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Redmi Note 8 Pro India launch tomorrow: Expected specs, price in India, and everything else

2019-10-14T23:05:00.001-07:00

HIGHLIGHTS

The Redmi Note 8 Pro is launching in India on October 16.
The Redmi Note 8 is said to launch alongside the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
The Redmi Note 8 Pro is powered by MediaTek processor.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro is launching in India tomorrow - October 16. The Redmi Note 8 Pro is already selling in China. We expect the same Chinese model of the Redmi Note 8 Pro to hit the Indian market. In other words, the Redmi Note 8 Pro Indian model will sport a big display, powerful processor, impressive cameras, and bigger battery when compared to the predecessor Redmi Note 7 Pro. The price in India of the Redmi Note 8 Pro is also said to be at par with the China price.

Overall the Redmi Note 8 Pro is an upgraded version of the Redmi Note 7 Pro that launched in India earlier this year. The Redmi Note 8 Pro comes with a big screen, MediaTek processor, four cameras on the back panel, front camera that sits inside the Dot drop notch, big battery and more. As noted, the specs of the Redmi Note 8 Pro are already known (China specs) but the price of the smartphone is unknown. Let's take a quick look at everything we know about the Redmi Note 8 Pro so far.

Redmi Note 8 Pro specifications

Display: The Redmi Note 8 Pro comes packed with a 6.53-inch display with resolution of 1080x2340 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9.

Processor: The Redmi Note 8 Pro is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio G90T processor.

RAM: 6GB, 8GB

Storage: 64GB, 128GB

Front camera: For selfies the Redmi Note 8 Pro comes with a 20MP front camera.

Rear camera: On the back panel the phone comes with four cameras - 64MP primary sensor, 8MP secondary sensor, third is a 2MP sensor, and forth camera also includes 2MP sensor.

Battery: The Redmi Note 8 Pro sports a 4500mAh battery with fast charging support.

Software: The Redmi Note 8 Pro runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie out-of-the-box.

Redmi Note 8 Pro design

As far as the design is concerned the Redmi Note 8 Pro looks very different when compared to the Redmi Note 7 Pro. The Redmi Note 8 Pro comes with Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the back as well as front camera. On the back the phone includes four cameras and fingerprint sensor. On the front the smartphone includes Dot drop notch that includes the selfie camera.

Redmi Note 8 Pro expected price in India and availability

We believe the Chinese variant of the Redmi Note 8 Pro will launch in India. We also believe that the price of the Redmi Note 8 Pro in India will be similar to the China price of the smartphone. In China, the Redmi Note 8 Pro comes in three variants -- 6GB RAM + 64GB storage that costs 1399 Yuan (translates to Rs 14,000), 6GB + 128GB that costs 1599 Yuan (translates to Rs 16,000) and 8GB RAM + 128GB that costs 1799 Yuan (translates to Rs 18,000). In India the Redmi Note 8 Pro will be available on Amazon India website and Mi.com, the company has confirmed. Xiaomi is also expected to launch the standard Note aka the Redmi Note 8 in India tomorrow.

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New team at BCCI: Sourav Ganguly posts picture with Anurag Thakur, Arun Dhumal and Jay Shah

2019-10-14T22:58:00.000-07:00

Sourav Ganguly will become only the 2nd India cricketer to become the president of the BCCI (Sourav Ganguly Twitter Photo)

HIGHLIGHTS

Sourav Ganguly filed his nomination for the BCCI president's post on Monday
Ganugly is set to be elected unopposed as he is the only one who applied for the job
Arun Singh Dhumal and Jay Shah are set to join Ganguly's team as BCCI's new treasurer and secretary, respectively

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is all set to be named the new president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after he filed his nomination for the top job on Monday in Mumbai.

Ganguly was the lone candidate applying for the job and is set to be elected unopposed as the president. The Bengal stalwart was accompanied by former BCCI and ICC chief N Srinivasan, Niranjan Shah and Rajeev Shukla as he went to submit his papers at the board headquarters.

Later in the evening he met with former BCCI president Anurag Thakur, his brother Arun Singh Dhumal, Jay Shah and the couple of other members who are all set to assume new posts in the BCCI under Ganguly.

Arun Dhumal is Anurag Thakur's younger brother and is most likely to be named the new treasurer while Jay Shah, Union Home Minister Amit Shah's son, is set to become the new board secretary.

"The new team at. @bcci .. hopefully we can work well .. anurag thakur thank you for seeing this through," Ganguly captioned the post as he posed for a picture with his new team.

The new team at. @bcci .. hopefully we can work well .. anurag thakur thank you for seeing this through @ianuragthakur pic.twitter.com/xvZyiczcGq
Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) October 14, 2019

Ganguly will become only the 2nd India cricketer after Maharaja of Vizianagaram to serve as the president of the BCCI. Despite playing only 3 Test matches for India, the Maharaja of Vizianagaram a.k.a Vizzy served as BCCI president between 1954 and 1956.

How Delhi robbers got to know they had robbed PM Modi's niece

2019-10-14T22:57:00.004-07:00

The second accused, identified as Badal, was arrested from Sultanpuri.

HIGHLIGHTS

PM Modi's niece was mugged outside the Gujarati Samaj Bhawan in New Delhi's Civil Lines area
It took around 700 policemen and 200 CCTV recordings for the police to solve the high-profile case
The two men got to know that they have robbed the PM's niece when the wife of one of the accused informed him on phone

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's niece Damayanti Ben Modi was mugged outside the Gujarati Samaj Bhawan in New Delhi's Civil Lines area but the robbers didn't realise who they were targeting until a huge police force came knocking on their doors.

Two men on a two-wheeler snatched her purse while she was getting off an auto-rickshaw. The purse contained around Rs 56,000, a wristwatch, two mobile phones and important documents.

It took around 700 policemen and 200 CCTV recordings for the police to solve the high-profile case.

The two men got to know that they have robbed the Prime Minister's niece when the wife of one of the accused informed him on the phone.

After the incident, one of the accused identified as Gaurav alias Nonu's wife informed him that they have robbed the Prime Minister's niece.

During interrogation, the accused revealed that they realised the matter is something big when a huge team of police started raiding their houses after the incident.

According to reports, the two men are drug addicts who resort to robbing passers-by to pay for their drugs. According to police, both the accused consume chemicals and cannabis from the time they were minors. They have committed other crimes too to supporting their families.

While one of the accused was arrested hours after the robbery, it took the police a day to arrest the second accused identified as Gaurav alias Nonu.

After scanning multiple CCTV footage, police found Gaurav's photograph and showed the images to children as they believed elders will help him in escaping.

Children recognised Nonu's picture and led police to his home. However, the family had already left the place.

After tracking his mobile phone, he was arrested from Sonipat.

SOURCE

Exclusive | Nothing anti-Muslim about NRC: Amit Shah talks Assam, Kashmir, economy

2019-10-14T22:56:00.002-07:00

On economic revival, Amit Shah said investment happens in new avenues. (PTI file photo)

HIGHLIGHTS

"Not a single bullet has been fired in Kashmir," Amit Shah repeated
Amit Shah said that the economic slowdown is a temporary phase
He said the NRC will be extended to the entire country eventually

In his first interview after Article 370 was consigned to history, Union Home Minister Amit Shah dismissed reports of violence on the ground and said Jammu and Kashmir is very peaceful. Incidentally, Shah's statement came on a day when postpaid mobile services were restored in the Valley after more than 70 days of lockdown. The Home Minister also held Article 370 responsible for the killings of 40,000 people.

"There is no curfew anywhere and no shoot-at-sight order after the abrogation of Article 370. Section 144 has been imposed only at six police station areas. The apple business is running smoothly. There is traffic on roads and markets are also reopening gradually. Overall, the situation is good. People are going to masjid to offer Friday prayers. There is peace in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions. Mobile services and voice calls have also resumed."

J&K leaders' detention

When asked about the detention of former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Shah said when a decision is fresh, it is natural for people to be shocked. "If someone tries to incite then it will be difficult to control the situation. Some 4,000 people were detained as a precautionary measure, of which less than 1,000 are in jail today. More than 800 of them were caught stone-pelting. Why was Sheikh Abdullah jailed for 11 years when there was Article 370? Congress didn't say anything because it was in power. They justified it by saying that he incited people. But now for over two-and-a-half-months, they are making an issue out of it," he said.

On being asked about Shah's statement in Parliament that Farooq Abdullah was inside his house as per his wish after which the former CM cried, the Home Minister said the government never stopped him from going out before the Public Safety Act. "If you keep someone under house arrest, you have to inform it to the police station within 24 hours. There are records of it, many journalists tried to dig it out. But it has been proven that he was not under house arrest."

"Mehbooba and Omar have been kept under detention under the Public Safety Act."

If everything is normal then why J&K leaders can't move freely? What message has been sent out?

Amit Shah replied, "Some 40,000 people were killed, what message was sent out? I believe they were killed due to Article 370. Time should be given to settle the issue down. As a precautionary measure, we have kept them under detention."

Roadmap for Jammu and Kashmir

"There was no development there due to Article 370. There was immense corruption. I believe development will happen now. Panchayat polls are around the corner."

On asked that besides the BJP, why nobody is contesting, Shah said, "Nobody has been stopped. They have boycotted it. There are many places in the country where Independents fight without an election symbol. Everybody should fight in democratic politics."

"There has been a history of Jammu and Kashmir that people have thronged the streets despite shoot-at-sight orders. It has happened in the past that people were killed. People have understood that there has been no development compared to other states due to Article 370," Shah added.

