Thursday, 02 May 2024
Thursday, 02 May 2024
The highly anticipated Chandrayaan-3 mission by ISRO is poised to achieve a significant milestone as its Lander Module, comprising the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover, is scheduled for a soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23. Set to explore the uncharted south pole region of the Moon, this ambitious endeavour aims to make India the first country to reach this remote area. Following precise orbital adjustments, the Lander Module is now positioned in a 25 km x 134 km orbit around the Moon. As the scheduled landing approaches, the module will undergo internal checks while awaiting sunrise at the designated landing site. The critical phase of the soft landing, often referred to as the "17 minutes of terror," involves a complex series of autonomous manners, including precise engine firings, altitude adjustments, fuel management, and obstacle detection. This autonomous process is pivotal in ensuring a successful landing on the lunar surface.
In response to the surging retail prices of onions and to safeguard the interests of farmers, the Indian government has taken proactive measures by reintroducing onion procurement in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh at a fixed rate of Rs 2,410 per quintal. This move comes after the imposition of a 40 percent export duty on onions on August 19, which aims to curb outward shipments and ensure an ample domestic supply, especially in light of concerns about the Kharif output. Piyush Goyal, the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, emphasised that this decision to both impose export duties and increase onion procurement for the buffer stock is designed to provide farmers with better prices and protection.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a three-day official visit to South Africa, where he will attend the 15th BRICS summit and engage in bilateral meetings with global leaders. The visit comes at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and is scheduled from August 22 to 24. Notably, this marks the first in-person summit of BRICS - consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - since 2019. BRICS has evolved into a platform for addressing concerns of the Global South, discussing development priorities, and advocating for multilateral system reforms. During the summit, discussions will revolve around identifying future areas of cooperation and evaluating institutional growth. Prime Minister Modi will also participate in BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue events, further emphasising global collaboration.
Accused Delhi government official in the minor rape case in Delhi, Premoday Khakha, and his wife, Seema Rani, caught on CCTV attempting to flee just moments before their arrest. Khakha, a former deputy director in the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department, has been accused of repeatedly raping and impregnating a minor girl. The incident came to light when the victim's father passed away in October 2020, and she started staying with Khakha's family as a family friend. The accused allegedly raped her multiple times between November 2020 and January 2021. His wife, Seema Rani, is charged with administering medicine to terminate the girl's pregnancy. The case has drawn significant attention, prompting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to order Khakha's suspension from his post. As seen in the above picture, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal sat on a dharna at a hospital where the minor girl was receiving treatment, expressing her intention to meet the victim. Maliwal claimed she was prevented from meeting the girl. Despite her efforts, she later left the hospital without having met the victim, as the girl's mother did not want any visitors while her daughter was still under observation.
Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar will be designated as a "national icon" by the Election Commission of India to promote voter participation in the upcoming elections. A memorandum of understanding will be signed between Tendulkar and the commission, and he will engage in spreading awareness about voting over the next three years. The collaboration aims to utilise Tendulkar's influence, particularly among the youth, to increase voter engagement, addressing challenges like urban and youth apathy towards voting. This initiative follows the commission's past practice of enlisting notable figures, including actor Pankaj Tripathi, cricketer MS Dhoni, actor Aamir Khan, and boxer Mary Kom, as national icons to inspire voter involvement in the electoral process.
Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has announced the acquisition of a 6.66% stake in Jio Financial Services, the demerged non-banking financial services unit of Reliance Industries, led by Mukesh Ambani. This acquisition was executed through a demerger process, with Jio Financial Services recently debuting on the stock exchanges and holding a market capitalisation of around Rs 1.60 lakh crore. LIC noted that the cost of this acquisition represents 4.68% of the pre-demerged cost of Reliance Industries. However, shares of Jio Financial Services faced a decline, trading at Rs 239.20 apiece, marking a 4.99% decrease and reaching the lower circuit limit for the second consecutive session on the BSE.
The Supreme Court of India has overturned the Kerala High Court's decision to suspend the conviction and sentence of Mohammed Faizal, a Lok Sabha MP from Lakshadweep, in an attempt to murder case from 2009. The case has been remanded back to the high court for fresh consideration within six weeks. While the MP is protected from disqualification during this period, the top court deemed the high court's previous action of suspending the conviction and sentence to be "erroneous." Faizal and three others were earlier sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for attempting to murder during the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.
Former US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to surrender on Thursday in Atlanta in connection with his indictment in Georgia on charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump made this announcement on his Truth Social platform, describing the indictment as politically motivated to hinder his 2024 reelection campaign. This follows a 98-page indictment in which Trump and 18 others were charged with 41 criminal counts for their involvement in attempting to reverse his election defeat in Georgia. The surrender date was reportedly set during negotiations between Trump's lawyers and the Fulton County district attorney's office.
United States sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson secured the world 100 metres gold with a remarkable comeback, overcoming the challenge of being placed in lane nine. Clocking in at 10.65 seconds, Richardson surged past Jamaica's Shericka Jackson, who took silver in 10.72, while Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica settled for bronze in 10.77. Richardson's victory marks a significant achievement after missing the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 due to a positive cannabis test and failing to qualify for the previous year's world championships. Despite a challenging semi-final, Richardson rebounded in the final, outpacing her competitors and setting a championship record, becoming the first U.S. winner of the women's 100 since 2017.
