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Friday, 20 December 2019

CAA protests: Mobile internet shut in seven UP cities

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Lucknow: The internet services have been shut down in seven cities of Uttar Pradesh including Lucknow.

The cities that are facing a complete internet shutdown include Lucknow, Bareilly, Aligarh, Ghaziabad, Prayagraj, Sambhal, Meerut, Mau and Kanpur.

This has been done after Thursday's protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) turned violent in Lucknow and Sambhal and led to large scale destruction of public and private property.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Avanish Awasthi said that the shutdown would continue till December 21 midnight. All private telecom operators have also shut down their service after the government order.

This has been done in view of protests planned after Friday prayers in several cities.

According to a senior police official, it was found late on Thursday night that the violent protests on Thursday were being live-streamed on the social media which aggravated the situation.

"Apart from the internet, SMS and messenger services have also been blocked. We are trying to inform our customers about this," said a private telecom manager in Lucknow.

The shutdown is mainly going to impact the news industry, which is largely dependent on the internet for news transmission.

Source:-https://timesofindia.com

Saturday, 7 December 2019

Want to see accused shot dead like the Hyderabad killing: Unnao victim’s father

There is deep sorrow and acute anger in the native village of the Unnao rape victim in Bihar police station area here since the time the locals received news of her death in a Delhi hospital.

Sitting on the doorstep of their house, the victim’s father was categorical in saying that he demands justice on the lines the Hyderabad case.

“I want to see the accused persons being chased and shot dead,” he said. “I do not want money or any other kind of help. I want to see that the accused are chased and shot dead like the Hyderabad encounter or hanged to death.”
When asked if anyone had come forward to ensure them justice, he said neither any MLA nor official has tried to help them.


“The accused persons had used money power to deny justice to us.

My case was not lodged and it was only after the court’s directive that it was registered,” he said.

The family members expressed deep sorrow that they could not save their daughter’s life even though she wanted to live and see to it that the offenders get justice.

The family is also not aware about when and where the cremation has to take place.

The Safdarjung Hospital handed over the body of the deceased to the family on Saturday.

The Unnao rape victim was set on fire early Thursday morning when she was on her way to Raebareli in connection with the court case filed by her.

Five accused persons, including two who had allegedly raped her, were arrested soon after.

She died on the day the four accused in the gang rape and murder case of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad were killed in an ‘encounter’ with the Telangana police, triggering a tsunami of reactions across the spectrum — ranging from appreciation to condemnation.

Meanwhile on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said case would be taken up in a fast track court and severe punishment would be given to the accused, said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

source:thehindu.com

Friday, 15 November 2019

Vashishtha Narayan Singh



Early life and education

He was born on the 2nd of April, 1942 to Lal Bahadur Singh and Lahaso Devi in the Basantpur village of the Bhojpur district in Bihar, India.

He received his primary and secondary education from Netarhat Residential School, and he received his college education from Patna Science College.[3] Vashishtha Narayan Singh became a legend as a student when he was allowed by Patna University to appear in the very first year of its two-year B.Sc. (Hons.) Mathematics course.[4] His achievements are still mentioned with a sense of pride by Netarhat Vidyalaya.[5]


He received Ph.D. in Reproducing Kernels and Operators with a Cyclic Vector from University of California, Berkeley, in 1969. His doctoral advisor was John L. Kelley.

Personal life

He married in the year 1974. He suffered from schizophrenia. After a few years of marriage, his wife left him due to his illness. He was staying in his village without any attention from the government. He died on the 14th of Nov, 2019 in Patna.

Career
After receiving his Ph.D. (on Cycle Vector Space Theory), he worked at NASA and then returned to India in 1971 to teach at IIT Kanpur. After eight months, he joined TIFR, Bombay. In 1973, he was appointed as a permanent faculty in I.S.I Kolkata. In 2014, he was appointed as guest faculty in Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University (BNMU) in Madhepura as a visiting professor.

Death

Singh died on 14 November 2019 in Patna, India. His family accused the local hospital, Patna Medical College and Hospital, of negligence in the matter.

source:- https://en.wikipedia.org/



Friday, 8 November 2019

Kartarpur Sahib Corridor: PM Modi To Inaugurate Kartarpur Corridor Today, Manmohan Singh Among First Group Of Pilgrims

NEW DELHI/GURDASPUR: The Kartarpur Corridor, which will allow Sikh pilgrims to travel to Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, three days before the 550th anniversary of founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev. Among the first group of 550 pilgrims who will travel to Kartarpur are former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, actor-politician Sunny Deol, and Union Ministers Hardeep Puri and Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
Congress MLA Navjot Singh Sidhu was also given political clearance to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib by the foreign ministry on Thursday.

Pakistan will hold a separate event on the other side of the border, with the country's Prime Minister Imran Khan declaring it open from the other end of the Kartarpur Corridor.

PM Modi will inaugurate a passenger terminal building, also known as Integrated Check Post, where pilgrims will get clearance to travel through the newly-built corridor. Before the inauguration ceremony, the Prime Minister offered prayers at Ber Sahib Gurudwara at Sultanpur Lodhi.

The 4.5 km-long corridor connects Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Punjab's Gurdaspur with Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, a small town about four km from the International Border, located at Narowal district of Pakistan's Punjab province. It is the place where the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Dev is believed to have spent the last 18 years of his life.

The corridor will facilitate visa-free movement but Indian pilgrims are required to carry their passports and will have to just obtain a permit to visit the Darbar Sahib gurdwara in Kartarpur.
After reportedly informing India earlier in the day that it will levy such a "service charge" on all days starting today, the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson on Friday tweeted to say that they will abide by Imran Khan's announcement that no fee will be sought on the inaugural day of the Kartarpur Corridor.

India had objected to the $20 service charge that Pakistan said it would impose on Sikh pilgrims. Disagreement over the issue even led to a delay in launching online registration for pilgrims intending to visit the shrine.

PM Modi will participate in a public programme at Dera Baba Nanak after the inauguration.

Dera Baba Nanak is likely to receive some 30,000 pilgrims daily for four days between Friday and Monday. The pilgrims will be accommodated in 544 European-style tents, 100 Swiss cottages and 20 darbar-style tents on a 30-acre plot.
Sikhs from around the world have been arriving in Pakistan ahead of the celebrations for several days already.


Ayodhya verdict: An unprecedented move by judges


NEW DELHI: Ahead of the ruling in the Ayodhya land dispute case, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, CJI-designate S A Bobde and Justice Ashok Bhushan got an unprecedented briefing from UP’s chief secretary and director general of police on Friday on steps taken to ensure law and order in Ayodhya.
 Despite comforting words from Hindu and Muslim leaders to the faithful to take the verdict with equanimity and peace, the CJI and the two other judges thought it fit to understand from the top bureaucrats and policeman about the deployment of security forces in sensitive areas to prevent any untoward situation in Ayodhya or any part of the state. The judges are part of the five-judge bench which will deliver its verdict on the case on Saturday.
The other two judges are Justices D Y Chandrachud and S Abdul Nazeer. The chief secretary and the DGP informed the CJI, in a closed-door meeting that lasted more than an hour, about the deployment of over 4,000 paramilitary forces in Ayodhya. The judges were also informed that Rapid Action Force would keep continuous vigil at 78 hotspots identified by the administration going by past experience of such situations.
The top SC judges were also briefed about crowd management during the Kartik Purnima snan(bath) falling on November 11, for which thousands of devotees have descended on the temple town. The chief secretary informed that the state has issued warnings against the circulation of fake news, morphed pictures, doctored videos or any inflammatory material, which would attract strong penal action. What prompted the judges to assure themselves about the steps on the law and order situation with regard to the Ayodhya verdict is not difficult to guess. Prior to demolition of the disputed structure in December 1992, the UP government had acquired the land around the structure for construction of amenities for pilgrims. This was challenged both in Allahabad HC and the SC and both had passed status quo orders as regards the land.
However, despite an undertaking is given by then CM Kalyan Singh to maintain status quo, large-scale construction of a permanent nature was carried out on the land in Ayodhya to facilitate ‘parikrama’ facilities for pilgrims in complete disregard of the SC’s November 15, 1991 order. Later, the devotees constructed a platform at the disputed site. The apex court held Kalyan Singh guilty of contempt on October 24, 1994, and said: “It is unhappy that a leader of a political party and the chief minister has to be convicted of an offence of contempt of court. But it has to be done to uphold the majesty of the law.” The SC sentenced him to a day’s imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2,000.

Source:Timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Wednesday, 6 November 2019

Malaika Arora Feels Beau Arjun Kapoor 'Isn't the Best at Handling His Money'



Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora keep making headlines with their social media posts and frequent appearances together. In a recent interview with Neha Dhupia, Malaika spoke about her relationship with Arjun and gave an inside into their love story. She revealed that their wedding plans include an all-white wedding, with a bunch of bridesmaids.