READ | Amit Shah denies putting Farooq Abdullah under house arrest

Dismissing reports that three locals died due to action by security forces, Shah said not a single bullet was fired and nobody died due to law and order situation.

When asked about Malaysia, Turkey and China trying to favour Pakistan, the Home Minister said, "This is their view. By and large, the entire world supported India on the issue. This is the biggest achievement of the Narendra Modi government."

How do you see China's reaction? Shah said, "I don't think they are totally against us. That is their stand."

On Uniform Civil Code

On the issue, the Home Minister said he can't give a time table as a lot of things are taken into consideration.

On being tagged as "superpower" and that he will run the BJP after December as party president too, Shah said it doesn't happen in this manner. "This is wrong thinking. The new BJP president will run the party affairs."

Maharashtra and Haryana polls

"The BJP is in a good position in both states. We will win by more than two-third majority. Both Devendra Fadnavis and Manohar Lal Khattar governments have worked very well," Shah said, adding Fadnavis will be the next Maharashtra CM.

On Rahul Gandhi's allegations that the government is trying to distract people and not talking about real issues, he said, "I don't think what Rahul ji knows about the BJP's campaigning. The BJP's campaigning takes place in three stages -- big rallies, group meeting and door-to-door campaign. The BJP is a very democratic party."

Asked about bringing in leaders from other parties whom the BJP has accused of corruption in the past, Shah said, "I don't consider someone bad if he changes his party before elections. In any case, you face the mandate of the people."

READ | Does Rahul Gandhi know how ground-level poll campaigning works, asks Amit Shah

On investigating agencies going soft on turncoats if they join the BJP, Shah said people ask all the questions. "There is a court above the investigation agencies. The court sees the case diary and day-to-day reports; the previous and the current stance. Many investigations on our leaders started after our government came to power."

Does this dent the BJP's anti-corruption image that tainted leaders are brought in to your party to win elections?

"The chief ministers and the Cabinet run the government and they are clean. If there are any charges on the leaders we are taking in, people will decide their fate," he said.

P Chidambaram issue

When P Chidambaram was the home minister, Amit Shah was jailed. So are you taking revenge from him?

"CBI and ED were neither under him nor under me. They don't work under the home ministry. I was charged in a fake encounter case and all charges were quashed. There is a difference. The investigation against Chidambaram is going on for five years. This is not correct to put allegation when you get into trouble," said the Home Minister.

On Praful Patel

Shah was asked about Praful Patel links with Iqbal Mirchi and his allegations that the BJP government and its agencies are harassing him. "Praful Patel ji should tell about the agreement with Iqbal Mirchi. In 2007 when the agreement took place then there was Red Corner Notice on Iqbal Mirchi. Still, you get into an agreement. If the documents are on record so is the agreement. He should make public the agreement with Iqbal Mirchi's family."

On Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar has been linked to the Rs 25,000-crore scam in Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank just before elections. He is planning to make it an election issue, to which Shah replied, "He can make it an election issue but the FIR was registered on the order of the high court. The victims went to the high court."

PMC crisis

In the backdrop of PMC Bank scam, shouldn't there be an insurance policy for investors' money?

"In case of PMC, properties worth more than the scam have been seized. By and large, the money will be returned. Legal proceedings have been left. 80 per cent of people can be given their money back. But this will take a month or two. We are holding discussions with all stakeholders."

Economic slowdown

On economic revival, Shah said investment happens in new avenues. Those having cash reserves have expanded their businesses. "In the era of globalisation, the economy of a country can't be evaluated in isolation. In comparison to the global economy, our condition is good. The dip in GDP and slowdown is less compared to other countries. We can't compare the size of our economy with Bangladesh."

"Slowdown is a temporary phase. It is not possible that the global economy will not affect the Indian economy...When the Opposition was in power, they didn't even know the economy and politics. I have full faith that we will meet Modi ji's $5 trillion economy target. Monsoon has been very good. The long-term actions taken by Nirmala Sitharaman will also benefit us. The steps taken by her in five different sectors will boost the economy. She is working in an aggressive mode," Shah added.

On an article written by Sitharaman's husband criticising the BJP's economic vision, and that the party is in denial, he said, "Do we want a country where the husband and wife think alike? There is nothing surprising. Every person has a viewpoint. Just because he is Nirmala ji's husband, should he be targeted like this?"

On Sourav Ganguly & BCCI

On the allegation that Shah has a hand in choosing the new BCCI president, he said, "BCCI has an election process, and they all file nominations have been associated with cricket and Sourav Ganguly can meet me."

There are reports that Shah has a deal with Ganguly wherein the Home minister will help the former cricket captain become the BCCI president in return that Ganguly will become the BJP face in the 2021 Bengal Assembly elections.

READ | No BCCI deal, Sourav Ganguly welcome to join BJP: Amit Shah

"There is no such deal. We had never tried to bring in Sourav. And it's not true that we want a face in Bengal. Without a face, we got 18 Lok Sabha seats. Even in UP, Manipur and Tripura, we didn't have a face and we won all elections. I am not saying that we cannot win without a face. Anybody who wants to join the BJP is welcomed."

On NRC issue

"The NRC process is carried out under the order and directions of the Supreme Court. We will fix the loopholes in the current NRC process and ensure a leak-proof NRC. The NRC will be extended across the country...Will also bring the Citizenship Amendment Bill," he said.

"There is nothing anti-Muslim in the exercise...We cannot allow everyone in India...Congress never stopped illegal immigration and so we should start a legal procedure to identify and deport such people," he added.

On Kartarpur Corridor

Shah expressed his wish to visit the Kartarpur shrine and pay respects. "We have made solid arrangements so that the corridor can't be used for terror activities."

On radicalisation of youth

There are concerns over the radicalisation of youth in Kerala and some other states due to Popular Front of India (PFI). How concerned are you?

"It's not only about PFI. Whichever organisation indulges in such activities, we take the matter very seriously. To stop them, we will take all constitutional measures."

On Ayodhya hearing

"We are completely prepared to tackle the law and order situation if any. I am sure the people of this country will respect the Supreme Court decision on Ayodhya. I trust the country's fabric. This is the oldest case in the country, and it is an injustice that the case has been dragged for so long," Shah remarked.

On a lighter note, Shah was questioned whether he enjoys working as the Home Minister or BJP president?

He answered, "Both are same for me. I work for my country."

SOURCE

New team at BCCI: Sourav Ganguly posts picture with Anurag Thakur, Arun Dhumal and Jay Shah

2019-10-14T22:55:00.007-07:00

Sourav Ganguly will become only the 2nd India cricketer to become the president of the BCCI (Sourav Ganguly Twitter Photo)

HIGHLIGHTS

Sourav Ganguly filed his nomination for the BCCI president's post on Monday
Ganugly is set to be elected unopposed as he is the only one who applied for the job
Arun Singh Dhumal and Jay Shah are set to join Ganguly's team as BCCI's new treasurer and secretary, respectively

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is all set to be named the new president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after he filed his nomination for the top job on Monday in Mumbai.

Arun Dhumal is Anurag Thakur's younger brother and is most likely to be named the new treasurer while Jay Shah, Union Home Minister Amit Shah's son, is set to become the new board secretary.

"The new team at. @bcci .. hopefully we can work well .. anurag thakur thank you for seeing this through," Ganguly captioned the post as he posed for a picture with his new team.

The new team at. @bcci .. hopefully we can work well .. anurag thakur thank you for seeing this through @ianuragthakur pic.twitter.com/xvZyiczcGq
Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) October 14, 2019

Notably, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar and Shivlal Yadav have also served as interim BCCI presidents in 2014. The BCCI elections were scheduled to be held on October 23 but with Sourav Ganguly being the only candidate to file his nomination for the top post of Indian cricket, he is set to be elected unopposed.

Shedding light on the dramatic turn of events in which he piped Brijesh Patel to become the frontrunner for BCCI president post, Ganguly said: "I didn't know I would be the President when I came down. You (the reporter) asked me and I told you it's Brijesh and when I went up and I came to know it has changed. I have never been in a BCCI election and I never knew it worked like this."

SOURCE

Pakistan isolated by all countries in FATF, on verge of being in Dark Grey list

2019-10-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

Pakistan PM Imran Khan (Photo: Reuters)

HIGHLIGHTS

Pakistan is on the verge of strong action by FATF, given its inadequate performance, an official said
The FATF will finalise its decision on Pakistan on October 18
According to FATF rules there is one essential stage between 'Grey' and 'Black' lists, referred to as 'Dark Grey'

FATF (Financial Action Task Force) plenary session convened on Sunday in Paris and conclude on October 18. In a statement ahead of the plenary an FATF statement said that the areas of discussion would include "Progress by Iran, Pakistan and other countries that present a risk to the financial system".

Pakistan is in trouble with adverse review reports which will come up for discussion this week. While Pakistan will submit a dossier of actions taken by Islamabad agains terror financing and money laundering, FATF will finalise its decision on Pakistan on Friday, Oct 18 in Paris.

Sources indicate that Pakistan is on the verge of strong action by FATF, given its inadequate performance, whereby it managed to pass in only 6 of 27 items.

According to FATF rules there is one essential stage between Grey and Black List, referred to as Dark Grey.

This is the issuance of a strong warning, so that the concerned country gets one last chance to improve. As per indications Pakistan will be isolated by all members for not doing enough. This would be the first Plenary under the Chinese Presidency of Xiangmin Liu.

