The News Caravan

Tag: record

  • Saudi non-oil private sector record highest level in 8 years

    Saudi non-oil private sector record highest level in 8 years

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    Riyadh: The activity of the non-oil private sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) accelerated during February to the highest level in 8 years, in light of increased demand associated with the improvement of economic conditions, the Anadolu Agency reported.

    Data from Standard & Poor’s Global showed that the purchasing managers’ index reading in Saudi Arabia which monitors the performance of non-oil private sector – rose to 59.8 points in February from 58.2 points in January.

    The survey showed that the new orders sub-index rose to 68.7 last month, the highest reading in more than eight years from 65.3 in January, continuing a recent upward trend based on strong demand momentum.

    Reuters attributed the significant rise in new orders to the improvement in economic conditions for companies, as the production sub-index recorded a strong increase, reaching 65.6 in February, from 63.6 in January, which led to further expansion in employment and purchasing.

    The survey indicated that the improvement in economic conditions leads to confidence in future business activity over the next 12 months.

    Saudi Arabia plans to focus on initiatives to develop the non-oil economy in 2023 but it will not enhance financial spending, according to what the Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal Al-Ibrahim said in previous statements, adding the government intends to use its unexpected oil revenues for this year to accelerate the diversification of its economy away from fuel.

    Purchasing Managers’ Index is based on five main pillars, which are new orders, inventory and production levels, suppliers’ delivery volume, and the employment and work environment.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • ‘Pathaan’ breaks ‘Baahubali 2’ Hindi record, director Siddharth Anand reacts

    ‘Pathaan’ breaks ‘Baahubali 2’ Hindi record, director Siddharth Anand reacts

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    Mumbai: There’s no stopping ‘Pathaan’. The Shah Rukh Khan-starrer has become highest grossing Hindi film ever, breaking ‘Baahubali 2’ record.

    Trade analyst Taran Adarsh wrote on Twitter, “#Pathaan #Tamil + #Telugu [Week 5] Fri 2 lacs, Sat 3 lacs, Sun 5 lacs, Mon 2 lacs, Tue 2 lacs, Wed 2 lacs, Thu 2 lacs. Total: Rs 18.24 cr. NOTE: #Pathaan #Hindi + #Tamil + #Telugu combined biz: Rs 528.29 cr. #India biz. Nett BOC.”

    tweet 1631574555277037575 20230304102728 via 10015 io 1
    tweet 1631576050844188673 20230304103015 via 10015 io

    The Hindi lifetime collection of Baahubali 2 stood at a staggering Rs 510.99 crore.

    With ‘Pathaan’ surprassing the collection of SS Rajamouli’s ‘Baahubali’ in Hindi, director Siddharth Anand expressed happiness on Twitter.

    “Crossed The Lifetime Collections Of #Baahubali2 In Hindi. Proud Moment For Me…!!!

    Once Again Thanks To All The Audience Who Encouraged The Film #Pathaan,” he tweeted.

    tweet 1631603941954707457 20230304103224 via 10015 io 1

    Released on January 25, ‘Pathaan’ also stars John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana among others. Produced by Yash Raj Films, the film is written by Shridhar Raghavan.

    The film’s team recently held a success bash where SRK, Deepika and Siddharth shared their experience of coming on board for Pathaan.

    “It’s nice to be back. I am not in a hurry to finish the film. Its always been my desire to spread happiness among people and make films to entertain. Whenever I fail to do so, nobody feels as bad as me. I am very happy that I was able to spread happiness and especially to those who are close to my heart – Aditya Chopra and Siddharth. And those who gave me the opportunity as you will notice the film is a very big film, it will be an expensive film. But to get me and give me a chance to come at the time I was not working and allow me to be a part of this film. I will ever ever be grateful to Aditya Chopra and Siddharth. And also to Deepika. I have forgotten those 4 years in these 4 days,” SRK said at the event.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Telangana power demand peaks record 14,794 MW on March 1

    Telangana power demand peaks record 14,794 MW on March 1

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    Telangana power demand peaks record 14,794 MW on Tuesday

    Hyderabad: Telangana on Tuesday recorded its highest-ever peak demand of 14,794 MW as against the 12,966 MW recorded on the corresponding date in 2022.

