A US military helicopter on Saturday morning made an emergency landing in a rice field in the Japanese prefecture of Kanagawa, south of Tokyo, local media reported.
No injuries have been reported in the incident which took place in Ebina city, national broadcaster NHK reported citing the local fire department, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters, a report was received at 10:56 a.m. local time stating that a helicopter marked with the word “Navy” had landed in a rice field in the city.
The police believed the helicopter to be a US military aircraft but its exact affiliation remains unknown.
When the police arrived, they were unable to approach the helicopter, but no damage to the aircraft or oil leakage was observed, and there were no reports of injuries or falling debris in the vicinity.
The helicopter left the scene by taking off at around 12:40 p.m. local time, heading towards the US military’s Atsugi base, according to media reports citing local officials.
Further details about the cause of the incident are still under investigation. AGENCIES
The US Defense Department will move a fighter jet squadron to the Middle East and maintain an aircraft carrier in the region, the Pentagon said, as President Joe Biden made good on his promise to beef up the American military presence to help defend Israel from possible attacks by Iran and its proxies and also safeguard US troops.
In a statement, the department said on Friday that Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin also ordered additional ballistic missile defence-capable cruisers and destroyers to the European and Middle East regions and is taking steps to send more land-based ballistic missile defence weapons there.
The shifts come as US leaders worry about escalating violence in the Middle East in response to recent attacks by Israel on Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, which triggered threats of retaliation.
Biden in a call on Thursday afternoon with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed new US military deployments to protect against possible attacks from ballistic missiles and drones, according to the White House.
In April, US forces intercepted dozens of missiles and drones fired by Iran against Israel and helped shoot down nearly all of them.
The assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday and senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Beirut on Tuesday risk escalating the fighting into an all-out regional war, with Iran also threatening to respond after the attack on its territory.
Israel has vowed to kill Hamas leaders over the group’s October 7 attack, which sparked the war.
Lloyd Austin is ordering the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East to replace the Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, which is in the Gulf of Oman but scheduled to come home later this summer. This decision suggests the Pentagon has decided to keep a carrier consistently in the region as a deterrent against Iran at least until next year.
The Pentagon did not say where the fighter jet squadron was coming from or where it would be based in the Middle East. A number of allies in the region are often willing to base US military forces but don’t want it made public.
The White House in a statement said that Biden “reaffirmed his commitment to Israel’s security against all threats from Iran, including its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis”.
Earlier on Friday, Sabrina Singh, Pentagon Spokeswoman, told reporters that moves were in the works.
She said Austin “will be directing multiple” force movements to provide additional support to Israel and increase protection for US troops in the region.
In addition, a US official said that two US Navy destroyers that are currently in the Middle East will be heading north up the Red Sea toward the Mediterranean Sea. At least one of those could linger in the Mediterranean if needed. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss troop movements. AGENCIES
Death Valley, one of the hottest locations in the world at the height of summer, just experienced the hottest month on record this July, with an average 24-hour temperature of 108.5 degrees Fahrenheit (42.5 degrees Celsius), said US Death Valley National Park officials.
Park officials noted in a news release that this beats the park’s previous record of 108.1 degrees Fahrenheit (42.3 degrees Celsius) set in 2018, Xinhua news agency reported.
The average high temperature during the record-breaking month was a sweltering 121.9 degrees Fahrenheit (49.9 degrees Celsius), with the park experiencing nine days 125 degrees Fahrenheit (51.7 degrees Celsius) or greater and only seven days that didn’t reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.9 degrees Celsius).
The highest temperature came on July 7 when the weather station at the park’s Furnace Creek area recorded 129.2 degrees Fahrenheit (54 degrees Celsius), according to the news release.
Park officials pointed out that “high temperatures only tell half the story,” as the average low temperature of 95.2 degrees Fahrenheit (35.1 degrees Celsius) meant that there was little relief overnight.
“We just experienced the hottest month in history in the hottest place on Earth! Six of the 10 hottest summers have come in the past 10 years, which should serve as a wake-up call,” said Mike Reynolds, the superintendent of Death Valley National Park. “Record-breaking months like this one could become the norm as we continue to see global temperatures rise,” he added.
Death Valley National Park rangers responded to multiple life-threatening heat-related incidents in July, including one fatality where heat was a factor and another incident where a man had to be rescued from sand dunes after losing his flip-flops and experiencing second-degree burns.
Park rangers urge summer travellers to Death Valley National Park to stay within a 10-minute walk of an air-conditioned vehicle, drink plenty of water, eat salty snacks, and wear a hat and sunscreen.
Death Valley, located between the US states of California and Nevada, is the hottest, lowest and driest place in the country. The world’s highest air temperature of 134 degrees Fahrenheit (56.7 degrees Celsius) was recorded at Furnace Creek in the park on July 10, 1913, according to the US National Park Service. AGENCIES
Venezuela’s National Electoral Council has confirmed that President Nicolas Maduro won last week’s elections with 51.95 per cent of the vote.
