Trump not behaving like a patriot: US Presidential Candidate Tulsi Gabbard

International News

Pledging to bring the "unifying spirit of love for the country", Democratic presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard Wednesday night alleged that President Donald Trump was not behaving like a patriot.
Appearing on a CNN Democratic presidential debate in Detroit, Gabbard is the first Hindu to ever run for the presidency of the United States said she knew what patriotism was.
"I love our country. It's why I enlisted after 9/11. I have served as a soldier for over 16 years, deployed twice to the Middle East and serving in the Congress for almost seven years. I know what patriotism is and I've known many great patriots throughout my life," she said.
"And let me tell you this, Donald Trump is not behaving like a patriot. As president, I will bring the spirit of real patriotism to the White House, serving the interests of all Americans, not just the rich and powerful," asserted Gabbard, the four-term Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii.
The first ever Hindu to be elected to the US House of Representatives, Gabbard vowed that she would fight for the rights and freedom of all Americans, upholding the principles in the Constitution upon which the country was founded.

 "Fighting for the justice and equality for all, fighting for every single American, regardless of race or religion as we strive towards that a more perfect union. As president, I will bring this unifying spirit of love for the country and the soldiers' values of service above self to the White House, truly leading a government of, by, and for the people, Gabbard said.

Osama bin Laden's son Hamza, heir to Al-Qaeda leadership, killed: US media

International News

Osama bin Laden's son Hamza, chosen heir to the leadership of Al-Qaeda, has been killed, US media reported Wednesday citing American officials.
NBC News said three US officials had confirmed they had information of Hamza bin Laden's death, but gave no details of the place or date.
The New York Times subsequently cited two US officials saying they had confirmation that he was killed during the last two years in an operation that involved the United States.
Questioned by reporters in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump did not confirm or deny the NBC report.
"I don't want to comment on it," he said.
Both reports suggested that bin Laden may have been killed well before the US State Department announced a $1 million bounty on his head in February 2019.
The 15th of Osama bin Laden's 20 children and a son of his third wife, Hamza, thought to be about 30 years old, was "emerging as a leader in the Al-Qaeda franchise," the State Department said in announcing the reward.
Sometimes dubbed the "crown prince of jihad, he had put out audio and video messages calling for attacks on the United States and other countries, especially to avenge his father's killing by US forces in Pakistan in May 2011, the department said.

 Documents seized in the raid on his father's house in Abbottabad suggested Hamza was being groomed as heir to the Al-Qaeda leadership. US forces also found a video of the wedding of Hamza to the daughter of another senior Al-Qaeda official that is believed to have taken place in Iran...Read More

Bengaluru's Bounce becomes world's fastest-growing bike-sharing start-up

International News

Bounce on Tuesday said that it has reached a significant milestone of 60,000 rides per day in Bengaluru, making it the fastest-growing bike-sharing start-up in the world. Within 10 months of launching dockless scooters in Bengaluru, the firm has completed over five million rides, covering 30 million km.
The company, which was valued at over $220 million in June this year after raising $72 million in a funding round, said that it is scaling on par with global players, including US-based scooter-rental companies Lime and Bird.
"We are absolutely stoked by this milestone. This feat would not have been possible without the contribution of each and every member of the Bounce community, both employees and users alike," said Vivekananda H R, chief executive and co-founder of Bounce. "We are steadily on our way to democratising mobility in India and making Bengaluru a public transport society," he added.
According to the Transport Department, Bengaluru is home to over 7.6 million private vehicles, as per a 2018 report. With the introduction of last-mile bike sharing, the usage of public transportation has seen a steady increase. Bounce's 60,000 rides per day milestone was achieved with around 7,000 dockless scooters covering an average distance of 7-8 km per ride. The company said it also remains one of the most affordable modes of commuting, offering users rides at Rs 5 per km.

 "I have always believed that last-mile connectivity is going to be a game-changer in addressing urban traffic issues and enable a smooth transition to public transportation," said N Murali Krishna, special officer at Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT). "This achievement of Bounce within a short span of time stands a testament to the viability and acceptance of shared mobility," he added...Read More

Apollo bullish about growth, to invest Rs 3,800 cr in new Andhra project

International News

Despite the economy facing a downturn Apollo Tyres has earmarked around Rs 3,800 crore for a green field project in Andhra Pradesh. The company is also expanding production of radial truck tyres to 12,000 units a day from the current 6,000 units.
Addressing the shareholders in Kerala, Apollo Tyres' Chairman, Onkar S Kanwar said "India lies on the cusp of a great opportunity. A strong government is in place with a renewed mandate and a commitment to keep India at the top of the global economic order. The environment around us is not easy, with trade wars, protectionism and uncertainty around the world. But India has the potential, the ability and the leadership to break free of these shackles and lead global economic growth".
Apollo's single-minded focus is to realise the Vision 2020 of becoming ‘a premier tyre company with a diversified and multinational presence’, he said. To achieve this vision, the company is focusing on key objectives of ‘building leadership in India’, ‘premiumisation in Europe’, and ‘exploring strategically attractive markets where Apollo is currently not represented’.
Today, the company has a market share of 30 per cent in the OE( original equipment) segment in India for small- and mid-sized cars and the company’s OE fitted tyres are in eight of the top 10 cars sold in India.
"There are certainly uncertain times ahead, yet the team continues to be bullish about the growth prospects," said Kanwar.

 The company has invested close to Rs 4,000 crore in a new Greenfield facility in Hungary and has also earmarked Rs 3,800 crore for a greenfield project in Andhra Pradesh. The facility will cater to both TBR (Truck, Bus Radial) and PCR (Passenger Car Radial) with a capacity of 3,000 TBR tyres per day and 15,000 PCR tyres, respectively...Read More

PUBG Lite launched for Android phones with up to 2GB RAM: Know what is new

International News

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday allowed domestic banks to directly sell their bad loans in manufacturing and infrastructure sectors to investors abroad as part of one-time settlement (OTS) exercises. The move will allow overseas investors to take direct loan exposure to Indian corporates.
The defaulters, or stressed borrowers, can sell their assets in accordance with the OTS scheme, in order to raise external commercial borrowing (ECB) from abroad to repay domestic loans, the RBI said in a statement.
At the same time, Indian corporates can raise long-term loans for working capital, ‘general corporate purposes’ and repaying domestic rupee loans, the statement said.
Apart from easing the non-performing asset (NPA) pressure on domestic banks, the RBI’s move can allow companies to raise cheap, long-term loans easily now. Part or all of that can be used to retire domestic loans.
The RBI notification said corporate borrowers can avail of ECB “for repayment of rupee loans availed domestically for capital expenditure in manufacturing and infrastructure sector and classified as SMA-2 or NPA, under any one-time settlement arrangement with lenders”. SMA is special mention account, in which SMA-2 is the loan not serviced between 60 days and 90 days.
If the loan is not serviced on the 91st day, it becomes NPA.

