11 days after crash

New Delhi (NVI): The body of a Navy pilot, who went missing after a MiG-29K trainer jet crashed into the Arabian Sea on November 26, was found off Goa coast today, the Indian Navy officials said.

The mortal remains of Commander Nishant Singh were found on the seabed 70 metres under water, 30 miles off Goa coast after sustained and untiring efforts by the Navy. The aircraft had crashed on November 26 while on a routine sortie.

Pertinent to mention here that one pilot was rescued when the trainer aircraft crashed, while a search operation was launched for the second pilot.

Extensive Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts were carried out by the Indian Navy ships and aircraft to locate the second pilot of the MiG-29K trainer aircraft which ditched off Goa last month, the Navy said in a statement.

Aerial search by MR aircraft and helicopter sorties were undertaken, besides underwater search around the crash site which includes extensive dives by saturation divers and continuous overnight search using HD camera.

All sections of the aircraft wreckage including ejection seats were recovered using side scan sonar and HD cameras. “The FDR/CVR along with other important material have been recovered so far for analysis/investigation,” the Navy said.

“Mortal remains of a human body have been recovered in the vicinity of the wreckage site. The samples are being sent for DNA testing for confirmation of identity,” it added.

-ARK

SJVN, IREDA sign up for green energy projects

New Delhi (NVI): A PSU under Ministry of Power, SJVN Limited, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Green Energy Projects with Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA).

IREDA is a PSU under Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) which will provide its services to SJVN for these projects.

The MoU was signed by NandLal Sharma, CMD, SJVN and Pradip Kumar Das, CMD, IREDA in the presence of Akhileshwar Singh, Director (Finance), SJVN and other senior officials today through virtual mode.

On the occasion, NandLal Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director, SJVN, said, “IREDA will undertake Techno-Financial due diligence of Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency & Conservation Projects for SJVN.

Under the MoU, IREDA will also assist SJVN in developing an action plan to create and acquire Renewable Energy projects for the next 5 years.

Sharma further said, “SJVN is committed to contribute in realizing the renewable energy target of 175 GW by 2022 set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The steps in this direction has already been taken and presently SJVN is developing 100 MW Dholera Solar Power Project & 100 MW Raghanseda Solar Power Project in Gujarat.”

He also emphasised that partnership of SJVN & IREDA will be long lasting and fruitful for both.

While signing the MoU, Pradip Kumar Das, CMD, IREDA said, “The MoU highlights IREDA’s continuous efforts for the development of Renewable Energy sector in line with Prime Minister’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. This is a transformational opportunity for IREDA and SJVN to work together forming a perfect synergy between both the organisation.”

“It will also serve to facilitate knowledge and technology transfer and provide consultancy & research services, which will contribute to driving sustainable development of the country. We look forward to extending our consultancy services to other PSUs as well as private organisations for the development of Renewable Energy Sector,” he added.

-CHK

California under strict new lockdown as COVID cases surge

New Delhi (NVI): The US state of California have been placed under a strict new lockdown, as COVID-19 cases continues to surge across the country.

The new restrictions under the lockdown require people to stay-at-home, which will be in place for at least three weeks and cover the Christmas holiday, according to the reports.

This will also affect around 85 per cent of the state’s 40 million people, as many businesses will be closed and people will be banned from meeting anyone outside their household, the BBC reported.

The restrictions in California – the country’s most populous state – were triggered by intensive care capacity in hospitals shrinking.

Governor Gavin Newsom ordered the new restrictions in California, to take effect on a region-by-region basis as hospital intensive care unit beds filled almost to capacity.

He added that when capacity at intensive care units in any of five regions of the state goes below 15 per cent, that region will go into lockdown within 24 hours.

Under the new restrictions, the stay-at-home orders triggered will be similar to the order issued for the state after the pandemic first hit in March.

All retail stores are able to stay open, although only at 20 per cent capacity, along with outside spaces such as parks and beaches while bars, restaurants, hair and nail salons are required to be closed.

Moreover, the country has seen a sharp rise in cases and COVID-related deaths in recent weeks, a surge that could be partly down to last month’s Thanksgiving holiday, when millions of Americans travelled around the United States.

Notably, the new measures apply to the southern part of the state and its central valley, while other areas could follow within days. In addition, San Francisco has also gone into lockdown, with the city’s mayor, London Breed imposing a separate set of orders.

Earlier, California’s lockdown in March, in which all non-essential businesses were closed, was seen as an early model for the US at the beginning of the pandemic.

The situation in California reflects a surge in infections nationwide. The state, which has the largest number of confirmed cases in the US, reported an additional 30,000 infections on Sunday, a new record.

