Junior Digest

Chennai, Aug 23,2023: Marking a monumental event in its space journey, India scripted history by becoming the first country to explore the South Polar region when its third Lunar Mission Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft successfully soft landed on the Moon’s surface on Wednesday evening.
The powered descent of the Lander Module (LM), carrying a Rover, on board the Chandrayaan-3, started at 5.44 pm and after the challenging task of performing rough and fine braking maneuvres, it made a soft landing on the moon’s surface at 6.00 pm.
This was ISRO’s third attempt to land Chandrayaan on the Moon four years after its predecessor crashed on the lunar surface.
ISRO came out trumps during the critical process of soft-landing, which was dubbed by many including ISRO officials as 17 minutes of terror.
The lander fired its engines at the right times and altitudes, and used the right amount of fuel, besides scanning the lunar surface for any obstacles before it finally touched down on the Moon.
The Rs 600 crore Chandrayaan-3 mission was launched on July 14 onboard Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM-3) rocket, for a 41-day voyage to reach near the lunar south pole.
The soft-landing was attempted days after Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashed into the Moon after spinning out of control.
After the second and final deboosting operation on August 20, the LM was placed in a 25 km x 134 km orbit around the Moon.
ISRO had been releasing a series of up-close images of the moon, assisting the lander module in determining its position (latitude and longitude) by matching them against an onboard moon reference map.The spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on July 14.

A GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle was used for the launch of the spacecraft that was placed in the lunar orbit on August 5 and since then it was through a series of orbital manoeuvres been lowered closer to the moon’s surface.
Ever since the July 14 launch, ISRO had been maintaining that the health of the spacecraft remained “normal”. On August 5, Chandrayaan-3 was successfully inserted into the lunar orbit with multiple key manoeuvres thereafter.

New Delhi, Aug 18,2023: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will fight next year’s Lok Sabha polls on the plank of getting full statehood for Delhi, party supremo and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in on Friday.

“The party will fight the coming Lok Sabha election on the full statehood issue”, Kejriway said in the Delhi Assembly during a discussion on the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, which spearheads the Centre’s ruling dispensation over the new Act, Kejriwal alleged that the Centre took away the rights of Delhi people by enacting the law.

“I assure the people of Delhi that I will get back your rights, we will not let the work of Delhi stop under any circumstances,” said Kejriwal.

Taking a dig at Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kejriwal said, “I heard the whole speech of Amit Shah who spoke on GNCTD (Amendment) Bill for almost two hours, but he did not say anything about the benefit of the Bill for Delhiites.”

Kejriwal said earlier the Centre had brought an Ordinance, and then the Bill in parliament, which has now become the GNCTD Act after it was passed by both Houses. “The BJP-led government brought this Act with an intention to create obstacles in the development works of Delhi government,” he alleged.

Jiuquan, Aug 21 ,2023: China sent a new Earth observation satellite into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Monday.

The satellite, Gaofen-12 04, was launched by a Long March-4C carrier rocket at 1:45 a.m. (Beijing Time) and has entered the planned orbit successfully.

It will be used in a variety of fields, including land surveys, urban planning, road network design, crop yield estimation and disaster relief.

The launch marks the 484th flight mission of the Long March series carrier rockets.

Guatemala City, Aug 21,2023: Bernardo Arevalo has won Guatemala’s presidential election, according to a count by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on Sunday evening.

With 95 percent of ballots counted, Arevalo has scored 59 percent of votes, with his rival Sandra Torres trailing behind with 36 percent.

New Delhi, Aug 20,2023: Ahead of the general elections, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday constituted a new Congress Working Committee (CWC) that will make critical decisions for the grand old party.

This is the first time that the CWC has been constituted since Kharge took charge as party chief last October.

As per a party statement, the new 39-member CWC includes Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi Shashi Tharoor, Sachin Pilot and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.

The CWC has 32 permanent invitees, including some in-charges of state and 13 special invitees.

The reshuffle comes ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the year-end polls in five states Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana.

The CWC It replaced the Steering Committee that has been formed as a stop-gap arrangement.

Hyderabad, Aug19,2023: Telangana Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K T Rama Rao (KTR) has announced a significant step towards improving Hyderabad’s transportation infrastructure as he inaugurated the state’s first steel flyover.