 “Lender banks are also permitted to sell, through assignment, such loans to eligible ECB lenders, except foreign branches/overseas subsidiaries of Indian banks, provided, the resultant external commercial borrowing complies with all-in-cost, minimum average maturity period and other relevant norms of the ECB framework,” the notification said...Read More

RBI allows domestic banks to sell NPAs abroad as one-time settlement

International News

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday allowed domestic banks to directly sell their bad loans in manufacturing and infrastructure sectors to investors abroad as part of one-time settlement (OTS) exercises. The move will allow overseas investors to take direct loan exposure to Indian corporates.
The defaulters, or stressed borrowers, can sell their assets in accordance with the OTS scheme, in order to raise external commercial borrowing (ECB) from abroad to repay domestic loans, the RBI said in a statement.
At the same time, Indian corporates can raise long-term loans for working capital, ‘general corporate purposes’ and repaying domestic rupee loans, the statement said.
Apart from easing the non-performing asset (NPA) pressure on domestic banks, the RBI’s move can allow companies to raise cheap, long-term loans easily now. Part or all of that can be used to retire domestic loans.
The RBI notification said corporate borrowers can avail of ECB “for repayment of rupee loans availed domestically for capital expenditure in manufacturing and infrastructure sector and classified as SMA-2 or NPA, under any one-time settlement arrangement with lenders”. SMA is special mention account, in which SMA-2 is the loan not serviced between 60 days and 90 days.
If the loan is not serviced on the 91st day, it becomes NPA.

 “Lender banks are also permitted to sell, through assignment, such loans to eligible ECB lenders, except foreign branches/overseas subsidiaries of Indian banks, provided, the resultant external commercial borrowing complies with all-in-cost, minimum average maturity period and other relevant norms of the ECB framework,” the notification said...Read More

Why has Unnao rape accused been given political protection, asks Priyanka

International News

In an apparent attack at the BJP, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday asked why people like BJP MLA and rape accused Kuldeep Singh Sengar are given the "protection of political power", while their victims are abandoned to battle for their lives alone.
Priyanka Gandhi's poser in a tweet came a day after the Uttar Pradesh police filed a murder case against Sengar and nine others following a complaint by the Unnao rape survivor's family, alleging "conspiracy" behind the Sunday's car crash in which the victim was severely injured and two of her family members were killed.The Congress leader also tagged portions of the FIR filed along with the tweet.
"Why do we give people like Kuldeep Sengar the strength and protection of political power and abandon their victims to battle for their lives alone?" Priyanka Gandhi tweeted.
"This FIR clearly states that the family was threatened and apprehensive. It even mentions the possibility of a planned accident," she said, tagging a copy of the FIR.
Unnao Superintendent of Police Madhav Prasad Verma had said on Sunday that the rape survivor, her paternal and maternal aunts along with their advocate met with an accident while on their way to meet her uncle, who is lodged in Rae Bareli jail.

 A woman belonging to Makhi police station area in Unnao had alleged that Sengar, a four-time MLA who represents Bangermau in the UP Assembly, raped her teenage daughter at his residence in 2017.The case had come to light after the victim allegedly attempted self-immolation outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence.Sengar, who is an accused in the rape case, was arrested on April 13 last year...Read More

Apple likely to launch three iPhones in 2020 with 5G support: Report

International News

American technology behemoth Apple is likely to launch three models of its iPhone smartphones with 5G network support next year, according to the company’s analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The analyst earlier in his statement said that Apple might add 5G network support to at least two models of the three new iPhones planned in 2020. However, the company’s recent acquisition of chip-maker Intel’s smartphone modem business and revived relations with Qualcomm has fast tracked this process. The analyst believes that the company now have the resources to build 5G-ready iPhone in time to compete with its competitors, especially Android original equipment manufacturers – according to a news report in the Apple-centric technology news platform Macrumors.
The news report also states that Apple might use Qualcomm’s 5G chip in its first generation 5G phones, despite the fact that it now has access to Intel's smartphone modem chip business. This is because Apple will take time, until 2021, to build its own modem chips using Intel technology. Additionally, according to Kuo's earlier statement, the iPhone 2020-series might feature 5.4-inch to 6.7-inch screens. All three smartphones are expected to boast OLED panels.
Meanwhile, Apple is currently working on 2019 iPhones which are expected to launch sometime in September. The upcoming iPhone 2019-series is expected to get three models of different screen sizes, like the current generation iPhone. Codenamed the N104, D42 and D43, the upcoming iPhones are reported to be successor to the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, respectively.

 According to a recent news report in the 9to5mac, the upcoming iPhone models would come with a lightning port. All three 2019 iPhone models are also reported to be powered by A13 processor, details of which are still not known. Touted to be named the iPhone 11 series...Read More

Cafe Coffee Day founder VG Siddhartha missing in Mangaluru: Report

International News

Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) founder and former Karnataka Chief Minister, SM Krishna's son-in-law, V G Siddhartha, is suspected to have jumped off a bridge in Mangaluru on Monday night, the Times of India reported on Tuesday.
According to the report, the news emerged after the Mangaluru City Police started a search for a person who had jumped off the kilometre-long Ullal bridge on Monday night.
The report said that one of the police officers confirmed that a person was suspected to have jumped off the Ullal bridge, which is built across the River Nethravathi, at 9pm. A search operation is now underway while his mobile phone is reported to be switched off.
According to the report, based on the statement of a person, reportedly a car driver, the person in question is suspected to be Siddhartha.
Siddhartha had been in the news earlier this year when news agency PTI had reported that IT company Mindtree found certain irregularities in disclosures made by him.
Siddhartha had sold his stake in Mindtree to L&T, and it had taken action against him according to the law.

