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Powerful earthquake hit Nepal death toll crosses 600

2015-04-25T05:18:00.001-07:00

A powerful earthquake struck Nepal Saturday, killing at least 479 people across a swath of four countries as the violently shaking earth collapsed houses, leveled centuries-old temples and triggered avalanches in the Himalayas. It was the worst temblor to hit the poor South Asian nation in over 80 years.

At least 449 people were confirmed dead in Nepal, including 181 in the capital, Kathmandu alone, according to the police. Another 20 were killed in India, six in Tibet and two in Bangladesh. Two Chinese citizens died at the Nepal-China border.

The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.8 struck before noon and was most severely felt in the capital as well as the densely populated Kathmandu Valley. A magnitude-6.6 aftershock hit about an hour later, and smaller aftershocks continued to ripple through the region for hours.

Dozens of people with injuries were being brought to the main hospital in central Kathmandu.

Pushpa Das, a labourer, ran from the house when the first quake struck but could not escape a collapsing wall that injured his arm.

“It was very scary. The earth was moving ... I am waiting for treatment but the (hospital) staff is overwhelmed,” he said, gingerly holding his right arm with his left hand. As he spoke dozens of more people showed up with injuries, mostly from falling bricks.

The earthquake also shook several cities across northern India, and was felt as far away as Lahore in Pakistan, Lhasa in Tibet, and in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Following the quake, Kathmandu’s international airport was shut down.

A senior mountaineering guide, Ang Tshering, said an avalanche swept the face of Mt. Everest after the earthquake, and government officials said at least 30 people were injured.

Tshering of the Nepal Mountaineering Association said the avalanche occurred between the Khumbu Icefall, a rugged area of collapsed ice and snow, and the base camp where most climbing expeditions have their main camps.

Carsten Lillelund Pedersen, a Dane who is climbing the Everest with a Belgian climber Jelle Veyt, said on his Facebook page that they were at Khumbu Icefall , a rugged area of collapsed ice and snow close to base camp at altitude 5,000 meters (16,500 feet) when the earthquake hit.

“He was blown away by the avalanche and broke both legs. For the camps closer to where the avalanche hit, our Sherpas believe that a lot of people may have been buried in their tents,” he wrote in English.

“There is now a steady flow of people fleeing basecamp in hope of more security further down the mountain”

The quake’s epicenter was 80 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu, and it had a depth of only 11 kilometers, which is considered shallow in geological terms. The shallower the quake the more destructive power it carries, and witnesses said the trembling and swaying of the earth went on for several minutes..

As the quake began to intensify, residents ran out of homes and buildings in panic. Clouds of dust began to swirl around them. Large cracks opened up on streets and walls.

Several buildings collapsed in the center of the capital, the ancient Old Kathmandu, including centuries-old temples and towers, said resident Prachanda Sual.

Among them was the nine-storey Dharahara Tower, one of Kathmandu’s landmarks built by Nepal’s royal rulers as a watchtower in the 1800s and a UNESCO-recognized historical monument. It was reduced to rubble and there were reports of people trapped underneath.

Video footage showed people digging through the rubble of the bricks form the collapsed tower, looking for survivors.

In Kathmandu, dozens of people were gathered in the parking lot of Norvic International Hospital, where thin mattresses were spread on the ground for patients rushed outside, some wearing hospital pajamas. A woman with a bandage on her head sat in a set of chairs pulled from the hospital waiting room.

Doctors and nurses hooked up some patients to IV drops in the parking lot, or were giving people oxygen.

The U.S. Geological Survey revised the magnitude from 7.5 to 7.9 but then lowered it to 7.8. It said the quake hit at 11-56 a.m. local time (0611 GMT) at Lamjung. It was the largest shallow quake since the 8.2 temblor off the coast of Chile on April 1, 2014.

The quake with the same magnitude as the one that hit San Francisco in 1906 was about 16 times more powerful than the 7.0 quake that devastated Haiti in 2010.

A magnitude 7 quake is capable of widespread and heavy damage while an 8 magnitude quake can cause tremendous damage.

A Swedish woman, Jenny Adhikari, who lives in Nepal, told the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that she was riding a bus in the town of Melamchi when the earth began to move.

“A huge stone crashed only about 20 meters (yards) from the bus,” she was quoted as saying. “All the houses around me have tumbled down. I think there are lot of people who have died,” she told the newspaper by telephone. Melamchi is about 45 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Kathmandu.

Residents reported seeing trails of destruction -- collapsed walls, broken windows and fallen telephone poles -- as they drove through the capital, along with streets filled with terrified people.

But scattered reports also indicated that most buildings in the capital did not collapse.

“It’s too early to make any assessment but the damage isn’t as bad as it could have been,” said Liz Satow, the Nepal director for the air group World Vision. She said she drove from Kathmandu to the nearby town of Lalitpur and said that while there was considerable damage, most buildings were still intact.

Nepal suffered its worst recorded earthquake in 1934, which measured 8.0 and all but destroyed the cities of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan.

The sustained quake also was felt in India’s capital of New Delhi and several other cities.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif offered “all possible help” that Nepal may need.

Modi talks to Nepal PM, assures all help

With massive earthquake hitting Nepal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to his counterpart Sushil Koirala as well as President Ram Baran Yadav and assured all help in dealing with the “tough” situation.

“Spoke to PM Sushil Koirala, who is in transit in Bangkok on his way to Kathmandu. Assured all support & assistance during this tough time,” Mr. Modi tweeted.

Mr. Modi, who is personally monitoring the situation at home as well as in Nepal, spoke to Mr. Yadav first as Mr. Koirala was abroad and not reachable.

Later, Mr. Modi talked to Mr. Koirala and assured him of “all assistance to deal with the situation arising due to the earthquake”, the PMO said.

-The Hindu

Fight to preserve CEPT Building goes online

2015-04-13T21:55:00.001-07:00

The fight to preserve the building at Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology University has gone online. Former faculty member and known architect Neelkanth Chhaya has launched an online petition urging Chairman Sanjay Lalbhai and President Bimal Patel to "stop changes to CEPT buildings and maintain architectural, historical and cultural value".

The petition, which has been posted on www.change.org, was signed by more than 250 people by Monday evening. It states that the buildings on CEPT campus are important examples of post-independence architecture of India. "The campus as a whole is a very interesting exercise in site planning, climatic adaptation and landscaping. The significance of this work of architecture cannot be overestimated, and one can arguably claim that the campus and the buildings should be considered among the most important works of architecture in the latter part of the 20th century, not only in India but also at an international level," the petition states.

It adds, "The Campus has been the location of many important events in the history of education for architecture, planning, construction technology and interior design. It is a vitally important site in Ahmedabad's cultural history..... Citizens of Ahmedabad have recognized the campus as a place that has unique qualities. In a sense, the campus now can no longer be considered to be in the private domain." The petition carries four main demands.

