Rapid Fire
Rapid Fire Current Affairs
- 10 Nov 2023
- 4 min read
Battle of Surabaya
The 10th of November is celebrated as National Heroes Day in Indonesia to commemorate the heroism of Indonesian patriots during the 1945 Battle of Surabaya.
- The Battle of Surabaya, fought between Indonesian nationalists and British and British Indian forces, which lasted from 1945 to 1949.
- At the time of war, Indonesia was a Dutch colony and after Japan's surrender in World War II, Indonesian nationalists declared independence. However, the Dutch did not recognize this declaration and sought to regain control of their colony, which led to war.
- The outcome of the battle was a victory for the British and British Indian forces, who managed to capture the city of Surabaya after heavy fighting.
Read More: Indian National Army, Advent of Europeans In India
Supreme Court Orders on Firecrackers and Pollution
Recently, the Supreme Court restated its directives to reduce air and noise pollution resulting from firecrackers.
- Emphasizing that its mandates are binding for all states, the court stressed the necessity for ongoing endeavors to diminish pollution, not only during festivities but consistently throughout the year.
- It underlined the importance of responsible Diwali celebrations, highlighting that joy should not compromise the environment's well-being.
Read more: Green Crackers
Artificial Rain Project to Combat Delhi Pollution
Recently, the Delhi government has been considering artificial rain through cloud seeding as a measure to combat escalating pollution levels in the city.
- IIT-Kanpur has conducted pilot projects during monsoon months, and the focus is now on winter conditions.
- A minimum requirement of 40% cloud and moisture is necessary for cloud seeding.
- The potentially favorable conditions for artificial rain are projected on November 20 and 21, 2023.
- The project involves using silver iodide and other components for cloud seeding via aircraft.
- The effectiveness of artificial rain in reducing pollution levels depends on factors like moisture and rainfall.
Read more: Cloud Seeding
INDUS-X Investors Meet
The Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and the US Department of Defence organized the inaugural INDUS-X Investors Meet in New Delhi, fostering collaboration in defence innovation.
- The event featured the launch of the INDUS-X Educational Series (Gurukul) aimed at guiding innovators and startups in the defence ecosystem of India and the US.
- The Gurukul Educational Series will offer sessions for startups by experts from both countries, facilitating navigation in the defence ecosystems.
- Panel discussions focused on investment opportunities in the defence sector, establishing a sustainable commercial foundation for collaboration and co-production.
- The India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) initiative, launched in June 2023, aims to enhance strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between India and the US.
Read more: Innovations for Defence Excellence, India-U.S. Strategic Partnership
