Author: Samikhsya Bureau

(UNI) The countdown began on Tuesday for the launch of India’s communication satellite GSAT- 7A at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

The 26-hour countdown began at 1410 hrs as the satellite would be launched on-board GSLV-F11 at 1610 hrs on Wednesday.

Launch vehicle GSLV-F11 will inject the GSAT -7A into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit GTO), while the satellite will be placed in its final Geostationary Orbit using the onboard propulsion system.

GSAT-7A, built by ISRO, will provide communication capability to users in Ku-band over the Indian region.

The satellite weighing 2250 kilogram will have a mission life of eight years.

MAIMANA(Afghanistan), Dec. 18 (Xinhua) Six militants including a Taliban judge were killed after Afghan force aircraft attacked a Taliban hideout in Dawlat Abad district of the northern Faryab province on Monday, said an army statement released here Tuesday.

“Mullah Rasoul the Taliban shadow judge for Faryab province was killed along with five armed insurgents after fighting aircraft targeted Taliban hideout in Firoza village of Dawlat Abad district on Monday afternoon,” the statement asserted.

Three more militants were injured in the strikes, the statement continued.

Taliban outfit has yet to make comment.

(UNI) Observing the “International Migrant Day”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said the doors of the state are always open for the migrants.

“Today is International Migrants’ Day. It is our humanitarian obligation to give refuge to migrants,” Ms Banerjee wrote in her Twitter account.

Ms Banerjee has been always compassionate to the misery of the homeless and refugees as she recently was vocal for the suffering of Rohingyas of Myanmar as well as to the cause of people, who have been left from the NRC in neighbouring Assam.

“In Bangla we will take care of anyone who seeks shelter in our state, to the best of our abilities,” Ms Banejee reiterated in her Twitter account.

The day also coincides with the “Minority Rights Day”. In her message Ms Banerjee said, “We are all equal and united.” Observing the day the chief minster said “Unity in diversity is our strength. You will be happy to know that in Bangla, we have distributed scholarships to over 1.7 crore minority students, the highest in the country. My best wishes to all.”

(UNI) Ashoka Buildcon Limited announces an Rs 150 crore investment commitment into its city gas distribution (CGD) business Unison Enviro Private Limited (UEPL) by Morgan Stanley India
Infrastructure (MSII).
UEPL builds and operates CGD networks across cities and towns in India.
Welcoming this investment, Ashok Katariya, Chairman of Ashoka, said “We are delighted to announce this partnership with Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure to build a nationwide city gas distribution business.
We commend the Government’s focus on increasing the share of natural gas in the overall energy mix as it is a clean and green fuel. The gas sector will see tremendous growth in the coming years and this partnership has come at the right time to take advantage of this transformational shift in India’s energy mix.”
Satish Parakh, Managing Director of Ashoka, added “Ashoka has consistently sought growth opportunities that leverage the company’s proven project execution skills. Within a short time, UEPL has already commenced operations in Ratnagiri district. This investment from MSII will allow us to expand our footprint.” Morgan Stanley India Infrastructure is the India infrastructure investing platform of Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners. 

(UNI) All eyes will be on the response from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India Rajiv Mehrishi to the ‘clarification’ reportedly sought by Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Mallikarjun Kharge on the Rafale combat aircraft row.

According to BJP sources here, the CAG is on “tour” these days and will be back in the capital only on Wednesday, December 19.

Sources said Mr Kharge in the capacity of chairman PAC has written to the CAG seeking ‘clarification’ as to whether the government’s official auditor has examined the Rafale related papers of the Defence ministry.

“If so, the CAG has been advised to mention some details, like dates or so and also about their findings. The CAG reportedly has been asked to clarify whether the CAG has recommended to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to examine the Rafale related papers,” sources said.

Mr Kharge in the capacity of 22-member PAC chairman is not likely to press for ‘summoning’ CAG Mr Mehrishi and the Attorney General K K Venugopal if there is “no unanimity” in the committee.

Sources said earlier as the panel chairman, Mr Kharge has applied his ‘suo motu’ discretionary power and did initiate the deliberations on Non Performing Assets (NPAs) in banks. “But this time around given the sensibilities of the case especially in view of the Supreme Court orders, he may not press for the same,” a source said.

Mr Kharge’s predecessor K V Thomas also initiated actions suo motu on two occasions – the Public Private Partnership issue with certain projects and the demonetisation of high value currencies.