The actress and fashionista also shared that her beau Arjun thinks that her photography skills aren't as good. And amidst all these revelations, there is one that has got all our ears.
Revealing Arjun’s only drawback, Malaika said, "he isn't the best at handling his money."
Malaika and Arjun have been dating each other for quite some time now and the two don’t stop themselves from sharing adorable pictures on social media and leave love-filled comments on each other’s posts.

On the work front, Arjun Kapoor’s upcoming period drama Panipat, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker released its trailer on Tuesday. The film also stars Kriti Sanon and Sanjay Dutt. The trailer received mixed feedback from the viewers as they could not stop but compare Arjun’s Panipat with Ranveer Singh’s Bajirao Mastani.

China presses Trump for more tariff roll-backs in 'phase one' trade deal

The deal, which may be signed this month, may see US scrap tariffs on about $156 bn worth of Chinese imports
Chinese negotiators want Washington to drop 15% tariffs on about $125 billion worth of Chinese goods that went into effect on 1 September, says a source

Washington: China is pushing US President Donald Trump to remove more tariffs imposed in September as part of a "phase one" US-China trade deal, people familiar with the negotiations said on Monday.

The deal, which may be signed this month by Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a yet-to-be-determined location, is widely expected to include a U.S. pledge to scrap tariffs scheduled for 15 December on about $156 billion (£121 billion) worth of Chinese imports, including cell phones, laptop computers and toys.

A US official said the fate of the 15 December tariffs is being considered as part of negotiations and a potential signing trip this month.

Another source briefed on the talks said Chinese negotiators want Washington to drop 15% tariffs on about $125 billion worth of Chinese goods that went into effect on 1 September. They are also seeking relief from earlier 25% tariffs on about $250 billion of imports from machinery and semiconductors to furniture.
A person familiar with China's negotiating position said it is continuing to press Washington to "remove all tariffs as soon as possible."

China's request to remove the 1 September duties was earlier reported by Politico, citing sources. The Financial Times newspaper also reported the White House was considering whether to roll back the 1 September tariffs, which cover some clothing items, flat-screen televisions, smart speakers and Bluetooth headphones.

Geng Shuang, a spokesman at the Chinese foreign ministry, said the two sides remained in touch.

"Trade consultations have made progress and are advancing in accordance to plan," Geng said.

On the tariff issue, Geng said he could only give an answer "in principle".

"Adding tariffs is not the correct way to resolve trade issues," he told reporters at a regular briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.Taoran Notes, an influential WeChat account run by China's Economic Daily, said the removal of the additional tariffs already imposed by the United States was China's "most core concern".
"Any miscalculation on this issue could well cause further back and forth in the consultations," it wrote.

Ralph Winnie, director of the China programme at the Eurasia Center, said wrapping up the interim trade pact would provide a boost to both the U.S. and Chinese economies while handing Trump an important win among farmers - a core constituency.

"It’s in both countries’ interest to have this trade deal," Winnie said. "If he seals the deal, it will be looked on very favourably by the American people. It’s a win-win for both countries."

Speaking on Tuesday at an import fair aimed at burnishing China's free-trade credentials, President Xi Jinping called on countries to stand against protectionism and reiterated pledges to open China's economy and strengthen protection of intellectual property rights.
Foreign governments and business groups have become sceptical of Chinese reform promises and have longed warned that China would invite retaliation if it didn't match the openness of its trading partners.

COPYRIGHTS, NOT SUBSIDIES

Since Trump took office in 2017, his administration has been pressing China to curb massive subsidies to state-owned firms and end the forced transfer of American technology to Chinese firms as a price of doing business in China.

Analysts say the phase one deal will fail to adequately address these issues, focusing largely on Chinese purchases of U.S. farm goods and intellectual property protection related to copyright and trademark issues. It will not address industrial subsidies at all.

China was requesting some changes to the text, but parts of the agreement are “very close to finished," including the text on financial services, said a U.S. source briefed on the negotiations. The text on agriculture was “dozens of pages long and nearly completed," the source said.
“It is important to both sides to get this agreement across the finish line," said the source, adding that the two presidents were very likely to meet this month.

Charles Boustany, a former congressman from Louisiana and counsellor at the National Bureau of Asian Research, said any initial agreement would likely be short-term in nature and unstable.

"Even though there's some talk about a phase one agreement, we don't think it’s going to be substantive in terms of addressing any of the structural problems," he said. "It would largely be a status quo situation where China continues to do what it’s doing."

Some business groups complain that a central component of the "phase one" deal - increased access to China's financial services market - will fall short of its promises, because of inconsistencies in China's new foreign investment law.
In comments submitted to the Chinese government by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce in China and the U.S. Information Technology Office, the groups pointed out that Beijing's draft regulations "do not address clear differences between the treatment of China's state-owned enterprises and the private sector," according to a person familiar with the comments.

Trump had said on Friday that negotiations on the initial phase agreement were going well and he hoped to sign the deal with Xi at a U.S. location when work on it was completed.




Lawyers vs Delhi Police LIVE: Brawl Breaks Out at Alwar Court Now; CRPF Deployed at Police HQ in Capital

Lawyers vs Delhi Police LIVE: As litigants continue with their demonstrations outside various courts in Delhi, Bar Council chairman Manan Mishra has said that the issue has been raised with the Supreme Court. Terming the actions taken by the police as illegal, Mishra claimed, that they “are misusing their powers”. The statement comes as tensions remain high in the national capital over a series of confrontation between the two wings of law and order. On Wednesday morning, the violent feud was further escalated when two lawyers threatened to commit suicide. While a lawyer, identified as one Ashish, poured kerosene on himself but was stopped by his colleagues in time, another threatened to jump off the building. The group of lawyers then raised slogans against the police, chanting ‘Delhi Police haye’, and the protests soon spread to Dwarka and Saket courts.

The demonstration by lawyers comes a day after unprecedented protests by Delhi Police personnel outside the police headquarters for 11 hours against attacks on their colleagues at the Tis Hazari and the Saket courts on November 2 and 4. One policeman was beaten up outside the Saket district court, and another on Saturday after a parking dispute between an on-duty policeman and a lawyer which led to at least 20 security personnel and several advocates being injured.
The police have demanded that the licences of lawyers who assaulted their colleagues be revoked and the transfer of the officers involved in the Tis Hazari clash be rescinded. Demanding strict action against the lawyers, the police personnel also want an FIR to be registered against every lawyer involved in the Tis Hazari case. They also want FIRs filed against the policemen by the lawyers in connection with the Tis Hazari case to be quashed.

The protesting police personnel demanded that Delhi Police challenge the Delhi High Court order in the Supreme Court against the suspension order of senior policemen Special Commissioner of Police Sanjay Singh and Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (north) Harinder Singh.

On Sunday, the Delhi High Court directed the Delhi Police commissioner to transfer the two senior officers during the pendency of the investigation. An assistant sub-inspector was also suspended and another transferred for alleged involvement in the clash.

source:www.news18.com

Saturday, 2 November 2019

"Whoever Looked At Pollution In Delhi Yesterday...": Angela Merkel Pitch

NEW DELHI: germen chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday made a pitch for speeding up several environment-friendly projects such as the introduction of electric buses to replace diesel ones used for public transport in urban centres, expressing concern at the alarming pollution levels in New Delhi.
"We will also earmark 200 million euros to reform bus sector in Tamil Nadu. Whoever has looked at pollution in Delhi yesterday would find very good arguments to replacing diesel buses with electric buses," Ms Merkel was quoted as saying by news agency ANI at a business meeting in Delhi
She said Germany will spend one billion euros or $1.12 billion in the next five years on green urban mobility projects conceived under the new German-Indian partnership. German funds will be used to finance several environment-friendly projects including electric buses.

The announcement comes at a time when pollution made the air so toxic in New Delhi that officials were forced to declare a public health emergency.

Visuals of Ms Merkel's ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, showed the visible effects of smog - though both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the German leader were not seen wearing masks.

A thick haze has hung over the capital this week caused by plumes of toxic smoke from farm waste being burnt in neighbouring states.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered schools shut till Tuesday to protect children and banned all construction activity till next week.

An index measuring the level of a deadly air pollutant hit 484 on a scale of 500 on Friday, the government's Central Pollution Control Board said, the worst this year.

The index measures the level of PM 2.5, tiny particulate matter that goes deep into the lungs. Anything above 400 poses a risk for people with respiratory illnesses and can also affect even those with healthy lungs.

source:https://www.ndtv.com


Friday, 1 November 2019

Heavy rains in Maharashtra, Goa in next 24 hours as Cyclone Maha to intensify

Severe cyclonic storm Maha (pronounced as M'maha) is all set to intensify into a 'very severe cyclonic storm' in the next few hours, predicted the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Cyclone Maha gained strength and intensified into 'severe cyclonic storm' on Thursday. The cyclone has already moved across the Lakshadweep Islands. Isolated places over Kerala, Maharashtra, and Lakshadweep are likely to witness heavy rainfall today in the wake of Cyclone Maha.

