Category: Life & Style

Tanzania dedicated a new airport in Ruaha National Park on Monday, with funding from the Six Rivers Africa Foundation (SRA). Mbarali DC Denis Mwila officially opened the 1.2-kilometre gravel runway, which includes a terminal that can handle more than 30 passengers.

The airstrip is expected to improve security in the park’s northern region by allowing increased air patrols to combat poaching and prevent cattle invasions. It is also expected to attract airlines, allowing for direct access to Ruaha and enabling timely emergency responses.

The airstrip’s completion aligns with the government’s attempts to strengthen tourism infrastructure through the Resilient Natural Resource Management for Tourism and Growth (REGROW) strategy.

Ruaha National Park’s Senior Assistant Commissioner, Godwell Meing’ataki, stated that the airstrip would boost tourism and provide economic prospects for local communities. He pushed pastoralists to work with park security and exploit new economic opportunities.

SRA-Tanzania Chairperson Glenn Turner thanked the government for its ongoing project support, stating that local populations would benefit from increased conservation efforts and tourism education tied to the new infrastructure.

The newly crowned Miss Global India 2024, Sweezal Furtado will represent India in the international Miss Global competition next year. She made India proud in June 2023 when she won the title of Miss Teen Universal 2023 in the Miss Teen International Pageant in Peru. She also earned the titles of Miss Teen Universal Asia and Best National Costume, demonstrating her international appeal and adaptability.

Sweezal, also known as ‘South India’s Supermodel,’ has talents that go beyond her stunning appearance. She was a skilled dancer who got the notice of legendary vocalist Guru Randhawa with her performance of ‘Nach Meri Rani.’ Her poetry recitation abilities also helped her move to the national stage in the Kavita Trust Poem Recitation Competition in 2019.

Sweezal, a third-year BBA student in entrepreneurship at St Joseph’s College of Commerce in Bengaluru, combines her schoolwork with her modelling career. Her diligence has greatly contributed to her pageant success.

Sweezal’s accomplishments reflect her hard work and the persistent support of her family, particularly her mother, Savitha Furtado. Her outstanding track record and numerous talents position her to make a huge influence on the global stage, carrying the dreams and good wishes of millions of Indians.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh revealed in the Lok Sabha that one of the four astronauts training for ISRO’s Gaganyaan mission will travel to the International Space Station (ISS) in collaboration with NASA.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has entered into a Space Flight Agreement with Axiom Space, a private organisation that NASA identified for the joint mission.

President Joe Biden announced the collaboration during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States last year. The selected astronaut will join the ISS mission in 2024. The four Indian Air Force test pilots selected for Gaganyaan have finished spaceflight training in Russia and are now training at ISRO’s Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru.

The Gaganyaan mission, India’s first human space journey, is planned for next year.

Singh also mentioned key developments, including the completion of ground testing for propulsion systems and the crew escape mechanism. Critical facilities like the Orbital Module Preparation Facility and Astronaut Training Facility are operating, while the Mission Control Center and Ground Station networks are nearly finished.

Flight integration activities for the crew and service modules are underway, with the solid and liquid propulsion stages of the human-rated launch vehicle prepared for integration.

Indonesia has launched a “Golden Visa” programme to attract foreign investors with long-term visas lasting up to ten years. Individual investors can receive a five-year visa by founding a $2.5 million firm, or a ten-year visa by investing $5 million. Additionally, they can also invest $350,000 for a five-year permit or $700,000 for a ten-year permit in government bonds, publicly traded equities, or savings.

Corporate investors must contribute $25 million to obtain five-year visas for directors and commissioners or $50 million for ten-year visas. Investment restrictions are reduced if the funds are directed towards Indonesia’s new capital in Borneo: $5 million for a five-year visa and $10 million for a ten-year visa.

President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, indicated that the visa intends to encourage “good quality travellers.” Silmy Karim, the chief of Indonesia’s immigration service, stated that roughly 300 golden visas had been given during last year’s trial period, totalling $123 million.

Meanwhile, Indonesia is also considering providing special status to foreign nationals of Indonesian heritage, comparable to India’s Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) programme. This effort responds to calls for dual citizenship, increasing global mobility and linkages for Indonesians living abroad.

According to a National Gas trial, the UK’s natural gas network is ready to support hydrogen as a fuel for families and enterprises. Natural gas is currently the UK’s greatest energy source, accounting for one-third of electricity generation and a significant portion of home heating.

National Gas has established a “Hydrogen Focus Area” to investigate the integration of hydrogen into the UK’s energy mix, which will help the country achieve its objective of reaching net zero emissions and a cleaner power grid.

A prior Conservative government proposal advocated incorporating up to 20% hydrogen by volume into Britain’s gas networks. National Gas’ trial indicated “no issues” when blending hydrogen at concentrations ranging from 2% to 100%, implying that there are no significant barriers to repurposing the natural gas network for hydrogen.

The trial has now moved on to the second phase, which will look into hydrogen compression and the repurposing of gas turbines at compressor stations.