India, UK, US, France and many other nations have been consistently pushing for action against these terror networks and terrorists but to no avail. Friday will be crucial for Pakistan. For now it is trying very hard to get off the grey list and India is working the channels to ensure blacklisting process is initiated.

But, with support from China, Malaysia and Turkey; Pakistan may not be blacklisted since only a minimum of three votes are required to prevent a blacklisting at FATF but to get off the grey list, Pakistan would require the support of 15 nations which it does not have as of now.

SOURCE

Indian economy doing very badly, says Nobel awardee Abhijit Banerjee

2019-10-14T22:54:00.003-07:00

Abhijit Banerjee received the Nobel Prize in economics for his experimental approach for alleviating global poverty. (Photo: Reuters)

HIGHLIGHTS

Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Harvard professor Michael Kremer jointly won the 2019 Nobel Economics Prize
They won the prize for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty
Abhijit Banerjee (58) works at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Indian-American Abhijit Banerjee, who jointly won the 2019 Nobel Economics Prize with his wife Esther Duflo and Harvard's Michael Kremer, said Monday that the Indian economy is "doing very badly" even as the government is increasingly recognising that there is a problem.

"The economy is doing very badly in my view," he told a press conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after winning the prize.

When asked about his opinion on the state of the economy in India and its future, he said, "That's a statement not about what will work in the future but about what's going on now. That I'm entitled to have an opinion about."

Referring to the numbers put out by the National Sample Survey, that come out every 1.5 years and give estimates about the average consumption in urban and rural areas in India, Abhijit Banerjee said, "the fact that we see in that is that between 2014-15 and 2017-18, that number has slightly gone down. And that's the first time such a thing has happened in many many many many many years so that's a very glaring warning sign."

"There is an enormous fight going on in India about which data is right and the government has a particular view of (that) all data that is inconvenient to it is wrong. But nonetheless, I think that this is something that I think even the government is increasingly recognising that there is a problem. So the economy slowing very very fast. How fast we don't know, there is this dispute about data but I think fast," he said.

Abhijit Banerjee added that he does not know exactly what to do. "The government has a large deficit but right now it's sort of at least aiming to please everybody by pretending to hold to some budgetary targets and monetary targets," he said.

Abhijit Banerjee said that in his view when the economy is going into a "tailspin", is the time when "you don't worry so much about monetary stability and you worry a little bit more about demand. I think demand is a huge problem right now in economy."

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last week in Mumbai evaded a direct reply to a question on whether the government accepts there is an economic slowdown, and said the government is giving relief to all sectors who need help.

She said since the Budget in July, she has been meeting representatives of various industrial sectors, and sector-wise intervention is being made regularly.

SOURCE

Bengal elderly couple hold hands, click selfie and win Internet in million-dollar Durga Puja pics

2019-10-14T22:53:00.002-07:00

Images posted on Facebook by Anjan Banerjee.

Love has no age and an elderly couple from Bengal is proof. Pictures of the couple pandal hopping during Durga Pujas went viral after they were shared on Facebook by Anjan Banerjee. And we must add that the photos are just so cute.

The elderly man wore a dhoti-kurta while his wife looked beautiful in a saree. The couple roamed around puja pandals while holding hands and also clicked pictures. What's even more adorable is the fact that the couple was also photographed taking a selfie in front of the pandal.

In his caption for the post, Anjan wrote in Bengali that the couple's daughter resides abroad and could not make it for the Durga Pujas. "Love has no age limit. Only two souls who want to keep each other well and happy," an excerpt from Anjan's post in Bengali reads.

This is heartwarming, right?

The internet is in love with the elderly couple as the post has garnered over 8,000 likes and has been shared almost 6,000 times. Netizens posted heart emoticons in the comments section and are all smiles after seeing the pictures.

Screenshot from Anjan Banerjee's Facebook.

We can't stop gushing over the pictures. What about you?

SOURCE

Trump imposes sanctions on Turkey, says prepared to swiftly destroy its economy

2019-10-14T22:51:00.002-07:00

Trump has signed an executive order that empowers his administration to slap sanctions on Turkey.

Protesting Turkey's military offensive in northeast Syria, US President Donald Trump has announced sanctions against Turkish officials, raising of steel tariffs and ending negotiations on a USD 100 billion trade deal.

Trump has signed an executive order that empowers his administration to slap sanctions on Turkey.

The treasury department has already placed Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Energy Minister Fatih Donmez on its sanctions list, while Trump in a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the US House of Representatives has declared the Turkey issue a national emergency.

On Wednesday, Ankara launched a cross-border assault on Kurdish fighters after the US decided to withdraw troops from Syria, a move criticised by the Republicans, with some terming it a "betrayal" of the Kurds.

"This (executive) order will enable the US to impose powerful additional sanctions on those who may be involved in serious human rights abuses, obstructing a ceasefire, preventing displaced persons from returning home, forcibly repatriating refugees or threatening the peace, security or stability in Syria," Trump said in a statement.

Turkey's military offensive is endangering civilians and threatening peace, security and stability in the region, he said, adding that he has been perfectly clear with his Turkish counterpart that his action is precipitating a humanitarian crisis and setting conditions for possible war crimes.

"I'm fully prepared to swiftly destroy Turkey's economy if Turkish leaders continue down this dangerous and destructive path," the president said.

Statement from President Donald J. Trump Regarding Turkey’s Actions in Northeast Syria pic.twitter.com/ZCQC7nzmME
Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2019

The order gives the state and treasury departments authority to consider and impose sanctions on individuals, entities or associates of the Turkish government involved in actions that endanger civilians or lead to the further deterioration of peace, security and stability in northeast Syria.

The order will authorise a broad range of measures, including financial sanctions, the blocking of property, and barring entry into the US, he said, adding that the US will immediately stop negotiations with Turkey on a USD 100 billion trade deal.

Steel tariffs will be increased back up to 50 per cent, the level prior to the reduction in May, Trump said.

He asserted that his administration will aggressively use economic sanctions to target those who enable, facilitate, and finance heinous acts in Syria.

In addition to the sanctions on the three Turkish ministers, the treasury said people who engage in certain transactions with the persons designated today may themselves be exposed to designation.

Furthermore, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates any significant financial transactions for or on behalf of the persons designated today could be subject to US correspondent or payable through account sanctions, it said.

The treasury department said as a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of these persons, and of any other persons blocked by operation of law, that are in the US, in the possession or control of US persons must be blocked and reported to the treasury.

"Turkey must ensure the safety of civilians, including religious and ethnic minorities, and is now, or may be in the future, responsible for the ongoing detention of ISIS terrorists in the region. "Unfortunately, Turkey does not appear to be mitigating the humanitarian effects of its invasion," he said.

In the letter Pelosi, Trump said he has taken these steps because of recent actions by the Turkish government of undermining the campaign to defeat the ISIS and endangering civilians.

It further threatens to undermine the peace, security and stability in the region, thereby constituting an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the US, he said.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, "The US is holding the Turkish government accountable for escalating violence by Turkish forces, endangering innocent civilians, and destabilizing the region."

"We are prepared to impose additional sanctions on Government of Turkey officials and entities, as necessary, the treasury said.

In a statement Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned if Turkey's operation continues, it will exacerbate a growing and daunting humanitarian crisis, with potentially disastrous consequences.

"As the president has made clear, Turkey’s actions in northeast Syria severely undermine the D-ISIS (Defeat ISIS) campaign, endanger civilians, and threaten the security of the entire region, he said.

On pulling back of US troops, Trump said a small contingent will remain at the Tanf Garrison in southern Syria to disrupt remnants of the ISIS.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump had promised to bring back US troops from Syria and Afghanistan.

US forces have defeated the ISIS physical caliphate, the troops are coming out will now redeploy and remain in the region to monitor the situation and prevent a repeat of 2014, when the neglected threat of ISIS raged across Syria and Iraq, he said.

The troop withdrawal came after the White House said it would step aside to allow for a Turkish operation President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned could come at any moment.

"The US and our partners have liberated 100 percent of ISIS’s ruthless territorial caliphate. Turkey must not put these gains in jeopardy," Trump said.

The Kurdish administration in northern Syria has announced a deal with Damascus on troop deployment near the border to fend of the Turks.

SOURCE

Chandrayaan-2: Nasa lunar orbiter to fly over Vikram landing site, take photos in new attempt to spot lander

2019-10-14T22:08:00.000-07:00

The Chandrayaan-2 mission aimed to place an orbiter around the Moon and land a rover on the lunar surface. While the rover landing went awry, the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is safe in its orbit around the Moon (Reuters illustration)

HIGHLIGHTS

Nasa's LRO will fly over Vikram's landing site and attempt to take photos
The LRO was unable to spot Vikram during its previous fly-by
Vikram went out of contact during its lunar landing and hasn't been heard from since

Alunar rover operated by the United States is scheduled to fly over the landing site of the Chandrayaan-2 lander Vikram sometime on Monday. Communication with Vikram was lost during the Chandrayaan-2 lander's attempt to land on the Moon on September 7. Vikram is likely dead now after a cold lunar night during which its instruments were probably frozen out of operation.

This is the second time the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter -- operated by the US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration -- will fly over Vikram's landing site and attempt to take pictures. The LRO previously flew over Vikram's landing site on September 17 (10 days after the lander lost contact) and took pictures of the area.

However, the photographs were shot at a time when it was dusk in the south polar region of the Moon where Vikram attempted landing, and so, the Chandrayaan-2 lander was not clearly visible in the images. Then, Nasa had indicated that Vikram could be hiding in the long shadows present on the lunar surface.