On Friday, the severe cyclonic storm lay centred over east-central Arabian Sea about 450 km north-northwest of Aminidivi (Lakshadweep), 460 km north-northwest of Mangaluru (Karnataka) and 310 km south-southwest of Goa, IMD said in a press release. The fourth cyclone this year in the Arabian Sea is likely to move northwestwards during the next six hours, according to the latest forecast of the weather agency.

IMD has already predicted heavy rainfall in Kerala, coastal Karnataka and southern part of Tamil Nadu on Friday. There is a prediction of moderate rainfall in Konkan and Goa, Madhya Maharashtra and south Gujarat during next 24 hours. "With peripherals reaching the West Coast, light to moderate rains cannot be ruled out along the coastal areas," said weather forecasting agency Skymet.
There would be major relief from extremely heavy rains over Lakshadweep Islands as Cyclone Maha is set to move northwestwards, as per IMD.

Gale winds, speed reaching 100-110 kmph gusting to 125 kmph over the east-central Arabian Sea, very likely to increase gradually over the east-central Arabian Sea becoming 120-130 kmph gusting to 140 kmph by evening.

Sea condition is high to very high over the east-central Arabian Sea for the next 12 hours. IMD has also added that the sea condition will become phenomenal from today evening for the next four days. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea along and off Karnataka-Goa-Maharashtra coasts in the next 24 hours.

Cyclone Kyarr, the first super cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea in last 12 years, has gradually weakened into deep depression.

source:www.livemint.com/

Public Health Emergency Declared In Delhi, Schools Shut Till Tuesday

NEW DELHI: An unprecedented public health emergency has been declared in Delhi and nearby areas by the pollution control body mandated by the Supreme Court, as the region has been trapped in a toxic smog since Diwali. Schools in Delhi will be closed till Tuesday, November 5, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted.
Schools in the capital have been asked to stop all outdoor activities and sports till November 5 to minimise exposure of children to pollution.

The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has also banned construction activity till November 5 as the pollution level in the region entered the "severe plus" or "emergency" category late Thursday night, the first time since January.

The pollution authority has also banned the bursting of crackers during the winter season.
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Chief Minister Kejriwal today described the city as a "gas chamber" while distributing masks to schoolchildren. He also blamed the neighbouring states of Haryana and Punjab, where thousands of farmers at this time of year burn crop stubble, sending vast clouds of smoke drifting across northern India.

If the air quality continues to be in the "severe plus" category for more than 48 hours, emergency measures such as odd-even car rationing scheme and banning entry of trucks are taken under the Graded Response Action Plan, the official said.
People have also been advised to not exercise in the open till the pollution level reduces and special care should be taken of the children, aged and vulnerable population. "This is a grave situation and I am hoping for your personal intervention so that there is stringent enforcement and full compliance with the directions issued," EPCA chairperson Bhure Lal said.
The high level of hazardous, lung-damaging pollutants has prompted a large number of residents to wear masks for morning walks and to work.

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar accused Mr Kejriwal of playing blame-game over rising pollution levels in the city state and said blaming Punjab and Haryana will  not solve the problem. "Instead of blaming Punjab and Haryana, he would think about (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi-ji's proposal to curb pollutants produced by industries in five states (near Delhi)."

48 COMMENTS
Delhi is one of the world's most polluted cities and each winter, seasonal crop stubble burning, dense cloud cover and smoke from millions of Diwali firecrackers turn its skies a putrid yellow.

source:-https://www.ndtv.com

Thursday, 17 October 2019

Chief Justice Said I Can": Lawyer Rajeev Dhavan On "Viral" Act Of Tearing Map In Ayodhya Hearing

On the last day of daily hearings in the Supreme Court on the Ayodhya temple-mosque case, there were dramatic moments as a senior lawyer tore up a map and relentless interruptions infuriated the judges.
Rajeev Dhavan, representing Muslim petitioners including the Sunni Waqf Board in the title suit, tore up a pictorial map showing the Ram Janmasthan. "Can I have your permission to tear it," Mr Dhavan said to the judges. He acted after Vikas Singh, the lawyer for the All India Hindu Mahasabha, tried to place a publication by former IPS officer Kishore Kunal as evidence during his arguments claiming ownership of the disputed land in the temple town in Uttar Pradesh.

"The Supreme Court should not rely on this book," Mr Dhavan said, requesting permission to tear it up.

"You do what you want," replied Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. "You can shred it further," he then said.

After the pages were torn, interruptions from both sides and the commotion angered the judges.

"Decorum has been spoiled, decorum is not maintained. If proceedings continue in this manner, we would just get up and walk out," said the Chief Justice.

Later, Mr Dhavan complained to the top judge that the "news that I am tearing papers is going viral".

"I wanted to throw it away. The Chief Justice said I can tear it," he pointed out.

"The news of tearing is going viral. We have seen it," Justice SA Nazeer said.

In another notable exchange, Mr Dhavan described the argument of PN Mishra, the lawyer for the Hindi petitioners, as "foolish".

"Mr Mishra's argument is next to foolish. Please sit down. He doesn't know. It is not personal," Mr Dhavan said.

PN Mishra, protesting the descriptor, said: "I have written a book on land law and got a PhD..." To which, Mr Dhavan shot back: "I can salam (salute) his book (sic)."

Justice Gogoi said the lawyer could put out a clarification that it was the Chief Justice who had allowed him to tear the paper.

Daily hearings in the politically sensitive case ended have ended and the Supreme Court has reserved its order. "We will rise by 5 pm. Enough is enough," Chief Justice Gogoi had said after a lawyer asked the Supreme Court for more time for arguments.

The court is expected to announce a verdict in the 134-year-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit before the Chief Justice leaves office on November 17.

Many Hindus believe the land was the birthplace of Lord Ram and a mosque was built there on the ruins of an ancient temple. The 16th-century Babri mosque was razed in December 1992 by right-wing activists, a cataclysmic event that sparked riots across the country and changed Indian politics forever.

94 COMMENTS
Several mediation attempts have failed to produce a solution to the decades-old dispute.

source:https://www.ndtv.com

Saturday, 12 October 2019

World trade is likely to slow down further in 2019: RBI

The Indian economy, which is already witnessing a slowdown, may be hit further with the world trade expected to drop further, according to the Reserve Bank of India
The apex bank, in its monetary policy report, said the forward looking indicators suggest that world trade is likely to slow down further this year.
In the US, real GDP growth (q-o-q, annualised) decelerated in Q2:2019 to 2 per cent, after rebounding in Q1, on slumping exports and weak business fixed investment.
The RBI further said the Euro area GDP growth slowed down in Q2:2019 as its major constituent economies lost steam amidst lingering uncertainties around Brexit and trade tensions.
The German economy contracted in Q2 with a struggling auto industry amidst falling exports; it entered Q3 on a weak note as the manufacturing PMI in September remained in contraction zone, marking the ninth consecutive month of decline in factory activity.
GDP growth in Italy stagnated in Q2 as contraction in industry and agriculture activities was offset by an uptick in the services sector, though its high level of debt and ongoing political uncertainty are downside risks.
The Japanese economy grew at a slower pace in Q2 than in the preceding quarter as escalating US-China trade tensions and slackening global demand prompted a sharp downward revision in business spending.

Real GDP in the UK contracted in Q2 on the back of declining manufacturing activity due to planned early shutdowns of car plants in April following Brexit uncertainty. Risks from a potential hard Brexit deal and evolving global trading conditions cloud the near-term outlook.
The Chinese economy decelerated in Q2 (y-o-y) to its weakest pace in nearly 27 years, weighed down by the adverse impact of the prolonged and unresolved trade dispute with the US, and subdued global demand.

