Isro to grow crops in space on PSLV-C60 SpaDeX mission 24 experiments include 10 from pvt sector Of the 24 payloads, 14 will be from various ISRO labs and 10 from private universities and start-ups. In one of the experiments, ISRO will grow eight cowpea seeds from seed germination and plant sustenance until the two-leaf stage in a closed-box environment with thermal controls. Amity University, Mumbai, plans to study the growth of spinach in space vijayawada l monday l december 23, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l late city EDITION PSLV-C60 spadex, the fourth POEM Mission, is expected to be launched later this month ‘Atrocities in the name of Dharma due to ignorance’ India, Kuwait now strategic partners E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Mumbai RA J E SH K U M AR T HA K U R days after expressing concern over the resurgence of templemosque disputes threatening to disrupt communal harmony, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that all acts of persecution and atrocities committed in the name of Dharma (religion) were due to lack of true comprehension of Dharma. Speaking at an event in Maharashtra’s Amravati, he said improper and incomplete understanding of Dharma leads to Adharma. “Dharma has always existed, governing the workings of the world, which is why it is called ‘Sanatan’ (eternal). The practice of Dharma itself ensures its protection. The various reformative sects in our Dharma played a crucial role and these sects are real wealth of Dharma,” he said. He said no religion teaches to divide people, but rather they impart the wisdom of uniting people. “Unity is eternal. The whole universe is one. Practising non-violence protects the Dharma. If we really and properly understand the Dharma, then there will be tranquillity, equality unity and prosperity , ,” he said. He said while even illiterates can easily understand Dharma, it’s often the educated lot, who are bloated with self-pride of their knowledge, who fail to comprehend it. Key defence pact signed; Modi holds extensive talks with the Emir, invites him to visit India @ New Delhi INDIA and Kuwait on Sunday decided to elevate their bilateral relationship to a ‘strategic partnership’, under which both countries will explore ways to enhance cooperation in several sectors including education, information technology pharma, ceuticals, fintech, infrastructure, and security . Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in the Gulf nation on Saturday for a twoday visit, held extensive talks with Kuwait’s top leaders, including Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and signed a number of pacts. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence will provide for cooperation in the areas of defence industries, supply of defence equipment, training, exchange of experts Prime Minister Narendra Modi being conferred with ‘The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer’ by Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al Sabah, in Kuwait on Sunday | PTI and joint exercises, and collaboration in research and development. The other MoUs cover sports, culture, and solar energy according to the Ministry of , External Affairs (MEA). Modi’s meeting with the Emir was at the iconic Bayan Palace. During the interaction, express read Nitish, Modi to lead NDA’s poll fight in Bihar New Delhi: Senior Bihar BJP leader and the state’s deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would contest the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections under the joint leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “The NDA will seek the people’s mandate again under CM Nitish Kumar and PM Narendra Modi’s leadership,” Choudhary said | P9 Actor Allu Arjun’s residence vandalised Hyderabad: A group of persons, claiming to be members of Osmania University Joint Action Committee, on Sunday vandalised flower pots and other things at the residence of Telugu actor Allu Arjun here, demanding justice to the woman who died in Pushpa-2 screening stampede in Hyderabad recently. They raised slogans against the movie actor and demanded financial assistance of `1 crore for the victim’s family | P7 Modi invited the Emir to visit India. Modi also expressed his gratitude to the Emir for ensuring the wellbeing of over one million Indians in Kuwait. The Kuwaiti leader, in turn, acknowledged the vital contributions of the Indian community to Kuwait’s development. The PSLV Orbital Experiment Module (POEM-4) will carry 24 experimental payloads to demonstrate various technologies in space The PM said the talks covered ways to deepen economic and cultural linkages between India and Kuwait, adding: “We are optimistic about the IndiaKuwait Strategic Partnership scaling new heights of success in the times to come.” Modi also held wide-ranging talks with Crown Prince Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah and Kuwaiti Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. In their delegation-level talks, the two prime ministers d i s c u s s e d a ro a d m ap t o strengthen the partnership in diverse areas including trade, investment, energy defence, se, curity, health, education, technology and people-to-people ties, the MEA said. Modi is the first Indian prime minister to visit Kuwait in 43 years after Indira Gandhi visited the country in 1981. CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■ SOURCE: ISRO Drones substitute cops in CM’s security cover E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada Following the directives of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the security detail assigned to him has been significantly reduced. Only 121 police personnel have been deployed outside his residence in Undavalli, which is just one-fifth of the 980 officers who were assigned to guard the residence of YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in Tadepalli during his tenure as Chief Minister. It has been reported that `90 crore was spent annually on Jagan’s security . Despite having Z+ security coverage, Naidu instructed police officers not to deploy a large number of personnel during his field visits to avoid inconvenienc- ing the public. Government sources have noted that Naidu’s convoy consists of 11 vehicles, compared to the 17 vehicles in Ja g an’s convoy . During a recent visit to the Polavaram Irrigation Project site, Naidu observed the extensive security measures and recommended that the District Collector and Superintendent of Police consider deploying drones P4 instead.  State registers decline in forest & tree cover U s h a Pe r i @ Visakhapatnam Forest area in Andhra Pradesh, excluding tree cover, decreased from 30,223.62 sq km in 2021 to 30,084.96 sq km in 2023, marking a decline of 138.66 sq km, the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 revealed. Similarly, the combined forest and tree cover in Andhra Pradesh reduced from 35,470.98 sq km in 2021 to 35,424.98 sq km in 2023, reflecting a loss of 46 sq km. With this change, the State’s forest and tree cover now constitutes 21.74% of its total geographical area of 1,62,922.57 sq km. The India State of Forest Report 2023, the 18th biennial assessment of India’s forests, was delayed by over a year. It was initially scheduled for release last year, but was launched by Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on December 21. India’s total forest and tree cover has increased to 25.17% in 2023 from 24.62% as per ISFR-2021, the report revealed. As per the report, 23,867.76 sq. km of forest cover in the State is within recorded forest areas, while 6,217.20 sq km lies outside the recorded forest boundaries. In a concerning trend, the State ranks second nationwide in forest cover loss, following Madhya Pradesh, which recorded a decline of 371.54 sq km. On a positive note, the State witnessed an increase in mangrove cover, which grew by 13.01 sq km between 2021 and 2023, reaching a total of 421.43 sq km. This growth is attributed to natural regeneration, plantation initiatives, conservation efforts, and the inclusion of previously unaccounted patches, including those in ViP4 sakhapatnam.