    According to Transco officials, this was the highest peak demand witnessed in the state since its formation and also predicted that the demand may touch 16,000 MW with consumption up to 300 million units in the coming days.

    TS Transco (Transmission Corporation of Telangana Limited) and Genco CMD (Chief Managing Director), D Prabhakar Rao said, “The hike in demand majorly comes from high power consumption in industries with an increase of 20 percent this year in the districts along with the rise in cultivable areas.”

    The agriculture sector accounts for 30 percent of the total electricity consumption in the state since a majority of farmers use borewells for cultivating crops.

    Various projects have been taken up by the state government after the state’s formation and hence Telangana increased its power generation capacity by 9,680 MW while another 7,962 MW of electricity on projects under various stages of construction is being supplied.

    Over Rs 38,000 crore was spent by the state government to develop infrastructure in the sector to continue a 24×7 free power supply to farmers.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Environment | The Antarctic sea ice cover shrank to a record low

    Environment | The Antarctic sea ice cover shrank to a record low

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    The researchers emphasized that the result is preliminary, as the ice cover may melt even more. The official result of the sea ice size will be published at the beginning of March.

    Antarctica sea ​​ice cover probably shrank to a record low last week, according to the US Snow and Ice Data Center NSIDC.

    The ice sheet has never been this small in the past 45 years that its size has been monitored by satellite measurements.

    According to researchers, the surface of the sea ice cover was 1.79 million square kilometers a week ago, which is 136,000 square kilometers less than the previous record result measured in 2022.

    NSIDC researchers stressed that the result is preliminary, as the ice sheet may melt even more. The official result of the sea ice size will be published at the beginning of March.

    The melting of sea ice is a problem because it accelerates climate change. White ice reflects up to 90 percent of the sun’s energy back into space. When the ice is replaced by a dark sea surface, the water binds a corresponding amount of the sun’s heat to itself.

    #Environment #Antarctic #sea #ice #cover #shrank #record

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    ( With inputs from : pledgetimes.com )

  • Animals | The Guardian: A record number of dead dolphins washed up on French shores

    Animals | The Guardian: A record number of dead dolphins washed up on French shores

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    According to those who campaign for animals, the time for dolphin populations is coming to an end. The French government has been called on to ban fishing in areas where animals are at risk.

    A record number dead dolphins have recently washed up on the shores of the Atlantic in France, writes a British newspaper The Guardian.

    Animal activists believe that this is only a fraction of the injuries and deaths of dolphins caused by fishing vessels.

    According to researchers at Pelagis, a marine mammal and bird observatory connected to the University of La Rochelle, entanglement in fishing gear is the main cause of death for dolphins, writes The Guardian.

    Researchers recorded 370 dead dolphins in the Bay of Biscay between December 1 and January 25.

    Last year, 669 dolphins were found on French beaches. Most of them were found between mid-December and early April.

    Marine conservation organization Sea Shepherd France has also reported on a case where a dolphin washed up on a French beach had been mutilated.

    The leader of the organization Lamya Essemlal according to the number of dolphins washed ashore is only the tip of the iceberg. According to the organization, the actual mortality of dolphins on the west coast of France could be up to 11,000 of the dolphin population, which is estimated at 180,000-200,000 individuals.

    “The majority of captured and released dolphins drown in the sea and their bodies sink,” he said, according to The Guardian.

    As a solution to the problem, it has been proposed, among other things, to allow fishing only in certain areas at certain times. The French government has also been called on to suspend certain non-selective fishing practices.

    #Animals #Guardian #record #number #dead #dolphins #washed #French #shores

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    ( With inputs from : pledgetimes.com )

  • Shoaib Akhtar’s speed record has stood for 20 years; can any bowler break it?