Among other BRICS economies, the Russian economy is struggling to regain momentum after undergoing a sharp deceleration in Q1.
The economies of Brazil and South Africa rebounded in Q2, after witnessing a sluggish start to the year. Economic recovery in Brazil was largely supported by strong fixed investment and construction activity in Q2.
The Indonesian economy slowed down to 5.1 per cent (y-o-y) in each of the first two quarters of 2019, pulled down by subdued investment and declining exports, amidst global uncertainty.
In Thailand, the downturn that had started in Q1 continued in Q2 (y-o-y), marking the slowest growth in nearly five years. The struggling farm sector, slowing exports and the weakening tourism sector resulted in the slowdown.

source:www.https://economictimes.indiatimes.com

World Boxing Championships 2019 Semi Final, LIVE Score: Manju Rani Through To Final, Bronze For Jamuna Boro

World Boxing Championships 2019 Semi Final, LIVE Score: Manju Rani Through To Final, Bronze For Jamuna Boro

Jamuna Boro had to content with a bronze medal after she lost to Huang Hsiao-Wen of Chinese Taipei in the semifinal bout. Boro started the match cautiously and played on the backfoot. The experience of Huang Hsiao-Wen came to the fore as she clinched the bout with an unanimous 5:0 verdict. Manju Rani stormed to the final of the World Boxing Championships in Russia's Ulan-Ude on Saturday with a win over her Thai opponent Chuthamat Raksat. Jamuna Boro and Lovlina Borgohain will fight for a berth in the finals later. Earlier in the day, M C Mary Kom lost her semi-final bout against Turkey's Busenaz Cakiroglu and took home the bronze medal. Manju Rani, who beat Kim Hyang Mi to enter the 48kg semifinals, defeated Thailand's Chuthamat Raksat 4:1. Jamuna Boro is up against top-seeded Huang Hsiao Wen of Chinese Taipei. Lovlina Borgohain, who is the third seed in the 69kg category, will take on China's Yang Liu.
source:https://sports.ndtv.com

Saturday, 7 September 2019

Chandrayaan 2 updates | ISRO loses contact with Vikram lander

The last image of Vikram relayed at ISRO̢۪s communication centre just before the agency announced that communication was lost with the lander. Photo: YouTube/ISRO Official

Welcome to The Hindu’s live coverage of the soft-landing of the Vikram lander on the south pole of the lunar surface, the first attempt by any country.

Unfortunately communication has been lost with the Vikram lander as it was at the altitude of about 2 km. Data is being analysed, ISRO Chairman K. Sivan said.

“Let's hope for the best,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi told those gathered at the ISRO communication centre — scientists, invitees and schoolchildren.
Vikram’s touchdown was scheduled between 1.30 a.m. and 2.30 a.m. And the rollout of the rover Pragyan was to happen between 5.30 a.m and 6.30 a.m.


From the Prime Minister to opposition leaders everyone stood beside our scientists.

2.30 A.M.

A spokesman told the gathered media corps that they cannot say how long it might take to know what happened to Vikram.

2.20 A.M.

Let's hope for the best, says Modi

Focus has now shifted to Mr. Modi.  The Prime Minister is seen interacting with the scientists. Mr. Modi tells Mr. Sivan: “Be brave.” He is giving some pep talk to those gathered there. “Let's hope for the best. Wish you all the best,” he tells the scientists.   He is now interacting with the schoolchildren who earned a place here after winning an ISRO quiz.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks to ISRO chief K. Sivan after the latter announced that communication with Chandrayaan 2̢۪s Vikram Lander was lost. Photo: YouTube/ISRO Official

After this, the Prime Minister has left the venue.

2.16 P.M.
Communication lost with Vikram: ISRO
ISRO chief K. Sivan: “Vikram lander descent was as planned and normal performance observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km. Subsequently, communications from lander to the ground station was lost. The data is being analysed.”

2.07 A.M.
Some cheers could be heard. Someone said data. But nothing is clear yet. Tense moments continue.  It seems communication has been restored with Vikram.  But no word on any data.

Back to tense silence.

1.59 A.M.

No announcements yet. The Prime Minister is seen leaving from where he was seated after the briefing by the ISRO Chairman.  An announcement has been made to all in the hall to return to their seats. We can spot at least three former ISRO chiefs. No one is smiling.

The scheduled touchdown time of has come and gone. ISRO yet to hear from Vikram.

Vikram landing trajectory. Photo: YouTube/ISRO Official


1.51 A.M.

Vikram has now completed its rough and fine braking phases. It's now in the vertical descent phase.  Two more minutes to go.

Photo: YouTube/ISRO Official

Tense moments pass. No updates are being given. Mr. Sivan is now briefing the Prime Minister.

Moments of applause has given way to a grim mood. Fingers crossed.

1.38 A.M.

Vikram begins descent
Lander Vikram descent phase has been initiated. Four engines have been fired. In another 15 minutes it will make touchdown.  In a sign of everything going good, the lander’s velocity is being reduced phase by phase.  Scientists are seen applauding. Good sign.

1.25 A.M.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived to witness the landing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at ISRO̢۪s Mission Operations Complex to witness the lunar touchdown. Photo: YouTube/ISRO Official

1.15 A.M.

In less than 25 minutes the power descent of Vikram Lander will begin. In another 15 crucial minutes Vikram will land on the moon.

1 A.M.

What happens during ‘15 minutes of terror’?

At an opportune moment, when Vikram is at an altitude of 30 km, ISTRAC engineers will give commands to the five throttleable engines on board the lander to fire
The lander begins its descent, performs a series of braking manoeuvres to control its descent and lands softly on the moon
Each of the five throttleable engines has a thrust of 800 Newtons. They will decelerate Vikram in stages as it comes down towards the moon’s surface
As Propulsion Today, an ISRO publication, says: “This is the most crucial phase of the mission when the soft-landing is executed.”
Scientists and engineers at ISRO̢۪s Mission Operations Complex near Bengaluru on September 7, 2019. Photo: YouTube/ISRO Official

The throttleable engines are used for the lander’s “orbit correction, de-boost, and rough, precision and final braking manoeuvres”, explains Propulsion Today. The final touchdown is from “a height of two metres where the engines will be shut off and the lander is allowed to fall free.” The lander, with the rover inside, should touch down with a sufficiently low velocity. The IPRC developed the throttleable engines. There are sensors on board the lander, which will decide where Vikram should touch down: in an area where there are no craters, boulders and steep slopes. The slopes should not have an inclination of more than 12 degrees. Otherwise, Vikram will topple. It will take 15 minutes for Vikram to descend the 30 km touchdown.

“These 15 minutes of terror,” as Mr. Sivan called them, would constitute the most complex mission for ISRO.

Read the full story from our sister publication Frontline.

According to ISRO, a total number of 38 soft-landing attempts have been made, so far. The success rate is 52%.

12.45 A.M.

Chandrayaan 1 vs Chandryaan 2

Chandrayaan 2 is a follow-on mission to the Chandrayaan 1 Mission. Chandryaan-2 comprises of an Orbiter, Lander (Vikram) and Rover (Pragyaan). Unlike Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2 will attempt to soft land its Vikram module on the lunar surface and deploy a six-wheeled Rover, Pragyaan on the Moon to carry out several scientific experiments. The lift-off mass of Chandrayaan-1 was 1380 kg while Chandrayaan-2 weighs 3850 kg.

Some of the technological challenges of Chandryaan mission are:

The propulsion system consisting of throttleable engines to ensure landing at low touch down velocity
Mission management - propellant management at various stages, engine burns, orbit and trajectory design
Lander Development - Navigation, guidance and control, sensors for navigation and hazard avoidance, communication systems and lander leg mechanism for soft landing
Rover Development - Roll down (from the lander) mechanism, roving mechanism (on the lunar surface), development and testing of power systems, thermal systems, communication and mobility systems.

2.30 A.M.

Media experience Mangalyaan vs Chandrayaan 2

The last time an event of such scale took place at ISTRAC was during the launch of India's Mangalyaan Mars Mission. Journalists were taken right into the thick of action, with just a glass wall separating them and the crew working on the mission. This time, however, the media (around 300 journalists) is housed at a separate location: the Satellite Control Centre of ISRO.

Media persons covering Vikram lunar landing are gathered at the Satellite Control Centre at the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network in Bengaluru on September 7, 2019.

All the “action” takes place inside MOX — Mission Operations Complex — where the Prime Minister, mission managers, scientists and invitees will be housed .

Scientists and engineers at ISRO̢۪s Mission Operations Complex near Bengaluru on September 7, 2019. Photo: YouTube/ISRO Official

12.15 A.M.
Divine blessings
The ISRO chairman offered special prayers at the Sri Krishna mutt in Udupi on July 7 and the Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala in Tirupati on July 13 ahead of Chandrayaan 2 launch.

ISRO chairman K. Sivan meets seer Vidyadheesha Tirtha at the Sri Krishna mutt in Udupi on July 7. Photo: Special Arrangement

Meanwhile, special prayers were held at a Tamil Nadu temple to seek divine blessings for the lunar touchdown.

Seeking Moon god Chandra’s blessings for the successful landing of Vikram, special prayers were held at the Chandranaar Temple in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district, a temple official said. “We had a special abhishekam and archana  (on September 6 evening), seeking the divine blessings of Chandran,” said V. Kannan, Manager at the Sri Kailasanathan Temple or the Chandranaar Temple.

A special pooja was also organised for the success of Chandrayaan 1 before the rocket lifted off in 2008, he said.

“We didn’t offer any special prayers before July 15 when Chandrayaan 2 was first planned to be launched. Owing to some technical problem, the launch was postponed,” Mr. Kannan said. “We thought the technical snag may be due to the non-offering of prayers to the Moon God. Hence, prior to the Chandrayaan 2 launch on July 22, special prayers, abhishekam and annadhanam were conducted.”