Nasa had also said that its LRO would fly over Vikram's landing site again on October 14. Lighting conditions during the LRO's second fly-past over Vikram's landing site are expected to be better than on September 17 and so, could offer clues about the Chandrayaan-2 lander's physical condition.

LANDING ATTEMPT GONE AWRY

Vikram attempted landing on the Moon on September 7 as part of the Chandrayaan-2 mission's grand dream of placing a rover on the Moon. Vikram housed the six-wheeled rover Pragyaan, which, if things had gone according to plan, would have explored the lunar surface for one lunar day, equivalent to 14 Earth days.

Initially, Vikram's 15-minute lunar descent went according to plan. However, moments before Vikram was to land on the Moon, it went silent and the Indian Space Research Organisation lost all contact with the Chandrayaan-2 lander.

Vikram with the six-wheeled rover Pragyaan (Photo: Isro)

Since then, Vikram has not been heard from and we still do not know what exactly went wrong. However, according to an India Today Magazine report based on data and readings gathered from the lunar descent, Vikram inexplicably performed a somersault during its landing attempt.

And so, Vikram's reverse thrust-producing engines briefly pointed skyward. According to the report, what this meant was that the engines, located on Vikram's belly, instead of slowing the craft down propelled it towards the lunar surface. It was around this time communication with Vikram was lost.

EFFORTS TO MAKE CONTACT

After losing contact with Vikram, Isro began intense efforts to re-establish communication with the Chandrayaan-2 lander. However, days passed without any success.

The US space agency Nasa too lent help. Apart from deploying its ground-based communication satellites to attempt talking to Vikram, Nasa also sent its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to fly over the Chandrayaan-2 lander's landing site.

Nasa's LRO was previously unable to spot Vikram due to long shadows and low light on the Moon (Photo: Nasa)

The LRO flew over the landing site on September 17 and took photos. However, the south polar region of the Moon where Vikram attempted landing was covered in dusk by then. The low light and the long shadows on the lunar surface made it difficult to spot Vikram.

That hopefully will not be the case when the LRO attempts its second fly-by on Monday.

LUNAR NIGHT

Even if the LRO manages to spot Vikram, chances of establishing communication with the lander are next to none. Vikram is already past its original mission life of one lunar day, or 14 Earth days.

Also, the region of the Moon where Vikram attempted landing has just come out of a cold lunar night (which lasted around 14 Earth days). Nightime temperatures in the region can plunge to below minus 200 degrees Celsius.

Vikram or Pragyaan did not have any onboard heating apparatus and so, their instruments are likely to have been frozen out of operation during the lunar night, which means that re-establishing contact with the Chandrayaan-2 lander is unlikely.

CHANDRAYAAN-2 ORBITER

The Chandrayaan-2 mission also consisted of an orbiter that is safely orbiting the Moon right now. Isro has been able to extend the orbiter's mission life from the original one year to seven years. Not only is the orbiter functioning perfectly, it has also begun carrying out the many experiments it is supposed to.

The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter recently sent high-res photos of the lunar surface (Photo: Isro)

In the last few days, the orbiter has detected solar flares from the Sun and charged particles near the surface of the Moon. Both of these findings will ultimately help the orbiter test for the presence of various elements on the Moon's surface.

The orbiter has also sent back high-resolution photos of the lunar surface. The photos will play an important role in helping Isro analyse the Moon's surface.

As for as Vikram... we should know more in the upcoming days once Nasa goes public with the new photos its LRO has shot of the Chandrayaan-2 lander's landing site.

SOURCE

Amit Shah denies putting Farooq Abdullah under house arrest

2019-10-14T22:02:00.001-07:00

In an exclusive interview to India Today TV, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Farooq Abdullah was not under house arrest. (Photo: PTI)

HIGHLIGHTS

Amit Shah said former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah has not been put under house arrest
The home minister said that Farooq Abdullah is at his home of his own will
There are records available. It has been proved that Farooq Abdullah is not under house arrest: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah has not been put under house arrest at all.

In an exclusive interview to India Today TV, Amit Shah said, "Farooq Abdullah was not under house arrest."

When asked that Farooq Abdullah had claimed that he wasn't being allowed to leave the house, Amit Shah said, "When someone is kept under house arrest, the police station has to be informed within 24 hours."

"There are records available. People have enquired as well and it has been proved that farooq Abdullah was not under house arrest," Amit Shah said.

When asked about former Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Amit Shah said, "They are in detention under the Public Safety Act."

Earlier in August, Home Minister Amit Shah informed Lok Sabha that Farooq Abdullah is neither under detention nor arrest and he is at his home of his own will.

He made these remarks when Supriya Sule (NCP) said Abdullah used to sit next to him in the House. She said he is not in House and his voice is not being heard.

"He is neither under detention nor under arrest. He is at his home on his own will," Amit Shah said.

However, a day after Article 370 was revoked, Farooq Abdullah said there was a big padlock on his door and he had to "force himself" to come out and speak to the media.

"I heard the statement of the home minister of India that Farooq Abdullah is free and is staying in the house out of his own will. I thought how he can be lying when a DSP has been placed outside my house and no one can come in and no one can go out," Farooq Abdullah had said.

SOURCE

If Rohit Sharma can do in Tests what he did in ODIs, it will be great for India: Virat Kohli

2019-10-01T05:28:00.004-07:00

Rohit sharma during practice session (PTI Photo)

HIGHLIGHTS

Rohit Sharma is all set to open for 1st time in Tests
Rohit's career transformed after he was promoted to open in ODIs in 2013
Virat Kohli believes Rohit can emulate his ODI exploits as opener in Tests

India captain Virat Kohli doesn't expect Rohit Sharma to follow a certain style and wants the seasoned campaigner to use his natural instincts much like Virender Sehwag in his new role as Test opener.

Virat Kohli said Rohit Sharma understands what he needs to do and said the transition from the middle-order to opening spot is more mental adjustment than anything else.

Ahead of the 1st Test between India and South Africa, starting October 2, Virat Kohli confirmed Rohit Sharma would open along with Mayank Agarwal. In fact, India named the playing XI for the 1st Test on its eve after captain Kohli addressed the press conference in Visakhapatnam.

"In Test cricket I started at (number) six then came up to four. It was more of a mental thing. If you can convince yourself you can do it. Test cricket is about finding your game in different conditions," Virat Kohli said on Tuesday.

"We are not looking at a certain kind of display of batting from Rohit. It is about him finding his game at the top. Yes, his strength is to take the game forward. Like what Viru bhai used to do for the team for a long period.

"So, it is not as if someone would have told Viru bhai to attack and get a hundred before lunch. His natural instinct took over and he could demolish attacks once he felt comfortable.

"He definitely has the ability. If the wicket is challenging and then obviously you won't see him smashing the ball, he knows what to do."

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli expects Rohit Sharma to emulate his ODI route to opening success in Tests.

Rohit Sharma had played in the middle-order for 81 ODIs before the then India captain, MS Dhoni came up with the idea of promoting him to the opener's slot. Rohit found instant success and his career changed for good after the promotion.

Rohit has scored 25 hundreds, including 3 double hundreds, ever since his promotion to the opener's slot in 2013.

"For Rohit as well, clarity of role knowing that you have to play in a certain way, is very crucial for a player and for us the communication happened long ago," Virat Kohli said.

"But we could not see a situation but now there is a situation and it is an ideal time to go ahead with it because we have spoken about it. ODIs was same with him.

"He was batting in the middle order and then suddenly opening conversations happened and within 6-8 months he was opening and we all know what happened after that. If he can do what he did in ODIs, it will be great for Indian cricket."

SOURCE

Chandrayaan-2: Isro has not given up efforts to regain link with Vikram lander

2019-10-01T05:26:00.003-07:00

While the Vikram lander went out of contact, the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is safe in its orbit around the Moon (Reuters illustration)

The Isro has not given up efforts to spring Chandrayaan-2's lander Vikram lying on the lunar surface back to life after a hard-landing more than three weeks ago, senior officials indicated on Tuesday.

The Indian Space Research Organisation said on September seven ground stations lost communication with Vikram (with rover Praygan tucked inside it), minutes before its planned soft-landing on the Lunar surface.

Since then the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency had been making "all possible" efforts to establish link with the lander but had apparently suspended those operations 10 days ago following night fall on the Moon.

"Now it's not possible, it's night time there. May be after this, probably we will start. It's night time at our landing site, power may not be there", the Isro Chairman K Sivan told PTI on Tuesday.

"We will make efforts afterwards (during day-time on lunar surface) also," he said.

COMPLEX MISSION

The Chandrayaan-2 was a highly complex mission, which brought together an orbiter, lander and rover to explore the unexplored south pole of the Moon.

The mission life of the lander and the rover will be one Lunar day which is equal to fourteen earth days, Isro had said prior to the launch.

Some space experts believe regaining link with the lander now appears extremely difficult.

"I think finding link after so many days is going to be extremely difficult but there is nothing wrong in trying," an Isro official said on condition of anonymity.

Asked if the lander can withstand the severe cold conditions on the moon during night-time, this official said:

"Not only cold, impact shock is something one has to worry about; the lander has come down at a high speed".

"... the shock generated can damage many things inside, that way it's highly doubtful. Communication antenna which orientation... where it's looking... that way it's extremely difficult to establish contact", he said.

ORBITER FINE

Meanwhile, Sivan said the orbiter is fine. The Isro said on September seven the orbiter has already been placed in its intended orbit around the Moon and shall enrich our understanding of the moon's evolution and mapping of the minerals and water molecules in the Polar Regions, using its eight scientific instruments.