    Shoaib Akhtar’s speed record has stood for 20 years; can any bowler break it?

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    It was 20 years ago, during the 2003 cricket World Cup that Pakistan’s legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar bowled the fastest ball ever in the history of cricket. Bowling to Nick Knight of England, he sent down a thunderbolt which was timed at an incredible speed of 161.3 kilometers per hour. The delivery did not get him a wicket but he did create a long-lasting speed record. “After I touched 161.3 kmph, I thought I could bowl even quicker. But then I started getting pains in my back and in my hamstring. I thought I would break down so I left it at that,” explained Shoaib later.

    After the introduction of speed measuring devices in 1998, it was established beyond doubt who was the world’s fastest bowlers. After Shoaib is Shaun Tait of Australia (161.1 kmph), Brett Lee of Australia (160.8), Jeff Thomson of Australia (160.6) and, Mitchell Starc of Australia (160.4). All these bowlers have crossed the magic figure of 160. It would be pertinent to mention the name of Andy Roberts is also on this list. His fastest speed is just a fraction less at 159.5 kmph.

    But what is important to note is that all these legendary speed demons of cricket are now middle-aged or old. Shoaib Akhtar is now 47 years old, Shaun Tait is 40, Brett Lee is 46 and Mitchell Starc is still relatively young at 33 while the fiery Andy Roberts is now a grey-hairedred old man of 72 and so is aging Jeff Thomson, once a terror of the cricket fields but now a frail person.

    All these greats of the past have received many accolades for their feats. But all of them have also suffered from the wear and tear of their playing careers. Shoaib had to undergo knee surgeries even when he was a player and after retiring too. His only consolation is the fact that his speed record still stands. For a fast bowler that is a matter of great pride.

    But the million-dollar question is: Why no bowler has been unable to break Shoaib’s record? Do the present generation of fast bowlers lack the passion and technique of their predecessors?  This issue must be examined by the experts who are always devising better methods of coaching and getting better results from the players.

    Shoaib Akhtar ANI

    One of the possible reasons that could be looked into is natural limitations.  It is possible that the human body has limitations in terms of how fast a pace bowler can consistently bowl. The combination of strength, technique and fitness required to reach those speeds may be difficult for many bowlers to achieve.

    Secondly, now there are different priorities. The increasing popularity of T20 cricket has given an advantage to the batsmen. Rules have been tweaked in such a manner that the batsmen have got the upper hand. Bowlers have limited scope to perform. So bowlers are no longer going in for great speeds. Accuracy and variations in pace and length are more important now. As a result, bowlers may not be as motivated to break the speed record as they once were.

    Then, batters are better equipped now. Heavier bats, shorter boundaries and other factors make it easy for the batters but more difficult for the bowlers. Even the great Barry Richards, of South Africa, himself a batsman who created several records in his time, once remarked that cricket should be an even contest between the bat and the ball. He admitted that bowlers nowadays are finding the going more difficult.

    So it remains an established fact that breaking Shoaib Akhtar’s speed record will require a combination of natural talent, hard work and favorable conditions. Although it has stood for two decades, it is possible that the record may be broken in the future. But for now, it remains one of the most impressive achievements in the sport of cricket.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Israeli shekel’s value declines to lowest record against USD in 3 yrs

    Israeli shekel’s value declines to lowest record against USD in 3 yrs

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    Israeli shekel's value declines to lowest record against USD in 3 yrs

    Jerusalem: The value of Israel’s currency shekel has fell to its lowest record against the US dollar in nearly three years, according to exchange rates issued by Israel’s central bank.

    The shekel’s exchange rate against the dollar was set at 3.649 shekels per dollar, compared to the rate of 3.658 recorded on March 24, 2020.

    On January 25, 2023, the exchange rate was set at 3.37 shekels per dollar. Since then, the shekel has been devalued by 7.6 per cent in less than a month, Xinhua news agency reported.

    “The shekel’s devaluation is probably related to the approval of the first part of the juridical reform in the Israeli parliament on Monday night,” Sonia Gorodeisky, chief financial editor at Israel Hayom daily newspaper, told Xinhua.