With 96.87 per cent of the ballots counted, Maduro received 6,408,844 votes, while his main Opposition rival garnered 5,326,104 votes (43.18 per cent), according to Elvis Amoroso, Head of the National Electoral Council, on Friday.
Amoroso also announced the vote percentages for other candidates: Luis Martinez received 1.24 per cent of the vote, Antonio Ecarri, 0.94 per cent; Benjamin Rausseo, 0.75 per cent; Jose Brito, 0.68 per cent; Javier Bertucci, 0.52 per cent; Claudio Fermin, 0.33 per cent; Enrique Marquez, 0.24 per cent; and Daniel Ceballos, 0.16 per cent, Xinhua news agency reported.
He said a total of more than 12,386,000 votes were counted, representing 59.97 per cent of the eligible electorate, with a little more than 50,000 votes, or 0.41 per cent, declared invalid.
Amoroso blamed “massive cyberattacks” against the election technological infrastructure and the country’s main telecommunications companies for the delayed transmission of results and the delayed disclosure process.
Despite the burning of electoral offices, voting centres, and what he described as “terrorist attacks,” Amoroso said the National Electoral Council managed to transmit the majority of the results.
He expressed gratitude to the Armed Forces, international observers, and officials, who he said had made the July 28 presidential elections possible. AGENCIES
The water level at the cooling pond of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine, which is vital for the facility’s nuclear safety, has continued to decrease over the past weeks, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.
“If this trend continues, ZNPP staff confirmed that it will soon become challenging to pump water from the pond,” the IAEA said on Friday in a statement.
“Maintaining the level of the pond is made more difficult by the hot summer weather.”
“The dwindling water levels in the cooling pond remains a potential source of concern,” IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi said, adding that the agency would continue to closely monitor and observe the situation at the site to ensure a sufficient supply of cooling water for the plant’s needs at all times, Xinhua news agency reported.
The IAEA experts stationed at the ZNPP have continued to hear military activity at varying distances from the plant over the past week.
The team also “observed smoke in the distance multiple times in the past week, which the ZNPP reported was caused by fires,” the statement said.
All six reactors of the ZNPP remain in a state of cold shutdown, according to the United Nations nuclear watchdog. agencies
Considered to be one of the most influential figures in the history of Western art, Dutch Post – Impressionist master Vincent van Gogh is also a popular choice for modern, immersive exhibitions where technology meets art. The Real Van Gogh Immersive Experience will showcase in Chandigarh from August 2 at Nexus Elante Mall and will be on for a month. The exhibition will showcase around 265 artworks from the 2,100-collection scattered around the world in museums and private collections. Immersive experiences that transform the walls and floors of an exhibition space into a kind of technicolor Van Gogh dream world have popped up from New York, Paris, London, Singapore, Amsterdam, Chennai to Hyderabad. Chandigarh will host the Van Gogh experience for the first time, following its successful runs in Chennai and Hyderabad.
Expressing his excitement on bringing the experience to Chandigarh, the Executive Producer, and brand ambassador for the exhibit Nikhil Chinapa said, “The Real Van Gogh Immersive has become a new sensation among the youth and a trendsetter in the Indian art scene, igniting a renewed passion for art appreciation and consumption. I am thrilled we could bring this to Nexus Elante in Chandigarh, a city with design deeply interwoven into its identity.”
Speaking on the press conference, Nishank Joshi, CMO, Nexus Select Trust “Nexus Elante is thrilled to host the Real Van Gogh art exhibition to Chandigarh. This immersive experience offers visitors of all ages a unique opportunity to explore the iconic work of Van Gogh like never before. At Nexus we believe in providing exceptional experiences and services to our customers. We are always committed to bringing world-class cultural events to our location, and this exhibition is a testament to that dedication. We are proud to host such an immersive experience for the audience of this tricity at our mall.”
The Real Van Gogh Immersive Experience brings out the colours and emotions of the Dutch master’s paintings via an unparalleled visual spectacle, boasting India’s first 22000 lumen projection and largest screens in India, and a specially-created music score by Mitch de Klein that breathes new life into van Gogh’s timeless masterpieces. The paintings for The Real Van Gogh Immersive Experience were curated and animated by visual artists Hemali Vadalia and Naveen Boktapa of Motionvan Studios, with inputs by Executive Producer, Jay Punjabi.
Presented by The Silly Fellows in collaboration with creative entrepreneur Nikhil Chinapa, the Real Van Gogh Immersive Experience 2024 saw art enthusiasts and curious onlookers sell out show after show in Chennai and Hyderabad.