 "On the pledge disclosure issue, there was a disclosure that he made at certain point of time of all the pledge. At that point of time, there were some irregularities in his disclosures. Our board and audit committee evaluated it and handled it as per the rule that were prevailing at that point of time," Mindtree CEO Rostow Ravanan had said back then.In this regard, the report said, while citing sources, a complaint against Siddhartha alleging insider trading during his stint at Mindtree was also filed with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) by an anonymous person....Read More

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to skip RCEP meet in China later this week

International News

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal (pictured) is set to skip the ministerial meet for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in Beijing, later this week.
Official sources said the latest changes in the minister's schedule was because of Parliament being extended till August 7.
So far, 26 rounds of talks have concluded, apart from six minister-level meets. The upcoming meet is set to see the Asean nations, desperate to sign the deal by 2019-end, make a crucial push to get both India and China on the same page when it comes to tariff reduction.
RCEP is India’s most ambitious trade pact, currently under negotiation. Based on India’s existing Free Trade Agreement with the 10-nation Asean bloc, the RCEP will include all the nations with which the Asean has trade deals — New Zealand, Australia, China, India, Japan and South Korea.

 New Delhi has consistently focused on services trade norms, such as those allowing the free movement of trained professionals across national boundaries. This would effectively allow Indian professionals — such as chartered accountants, teachers and nurses — to practise in other RCEP nations without the need for bilateral mutual recognition agreements...Read More

Facebook algorithm changes suppressed journalism, meddled with democracy

International News

Facebook’s News Feed algorithm determines what users see on its platform – from funny memes to comments from friends. The company regularly updates this algorithm, which can dramatically change what information people consume.
As the 2020 election approaches, there is much public concern that what was dubbed “Russian meddling” in the 2016 presidential election could happen again. But what’s not getting enough attention is the role Facebook’s algorithm changes play, intentionally or not, in that kind of meddling.
A key counterpoint to the Russian misinformation campaign was factual journalism from reputable sources – which reached many of their readers on Facebook and other social media platforms. As a social media researcher and educator, I see evidence that changes to Facebook’s News Feed algorithm suppressed users’ access to credible journalism in the run-up to Trump’s election.
Political operatives know Facebook serves as a gatekeeper of the information diets of more than 200 million Americans and 2 billion users worldwide. Actions and abuse by others on the platforms have generated much concern and public discussion, including about how much disinformation and propaganda Americans saw before the election. What has not been talked about enough is the effect that Facebook’s algorithmic shifts have had on access to news and democracy.
Changing the system

 In mid-2015, Facebook introduced a major algorithm change that pivoted readers away from journalism and news, to deliver more updates from their friends and family. The change was couched in friendly language suggesting Facebook was trying to make sure users didn’t miss stories from friends...Read More

Revenue foregone to service Asean FTA more than doubles to Rs 26,000 crore

International News

India's revenue foregone due to the trade agreement with Asean has more than doubled to nearly Rs 26,000 crore in 2018-19.
The free trade area with the 10-nation Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) bloc came into effect on January 1, 2010. Exports to the 10 economies stood at $37.4 billion in 2018-19, up by 9 per cent on year. On the other hand, imports were higher at $59.31 billion, up by 25 per cent from the previous year's $47.13 billion. The figure is expected to strengthen calls for a more stringent review of existing free trade agreements (FTAs) with South Korea and Japan, which haven't been able to reduce India's trade deficit with these nations.
On the other hand, the government fears the figure for revenue foregone may be as high as Rs 60,000 crore for the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) deal once it goes live, the Times of India has reported. RCEP is India's most ambitious trade pact currently under negotiation. Based on India's existing FTA with Asean, the RCEP will include all the nations with which the Asean has trade deals — New Zealand, Australia, China, India, Japan and South Korea.
New Delhi has consistently focused on services trade norms, such as those allowing the free movement of trained professionals across national boundaries. This would effectively allow Indian professionals — such as chartered accountants, teachers and nurses — to practice in other RCEP nations without the need for bilateral mutual recognition agreements.
Where things stand

 Under planning since 2012, the talks have seen little movement since partner nations have been unwilling to concede on crucial issues. This includes the market access for foreign goods and reduction of import duties on them, discussion areas where India is gravely cautious since...Read More

How Jack Ma's $290 billion loan machine is changing Chinese banking

International News

Jack Ma’s online bank is leading a quiet revolution in the way China lends to small businesses, taking aim at a credit bottleneck that has held back Asia’s largest economy for decades.
Using real-time payments data and a risk-management system that analyzes more than 3,000 variables, Ma’s four-year-old MYbank has lent 2 trillion yuan ($290 billion) to nearly 16 million small companies. Borrowers apply with a few taps on a smartphone and receive cash almost instantly if they’re approved. The whole process takes three minutes and involves zero human bankers. The default rate so far: about 1%.
The financial-technology boom that turned China into the world’s biggest market for electronic payments is now changing how banks interact with companies that drive most of the nation’s economic growth. As MYbank and its peers crunch reams of new data from payment systems, social media and other sources, they’re growing more comfortable with smaller borrowers that they previously shunned in favor of state-owned giants.
For China’s $13 trillion economy, which expanded at its weakest pace since at least 1992 last quarter, the implications could be profound. Non-state firms -- mostly small businesses -- account for about 60% of growth, employ 80% of workers, and have been disproportionately squeezed by a more than two-year government crackdown on shadow lenders.
“Small and medium enterprises are really the boiler room of the economy,” said Keith Pogson, a senior partner in charge of banking and capital markets at Ernst & Young LLP in Hong Kong. “It used to be a segment that banks thought was too difficult and too risky. But now they run their model and work out what the risks are so they feel more comfortable.”

 China is quickly becoming a world leader in the use of big data and artificial-intelligence technology to make loans...Read More

US threat to pull China's WTO developing nation tag will fail: State media

International News

A US threat to pull recognition of China's "developing nation" status at the World Trade Organisation is a pressure tactic ahead of this week's trade talks and is bound to fail, a commentary in state media said Monday.
The reaction followed a memo issued on Friday by President Donald Trump to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
It said the WTO, which operates a global system of trade rules and settles disputes, uses "an outdated dichotomy between developed and developing countries that has allowed some WTO members to gain unfair advantages." Without "substantial progress" to reform WTO rules within 90 days, Washington will no longer treat as a developing country any WTO member "improperly declaring itself a developing country and inappropriately seeking the benefit of flexibilities in WTO rules and negotiations," said the statement, which focused mostly on China.
The memo came ahead of meetings in Shanghai on Tuesday and Wednesday between US and Chinese negotiators aiming to resolve a trade dispute that has led to tariffs on more than $360 billion worth of two-way trade involving the world's two largest economies.
Washington "obviously timed the memo to serve as a new bargaining chip" in the trade talks, the commentary from state-run Xinhua news agency said of the WTO threat.

