Environment

New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) The Railways has set a target of going completely green by becoming a 'net zero' carbon emitter by 2030 through various initiatives, including electrification of broad gauge, improving energy efficiency and switching to renewable sources, the national transporter said on Monday.

It has also set a target of electrification of all routes on broad gauge by December 2023.

Beijing, Jul 12 (PTI) A 5.1-magnitude earthquake on Sunday jolted China's north Hebei province's Tangshan city, according to officials.

Strong tremors were felt in the nearby regions including Beijing, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

08 July 2020; MEMO: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that his country will start filling the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’s reservoir, taking advantage of the upcoming rainy season, news agencies reported yesterday.

Filling the dam reservoir, Abiy said, will not harm Egypt.

KANPUR: Cloudy weather brought respite from extreme precipitation and humidity as the rains eased the restlessness of the city dwellers on Monday. 

During the early morning and evening, the rains comforted the uncomfortable people.

The heavy showers in the morning soothed the people intensely. The cloudy weather remained throughout the day.  However, there was a bright sky for some time too.

Tokyo, Jul 5 (AP/PTI) Deep floodwaters and the risk of more mudslides that left about 20 people confirmed or presumed dead hampered search and rescue operations on Sunday in southern Japan, including at elderly home facilities where more than a dozen perished and scores are still stranded.

Rescue helicopters plucked more people from their homes in the Kumamoto region. Up to 10,000 defense troops, the coast guard and fire brigades are taking part in the operation.

KUNMING/CHONGQING, July 2 (NNN-XINHUA) – Thousands of people have been affected, as rainstorms continue to ravage southwest China.

In Yunnan Province, heavy downpours since Monday night have led to three deaths and one missing, in the city of Zhaotong, as of 9.00 p.m. on Tuesday, local authorities said yesterday.

The lives of over 90,000 people in the city have been disrupted by the rainfalls and floods, according to the city’s emergency management department.

30 June 2020; MEMO: Two Turkish energy companies signed an agreement for the development and construction of a solar power plant in Italy, Anadolu Agency reported today.

Turkish companies Naturel Enerji and KURTEKS Tekstil Enerji announced that they will be working with Italy to develop and construct a 50-megawatt solar power plant.

It is stated that the total value of the contract is €45 million ($50.4 million), excluding VAT, with Naturel Enerji providing project funding.

28 June 2020; MEMO: Ethiopia will start filling its $5 billion hydroelectric dam on the Nile River in two weeks, the government said Saturday, Anadolu Agency reports.

The announcement came after an online summit between leaders of Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt convened by the African Union (AU) for negotiations on guidelines for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

KOTA KINABALU, June 28 (NNN-BERNAMA) —  Another five districts in Sabah have been hit by floods as at 12 pm today, bringing the total number of districts inundated to 10 from five at 8 am this morning, following heavy rain since yesterday.

The five new districts affected by the floods are Tenom, Pitas, Beaufort, Membakut and Papar, besides the earlier affected districts of Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Penampang, Keningau and Tuaran .

Mumbai, Jun 26 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Friday that Ganesh mandals should not install idols with a height of more than four feet in the coming Ganesh festival.

Thackeray had earlier appealed Ganesh mandals -- groups which celebrate the festival in public -- to keep the celebrations low-key this year in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ganesh festival is set to begin from August 22.

Tall Ganesh idols are especially popular in Mumbai.