He said the special prayers were their contribution for India going forward in its scientific programme.

While the presiding deity at the temple is Soma (Moon), the main deity is Lord Shiva.

The Chandranaar Temple is one of the Navagraha temples, all located near Kumbakonam, and devotees pray at these temples to get rid of negative planetary influence on them. The nine Navagraha temples are: Suryanaar (Sun), Chandranaar (Moon), Angaragan (Mars), Budhan (Mercury), Guru (Jupiter), Sukran (Venus), Shani (Saturn), Rahu and Ketu.

In 2013, then ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan carried models of the PSLV C-25 and the Mars Orbiter while praying at Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala.


ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan with models of the PSLV C-25 and the Mars Orbiter while praying at Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala on November 4, 2013. Photo: Special Arrangement

12 A.M.

What is special about Chandrayaan 2?

Chandrayaan 2 will be the first mission to reach and study the south pole of the moon. It is made up of an orbiter, a lander named ‘Vikram’, after Vikram A. Sarabhai, the founding father of space science research in India, and a rover named ‘Pragyan’, which means ‘wisdom’. At about 3,877 kg, the spacecraft weighs nearly four times its predecessor, Chandrayaan 1. It will be launched by the GSLV Mark III, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO’s) most powerful and massive launcher. While Chandrayaan 1 sent its lander crashing into the moon, Chandrayaan 2 will use rocket technology to soft land ‘Vikram’, carrying its ‘Pragyan’ rover in a suitable high plain on the lunar surface, between two craters, Manzinus-C and Simpelius N, at a latitude of about 70º South. This landing is scheduled for September 6 this year. The total cost of the project is about ₹978 crore. The lander-rover combo has an expected lifetime of 14 days, while the orbiter will continue for a year.

11.30 P.M.

13 Indian payloads, one from NASA

An artist̢۪s depiction of the Chandrayaan 2 Lander Vikram on the moon. Photo: YouTube/ISRO Official

The Chandrayaan 2 mission has carried 14 payloads or study devices. Out of a total of 14 instruments in the composite module, 13 are Indian payloads and one payload is from NASA.

The orbiter, which weighs 2.4 tonnes, has eight instruments. From its 100-km orbit around the moon, its terrain-mapping camera and high-resolution camera can take pictures of the moon’s surface. Its imaging infrared spectrometer will look for minerals. The orbiter’s instruments will especially look for rock-forming elements such as magnesium, calcium, iron, and so on. Its synthetic aperture radar will hunt for buried water-ice on the Moon. Another instrument will study the Moon’s exosphere. Indeed, in a huge breakthrough, Chandrayaan 1 had discovered water-ice on the moon. ISRO chief Mr. Sivan described it as “the greatest achievement of the Chandrayaan 1 mission”.

The lander, which weighs 1.4 tonnes, has four payloads, including the one from NASA. The three Indian instruments will conduct experiments on lunar quakes and study the landing sites’ thermo-physical properties. The payload for studying the moon’s seismic activity is called Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity. The NASA payload, a last-minute addition, is called Laser Retroreflector Array. It will try to understand the dynamics of the earth-moon system and measure the distance from the lander on the moon to the earth.

The rover, which weighs about 27 kg, has two payloads including an Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer. They will compute the mineral and chemical composition of the moon’s surface.

10.50 P.M.

Modi arrives in Bengaluru

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has landed in Bengaluru to witness the historic lunar landing.

“Modi landed at the Yelahanka base of the IAF on the city’s northern outskirts at 9.40 p.m. for an overnight stay at a star hotel, which is near to the space agency’s network centre to witness Vikram’s landing on the moon between 1.30-2.30 a.m.,” an official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Bengaluru late on September 5, 2019 to witness the soft-landing of Chandrayaan 2 Lander Vikram on the moon. Photo: Twitter/@PMOIndia

Governor Vajubhai Vala, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, city Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun, Union Ministers D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Pralhad Joshi, ruling BJP’s state unit President Nalin Kumar Kateel and top officials were present at the air base to welcome Mr. Modi.

“Modi will drive to the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (Istrac) in the Peenya industrial area of the city’s northwest suburb by 1.00 a.m. and return to the hotel after watching the landing by 3.00 a.m.,” added the VIP protocol official.

Mr. Modi will also interact with about 70 students from across the country at the network centre after Vikram’s landing and address them.

10.45 P.M.

Vikram lands on moon on the 50th anniversary year of the Giant Leap

(FILES) In this NASA handout file photo taken on July 20, 1969 US astronauts Neil Armstrong and "Buzz" Aldrin deploy the US flag on the lunar surface during the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission.
The year of Vikram's touchdown also happens to be the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing. Take The Hindu Science Quiz, to check how much you knew about NASA's Apollo missions, Chandrayaan and more.

10.30 P.M.

ISRO’s lunar touchdown has dry run on soil fetched from Tamil Nadu
Newly designed cars are tested for road-worthiness on terrain where they would be driven, while new aircraft are test-flown in the skies. But where on earth did the Chandrayaan-2 mission’s lander and rover, which will head for the moon on July 15, check out their legs and wheels?

More than a decade ago, even as the Chandrayaan-1 orbiter mission of 2008 was being readied, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) created a proto-Lunar Terrain Test Facility (LTTF) at its advanced satellite testing unit, ISITE, in Bengaluru. This, it did, by modifying a balloon research lab, about 30-40 m high, long and wide.

At the time, ISRO was grappling with the task of indigenously executing the cryogenic stage for its GSLV MkII rocket. Any thought of sending a moon lander was a distant dream of low priority. Equipping the LTTF and making it look and feel like being on the moon was the first challenge. It needed lunar ‘soil’ with almost all its features and texture, lunar temperatures, low gravity and the same amount of sunlight as on the moon.

For recreating the terrain, an option was to import simulated lunar soil from the U.S. — at an exorbitant $150 a kg (the then prevailing price). The facility needed about 60-70 tonnes of soil.

10.15 P.M.

‘It's like placing a baby on the cradle’

“Certainly there is lot of anxiety in the minds of the entire (Chandrayaan 2) team because it’s a very complex operation and we are doing it for the first time.” This is how a senior official associated with the mission, told news agency PTI on condition of anonymity, earlier in the day.

“Everything... sensors, computers, command systems... has to work perfectly. But we are confident in the sense we have conducted a large number of simulations on the ground; it gives us the confidence it would go alright,” the official said.

He described the soft-landing as “almost like placing a baby on the cradle,” and said, “There is certain amount of anxiety but there is no fear.”

ISRO chairman K. Sivan displays a model of Chanrayaan 2 Orbiter and Lander Vikram during a press conference in Bengaluru on August 20, 2019.

ISRO chief K. Sivan too used the baby reference to describe the landing. “It is like suddenly somebody comes and gives you a newborn baby in your hands. Will you be able to hold without proper support?” news agency AFP quoted Mr. Sivan as telling news channel NDTV. “The baby will move this way, that way but we should hold it,” he said.

10 P.M.

U.S. space scientists excited, media takes note of lunar landing

Moon’s south pole could become one of the most important places on the moon’s surface, said Space.Com, adding that it will become the southernmost spot on the moon to be visited by a spacecraft.

Brett Denevi, a planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory told scientific journal Nature: “The Chandrayaan 2 landing site will be in completely new terrain.” Ms. Denevi said she was most excited about the orbiter’s imaging infrared spectrometer, which will map light reflected off the lunar surface over a wide range of wavelengths. This information can be used to identify and quantify surface water, which absorbs light strongly at certain wavelengths, she said.

Chandrayaan 2 carries 13 instruments from India and one from NASA.

For Dave Williams, a planetary scientist at NASA, the Chandrayaan 2 mission would help answer several crucial questions. “We’ve surveyed the moon pretty extensively from orbit, but there’s nothing like actually being there,” he told American magazine Wired. The Chandrayaan 2 mission is a point of national pride for India, it said.

The New York Times noted on September 5 that Chandrayaan 2 was “relatively inexpensive” compared with other space missions. “It cost less than USD 150 million, cheaper than the budget to make the 2014 Hollywood film “Interstellar”, the daily reported. “The South Pole of the moon is interesting to scientists because of the possibility that water ice could be there. That could be useful for moon habitation and making fuel for exploring Mars. Scientists also want to look for deposits of helium-3, potentially a future energy source for Earth,” the New York Times said.

“India is one step closer to achieving its space superpower ambitions,” CNN reported on September 5, adding that the country will join the elite club of the United States, China and Russia that have made soft landing on the moon. “India’s entrance into space exploration over the last decade has been marked by a series of missions at low operation costs,” the news channel said.