The orbiter camera is the highest resolution camera (0.3 metres) in any lunar mission so far and shall provide high resolution images which will be immensely useful to the global scientific community, it had said.

"The precise launch and mission management has ensured a long life of almost seven years instead of the planned one year", the ISRO had said.

The ISRO had constituted a national level committee consisting of academics and agency experts to analyse the cause of the communication loss with the lander.

"The committee is seriously working on that, and their report will be available soon. I don't think it will take more than a month", the official said.

SOURCE

Renault Kwid facelift launched: Check out price, features, variants, warranty, other important details

2019-10-01T05:25:00.000-07:00

Renault Kwid Facelift Climber variant gets bodyside cladding and orange accents on the skid plates, roof rails and headlamp protector.

HIGHLIGHTS

Renault Kwid facelift gets an 8-inch Medianav Evolution touchscreen infotainment system.
The new Kwid facelift comes with 14-inch volcano grey multi-spoke wheels.
The top-spec Kwid Climber AMT is priced at Rs 4.84 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Renault today launched Kwid facelift in India for a starting price of Rs 2.83 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). More than three lakh units of Renault Kwid have been sold in the Indian market since the vehicle was launched here in 2015. Renault Kwid facelift, which comes in a more peppy and sporty avatar, will take on the likes of Maruti Suzuki Alto, Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, Datsun Redi-GO and the newly-launched Maruti Suzuki S-Presso. The launch of Kwid facelift follows the introduction of Renault Triber in August and Renault Duster facelift in July.

Renault Kwid Facelift Engine and Transmission

The new Renault Kwid facelift is available with two SCe (smart control efficiency) petrol engines -- 0.8-litre and 1.0-litre. The 0.8-litre motor makes 54 PS and 72 Nm of torque, while the 1.0-litre mill produces 68 PS and 91 Nm of torque. Both the powertrains come with a standard 5-speed manual gearbox. The 1.0-litre variant gets an optional 5-speed AMT called Easy-R by Renault.

Renault Kwid Facelift Price

Below are the variant wise price (ex-showroom, Delhi) details of Renault Kwid facelift.

-- Kwid STD 0.8-litre SCe MT - Rs 2.83 lakh
-- Kwid RXE 0.8-litre SCe MT - Rs 3.53 lakh
-- Kwid RXL 0.8-litre SCe MT - Rs 3.83 lakh
-- Kwid RXT 0.8-litre SCe MT - Rs 4.13 lakh
-- Kwid RXT 1.0-litre SCe MT - Rs 4.33 lakh
-- Kwid Climber 1.0-litre SCe MT - 4.54 lakh
-- Kwid RXT 1.0-litre SCe AMT (Easy-R) - Rs 4.63 lakh
-- Kwid Climber 1.0-litre SCe AMT (Easy-R) - Rs 4.84 lakh

Renault Kwid Facelift Exterior Features

Renault Kwid facelift boasts of an impressive front fascia with a new-designed chrome grille. The updated Kwid gets a split headlamp design with the main unit positioned on the bumper and the grille merging into the silver streak DRLs. The tail lamps get C-shaped LED light guides. The boomerang-shaped sculpted roof comes with roof rails and integrated roof spoiler. Other features include dual-tone ORVMs, side decals, wheel arch claddings, 14-inch volcano grey multi-spoke wheels and SUV skid plates. The Kwid Climber variant additionally gets bodyside cladding and orange accents on the skid plates, roof rails and headlamp protector.

Renault Kwid Facelift Interior Features

A dual-tone dashboard and chrome interior accents give Renault Kwid facelift premium feel. A choice can be made between sporty orange and white fabric upholstery with striped embossing or premium crossway fabric upholstery with red outline. The new vehicle gets a fully digital instrument cluster with LED illumination. There is an 8-inch Medianav Evolution touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. It also gets a first-in-class reverse parking camera.

Renault Kwid Facelift Safety Features

Renault Kwid facelift comes with safety features like driver-side airbag (passenger side airbag is optional), ABS with EBD, driver and co-driver seat belt reminder, high speed alert, rear parking sensors, rear-view camera with guidelines and speed sensing auto door lock. The new Kwid complies with side crash norms and upcoming pedestrian crash norms as well.

Renault Kwid Facelift Dimensions

The all-new Renault Kwid facelift is 3,731 mm long. Its width is 1,579 mm (including mirrors), while the wheelbase is 2,422 mm. The SUV-styled vehicle has a high ground clearance of 184 mm. The updated Kwid gets a 279 litre boot.

Renault Kwid Facelift Colours

The new Kwid colour facelift is available in six colour options -- Zanskar Blue, Fiery Red, Moonlight Silver, Ice Cool White, Outback Bronze and Electric Blue. Besides, there are accessory packs like Essential, SUV, Chrome and Urban.

Renault Kwid Facelift Warranty

Renault Kwid facelift gets a four year/1 lakh km (whichever is earlier) warranty, comprising of two year/50,000 km standard comprehensive warranty and two year/50,000 km complimentary extended warranty. Besides, the carmaker is offering 24X7 road side assistance at no extra cost.

SOURCE

Dilution of SC/ST Act: Supreme Court amends its 2018 verdict on govt's plea

2019-10-01T05:22:00.004-07:00

Supreme Court today amended its 2018 verdict that diluted the SC/ST Act forbidding automatic arrest of an accused charged under this law.

HIGHLIGHTS

Supreme Court recalls its 2018 order that diluted SC/ST Act
The court had forbidden automatic arrest of an accused under SC/ST Act
The Modi government had moved the Supreme Court seeking review of 2018 order

The Supreme Court today partially recalled its own order which forbade automatic arrest in cases under Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), 1989.

The court order came on a review petition moved by the Narendra Modi government against dilution of SC/ST Act in a judgment delivered by the court in March 2018.

The Supreme Court verdict passed on March 20 last year set in place guidelines to prevent misuse of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocity) Act and by which automatic arrest on complaint filed under the Act was stopped.

The Supreme Court recalled directions which mandated prior sanction for arrest of public servants and private persons. It also did away with requirement of preliminary enquiry before registering FIR.

It said the struggle for equality and civil rights of SC/ST communities was still not over. They are still discriminated, the Supreme Court observed. It said untouchability has not vanished and rued that those involved in scavenging had still not been provided modern facilities.

The Centre had moved the petition in the Supreme Court seeking review of its 2018 judgment forbidding an arrest without prior permission for offences under Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, calling it "against the spirit of the Constitution".

The judgment had led to political uproar with many Dalit outfits targeting the Modi government alleging it did not defend the rights of the SC/ST communities in the Supreme Court.

In the previous hearing on September 18, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra, M R Shah and B R Gavai had reserved its order in the matter. It had then observed that the 2018 order was "against the spirit of the Constitution".

Earlier in 2018, the Supreme Court had taken serious note of instances of abuse of the SC/ST Act. It referred to misuse by "vested interests" for political and personal reasons. The Supreme Court last year had laid down safeguards to stop misuse of the SC/ST Act.

The guidelines included a provision for anticipatory bail and vetting of complaint to determine if a case was made out before registration of FIR under the SC/ST Act.

SOURCE

Maharashtra polls: Shiv Sena releases first list of 124 seats, without candidate names

2019-10-01T05:21:00.003-07:00

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray earlier said that he had "promised" his late father Bal Thackeray to install a 'Shiv Sainik' (party worker) as chief minister of Maharashtra. (Photo: PTI)

On the heels of the Bharatiya Janata Party announcing its first list of candidates, the Shiv Sena has also released its list of 124 seats that it will be contesting the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections.

While the BJP had announced the name of candidates for 125 seats, the Shiv Sena merely released a list of the constituencies it will be contesting without mentioning candidate names.

Though the Shiv Sena has issued 'AB' form (which mentions the official party candidate) to its sitting MLAs as well as to some candidates, no major leader has submitted a nomination so far.

The Shiv Sena list was essentially meant to indicate the numeric division of seats between the BJP and the Sena. On Monday, the two saffron parties had announced that they would be contesting the Maharashtra elections but had not announced the quantum of seats.

With Tuesday's announcement, the division of the NDA alliance in the 288-seat Maharashtra assembly elections will be 125 seats for BJP, 124 seats for Shiv Sena and the remaining 39 seats for smaller partners like Republican Party of India. Along with the 124 seats, the Shiv Sena will also get two MLC seats from the BJP quota.

The initial reports suggested that the Sena and the BJP would fight an equal number of seats for the 288-member House and leave a fraction for smaller allies, the seat-sharing talks remained uneasy with no agreement on the formula for long.

The BJP wanted a bigger share, on the back of its spectacular performance in the April-May Lok Sabha polls but the Sena was not willing to play ball, said sources from both parties.

A key candidate from the Shiv Sena camp will be chief Uddhav Thackeray's son Aaditya Thackeray. Aaditya Thackeray will become the first Thackeray to contest an election. He said on Monday that he will contest the Worli assembly segment in Mumbai.

In the 2014 Assembly elections, the BJP and the Sena had contested separately over a dispute over sharing of seats. The BJP won maximum 122 out of 260 seats it had contested while the Sena bagged 63 out of 282 seats.

After the BJP formed the government in October 2014, the Sena joined it in December the same year.

Maharashtra will go to polls on October 21 and the results will be declared on October 24.