 "But the tactic of imposing pressure is nothing new to China and has never worked," it said.Xinhua added that the US government's "latest hegemonic attempt" to coerce the WTO "is destined to hit a wall of opposition." Developing country status in the WTO allows governments longer timelines for implementing free trade commitments, as well as the ability to protect some domestic industry and maintain subsidies...Read More

Govt's silence dangerous: Priyanka on reports of threat to 1 mn auto jobs

Current Affairs

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday cited a media report to claim that jobs of one million people in the automobile sector were in danger and asserted that the BJP government's silence on job losses was "most dangerous".
Her remarks came after industry body ACMA on Wednesday said around 1 million jobs could be on the line if the prolonged slowdown in the automobile industry continues.
Priyanka Gandhi tagged the media report on Twitter which said auto parts industry is fearing that 1 million jobs could be at stake due to the slowdown.
"Jobs of 10 lakh people working in the auto sector are in danger. People working in this sector will have to search for new job avenues," she said.
"The silence of the BJP government on job losses, weakening trade and policies damaging the economy is most dangerous," Priyanka Gandhi claimed.
The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), which represents the auto component industry that alone employs around 5 million people, has sought a uniform GST of 18 per cent for the entire automobile sector in order to revive the vertical which has now witnessed 10 months of continuous decline in sales.
ACMA president Ram Venkataraman had said considering the fact that the auto component industry grows on the back of the vehicle industry, a current 15-20 per cent cut in vehicle production has led to a crisis-like situation.

 "If the trend continues, the layoffs are inevitable and an an estimated 1 million people could be laid off," he said....Read More

Apple gets into 5G race; acquires Intel phone modem business for $1 billion

Current Affairs

American technology company Apple has announced the acquisition of chip-maker Intel's smartphone modem business for $1 billion.
Approximately 2,200 Intel employees will join Apple, along with intellectual property, equipment and leases, the Cupertino-based iPhone maker said in a statement late Thursday.
The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019.
"This agreement enables us to focus on developing technology for the 5G network while retaining critical intellectual property and modem technology that our team has created," said Intel CEO Bob Swan.
"We're looking forward to putting our full effort into 5G where it most closely aligns with the needs of our global customer base, including network operators, telecommunications equipment manufacturers and cloud service providers," he added.
Apple will hold over 17,000 wireless technology patents, ranging from protocols for cellular standards to modem architecture and modem operation.
Intel will retain the ability to develop modems for non-smartphone applications, such as PCs, internet-of-things devices and autonomous vehicles.

 Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Technologies said that Apple is excited to have excellent engineers join its growing cellular technologies group."They, together with our significant acquisition of innovative IP, will help expedite our development on future products and allow Apple to further differentiate moving forward," he added...Read More

BJP stakes claim to form Karnataka govt; Yeddy to take oath as CM at 6 pm

Current Affairs

Karnataka BJP President BS Yeddyurappa met Governor Vajubhai Vala today to stake claim to form the government in the state, and request him to administer oath.
According to reports, Yeddyurappa will be sworn in as Chief Minister of Karnataka at 6 pm today.
The development came after the 14-month-old Congress-JDS coalition government headed by HD Kumaraswamy collapsed on Tuesday after losing the vote of confidence in the Assembly in a climax to the three-week long intense power struggle.Karnataka Assembly Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar on Thursday had disqualified three rebel Congress MLAs under the anti-defection law.
The H D Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) government fell on Tuesday after it secured only 99 votes against the BJP’s 105 in the Karnataka Assembly.
This brought an end to the 12-day high-voltage political drama which had begun in the state with the resignation of over a dozen JD(S) and Congress MLAs who alleged lack of stability in the coalition to Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar.
Earlier, Yeddyurappa had said he was waiting for instructions from his party leadership on the formation of the government in Karnataka following the fall of the JD(S)-Congress coalition government.

 "I am waiting for instructions from Delhi. At any point of time we will call for Legislature Party and then head to the Raj Bhavan," he had said.A group of Karnataka BJP leaders, including Jagdish Shettar, Arvind Limbavali, J C Madhuswamy, Basavaraj Bommai and Yeddyurappa's son Vijayendra Thursday had met party chief Amit Shah in New Delhi and reportedly discussed the government formation...Read More

Chandrayaan-2: 2nd orbit-raising smooth, expected to reach Moon on Aug 20

Current Affairs

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) successfully conducted the second Earth-bound orbit raising maneuver for the Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft.
Isro officials said that second maneuver has been performed successfully on Friday at 0108 hours (IST) as planned, using the onboard propulsion system for a firing duration of 883 seconds. The orbit achieved was 251 x 54829 km. All spacecraft parameters were normal.
The third orbit raising maneuver is scheduled on July 29, 2019, between 1430–1530 hours (IST).India's second mission to the Moon, Chandrayaan-2, is expected to reach the Moon on August 20, 2019.
The first earth-bound orbit raising maneuver for Chandrayaan-2 was performed successfully on July 24, 2019, at 1452 hours (IST) as planned.
Between July 26 and August 8, four Earth-bound maneuvers have been planned, culminating in Trans Lunar Insertion on August 14, which will send Chandrayaan-2 to the Moon.
On July 22, at 2.43 pm, the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-Mk III (GSLV-Mk III), carrying the 3.8-tonne Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft, lifted off from its launchpad.The GSLV-Mk III costs Rs 375 crore and Chandrayaan-2 Rs 603 crore.
After a technical snag made Isro abort the takeoff on July 15, the space agency succeeded in putting the satellite in the desired orbit, or a better orbit, as the first step of its 48-day journey to the Moon's unexplored south pole, about 384,000 km away.