The flyover, part of the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP), marks a milestone in the city’s development efforts. KTR emphasized the government’s commitment to inclusive progress, irrespective of caste or creed.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Naini Narasimha Reddy Steel Bridge, which spans from Indira Park to VST Square, KTR highlighted the city’s transformation under the leadership of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). He applauded the government’s dedication to enhancing urban facilities and commemorated the former Home Minister Naini Narasimha Reddy by naming the bridge after him.

The steel flyover, standing at 2.62 km with an elevated corridor spanning 2.436 km, is a testament to modern engineering and marks a departure from traditional concrete structures. Costing Rs 450 crore, it is a part of the government’s efforts to reduce traffic congestion and enhance connectivity.

KTR used the occasion to address political matters, expressing concern about divisive forces that could hinder the city’s progress. He urged citizens to be discerning in their political choices, cautioning against those who have failed to deliver results over the past six decades.

The inauguration of this steel flyover represents Telangana’s resolve to create a cosmopolitan city with world-class amenities. It paves the way for faster, signal-free travel from Indira Park Junction to Ashok Nagar, bringing convenience and reducing travel time for the citizens.

New Delhi, Aug 23,2023: MoS for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said India is set to achieve $150 billion Bio-Economy by 2025, which stood at over $100 billion in 2022.

The Minister was speaking while overseeing the signing up of the ‘Implementation Arrangement’ between the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the United States-National Science Foundation (US-NSF) here.

This was a follow-up of the discussion meeting held between Dr Rajesh S Gokhale. Secretary, DBT and Dr Sethuraman Panchanathan, Director, NSF in June, 2023 to discuss opportunities for developing ‘Strategic Partnership’ between DBT and US-NSF.

Singh recalled that during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US in June, the leaderships of the both the countries called on their administrations to extend the existing partnerships to advanced biotechnology and biomanufacturing, and enhance biosafety and biosecurity innovation, practices, and norms.

Singh said India’s ever-growing Bio-Economy graph is going to contribute significantly to India’s Overall Economy. He said, India has a 3-5% market share in the global biotechnology industry and it ranks 12th in the world in biotech and 3rd in Asia-pacific.

The Minister said India has the third largest Startups ecosystem globally; and the largest vaccine manufacturer. Moreover, India’s ranking in global science and technology indices continues to rise and India has been ranked 40th among the innovative economies as per Global Innovation Index, 2022.

He pointed out that the Department of Biotechnology has created and nurtured a strong foundation in biotechnology innovation, research and manufacturing across segments such as bio-pharma, bio-services, agri biotech, industrial biotech, and bioinformatics through public-private partnership, Make-in-India and Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiatives of the Government.

Singh said Indian Government has always supported technology-driven innovation towards the creation of a ‘future-ready’ technology platform in line with the Prime Minister Modi’s vision of Aatmanirbharta and he congratulated DBT and NSF for building on the bilateral collaborations between India and USA through this Implementation Arrangement.

The minister said the climate change, inadequate resource utilisation, an unsustainable pattern of material consumption and waste generation are global threats and require concerted sustainable interventions and therefore called for futuristic research and innovation strategies for accelerating Biomanufacturing are essential to address global sustainable goals.

The Minister said the ‘Implementation Arrangement’ will lay the foundation for collaboration between the two countries on accelerating innovations in the area of ‘Biotechnology Innovation and Biomanufacturing.’

This will advance knowledge, technologies, and innovation through supportive collaborative research to empower biotechnology industries and promote bioeconomy of both the countries, he added.

NSF Director Dr Sethuraman Panchanathan said that “USA and India can together address pressing global needs such as climate mitigation and energy goals through biotechnology innovation and biomanufacturing.”

DBT Secretray Dr Rajesh S Gokhale added that “this partnership will be an important step to mutually address the challenges in the innovation space as well as for enhancing technological opportunities. This will also bring synergy to DBT’s initiatives for fostering high performance Biomanufacturing- an integrated approach towards promoting circular economy for Green, Clean and Prosperous India.”

New Delhi, Aug 19,2023: Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Giriraj Singh on Friday inaugurated Meghalaya Pineapple Fest – 2023, at the iconic Dilli Haat, New Delhi.

The three-day festival aims to showcase not only the exceptional quality of Meghalaya’s succulent Kew pineapples but also the rich cultural heritage of the region.

Praising the Meghalaya government for the initiative for organising the Pineapple Fest in the national capital, the Union Minister said, “It is a step in the right direction towards promoting sustainable agricultural practices, fostering inter-state cooperation, and enhancing the livelihoods of farmers.”