* Consult the architect of the campus, B V Doshi, whenever designs are being prepared for alterations or additions.

* Appoint a committee (including Prof Doshi and at least one independent reputed outside architect) that will ensure that new works on the campus are designed and built in a proper manner. The committee must also publicly announce the norms to be followed for such work.

* CEPT University should pursue larger new works by conducting architectural competitions, but must clearly set down the criteria and manner of appointing master planners and architects for all works.

* All of the proceedings of the committee should be open to public scrutiny.

Saina Nehwal is now legend and World No 1

2015-03-30T21:39:00.002-07:00

The hardest thing to do when you stumble is to recover your balance and find the strength to gracefully move on.

It seems like just the other day that Saina Nehwal reached the final of the All England Championships. Her opponent, Spain's Carolina Marin, was the reigning World Champion but she was just starting to make her way up in the badminton. The Indian, a veteran at the age of 25, had won her three career meetings against the Spaniard and this was expected to be no different.

But on that day, something went amiss. After dominating, the first game and starting the second game well, Saina succumbed to nerves and lost 21-16, 14-21, 7-21.

"Shouting out instructions to a player is usually not something I do," her coach Vimal Kumar had said after the match. "I was telling her to be more composed. But I think her brain had just switched off. She wasn't reacting to anything at all."

It was completely unlike Saina, who built her reputation as a player who never gives up. But it was also perhaps a sign that losing against 'the top players all the time' had finally got to her.

Over the past year, Saina was forced to take the hard decisions; decisions that she could come to regret but she pushed on regardless with a sense of maturity that is increasingly showing in her game as well.

In June last year, her ranking slipped to ninth and for a while, it looked like P.V. Sindhu -- a player who P Gopichand, her coach, was increasingly starting to focus on -- would overtake her. To many, Saina -- plagued by injuries and bad form -- was a spent force.

"I have taken some many hard decisions to get here. I kept losing to the top players all the time, in fact after last year's World Championship I even thought of quitting badminton. It was a very dark time in my career. People were saying 'Saina your career is finished'," Saina said after beating former world champion Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 21-16 21-14 in the final of the Yonex Indian Super Series tournament played at the Siri Fort Sports Complex in Delhi on Sunday.

In September 2014, Saina decided to part ways with her mentor Gopichand to train under Vimal Kumar at the Prakash Padukone Academy. It was described by some as an act of betrayal. But it truly was Saina desperately seeking a path back to the top.

“I realized I was getting stuck somewhere. I just wasn't being able to beat the world's top 3 players. Now if something is not working for me, I shouldn't hang on to it, right?” she had said.

She needed to find a way to willingly break down the game that brought her so much success and then to build it up again to a point where she would be successful again. As any player who has faced a mid-career crisis will testify, this is, to put it mildly, tiring and scary. There is the physical aspect of it and then there is the mental strain of expectations. Not so much what the others have -- but the expectations you have for yourself.

In an individual sport like badminton, it's all you. You are there in the middle alone, with the spotlight on you. You get no help from the outside. The coach may shout out instructions from time to time but you are alone in the moment and that is when you have to decide -- do you attack, do you defend, do you go down the line or cross, do you try a half-smash or a drop shot?

In his autobiography, Open, Andre Agassi talks about the loneliness of the athlete.

"In tennis you stand face-to-face with the enemy, trade blows with him, but never touch him or talk to him, or anyone else. The rules forbid a tennis player from even talking to his coach while on the court. People sometimes mention the track-and-field runner as a comparably lonely figure, but I have to laugh. At least the runner can feel and smell his opponents. They're inches away. In tennis you're on an island. Of all the games men and women play, tennis is the closest to solitary confinement....”

He may not know it but what Agassi said holds true for badminton as well. The rules are very similar and even though the matches are not as long -- it is quicker and the decisions are tougher.

And in her struggle, away from the court, Saina felt alone as well. But that is exactly where her support system and Vimal Kumar stepped up.

Vimal assured her that she was still good. But he worked tiny changes into her games -- the variables that made her difficult to read once again. Though, to begin with -- they obsessively worked on fitness. Saina's game depended on her fitness but Vimal felt she had become so slow that opponent could freely manipulate her.

Saina also added the straight flick down the line, cross-drops and a tumble at the net. Little changes but enough to plant doubt in the minds of her opponents. Enough to make them crawl back to the drawing board in search of an antidote. Enough to allow her to climb back to the top.

A bronze at the Asian Games, a Super Series title in China, a trip to the All England final followed. And then finally came the Indian Open title. Her reaction to winning the title on Sunday was typically understated but it still showed just how relieved she was. The rut she believes is now over.

"I think a big burden off my head. Last four years, I was struggling, losing in pre-quarters or quarters, this is the first time I have reached the finals and won it. So, too many surprises for me in this tournament, being the world no 1, winning the title. I am very proud of myself. I never thought this day will come after so much struggle, this is the best phase of my life," Saina said.

The best phase of my life... words not lightly spoken. For the time being, though, she can lean back, put up her feet and savour it all -- she is Saina Nehwal. World No.1. Legend.

-firstpost

Did Team India miss Yuvraj Singh in 2015 Cricket World Cup

2015-03-26T21:39:00.002-07:00

Defending champions Team India’s golden run at the 2015 Cricket World Cup was finally put to end by the mighty Australian side at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The two sides playing each other in the semi-finals stage, Michael Clarke’s Australia beat MS Dhoni led Indian side by 95 runs to progress to their seventh Cricket World Cup final. This lop-sided defeat of the ‘in-form’ Men in Blue has come as a shocker to their loyal fans, who feel they lacked the services of last World Cup hero – Yuvraj Singh. Yes, Yuvraj was indeed the man who played the major role in knocking Australia in the 2011 World Cup after winning three consecutive editions (1999, 2003 and 2007). Could he have made the difference on March 26 match? And if the answer to it is affirmative, what did Indian cricket team miss Down Under? Also Read: MS Dhoni’s fight in vain as India lose by 95 runs; Australia set to play New Zealand in final of ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

1. Knight in shining armour

He was the main architect of India’s recent success at ICC Word Cups, be it ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2007 or the previous edition ICC Cricket World Cup 2011,Yuvraj Singh emerged as the most valuable player. A player who can take the match away from opponent team’s grasps in matter of few overs is always missed. One bad match from the current crop should not be used as an excuse to undermine the team but one cannot deny how badly Yuvraj was missed when Indian batsmen fell like nine-pins. Also Read: India vs Australia ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Steve Smith’s ton, MS Dhoni’s fight among Top 5 Highlights of IND vs AUS.