 Despite its journey being delayed by a week, the space agency has reworked its schedule so that it can land on the south pole on the previously fixed date...Read More

Govt likely to go for $10-billion overseas bond sale in October: Report

Current Affairs

The Centre is considering an option to raise $10 billion in one go from its first overseas bond sale as early as October, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
The government would prefer to sell yen or euro-denominated debt so as to offer lower yields, the people said, asking not to be identified as the plan is still under discussion. A dollar bond isn’t ruled out given there would be more liquidity, while it could also decide to sell the debt in multiple sales over a longer period, they said.
India is banking on the novelty of a debut offering at a time when investors are desperate for returns as the world’s pile of negative-yielding debt grows to a record $13.4 trillion. While Saudi Arabia and Argentina have raised more money in recent years from international bond sales as emerging markets return in popularity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government will be working to a tight timeline.
“Market technicals are very strong, and the country is on a positive political trajectory, so why not strike while the iron is hot,” said Todd Schubert, the head of fixed-income research at Bank of Singapore. The surprise would be if there’s no dollar tranche as “one would think that building an Indian sovereign curve would also be a strategic goal, and that can only be done in dollars.” Finance ministry spokesman D S Malik didn’t immediately respond to calls.

 The maturity of the bonds could be 10 years or more, the people said. The current thinking among officials is that a larger sale would be more attractive to investors than breaking the fundraising task into smaller parts, because costs would be lower.The government doesn’t plan to hedge the proceeds as that would increase costs, the people said. The central bank is in agreement with the plan to raise debt overseas...

WB actor alleges death threat for raising voice against lynchings

Current Affairs
Actor Kaushik Sen, who is one of the signatories of the letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of mob violence, said on Thursday that he has received a threat call.
Police have been informed about it and the phone number has been forwarded to them, he said.
"Yesterday I received a call from an unknown number, where I was threatened of dire consequences if I don't stop raising my voice against lynchings and intolerance. I was told that I would be killed if I don't mend my ways," Sen told PTI.
A senior police officer said the matter was being looked into.
"To be honest, I am not bothered about such calls. I have also informed other signatories about the call and forwarded them the number," Sen said.
A group of 49 eminent personalities, including filmmakers, authors and actors, wrote to the prime minister on Tuesday, expressing concern over the recent instances of mob violence and lynching in the country.

 The signatories also said that they regretted that "Jai Shri Ram" has been reduced to a "provocative war cry that leads to law and order problems, and lynchings take place in its name"...Read More

North Korea fires missiles, complicates resumption of nuclear talks with US

Current Affairs

North Korea fired two short-range missiles into the sea on Thursday, complicating efforts to resume stalled nuclear talks with Washington and signalling its anger over planned US-South Korea joint military exercises.
It was the North's first missile test since an impromptu meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last month that produced an agreement to resume a working-level denuclearisation dialogue.
But those talks have yet to begin, and Pyongyang warned recently they could be derailed by Washington and Seoul's refusal to scrap military exercises scheduled for next month.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the two missiles were launched just after dawn from Wonsan on the east coast and flew more than 430 kilometres (270 miles) before falling into the sea.
"Our military is closely monitoring the situation in case of additional launches and maintaining a readiness posture," it said.
"We urge the North to stop actions that do not help ease military tensions," said Choi Hyun-soo, a defence ministry spokeswoman for South Korea.
Japan's defence minister called the launches "extremely regrettable" but stressed that the missiles had fallen short of his country's exclusive economic zone.Pyongyang carried out similar short-range launches in May, which Trump dismissed at the time as "very standard stuff" that would have no impact on his relationship with Kim.

 The two leaders went on to hold an unscheduled meeting June 30 in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas...Read More

A total witch hunt, Robert Mueller did a horrible job, says Donald Trump

Current Affairs

As former Special Counsel Robert Mueller concluded hours of marathon testimonies before Congressional committees, US President Donald Trump claimed that he stood vindicated that the entire Russian investigation was nothing but a witch hunt and a hoax.
Former FBI director Mueller appeared before two Congressional committees on Wednesday to respond to questions from Congressmen on the recently-concluded investigations about his allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election.
The Democrats allege that the Russian interference helped Trump in his election. Trump dismisses it and says it is a hoax and witch hunt.
"I think Robert Mueller did a horrible job, both today and with respect to the investigation. But in all fairness to Robert Mueller, he had nothing to work with. You know, you can be a builder, but if they do not give you the right materials, you are not going to build a very good building," Trump told reporters at the White House.
"Robert Mueller had no material. He had nothing to work with. So, obviously, he did very poorly today. I do not think there is anybody -- even among the fakers, I do not think there is anybody who would say he did well. I looked at your people, they are saying it was devastating for the Democrats," he said.

 "And even, I will tell you, the two most nauseous and nauseating networks -- whose ratings have both gone down, way down -- even they said this was a really bad day for the Democrats. So, Robert Mueller did a poor job. But in all fairness to him, he had nothing to work with," Trump said responding to a question....Read More

Pak intelligence didn't know about Osama: Ex-CIA chief counters Imran Khan

International News

Former CIA Director Gen David Petraeus has said that he is "convinced" that the Pakistani intelligence agencies did not know Osama bin Laden was in Pakistan, countering Prime Minister Imran Khan's claims that the ISI provided a lead to the Central Investigative Agency (CIA) that helped the US track down and kill the al-Qaeda chief in 2011.
Prime Minister Khan's statement on Osama during an interview with Fox News on Monday was significant as Pakistan had so far denied that it had any information about the hideout of the al-Qaeda chief before he was killed in a covert raid by a US Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) team in the garrison city of Abbottabad.Petraeus, during an interactive session at the Indian Consulate here on Tuesday following his address on the topic of the Indo-Pacific, however, asserted the US is convinced that the Pakistani intelligence was not aware that the terrorist leader was hiding in their country.
"We are quite convinced that the ISI, Pakistani intelligence, no one else knew that he (Osama) was there (in Pakistan). They were not harbouring him or hiding him or anything like that. We have very good insights on that. We probably differ with those who said that the Pakistanis were allowing him to live in that particular compound in Abbottabad," he said.
Petraeus said that during counter-insurgency campaigns, Pakistani authorities could never close in on North Wazirstan where terror outfits such as the Haqqani network, al-Qaeda and others had their headquarters and some of their forces.

