Taiwan Extends Mandatory Military Service to 1 Year Citing China Threat
Taiwan announced an extension in mandatory military service from four months to one year, citing the threat from an increasingly hostile China.
The extended requirement will apply to men born after January 1, 2005.
The move, which had been well-flagged, came as China ramps up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan to assert its sovereignty claims, including almost daily Chinese air force missions near the island over the past three years.
Under President Xi Jinping, China's sabre-rattling has intensified in recent years, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine deepened worries in Taiwan that Beijing might move similarly to annex the island.
South Korea Pardons Former Leader Myung-bak Lee for Corruption Crimes
The South Korean government of President Yoon Suk Yeol granted a special pardon to ex-President Lee Myung-bak, who was sentenced to a 17-year prison term for a range of corruption crimes.
Lee was among 1,373 convicts who were pardoned. The Justice Ministry included some politicians, such as Lee, as part of efforts to promote a national unity.
The CEO-turned-conservative hero was convicted of taking bribes from big businesses including Samsung, embezzling funds from a company that he owned, and other corruption-related crimes before and during his presidency from 2008 to 2013.
He was South Korea's first president with a business background and once symbolised the country's economic rise.
Antarctica's Emperor Penguins could be Extinct by 2100
Antarctica's Biodiversity: New research indicated that more has to be done to safeguard Antarctic ecosystems, and if we don't make a change, up to 97% of Antarctic species with land-based populations might go extinct by the year 2100. The study also discovered that ten crucial techniques to lessen threats to Antarctica's biodiversity may be implemented with just USD 23 million annually.
It is expected that Antarctica's ice-free areas would grow as global warming becomes worse, drastically altering the wildlife habitat. The vegetation and fauna of Antarctica are anticipated to suffer as extreme weather events like heat waves increase in frequency.
The emperor penguin is the most endangered species in Antarctica because it breeds on ice.
The emperor penguin is the only species in the analysis that, in the worst-case scenario, faces extinction by 2100.
L&T Construction Bags Multiple Orders for its T&D Business
The Power Transmission & Distribution Business of L&T Construction received an EPC order to establish a 90MW Floating Solar PV Plant at the Omkareshwar Dam, a large water body without much change in the water level throughout the year, in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.
This water body is emerging as one of the largest floating solar parks in the world.
Further, in western Uttar Pradesh, the Business will undertake works for the development of distribution infrastructure under the revamped reforms-linked distribution scheme. The scope of this loss reduction package includes asset mapping using Geospatial Information System (GIS).
In the overseas market, the Business has received an order for establishing 400kV & 225kV transmission lines in North Africa.
The Business has also won an order for building a 132kV substation in the coastal town of Bintulu in Sarawak, Malaysia.
Infibeam Avenues Receives RBI Nod for Bharat Bill Payment Licence
Infibeam Avenues secured perpetual license from the RBI for its bill payments business, BillAvenue, for operating as a Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU) under Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS).
As a BBPOU, BillAvenue operates as both biller and customer operating unit onboarding billers and agent institutions to service the customers.
The perpetual license will help the company to offer safe, secure and uninterrupted services to our 18,000 plus billers, agent institutions and our network of one million agents spread across 2,000 cities and towns of India. It will also help expand into the hinterlands of India.
Power Ministry, DRDO Signs MoU for Early Warning System for Hydro Projects
The Power Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for the implementation of an early warning system for vulnerable hydro projects or power stations.
The ministry and the DRDO will jointly work towards developing suitable mitigation measures against avalanches, landslides, glaciers, glacial lakes and other geo-hazards.
The expertise of the DRDO will also be utilized in developing comprehensive Early Warning System (EWS) for vulnerable hydro projects/ power stations in hilly regions.
The ministry has taken the initiative of implementing Early Warning System (EWS) in the hydro power projects especially those located in upper reaches of hilly regions.
The EWS is an integrated system of hazard monitoring, forecasting and prediction, disaster risk assessment, communication and preparedness for timely action to reduce disaster risks in advance of hazardous events.
Hockey India Signs Limca Sportz for Men's World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela
Hockey India announced its partnership with the Coca-Cola company-owned Limca Sportz as an official beverage partner for the FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela from January 2023.
As part of the engagement, the low-sugar beverage Limca Sportz, a product of the Coca-Cola Company, will be supplying all the company's beverages across venues during the course of the tournament. Limca Sportz is a water-based sports product launched in 2022.
Madhya Pradesh Govt. to Build Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Grand Memorial in Gwalior
According to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, a huge statue of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be installed and a research centre will be built as part his grand memorial in Gwalior. The announcement was made on December 26 at the 'Gwalior Gaurav Diwas' function to mark the late leader's 98th birth anniversary. The event was also attended by Union Ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Narendra Singh Tomar. Vajpayee was born in Gwalior on December 25, 1924.
The Madhya Pradesh government allotted nearly 4,050 hectares of land in Sirol area of Gwalior to build a memorial of Vajpayee, according to Gwalior Divisional Commissioner Deepak Singh. On the occasion, noted sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, eminent scientist Dr. V.K. Saraswat, cardiologist Dr. Jamal Yusuf, international hockey player Ishika Chowdhary and educationist O. P. Dixit were awarded the 'Gwalior Gaurav Samman', while renowned poet Hariom Pawar was presented the 'Atal Kavi Samman'.