2. Yuvraj Singh’s Golden Arm

After inviting the Indian bowling line-up to bowl first on Sydney track, Michael Clarke and co. blasted their way to make a monstrous total of 328. Despite Indian bowlers managed to put some brakes on their run-scoring,the solid 182-run partnership hurt the side early on. During such situations, Yuvraj has proven to be Captain Dhoni’s Man Friday. He had the knack of picking wickets and breaking partnerships. Apart from the dangerous batsman Yuvraj is, he was terribly missed as a resourceful bowler.

3. Role of Finisher

MS Dhoni is regarded as the greatest finisher of the modern day cricket but on March 26, he ran out of partners on the other end. Yuvraj Singh has played several match winning knocks that has taken the team across the finish line. In World Cup 2011, India would not have landed the trophy had he not played some of the crucial knocks.

- From India.com

tiny nano satellites will be sent by NASA on space research missions soon

2015-02-10T00:54:00.002-08:00

The US space agency has said that it has already got as many as a dozen very small research satellites into space.

NASA is going to be leading in sending very small satellites into space.

These macro satellites will be sent along with other bigger satellites in the future launches in the days ahead.

They claim that these satellites are so small that many of them may well actually fit in the palm of your hand.

Reports claim that these cube-shaped nano-satellites, called CubeSats, which measure about four inches on each side and weigh less than three pounds, are small but pack an out-sized research punch. The satellites will enable unique technology demonstrations, education research and science missions.

NASA officials while talking about these very small satellites claim that these will also help in studying topics ranging from how the solar system formed and demonstrating a new radiation-tolerant computer system, NASA said. The 14 CubeSats selected are from 12 US states and will fly as auxiliary payloads aboard rockets planned to launch in 2016, 2017 and 2018. They come from universities across the US, non-profit organisations and NASA field centres, NASA said. The US space agency plans to launch 50 small satellites from all 50 states in the next five years.

-nvonews

compounds tarnishing Taj Mahal found by scientists

2015-01-08T02:26:00.002-08:00

An international team of scientists have found exactly what is tarnishing Taj Mahal's pristine white marble.

Every several years, the Archeological Survey of India apply a clay mask to India's iconic but yellowing Taj Mahal to remove layers of grime and reveal the white marble underneath.

Now scientists are getting to the bottom of what kinds of pollutants are discolouring one of the world's celebrated wonders.

In what is the first published study that has looked closely at what specific compounds are causing it to appear yellow, scientists have conclude that black carbon and brown carbon from the burning of trash and fuels are among the primary pollutants tarnishing the monument of love.

The latest findings will now help inform efforts to protect the mausoleum and other surfaces from pollution.

Mike H Bergin and Sachchida Nand Tripathi from the American Chemical Society note that Indian officials have tried to reduce the effects of pollution on the Taj Mahal by restricting nearby traffic and limiting local industrial emissions.

But despite regulations and an occasional deep clean, the domes and minarets continue to accrue a layer of soot.

Researchers analyzed particles in the air and on marble samples near the main dome over several months.

Using a novel method they developed, the team estimated how these specks reflect light and therefore affect the color of the building.

In the future, their approach could be used to craft strategies to address the chronic yellowing and improve air quality, they say.

Next Generation Alto K10 Maruti Suzuki India

2014-11-04T23:42:00.001-08:00

With improved fuel efficency Maruti Suzuki India has announced the launch of the next generation Alto K10. The improved version sports a more youthful look and is more fuel efficient delivering 24.07 kilometres per litre, an improvement of 15 per cent over the outgoing model.

The Alto K10 is available in 6 variants including a CNG variant. The auto gear shift technology is also being introduced in the Alto K10.

In addition, the newly added CNG trim powered by Intelligent Gas Port Injection delivers mileage of 32.26 kilometres per kg in CNG model.

Maruti Suzuki created a lot of hype in the Indian automotive industry with the introduction of AMT technology in the domestic market. The first one to receive it was the Celerio hatchback that was launched earlier this year, whereas this time around its the all new Alto K10 that has been launched with an AMT transmission. The new Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 has been launched in six trims – Five trims in Manual transmission and one trim with an AMT technology. The one with AMT transmission is the Vxi trim. The new Alto K10 range is priced between Rs 3.06 lakh to Rs 3.81 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The new Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 is powered by 1.0 litre, K10 engine that uses refined combustion techniques and an ECM remap to deliver a better fuel efficiency figure of about 24.07 kmpl as per ARAI certification. The interior has received refreshingly new upholstery, smart steering wheel, redesigned dashboard and smart looking interiors. On the front fascia, the new Alto K10 sports two-piece grille with a chrome strip. The front bumpers sport a smart look with mated fog lamps. The tail lights have also been redone to render it a smarter appeal.

not making it into Indian team Yuvraj Singh disappointment

2014-10-30T05:05:00.001-07:00

All-rounder, Yuvraj Singh, on Wednesday said that he was disappointed at not making it into the Indian cricket team. After successfully fighting cancer, Yuvraj, made a brief return to the Indian team when he played Twenty20 matches, but he has been a pale shadow of himself on his comeback trail. He last played for India in a ODI in December 2013.

"Definitely, a comeback to the Indian team is a goal. It's always disappointing when you don't make it to the side. However, that said, the last two years have been patchy, up and down. Hopefully, things will change, and I will be picked again, otherwise life will be very depressing. I can only try and do my best," the left-handed batsman told Wisden India.

When asked if the thought of not being picked for India again ever crossed his mind, he said, "Of course, there is a possibility that I may never play for India again. I have considered that. However, there is also the possibility that I might play for India again, and as long as I believe that I can come back and I have it in me, I'm going to keep pushing myself."

Yuvraj said that he along with other sidelined and struggling players like Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir often talk about the good days.

"We always talk about the time we spent playing for India. We all know that those were the most amazing years of our lives. However, life still goes on, even when you're not in the team. You just have to be positive and keep working hard."

Yuvraj did not do much to stake claim in the national team, but he has still not given up.

"I can't really speak about selection. What is the best opportunity that I have? Duleep Trophy, the Ranji and whatever other games I can get. As I said, if I can make it to the squad, it will be a great story. It will be awesome to come back and play for India in a World Cup again. If it doesn't happen, life goes on, and it will be hard to accept, but Ill have to accept it," he concluded.

exploding fireball from a nova star first ever data of an capture by astronomers

2014-10-27T05:09:00.000-07:00

A team of astronomers have captured the first images of a thermonuclear fireball from a nova star, allowing them to track the explosion as it expanded.

The nova was detected last year in the constellation Delphinus by the Chara Array infrared telescope in the US.

Researchers from 17 institutions around the world, including the University of Sydney and the Australian National University, analysed the resulting data.