Van Gogh experienced life and the world intensely and his bold, dramatic brushstrokes conveyed joy, anxiety and anguish his mind held. A specially curated line-up featuring visually captivating pieces from van Gogh’s extraordinary collection, such as Starry Night, The Plain of Auvers, Wheatfield with Crows, Portrait of Theo, and The Potato Eaters, is on display.
“This isn’t just about art; it’s a bold move to redefine cultural experiences in our own backyard, giving every doorstep a front-row seat to the avant-garde of today’s creative narrative, and being able to showcase it to audiences beyond Tier 1 cities,” added The Silly Fellow’s co-founder Sharan John.
“Immersive experiences like this have taken the world by storm and ignited a love for art in the young generation in a way that speaks to them and we are very keen to take The Real Van Gogh Immersive Experience to every corner of the country,” Executive Producer, Jay Punjabi said.
The content for this captivating showcase was meticulously crafted over a span of nine months, ensuring a rich and engaging experience for visitors. The 60-minute journey through the exhibition unfolds across four carefully curated spaces, each designed to offer a distinct facet of the artist’s work.
The Education Room serves as an informative and insightful introduction, providing context and background to van Gogh’s life and artistic journey. The first room in the experience, it takes visitors through the tapestry of his work and life.
The Infinity Room, as the name suggests, is an expansive space where visitors find themselves in an immersive and awe-inspiring environment.
The Immersive Room transports attendees deeper into the world of Vincent van Gogh. Dynamic projections and sensory elements enhance the connection between the audience and the artist’s creations.
After the immersive journey, visitors can explore The Merchandise Store, where they can take home souvenirs and mementos related to the exhibition.
Exhibits like The Real Van Gogh Immersive Experience reflect a growing appetite for immersive and culturally enriching events, solidifying its place as a must-see, Instagram-friendly spectacle for the 21st century consumer.
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) on Thursday posted the highest-ever net profit at Rs 3,107 crore (up 47 per cent year-on-year) along with record EBITDA at Rs 4,848 crore for the quarter that ended June 30.
The Adani Group’s flagship company posted the highest-ever quarterly revenue at Rs 7,560 crore, a 21 per cent growth, as volume grew 8 per cent to 109 MT in the April-June quarter.
“FY25 has begun on a strong note for us with a stellar performance on both financial and growth fronts. On the financial front, we posted all-time high earnings. But for the temporary disruption in Gangavaram Port, which is now fully restored, our Q1 cargo volume would have been at 114.7 MMT, a 13 per cent increase,” said Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and CEO, APSEZ.
“On the growth front, we won two new port concessions and a port O&M contract. We are proud that four of our ports featured in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index 2023,” Gupta added.
The cargo volume growth was primarily driven by containers (up 18 per cent YoY) and liquids and gas (up 11 per cent YoY).
The company had a temporary disruption leading to a loss of 5.7 MMT at the Gangavaram Port, which is now fully restored.
Mundra port handled the highest quarterly volume by any Indian port (51 MMT) in the quarter.
Mundra, Kattupalli, Hazira, and Krishnapatnam featured in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index 2023. The index benchmarks ports globally across multiple parameters, including productivity, efficiency and reliability.
Adani Ports signed a 30-year concession agreement with the Tanzania Ports Authority to operate and manage Container Terminal 2 at the Dar es Salaam Port, Tanzania.
The quarter also saw the first mothership arriving at the Vizhinjam Port, India’s first trans-shipment port equipped with South Asia’s most advanced container handling technology.
Last month, ‘San Fernando’, a vessel of the world’s second-largest shipping company Maersk, arrived at the Vizhinjam Port with over 2,000 containers on it.
Vizhinjam Port is a perfect example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s triple focus — Ports for Prosperity, Ports for Progress and Ports for Productivity. AGENCIES
India’s coal production has increased by a robust 11.7 per cent to scale a record level of 997.83 million tonnes during the financial year March 31, 2024, Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy has informed the Lok Sabha.
He said that the government focuses on increasing the domestic production of the fuel to eliminate non-essential imports of coal in the country.
The minister said that coal production has risen steadily in the last four years from 730.9 million tonnes in 2019-20.
“The double-digit increase has been carried over to the first quarter (April-June) of the current financial year with a growth of 10.75 per cent to 247.396 MT,” the minister said.
He said that the steps taken by the government to step up coal production in the country include a single window clearance portal for the coal sector to speed up the operationalisation of coal mines.
As part of the new reforms, an auction of commercial mining on a revenue-sharing basis was launched in 2020.
“Under the commercial mining scheme, a rebate of 50 per cent on the final offer has been allowed for the quantity of coal produced earlier than the scheduled date of production,” he said.
The minister added that the incentives on coal gasification or liquefaction (rebate of 50 per cent on final offer) have also been granted.