Scientists hope to gain a better understanding of the origins of the deposits and determine whether it might be possible to mine them to obtain water for future space missions, Timothy Swindle, director of the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona in Tucson told NBC news. “We know that there’s water there, but we don’t know very much about it — how much there is, how it got there,” Mr. Swindle was quoted as saying. “The more we can learn, the better, in part because if we want to explore the moon that would be a really great resource for human exploration,” he said

9.30 P.M.

‘15 minutes of terror’

Indicating the challenges involved in soft landing, ISRO chairman K. Sivan had said the space agency’s scientists will undergo about “15 minutes of terror (filled moments).”

“Chandrayaan 2 is the next leap in technology as we attempt to soft land close to South Pole of Moon. The soft landing is extremely complex and we will experience approximately 15 minutes of terror,” Mr. Sivan said after offering prayers at the hill shrine of Lord Venkateshwara at Tirumala on July 13.

On September 6 he said: “We are eagerly waiting for the event. Everything is going according to the plan.”

9.20 P.M.

How does Pragyan function?

Hours after touchdown, rover Pragyaan will roll out from inside the lander to carry out intense probe of the moon soil with its two payloads.

ISRO has come out with a video explaining Pragyan’s different parts and how it functions.
Pragyan, the cubical rover, exclusively designed for travelling on the moon, is fitted with a solar panel.Two navigation cameras, which could be called as its left and right eye, are mounted on top of it besides an Alpha particle X-ray spectrometer, receive and transmit antenna and rocker bogie assembly.

Hours after the touchdown Vikrams door will open creating a slope for the matchbox shaped rover with six-wheels to slide and move around the lunar surface to carry out various investigations.

Soon after rolling on the moon soil, Pragyaans battery will be activated to release its solar panel.

The scans of the rover will be relayed to Vikram and then earth and it will be processed at mission control for path planning.

Subsequently, instructions for the rovers movement will be transmitted back to it.

The six wheels of the rover are attached with ’rocker bogie’ to overcome obstacles as it moves forward.

It can even cross obstacles at ease with a movement range of 50 mm upwards and downwards, according to ISRO.

While controlling its movement, the Mission Control Station of the ISRO will pass on instructions to Pragyaan to stop and determine the elemental composition of lunar rocks and soil using a payload called APXS on the front, right below the two cameras.

There will be another payload called LIBS just below the cubical shaped rovers body near the right side frontal wheel to derive the elemental composition of the lunar surface.

The rover will move around at a maximum range of 500 metres from Vikram.

Its mission period is of 14 earth days during which time, various tests will be conducted.

The mission objective is to locate presence of water and other important minerals on the lunar surface.

9.15 P.M.

Chandrayaan mission is for the planet, says astronaut Jerry Linenger

Jerry Linenger, a former NASA astronaut, is in Mumbai decoding the moon landing of Chandrayaan 2 for viewers on National Geographic channel. Calling the September 7 landing an edge of the seat experience for himself, Mr. Linenger wants to tell Indian audiences especially students how difficult it is to craft and execute such a mission.

9 P.M.

Why go to the Moon?

“The moon offers a pristine environment to study. It is also closer than other celestial bodies. Understanding how it formed and evolved can help us better understand the solar system and even earth itself. With space travel taking shape and exoplanets being discovered everyday, learning more about earth’s celestial neighbour can help in advanced missions. Finally, it is a piece of the larger puzzle as to how the solar system and its planets have evolved,” explains our science correspondent Shubashree Desikan. Read her explainer here.

ISRO sums up the rationale behind the mission thus:

“The Moon is the closest cosmic body at which space discovery can be attempted and documented. It is also a promising test bed to demonstrate technologies required for deep-space missions. Chandrayaan 2 attempts to foster a new age of discovery, increase our understanding of space, stimulate the advancement of technology, promote global alliances, and inspire a future generation of explorers and scientists.

“Moon provides the best linkage to Earth’s early history. It offers an undisturbed historical record of the inner Solar system environment. Though there are a few mature models, the origin of Moon still needs further explanations. Extensive mapping of lunar surface to study variations in lunar surface composition is essential to trace back the origin and evolution of the Moon. Evidence for water molecules discovered by Chandrayaan-1, requires further studies on the extent of water molecule distribution on the surface, below the surface and in the tenuous lunar exosphere to address the origin of water on Moon.

“The lunar South Pole is especially interesting because of the lunar surface area here that remains in shadow is much larger than that at the North Pole. There is a possibility of the presence of water in permanently shadowed areas around it. In addition, South Pole region has craters that are cold traps and contain a fossil record of the early Solar System.”

8.45 P.M.

How will Vikram set foot on the moon

In the run-up to Vikram's rendezvous with moon, watch this ISRO video to find out more about Vikram and the different stages of its journey to the moon’s south polar region!

8.30 P.M.

ISRO, orbiter, lander, rover indulge in banter ahead of touchdown
Hours before the crucial touchdown of Vikram, ISRO has come out with the Chandrayaan 2 chronicles indulging in banter involving the orbiter, lander and rover Pragyan.

Photo: Twitter/@isro

ISRO tweeted a comic strip showing orbiter telling the lander Vikram that it enjoyed its company before it separated on September 2 afternoon.

“It was great travelling with you so far, Vikram,” the orbiter tells the moon lander.

Vikram reciprocated with the same gusto: “It was quite the journey indeed! I’ll see you around-in the orbit.”

source:www.thehindu.com


Saturday, 31 August 2019

Air strikes halt in Syria’s Idlib after truce called

This photo released on August 28, 2019 by the opposition Syrian Civil Defense rescue group, also known as White Helmets, shows people searching for victims under the rubble of destroyed buildings that was hit by airstrikes in the northern town of Maaret al-Numan, in Idlib province, Syria.

Airstrikes on Syria’s northwestern Idlib region stopped on Saturday, a war monitor said, after the government agreed to a Russian-backed ceasefire following four months of deadly bombardment.

The truce is the second such agreement since an August 1 ceasefire deal broke down only days after going into effect, prompting Damascus and regime ally Moscow to resume bombardment.
Russia-backed regime forces have been pressing an offensive against the major opposition stronghold in Idlib despite a deal with rebel backer Turkey in September last year to protect the area.

Heightened airstrikes by Damascus and Russia have killed more than 950 people since the end of April, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The violence has also displaced more than 4,00,000 people, according to the UN.

On Friday, Moscow announced that Damascus government forces would observe a new ceasefire from Saturday morning in Idlib.

It said the truce aimed “to stabilise the situation” in the anti-government bastion.

Syrian State news agency SANA on Saturday said the government agreed to the deal.

But the army “reserves the right to respond to violations” by jihadists and allied rebel groups, it added, citing a Syrian military source.

The head of the Observatory said air strikes had stopped since the agreement went into effect at 6:00 a.m. (0300 GMT).

“There are no warplanes in the sky and airstrikes have stopped,” Rami Abdul Rahman told AFP.

Clashes between regime loyalists and insurgents on the edges of the anti-government bastion have also ceased, he said.

However, artillery and rocket fire continued despite the deal, he added.

Medical centre attacked

Saturday’s truce is the latest Russian-led effort to avert what the United Nations has said would result in one of the worst humanitarian “nightmares” in Syria’s eight-year conflict.

Only a few hours before it went into effect, a Russian air strike hit a health facility in Aleppo’s western countryside, the Observatory said.

It said the attack near the town of Urum al-Kubra after midnight wounded several health workers and left the medical centre out of service. The UN has said 43 health facilities and 87 educational facilities have been impacted by fighting since April.

“The attacks we have seen on health facilities, educational facilities and water points is one of the highest in the world,” Panos Moumtzis, the UN’s Syria Humanitarian Chief, told AFP on Friday.

“This is unacceptable,” he said during an interview in Beirut.

The flare-up has emptied entire towns and villages in northern Hama and southern Idlib of their residents, according to the UN.

Almost half of the displaced are living in camps, reception centres or the open air, it added.

“The average family in Idlib has been displaced five times,” Mr. Moumtzis said, adding that displacement is among the largest recorded by the UN during Syria’s war.

On Friday, hundreds of Syrian protesters gathered on the Syrian side of the Turkish border, demanding Ankara help stop deadly bombardment by Damascus.

The demonstration came before Moscow announced the ceasefire.

‘Operational pause’

The Idlib region is home to some three million people, nearly half of whom have been displaced from other parts of Syria.

Most of Idlib province and parts of neighbouring Aleppo and Latakia provinces are controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadist group led by Syria’s former Al-Qaeda affiliate.

Other rebels and jihadists are also present.

It is supposed to be protected from a massive government offensive by a Turkish-Russian deal struck in September 2018.

But that deal was never fully implemented as jihadists refused to withdraw from the planned demilitarised cordon.

“Russia and the Syrian government may be willing to give Turkey another opportunity to implement the terms of its September 2018 bilateral agreement with Russia,” said Sam Heller of the International Crisis Group. “Alternately, this ceasefire may just be an operational pause for Damascus and Moscow to consolidate their territorial gains and prepare for the next phase of their offensive,” the Syria expert added.

