According to the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO), 3,292,500 tourists visited Japan in July, a 41.9% rise over the previous year and a record for the second consecutive month. This spike was fuelled by robust summer vacation demand and a weak yen, making Japan an appealing destination.
The total number of July visitors likewise exceeded pre-pandemic levels, up 10.1% from July 2019. In the first seven months of 2024, Japan received 21.06 million overseas visitors, the quickest rate of exceeding 20 million ever recorded. This surge positions Japan to beat its previous yearly high of 31.9 million visitors, achieved in 2019.
A huge increase in tourists from mainland China was observed, with a 147.8% increase to 776,500 visits, the highest single group. South Korea followed closely behind with 757,700 visitors, while Taiwan also contributed significantly to the tourism growth.
The weak yen, which recently fell to a 38-year low versus the dollar, has made Japan an even more tempting destination for tourists. Among the 23 markets tracked by the JNTO, 19 locations set new arrival records in July, demonstrating the strong global interest in visiting Japan.
India will invest $300 million over two years to enlarge water bodies and install drains in seven major cities, including Mumbai, Chennai, and Bengaluru, to combat flooding and preserve water, according to a government official. Growing urbanisation and clogged drains have made urban flooding, a frequent and occasionally dangerous problem during the monsoon season, worse. Cities like Delhi and Bengaluru have also seen severe water shortages as water storage spaces have shrunk.
The federal government recently approved the funding, making it the first flood prevention project aimed at water bodies. The strategy will also feature early warning systems. Krishna S. Vatsa, a member of the National Disaster Management Authority, emphasised the importance of this strategy, saying that it blends traditional stormwater drainage with nature-based solutions, such as improving rivers and lakes’ ability to manage rainwater.
Of the 25 billion rupees allocated, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata will each receive 5 billion rupees while Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Pune will each receive 2.5 billion rupees. Delhi was excluded from this allocation due to its lower flood frequency.
Vatsa also emphasised the importance of long-term interventions, particularly in light of increased rainfall intensity.
On Monday, Aug. 19, the night sky was illuminated by a rare blue supermoon along with the appearance of vibrant “moonbows” throughout the United States. Lunar rainbows are a rare occurrence that mimics the appearance of solar rainbows but are lit by the moon instead of the sun. The only time to see a moonbow is during a full moon when the moonlight is at its strongest. But because moonlight is so much weaker than sunshine, their colours often look white to the naked eye.
The extraordinary brightness of the moon in the days preceding the supermoon made moonbows appear more vibrant. On the morning of August 18, astronomer Aaron Watson took a photo of a double moonbow over Paonia, Colorado. Another moonbow, this one fainter, was seen later that night above New York’s Keuka Lake.
Even though moonbows weren’t reported during the main supermoon, there’s still time to see one in the coming evenings. Moonbows can be seen when the moon is low in the sky, either immediately after sunset or before sunrise, when rain is falling and the moon is directly behind the observer. These elusive moonbows’ colours may appear more clearly in photographs, even though they look white in person.
NASA’s citizen scientists discovered CWISE J1249, a strange object speeding the Milky Way at a speed of 16,09,344 kilometres per hour. NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Explorer (WISE) mission photos were used to detect the object as it zoomed out of our galaxy.
This hypervelocity object, discovered by citizen scientists from the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project, is travelling so quickly that it will escape the Milky Way’s gravity and enter intergalactic space. It is the first such object with a mass comparable to or less than that of a low-mass star.
Backyard Worlds uses data from NASA’s WISE project, which scanned the sky in infrared light between 2009 and 2011. The mission was relaunched as NEOWISE in 2013 and will be retired on August 8, 2024.
Kabatnik, a scientist from Nuremberg, Germany, showed great enthusiasm when he discovered the object’s quick velocity.
CWISE J1249’s low mass makes it difficult to identify as a celestial object. It could be a low-mass star or, if hydrogen is not continuously fused in its core, a brown dwarf, falling somewhere between a gas giant planet and a star. Further investigation will centre on its elemental composition.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the Indian government will create 75,000 new medical seats over the next five years. On the 78th anniversary of Independence Day, Modi spoke from the Red Fort on the huge financial burden that many middle-class families suffer when sending their children overseas for medical school. The cost of studying abroad frequently approaches “lakhs and crores,” PM Modi stated.
Over the last decade, the government has expanded the overall number of medical seats to almost 1 lakh to meet the rising demand for medical education. PM Modi noted that approximately 25,000 Indian students pursue medical courses abroad each year, and this new program attempts to reverse that trend by expanding options within the country.
PM Modi emphasised that a “Viksit Bharat” or Developed India must also be a “Healthy Bharat,” and the administration is focussing on improving nutrition and healthcare facilities. Since 2014, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has recorded an 88% increase in medical colleges, with MBBS seats up 118% and PG seats up 133%.
PM Modi also emphasised the government’s commitment to skill development through the Skill India initiative, which has received additional budget support to prepare India’s youth for Industry 4.0.
The United Kingdom’s aviation regulator has chosen six projects, including Amazon’s Prime Air, to test the use of drones for delivery, infrastructure inspection, and emergency response. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of the United Kingdom intends to expand drone operations beyond current visual line of sight restrictions, allowing drones to operate over longer distances utilising advanced navigation and control systems.
The chosen trials will include Amazon’s drone delivery service, Airspection’s offshore wind farm inspections, and Project Lifeline’s medical supplies deliveries. These experiments represent an important step towards fully integrating drone operations into UK airspace.
The CAA noted that these measures will help establish laws for safely incorporating drones with other airspace users. “Our goal is to make drone operations beyond visual line of sight a safe and everyday reality,” stated CAA Director Sophie O’Sullivan. The experiments will help to enhance policy and ensure the safe integration of drones into ordinary airspace operations. Amazon has previously announced intentions to launch drone deliveries in the United Kingdom, Italy, and a third US site, emphasising drones’ expanding role in logistics and emergency services.
