In Punjab, efforts to make the state completely drug-free are going at different levels currently. The state government also started the mission ‘Hope Initiative’ in this regard from Amritsar yesterday. The Ardas for the success of this mission was performed in the premises of Sri Harmandir Sahib.

Akashvani's correspondent reports. led by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, thousands of youth from across the state yesterday participated in Ardaas at Sri Harmandir Sahib to make the state completely drug-free. These youth wearing yellow turbans, patkas and duppatas, prayed to the almighty to give strength to them for fulfilling this sacred mission aimed at wiping out the curse of drugs from this border state. This anti-drug ‘Hope Initiative’ has been embarked with a three fold strategy of Pray, Pledge, and Play which is first of its kind mass movement against drugs to break the backbone of this menace.

The berthing of the maiden vessel at Adani Port’s Vizhinjam transshipment terminal’s, the Zhen Hua 15, delivering cranes for the port’s development, marked a big milestone for the Adani Group as well as the country. The arrival of this vessel marks the project’s steady development, which is slated for commercial operations by next year. Strategically located on the southwestern coast, the Vizhinjam Port is set to transform the country’s port infrastructure by creating the capacity to handle ultra-large ships. Let’s understand the importance of Vizhinjam Port. 

It might sound like science fiction, but “marine cloud brightening” is being seriously considered as a way to shield parts of the ocean from extreme heat.

We’re using water cannons to spray seawater into the sky. This causes brighter, whiter clouds to form. These low marine clouds reflect sunlight away from the ocean’s surface, protecting the marine life below from the worst of climate change.

Australia’s Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program – a collaboration between several universities, CSIRO and the Australian Institute of Marine Science – is exploring whether cloud brightening could reduce coral bleaching. As an oceanographer and engineer I lead the program’s research into cooling and shading techniques.

Senior BJP leader and former MLA, Nallu Indrasena Reddy has been appointed as the Governor of Tripura.

The three-time MLA from Malakpet constituency has not been in the limelight for over a decade politically but has been active in the party circles. Born in Ranga Reddy district of Telangana, he won as MLA from Malakpet in the 1983, 1985 and 1999 elections. He also served as the floor leader of the BJP in the combined Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

Mr. Reddy also served as the president of the BJP in the combined state of Andhra Pradesh from 2003 to 2007 and as the national secretary of the BJP in 2014. Recently, he was appointed as a member of the BJP’s national executive committee. He is the second BJP leader to serve as the Governor from Telangana with Mr. Bandaru Dattatreya presently posted as the Governor of Haryana.

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Telangana BJP leader Indra Sena Reddy Nallu have been appointed as the Governors of Odisha and Tripura, respectively, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said on October 18.

Mr. Das, currently a national vice-president of the BJP, was the first non-tribal Chief Minister of Jharkhand from 2014 to 2019. He has been appointed to the gubernatorial post in place of Ganeshi Lal, who has completed his tenure.

Mr. Das was part of the Janata Party in 1977 and joined the BJP as a founding member in 1980, according to his biodata.

Lao People’s Democratic Republic has eliminated lymphatic filariasis (LF), a disease that cripples and has significant social and economic impact on the affected communities according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

This is the country’s second neglected tropical disease (NTD) to be eliminated in six years, following the elimination of trachoma as a public health hazard in 2017.

The WHO attributed the success to decades of hard effort by the Lao government, health-care workers, communities, and national and international partners.

The World Food Day is celebrated on October 16 every year.

The emphasis of World Food Day celebrations every year is on the furtherance of food security all over the world.

Across the world there are thousands of people who suffer from hunger and we need to do more to raise awareness to combat the problem of starvation.

The WFD can also be leveraged to raise awareness about healthy diets.

Several organizations around the globe celebrate the World Food Day, including the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Food Programme.

The web portal ‘Apna Chandrayaan’ has been inaugurated by Dharmendra Pradhan, union minister, Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The portal is believed to be a valuable resource for school students, providing them with activity-based support materials like quizzes and puzzles related to ‘Mission Chandrayaan-3’. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) developed this portal under the auspices of the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), which falls under the Ministry of Education, according to an official release.

The web portal features an array of educational resources for students at various levels. The offerings include coloring books, online quizzes, jigsaw puzzles, picture-building activities and captivating graphic novels that narrate the journey of Chandrayaan 3. Specifically designed for foundational and preparatory levels, there are coloring sheets, dot-to-dot exercises and color-coding activities, all intended to foster observation and awareness in students. Additionally, interactive online quizzes are available for students at the preparatory, middle and secondary levels, complete with detailed feedback for their responses, the release mentioned.

'Looking for Challan', a poignant film produced by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and directed by Bappa Ray, clinched the coveted National Award for the 'Best Investigative Film' category. Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary of IGNCA, along with Bappa Ray, received the prestigious accolade from President Smt. Droupadi Murmu in an esteemed ceremony held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. This outstanding recognition of 'Looking for Challan' as the ‘Best Investigative Film’ this year serves as a testament to the team's unwavering dedication and collaborative spirit. The film was honoured with the prestigious 'Rajat Kamal' (Certificate of Excellence) and a cash prize of Rs. 50,000.

India's dynamic AI landscape is currently experiencing an unprecedented boom, with startups at the helm of this transformative wave. The AI revolution was kickstarted by OpenAI with the launch of ChatGPT in November last year. Today, generative AI holds the potential to unlock a staggering $4.4 trillion in value across various sectors.

The 'Expand North Star' event, organized by the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), along with GITEX GLOBAL recently took center stage, putting the spotlight on over 400 AI-infused startups. Notably, AI emerged as a recurring theme across all conference tracks.

A panel discussion titled 'Generative AI Market Map worth $98 Billion: VCs Hungry for Startups in AI & DeepTech: Overhyped or the Next Frontier?' delved into how AI startup innovations are reshaping the Indian enterprise landscape. Moderated by Aly Madhav, Managing Partner at Blockchain Founders Fund, the session provided insights into the challenges faced by early-stage startups and the requisite due diligence as they scale.