Authorities in the Australian state of Victoria said on Friday that there is no indication of the massive factory fire in Melbourne being suspicious.

Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) confirmed in a statement that 20 firefighters and five appliances are still working on the scene after a significant chemical explosion caused a huge fire in Derrimut on Wednesday.

“The incident remains under control but there are still hotspots in inaccessible areas due to structural integrity and site contamination concerns. Over the next 24 hours, FRV crews will continue to suppress hotspots and take the heat out of locations that are still burning,” said the authority.

FRV investigators are working with WorkSafe and Victoria Police to investigate the incident, while there is currently no indication the fire was suspicious, according to the fire authority, reported Xinhua news agency.

FRV Deputy Commissioner Josh Fischer said that authorities would remain at the scene for days, if not weeks.

“This is a complex and dangerous environment, there are a lot of hazards associated with this incident so we’re taking extreme caution and care as we manage those risks for our firefighters from the time of the incident and into the future,” Fischer said.

The incident unfolded at around 11:20 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Emergency services rushed to a factory on Swann Drive in Derrimut, which contained a range of chemicals including kerosene, fuel, methylated spirits, and ethanol.

Following a large explosion, flames burst out at the site, with toxic smoke billowing towards the east across Derrimut.

As of Friday, Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria updated that preventing further environmental damage to waterways continues to be a major focus with more contaminated firewater being pumped away from the area and taken for disposal.

“EPA advice to avoid contact with the waters there remains in place. At this stage,” the environmental regulator said, also assuring the public that the smoke no longer poses any risk.

Local media revealed that the industrial facility was operated by the chemical blending manufacturer ACB Group, where a worker died in a chemical explosion last year. AGENCIES

 Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong has been on a visit to India to review the company’s local operations and meet with business partners, according to a report.

Lee arrived in Mumbai on Thursday, reports Yonhap News Agency, citing sources.

Samsung Electronics operates a smartphone factory in Noida, northern India, and a home appliance facility in Sriperumbudur, southern India, along with several R&D and design centres.

It also has a strong presence in the network business in India, supplying fifth-generation mobile communications (5G) equipment for more than a decade.

Meanwhile, Samsung has unveiled the all-new Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 foldables, along with wearable devices, with new features at its ‘Unpacked’ event.

The Galaxy Z Fold6, Z Flip6 and wearable devices (Galaxy Ring, Buds3 series, Watch7 and Watch Ultra) will be available for pre-order starting July 10, with general availability from July 24.

The Galaxy Z Flip6 (12GB+256GB) will cost Rs 109,999 and the 12GB+512GB version will come for Rs 121,999.

Galaxy Z Fold6 in the 12GB+256GB variant will cost Rs 164,999 while the 12GB+512GB version will come for Rs 176,999. The 12GB+1TB (silver shadow colour) will cost Rs 200,999, informed the company. AGENCIES

Singaporean police are investigating 528 suspects for over 2,200 scam and unlicensed moneylending cases following an enforcement operation from July 1 to July 10, according to the latest statement from the police.

Up to 425 were probed for scam and money laundering offences. The police said victims lost over 10 million Singapore dollars (7.4 million US dollars) in the cases, reported Xinhua news agency.

Another 103 suspects were under investigation for loan scams and loansharking activities.

A total of 41 persons were under arrest. Investigations against all the suspects are ongoing, the police added. AGENCIES

South Korea and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) signed an agreement on a mutual recognition process for military airworthiness certification, NATO’s first such deal with an Asian country.

Korea’s Defence Acquisition Programme Administration and NATO’s Aviation Committee inked the agreement, a key measure of a plane’s suitability for safe flight, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, Yonhap news agency reported.

Under the deal signed on Thursday, NATO will recognise the Seoul government’s airworthiness certification for South Korean-made planes.

While South Korea has signed agreements with the United States, Spain, France and Poland, the new deal with NATO is expected to shorten the time required for mutual recognition with other NATO members.

President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed hope that the mutual recognition process would help increase defence industry cooperation between South Korea and NATO members.

“I welcome the signing of the airworthiness certification as it would enhance interoperability” between South Korea and NATO, Yoon said in his meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

In 2022, Korea Aerospace Industries signed a deal to export 48 FA-50 light combat aircraft to Poland and has completed delivery of 12 jets. AGENCIES

 Three people went missing after a residence in western Japanese prefecture of Ehime was buried in a landslide early Friday, local media reported.

In Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, a slope measuring around 50 meters wide and 100 meters high collapsed from a mountain at around 4 a.m. local time, with mud reported to have entered nearby houses and an apartment building,said a Japanese news agency citing police and firefighters, Xinhua news agency reported.

The report said that local authorities are searching for three people after the landslide.

The city has issued a level-five evacuation alert, the highest, in the disaster-hit Shimizu district, which requires people to immediately act to protect their lives by moving to a sturdy building, the upper floor of a house, or another safe location.

As of 8 a.m. local time on Friday, Matsuyama City had recorded 213 mm of rainfall since Wednesday, equivalent to the monthly average rainfall for July.

The landslide occurred as the country’s weather agency warned of heavy rain mainly in western Japan, urging people to be on high alert for landslides and flooding in low-lying areas.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said with a rainy-season front lingering over the Pacific side of western to eastern Japan through Saturday, the atmospheric conditions are likely to be very unstable. AGENCIES

US forces have destroyed five Houthi uncrewed surface vessels in the Red Sea, according to US Central Command.

The forces also destroyed two Houthi uncrewed aerial systems over the Red Sea and one system in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, late Thursday, reported Xinhua news agency citing the US Central Command’s statement.

“It was determined these systems presented an imminent threat to US, coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters more safe and secure,” the US Central command said.

Early on Thursday, the Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, said the US-British coalition launched five airstrikes targeting the area of Rad Issa, northwest of the Houthi-held Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.

Since last November and in a display of solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the Houthi group began to launch anti-ship ballistic missiles and drones targeting what they said are Israeli-linked ships transiting the Red Sea.

In response, the US-British naval coalition stationed in the waters has since January conducted air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group, leading to the expansion of Houthi attacks to include US and British commercial vessels and naval ships.

Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi said in a televised speech on Thursday that his group had targeted “a total of 166 ships linked to Israel, the US, and Britain” since November. AGENCIES

A joint nuclear deterrence guidelines document signed by South Korea and the United States will significantly expand the assignment of US strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula to a “constant” level, South Korea’s defence ministry said Friday, as the allies seek to bolster their cooperation in responding to North Korean threats.

On Thursday, Cho Chang-rae, Seoul’s Deputy Defence Minister for Policy, and Vipin Narang, Acting US Assistant Secretary of Defence for Space Policy, inked the ‘Guidelines for Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Operations on the Korean Peninsula’.

The signing of the document came a year after the allies launched the Nuclear Consultative Group in joint efforts to ensure the credibility of America’s “extended deterrence” commitment to South Korea in an integrated way that includes South Korea’s conventional support for US nuclear operations in a contingency.

Extended deterrence refers to a US pledge to mobilize the full range of its military capabilities, including nuclear arms, to defend its ally, reports Yonhap news agency.

Under the joint guidelines, the allies will seek to expand the frequency and level of US strategic assets deployed to the Korean Peninsula, as the document commits to the assignment of Korean Peninsula missions of such weapons during both wartime and peacetime, according to the ministry.

The document also paves the way for the allies to sharpen their practical capabilities against nuclear threats through the joint sharing of intelligence, planning, training and implementation of operations, with South Korea expected to play a bigger role compared with the past, it added.

“The US had notified of and discussed imminent deployment of strategic assets. But South Korea and the US will now discuss the need for such deployment around-the-clock,” a ministry official said.

The ministry emphasised that the signing of the document elevates the South Korea-US alliance that had been based on conventional weapons to a “firm nuclear-based alliance.”

“The conventional-nuclear integration between South Korea and the US marks the first and sole case of a non-nuclear nation directly discussing nuclear operations with the US,” the ministry said according to Yonhap news agency.

On Thursday, President Yoon Suk Yeol and US President Joe Biden warned that any North Korean nuclear attack against South Korea will be met with a “swift, overwhelming and decisive” response, as they highlighted “tremendous” progress in their joint deterrence efforts.

The leaders issued the warning as they met on the margins of a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in Washington amid growing concerns over North Korea’s unceasing pursuit of advanced nuclear and missile programmes and its deepening military alignment with Russia. AGENCIES

About 64 per cent of the Indian organisations observed enhanced innovative work like developing new features, with adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), versus 61 per cent globally, a new report said on Wednesday.

According to the IT firm Capgemini, innovative work and upskilling are the top areas where organisations are channellising productivity gains.

“GenAI has emerged as a powerful technology to assist software engineers, rapidly gaining adoption. Its impact on coding efficiency and quality is measurable and proven, yet it holds promise for other software activities,” said Pierre-Yves Glever, Head of Global Cloud & Custom Applications at Capgemini.