President Bashar al-Assad, who now controls around 60% of the country, has vowed to reclaim the rest, including Idlib. The Syrian conflict has killed more than 3,70,000 people and driven millions from their homes since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

IRCTC to restore service charges on e-tickets from September 1

E-tickets bought through IRCTC will get costlier as the Indian Railways has decided to restore service charges from September 1, according to an order.

The IRCTC will levy a service charge of ₹15 per ticket for non-AC classes and ₹ 30 for AC classes, including first-class, according to the August 30 order issued by IRCTC.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be applicable separately.
The service charges were withdrawn three years ago to promote digital payments, a pet project of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.

IRCTC used to levy a service charge of ₹20 on every non-AC e-ticket and ₹40 for every AC ticket before it was withdrawn.

Earlier this month, the Railway Board had given its approval to the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to restore the mechanism of charging service charge from passengers booking online tickets.

In a letter dated August 30, the Board had said the IRCTC, railways ticketing and tourism arm had made a “detailed case” for the restoration of service charge on booking of the e-ticket and the matter has been examined by the “competent authority.”

It further said the Finance Ministry has contended that the scheme of waiving of service charges was a temporary one and that the railway ministry could begin charging e-tickets.

Officials say that after service charges were discontinued, IRCTC saw a 26% drop in Internet ticketing revenue in the financial year 2016-17.

thehindu.com

Tuesday, 6 August 2019

PoK, Aksai Chin part of Kashmir, says Amit Shah in Lok Sabha

Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks during the resolution on Kashmir in the Lok Sabha, in New Delhi, on Tuesday, August 6, 2019.

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asserted in Lok Sabha that Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin are part of Jammu and Kashmir and that Kashmir Valley is an integral part of the country.

Moving a resolution for abrogating some provisions of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019, Mr. Shah said there has been a long-standing demand for giving Union Territory status to Ladakh which was fulfilled by the Narendra Modi government.

“Kashmir is an integral part of India, there is no doubt over it. When I talk about Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan occupied Kashmir and Aksai Chin are included in it,” he said.
Dismissing the Opposition’s charge that introduction of the bill and the resolution were a violation of the rights of the people, Mr. Shah said nobody can stop him from introducing a resolution on Kashmir in Parliament.

The Home Minister also said the UT of Jammu and Kashmir will have an assembly with a chief minister and MLAs.

The government on Monday revoked some provisions of the Article 370 to take away Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, and proposed bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, a decision that seeks to redraw the map and future of a region at the centre of a protracted militancy movement.

Source:www.thehindu.com

Monday, 22 July 2019

ISRO Chandrayaan-2 launch Live Updates: Countdown to India’s moon mission; lift-off at 2.43 pm

Chandrayaan-2 Launch Live, ISRO Chandrayaan-2 Moon Mission Launch Live Streaming Online Updates: India's first exploratory mission to the Moon was aborted on July 15. A 20-hour countdown is underway for the launch at 2.43 pm.
ISRO Chandrayaan-2 launch LIVE UPDATES: Countdown for India's mission to the moon begins; lift-off at 2.43 pm

Chandrayaan-2 Moon Mission Launch Live Updates: A week after the Chandrayaan-2 mission was aborted, India will at 2.43 pm Monday make a second attempt at launching its first exploratory mission to the Moon. Scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will have a window of only a few minutes to launch Chandrayaan-2, making it necessary that all operations in the run-up to lift-off are conducted with extreme precision.

About 15 minutes after take-off, the 43-metre tall rocket, named ‘Baahubali’, will inject the spacecraft into the Earth’s orbit. Chandrayaan-2 will spend 23 days in Earth’s orbit, where it will undergo 15 crucial manoeuvres. The journey to the Moon is expected to take around seven days, before it spends 13 days in lunar orbit. In the first week on September, a module of the spacecraft is expected to land on the Moon.

Chandrayaan-2 launch shortly: ISRO preps for 2.43 pm lift-off

We have less than an hour now for the launch of Chandrayaan-2 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The filling of Liquid Oxygen in cryogenic stage(C25) of GSLV MkIII-M1 has been completed.



Chandrayaan-2: What is this ‘launch window’ that ISRO is targeting?

The window of opportunity for the launch of India’s first lander mission to the Moon is extremely small — barely a few minutes — and the scientists have very little flexibility in the final minutes before lift-off. Why is this? Since everything in space is in motion, and because there are no straight lines in space flight, a successful launch is a matter of detailed and complex mathematical calculations.

Dark side of the Moon: Chandrayaan-2 is heading for the Moon's south side

Chandrayaan-2, which means 'moon-craft' in Sanskrit, is heading for the south side of the Moon. This is a site where no mission has gone before. This is the part of the Moon which holds the possibility of presence of water. So far, Moon landings have been in areas close to its equator as it receives more sunlight, which is required for solar-powered instruments. If Chandrayaan-2 becomes successful, India will become only the fourth nation to land a rover on the lunar surface after the US, Russia, and China.

Launch of Chandrayaan-2: Three hours to go!

There is just under three hours to go for the launch of Chandrayaan-2, India's mission to the Moon. In case you're just joining us, ISRO second Moon shot is scheduled for 2.43 pm this afternoon. Stay with us as we bring you the latest news and updates!


11:24 (IST)
22 Jul 2019
Chandrayaan-2: Here’s what APJ Abdul Kalam said on India’s lunar mission

Former President A P J Abdul Kalam, a former aerospace scientist who was widely known as the ‘Missile Man of India’, had given suggestions to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and NASA scientists on Chandrayaan-2 nearly 10 years ago.

Chandrayaan-2: Surviving days and nights on the moon

The moon has extremes of both hot and cold temperatures. Near the its equator, daytime temperatures reach 120 degrees Celsius, while at night it is about -130 degrees Celsius. So, how do missions survive the lunar night? Virat Markandeya explains.

Why the world’s in a second race to the moon

It is now 50 years from the first landing on July 20, 1969, that humans have finally decided to go back to the moon. The stage is now set again for a race to the moon over the next decade, and, this time, it is likely to be markedly different from the earlier one. In all probability, it will involve multiple participants, be more collaborative than competitive, and will be guided by the overall objective of utilising the resources of the moon, setting up permanent facilities for scientific explorations and using it as a launch pad to take humans deeper into space,

Chandrayaan-2 launch today: A timeline

Here's a quick timeline of dates of ISRO's Rs 100 crore Chandrayaan-2 moon mission:

* 23 days in Earth's orbit
* Seven days to journey to the Moon
* 13 days in lunar orbit
* Lander module to separate from Orbiter on Day 43, or September 2
* September 6: Landing on the Moon

Chandrayaan-2 — Orbiter, Lander and Rover

Chandrayaan-2 is a moon-lander and rover mission. The spacecraft, which will orbit the Moon from 100 kilometres away, is also carrying a Lander and Rover. The Lander will carry the Rover to the surface of the Moon. The Rover will crawl on the surface, at one centimetre per second — eventually to 500 metres — to collect and transmit data back to Earth. Powered by solar panels, both will have an expected mission life of about 14 earth days, by which time the experiments are expected to be terminated.



Chandrayaan-1: What did India's first moon mission accomplish?

Chandrayaan-2, which will be launched today, is an extension of Chandrayaan-1, India's first mission to the moon. It operated for nearly a year between October 2008 and August 2009. During this time, the orbiter helped discover evidence of water molecules on the Moon. Chandrayaan-2 will attempt to investigate the presence of water, as well as fossil footprints, on the Moons which could hold the answers to the origins of the earth and solar system.

 EXPLAINED: Why Chandrayaan-2 was aborted last week

Due to a sudden drop in pressure in one of the tanks containing helium gas on the GSLV Mk-III rocket, ISRO decided to abort the Chandrayaan-2 moon mission on July 15. The rocket, which will be launched today, will deliver Chandrayaan-2 in Earth's orbit. This spacecraft consists of three modules — Orbiter, Lander and Rover.


Narrow window for ISRO for launch of Chandrayaan-2 today

Scientists from ISRO have a small window of opportunity to launch Chandrayaan-2 this afternoon. After the mission was deferred on July 15, the next most suitable time was for "barely a couple of minutes" this afternoon. "So, all operations in the run-up to the launch have to be completed with extreme precision. There is no room for any delay,” a former ISRO scientist said.

 Chandrayaan-2 launches today at 2.43 pm; stay tuned!

Welcome to our live blog on the launch of Chandrayaan-2, ISRO's mission to the Moon. A 20-hour countdown is underway for lift-off, which is scheduled at 2.34 pm. Follow our live blog through the day for the latest news and updates.

