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India Launches Mars Mission

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NEW DELHI—India launched its first spacecraft toward Mars Tuesday, setting the country on course to become the only Asian nation to reach the Red Planet.

The initial stage of the launch, during which scientists placed the satellite into Earth orbit, was completed in under an hour after an on-schedule departure.

“The journey has only begun,” said Koppillil Radhakrishnan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, the country’s civilian space agency, after the launch. “Challenging days are coming,” he added.

MARSThe Mars satellite, equipped with instruments that can examine the surface of the planet from above, will circle the Earth in an elliptical orbit until the end of November when scientists intend to set it on a trajectory to start its more than 400-million-mile voyage toward Mars.“In September [2014] we expect to precisely enter Mars orbit…to provide knowledge to the Indian community and humanity,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said. The satellite has equipment to search for methane in the Martian atmosphere, analyze the surface of the planet and take tri-color images from above.

If it makes it, India’s satellite it will join two rovers and two orbiters belonging to NASA and a European satellite already exploring Mars.

The instruments onboard are designed to obey time-lagged commands to enable scientists to control them over extremely long distances when information will take 20 minutes to relay between the ground control and the spacecraft. “It has been a new and complex mission design,” said Mr. Radhakrishnan.

Recent efforts by other Asian nations to reach Mars have failed after successful launches.

China’s 2011 attempt with Russia to send the Yinghuo-1 satellite to Mars failed after the Russian rocket carrying it was unable to leave Earth orbit. A Japanese 2003 mission to Mars was unable to place a satellite into Martian orbit.

The Indian mission will cost $73 million, far less than comparable voyages including NASA’s $671 million Maven satellite that is expected to set off for Mars later in November. Mr. Radhakrishnan told the crowd at the launch site in Andhra Pradesh, southern India, that the satellite had been developed in record time. The program was approved by the government in 2012.

The 28-day window when Mars and Earth are at their closest and missions to the planet are most efficient in terms of fuel consumption, will next occur during 2016.

In 2008, India, which spends $1.1 billion a year on its space program, sent an unmanned mission to the moon. “This is a giant leap forward from that mission,” said the spokesman for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the Mars satellite launch.

– WALL STREET JOURNAL

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ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue Partners EPRON, EL-AS Tech, WEE-Eco

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In efforts at spicing up the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, the management of ITREALMS Media has partnered with E-waste Producer Responsibility Organization of Nigeria (EPRON) membership organisations for a day-long collection scheme of small electronic waste on Friday, December 15, 2023.

The EPRON members aligning their partnership with 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue are EL-AS Tech Enterprises Limited and WEEE Eco-Friendly.

ITREALMS’ day-long collection scheme is part of the commemoration of 2023 international E-Waste Day (IEWD) within the ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue with the theme “You Can Recycle Anything with a plug, battery or cable” at Welcome Centre Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos.

Revealing this collaboration, the Group Executive Editor, ITREALMS Media, the organisers of the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, Sir. Remmy Nweke, urged mobile device enthusiasts to come along with their devices that have reached their end-of-life to the venue for proper disposition by professionals who would also be on grounds to address some topical issues.

The collection of small electronic wastes especially mobile phones and like-devices, would be carried out by EPRON member organisation, EL-AS Tech Enterprises Limited as facilitated by ITREALMS Media group as part of this year’s ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue on Friday, December 15, he added.

He disclosed that the exercise would commence at Welcome Centre Hotel by 9am till close of work hours the same day.

Nweke pointed out that the collection of small e-waste items would include mobile phones, pointers mouse, earpieces, rechargeable torches, phone chargers, to name a few.

Further, he said, that this initiative has become time-serving because some people may have missed any other opportunity before now for the year-long campaign, hence this awareness on e-Waste has to be continuous, “ITREALMS came up with this scheme.”

Nweke beckoned on Nigerians, especially mobile phone users, to leverage the opportunity in disposing of their mobile devices they no longer use, of course in exchange for a voucher or gift item.

In her reaction to this year’s day-long small waste collection, EPRON Executive Secretary, Mrs. Ibukun Faluyi, described the initiative as commendable, expressing confidence it would intensify the collection of end-of-life devices for proper disposition.