The CEO Clubs Network, one of the largest networking organizations in the world, had a successful Sunday Brunch event with their valued member Confity Capital Partners on July 28th, 2024, in Virginia, USA. The event brought together industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors for an enriching discussion on investment opportunities and strategies.
Confity Capital Partners is a premier investment firm dedicated to driving innovation and growth in strategic industries. With the core sectors of investment including technology, aviation, healthcare, and sustainable agriculture.
The event saw the participation of nearly 30 members and guests from diverse sectors such as AI, technology, banking, healthcare, trading, and federal departments. Special recognition was given to Ms. Sia N Asok, Managing Partner of Confity Capital Partners, who received the prestigious CEO Clubs coin, acknowledging her as a truly inspiring member of the club.
The brunch featured engaging speeches, member introductions, and dynamic networking sessions, creating significant opportunities for investment and partnerships. The atmosphere was both cozy and conducive to fostering meaningful connections, with attendees sharing a sense of humor and speaking highly of the CEO Clubs Network.
Dr. Arthur J. Murray, CEO of Applied Knowledge Sciences, Inc., shared his long-standing experience with CEO Clubs, stating, “I have been a member for almost 20 years. My first visit to Abu Dhabi resulted in many contracts with the help of Dr. Tariq of CEO Clubs, CEO Clubs Network is a great gateway to connect to the global marketplace. I salute Dr. Tariq and Ms. Sarah for their unwavering dedication.”
Dr. Tariq Nizami, Founder & CEO of CEO Clubs Network, expressed his gratitude, stating, “We’re deeply grateful to Confity and everyone who attended for contributing to its success. It’s events like these that truly embody the spirit of collaboration and growth that CEO Clubs Network stands for.” Ms. Sarah Dong, Managing Director of CEO Clubs Network, added, “It’s always inspiring to see our members come together, share their insights, and forge new partnerships. The success of this event is a testament to the strength and value of our community. We look forward to many more successful events where we can continue to connect and inspire.”
About CEO Clubs Network CEO Clubs Network is a premier business networking organization that connects CEOs, C-level executives, and entrepreneurs globally, fostering an environment of collaboration and growth. With a vast membership spanning diverse industries, the network offers unparalleled opportunities through a variety of events, meetings, and forums. One of its hallmark events is the Burj CEO Awards, a prestigious global award ceremony that recognizes and celebrates outstanding leaders and organizations for their exceptional contributions to the business world. This year, the Burj CEO Awards will take place in Istanbul, Turkey, from October 22-26, 2024, highlighting excellence in leadership, innovation, and corporate social responsibility, and further solidifying CEO Clubs Network’s commitment to promoting and acknowledging business excellence worldwide.
Geophysicists discovered a massive underground reservoir of liquid water on Mars using NASA’s Insight lander seismic data. This water, which is trapped in tiny cracks and pores in rocks 11.5 to 20 kilometres below the surface, has the capacity to cover the entire planet to a depth of 1 to 2 kilometres.
While this discovery sheds fresh light on the Martian water cycle and geological history, the reservoir’s depth and difficulty of access make it unlikely to be beneficial for future Mars colonists. However, it is a prospective location for the hunt for life on Mars, given similar deep settings on Earth that support life.
The team, which included Vashan Wright and Michael Manga from UC Berkeley and Matthias Morzfeld from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, used a rock physics model to evaluate the seismic data, determining that the mid-crust is saturated with liquid water. This discovery shows that much of Mars’ ancient water sank into the planet’s crust instead of escaping into space.
The Insight mission, which launched in 2018 and ended in 2022, gave crucial data about Mars’ interior, greatly improving our understanding of the planet’s structure and possibility for life. The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A 2,600-year-old terracotta pipeline discovered in Keeladi, Tamil Nadu, demonstrates the Sangam Age civilisation’s excellent water management procedures. This discovery adds to the mounting evidence that the people of this time were not only literate but also competent in urban design and engineering.
Since its discovery in 2014, Keeladi, located 12 km southeast of Madurai, has served as a focal point for researchers studying the Sangam period. Over 20,000 artefacts, including brickwork, beading, and terracotta artistry, have been discovered, indicating a sophisticated community.
The recently unearthed cylindrical terracotta pipeline, measuring 174 centimetres, is made up of six meticulously crafted casings, each 36 centimetres long and 18 centimetres wide. This pipeline, apparently used for protected water transit, demonstrates significant hydraulic engineering skills.
The Keeladi results call into question traditional notions that advanced urban planning was limited to North Indian civilisations such as the Indus Valley. Instead, they emphasise the technological ingenuity of South Indian societies, implying a more integrated and advanced ancient India. As excavations continue, the value of Keeladi as an archaeological site grows, adding to our understanding of the Sangam period.
To accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and assist its energy transformation goals, the Vietnamese government plans to introduce electricity price subsidies at EV charging stations. The subsidy plan, which is anticipated to be submitted for approval by mid-September, is part of Vietnam’s overall strategy to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Vietnam, home to rising EV manufacturer VinFast, now has slightly more than 150,000 EV charging points, the majority of which are operated by VinFast. The government intends to develop and diversify this network to make EV charging more economical and accessible.
The green energy transition is crucial to Vietnam’s development, as the government emphasises the need to satisfy international commitments. Along with the proposed subsidies, a comprehensive incentive package is being prepared to support the EV industry, with a focus on production, imports, and consumer adoption. These incentives are intended to encourage the transition from traditional vehicles to electric alternatives.
To provide widespread access to EV charging infrastructure, the government intends to install public charging stations in all urban areas and uniform technical standards by the end of the month.