So far, California has recorded more than 1.36 million cases and 19,939 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, the John Hopkins University data shows.

-RJV

South Korea, Japan to deploy military to combat COVID-19

New Delhi (NVI): South Korea and Japan are deploying their militaries to assist healthcare workers in combatting COVID-19, with South Korean soldiers called in to expand coronavirus testing and tracing and Japanese military nurses tapped to fill a shortage of staff at hospitals in the hard-hit regions of Hokkaido and Osaka.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in today ordered the government to mobilise every available resource to track Covid-19 infections and to expand testing by deploying the military and more people from the public service as the country struggled to control its latest wave of infections.

The order came after Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) reported 615 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, capping a month of triple-digit daily increases that have led to 8,311 confirmed patients in quarantine, the most ever.

Moon said testing sites should operate longer hours to allow people working to get tested at their convenience and more drive-through testing facilities should be set up.

The positive rate for the latest batch of tests was about 4.2 per cent, compared to the year’s average of 1.2 per cent, according to the KDCA.

Since the pandemic started, South Korea has reported a total of 38,161 cases, with 549 deaths.

Meanwhile, military moves were afoot in Japan as well, where Self-Defense Forces nurses were preparing to be deployed to Osaka and Hokkaido to help treat a surge in coronavirus infections as soon as the two prefecture governments request it.

In northern Hokkaido, there has been infection clusters at two hospitals in the city of Asahikawa, according to the NHK broadcaster. The Asahikawa Kosei Hospital has a total of 217 confirmed cases and the privately-run Yoshida Hospital has 184.

The latter sent a request to Hokkaido’s governor asking for military assistance, saying the city’s medical association is overburdened and there is no alternative, NHK reported.

Whereas in Osaka, where a local state of emergency has been declared over COVID-19, Governor Yoshimura Hirofumi asked the Defence Minister today to send military nurses to treat severely ill coronavirus patients at a newly established medical facility.

As of Saturday, Osaka had recorded more than 300 new coronavirus cases for five consecutive days, according to the data.

So fr, Japan has reported around 1,63,000 cases of the novel coronavirus and 2,300 deaths.

-CHK

NTPC signs MoU with IIFM, Bhopal for Narmada Landscape Restoration Project

NTPC signs MoU with IIFM, Bhopal for Narmada Landscape Restoration Project
(Pic credit: Ashok Biswal/TNC India)

New Delhi (NVI): The NTPC, a PSU under the Ministry of Power, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, to implement the Narmada Landscape Restoration Project.

The project aims to establish an incentivisation mechanism to maintain sustainable landscape practices in Narmada basin, the Ministry of Power said in a statement.

The program is in partnership with a grant in aid from NTPC Ltd and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in equal proportions, it said.

The four-year project will be implemented in Khargone District of Madhya Pradesh, in the catchments of selected tributaries of the River Narmada between Omkareshwar and Maheshwar dams.

IIFM, Bhopal, an Autonomous Institute under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), GoI with the grant-in-aid from NTPC, Ltd. will be jointly implementing this project with Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), an intergovernmental organization that promotes sustainable and inclusive economic growth in emerging economies.

GGGI will participate in this project with funding support from USAID, the international development arm of the US Government.

“NLRP’s collaborative and participatory approach will demonstrate the interdependency of the upstream sustainably managed forest and farm practices on downstream water resources. The project aims to establish an incentivisation mechanism that can continue to support the riparian forest and farm communities of the Narmada basin to maintain sustainable landscape practices. This is expected to positively impact the water quality and quantity in the Narmada tributaries,” the Ministry said.

“NTPC Ltd. through its business and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities is committed towards sustainable development of the nation, economic and social upliftment of the society as well as the fostering of a healthy environment,” said SM Chowdhury, Executive Director (SSEA) & CSO, NTPC Ltd.

Dr. Pankaj Srivastava, Director, IIFM, Bhopal said, “This consortium project with the collaboration of NTPC – IIFM – GGGI – USAID will open new vistas that will manage our watersheds to maintain water quality and supplement Smart Cities by introducing a smarter way of purification of urban water supplies.”

“Incentives to downstream rural communities for maintenance of ecosystem services of natural forests and creation of man-made buffers for natural purification of water will be a win-win situation for water consumers of Indore as well as residents of villages in the source water zone,” he added.

On scaling up, the incentivisation mechanism and its resultant improvement in water quality and quantity are expected to greatly benefit the city of Indore, which draws over 60% of its municipal water supply from River Narmada, as per the Ministry of Power.

-ARK

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