 He added that the US learnt later on that Osama was not in that area but near the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad. "I figured out later that I had probably flown right over his compound in a helicopter as I went to address the cadets at the military academy one time," he said, referring to the Pakistan Military Academy.Petraeus, a partner in the international investment firm KKR and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute...Read More

Why many children in Afghanistan can no longer afford to attend school

International News

Every day before dawn, 10-year-old Kamran goes to work with his father and other relatives at a brick factory on the outskirts of Kabul.
Like many children in Afghanistan, school is a luxury his family can no longer afford.His father, Atiqullah, supports his family of eight as well as several siblings, nieces and nephews. One of Kamran's uncles is ill and another has passed away, leaving their families in his father's care.
"My children wake up early in the morning and right after prayers they come here for work, so they don't have time for school," said Atiqullah, who like many Afghans has only one name. "These days if you don't work, you cannot survive."The U.S. and its allies have sunk billions of dollars of aid into Afghanistan since the invasion to oust the Taliban 18 years ago, but the country remains mired in poverty.
Signs of hardship are everywhere, from children begging in the streets to entire families including children as young as five or six working at brick kilns in the sweltering heat.
Atiqullah's family comes from the eastern Nangarhar province, a stronghold for both the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate that has seen heavy fighting in recent years.
Brick factory owners travel to the villages and offer loans to cover basic necessities, forcing families to work them off during the summer months in a form of indentured servitude.

Workers say a family of 10 can bring in an average of $12-18 a day, depending on their productivity.Shubham Chaudhuri, who recently completed a three-year stint as the World Bank country director for Afghanistan, said more than half of Afghans live on less than a dollar a day, the amount considered necessary to meet basic needs...Read More

'Sandwiched' Pak, two-front dilemma & Afghan-India ties: Imran's worry list

International News

Cautioning the United States about any misadventure against Iran, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said any action on the lines of Iraq could be much worse and people would forget al-Qaeda.
"My worry about Iran is.... I am not sure whether all the countries realise the gravity of the situation if there is a conflict with Iran," Khan said in response to a question during his appearance at the US Institute of Peace, a think-tank funded by the US Congress.
"You know, this is not going to be the same as (the 2003 US invasion of) Iraq. This could be much, much, much worse.... It could unleash terrorism, which -- people would forget al-Qaeda.... You know, the battle might be quite short if it goes ahead, bombing airfields and so on," he said.
"But the consequences after that, my worry is that not many people fully understand it. And I would strongly urge that there should not be...another military situation," Khan said amidst an escalation of tension between Iran and the US.
"We would do anything, I mean, if (there is) any role Pakistan can play in this. We have already suggested this to Iran," he said.
"Until recently, Iran was willing but then, somehow I felt Iran is getting very desperate. And I do not think they should be pushed into a situation where this leads to a conflict," Khan added.

 Responding to another question on Afghanistan, he said his government had decided to put an end to the decades-old policy of interfering in Afghan politics to avert the danger that Pakistan might someday confront an Afghan-Indian alliance."The fear amongst the Pakistani military establishment was always that there would be a two-front situation...you know, the eastern front, which is India...Read More

Facebook to pay civil penalty of $5 bn to settle allegations by US FTC

A 3D plastic representation of the Facebook logo is seen in this illustration in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, May 13, 2015. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Files

International News

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is set to announce on Wednesday that Facebook Inc has agreed to a sweeping settlement of significant allegations it mishandled user privacy and pay $5 billion, two people briefed on the matter said.
As part of the settlement, Facebook will agree to create a board committee on privacy and will agree to new executive certifications that users' privacy is being properly protected, the people said.Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg will have to certify every three months that the company is properly safeguarding user privacy, a person briefed on the matter said.
The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that the FTC will allege Facebook misled users about its handling of their phone numbers and its use of two-factor authentication as part of a wide-ranging complaint that accompanies a settlement ending the government's privacy probe, citing two people familiar with the matter.
The Post also reported the FTC also plans to allege Facebook provided insufficient information to about 30 million users about a facial recognition tool, an issue identified earlier by Consumer Reports.
The settlement comes amid growing concern among US policymakers about the privacy of online users and have sparked calls for new legal protections in Congress. Separately, the US Justice Department said late Tuesday it is launching a broad antitrust probe into the competitive practices of large tech companies like Facebook.

Two people briefed on the matter confirmed the Post report the FTC will not require Facebook to admit guilt as part of the settlement. The settlement will need to be approved by a federal judge and will contain other significant allegations of privacy lapses, the people said....Read More

'I don't know what he will do': Europe braces for Brexit with Boris Johnson

International News

Boris Johnson’s last act as Britain’s foreign secretary was to gather a host of European dignitaries in London and fail to turn up.
As the group of ministers waited in a conference center in London’s docklands last summer, text messages flooded in: Mr. Johnson had just quit the British government in protest over its handling of Brexit. “Well, it’s all rather happening, isn’t it?” said Alan Duncan, a British foreign office minister who was playing host amid the diplomatic mess, according to people present. European officials laughed, and some expressed relief that Mr. Johnson was gone.
Mr. Johnson may now be set to return this week, this time as Britain’s prime minister, and European officials say they don’t know what to expect.
Over the course of his career—including his leadership of the Brexit campaign and his rocky tenure as Britain’s foreign secretary—Mr. Johnson has proved to be unpredictable. He has survived scandals, and against the odds won the race to be mayor of London as well as the referendum to quit the EU. He promotes leaving the world’s biggest trade bloc but also markets himself as pro-globalization and pro-business.
In his two years as foreign secretary, he at times alarmed his European counterparts: He once compared former French President François Hollande to a World War II prison guard and likened the highly technical Brexit talks to trading Legos for candy.

 Other times, he charmed them. His former aides recall being overwhelmed by demands from foreign ministers for bilateral meetings with the man they just called “Boris.” He has delved into deep discussions with officials about ancient Greek history and lobbied hard in Washington to defend the EU’s stance on Iran...Read More

Need arduous efforts for 5.5-6.0% industrial output target in 2019: China

International News

China's industry ministry said on Tuesday that "arduous efforts" will be needed to achieve this year's industrial output growth target due to economic uncertainty in the second half.
Favourable and unfavourable factors will come into play in the latter half of 2019, with both upward momentum and downward pressures co-existing, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a statement given out at a press conference.
China has set a 2019 industrial output target of 5.5%-6.0%.
Industrial production grew 6.3% in June from a year earlier, picking up from May's 17-year low of 5.0%, in a volatile first half knocked by a prolonged trade war between China and the United States and softer domestic demand.