    “The reform and the political uncertainty surrounding it cloud the general sentiment in the market which prefers certainty and broad consensus,” she added.

    Another reason for the strengthening of the dollar is the expectation of continued interest rate hikes in the US to levels of 5.25 to 5.5 per cent, said Gorodeisky.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • Hyderabad: PC-7MKII aircraft sets record by clocking 2L flying hrs

    Hyderabad: PC-7MKII aircraft sets record by clocking 2L flying hrs

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    Hyderabad: Pilatus PC-7MkII, a basic trainer aircraft clocked a major milestone of two lakh accident-free flying hours on February 20.

    According to a press release from the Indian Air Force on Monday, the aircraft was inducted in 2013. All aspiring pilots of the Indian Armed Forces are trained in managing this aircraft.

    It presently operates from Air Force Academy, Dundigal as well as Flying Instructors’ School, Tambaram in Tamil Nadu.

    “The fleet has facilitated a transformative evolution of training flying from the erstwhile HPT-32 aircraft. The accident-free record of the fleet since its inception is a noteworthy testimony of the professionalism and dedication of the operational and maintenance crew,” the press release stated.

    Acknowledging the role of past commandants, aircrew, maintenance engineers, technicians, and administrative personnel, Air Marshal B Chandra Sekhar praised their contribution.

    PC-7MkII fleet has set a new benchmark in flying and the platform has to-date trained more than 2,500 cadets, many of whom are themselves qualified flying instructors. The fleet has also trained pilots of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, apart from trainee cadets from friendly foreign countries.

    The Air Force Academy has the largest flying task as compared to any other IAF station and a total of about 25,000 hours are flown at AFA every year.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • India to record highest number of cashless transactions in world: Jaishankar at Raisina@Sydney

    India to record highest number of cashless transactions in world: Jaishankar at Raisina@Sydney

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    Sydney: India is moving ahead to record the largest number of cashless transactions in the world, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday at the Raisina @ Sydney Business Breakfast.

    “If you look at our cashless transactions, the UPI, I think we record the largest number of cashless transactions in the world. So there’s been a kind of a technology leapfrogging in the psyche of people, and that’s been actually a very big difference,” Jaishankar said at the Raisina@Sydney Business Breakfast.

    Raisina@Sydney Business Breakfast was organized jointly by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) and India’s Observer Research Foundation (ORF) at the InterContinental Hotel in Sydney.

    “The digital was ensuring the integrity of delivery and transaction that would not have been possible equally on the financial side because we encouraged people to open bank accounts, sometimes bank accounts with no money.

    But we were, again, during the same period, put money into the bank accounts of 415,000,000 people who are the lowest income in the country. And if you ask me, how did you get through COVID, I cannot overstate the importance of financially supporting people and feeding people and ensuring that this works on the ground,” he said.

    Jaishankar also stated that digital governance has now become the basic mechanism today to do socioeconomic delivery.
    “India is trying to demonstrate that the country can construct a social, comprehensive social welfare system, even at the scale of income. And the scale of income is USD 2,000 per capita,” he said.

    Talking about the social programs, Jaishankar said that in the last four years, India has been able to cover about 500 million people in health schemes, about the same number covered by pension schemes.

    “There was a program to replace firewood with cooking gas. And the cooking gas, the initial lot of cooking gas, you get free of cost. Now, that program was as big as 80 million people.

    We have a housing program, a housing program. We have already delivered 30 million houses, and at five people, a family in India, which means 150,000,000 people have been covered,” Jaishankar said.

    “So I’m giving you these numbers because it actually tells you the scale which digital backbone makes possible.We couldn’t have done this ten years ago because we didn’t have that backbone, and we didn’t have the strategic understanding to activate and utilize that backbone. And you can see this in the lifestyle of people as well today,” he added.

    He also said that Australia will get really deployable 5G technology from India this year and which is something that will be of great global interest. “Today you can see the change in infrastructure in India. The transformation has happened because of an integrated infrastructure policy,” he added.