SOURCE

UP Police asks top officials to start identifying Bangladeshis, foreigners living illegally

2019-10-01T05:20:00.003-07:00

UP Police has issued an order to identify all foreigners and Bangladeshis living in UP. (Getty Images)

HIGHLIGHTS

UP DGP has issued an order asking all district chiefs to start identifying Bangladeshis
UP govt has moved to identify Bangladeshis and foreigners living illegally in the state
UP Police will identify all such people, their fingerprints will be collected along with other documents

The Uttar Pradesh government has moved to identify Bangladeshis and other foreigners living in the state on the lines of Assam NRC that has identified 19 lakh "foreigners".

In a letter addressed to all district police chiefs, the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) has instructed the force to start working on this to identify foreigners in the state.

On Tuesday, the DGP headquarters sent a letter to the superintendents of all districts, IG, DIG, ADG zone and issued instructions to start work on identifying the "outsiders".

According to sources, a draft is being prepared identify railway stations, bus stands in every city or any new settlement on government lands where Bangladeshis or other citizens have settled illegally.

UP Police will identify all such people, their fingerprints will be collected along with other documents, which will be verified.

With this move the Yogi Adityanath government will also try to identify the government officials who helped them in forging fake citizenship documents. Instructions for strict action against such officials can also be issued, especially against middlemen and departmental employees, who helped these "foreigners" in making and getting documents.

SOURCE

BJP releases first Maharashtra election candidate list, Devendra Fadnavis to contest from Nagpur South West

2019-10-01T05:19:00.003-07:00

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will contest from Nagpur South West. (Photo: PTI)

HIGHLIGHTS

BJP has released its first list of 125 candidates for upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis will contest from Nagpur South West
BJP has dropped the names of 10 sitting MLAs while names of 91 sitting MLAs have been repeated

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday released the first list of 125 candidates who will contest in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections on October 21.

Among the prominent names, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will contest from Nagpur South West while Chandrakant Patil will contest from Kothrud. Shivendrasinh Abhaysingraje Bhosale from Shivaji Maharaj’s family will contest from Satara. Some prominent names missing in the first list are Vinod Tawde and Eknath Khadse.

In its first list for Maharashtra, the BJP has dropped the names of 10 sitting MLAs while 91 sitting MLAs have been given a ticket. The first list of BJP candidates also contains the names of five leaders who switched from Congress, four who quit Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and two independents.

BJP released its first list for Maharashtra a day after it finalised an alliance with Shiv Sena for the upcoming polls.

The alliance was announced via press release by Maha Yuti (Grand Alliance) of the BJP, Shiv Sena, RPI, RSP and other political parties. However, the two parties are yet to share the seat-sharing equation, which has led to an uproar in the ranks of both BJP and Shiv Sena.

The Maharashtra Assembly elections will be held on October 21 along with Haryana, following which results will be declared on October 24.

In the 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP and Shiv Sena had contested separately over a dispute over sharing of seats. The BJP won 122 out of 260 seats it had contested while the Sena bagged 63 out of 282 seats.

After the BJP formed the government in October 2014, the Sena joined it in December the same year.

Below are the names of all the candidates whose names have featured in BJP's first list of candidates for Maharashtra Assembly elections 2019:

Nagpur South West - Devendra Fadnavis

Kothrud - Chandrakant Dada Patil

Shahada (ST) - Rajesh Udesingh Padvi

Nandurbar (ST) - Vijaykumar Gavit

Nawapur (ST) - Bharat Manikrao Gavit

Dhule Rural - Dnyanjyoti Manohar Badane Patil

Sindkheda - Jaykumar Rawal

Raver - Haribhau Jawale

Bhusawal (SC) - Sanjay Sawkare

Jalgaon City - Suresh (Rajumama) Bhole

Amalner - Shirish Chaudhari

Chalisgaon - Mangesh Ramesh Chavhan

Jamner - Girish Mahajan

Malkapur - Chainsukh Sancheti

Chikhli - Shweta Mahale

Khamgaon - Aakash Phundkar

Jalgaon (Jamod) - Sanjay Kute

Akot - Prakash Bharsakale

Akola West - Goverdhan Sharma

Akola East - Randhir Sawarkar

Murtijapur (SC) - Harish Pimple

Washim (SC) - Lakhan Malik

Karanja - Rajendra Patni

Amravati - Sunil Deshmukh

Daryapur (SC) - Ramesh Bundile

Morshi - Anil Bonde

Arvi - Dadarao Keche

Hinganghat - Samir Kunawar

Wardha - Pankaj Bhoyar

Savner - Rajiv Potdar

Hingna - Samir Meghe

Umred (SC) - Sudhir Parwe

Nagpur South - Mohan Mate

Nagpur East - Krushna Khopde

Nagpur Central - Vikas Shankarrao Kumbhare

Nagpur West - Sudhakar Deshmukh

Nagpur North (SC) - Milind Mane

Arjuni-Morgaon (SC) - Rajkumar Badole

Tirora - Vijay Rahangadale

Amgaon (ST) - Sanjay Puram

Armori (ST) - Krushna D. Gajbhe

Gadchiroli (ST) - Devrao Holi

Rajura - Sanjay Dhote

Chandrapur (SC) - Nana Shyamkule

Ballarpur - Sudhir Mungantiwar

Chimur - Kirtikumar (Bunty) Bhangdiya

Wani - Sanjiv Reddy Bodkurwar

Ralegaon - Ashok Ramji Uikey

Yavatmal - Madan Madhukar Yerawar

Arni (ST) - Sandip Prabhakar Dhurve

Bhokar - Bapusaheb Gorthekar

Mukhed - Tushar Rathod

Hingoli - Tanaji Mutkule

Partur - Babanrao Dattatray Lonikar

Badnapur (SC) - Narayan Kuche

Bhokardan - Santosh Raosaheb Patil Danve

Phulambri - Haribhau Bagde

Aurangabad East - Atul Sawe

Gangapur - Prashant Bam

Chandvad - Rahul Aher

Nashik Central Sau Devyani Farande

Nashik West Sau Seema Hire

Dahanu (ST) - Paskal Dhanare

Vikramgad (ST) - Hemant Sawara

Bhiwandi West - Mahesh Chaugule

Murbad - Kisan Kathore

Kalyan East - Ganpat Kalu Gayakwad

Dombivali - Ravindra Chavhan

Mira Bhayandar - Narendra Mehata

Thane - Sanjay Kelkar

Airoli - Sandip Naik

Belapur Smt. Manda Mhatre

Dahisar Smt. Manisha Chaudhari

Mulund - Mihir Kotecha

Kandivali East - Atul Bhatkhalkar

Charkop - Yogesh Sagar

Goregaon Smt. Vidya Thakur

Andheri West - Amit Satam

Vile Parle Adv. Parag Alavani

Ghatkopar West - Ram Kadam

Vandre West Adv. Ashish Shelar

Sion Koliwada Capt. Tamil Selwan

Wadala - Kalidas Kolambkar

Malabar Hill - Mangalprabhat Lodha

Panvel - Prashant Thakur

Pen - Ravisheth Patil

Shirur - Baburao Kashinath Pacharne

Indapur - Harshwardhan Patil

Chinchwad - Laxman Jagtap

Bhosari - Mahesh (Dada) Kisan Landge

Vadgaol Sheri - Jagdish Mulik

Shivajinagar - Sidharth Padmakar Shirole

Khadakwasala - Bhimarao Tapkir

Parvati Smt. Madhuri Misal

Hadapsar - Yogesh Tilekar

Pune Cantonment (SC) - Sunil Kamble

Kasba Peth Sau Mukta Tilak

Akole (ST) - Vaibhav Pichad

Shirdi - Radhakrushna Vikhe Patil

Kopargaon Smt. Snehalata Kolhe

Nevasa - Balasaheb Murkute

Shevgaon Smt. Monika Rajale

Rahuri - Shivajirao Kardile

Shrigonda - Babanrao Pachpute

Karjat Jamkhed Prof. Ram Shinde

Georai Adv Laxman Pawar

Majalgaon - Ramesh Adaskar

Ashti - Bhimrao Dhonde

Parli Sau Pankaja Gopinathrao Munde - Palwe

Ahmadpur - Vinayak Kisan Jadhav Patil

Nilanga - Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar

Ausa - Abhimanyu Pawar

Tuljapur - Rana Jagjitsingh Pa.

Solapur City North - Vijayrao Deshmukh

Solapur South - Subhash Deshmukh

Wai - Madan Prataprao Bhosale

Man - Jaykumar Gore

Karad South - Atul Suresh Bhosale

Satara - Shivendrasinh Abhaysingraje Bhosale

Kolhapur South - Amal Mahadeek

Ichalkaranji - Suresh Halwankar

Miraj (SC) - Suresh Khade

Sangli - Sudhir Gadgil

Shirala - Shivajirao Naik

Jat - Vilasrao Jagtap

Sources from the BJP said that the party will soon release a second and final candidate list of 25 candidates for Maharashtra Assembly polls. Smaller ally parties are expected to get 14 seats (out of BJP’s quota of 164).

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The moment a Taiwan bridge collapsed and crashed into water, crushing boats. Chilling viral video

2019-10-01T05:17:00.000-07:00

Nanfang’ao Bridge in Taiwan collapses

Are you a fan of the Final Destination series? If yes, then you must have watched a scene in the fifth installation of the series where a bridge collapses into water. The scene is quite scary and sets the mood of the entire movie.

Well something quite similar happened today in Taiwan, when a bridge collapsed as an oil tanker was trying to cross it. Because of the collapse, the truck went crashing onto the fishing boats below, injuring at least 14 people, according to local reports.