...Read More

US Congressman apologises for Trump's 'embarrassing' remark on Kashmir

International News

An influential Democratic Congressman on Tuesday apologised to India's US envoy for President Donald Trump's "embarrassing" remarks on Kashmir, while several others came out in support of New Delhi's established stand against any third-party role on the issue.
"I just apologized to Indian Ambassador Harsh Shringla for Trump's amateurish and embarrassing mistake," Congressman Brad Sherman tweeted hours after Trump's stunning claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought his mediation or arbitration efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue.
India quickly rejected his claims.
For the past 70 years, India has consistently resisted any third-party mediation proposal, and for over a decade now, the US has been reiterating that Kashmir is a bilateral issue.
"Everyone who knows anything about foreign policy in South Asia knows that #India consistently opposes third-party mediation re Kashmir. Everyone knows PM Modi would never suggest such a thing (sic)," tweeted Sherman, who has been closely following the development in South Asia for past few decades.
"Trump's statement is amateurish and delusional. And embarrassing, said Sherman who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Asia, the Pacific and Non-Proliferation.

 Later in the evening, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Alice Wells in a tweet said that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. "While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes Pakistan and India sitting down and the United States stands ready to assist," she tweeted...Read More

Kashmir is issue between India-Pak; US ready to assist talks: State Dept

International News

The Trump administration has launched a damage control exercise after the President's remarks about mediation on Kashmir, with the State Department on Tuesday saying it was a "bilateral" issue between India and Pakistan, and the US "welcomes" the two countries "sitting down" for talks.
It also said Pakistan taking "sustained and irreversible" steps against terrorism is key to a successful dialogue with India.
"While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes Pakistan and India sitting down and the United States stands ready to assist," a State Department spokesperson told PTI in response to a question if Trump's remarks reflect a change in the country's policy on Kashmir.
India has already rejected Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought his mediation on the Kashmir issue.
For more than a decade, the US has consistently insisted that Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan and it is for the two countries to decide on the nature and scope of the dialogue.
"We believe the foundation for any successful dialogue between India and Pakistan is based on Pakistan taking sustained and irreversible steps against militants and terrorists on its territory. These actions are in line with Prime Minister (Imran) Khan's stated commitments, and Pakistan's international obligations," the State Department spokesperson said.

 "We will continue to support efforts that reduce tensions and create an environment conducive for dialogue. This first and foremost means tackling the menace of terrorism. As the President indicated, we stand ready to assist," the spokesperson said in response to a question...Read More

Oil price to rise? Millions of barrels of Iran oil piled up in China ports

International News

Tankers are offloading millions of barrels of Iranian oil into storage tanks at Chinese ports, creating a hoard of crude sitting on the doorstep of the world's biggest buyer.
Two and a half months after the White House banned the purchase of Iran's oil, the nation’s crude is continuing to be sent to China where it's being put into what's known as "bonded storage," say people familiar with operations at several Chinese ports. This oil doesn't cross local customs or show up in the nation's import data and is not necessarily in breach of sanctions. And while it remains out of circulation for now, its presence is looming over the market.
The store of oil has the potential to push down global prices if Chinese refiners decide to draw on it, even as Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies curb production amid slowing growth in major economies. It also allows Iran to keep pumping and move its oil nearer to potential buyers.
"Iranian oil shipments have been flowing into Chinese bonded storage for some months now, and continue to do so despite increased scrutiny," said Rachel Yew, an analyst at industry consultant FGE in Singapore. “We can see why the producer would want to do so, as a build-up of supplies near key buyers is clearly beneficial for a seller, especially if sanctions are eased at some point.”
There could be more Iranian oil headed for China's bonded storage tanks, Bloomberg ship-tracking data show. At least ten very-large crude carriers and two smaller tankers owned by the state-run National Iranian Oil Company and its shipping arm are currently sailing toward China or idling off its coast. The vessels have a combined carrying capacity of over 20 million barrels.

 The bulk of Iranian oil in China's bonded tanks is still owned by Tehran and therefore not in breach of sanctions, according to the people. The oil hasn't crossed Chinese customs so it is theoretically in transit...Read More

Instagram's trial to hide number of 'likes' may save users' self-esteem

International News

Instagram is running a social media experiment in Australia and elsewhere to see what happens when it hides the number of likes on photos and other posts.
If you have an Instagram account, you’ll get to see the numbers but your followers won’t – at least, not automatically. They will be able to click and see who liked your post, but will have to count the list of names themselves.
The trial is taking place right now in six countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan and New Zealand. Canada has just finished its trial.
It’s a bold move by Instagram, but arguably a necessary one. There is growing concern about the effect of social media on young people’s mental health and self–esteem.
Read more: Women can build positive body image by controlling what they view on social media
Instagram explained:
We want your friends to focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get.
Likes, and their public tallying, have become the heart of Instagram and many other social media platforms. By hiding them, does Instagram risk devaluing a crucial currency?

 Receiving loads of likes can feel like getting a gold star. It’s a public affirmation that you’re doing good work – a useful bit of quantitative feedback on your photographic skills or creativity. Under the new trial you’ll still get the gold star, but in private, and without broader recognition...Read More

Over 28,000 species are officially threatened, with more likely to come

International News
More than 28,000 species around the world are threatened, according to the Red List of Threatened Species compiled by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The list, updated on Thursday night, has assessed the extinction risk of almost 106,000 species and found more than a quarter are in trouble.
While recent headline-grabbing estimates put as many as 1 million species facing extinction, these were based on approximations, whereas the IUCN uses rigorous criteria to assess each species, creating the world-standard guide to biodiversity extinction risk.
In this update, 105,732 species were ranked from least concern (little to no risk of extinction), to critically endangered (an extremely high risk of extinction) and extinct (the last individual of a species has expired).This Red List update doesn’t hold a lot of good news. It takes the total number of threatened species to 28,338 (or 27% of those assessed) and logs the extinction of 873 species since the year 1500.
These numbers seem small when thinking about the estimated 1 million species at risk of extinction, but only around 1% of the world’s animals, fungi and plants have been formally assessed on the IUCN Red List. As more species are assessed, the number of threatened species will no doubt grow.More than 7,000 species from around the world were added to the Red List in this update.