    Raisina@Sydney Conference, which began today with ‘Business Breakfast’, will involve ministerial and high-level government representations as well as participation from industry and civil society.

    This mega event will also include panel and keynote addresses by leading regional think tanks on issues ranging from geopolitics to technology and economics.

    After the keynote address of Jaishankar, a panel session will be held that would cover topics like “Next steps in the Australia-India economic partnership: stability, security and sovereignty,” and it will be addressed by keynote speakers: Vivek Lall, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation; Jodi McKay, National Chair, Australia-India Business Council; Vikram Singh, Vice President, and Country Head – ANZ, Tata Consultancy Services and facilitated by Bec Shrimpton, Director, The Sydney Dialogue, Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

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    ( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

  • ‘Extreme situation’: Antarctic sea ice hits record low

    ‘Extreme situation’: Antarctic sea ice hits record low

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    The area of sea ice around Antarctica has hit a record low, with scientists reporting “never having seen such an extreme situation before”. The ice extent is expected to shrink even further before this year’s summer melting season ends.

    The impact of the climate crisis in melting sea ice in the Arctic is clear in the records that stretch back to 1979. Antarctic sea ice varies much more from year to year, which has made it harder to see an effect from global heating.

    However, “remarkable” losses of Antarctic sea ice in the last six years indicate that the record levels of heat now in the ocean and related changes in weather patterns may mean that the climate crisis is finally manifesting in the observations.

    Scientists were already very concerned about Antarctic ice. Climate models suggested as far back as 2014 that the giant West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), which sits on the continent, was doomed to collapse due to the levels of global heating already seen then.

    The increasing loss of sea ice exposes ice sheets and their glaciers to waves that accelerate their disintegration and melting, researchers warned. A recent study estimated that the WAIS would be tipped into gradual collapse – and four metres of sea level rise – with a global temperature rise as low as 1C, a point already passed.

    “I have never seen such an extreme, ice-free situation here before,” said Prof Karsten Gohl, from the Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in the Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany, and who first visited the region in 1994.

    Gohl, on board the research vessel Polarstern in Antarctica, said: “The continental shelf, an area the size of Germany, is now completely ice-free. It is troubling to consider how quickly this change has taken place.”

    Prof Christian Haas, also at the Helmholtz Centre, said: “The rapid decline in sea ice over the past six years is quite remarkable, since the ice cover hardly changed at all in the 35 years before.”

    Scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center in the US have also said a new record low has been set. They said Antarctic sea ice extent fell to 1.91m square kilometres on 13 February, below the previous record set on 25 February 2022.

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    Map of Antarctic sea ice extent

    Sea ice melts away in the Antarctic summer before starting to grow again as autumn arrives. “In past years, the annual minimum has occurred between 18 February and 3 March, so further decline is expected,” the NSIDC researchers said. “Much of the Antarctic coast is ice free. Earlier studies have linked low sea ice cover with wave-induced stresses on the floating ice shelves that hem the continent, leading to break up of weaker areas.”

    The German scientists said the “intense melting” could be due to unusually high air temperatures to the west and east of the Antarctic peninsula, which were about 1.5C above the long-term average. Furthermore, there have been strong westerly winds, which increase sea ice retreat. The result is “intensified melting of ice shelves, an essential aspect of future global sea-level rise”, the researchers said.

    Historical records also show dramatic changes in Antarctica, they said. The Belgian research vessel Belgica was trapped in massive pack ice for more than a year in the Antarctic summer 125 years ago, in exactly the same region where the Polarstern vessel is now sailing in completely ice-free waters.

    Prof Carlos Moffat, at the University of Delaware, US, and recently returned from a research cruise in the Southern Ocean, told Inside Climate News: “The extraordinary change we’ve seen this year is dramatic. Even as somebody who’s been looking at these changing systems for a few decades, I was taken aback by what I saw.”

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    ( With inputs from : www.theguardian.com )