Sharing his thoughts on the significance of agricultural diversity and collaboration between states, Singh said, In the context of our nation’s agricultural landscape, diversity is not just a word; it’s a treasure trove of opportunities. Meghalaya’s pineapples have garnered a reputation for their exquisite taste and quality”.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the Meghalaya Pineapple Fest is more than just a celebration of our state’s succulent produce, but a platform to share the diversity of our culture, the innovation in our agriculture, and the unity that binds our people.

“Our pineapples are not merely fruits; they are a testament to the fertile land, dedicated farmers, and the rich legacy that Meghalaya carries. As we gather here in New Delhi, far from the rolling hills and serene landscapes of Meghalaya, we bring a piece of our home to share with the world. Let us cherish the moments of togetherness, embrace the culture, and savor the sweetness of Meghalaya, right here in the heart of New Delhi,” he said.

The Chief Minister also took pride in informing the gathering that pineapples from Meghalaya are now being sold across malls in Dubai, Kuwait and Sharjah with persistent effort the state government and all stakeholders.

“The Meghalaya pineapples are famous for their high-sugar content (brix value of 16-18) and low sourness. The pineapples in the State are mostly being cultivated without any use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, resulting in significantly lower heavy metal and pesticide residue in the fruit. These traits make them highly suitable for lucrative international and national markets,” he said.

On the occasion of the 77th Independence Day, Meghalaya had outlined its ambitious plan for ‘Magnificent Meghalaya.’

Aspiring to double the State’s GDP, Meghalaya identifies agriculture and allied sectors as pivotal drivers of economic growth and this sector has the potential to create lakhs of employment opportunities in the next five years, the CM had said.

The North-Eastern States contribute a whopping 51.18 percent to the total pineapple production in the country, with Meghalaya contributing 7.69 percent (APEDA 2021-22), making it one of the top five pineapple producing States in India.

Budapest, Aug 21,2023: Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei delivered his season’s best performance of 27 minutes 51.42 seconds, clinching the men’s 10,000m world title for the third consecutive time on Sunday.

Cheptegei, 26, only surged ahead in the final lap, comfortably securing the top spot, even if his time couldn’t rival his world record of 26:11.00.

Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenso bagged the silver with a time of 27:52.60, while Ethiopian Solemn Brega clinched bronze just 0.12 seconds behind.

“I am very excited and proud that I have succeeded in winning my third world title in a row. This was the best possible way to end the season,” Cheptegei remarked. “This might be my last championships on the track. That’s why this gold medal means even more.”

Bengaluru, Aug 18,2023: Larsen and Toubro Limited has built India’s first 3D-printed Post Office in 45 days as compared to about 6 to 8 months time taken by the conventional method.

The building was inaugurated by IT and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at Bengaluru GPO building here on Friday. IIT Madras gave technology guidance to DoPs in the project.

The built-up area of the post office is 1021 square feet.

The construction of the building was carried out through 3D concrete technology which is a fully automated building construction technology wherein a robotic printer deposits the concrete layer by layer as per the approved design and special grade concrete.

The special grade concrete hardens quickly and is used to ensure bonding between the layers for the purpose of printing the structure.

Cost and time savings make 3D concrete printing technology a viable alternative to conventional building practices.

The process requires a delicate balance of concrete properties, including flowability, quick hardening for load-bearing capacity, green concrete status for inter-layer bonding, and sufficient strength to ensure successful printing.

L&T Construction has executed 3D printing technology for projects such as affordable housing up to G+3 floors, villas, military barracks, and single-floor schools. It is looking to expand its portfolio of 3D printed structures in various sectors.

Advantages of 3D Concrete Printing: Automation: Fully automated construction ensures excellent build quality and safe work environment. Design Freedom: Without a form work system, innovative and non-geometric building shapes can be constructed to enhance aesthetics & convenience and optimize overall cost. Sustainable Construction: Elimination of timber and aluminum form work; use of supplementary materials to optimize CO2 emission; less material wastage; less electrical energy consumption.

GUATEMALA CITY,Aug 17,2023: Guatemalan presidential candidate Bernardo Arevalo is seen winning an Aug 20 runoff election backed by 61 per cent of valid votes, followed by former first lady Sandra Torres, according to a CID Gallup poll published on Wednesday (Aug 16).

Arevalo, an ex-diplomat who is running on an anti-corruption platform, scored a surprise second place in June’s first round, finishing close behind Torres.