Japan’s defense guidelines for a decade to come, which the country’s government approved on Tuesday, envisage creating space and cyberdefense units, while the application of artificial intelligence will be expanded.
“Given birth rate reduction and population decline, defense capability maintenance and enhancement calls for staff reinforcement more than ever before. It is necessary not only to attract talented staff, but also to use advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, among others,” the document read.
An unmanned aircraft department will be created in order to enable permanent control of the air space and information gathering in “remote regions.”
The space and the cyberspace have never been tackled in Japanese defense guidelines before.
“To hold operations … in such new areas as space, electromagnetic waves, and cyberspace, it is necessary to strengthen joint control. For constant supervision of space, for impeding rivals’ command and information transmission, and also for … maintaining leadership in cyberspace use, it is necessary to create a special space unit within the air-force defense units, and to boost its joint control,” the document read.

(UNI) President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Monday that fuel theft makes Mexico lose between 2.9 and 3.9 billion U.S. dollars a year, vowing to combat the crime.

Lopez Obrador told reporters that he would soon unveil a plan to fight the growing scourge, saying “it is a serious problem because they steal between 60 and 80 billion pesos (around 2.95 and 3.93 billion U.S. dollars) a year” from state-owned pipelines.

“We have already appointed a coordinator … and all government agencies are working together” on a strategy to tackle the problem, he said.

Fuel stealers include not only organized crime groups, but also corrupt employees of the state-owned oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos (Penex), said Lopez Obrador.

(UNI) Jammu and Kashmir may reel under President’s rule tomorrow after the recommendation made by Governor Satya Pal Malik.

As per sources a proclamation to this effect is expected to be issued by the President Ram Nath Kovind soon.

“The Governor had recently recommended to the Union Home Ministry the imposition of President’s rule in the state of Jammu and Kashmir after expiry of six-month Governor’s rule in the State on December 19,” sources said.

The Governor’s Rule was imposed in the state on June 20 after BJP called it a day with PDP, who were running a coalition government having Mehbooba Mufti as Chief Minister.

(UNI) India on Tuesday lost the second Test against Australia by 146 runs after Kangaroos bowled them out for 146 runs in the second Test of the four-match series at Optus stadium in Perth here on Tuesday.

With the comprehensive win, the hosts levelled the Test series 1-1 with two more matches to be played in Melbourne and Sydney. As a captain this is Tim Paine’s first win.

Australia’s Spinner Nathan Lyon shined once again as claimed eight wickets in the match to help the hosts to to level the Test series.

(UNI) Opening fierce attack on Congress party president Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Srikant Sharma said Congress president keeps levelling allegations against Central government without any proof and grounds which reflects that Rahul was suffering from attention disorder and Congress should help him in his treatment.

Addressing the media here, Mr Sharma said ,” Apex court has cleared that nothing was fishy in Rafale deal but Congress president made derogatory comments against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Central government in that reference. He said BJP government at the centre was clear about the deal and took honest decisions.

(UNI) Honor, a leading smartphone e-brand under the Huawei Group, on Monday announced the launch of Honor Band 4 at the price of Rs 2,599.

The Band 4 will be available in three colour variants – Meteorite Black, Midnight Navy and Dahlia Pink exclusively on Amazon.in from Tuesday.

Supported by Real Time Heart Rate Detection and HUAWEI TruSleep monitoring technology, the new Band 4 acts like a personal fitness trainer which monitors user’s health and activities efficiently, Suhail Tariq, CMO at Huawei Consumer Business Group, said.

The Band 4 display comes with a large 2.5D curved screen, which is a 0.95-inch Amoled 240×120-colour display with full touch screen.

It is incorporated with user-friendly icons that are clear and crisp and can be navigated by intuitive scroll gestures and a HOME button for one-click return. Moreover, it comes with a stylish pattern and improved buckle design keeping it fixed to the user’s wrist.

Band 4 comes packed with some handy smart features like online number identification, answering and rejecting calls and message notifications. It can last up to 17 days under normal use on a single charge.

(UNI) Congress stalwart Kamal Nath was on Monday sworn in as Madhya Pradesh’s 18th Chief Minister in the presence of party President Rahul Gandhi, former Premier Manmohan Singh and numerous apex leaders of the United Progressive Alliance’s constituent units.
Governor Anandiben Patel administered the oaths of office and secrecy at about 1430 hrs to Mr Nath during a grand ceremony at the state capital’s Jamboree Ground. The Chief Minister was sworn in alone. His Council is to be formed in the near future.