 This includes 501 Australian species, ranging from dragonflies to fish.The shortfin eel (Anguilla australis) has been assessed as near threatened due to poor water and river management, land clearing, nutrient run-off, and recurring drought.The Australian shortfin eel is under threat from drought and land clearing...Read More

How geological maps made the Apollo moon landings worthwhile

International News

I still remember a cartoon in a newspaper in July 1969, just before the first Apollo moon landing. It showed the ground crew reminding the astronauts as they boarded their rocket, “Don’t forget to bring back some rock!” This was a nod to an old holiday cliché – people who went to the seaside were often asked to bring back some “rock”, referring to rock candy. It wasn’t very funny, but it does demonstrate that, once the race against the Soviets was won, the point of it all was to find out about the moon’s geology.
The scientific value of landing on the moon would have been diminished without studies to establish the context of the landing sites. The primary consideration was to touch down somewhere safe, but rocks collected from these places would have conveyed much less information had effort not gone into working out the nature of, and more importantly the relationships between, the rock units from which the samples were collected.
This was done by making detailed geological maps, using the same principles that geologists use on Earth.
Cartography vs geological mapping
Telescopic observers had already begun to draw general maps of the moon’s near side (which is all that can be seen from Earth) in the 1600s. These were essentially exercises in cartography, documenting what the moon looks like. Soon names were being marked to label individual features, but this was just a convenient way to identify them. It wasn’t based on any actual understanding.

 By contrast, geologists make maps to gain insight into the history of a region. They distinguish tracts of terrain of which the ages – and therefore possibly origin and composition – can be deduced to be different. This is usually achieved by working out what is on top of what (younger layers will generally be on top of older layers) and cross-cutting relationships (younger features can cut across older ones, but not vice versa)...Read More

We have lost over Rs 8 bn due to airspace closure: Pak aviation minister

International News

Pakistan has incurred a loss of over Rs 8 billion due to the closure of its airspace following the Balakot air strikes in February, according to a media report on Friday.
Pakistan fully closed its airspace on February 26 after the Indian Air Force (IAF) struck a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist training camp in Balakot in retaliation for the Pulwama attack. Normal air traffic operations between India and Pakistan resumed on Tuesday with Islamabad opening its airspace for all civilian flights.
Addressing a press conference at the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) headquarters, Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that the CAA suffered a loss of Rs 8.5 billion because of the airspace restrictions.
It's a huge loss for our overall [aviation] industry. But this restriction hit India harder than Pakistan. The loss of India is almost double. But at this juncture detente and harmony are required from both sides," the minister was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.
The recent bifurcation of CAA functions into regulatory roles vis-a-vis commercial and service provider is simply to optimise its efficiency and performance," he said.
Khan said that there is no proposal of any downsizing or rightsizing in the CAA after its bifurcation.
"We believe that new measures would spur growth in the national aviation and fetch far-reaching benefits, he added.

 He said it was government's priority to revamp the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and increase its fleet to 45 by phasing-in 14 new aircraft gradually by 2025, the report said...Read More

Women yet to step on moon but well intertwined with it in literature

International News

In the late 17th century, the female English playwright Aphra Behn wrote a smash hit play about a man obsessed with the moon, who was constantly travelling there in his imagination. Exactly 282 years later, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin actually made that dream a reality.
Their astonishing achievement on July 20, 1969 led some to worry that the moon would become an object of purely scientific study – a barren and lifeless body, no longer a source of romantic inspiration. Fortunately, this fear did not come to pass.
For example, in the year that marked the 40th anniversary of the landings ten years ago, the then poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy edited To the Moon: An Anthology of Lunar Poems which gathered together works from ancient to modern, and included her own poem, The Woman in the Moon.
And while no woman has yet stepped on to this celestial body, women have long been associated with the moon – with its tidal pull, and the binary thinking that places it secondary in majesty to the sun. It is no wonder, then, that the moon has stimulated some incredible literature by female writers.
The moon is often envisaged as a female entity, which inspired poems on the theme of her gaze as she looks down on Earth benignly. Way back in antiquity, the Greek poet Sappho did just this in her short song describing how:
When, round and full, her silver face, Swims into sight, and lights all space.

 This trope continued for millennia and into the 19th century. Louisa May Alcott (author of Little Women) wrote The Mother Moon in 1856, imagining a benevolent maternal moon looking down on the Earth, occasionally hidden but ultimately undiminished by clouds...Read More

How big is moon and how far is it? Let's put facts into perspective

International News

Even though we can see the Moon shining brightly in the night sky – and sometimes in daylight – it’s hard to put into perspective just how large, and just how distant, our nearest neighbour actually is.
So just how big is the Moon?
The Moon passing in front of Earth, captured by the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC), more than a million kilometres away from our planet.
That answer isn’t quite as straightforward as you might think. Like Earth, the Moon isn’t a perfect sphere. Instead, it’s slightly squashed (what we call an oblate sphereoid). This means the Moon’s diameter from pole to pole is less than the diameter measured at the equator.
But the difference is small, just four kilometres. The equatorial diameter of the Moon is about 3,476km, while the polar diameter is 3,472km.
To see how big that is we need to compare it to something of a similar size, such as Australia.
From coast to coast
The distance from Perth to Brisbane, as the crow flies, is 3,606km. If you put Australia and the Moon side by side, they look to be roughly the same size.
The Moon vs Australia. NASA/Google Earth

 But that’s just one way of looking at things. Although the Moon is about as wide as Australia, it is actually much bigger when you think in terms of surface area. It turns out the surface of the Moon is much larger than that of Australia.The land area of Australia is some 7.69 million square kilometers...Read More

50th anniversary of Apollo 11: How we came to know a lot about the Moon

International News

The Moon has been a subject of fascination since time immemorial. It has always found a place among all kinds of stories through astrology, poetry, myths, religion et al. More than two and a half millennia before man set his foot on the Moon, he set his mind towards understanding it.
There are references in the works of ancient Babylonian, Greek, Indian and Chinese philosophers around 500 BCE. Throughout the next two thousand years, the Moon was studied by various astronomers. The big breakthrough, however, happened in 1609, when Galileo Galilei drew one of the first telescopic drawings of the Moon in his book Sidereus Nuncius and noted that it was not smooth but had mountains and craters. After Isaac Newton discovered gravitation, astronomy picked up speed. Over the next few centuries, science not only devised means of looking at faraway objects clearly, but also started dreaming of travelling to them one day.
Here's a brief timeline of the landmark moments of lunar exploration in modern times:
The Space war era
During the late 1950s at the height of the Cold War, the United States Army conducted a classified feasibility study that proposed the construction of a manned military outpost on the Moon called Project Horizon with the potential to conduct a wide range of missions from scientific research to nuclear Earth bombardment. The study included the possibility of conducting a lunar-based nuclear test.
1959: Soviet Union touches the Moon

 The Moon was first visited by the Soviet Union’s uncrewed Luna 1 and 2 in 1959..Read More