It revealed with “unprecedented clarity” how the fireball evolves as the gas fuelling it expands and cools, Professor Peter Tuthill, a co-author on the study, said.

“We haven’t had the ability to witness such exquisite magnification or high resolution of images until very recently, when we started building these powerful Array telescopes,” Tuthill, from the University of Sydney’s Institute for Astronomy, said.

“These explosions are quite unusual events caused by a white dwarf star, which is a burned-out remnant of a star made of very dense material – a teaspoon full of this stuff weighs tonnes.

“The white dwarf star is like a mosquito that buzzes around the companion star, slowly sucking hydrogen from its companion through a little gravitational straw.”

This created an “ocean” of hydrogen on its surface a few hundred metres thick, Tuthill said, with the pressure at bottom of the ocean eventually reaching critical mass and triggering a thermonuclear explosion called a nova.

“You get a fireball, like a massive hydrogen bomb that propagates outwards,” he said.

Despite the massive detonation, the white dwarf escapes relatively unscathed and continues to circle around its host accumulating more matter so the cycle can repeat again.

Measuring the expansion allowed researchers to establish the nova was about 14,800 light years away from the sun, meaning that the explosion witnessed in August 2013 actually took place nearly 15,000 years ago.

When last measured 43 days after the detonation, the nova had expanded nearly 20-fold, at a velocity of more than 600km per second, the research led by astronomer Gail Schaefer from Georgia State University, found.

The findings were published in the prestigious international journal Nature on Monday.

Kawasaki ER-6n India Launched priced at 4.78 lakh INR

2014-10-17T06:26:00.000-07:00

Kawasaki has launched its new bike ER-6n, which share its engine with the Ninja 650. This new bike will share the mid sports bike segment alongside its Ninja 650 sibling. It is powered by a 649 cc, parallel dual-cylinder, four-stroke liquid cooled, fuel injected engine, which is capable of generating 72 PS of power. With a twisting force of approximately 63.7 Nm, this bike has been tagged at 4.78 lakhs INR (ex-showroom Delhi). It will compete against the Hyosung GT650N.

Kawasaki Motors launched the ER-6n along with the Z250 on October 16, 2014. The product portfolio of Kawasaki has been dominated by 800 cc and above bikes. The existing line-up comprises Z1000, Z800, Ninja ZX-10R, Ninja 300 and Ninja ZX14R. However, for making the brand more user-receptive, it is trying to manufacture smaller bikes, which has a bigger market in India. It is also an effort of the Kawasaki Motors India wing to introduce more such bikes in the current fiscal.

Kawasaki has kept the pace up for superbikes rising in tandem with the rapid growth of this segment in the nation. The 500 cc-800 cc bikes offer a better manoeuvring prowess as compared to the higher models. As the market possibilities of India look brighter, it is expected that global brands like Kawasaki will have their focus fixed here.

Kawasaki ER-6n is being assembled in the Bajaj plant located at Pimpri in Pune. It is expected that the total sales of this bike will go up to 100 units in this year.

Xolo One With Android 442 KitKat Launched priced 6599

2014-10-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

Xolo has launched a new budget Android smartphone called the One, pricing it at Rs. 6,599. One of the most notable features of the Xolo One smartphone is that the company claims it is upgradable to Android 5.0 Lollipop.

The company has listed the Xolo One on its website, however, there is no official word yet about the availability of the new Xolo smartphone. We expect that the company will announce the handset in the coming days.

The Xolo One runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box, and comes with dual-SIM support. It features a 4.5-inch FWVGA (480x854 pixels) IPS display and offers a pixel density of 218ppi. The smartphone is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek (MT6582M) processor alongside Mali 400 MP2 GPU and 1GB of RAM. The smartphone includes 8GB of inbuilt storage that is expandable via microSD card (up to 32GB).

The smartphone sports a 5-megapixel fixed-focus rear camera with LED flash, while also houses a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The Xolo One's rear camera features scene detection, Panaroma, geo tagging, best shot, smile shot, and HDR options. Connectivity options on the smartphone include Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB, GPRS/ EDGE, GPS/ A-GPS, and 3G.

It packs a 1700mAh battery that is rated to deliver up to 8 hours of talk time and up to 377 hours of standby time on 3G network. The Xolo One also includes sensors such as accelerometer, ambient light sensor, and proximity sensor.

The company recently launched the Opus HD smartphone, priced at Rs. 9,499.

The Xolo Opus HD is a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) device that runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box. It comes with a 5-inch (720x1280 pixels) HD IPS display; 1.2GHz quad-core Broadcom (BCM23550) processor; 1GB of RAM; 8GB of inbuilt storage; expandable storage via microSD card (up to 32GB); 8-megapixel rear camera with LED flash; 2-megapixel front-facing camera; 3G; GPRS/ EDGE; Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n; Micro-USB, and Bluetooth options. The smartphone packs a 2500mAh battery.

Loss of Antarctica Ice Results in Shift of Gravity

2014-10-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

Antarctica has lost so much ice that it has caused a shift in Earth's gravity, according to a new study.

The European Space Agency (ESA)'s GOCE satellite has shown that the ice lost from West Antarctica over the last few years has left its signature.

"The loss of ice from west Antarctica between 2009 and 2012 caused a dip in the gravity field over the region," ESA said in a statement.

More than doubling its planned life in orbit, GOCE spent four years measuring Earth's gravity in unprecedented detail.

Scientists are now armed with the most accurate gravity model ever produced.

This is leading to a much better understanding of many facets of our planet - from the boundary between Earth's crust and upper mantle to the density of the upper atmosphere.

The strength of gravity at Earth's surface varies subtly from place to place owing to factors such as the planet's rotation and the position of mountains and ocean trenches.

Changes in the mass of large ice sheets can also cause small local variations in gravity, ESA said.

High-resolution measurements from GOCE over Antarctica between November 2009 and June 2012 were analysed by scientists from the German Geodetic Research Institute, Delft University of Technology, Netherlands, the Jet Propulsion Lab in US and the Technical University of Munich in Germany.

They found that the decrease in the mass of ice during this period was mirrored in GOCE's measurements, even though the mission was not designed to detect changes over time.

GOCE data could be used to help validate satellite altimetry measurements for an even clearer understanding of ice-sheet and sea-level change, ESA said.

ESA's CryoSat satellite, which carries a radar altimeter, has recently shown that since 2009 the rate at which ice is been lost from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet every year has increased by a factor of three.

Between 2011 and 2014, Antarctica as a whole has been shrinking in volume by 125 cubic kilometres a year, the statement said.

Wildlife Numbers Drop by Half Since last four decades

2014-09-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

Earth lost half its wildlife in the past four decades, according to the most comprehensive study on animal populations to date, a far larger decline than has been previously reported.