“The terms of commercial coal mining too have been liberalised with no restriction on utilisation of coal, which has allowed new companies to participate in the bidding process,” the minister explained.
He said that coal companies including the country’s largest producer Coal India Ltd have also taken various steps to increase domestic coal production such as the adoption of mass production technologies.
“It has also been using state-of-the-art technology in its high-capacity excavators, dumpers and surface miners. Besides, Coal India is planning large capacity UG mines wherever feasible,” the minister added. AGENCIES
HONOR is poised to make waves in the smartphone market with the upcoming launch of its flagship device, the HONOR Magic6 Pro 5G.
This cutting-edge smartphone is set to introduce a range of best-in-class features that promise to elevate the user experience to new heights.
The Magic6 Pro 5G redefines smartphone photography with the AI-powered HONOR Falcon Camera System. This advanced triple-camera setup features a 50MP main camera with the flagship Super Dynamic Falcon Camera H9000 HDR sensor, a 180MP Periscope Telephoto camera, and a 50MP ultra-wide and macro camera.
The Falcon system boasts an industry-first 1/1.3-inch sensor, offering an 800 per cent improvement in dynamic range and exceptional clarity in all lighting conditions. The front-facing 50MP camera, equipped with a 3D depth sensor, supports 4K video recording, ensuring stunning selfies and video calls.
At the heart of the HONOR Magic6 Pro 5G is MagicOS 8.0, the world’s first intent-based user interface. This groundbreaking UI leverages advanced AI capabilities to provide a seamless and highly intelligent experience.
Built on Android 14, MagicOS 8.0 introduces features like Magic Ring for enhanced device connectivity, Magic Capsule for intuitive interactions, and AI Call Privacy 3.0 for superior call privacy.
The system’s proprietary AI language model, MagicLM, ensures smooth and intuitive natural language processing, making the Magic6 Pro 5G a truly smart device.
The Magic6 Pro 5G is equipped with a 6.8-inch full-range Low Power Consumption LTPO display, featuring a resolution of 2800×1280 and a peak HDR brightness of 5000 nits. The display supports a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, Dolby Vision, and Full Screen AOD (Always On Display) for an immersive viewing experience.
With TUV Rheinland Flicker Free and Circadian Friendly certifications, the Magic6 Pro 5G prioritises eye safety and user comfort.
The HONOR NanoCrystal Shield provides unmatched screen durability, offering 10x toughness and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance.
Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform, the HONOR Magic6 Pro 5G delivers exceptional performance, with a 30 per cent improvement in CPU and a 25 per cent increase in GPU performance.
The device’s AI capabilities enhance productivity and ensure smooth, stable operations, making it ideal for gaming, multitasking, and more.
The HONOR Magic6 Pro 5G introduces the segment’s first silicon-carbon battery, inspired by advancements in electric vehicle technology. With a robust 5,600mAh capacity, this second-generation battery offers extended usage and exceptional performance, even in low-temperature environments.
The innovative battery technology, paired with the HONOR E1 Power Enhanced Chip, provides intelligent power management and fast charging capabilities, allowing users to recharge their devices to 100 per cent in just 39 minutes.AGENCIES
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) on Thursday reported 3.21 per cent drop in total vehicle sales for July at 64,563 units, against 66,701 vehicles in the same month last year.
The automaker sold 49,013 units in the domestic market, a 3.33 per cent decrease from 50,701 vehicles sold in July last year.
In terms of exports, it stood at 15,550 units, 2.81 per cent down from 16,000 vehicles.
In the first half of this year (January-June period), the company sold 4,50,335 units, achieving a growth of 4.3 per cent (year-on-year).
SUVs accounted for 66.6 per cent of the domestic sales, with the new Hyundai CRETA achieving sales of 1 lakh units, since its launch in January.
“The new Hyundai CRETA achieved key milestones of 1 lakh unit sales till July, while also achieving highest-ever monthly domestic sales of 17,350 units in July 2024,” said Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director and Chief Operating Officer, HMIL.
Meanwhile, Kia India continued its growth momentum with 20,507 domestic sales in July.
The automaker registered 2.5 per cent YoY growth compared to 20,002 units sold in July last year.
The newly-launched Sonet claimed the highest contribution to Kia India’s July sales with 9,459 units, followed by Carens and Seltos with 5,679 and 5347 units, respectively.
As per Vahan data, Kia India recorded a growth of 26 per cent against the industry average of 9 per cent in the month.
“We have registered a healthy YoY sales growth in July, a good headstart for the Q3 and H2 of the year. We are determined to maintain this momentum throughout the year, which should give us all confidence in our future success,” said Hardeep Singh Brar, SVP and National Head of Sales and Marketing.
Kia India has completed over 1.2 million vehicle dispatches from its Anantapur plant, including over 9.8 lakh domestic sales and over 2.5 lakh exports. AGENCIES