National Gas CEO Jon Butterwork remarked that the analysis indicates promise for hydrogen blending, which will help the UK government achieve its objective of becoming a sustainable energy superpower while utilising existing infrastructure. Despite the encouraging preliminary results, obstacles remain, particularly the high costs of green hydrogen production, which impedes wider adoption and deployment of hydrogen projects.

Researchers discovered a surprising source of oxygen production 13,000 feet below the Pacific Ocean’s surface. Andrew Sweetman and his colleagues discovered oxygen on the ocean floor, challenging the belief that oxygen is primarily produced by photosynthetic organisms such as plants and algae.

Initially sceptical of their findings, the researchers spent ten years tuning its sensors, expecting a malfunction. However, constant oxygen readings prompted them to examine deeper.

Sweetman’s team, which was doing research in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone between Hawaii and Mexico, utilised optical sensors to test the hypothesis that natural mineral deposits that generate electricity could be responsible for oxygen production. Their findings revealed that polymetallic nodules comprising cobalt, nickel, copper, lithium, and manganese release electrical currents, acting as “geobatteries” that could explain the oxygen presence.

These nodules generate energy, which most likely leads to seawater electrolysis, a process in which an electric current splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. This discovery raises concerns that deep-sea mining may disrupt these natural oxygen sources, reducing ocean biodiversity. The International Seabed Authority has declared portions of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone as mining-free zones. While the researchers are enthusiastic by their discovery, they emphasise the importance of more research and careful consideration of the impact of deep-sea mining.

According to Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home, more than 1 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir by June 2024, representing unprecedented growth in the region’s tourism sector since the removal of Article 370.

In 2020, J&K welcomed 34,70,834 tourists, with numbers steadily increasing to 1,13,14,884 in 2021, 1,88,64,332 in 2022, and 2,11,24,874 in 2023. Until June 2024, 1,08,41,009 tourists had visited the Union Territory.

The government credits many initiatives, including the Tourism Policy 2020 and the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy 2021, which designate tourism as a sector eligible for incentives, for this rise. Along with the growth of unique locations like R.S. Pura, Gurez, Keran, and Teetwal, the industry has benefited from better law and order and programmes like the J&K Film Policy-2021 and Houseboat Policy-2020.

Additionally, Jammu and Kashmir is also rapidly rising in popularity as a site for adventure travel, golf, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tourism. The percentage of the state’s GDP attributable to the industry increased from 7.84% in FY 2019–20 to 8.47% in FY 2022–23.

Thailand saw 19.6 million foreign arrivals in the first half of 2024, confirming its standing as one of the world’s top tourism destinations. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) published this excellent result, reflecting the tourism sector’s strong comeback following the global disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

These arrivals generated 795 billion baht (US $22.26 billion) in revenue.

The influx of international visitors has been attributed to several key factors. The Thai government’s proactive initiatives, such as extending visa-free stays for travellers from specific countries, have had a substantial impact. Furthermore, the country’s diversified offerings—from beautiful beaches and cultural treasures to bustling cities and world-class cuisine—continue to draw visitors from all over the world.

Thailand’s tourism figures are mostly driven by China, Malaysia, and India, reflecting a growing Asian travel trend. The Thai tourism industry is hopeful about meeting its goal of 40 million international visitors by the end of 2024, thanks to scheduled events and advertising activities.

Despite hurdles such as fluctuating global economic conditions and geopolitical tensions, Thailand continues to be a beacon of tourist growth in Southeast Asia, guaranteeing an enriching experience for all visitors.

On Tuesday, India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the establishment of a ₹10 billion ($119 million) venture capital fund to support its space industry. This program is part of India’s ambition to gain a greater share of the global space market.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government permitted 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in satellite system manufacture without previous government clearance and loosened limitations on launch vehicles.

“In our ongoing efforts to expand the space economy by five times over the next decade, a venture capital fund of ₹1,000 crore (10 billion rupees) will be established,” Sitharaman added.

India has been privatising space launches and aims to raise its share of the global launch business by fivefold. India presently accounts for approximately 2% of the worldwide space launch business, which is predicted to be worth $47.3 billion by 2032.

Private space industry have applauded the government’s proposal, seeing the fund as a driver for more investment in the area. According to A.K. Bhatt, Director General of the Indian Space Association, the launch of a ₹1,000 crore VC fund is a positive move towards tackling financial issues for new businesses in the capital-intensive industry.

The Biden-Harris Administration has allocated more than $4.3 billion in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to fund local climate action initiatives in 30 states, including one tribal town. This project, part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, seeks to address the climate problem, reduce air pollution, promote environmental justice, and expedite the transition to renewable energy.

The grants aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in six sectors: transportation, electric power, buildings, industry, agriculture, and waste management. The chosen projects are anticipated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a maximum of 971 million metric tonnes by the year 2050, which is equivalent to the energy consumption of 5 million households over 25 years.

Notable beneficiaries include the RISE PA project in Pennsylvania, which was granted $396 million to decrease industrial emissions, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District in California, which received approximately $500 million to reduce carbon emissions in transportation.

These grants are under the Justice40 Initiative of the Biden Administration, which guarantees that 40% of the benefits are directed towards underprivileged communities. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will allocate the funds at a later date this year.