The Congress has made a comeback to power in Madhya Pradesh after an interval of one-and-a-half decades.

(UNI) Fuel prices raised; petrol costs Rs 70.53 a litre in Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 17 (UNI) Fuel prices registered a hike of 19-20 paise a litre on Monday.

In Delhi, petrol retailed at Rs 70.53 a litre ? the third hike in five days.

In Mumbai petrol costs Rs 76.15 a litre, in Kolkata it is retailing at Rs 72.62 a litre, in Chennai petrol costs Rs 73.19 and in Bengaluru Rs 71.10 per litre.

Similarly, diesel prices went up by 9-10 paise. In Delhi, diesel retailed at Rs 64.47 a litre, in Kolkata Rs 66.23, in Mumbai Rs 67.47, in Chennai Rs 68.07 and in Bengaluru Rs 64.82.

Recovering from a pancreatic ailment the chief minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar was shown in a picture where he was shown inspecting a bridge at the Mandovi river with a tube in his nose. Parrikar in fact is still under treatment for the pancreatic issue which was detected few months back. Undeterred by health issue he had inaugurated the NIT campus a day before.

It was a special occasion for Hillary Clinton who revisited a place she had visited way back in 1995. It was a Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) in Gujarat and Hillary  was overwhelmed by the growth   achieved by those women. ” I am so inspired by these women” she added ” I will never forget the sight of thousands of women now sharing how SEWA changed their lives “.

After Elon Musk its the billionaire founder of the Spaceflight company Virgin Galactics Richard Branson is eager to risk a spaceflight for the first time in few months from now. This was revealed by him saying ” i think I can pretty confidently say that today’. Virgin Galactics ‘ rocket completed its first ever trip almost to the edge of the space on last Tuesday.

It may have become fun but for political dispensation in Pakisthan did not go well with Google when the Pak prime minister Imran Khan appeared when searched for term ‘Bhikari’ (beggar) . It was when people searched for term Beggar in Urdu and the photos of Imran Khan appeared which has prompted the Pakisthani govt to take it seriously as a suspected conspiracy.

(UNI) The Cyclonic Storm ‘PHETHAI’
over westcentral Bay of Bengal moved further northwards
with a speed of 19 kmph during past 6 hours on Monday
and lay centred at 1130 hrs over westcentral Bay of
Bengal near latitude 16.2°N and longitude 82.2°E,
85 km south-southwest of Kakinada and 60 km
east-southeast of Narsapur in Andhra Pradesh.
It is very likely to move nearly northwards and cross
Andhra Pradesh coast around Kakinada during this
afternoon between (1500 To 1700 Hours IST).
However, due to unfavourable environmental conditions,
it is likely to cross coast as a ‘cyclonic storm’ with a wind
speed of 70-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph.
Thereafter, it is very likely to move north-northeastwards
and weaken gradually, India Meteorological Department
in a bulletin said.

(UNI) The Congress member from Gurdaspur in Punjab Sunil Jakhar on Monday made a petition to the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Majahan praying for a privilege motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what he said “deliberately misleading the Supreme Court and Parliament” in connection with the Rafale fighter jet deal.
In his petition, a copy of which was made available here, Mr Jakhar alleged that there was “serious miss representation of vital, significant facts” to the Supreme Court.
He accused that the government has “not only misled” the apex court but also “casts aspersion” on Parliament and the Public Accounts Committee.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan amid din told the House that she has received “some” motions of breach of privilege but the issues are under her consideration.

(UNI) The death toll in the Sulwadi Maramma Temple food poisoning incident in Chamarajanagara district has gone up to 14 with one more women dying in a private hospital here on Monday.

Hospital sources said 35-year-old Mallibai breathed her last on Monday as she failed to respond to the treatment .

Incidentally husband Krishna Naik had also died in the same tragedy when over 100 people eat prasad which was contaminated, allegedly due to some one mixing poison in it. The couple leaves behind two daughters.

At least 66 persons are being treated at eight private hospitals and 28 more in the State-run K.R. Hospital. Relatives continued to throng the hospitals to see the patients.

Hospital sources said, most of the patients have been shifted to wards on Monday as their condition improved. However, six to seven were being treated in intensive care units as their condition was still serious.

According to Chamarajanagara district administration , the samples from patients and food that was served as prasad have been sent to Central Food Technological Research Institute and the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination and reports are expected in a day or two.