“Our growth trajectory continues, as more of us now want change in Guatemala,” the candidate said on social messaging platform X. “However, this is not a reason to get complacent, because the old guard have already demonstrated that they are desperate and willing to go to any lengths.”

Gandhinagar (Gujarat), August 17,2023: Addressing the World Health Organisation Traditional Medicine Global Summit, which was inaugurated in Gandhinagar on Thursday, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said India has a rich history of traditional medicine.
“India has a rich history of traditional medicine through Ayurveda, including Yoga which has been shown to be effective in alleviating pain,” Tedros said.
Tedros, who arrived in India on Wednesday, added that traditional medicines are being sought by countries to deal with non-communicable diseases, mental health and treatment of many other ailments.
Traditional medicine has made enough contributions to human health and has immense potential for overall wellness, Tedros said further.
Further, at the Inauguration of the Summit, Tedros said, “Yesterday, I had the privilege to visit a wellness and health centre in Gujarat which provides health care services to almost 5000 people from 1000 households. I was so impressed with the way they are using the medicine… expanding the delivery of services and saving vision, time and money on travelling. This is what health for all looks like.”
“…I also saw how traditional medicine is being integrated at the primary healthcare level. One of the great things about traditional medicine is the understanding of…links between the health of humans and our environment that’s why WHO is calling on institutions to support countries to unlock the potential of traditional medicine through the global traditional medicine centre in Jamnagar which I have the honour to launch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year,” he added.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who also graced the event, said he believed that the global summit will provide a unique opportunity for India, to engage in dialogue, exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and establish international partnerships, advance the agenda of Traditional and Complementary Medicine and to work together toward promoting and leveraging, the potential of traditional healing practices worldwide.
He also stated that traditional and complementary medicine has played, a significant role in promoting health at personal and community levels for many centuries.
“This Global Summit on Traditional Medicine can be the platform to mobilize political commitment and, evidence-based action on traditional medicine, which is the first port of call for millions of people worldwide, to address their health and well-being needs,” he added.

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 17,2023: BRICS leaders meet in South Africa next week to discuss how to turn a loose club of nations accounting for a quarter of the global economy into a geopolitical force that can challenge the West’s dominance in world affairs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces an international arrest warrant over alleged war crimes in Ukraine, will not join leaders from Brazil, India, China and South Africa amid rifts over whether to expand the bloc to include dozens of “Global South” nations queuing up to join.

South Africa will host Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the BRICS summit from August 22 to 24.

Spread over the globe and with economies that operate in vastly different ways, the main thing uniting the BRICS is scepticism about a world order they see as serving the interests of the United States and its rich-country allies who promote international norms they enforce but don’t always respect.

Few details have emerged about what they plan to discuss, but expansion is expected to be high on the agenda, as some 40 nations have shown interest in joining, either formally or informally, according to South Africa. They include Saudi Arabia, Argentina and Egypt.

Chennai, Aug 21,2023: Ahead of its eagerly awaited soft landing on the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday released the images of far side of Lunar area captured by Chandrayaan-3.
ISRO said the images of Lunar far side area were captured by the Lander Hazard Detection and Avoidance Camera (LHDAC). In all four images captured by LHDAC were released by ISRO.
This camera that assists in locating a safe landing area–without boulders or deep trenches–during the descent is developed by ISRO at Space Applications Centre (SAC), Bengaluru. SAC is one of the major centres of ISRO that focuses on the design of space-borne instruments for ISRO missions and development and operationalisation of applications of space technology for societal benefits.
The applications cover communication, broadcasting, navigation, disaster monitoring, meteorology, oceanography, environment monitoring and natural resources survey.

Aug 23,2023: Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy secretary of the Kremlin’s powerful Security Council, has warned that Moscow could annex Georgia’s breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the Reuters news agency reported.
Medvedev, who has cast himself as one of Moscow’s most hawkish political voices since Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, accused the West in a newspaper article published on Wednesday of creating tension over Georgia by discussing its possible membership in the NATO military alliance.
“The idea of joining Russia is still popular in Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” Medvedev, a former Russian president, wrote in an article published by the Argumenty I Fakty newspaper.
“It could quite possibly be implemented if there are good reasons for that,” he said in the article.

