The 10th Mission Steering Group under the chairmanship of Union Minister of Textiles has approved 12 research projects of value INR 13.3 Cr. under the National Technical Textiles Mission. The research projects were approved across key strategic areas of geotextiles, sustainable and smart textiles, composites, etc. The approved projects were proposed by eminent research bodies and institutions including IITs, NITs, CRRI, etc. The total number of approved research projects under the Mission now stands at 168 with a total value of approx. INR 509 Cr.

With the release of the new IPR guidelines under the Mission, Shri Giriraj Singh urged the industry to actively participate in research projects.

National Technical Textiles Mission is a flagship scheme of Ministry of Textiles focused on developing the research and development capabilities of the local industry, especially in the areas of high performance fibre development.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Monday launched a bike taxi service at 12 Metro stations to improve last-mile connectivity, and will offer dedicated women-operated taxis to women commuters, officials aware of the development said. These services will be available from 8am to 9pm.

Under the initiative, bike taxis can be availed of through the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC’s) Momentum 2.0 mobile phone app. The “SHERYDS” option will ensure women operators for only women passengers, and the rest can avail of rides through “RYDR” service on the same app, officials said.

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has announced a collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to establish a Centre of Excellence focused on research in ‘Fluid and Thermal Sciences.’ ISRO will provide seed funding of Rs 1.84 crore to support this initiative.

According to IIT Madras, this Centre will serve as the primary hub for ISRO’s thermal management research related to spacecraft and launch vehicles. It will address thermal issues, including the design, analysis, and testing of components, leveraging the expertise of IIT Madras faculty. An MoU was signed on November 11 by Prof. Manu Santhanam, dean of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research at IIT Madras, and Victor Joseph T, director of ISRO’s Directorate of Technology Development and Innovation.

Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal today released a book titled ‘Maa-Mother’ in New Delhi, in the presence of Kerala Governor, Arif Mohammed Khan and West Bengal Governor Dr C.V Anand Bose.

The book is written by Dr Davendra Kumar Dhodawat, Additional Secretary to the Governor of Kerala. The book includes an illustration of motherhood in the form of poems that are written in Hindi and English. It also delves into the untold story of the love and affection of mothers.

For someone whose aim entering the tournament was not to finish last, Aravindh Chithambaram not only surprised everyone, but also himself, when he went on to clinch the title by defeating Levon Aronian (US) 2-0 in a blitz tie-break in the second edition of the Chennai Grandmasters classical chess tournament at the Anna Centenary Library auditorium here on Monday.

What makes his title win incredible is that it was his first classical super tournament. He began the tournament with a struggle, when he was on the backfoot and had to defend almost throughout to manage a draw with Iranian Amin Tabatabaei in the first round. He was an unlikely winner until the end of the fifth round, when he’d drawn all his games. He had noted that he’d got no chance to win in any of his games.

Possibly boosted by his win against top seed Arjun Erigaisi in the sixth round, he won with black pieces versus Iranian Parham Maghsoodloo in the last round.

Alix Didier Fils-Aime was sworn in as Haiti's new prime minister, hours after a flight from the United States was hit by gunfire while making its final approach to the capital Port-au-Prince, Al Jazeera reported.

Fils-Aime was formally appointed on Monday by a presidential council after it fired the Caribbean nation's interim prime minister, Garry Conille. Following this, the newly appointed PM affirmed that he would ensure security across the nation.

"I pledge - in front of you, members of the presidential council and the entire nation - to put my energy, my skills and my patriotism at the service of the national cause," Al Jazeera quoted Fils-Aime as saying in French.

In Australia, the government has appointed the country’s first anti-slavery commissioner. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus today announced that Chris Evans, a former senator and human rights official, will serve as the inaugural Australian anti-slavery commissioner for a five-year term commencing in December. Dreyfus said in a statement that modern slavery deprives victims of their dignity, fundamental rights, and freedoms.

The new commissioner role will strengthen the work undertaken across government, business, and society in Australia to prevent and respond to modern slavery, he added. Walk Free’s 2023 Global Slavery Index estimated that there were 41,000 people living in modern slavery in Australia in 2021. A report released by the anti-slavery commissioner of the state of New South Wales in September estimated that there were 16,400 people in modern slavery in the state.

Mara Kocho is set to be next Managing Director (MD) of North Eastern Handicrafts & Handlooms Development Corporation Limited (NEHHDC), a PSU under the Ministry of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER). He has been recommended for the post by the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) panel on Monday. Presently, he is serving as Chief Engineer (Elect.) in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).

Kocho has been recommended for the post of MD of NEHHDC from a list of two candidates, who were interviewed by the PESB Selection panel in its selection meeting held on November 11. Another candidate, who was on the list, was from Ratnagiri Gas & Power Pvt. Limited.

As MD of NEHHDC, Kocho will be the Chief Executive of the corporation and will be accountable to its board of directors and government / shareholders. He will also be responsible for the efficient functioning of the corporation for achieving its corporate objectives and performance parameters.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia emphasized the significance of hosting the 25th South Asian Telecommunication Regulators Council (SATRC) conference in New Delhi, calling it an important milestone for the region. The conference, which began today and will conclude on November 13, brings together regulators from across South Asia to discuss and develop new regulatory ideas and strategies for the telecommunications sector.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Scindia described the event as a key moment for South Asia, which plays a critical role in the adoption of telecom technology.

The conference aims to provide a platform for regulators from telecom service providers, internet service providers, satellite service providers, and consumers to collaborate on shaping a unified regulatory agenda. Scindia highlighted the conference’s objective of generating a confluence of ideas to address the interests of all stakeholders.

The WMO State of the Climate 2024 Update once again issues a Red Alert at the sheer pace of climate change in a single generation, turbo-charged by ever-increasing greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere. 2015-2024 will be the warmest ten years on record; the loss of ice from glaciers, sea-level rise and ocean heating are accelerating; and extreme weather is wreaking havoc on communities and economies across the world.

The January – September 2024 global mean surface air temperature was 1.54 °C (with a margin of uncertainty of ±0.13°C) above the pre-industrial average, boosted by a warming El Niño event, according to an analysis of six international datasets used by WMO.

“Climate catastrophe is hammering health, widening inequalities, harming sustainable development, and rocking the foundations of peace. The vulnerable are hardest hit,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres.