Gold prices gained for a third straight session on Thursday, hitting a one-week peak as softer inflation data in the United States pressured Treasury yields and the dollar index.

Spot gold were up 0.7% at $1,738.08 per ounce by 0926 GMT, after hitting its highest since March 3 at $1,739.63 earlier. U.S. gold futures climbed 0.9% to $1,736.30.

"Real rates are falling again and the lower real rates are, the better it is for gold. The second element is the strength in dollar we have seen recently has ended again and this is also helping gold," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

U.S. 10-year Treasury yields held near a one-week low, while the dollar fell as data showed U.S. core consumer price growth slowed slightly in February.

While gold is considered a hedge against inflation from widespread stimulus, higher bond yields this year have threatened that status as they translate into a higher opportunity cost of holding bullion.

The $1.9 trillion U.S. COVID-19 relief bill was finally approved on Wednesday and is expected to supercharge the economic recovery.

"At the moment it's (relief bill) helping gold due to higher inflation expectations but it could also mean that the U.S. Federal Reserve starts to change its tone a little bit," said UBS' Staunovo, adding that a less dovish Fed could see gold prices remain under pressure.

Investors await a European Central Bank meeting due later in the day to see if policymakers will take any action to rein in rising yields.

Michael Langford, director at corporate advisory AirGuide said there was a greater upside in other assets like copper and small-cap equities than in gold in the short term.

Silver rose 0.8% to $26.38 an ounce. Palladium climbed 1.3% to $2,336.93, while platinum gained 1.4% to $1,219.50.

Gold prices gained for a third straight session on Thursday, hitting a one-week peak as softer inflation data in the United States pressured Treasury yields and the dollar index.

Gold prices gained for a third straight session on Thursday, hitting a one-week peak as softer inflation data in the United States pressured Treasury yields and the dollar index. Spot gold were up 0.7% at $1,738.08 per ounce by 0926 GMT, after hitting its highest since March 3 at $1,739.63 earlier. U.S. gold futures climbed 0.9% to $1,736.30. "Real rates are falling again and the lower real rates are, the better it is for gold. The second element is the strength in dollar we have seen recently has ended again and this is also helping gold," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields held near a one-week low, while the dollar fell as data showed U.S. core consumer price growth slowed slightly in February. While gold is considered a hedge against inflation from widespread stimulus, higher bond yields this year have threatened that status as they translate into a higher opportunity cost of holding bullion. The $1.9 trillion U.S. COVID-19 relief bill was finally approved on Wednesday and is expected to supercharge the economic recovery. "At the moment it's (relief bill) helping gold due to higher inflation expectations but it could also mean that the U.S. Federal Reserve starts to change its tone a little bit," said UBS' Staunovo, adding that a less dovish Fed could see gold prices remain under pressure. Investors await a European Central Bank meeting due later in the day to see if policymakers will take any action to rein in rising yields. Michael Langford, director at corporate advisory AirGuide said there was a greater upside in other assets like copper and small-cap equities than in gold in the short term. Silver rose 0.8% to $26.38 an ounce. Palladium climbed 1.3% to $2,336.93, while platinum gained 1.4% to $1,219.50.

Gold gains for third day as bond yields, dollar retreat

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that his mother Heeraben had received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

"Happy to share that my mother has taken the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine today. I urge everyone to help and motivate people around you who are eligible to take the vaccine," PM Modi tweeted.

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Happy to share that my mother has taken the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine today. I urge everyone to help and motivate people around you who are eligible to take the vaccine.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1369927412373282818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The prime minister himself took the first dose of vaccine on March 1. The vaccine was administered at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at New Delhi.

India has rolled out countrywide vaccination drive on January 16, 2021. Vaccination of frontline workers started on February 2. This is the biggest coronavirus vaccination drive in world.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/at-core-of-atmanirbhar-bharat-is-to-create-wealth-values-for-humanity-indian-pm-says-369648">At core of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' is to create wealth, values for humanity, Indian PM says</a>

Vaccination drive for frontline workers started on February 2.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.As many as 2,52,89,693 crore doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far, the Union Health Ministry informed on Thursday.