The report surveyed 1,098 senior executives (director and above) and 1,092 software professionals (architects, developers, testers, and project managers, among others).

Moreover, the report showed that 49 per cent of Indian organisations are focusing on software professionals’ efforts on complex, high-value tasks as compared to 46 per cent globally.

About 47 per cent of organisations in India and globally are upskilling software professionals on business skills and understanding.

Further, the report mentioned that 35 per cent of Indian and global organisations are assessing and evaluating potential GenAI use cases.

About 20 per cent of Indian organisations are running pilots with Gen AI as compared to 27 per cent globally.

Around 54 per cent stated that they have the culture and leadership for the implementation of GenAI, while 44 per cent said they have the computation infrastructure and the processes and workflows for the implementation of GenAI. AGENCIES

The Indian telecom sector will get a boost if the Centre further reduces the tax burden in the upcoming budget to help enhance the financial well-being of the sector, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) said on Wednesday.

In its recommendations on behalf of the telecom industry, the COAI said considering the huge capital that telecom service providers (TSPs) have to invest in the current scenario, especially for the deployment of 5G, the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) levy should be abolished.

Alternatively, the government may consider the suspension of the USO contribution of 5 per cent of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) till the existing USO corpus of approximately Rs 80,000 crore is exhausted, the industry body noted.

“The telecom industry plays a pivotal role in this transition providing affordable connectivity and inclusivity. Thus, reducing the TSPs’ levy burden and facilitating investment opportunities are not just an economic necessity but a strategic investment for the country’s future,” said Lt Gen Dr S.P. Kochhar, Director General, COAI.

COAI also recommended that the license fee be reduced from 3 per cent to 1 per cent, so that it just covers the administrative costs by the Department of Telecommunication/government, thereby relieving the TSPs from additional financial burden.

“The industry is also concerned over the definition of gross revenue (GR). The definition of GR be made precise, stipulating that the revenue from activities for which no license is required should not be a part of GR,” said the COAI.

COAI also urged the government to introduce a special regime for the telecom operators under Section 72 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 wherein the business losses can be carried forward and set off for 16 assessment years from the existing eight years.

The apex telecom industry body also requested the finance ministry to exempt service tax on the additional AGR liability arising from the recent Supreme Court judgment.

Specifically, relief has been requested for the exemption from Service Tax payment for the period from April 2016 to June 2017, and on various services issued in November 2018.

The industry body also recommended that the customs duty be reduced to zero and then gradually increased depending on the creation of an ecosystem for manufacturing telecom gear in India.

COAI has also requested that the government exempt GST on license fees, spectrum usage charges and spectrum acquisition fees to provide much-needed relief to the sector. AGENCIES

 The demand for electric buses is expected to remain robust in the coming years due to the growing focus on cleaner transportation systems and various government initiatives, a report showed on Wednesday.

Last year, the government unveiled the PM e-bus Sewa Scheme, allocating a substantial $2.4 billion to deploy and operate 10,000 electric buses through a public-private partnership model across 169 eligible cities.

These eco-friendly vehicles are set to hit the roads in 2024, with full deployment anticipated by 2026.

According to the report by CareEdge Ratings, between FY21 and FY24, the EV segment experienced substantial growth, despite its smaller share in overall commercial vehicle (CV) sales.

“Key indicators of this growth include increased adoption rates and a rising market share, aided by the gradual expansion of the EV infrastructure. Notably, this transition to EVs is particularly evident in the e-bus and light commercial vehicle (LCV) categories,” the report noted.

In FY24, registrations of electric heavy passenger vehicles (e-HPVs), primarily large electric buses, surged significantly.

The number of registrations increased from a mere 217 units in FY21 to an impressive 3,400 units in FY24.

Registration of electric light passenger vehicles (e-LPV) also surged from 360 units to more than 10,500 units during the aforementioned period, the report noted.

A surge in demand for electric buses across major cities in India is likely to support the growth of CV going ahead.

The increase in demand for electric buses across India can be attributed to various factors, including rapid urbanisation leading to an increase in demand for sustainable and cleaner public transportation systems, heightened environmental concerns, large oil import bills due to diesel-run vehicles, technological advancements and improvements in battery charging infrastructure.

Further, the Indian government, recognising the need for cleaner public transportation, has rolled out several initiatives to promote electric mobility.

These include the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme and the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP). AGENCIES