While Russian relations with Georgia have improved since Tbilisi and Moscow fought a brief but bloody war in 2008 over the breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions, Medvedev said that Moscow would not hesitate to act if concerns regarding possible NATO admission come close to being a reality.
“We will not wait if our concerns become closer to reality,” Medvedev said in the article, referring to possible annexation.

Georgian officials have repeatedly said they are committed to joining the United States-led NATO military alliance, viewing it as a way to preserve the territorial integrity of their country.
The military alliance states on its official website that “Georgia is one of NATO’s closest partners”.

“It aspires to join the Alliance. Over time, a broad range of practical cooperation has developed between NATO and Georgia, which supports Georgia’s reform efforts and its goal of Euro-Atlantic integration,” the NATO website states.

Georgia lost control over the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Moscow recognised the independence of the two regions in 2008 following Georgia’s attempt to regain control of South Ossetia by force, which led to a Russian counterattack that saw Moscow’s forces briefly occupy Georgian territory.
Medvedev’s article was published to mark the 15th anniversary of Russia recognising the independence of the regions following the 2008 conflict.

Kyiv’s aspiration to join NATO and the threat this posed to Russian security has been one of several arguments used by officials in Moscow to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Doha, Aug 21,2023: A total of 173 tonnes of promotional items used in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 are being recycled by a Saudi company, Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) said on Sunday.

These polyester fabric materials were previously used as wraps, banners, and fence coverings in stadiums and other venues, the SC, responsible for the delivery of required infrastructure and Qatar’s planning and operations for hosting the tournament, said in a press release.

“In the past, mega event organizers found it challenging to dispose of polyester fabric in an eco-friendly way,” SC’s Sustainability Executive Director Bodour Al Meer was quoted as saying.

“We made it a priority to find a sustainable solution, which led us to this collaboration,” he added, referring to the cooperation with Saudi Top Plastics, one of the biggest plastic recycling companies in Saudi Arabia.

The recycled materials will be converted into plastic pellets for making new products, such as tape and packaging, the SC clarified.

It added that nearly 80 percent of the tournament waste was recycled, with the remainder sent to a waste-to-energy plant.

Phnom Penh, Aug 22,2023: Khuon Sudary was elected on Tuesday as the president of Cambodia’s National Assembly for a new five-year term, becoming the first woman to hold this top post, according to the state-run National Television of Cambodia (TVK).

Sudary, 70, is currently a member of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP)’s Standing Committee, and used to be the second vice-president of the National Assembly in the old term.

She was elected after the CPP won a landslide victory in the July 23 general election, winning 120 out of 125 seats in the National Assembly.

Some 123 lawmakers unanimously elected her as the president during a “package vote.”

They also voted for CPP lawmakers Cheam Yeap and Vong Sauth as the first vice president and the second vice president, respectively.

Besides, the parliament elected chairpersons and vice chairpersons of the 10 specialist commissions in the legislative body.

The National Assembly in the seventh legislature consists of 125 lawmakers including 120 from the CPP and five from the royalist Funcinpec Party.

Aug 22,2023:Japan has said it will start releasing more than 1 million metric tonnes of treated radioactive water from the devastated Fukushima nuclear power plant on August 24, despite concerns among neighbouring countries, including China, and local fishing communities.

The plan, approved two years ago by the Japanese government, is seen as crucial to the decommissioning of the nuclear power station, which was crushed in the tsunami of March 2011.

The water, used to keep the reactors cool, has been stored at the site since the disaster and plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) is running out of space to keep it.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday he had asked Tepco to “swiftly prepare” for the water discharge and expected the “water release to start on August 24, weather conditions permitting”.

Japan has said the water release is safe, which has been backed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The United Nations nuclear watchdog gave the plan the go-ahead after an inspection in July, saying it met international standards and that the impact on people and the environment was “negligible”.

Still, some neighbouring countries, particularly China, have expressed scepticism over the safety of the plan. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in July that Japan had shown selfishness and arrogance, and claimed it had not fully consulted the international community about the water release.

South Korean activists have also protested against the plan, although Seoul has concluded from its own study that the water release meets international standards and said it respects the IAEA’s assessment.

The water – equivalent to more than 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools – also includes groundwater and rain that has seeped into the containers.

The water has been diluted and filtered to remove radioactive substances although there remain some traces of tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that is difficult to separate from water, according to Tepco, which says the water will be diluted to well below internationally-approved levels of tritium before being released into the Pacific.