FSSAI Gives Five-star Rating to UP's Bulandshahr Prison for Food Quality
The Bulandshahr prison of Uttar Pradesh was awarded a five-star rating and the tag 'Eat Right Campus' by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI).
The FSSAI team inspected the kitchen's food quality, storage and hygiene on stringent measures, based on which the Bulandshahr prison was given a five-star rating, the 'Eat Right Campus' tag in addition to the remark of 'Excellent' by the FSSAI.
Bulandshahr Jail is the second prison after Farrukhabad jail to get this tag from Uttar Pradesh.
BJP to Field Rekha Gupta for Delhi Mayor Polls
The BJP decided to field its Shalimar Bagh councillor Rekha Gupta as its Delhi Mayor candidate to challenge AAP's Shelly Oberoi in the January 6 elections.
The BJP has also named Kamal Bagri as deputy mayor candidate as well as Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Gajendra Daral and Pankaj Luthra for standing committee member posts.
The AAP has a clear majority in the 250-member Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House.
Some party leaders claimed that an intense contest could be witnessed for the mayor as well as deputy mayor posts since the anti-defection law does not apply to the MCD and floor crossing could be possible.
Armies of India and Nepal Undertake Gruelling Training Exercise
As per the Indian Army, troops of Indian Army and Nepali Army participated in a 48-hour long gruelling training, followed by successful validation of counter-terrorism drills on simulated settings, during the ongoing joint exercise in Nepal.
The 16th edition of Indo-Nepal joint military exercise 'SURYA KIRAN', which started on December 16, will continue till December 29 at Nepal Army Battle School, Saljhandi.
India, Kazakhstan Conduct Joint Military Exercise in Meghalaya
The sixth edition of KazInd 2022, the joint exercise of the Indian Army and Kazakhstan Army was held at Umroi in Meghalaya.
The 14-day-long joint military exercise started on December 15. The joint annual training exercise with the Kazakhstan Army was instituted in 2016 as Exercise Prabal Dostyk, which was later upgraded to a company-level exercise and renamed as Ex Kazind in 2018.
In the sixth edition of KazInd, Kazakhstan Army soldiers, comprising troops from the Regional Command, South and Indian Army soldiers from the 11 Gorkha Rifles, took part.
The aim of the exercise was to build positive military relations, imbibe each other's best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking counter-terrorist operations in semi-urban/jungle scenario, under a United Nations peace enforcement mandate, to enable the two armies to train, plan and execute a series of combined tactical drills for neutralising of likely threats that may be encountered in UN peacekeeping operations.
Famous American golfer Kathy Whitworth, who won on the LPGA Tour for nearly a quarter-century, passed away. Whitworth, the first woman golfer to earn $1 million, was 83.
Throughout her career, Whitworth won 88 professional tournaments, including six major championships.
The Associated Press had named Whitworth the Female Athlete of the Year in 1965 and 1966 and she was inducted into the LPGA Tour and World Golf halls of fame.
Indian Cyclist Swasti Singh Gets 30th Ekalabya Puraskar
Indian cyclist Swasti Singh was honoured with the prestigious 30th Ekalabya Puraskar for the year 2022. The award is instituted by IMFA's charitable wing, IMPaCT. Swasti received a cash award of Rs. 5 lakh along with a citation at the Ekalabya Puraskar function held in Bhubaneswar. She bagged two gold and as many silver medals at the national level. Swasti, who has represented the state in several national events and was credited with the best individual brilliance from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2022, emerged as the clear winner this year (2022).
Ekalabya Puraskar, instituted by IMPaCT, the charitable wing of the IMFA, the leading Ferro Alloys producer in the country, in the year 1993, has come a long way to be recognised as the most prestigious sports award of Odisha, drawing parallels with many national awards.
Aleida Guevara to be Honoured with First KR Gouri Amma National Award
Noted Cuban social worker and human rights advocate Aleida Guevara was selected for the first award instituted by the K.R. Gouri Amma Foundation. The jury, chaired by former Education Minister M.A. Baby and comprising Binoy Viswam, MP, and P.C. Beenakumari, managing trustee of the foundation, unanimously chose Guevara for the award for her efforts to rehabilitate differently-abled children and provide debt relief to developing countries.
Aleida is also an active member of the Cuban Medical Mission that works to improve the health profile of children in Latin America.
The award comprising $3,000, a statuette and citation will be given away by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at a function to be held here on January 5.
South Korea Registers First Death Linked to 'Brain-Eating Amoeba'
A rare and potentially deadly brain-eating amoeba was identified in South Korea for the first time. The brain-eating amoeba, known as naegleria fowleri, is typically found in warm freshwater and soil, and can cause a rare and severe infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), the infected individual in his 50s has died. The man had come back to Korea after a four month trip in Thailand. Although human to human transmission of the infection is not possible, the KDCA has advised people to avoid water activities in freshwater lakes and to take precautions when engaging in water sports.
The first report identifying this infection was published in 1965 in Australia. The report identified three fatal infections from 1965 and one from 1961.
MCD Seeks Support from NGOs, Pvt Firms for Development of Smart Classes
The MCD is looking for support from NGOs and private firms for development of smart classes, libraries, and improvement of school buildings.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi started 'Vidyasthali Project' to develop a superlative learning environment in its schools for an all-round development of students.
Under the project, various NGOs and private companies are invited to support and strengthen facilities and infrastructure in the civic body-run schools.
+91-85588-96644