The latest analysis was done by scientists at the wildlife group WWF, the Zoological Society of London and other organizations. Based on an analysis of thousands of vertebrate species, it concludes that overall animal populations fell by 52% between 1970 and 2010.

The animal population decline was seen everywhere—in rivers, on land and in the seas—and is mainly the result of increased habitat destruction, hunting and fishing, the report said. Climate change is also believed to be a factor, though its consequences are harder to measure.

The previous WWF report analyzing animal populations was published in 2012 and it suggested a decline of 28%. The latest report has 15% more data than the previous one; it is more representative of tropical species; and it includes an improved methodology.

The fastest declines were seen in rivers and other freshwaters systems, where populations have fallen 76% since 1970. By comparison, terrestrial and marine populations each fell 39%.

While biodiversity continues to decline in both temperate and tropical parts of the world, the downward trend is greater in the tropics.

The most dramatic decline was in Latin America, where overall populations of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish fell 83%. Asia-Pacific wasn't too far behind, though.

The new findings are calculated using the WWF's "Living Planet Index," a measure of biodiversity based on trends in 10,000 populations of about 3,000 animal species.

The WWF has been compiling its index since 1998. It tracks a large number of animal populations just as a stock market index tracks the value of a group of stocks. The data used in compiling the index are population size, density or a measure of abundance over a length of time.

In a separate section, the WWF report also tries to measure the state of humanity's ability to live in a sustainable way. With the planet's population expected to swell by another 2.4 billion people by 2050, the challenge of providing everyone with food, water and energy will be a difficult one.

The report analyzes sustainability by calculating a global "ecological footprint," which measures the area required to supply the ecological goods and services we use. It concludes that humanity currently needs the regenerative capacity of 1.5 Earths to supply these goods and services each year.

The study says: "This 'overshoot' is possible because—for now—we can cut trees faster than they mature, harvest more fish than the oceans can replenish, or emit more carbon into the atmosphere than the forests and oceans can absorb." Since the 1990s, we have reached that overshoot by the ninth month of each year, it adds.

"It's a very loud wake-up call," said Carter Roberts, president and chief executive officer of WWF US, in an interview. "As we lose natural capital, people lose the ability to feed themselves and to provide for their families—it increases instability exponentially. When that happens, it ceases to be a local problem and becomes a global one."

Rover photographs perfectly round ball on Mars surface

2014-09-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

NASA's Curiosity Rover has sent back a photo from Mars of a perfectly round object that looks like a ball.

But sad news for conspiracy theorists: No one has been playing golf on the Red Planet.

Instead, experts told Discovery.com they believe the ball is an example of a geological process called concretion — when a mass of minerals embeds in a "host" sedimentary rock.

NASA said the sphere, which was photographed Sept. 11, is likely one centimetre wide.

It's not the first time a rover has photographed a similar phenomenon on Mars. In 2004, the rover Opportunity relayed images of a small grouping of concretions that looked similar to blueberries. The existence of the spheres suggests that area of Mars had groundwater at one point, the scientists said in a paper in Nature in June 2004.

NASA Curiosity Rover Drills its First Hole at Mount Sharp

2014-09-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

NASA's Curiosity rover has reached the ultimate destination in its science mission on Mars and has officially broken the ground at Mount Sharp.

According to Space.com, Curiosity drilled about 2.6 into the base of the mountain in the middle of the Gale Crater, the rover's landing spot. The one-ton rover collected pieces of powdered rock for future analysis.

Curiosity has been on a track to reach Mount Sharp, which stands about 3.4 miles high, since landing on the Red Planet in Aug. 2012.

"This drilling target is at the lowest part of the base layer of the mountain, and from here we plan to examine the higher, younger layers exposed in the nearby hills," Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity deputy project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), said in a press release. "This first look at rocks we believe to underlie Mount Sharp is exciting because it will begin to form a picture of the environment at the time the mountain formed, and what led to its growth."

Curiosity took its time to get from Yellow Knife Bay to Mount Sharp, about a five-mile trek. In 15 months, Curiosity plodded along while making various stops to collect samples and examine them. Thanks to the rover, NASA mission managers have enjoyed a wealth of information that have changed the way many people look at Mars.

"We're putting on the brakes to study this amazing mountain," Jennifer Trosper, Curiosity deputy project manager at JPL, said in the release. "Curiosity flew hundreds of millions of miles to do this."

Curiosity will now take its time with analyzing the sample because the results could determine whether or not it is safe for filtration and delivery to the rover's internal lab.

US is indian global partner says PM Narendra Modi

2014-09-26T09:39:00.004-07:00

After an overnight transit halt in Frankfurt, Prime Minister Narendra Modi left on Friday for his maiden visit to the US during which he will address the UN General Assembly, hold talks with President Barack Obama and meet top American corporate honchos besides a series of other engagements.

Modi will have a summit-level meeting with US President Barack Obama during his tour.

Describing America as India's "natural global partner", Modi said on Friday the complementary strengths of the two democracies can be used for inclusive and broad-based development to transform lives across the globe.
A grand welcome awaits the PM in the US. On his first leg of the high-profile five-day visit, Modi will land in New York, where he will address the 69th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday and a rally at the famous Madison Square Garden, which is likely to be attended by around 20,000 people from the Indian-American community.
"The US is our natural global partner. India and the US embody the enduring and universal relevance of their shared values," Modi wrote in an op-ed in the The Wall Street Journal.

Modi, who in recent interview to a TV channel had expressed hope about better India-US ties, also said the thriving Indian-American community in the United States was a metaphor for the potential of India-US partnership, and for the possibilities of an environment that nurtures enterprise and rewards hard work.

He added the two countries had a fundamental stake and many shared interests in each other's success.

"That is also the imperative of our partnership. And it will be of great value in advancing peace, security and stability in the Asia and Pacific regions; in the unfinished and urgent task of combating terrorism and extremism; and in securing our seas, cyber space and outer space, all of which now have a profound influence on our daily lives," he said.

Observesrs are keenly watching Modi's visit to the US, which had denied him a visa in 2005 in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots three years before that. However, the US had signalled the end of its nine-year boycott of Modi ahead of the general elections that brought him to power.

US ambassador Nancy Powell met him in Gujarat in February, marking a thaw in the relationship. US President Barack Obama congratulated him after his poll vistory.
US defence secretary Chuck Hagel and vice-president Joe Biden have already visited India during the BJP government's tenure.

In the op-ed piece, Modi said the complementary strengths of India and the US can be used for inclusive and broad-based global development to transform lives across the world.