Reportedly, the 460 ft-long Nanfang’ao Bridge collapsed at about about 9.30 am in Nanfang'ao Fishing Port in Su'ao Township of Yilan county. The bridge was completed in 1998 and spanned a water body in the fishing village.

The video of the bridge collapsing is going viral online and it is the scariest thing you will see today.

Watch the dramatic video of when the bridge collapses into the waters here:

Here’s another video of the bridge collapsing shot from the docks. Watch it till the end:

In the video, one can see that an entire stretch of the bridge suddenly collapses, sending huge waves into the water. The bridge was near a dock, so boats were also below it when it collapsed. Even the oil tanker crashed onto a fishing boat trapping many people.

According to The Independent, people are feared to have been trapped under the bridge and many have been injured.

Day before the incident happened, the area was hit by Typhoon Mitag. After the video went viral online, a lot of people prayed for the victims and for everyone’s safety.

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Maharashtra Assembly elections: BJP's Eknath Khadse defies party, files nomination from Muktainagar

2019-10-01T05:15:00.003-07:00

BJP leader Eknath Khadse. (Photo: PTI)

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Eknath Khadse on Tuesday filed his nomination from Muktinagar assembly constituency for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections.

His name, however, was not there in the first list of candidates for the state released by the BJP earlier in the day.

The BJP on Tuesday released the first list of 125 candidates who will contest in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections on October 21.

In its first list for Maharashtra, the BJP dropped the names of 12 sitting MLAs while 91 sitting MLAs have been given a ticket. The first list of BJP candidates also contains the names of five leaders who switched from Congress, four who quit Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and two independents.

Among prominent leaders, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is set to contest from Nagpur South West while Chandrakant Patil will contest from Kothrud.

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China@70: What India can learn from its neighbour

2019-10-01T05:14:00.003-07:00

China became a communist republic in 1949, the same year when India adopted its constitution. (Photo: Reuters)

In their current identities, India is three two years older to China though both are ancient civilizations. Despite contrasting forms of government, India and China have many aspects of governance and economic growth in common.

China became a communist republic in 1949, the same year when India adopted its constitution. Both countries began rebuilding in 1950 - China under Mao Zedong and India under Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

At that time, India was the largest economy in Asia notwithstanding almost 200 years of colonial exploitation. China was in the catching up game. Mao Zedong rivalled with Pandit Nehru, who was viewed by the world leaders as a visionary with strong democratic credentials.

Today as China turns 70 - October 1 is the National Day in China - it is way ahead of India in respect of the economy, military power, technological progress and even in pollution control. China has made all-round exponential progress to become a colossal force in the world while India is still considered an emerging power.

It is not an overstatement to say that India needs to learn a few tricks of the trade from China, which was a "poorer" country than India in terms of GDP per capita till as late as 1990. Now, in 2019, the Chinese per capita GDP is 4.6 times of India's.

Making economy work

Mao Zedong, the revolutionary leader who founded communist China, could not put the country on the path of economic progress. In 1978, when Mao Zedong died, China was struggling with the ever-expanding population and uncontrollable poverty.

But after Mao Zedong's death, the new leadership of China began opening its economy inviting foreign investment particularly in coastal areas making export-import easy.

The communist China regime started freeing agriculture from state control - a big-ticket reform in the country. It enforced one-child policy in order to defuse the population bomb and so that the demographic dividend could be utilized.

In contrast, India, whose traditional rule of law provided for the open market - that was chained in by the British colonial rulers to maximize their own industrial progress - under Pandit Nehru adopted a socialist economic model where wealth creation and big private enterprise were not encouraged.

Indian economy grew at around 3.5 per cent rate through the 1960s and 1970s while population grew in excess of 2.5 per cent. The population growth rate was a curious case as India was among the first few nations in the post-World War II phase to roll out population control policy.

However, the family planning centres in India practically functioned as a family expansion facility due to the very low penetration of medical facilities in remote areas and lack of awareness.

Focus on infrastructure

More importantly, China began heavy investment in infrastructure. This was a key policy decision as it provided employment to millions of people improving their economic status and purchasing power, which was the essential ingredient for industrial progress.

China still continues to invest heavily in infrastructure. It is evident in its One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.

According to one estimate, India's average investment in infrastructure in the first 50 years after Independence was 3 per cent of the GDP when it required an investment of over 6.5 per cent. China, on the other hand, invested nearly 9 per cent of GDP in infrastructure when it could have done with a 6.5 per cent investment.

In the 2019 Economic Survey called for an investment of 7-8 per cent of GDP in infrastructure for robust growth and making India a $5 trillion economy by 2025. The survey found that investment has been 27 per cent lower than the requirement.

Sectoral approach

In the 1970s, both India and China had the economic and demographic problems to sort out. China took to building labour-intensive industries to rope in available cheap labour. Industries like textile, light engineering and electronics received big investments.

China also created special economic zones to push to manufacturing and export-oriented industries. The general rules of business were eased in these zones - marked out in areas with better infrastructure and access to cheap labour for investors.

Indian special economic zones that came up decades later lacked such push and better incentives to attract foreign investors in numbers and size to give China a competition.

Labour was almost equally cheap in India. But India went for heavy industries. The second Five-Year Plan was fully devoted to industrial development with a focus on large industries in practice.

India encouraged capital-intensive industries that came at a cost of loss of potential employment to millions of job seekers. This, in turn, failed to give a boost to industrial growth or rise in revenue collection for public investment in infrastructure or health and other essential sectors.

Military revamp

India and China fought a war in 1962. China occupied Aksai Chin, an area of over 37,000 sq km of Ladakh. Many believe that India's decision not to use air force was the reason for military debacle.

While China remains a rival to India even on borders, it has revamped its military to overcome the perceived weaknesses India did not exploit in 1962. In the latest series of military reforms, China modernized its forces along the lines of theatre-command. It is considered a more efficient military set up to deal with any security threat.

On the other hand, Indian forces are still organised on the World War II model. Modernisation of weaponry is also long overdue while China has been consistently improving its armoury. China has understood the changing nature of warfare - from conventional to technological that focuses on overwhelming enemies without losing too many soldiers in combat. India can take a leaf from Chinese book to meet the threat it faces from the same rival.

Energy conscious

Energy is the key to the survival and progress of a country and the conventional sources of energy - coal and oil - are limited. There is increased focus among the developed countries to shift to alternate sources of energy. China, too, has made the shift reducing its dependence on coal massively and promoting green energy like solar power. China has emerged as the second-largest solar energy producer.

India may emulate Chinese example to reduce its dependence on coal and oil, most of which it imports. Oil import has been a major oscillating factor determining the health of the Indian economy.

China has aggressively pushed the use of electric vehicles - a step India is following. According to a World Economic Forum report, China has the largest number of electric vehicles and public charging point for such vehicles. Given the state of pollution in Indian cities, a similar thrust to electric vehicles would do wonders for the air in the country.

Water wise

India has about four times more freshwater than China, which is three times its size. But India is facing bigger water problem today than China. Water shortage in Chennai earlier this year made global headlines. Many parts of Bihar faced drinking water shortage this year for the first time. Though, Bihar is the most flood-affected state of the country.

To overcome its water scarcity, China has been successful in teaching its farming community to use less water without compromising on agricultural productivity. India is the biggest puller of groundwater and the volume used by Indians exceeds the combined usage of the next two users - China and the USA.

But Indian water reserves have reached a stage where a Chinese approach is required. China not only encourages less use of water, but it also imposes fines on those - including industries and businesses -- overuse groundwater. Industrial or business units polluting rivers and ponds are also penalised rigorously.

Farmers heavily depend on groundwater for irrigation (more than 60 per cent of the need). One argument forwarded in their defence is that India's land holdings are extremely fragmented leading to overuse of water for irrigation. Average Chinese landholdings are smaller yet farmers use much less water for better agriculture productivity. India may also launch a decentralized awareness campaign to reduce wastage of water in cropping fields.

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This man, made me run like in a fitness test: Virat Kohli pays tribute to MS Dhoni

2019-09-12T00:21:00.001-07:00

Virat Kohli was spent physically after India's win over Australia (Twitter: @imvkohli)

HIGHLIGHTS

Virat Kohli shared the picture on Twitter and Instagram
Kohli called the game as one he can never forget
Kohli also said that during the game, MS Dhoni made him run like in a fitness test

Virat Kohli on Thursday shared a photo from India's famous win over Australia in the 2016 World T20, in which he can be seen with then captain MS Dhoni. Kohli expressed his joy over the win captioning the picture: 'A game I can never forget. Special night. This man, made me run like in a fitness test'.

It's apparent that Dhoni and Kohli were at the crease as India pulled off a difficult chase of 161 with a number of quick singles and doubles. Kohli's remarks with respect to Dhoni in his social media post are referring to the same as the duo completed a remarkable victory for their side on a 'special night'

Kohli produced a sublime 82 not out off 51 balls to help India defeat Australia by six wickets and advance to the semifinals. Kohli took charge at a crucial time in what was a virtual quarterfinal, smashing 9 fours and 2 sixes as India reached 161-4 off 19.1 overs in reply to Australia's 160-6.

The No. 3 batsman added 67 off only 31 deliveries with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (18 not out) after a useful 45-run stand for the fourth wicket with Yuvraj Singh (21) as India scored 59 runs in the last 4.1 overs of the Group 2 game.

Kohli, who had also guided India to a six-wicket win over Pakistan with 55 not out, remained calm during his 15th T20 half-century after Shikhar Dhawan (13), Rohit Sharma (12) and Suresh Raina (10) failed to get going with India struggling at 49-3 in the eighth over.