The water will be released into the ocean, off Japan’s northeast coast, at a maximum rate of 500,000 litres (about 110,000 gallons) per day.
Environmental pressure group Greenpeace has said the filtration process is flawed and that an “immense” quantity of radioactive material will be dispersed into the sea over the coming decades.

But Tony Hooker, a nuclear expert from the University of Adelaide in Australia, dismissed its argument as “fear-mongering”.

“Tritium has been released [by nuclear power plants] for decades with no evidential detrimental environmental or health effects,” Hooker told the AFP news agency.

China bans seafood imports from 10 prefectures in Japan, including Fukushima and the capital, Tokyo. Seafood imports from other prefectures are allowed but must pass radioactivity tests and have proof they were produced outside the 10 banned prefectures.

Hong Kong, an important market for Japanese seafood exports, has also threatened restrictions.

People in South Korea are also concerned, with hundreds gathering in Seoul earlier this month to show their opposition to the plan.

This has worried people involved in Japan’s fishing industry, just as business was beginning to recover more than a decade after the nuclear disaster.

“Nothing about the water release is beneficial to us,” third-generation fisherman Haruo Ono, 71, whose brother was killed in 2011, told AFP in Shinchimachi, 60 kilometres (40 miles) north of the nuclear plant.

James Brady from the Teneo risk consultancy said that while China’s safety concerns may be sincere, there was a distinct whiff of geopolitics and economic rivalry in its harsh reaction.

“The multifaceted nature of the Fukushima wastewater release issue makes it quite a useful one for Beijing to potentially exploit,” Brady said.

Beijing can “leverage a degree of economic pressure on the trade axis, exacerbate internal domestic political cleavages on the issue within Japan… and even potentially put pressure on improving diplomatic ties between Seoul and Tokyo”.

Agartala, Aug 19,2023: As many as 20,000 hectares of agricultural land of Tripura have already been brought under organic cultivation of aromatic rice, pineapple, pepper, turmeric, and green chilly, where around 19,900 farmers are involved in farming activities, claimed Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath here on Saturday.

Inaugurating a sales counter for organic crops run by Northeast Regional Agriculture Marketing Company Ltd (NERAMAC) in the city, Nath said besides the availability of locally grown organic crops and agricultural products of the state, products produced by self-help groups and local entrepreneurs will also be available in the outlet.

The minister also flagged off a mobile van that will move around the city to sell organic produce.

The NERAMAC will open more outlets at Agartala Railway Station, Sabroom, and Srimantapur Integrated Check Posts to promote the state’s agriculture and horticulture products among tourists, and the process has begun to send about 32 MT of processed maize from the state to Maharashtra through a private agency. The first consignment of 16 MT of processed maize was dispatched on Saturday.

“So far, at least 26 MT of aromatic rice, 62 MT of ginger, 14 MT of turmeric, and 149 MT of pineapples grown organically have been marketed in the state in the financial years 2022–23 and 2023–24.”

Tripura has produced about 50,000 MT of pineapples organically on 50086 hectares of land in the state,” Nath stated.

He added that the queen variety of pineapple has already received Geographical Indication, and the state government has been working on acquiring similar tags for scented lemon, jackfruit, and Sabri banana, which are abandoned in Tripura and growing naturally at a commercial scale.

After the BJP-led government came to power in 2018, the first international export of pineapples and lemons began, and now a steady supply chain of the produce has been developed, and gradually Tripura will become self-reliant in agriculture and horticulture production with the support of PM Fasal Bima Yojana and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi,” Nath added.

Beijing,Aug 21, 2023 Beijing:China supports the BRICS expansion process and welcomes the early entry of new partners into the organization, the press service of the Chinese Foreign Ministry told Sputnik on Monday.
“China has always been convinced that BRICS is an open and inclusive mechanism, Beijing supports the BRICS expansion process and welcomes the early entry into the BRICS ‘big family’ of more like-minded partners,” the ministry said ahead of the BRICS summit, which would be held in Johannesburg from August 22-24.
The ministry also noted that China is ready to work with BRICS partners to support the work of South Africa as the chair country, jointly organize various BRICS events, “promote the qualitative development of BRICS cooperation and make greater contributions to strengthening peace, stability and prosperity in all over the world.”
The BRICS summit in Johannesburg is expected to be attended by the leaders of Russia, China, India, Brazil and South Africa. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to participate in the summit via video link.
On Sunday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that over 20 countries had formally applied to join BRICS, while several others had expressed an interest in joining the organization.