"This is a moment of flux in the global order. I am confident in the destiny of our two nations, because democracy is the greatest source of renewal and, with the right conditions, offers the best opportunity for the human spirit to flourish," Modi said.

"With sensitivity to each other's point of view and the confidence of our friendship, we can contribute to more concerted international efforts to meet the pressing global challenges of our times."

Modi emphasised the role of technology in building partnerships between the two nations.

"Our strengths in information technology are especially important for leadership in the digital age. The partnership between our businesses takes place in the comfort and certainty of similar political systems and shared commitment to rule of law. In education, innovation, and science and technology, the US continues to inspire India," he said.

The Prime Minister will have a gruelling schedule in New York which includes a meeting with as many as 11 top corporate honchos over breakfast on September 29 apart from one-on-one meetings with six more business captains the same day.

Modi will pay a visit to the 9/11 memorial on Saturday following which he is expected to drive down to the United Nations headquarters to address the 69th annual session of the UNGA.

Obama will host a rare private dinner for Modi at the White House on September 29, so as to establish a personal relationship with the Indian leader ahead of summit talks the next day. The two leaders are meeting for the first time.

Modi will also be participating in a business meet, to be organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), expected to be attended by 300-400 businessmen in Washington on September 30.

In the op-ed, Modi asserted that there was a "high tide of hope for change" in India, adding the country will be open and friendly for business and ideas to make it a new global manufacturing hub.
"We will create world-class infrastructure that India badly needs to accelerate growth and meet people 's basic needs. We will make our cities and towns habitable, sustainable and smart; and we will make our villages the new engines of economic transformation."

Ahead of his US visit, Modi unveiled a campaign on Thursday to turn India into a manufacturing powerhouse, vowing to remove bureaucratic sloth and make the country more investor friendly.

The 'Make in India' campaign is as much an invitation to domestic and foreign companies as a promise to rectify everything that has kept the country at almost the bottom of World Bank’s ‘ease of doing business’ index.

PTI

First pictures from Mars arrive Mangalyaan

2014-09-25T03:52:00.001-07:00

Mangalyaan's first offering to India is out in the open.

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) released on Thursday the first image of Mars clicked by the indigenous Mangalyaan, which took India to soaring heights a day ago by slipping into the Red Planet's orbit on the country's maiden attempt.

Isro said the photograph it posted on its Facebook page and Twitter account was taken from "a height of 7300 km; with 376 m spatial resolution".

And more are expected to come. Isro chief K Radhakrishnan handed over hard copies of snaps clicked by Mangalyaan to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

Speculation is rife that Isro might release them later in the day.

The photographs bear a testimony to the fact that Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), which helped India join an elite club of successful Mars explorers, is in 'good health' and performing its duties well.

"Images are clicked. Data is downloaded. Process is going on," a top Isro official had told HT, confirming all is well.

MOM, according to Isro scientists, started sending its first high-quality images of the Red Planet late on Wednesday.

The snaps were expected to arrive in the afternoon on the momentous day, but there was no news about them till evening, causing some concerns.

New Zealand Cricketer Chris Cairns driving truck cleaning bus shelters to sustain family

2014-09-18T23:46:00.002-07:00

Desperate times need desperate measures — and for former cricket star Chris Cairns, these measures include working at bus shelters in Auckland and driving a council truck.

Cairns, who is facing a perjury charge, has legal bills mounting — and while he continues to live in Auckland's most expensive suburb, he has taken to working for $17 an hour at the bus shelter.

The New Zealand Herald, which also reported the story, quotes Cairns' best friend Dion Nash as saying: "He's trying really hard and supporting his family the best way he can. He's not moping around, he's showing guts and doing hard work by cleaning bus shelters. All I can do is support him, but as a friend it is really hard to watch his name being dragged through the mud with no conclusion in sight."

The report also quoted Cairns' wife Mel Croser: "He has no choice, he has to provide for his family ... We have bills to pay like everyone else. We don't own a house, we're paying rent like many other people and getting by is a struggle".

Not far back, in 2010, Cairns had proposed to Croser with a 3.2 carat diamond ring.

Cairns has vehemently denied all cheating claims as the investigation continues.

-FP

Former star all rounder of the New Zealand cricket team, Chris Cairns is driving a truck to make ends meet and support his family. The 44 year old cricketer, who for many, would be among the best the Kiwis produced in cricket, drives a truck for $17 an hour, and cleans bus shelters, international media reports showed.

Cairns has reportedly taken up a job with Auckland Council which operates trucks that are used for water blasting bus stations.

Cairns had been alleged for match fixing, after New Zealand test batsman Lou Vincent named him as Mister X, the former star player that lured Vincent into match fixing with promises of substantial cash rewards. Vincent has since admitted manipulating the outcome of matches in 12 countries and has received 11 life bans from cricket for those activities.

Mid day report quoted another former player, Dion Nash who said he supported Cairns and was by his side for the fixing issue. Nash said Cairns was being bold and was working hard to support his family in their tough times.

-DNA

Pull back your troops who have entered Ladakh Modi tells Xi

2014-09-18T23:31:00.000-07:00

The past caught up with the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping to elevate bilateral ties, leading the PM to protest against China's bid to escalate tensions in Ladakh.

It was the festering border row which Modi sought to address first in his meeting with Xi on Thursday as he told him that peace and tranquillity along the borders was imperative for mutual trust and for realizing the full potential of Sino-Indian relations.

"This is an important understanding, which should be strictly observed," Modi said as he raised "serious concerns" over what India calls serial transgressions by the Chinese.

Pitching for a quick clarification of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), Modi told Xi that China had to restore the status quo that existed before September 10 in Ladakh this year. Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj also raised the issue with her counterpart Wang Yi.

Modi, in fact, set the tone on Wednesday evening itself when, just after the public display of bonhomie, he raised the latest Chinese transgressions at Chumar in Ladakh in an after-dinner "pow-wow" with Xi.

The Chinese president came back with a response on Thursday when he told Modi that he had "noted'' India's concerns and that the incidents in Ladakh may be a fallout of the non-demarcated border.

Sources said Modi took up the border issue strongly because the understanding in the government was that the incidents at Chumar could not have taken place without the concurrence of the top Chinese leadership.

In fact, even as vigorous diplomacy continued, the Army had ensured enough presence in the region to outnumber the Chinese troops. Sources said more Indian troops were ready to move into the region where civilians formed a human wall to prevent the Chinese from moving into what India claims to be its territory.

Xi, however, said such incidents should not be allowed to impact bilateral relations. "There may be some incidents as the area is not clearly demarcated," Xi said in a media statement, but added that both sides were capable of not just effectively managing the border but also of resolving the border dispute "at an early date''.

The NDA government's first bilateral engagement at the highest level with China yielded as many as 16 agreements and MoU, including one expected to ensure investments worth $20 billion into India from China over the next five years.