Kohli batted himself in with Yuvraj and then took the initiative, smashing 19 off the 18th over bowled by James Faulkner and 16 off the 19th from Nathan Coulter-Nile to the delight of more than 25,000 fans.

Dhoni hit Faulkner for a four down the ground to complete a memorable win that set up the 2007 champions against 2012 winners West Indies in the semifinals in Mumbai.

Virat Kohli rated the innings among his top three. This is what he has to say at the post-match ceremony. No prizes for guessing the Man of the Match.

"Thank you. Firstly, I would like to thank the crowd for coming out and supporting us; the support today was unbelievable. They (the crowd) push you through tough times. This is what you play cricket for. You don't like these situations because they are tough. I don't know what to say, because I am overwhelmed by the situation we were in and to win from there was quite an effort. MS kept me calm in the end; I could have got overexcited. Overall good team effort and very happy with my personal contribution.

"Yuvraj wanted to see where he was going after he twisted his ankle. But he stuck in and a few boundaries helped, and then he decided to go for the team's cause. He perished but he made a great call. He wasn't able to push as you want him to push as a runner. He's such an explosive player that you don't want to have him at 60-70 percent. Dhoni and I have always run well between the wickets. We have a great understanding of where to hit the ball. You do that gym fitness for this. When I'm tired, I should be able to run as fast as when I'm on zero. All those trainings paid off today. This innings has to be in the Top 3. But I am a bit emotional, so I will put this on top."

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Ronaldinho to come out of retirement for a friendly in October

2019-09-12T00:17:00.002-07:00

Ronaldinho to come out of retirement for a friendly in October (Getty Images)

HIGHLIGHTS

Ronaldinho had retired from football in 2018
Ronaldinho was barred from leaving Brazil regarding the matter of a 2015 court case
Ronaldinho has won the FIFA World Player of the Year award twice

Brazilian football great Ronaldinho will temporarily come out of retirement to represent Colombia's Independiente Santa Fe in a friendly in October, the Bogota club has said.

Santa Fe posted a video on social media on Wednesday in which the 39-year-old confirmed he will take part in the match at the Campin on October 17 against yet-to-be-named opponents, reports Xinhua news agency.

Three days later, Ronaldinho will play in the Colombian derby between America and Deportivo Cali, representing both clubs in each half, according to media reports.

As a two-time recipient of the FIFA World Player of the Year Award and a World Cup winner with Brazil in 2002, Ronaldinho retired from football in 2018.

It was not immediately clear though if Ronaldinho would be free to travel to Colombia for the matches. Brazil's Supreme Court this month upheld a decision to ban the former Barcelona attacker from leaving the country after he failed to pay a fine resulting from a 2015 court case.

Ronaldinho and his brother, Roberto Assis, were fined $2.3 million after being found guilty of building a fishing platform on the Guaiba river in southern Brazil without the necessary permits. The structure was located in a heritage-protected area.

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Isro extends Chandrayaan-2 mission life to 7 years. Here is how

2019-09-12T00:11:00.001-07:00

The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter will perform several experiments, including one to estimate the quantity of iced water in the south polar region of the Moon (PTI photo)

HIGHLIGHTS

Fuel savings during the trip to Moon helped Isro extend Chandrayaan-2 orbiter's life
The orbiter will perform most of the experiments planned under the Chandrayaan-2 mission
Meanwhile, the lander Vikram still remains out of contact

The Chandrayaan-2 mission may have received a setback with the Vikram lander losing contact with Earth during its attempt to land on the Moon last Saturday. However, there is an encouraging news for the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) -- the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter's mission life has been extended by a whopping six years.

The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter's mission was originally supposed to last a year. However, Isro has confirmed that the orbiter will now function for seven years, revolving around the Moon and collecting data on the lunar surface and atmosphere.

Isro was able to extend the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter's life by saving on fuel during its journey to the Moon. When it was launched on July 22, the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter had 1697 kg of fuel. It is now left with around 500 kg of fuel, making it possible for the orbiter to last seven years.

JOURNEY TO MOON

Chandrayaan-2 was launched on July 22 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Chandrayaan-2 carried a grand dream of placing a rover on the Moon.

On July 22, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark-III 'Bahubali' rocket took off from Sriharikota and injected Chandrayaan-2 into an orbit around the Earth. Once placed into an orbit around Earth, Chandrayaan-2 was on its own.

Over the next few days, Chandrayaan-2 used the fuel it had onboard to steadily increase its orbit levels around the Earth. On August 14, Chandrayaan-2 entered the Lunar Transfer Trajectory, beginning a six-day journey to the Moon.

The Chandrayaan-2 landing would have made India the only country in the world to 'soft land' near the south pole of the Moon (Reuters image)

On August 20, Chandrayaan-2 entered the lunar orbit and over the next few days steadily lowered its orbit around the Moon. On September 1, Chandrayaan-2 entered its final lunar orbit; the spacecraft was around 100 km above the Moon.

For all these manoeuvres, Chandrayaan-2 used the fuel it was carrying onboard. By the time Chandrayaan-2 entered the final lunar orbit, it had 500 kg of fuel left over.

The Indian Space Research Organisation now plans to use this leftover fuel to keep the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter operation for the next seven years.

WHAT NEXT?

While Isro has confirmed that the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter will last for the next seven years, the plan could change if the space agency is forced to make changes to the spacecraft's orbit around the Moon.

If, due to unforeseen circumstances, Isro is forced to either increase or decrease the Chandrayaan-2's orbit, it will have to use the fuel left onboard, which could reduce the probe's lifespan.

The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter was originally supposed to last a year (Reuters image)

The orbiter is the most important part of the Chandrayaan-2 mission. It carries onboard a total of eight payloads that will perform various experiments and tests.

These include mapping the lunar surface, testing for the presence of elements such as magnesium, aluminium, silicon, calcium, titanium, iron and sodium besides studying the lunar atmosphere.

The most high-profile experiment the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter will carry out will be to estimate the quantity of iced water present in the south polar region of the Moon.

WHAT ABOUT VIKRAM?

It's been more than four days since the Indian Space Research Organisation lost contact with the Vikram lander. Contact with Vikram, which houses the six-wheeled Pragyaan rover, was lost when it was 2.1 km above the Moon's surface, seconds away from landing near the lunar south pole.

A successful landing would have made India only the fourth country in the world to land a rover on the Moon and the only country in the world to perform a 'soft landing' near the lunar south pole.

The lander Vikram with the rover Pragyaan

Though highly ambitious, the Moon landing was just one part of the Chandrayaan-2 mission -- the lander Vikram and rover Pragyaan combined have a lesser number of payloads (five) than the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter's eight.

Vikram and Pragyaan's mission life was also just 14 days, which also means that Isro is running out of time to establish contact with the lander.

Hope for Vikram and Pragyaan may be increasingly fading, but the Chandrayaan-2 mission is well on course thanks to the orbiter, which will be alive and spinning for the next seven years.

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Ruling elite destroyed country's image internationally, world trusts India not us: Pakistan interior minister

2019-09-12T00:09:00.004-07:00

Pakistan Interior Minister Ijaz Ahmed Shah said: "People do not believe us in the international community." (Photo: Twitter/@MOIofficialPk)

HIGHLIGHTS

Pakistan Interior Minister Ijaz Ahmed Shah said ruling elite destroyed country's image
Brigadier Ijaz Ahmed shah said Pakistan has failed to convince international community over Kashmir issue
"People think we are not a serious nation," Brig Ijaz Ahmed Shah said

Pakistan Interior Minister, Brigadier Ijaz Ahmed Shah, has brought a major embarrassment to Prime Minister Imran Khan and his coterie of ministers with his admission that Islamabad has failed to get support from the international community over its stand on Kashmir issue.

Brig Shah blamed Pakistan "ruling elite", including Imran Khan, for "destroying" the image of the country.

"People do not believe us in the international community. We say they [India] impose curfew and are not giving medicines to people of Jammu and Kashmir. People do not believe us, but they believe them. The ruling elite has destroyed the country. The ruling elite of this country destroyed the name. People think we are not a serious nation," Brig Shah said, during a talk show on Pakistani news channel Hum News on Wednesday.

When asked whether Imran Khan, Benazir Bhutto, Pervez Musharraf and others were a part of the ruling elite, the former spy chief said: "Everyone is responsible. Pakistan should now do a soul searching."

Ijaz's remarks came a day after Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, during a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva, claimed that India has transformed Jammu and Kashmir into the largest "caged prison in this planet" after the abrogation of Article 370 and that the human rights were being "trampled with impunity" there.

India had rejected Shah Mahmood Qureshi's allegations and hit back saying a "fabricated narrative" on Jammu and Kashmir has come from "the epicentre of global terrorism" and from a nation, which conducts cross-border terrorism as a form of 'alternate diplomacy.

Islamabad has been left red-faced after its desperate attempts to internationalise the Kashmir issue fell flat. The country has found itself isolated after being snubbed at the United Nations, as well as by countries like the United States, France, and Russia.

India's decision has been hailed internationally with several countries calling the move as India's internal matter even as Pakistan has been trying to internationalise the issue.

Islamabad has found itself completely isolated despite desperate attempts aimed at internationalising the issue.

Pakistan has approached various world leaders, including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, French President Emmanuel Macron and the Jordanian King Abdullah II to seek their interventions into the issue, but in vain.

However, Pakistan has been told to engage bilaterally with India to end tensions. India has repeatedly made it clear that talks with Pakistan are only possible after Islamabad stops sponsoring terror.

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