SRO Chandrayaan-2 Launch Live Updates:
Chandrayaan-2 will spend 23 days in the Earth’s orbit, after which its journey to the Moon will take seven days. For the next 13 days, it will remain in lunar orbit, going around the Moon in an orbit of 100 km. The Lander module would separate from the Orbiter on Day 43, or September 2, and could continue to go around the Moon for another few days in a lower orbit.

The actual landing will happen on September 6, as originally scheduled, or in the early hours of September 7.

Chandrayaan-2 is India’s first attempt to land on the lunar surface. Its first Moon mission Chandrayaan-1, which was launched in 2008, was an Orbiter mission. But one of the instruments on board, called Moon Impact Probe (MIP) was made to crashland on the lunar surface. The MIP was one of the two instruments of Chandrayaan-1 that provided irrefutable evidence of the presence of water on the Moon.

Source -indianexpress.com

Sunday, 9 June 2019

German nurse who murdered 87 patients given life sentence

A court in the northwestern city of Oldenburg on Thursday found 42-year-old Niels Hoegel guilty of murdering 85 patients, aged 34 to 96, and sentenced him to life in prison.

Niels Hoegel liked to bring about cardiac arrests in his patients by injecting them with overdoses of heart medication and other drugs because he enjoyed the feeling of being able to resuscitate them. Sometimes he succeeded in bringing them back, but in at least 87 cases they died, making him what is believed to be modern Germany's most prolific serial killer.

He had earlier been convicted of two other killings.

"Your guilt is incomprehensible," presiding judge Sebastian Buerhmann said as he handed down the verdict. "I felt like an accountant of death."

Hoegel worked at a hospital in Oldenburg between 1999 and 2002 and another hospital in nearby Delmenhorst from 2003 to 2005, and the killings took place between 2000 and 2005, the dpa news agency reported.

Hoegel was convicted in 2015 of two murders and two attempted murders and is already currently serving a life sentence. There are no consecutive sentences in the German system, but Buerhmann noted in his verdict the "particular seriousness" of Hoegel's crimes, a finding that all but ensures he will remain incarcerated after the standard 15-year term is up.

During his first trial, Hoegel said he intentionally brought about cardiac crises in some 90 patients in Delmenhorst because he enjoyed the feeling of being able to resuscitate them. He later told investigators that he also killed patients in Oldenburg.
That prompted a wider investigation involving both hospitals, and police and prosecutors reviewed more than 500 patient files and hundreds of more hospital records. They also exhumed 134 bodies from 67 cemeteries, and questioned Hoegel multiple times, concluding that he had used a variety of drugs to attempt resuscitation of his patients, and was fully aware they might die.

Prosecutors noted that many of Hoegel's victims were not terminally ill patients, but were on the path to recovery.

"The fact is sometimes the worst fantasy is not enough to describe the truth," Buehrmann said.

In all, Hoegel was tried in Oldenburg on 100 counts of murder, but the court found him not guilty on 15 counts for lack of evidence, which Buerhmann noted with regret to the family members present.

"We were not able to shine light through part of the fog that lay over this trial," Buehrmann said. "That also fills with a certain sadness."
Pleas are not entered in the German system but during the seven-month trial, Hoegel admitted to 43 of the killings, disputed five and said he couldn't remember the other 52.

Hoegel testified that he had a "protected" childhood, free of violence. He said his grandmother and his father, who were both nurses, had been his role models for going into the profession.

"Now I sit here fully convinced that I want to give every relative an answer," Hoegel said during the trial. "I am really sorry."

An expert testified during the trial that while Hoegel suffered from personality disorders, he was psychologically competent to stand trial and serve his sentence.

In his closing statement to the court on Wednesday, Hoegel reiterated his earlier apology, expressing shame and remorse, and saying he realized how much pain and suffering he had caused with his "terrible deeds."

"To each and every one of you I sincerely apologize for all that I have done," he said.

Source - indiatoday.in

Saturday, 8 June 2019

Aligarh: Girl's family alleges rape, police rules out sexual assault

Image result for Aligarh: Girl's family alleges rape, police rules out sexual assault

In the most barbaric incident of recent times, a three-year-old girl was strangled to death with her eyes gouged out and hands broken in Aligarh of Uttar Pradesh over a dispute of just Rs 5,000.

The incident came to light on June 2 when stray dogs started to drag out the mutilated body of the child from a garbage dump in Tappal town of Aligarh. The parents of the minor girl filed a missing person's complaint on May 31.

According to police, the girl was brutally murdered by two of her neighbours, Zahid and Aslam. Aligarh senior superintendent of police (SSP) Akash Kulhari said Zahid had borrowed some money from the girl's father but failed to return the entire loan.

"When the girl's father asked for the money, Zahid threatened him with dire consequences. And finally, with the help of his friend Aslam, Zahid killed the girl," Kulhari said.

The two accused have been arrested. When the police interrogated Zahid, he confessed to his crime. Aslam has other cases of rape, molestation and kidnapping against him. The body was found in a horrible state with the minor's eyes gouged out, broken hands - not far from the child's home.

The post mortem revealed that there were many causes of death like suffocation, beaten marks on the left chest, fracture in the left leg, ribs were broken, injury in the head, the right arm was cut from the shoulder, soft tissue was damaged of both eyes and worms all over the body.

The body was in a decomposed condition. These injury marks prove that the child faced the brutality. Although the family has alleged rape, the SSP said that rape has not been proved yet. The police have formed a special investigation team of six members.

The SIT will submit its report within three weeks. Forensic and special operation group team will also be a part of the investigation team. The authorities suspended five policemen for negligence and began proceedings to invoke the stringent NSA against the two accused.

Source - indiatoday.in

Sunday, 24 March 2019

Brexit: Ministers back Theresa May amid reports of a coup

Chancellor Philip Hammond said talk of a change was "self indulgent" while Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said the PM "is in charge".

David Lidington - one of those touted as a possible replacement - insisted: "I am 100% behind the prime minister."

Mr Barclay told the BBC a general election would become more likely if MPs vote this week for a Brexit option the government does not want.

MPs are expected to get the chance to hold a series of so-called indicative votes on possible alternatives to Mrs May's withdrawal deal, but the Brexit secretary said they would "not be binding".

'Serious manoeuvring
Newspapers claim cabinet ministers are plotting a coup against the prime minister, aiming to replace her with a caretaker leader until a proper leadership contest is held later in the year.

The suggestion is that Tory MPs might reluctantly back Mrs May's Brexit deal if they know she will not be in charge of the next stage of negotiations with the EU, but there are differing accounts of who the preferred candidate to replace her is.

The Sunday Times reports that Mr Lidington, Mrs May's de factor deputy who voted Remain, is being lined up, while the Mail on Sunday said the Brexiteer Environment Secretary Michael Gove was the "consensus choice".

The BBC's political editor, Laura Kuenssberg says there is "serious manoeuvring" going on.
The prime minister has come under growing pressure to quit following a week in which she was forced to ask the EU for an extension to Article 50, and criticised for blaming the delay to Brexit on MPs.

The withdrawal deal she has negotiated with the EU has been overwhelmingly rejected in the Commons twice, and it remains unclear whether she will bring it back a third time next week after she wrote to MPs saying she would only do so if there was "sufficient support".

One senior backbencher told the BBC's Iain Watson that even standing aside would not be enough for her deal to be voted through, and that Mrs May might as well

He denied reports he was hoping to parachute in Mr Lidington as caretaker, adding: "To be talking about changing the players on the board, frankly, is self indulgent at this time."

Mr Hammond said he understood MPs were "very frustrated", but "one way or another Parliament is going to have an opportunity this week to decide what it's in favour of".

Mr Lidington insisted Mrs May was "doing a fantastic job" and he had not desire to take over from her.

Former Conservative leader and prominent Brexiteer Iain Duncan Smith told the BBC's Andrew Marr the disloyalty some cabinet ministers were showing to her was "appalling".

They should be censured, sacked, or at the very least "they should be apologising and they should shut up," he added.

'Crisis'
The leadership row comes ahead of a week where the PM is expected to lose further control over the Brexit process.

In the coming days, as many as six other options, in addition to Mrs May's deal, could be put to indicative votes in order to see which are most popular. They are:

Revoking Article 50 and cancelling Brexit
Another referendum
The PM's deal plus a customs union
The PM's deal plus both a customs union and single market access
A Canada-style free trade agreement
Leaving the EU without a deal
Mr Hammond said he would remove revoking Article 50 and a no-deal Brexit from the list, as "both of those would have very serious and negative consequences for our country".

On the subject of a second referendum, he said: "It is a coherent proposition and deserves to be considered, along with the other proposals."

But Mr Barclay said there was a "crisis" because "Parliament is trying to take over the government".

He said if MPs vote for a Brexit outcome at odds with the Tory manifesto - for example, in favour of maintaining single market membership - "the risk of a general election increases, because you potentially have a situation where Parliament is instructing the executive to do something that is counter to what it was elected to do".