Modi also raised India's concerns over China's visa policy for residents of Arunachal Pradesh and J&K and also over trans-border rivers, saying their resolution would take mutual trust to a new level.

India wants the Ladakh standoff to end immediately, with Modi telling Xi that a clarification of LAC and settlement of the dispute "would greatly contribute to our efforts to maintain peace and tranquillity". He requested Xi to look at resuming the stalled process of LAC clarification. Modi had an extended interaction with Xi which included 75 minutes of restricted meeting, 50 minutes of delegation talks and a 15-minute one-on-one.

Apart from the assurance from Xi that the border dispute could be resolved soon, an important takeaway for India was the declaration, for the first time, of support from the Chinese president for India's full membership of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a central Asia security grouping of six countries dominated by Russia and China.

India currently has observer status at SCO which is expected to play a crucial role in Afghanistan once the Nato forces depart from there. Xi added in the same breath though that India too would support China's role in Saarc. Indian officials later clarified though that this wasn't a condition for Chinese support for India's SCO membership.

India and China, said Indian officials, also decided to hold the first round of maritime cooperation dialogue within this year to exchange views on security, including anti-piracy, freedom of navigation and cooperation between maritime agencies of both countries. Progress was also made in promoting cooperation under the framework of the BCIM (Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar) Economic Corridor. "Located at the crossroads of Asia, India believes that reconnecting Asia is important for its collective prosperity," Modi said.

The two countries also decided to have annual visits at the level of head of state/government with Xi inviting Modi to visit China early next year.

-TOI

interesting revelations from Google VP Sundar Pichai

2014-09-17T04:32:00.001-07:00

Google’s Delhi event saw the unveiling of three new Android One smartphones from Micromax, Spice and Karbonn, all priced at around Rs 6,399. Interestingly, this was the first time Google used India as the launchpad for taking off a brand new project. Being one of Android’s most ambitious announcements, Sundar Pichai, the Senior VP at Google for Android, Chrome and Google Apps was in his home country yesterday to take the wraps off the highly anticipated Android One programme designed for low-end phones.

Chennai-born Pichai joined Google in 2004 to take over Google’s Android division from Andy Rubin last year. He completed his graduation from IIT Kharagpur before going on to pursue his post-graduation from Stanford University. He also has an MBA degree from the Wharton School. While Android One remained the crux of his interviews yesterday, we’ve jotted five other interesting revelations by the Android chief.

1. Google Cars in India? Not really

Earlier this week, Google put an end to all speculation about self-driving cars by finally introducing a working prototype of Google’s self-driven cars. The car that runs without a steering wheel, accelerator pedal or brake pedal, is powered by the right software and sensors that do all the thinking and driving for you. Google pushed out some videos asking random people to take a ride to show how smooth and intelligent the car is. Now, are these cars fit for Indian roads? Like most of us, Pichai doesn’t concur either. He told TOI, “That’s such a good question (laughs). When we work on 10X projects, we do it knowing that regardless of where they end up, they’ll be impactful because we’re aiming at doing something transformational. I don’t know if the car will be able to survive Indian roads on Day One but the technology will still be exceptionally important, because the combination of hardware and software that we’re using will really evolve state-of-the-art driving.”

2. A Google smartwatch is in the wings

Throughout his visit, Pichai was publicly wearing a watch that’s yet unnamed. When asked, he refused to talk about as it was still a prototype and of course ‘confidential’. In an interview with Mint he said, “This is a confidential prototype that I can’t talk about.” Then, why wear it to a public event with journalists? Perhaps he wanted us to know that the real iWatch competitor is in the making.

3. Samsung is still Google’s most valued partner

In the past couple of months, we’ve heard how Samsung has been rubbing Google the wrong way with its customised UI and of course Tizen-based devices. Google has also started showing too much love for other OEMs. Pichai maintains that Samsung will remain its valued partner. “Android One is not in lieu of Android. It is one more option that we are providing. Samsung is our largest partner. We work with them in a big way. I don’t expect any of it to change. We are complex companies with different priorities. But that’s okay,” he told TOI.

4. No playing favourites

However, in an interview with Mint, Pichai has also clarified and states how Google doesn’t favour one partner over the other. He said, “Yes, it’s a complex ecosystem but we have a pretty simple, neutral agenda. We run Android in a very open way and work closely with all partners. We work with Samsung and I spend a lot of time with them. But we’ve always supported other partners. Of course, things evolve within an ecosystem, and sometimes people can start seeing patterns and agendas that may not really exist. But we don’t strategize, favouring one player over another. So, it’s not really an issue for me.”

5. India first

If the chatter online is to be believed than Android One event had the essence of an international event. It was the first global launch for Google that took place in India. It’s kind of different because usually launches take place elsewhere before reaching the Indian market. When asked about this global program that kickstarted in India, Pichai told CNBC-TV18, “For us it is exciting because we actually are viewing India as our trial country. So, we want to launch this in India and learn, but use it as a place from where we take it to other places around the world. So, it is unique for us. Normally, we do stuff in the US and US is our trial country and we take it elsewhere but we are doing this differently.”

PM Narendra Modi reception in New York Big stars are lining up

2014-09-17T04:13:00.000-07:00

Young Indian-American pop star sensation Anjali Ranadive, popular playback singer Kavita Subramaniam along with renowned violinist L Subramaniam would perform at a public reception being hosted by Indian-American community for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York.

Ranadive, the daughter of the Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, would sing the US anthem, and Subramaniam would lend her voice to the Indian anthem before Modi's much anticipated speech to the Diaspora at the historic Madison Square Garden on September 28.

Subramaniam would enthrall the audience with his mesmerizing violin performance at Modi's reception being organised by the Indian-American Community Foundation (IACF), which was created recently to promote cooperation between the US and India and advance the shared values of democracy.

IACF had earlier announced that Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri and PBS NewsHour Weekend Anchor Hari Sreenivasan will emcee the event; thus adding a star line up to the Modi's reception, which is expected to be attended by a number of US lawmakers, governors and city leaders.

In a statement, IACF spokesperson Anand Shah said a spectacular laser light show, holograms of India's historical luminaries, and live folk dances will precede Modi's speech.

"Prime Minister Modi taking the stage along with dozens of America's most important political leaders in front of tens of thousands of cheering supporters will demonstrate the potential of a relationship across borders," Shah said.

"The time has come for the world's most significant democracies - India and America - to join together on a platform of mutual respect and shared values," he said.

To accommodate the thousands of people who were not lucky enough to get one of the 18,000 free tickets, the event would be broadcast live at the iconic Crystal Tower of the Times Square, with real time English sub-titles.

