current affairs 17 December 2022

8th India International Science Festival 2022 to be held in Bhopal.

• The eighth edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) will be held in Bhopal In January 2023.
• Agenda: To celebrate the country's achievements in the field of science, technology and innovation.
• IISF is the initiative of the Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences in association with Vijnana Bharati.
• 14 events will be organised during the four-day event beginning January 21 at the Maulana Azad Institute of Technology, Bhopal.

India will be the first country to Auction SatCom Spectrum.

• Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) chairman, PD Vaghela has announced that India will be the first country to auction spectrum for satellite communication (SatCom), and it should be designed to attract investments in the sector.
• Satellite communication:
• It refers to any communication link that involves the use of an artificial satellite in its propagation path.
• They can be found in geostationary, Molniya, elliptical, and low Earth orbits.

ISRO earns ₹1,100 crore in five years from foreign launches.

• According to the Ministry for Space, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had earned approximately ₹1,100 crore in the last five years from the launch of foreign satellites.
• In the last five years (January 2018 - November 2022) ISRO, via its commercial arms has successfully launched 177 foreign satellites from 19 countries.
• Under commercial agreement, ISRO launched these satellites on-board PSLV and GSLV-MkIII.

Microsoft, Viasat partner to deliver satellite internet globally by 2025.

• Microsoft has partnered with Viasat (global communications company) to deliver satellite internet access to 10 million people across the world by 2025.
• Viasat is the first satellite partner to work with Airband Initiative of Microsoft.
• Both will provide pilot technologies including, satellites and fixed wireless.
• As per the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), around one-third of the world's population have still never used the internet.

India launches "Group of Friends" to promote accountability for crimes.

• India has launched a Group of Friends to promote accountability for crimes against peacekeepers.
• EAM, S Jaishankar has announced that New Delhi will maintain a database that will record all crimes against the Blue Helmets.
• Along with India, contributing countries like Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco and Nepal were participated as its co-chairs.
• It represents the political will of member states, particularly of the troop and police contributing countries