Mrs. Faluyi, also urged Nigerians to take advantage of this day-long collection of small wastes courtesy of ITREALMS Media.

Recalling for instance that in October 2022, EPRON had partnered SLOT alongside some UN agencies for collection of small e-waste items in Lagos, including the United Nations Information Centres (UNIC), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

This is even as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr. Aminu Maida and Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Aliyu Jauro, would both lead speakers at the 2023 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue slated for this Friday, December 15, in Lagos.

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iPhone 15: Things To Know About Apple’s Newest Model

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iPhone 15: Things To Know About Apple's Newest Model

Today, September 12, the tech corporation Apple will introduce the iPhone 15, their newest iPhone model.

According to a Forbes story, this model, which will be introduced at the company’s “Wanderlust” event in Cupertino, California, will be available in four variations: the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Here are five things you should know about the new iPhone 15 model.

1. The new model is made of titaniu, not stainless steel as some other Apple smartphone models, Senior research analyst at DIGITIMES, Luke Lin reports.

2. The Pro Max model will feature double the optical zoom on the iPhone 14 as it comes with a newly-introduced ‘periscope lens upgrade, performing 5-6x optical zoom.’

3. The Pro models will carry an A17 bionic chip expected to make it perform faster.

4. The iPhone 15 model will feature a USB-C charging port, the same port featured on some Android phone models.

5. Due to its titanium shell, the new model is anticipated to be more expensive to purchase. The following is the speculated price list, as reported by Forbes:
The iPhone 15 starts at $799, the iPhone 15 Plus at $899, the iPhone 15 Pro at $1,099 ($100 increase), and the iPhone 15 Pro Max at $1,299 ($200 increase).

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FG Partner With Firm, Set To Introduce 500 Autogas-Powered Buses

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FG Partner With Firm, Set To Introduce 500 Autogas-Powered Buses

In an effort to reduce the exorbitant cost of Premium Motor Spirit, better known as petrol, the Infrastructure Bank Plc announced its collaboration with FEMADEC Group on Monday to offer 500 buses powered by autogas (Compressed Natural Gas).

Partners in the agreement claimed that the project was created to provide citizens with dependable, affordable, and environmentally friendly travel options, taking into account the negative effects of the nationwide increase in PMS costs.

Under Decree No. 51 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s 1992 Constitution, the Infrastructure Bank, originally known as the Urban Development Bank of Nigeria Plc, was founded in 1992 to promote the quick development of infrastructure throughout the nation.

In a statement issued in Abuja on its partnership with FEMADEC, the bank said, “The preliminary offer extended by TIB lays a solid foundation for the expansion of FEMADEC Group’s CNG bus fleet.

“With plans to introduce 500 CNG buses within the next five years, commencing with an initial batch of 50 buses in the forthcoming year, this proposal stands poised to instigate significant change.

“The acceptance of this proposition by FEMADEC Group, notably championed by Fola Akinnola, the Group Chief Executive Officer, is a testament to their zeal and dedication to this alliance.”

The bank described the partnership as a “pivotal endeavour that is primed to redefine Nigeria’s public transportation landscape, offering dependable, cost-effective, and ecologically conscious travel alternatives for citizens, while harmonising with the nation’s broader sustainability ambitions.”

“This partnership represents a remarkable stride towards a more ecologically aware future for Nigeria’s transportation sector, highlighting the shared commitment of both TIB and FEMADEC Group to sustainable advancement and progress.”

It said FEMADEC Group’s strides in operating Compressed Natural Gas buses, including the existing fleet of 20 CNG buses under LAMATA, underscored their unwavering dedication to ecologically sound solutions, a commitment predating the fuel subsidy removal.

“Their leadership within the CNG value chain is undeniable, and the new alliance with TIB underscores their foresight.

“This partnership seamlessly aligns with TIB’s sustainability objectives, echoing their resolute endorsement of the government’s net-zero and climate change agenda.

“The bank’s aspiration to champion Nigeria’s infrastructure progress is evident in its endorsement of pivotal initiatives like this, yielding expansive positive impacts on both the environment and society,” the bank stated.

The bank added that it would continue to make a significant contribution to the country’s growth as a leading financial institution committed to advancing effective and long-lasting infrastructure projects.

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