"The incredible demand to be a part of Indian American history in greeting Prime Minister Modi has pushed us to find more ways to let the community participate," Shah said.

"And that is why we decided to broadcast the event in Times Square, stream it online at www.pmvisit.org, and provide English subtitles and audio translation - ensuring that as many people as possible could be part of what promises to be one of the largest ever gatherings to hear a foreign leader speak on American soil."

The IACF is also helping student groups and community organizers arrange "viewing parties" in their local areas.

Anticipating that thousands of people would be converging to mid-town Manhattan on September 28, local public transportation system in co-ordination with IACF have announced to run special buses, trains throughout the day.

et-indiatimes

Sabarmati Riverfront Preparations for Visit of Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping

2014-09-16T01:02:00.003-07:00

Ahmedabad Sabarmati Riverfront Preparations for Visit of Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping

China President Xi Jinpings India visit strengthen ties Narendra Modi

2014-09-15T23:51:00.001-07:00

There is a deliberative attempt at innovation in every decision prime minister Narendra Modi takes and after this it may become a norm. Chinese president Xi Jinping, who starts his three-day India visit on September 17 from Ahmedabad, is the first foreign dignitary to start off from outside Delhi. It is the norm that state visits start off in the national capital. However, from now on, foreign heads of state and government would be encouraged to start by exploring other parts of the country apart from the Capital.

The PM will be in Ahmedabad to receive the Chinese head of state. Another first would be that there will be official talks during Xi's day-long stay in the Guajarat capital, Modi's home state. The ministry of external affairs spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said there would be signing of agreements, which is again a first. He was not in a position to disclose anything about the nature of agreements to be signed, but he assured that those signed in Ahmedabad will pertain to that region. There will be other agreements that Modi and Xi will sign in Delhi after officials talks, at the meeting between the two leaders along with aides and later at delegation level.

There has been much preparation on the part of India for the visit, especially through national security adviser Ajit Doval's visit to Beijing last week, where he called on Xi and met ministers and officials to discuss the visit. Akbaruddin said Doval conveyed to the Chinese government that India sees "the visit as an important landmark". It is only the third Chinese presidential visit. The earlier ones were that of Jian Zemin in 1996 and Hu Jintao in 2006. The MEA spokesperson said that the "new government was engaged in intensive global engagement" and Xi's visit is being seen as part of this new drive.

There have been brisk exchange of visits between the two countries ever since Modi took over as prime minister in May. Chinese prime minister Li Keqiang was the first foreign leader to have telephoned Modi and congratulated him after the swearing-in. Modi had met Xi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brazil in July, and it was followed by vice president Hamid Ansari's visit to China. Minister for external affairs Sushma Swaraj had met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi twice, first in June in Nw Delhi and again on the sidelines of the Asean Regional Forum in Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw in August.

The MEA spokesman and joint secretary (east) in the ministry Pradeep Rawat did not reveal any breakthrough agreements on the economic front nor on the crucial issue of border talks. To repeated queries about Chinese incursions in the north-east, Akbaruddin said that incursions will be handled on the ground by the "brave sentinels" and made it out that it will not in any way impact on the Modi-Xi talks because these are a different thing altogether.

NASA, ISRO in talks to set up Joint Mars Working Group

2014-09-11T10:42:00.003-07:00

America’s premier space agency NASA and its Indian counterpart ISRO are talking about setting up a Joint Mars Working Group, a top US space official has said ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US.

“NASA is in discussions with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) regarding potential scientific collaboration with their Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), due to enter Mars orbit about two days after MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) orbiter, which will arrive at Mars later this month,” said James Green Director, Planetary Science Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA.

Testifying before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Space Committee on Science, Space and Technology, he said while primarily a technology-demonstration mission, MOM includes five science instruments to study the martian atmosphere, mineralogy and surface features.

“With multiple data sets being collected, NASA and ISRO scientists will have a wealth of information to help solve mysteries regarding the Mars atmosphere,” he said.

“In addition, NASA and ISRO are talking about setting up a Joint Mars Working Group, under the auspices of the State Department’s US-India Civil Space Joint Working Group, that would coordinate our two agencies’ plans for studying one of the Earth’s nearest neighbors,” Green said.

Both the missions of NASA and ISRO will arrive at the Red Planet just in time to join the fleet of Mars-based spacecraft that could witness the effects of comet Siding Spring, Green told lawmakers.

MAVEN, he said, will explore the Mars’ upper atmosphere, ionosphere and interactions with the sun and solar wind.

Scientists will use MAVEN data to determine the role that loss of volatiles from the Mars atmosphere to space has played through time, giving insight into the history of Mars’ atmosphere and climate, liquid water, and planetary habitability, he added.

James F. Bell, president of The Planetary Society & Professor at Arizona State University, described NASA as the most active, most capable, and most successful of all of the world’s space agencies.

When NASA doesn’t prioritize planetary science, no other agencies are presently capable of filling the gap, he added.

The emergence of the Chinese and Indian space programs and the continued successes of the European and Japanese programs illustrate that robotic exploration of space is an international priority — a way to gain scientific knowledge, global prestige and advance technological capability, he said.

“In the coming decade, China is preparing a series of robotic lunar missions, Russia is preparing lunar, Venus and Mars missions, India has plans to go to the Moon and Mars, Japan is planning a second asteroid sample-return mission, and the Europeans are headed to Mercury, Mars, the asteroids and Jupiter,” Bell said.

Apple iPhone 6 Availability Delayed in India

2014-09-11T04:55:00.002-07:00

Apple has been going back-and-forth on the India launch date of the iPhone 6. On September 9, the day of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 launch, the company had announced on its website that the iPhone 6 would be available in India on September 26 (screenshot). Some time later, that date was changed to October 17 on the Apple India website. On Thursday, NDTV Gadgets spotted that the iPhone 6 launch date has been removed from the website.

However, those who were hoping to buy the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus on launch day need not be disappointed. Apple is not known for communicating the date of availability of new products well in advance in India. We think this move signals a return to the pattern observed in previous years, when Apple would make no announcements regarding the availability of new iPhone devices in India.

The fact that Apple mentioned the launch date on India website was an aberration, the new iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus are still likely to launch on October 17. During the keynote announcing the launch of new iPhone devices and the Apple Watch, the company made no mention of when the new smartphones will make an appearance in India.

The company had instead announced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK beginning on Friday, September 19, and customers can pre-order both models beginning on Friday, September 12.

NDTV Gadgets had reported that initially there was confusion over Apple announcing the India launch date of the iPhone 6 on its website. It was thought that the information was an error on the part of Apple, but later when the date was changed to October 17, it became apparent that the announcement was not an oversight.

We have asked Apple for official confirmation of the India launch date, but the company hasn't yet given us any confirmation of the launch date.