The country's largest airport operator and sole Air Navigation Service Provider, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is observing Aviation Safety Awareness Week 2023. The week-long celebration, that started Tuesday, is being observed at all airports and ANS locations managed by AAI across India.

In an event organised at Corporate Headquarters, Rajeev Mehta, Executive Director (AVS), briefed about various initiatives and actions taken by Aviation Safety Directorate to enhance safety in AAI's operations, such as conduct of safety Audits of 57 Airports and ANS Centres, Surprise check of Wildlife Hazard Management at 14 Airports, seven training programs across India training about 175 officials, introduction of On-line Voluntary Reporting module and launch of Quarterly Safety Magazine "SAHAAS".

1988-batch IAS officer to take charge on December 1 following the superannuation of incumbent chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta

The central government on Wednesday appointed senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Atal Dulloo as the new chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir with effect from December 1.

Dulloo, a 1988-batch Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre IAS officer, will take charge following the superannuation of incumbent chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta. Mehta, also a 1988-batch AGMUT cadre officer, is retiring on Thursday.

At present, Dulloo is posted as secretary, department of border management, under the Union home ministry.

Union cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved that the central government will provide free grains to eligible citizens under the public distribution scheme for another five years.

The centre's intention to extend the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana was mentioned by Prime Minister Modi himself during his election rallies earlier this month.

During an election rally in Durg on November 4, Chhattisgarh the Prime Minister had made the announcement of the decision to extend the free ration scheme.

A museum dedicated to fallen airmen flying for the Allied forces during World War II was inaugurated in Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday.

The Hump WWII Museum at Pasighat, headquarters of the East Siang district, has been named after a treacherous air route between north-eastern Assam and Yunnan in China. Some 650 aircraft crashed from 1942-45 on this route.

“We come here today not just to mark history but to make history. To see the ways with which each one of us is called not just to witness the past but to do something to change the future,” Eric Garcetti, the US Ambassador to India said after inaugurating the museum with Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu.

In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (resolution 32/40 B). On that day, in 1947, the Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine (resolution 181 (II))

In resolution 60/37 of 1 December 2005, the Assembly requested the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Division for Palestinian Rights, as part of the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on 29 November, to continue to organize an annual exhibit on Palestinian rights or a cultural event in cooperation with the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the UN.

The resolution on the observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People also encourages Member States to continue to give the widest support and publicity to the observance of the Day of Solidarity.

The Union Cabinet has approved a central sector scheme to provide drones to women self help groups (SHGs), with an outlay of Rs 1,261 crore.

The decision was taken at a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.

“The scheme aims to provide drones to 15,000 selected women SHGs during the period 2023-24 to 2025-2026 for providing rental services to farmers for agricultural purposes,” an official statement said.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the terms of reference (ToR) for the Sixteenth Finance Commission, which will recommend the formula for sharing revenues between the Centre and the States for the five-year period beginning on April 1, 2026.

The government has set a deadline of October 31, 2025, for the panel to submit its recommendations, the government said in a statement.

Apart from the key recommendation on distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the Centre and States and allocation among States of the respective share of such proceeds, the panel will also prescribe measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement resources of the panchayats and local bodies on the basis of recommendations made by the respective State Finance Commissions.

Renowned Indian filmmaker, actor, and writer Rishab Shetty received the special jury award for his groundbreaking work on 'Kantara' at the prestigious 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

The electrifying atmosphere at the festival's closing ceremony saw the unveiling of the first-look trailer of Kantara, Chapter-1, the prequel to Kantara, drawing thunderous applause from the captivated audience.

Shetty expressed his overwhelming gratitude, remarking, "I am humbled by the warmth and honor bestowed upon me at such a prestigious platform."

Sharing his filmmaking philosophy, Shetty articulated, "I believe in allowing my films to speak for themselves; the less spoken, the greater the success." His humility and dedication to the craft shine through as 'Kantara' continues to resonate with audiences.

Cinema is one of the few mediums with the power to unite people, Hollywood star Michael Douglas said after receiving the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) here on Tuesday.

The 10-day film gala concluded with Endless Borders from Germany winning the coveted Golden Peacock Award for the best film, while Deepak Kumar Mishra-directed Prime Video show Panchayat season two bagged the best OTT series award, which was introduced for the first time.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant felicitated Mr. Douglas with the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at the ceremony.

The defence ministry on November 28 sealed a Rs 2,956 crore deal with state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd to procure 16 upgraded super rapid gun mount (SRGM) and accessories for Indian Navy. The SRGM is a medium caliber anti-missile and anti-aircraft defence weapon system that provides a sustained rate of fire and high accuracy.

The ministry said the upgraded SRGMs will be installed onboard Indian Navy's in-service and newly built ships. "The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with M/s Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Haridwar on November 28 for procurement of 16 Upgraded Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) along with associated equipment/accessories for Indian Navy under Buy (Indian) category at a total cost of Rs 2956.89 crore," it said in a statement.