(With ANI inputs)

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that his mother Heeraben had received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. "Happy to share that my mother has taken the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine today.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that his mother Heeraben had received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. "Happy to share that my mother has taken the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine today. I urge everyone to help and motivate people around you who are eligible to take the vaccine," PM Modi tweeted. Happy to share that my mother has taken the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine today. I urge everyone to help and motivate people around you who are eligible to take the vaccine. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 11, 2021 × The prime minister himself took the first dose of vaccine on March 1. The vaccine was administered at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at New Delhi. India has rolled out countrywide vaccination drive on January 16, 2021. Vaccination of frontline workers started on February 2. This is the biggest coronavirus vaccination drive in world. Also Read | At core of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' is to create wealth, values for humanity, Indian PM says Vaccination drive for frontline workers started on February 2. The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specified co-morbid conditions.As many as 2,52,89,693 crore doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far, the Union Health Ministry informed on Thursday. (With ANI inputs)

India PM Narendra Modi's mother receives coronavirus vaccine

This is how Women's Day was celebrated world over

Myanmar military junta is getting increasing isolated on global statge. Australia on Monday suspended defence ties with Myanmar over military coup. Meanwhile, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte started another controversy by appealing tp 'finish off communists'. In other news,&nbsp;Prince Harry and Meghan Markle created a stir as they gave a tell-all interview to Oprah Winfrey. Read this and more in our Top 10 World News brief.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-suspends-defence-ties-with-myanmar-over-military-coup-368912">Australia suspends defence ties with Myanmar over military coup</a>

<img alt="Australia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="883b2d38-ace6-418b-879d-e88c2bf1a2b0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Australia_0.JPG" />

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Monday that Australian diplomats only had access to economic policy adviser Sean Turnell twice since he was detained in early February

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ukpnp-chairman-parts-of-jammu-kashmir-illegally-held-by-pakistan-since-1947-368906">UKPNP chairman: Parts of Jammu &amp; Kashmir illegally held by Pakistan since 1947</a>&nbsp;

<img alt="Pakistan" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="779ba332-9440-47b8-8cd2-54bb20bb0af5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Pakistan_2.JPG" /> 
 
Speaking at a press conference at Geneva on human rights violations in Pakistan and the occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir, he said UKPNP is opposed to the use of religion as a weapon and terrorism as a foreign policy tool

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/finish-off-communists-philippine-leader-rodrigo-duterte-orders-to-kill-rebels-368929">'Finish off communists': Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte orders to kill rebels</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/finish-off-communists-philippine-leader-rodrigo-duterte-orders-to-kill-rebels-368929"><img alt="Duterte" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bd0fc173-db20-4299-a7e0-7323d0148713" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Duterte.JPG" /></a> 
 
Human Rights groups are outraged over the deaths of what they said were legitimate activists under the guise of counter-insurgency operations, which came two days after Duterte told security forces they could kill rebels if they were holding a gun and to ignore human rights

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/royal-concerns-on-archies-skin-colour-to-having-suicidal-thoughts-meghan-markle-tells-all-in-oprah-interview-368751">Royal concerns on Archie's skin colour to having suicidal thoughts, Meghan Markle tells all in Oprah interview</a>

<img alt="Meghan Markle" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f4909205-0aea-4917-adbd-6d9c463643be" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Meghan%20Markle.JPG" />

As the couple stepped back from their “royal duties” last year, Meghan revealed how baby Archie, before he was born, raised concerns among the royals of how dark his skin will be, and whether they will consider making him a prince, among many other things&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/yemens-houthi-rebels-target-saudi-arabias-aramco-oil-facilities-368713">Yemen's Houthi rebels target Saudi Arabia's Aramco oil facilities</a>

<img alt="Saudi Arabia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0133e1da-3494-42d4-b852-44ea9682ff22" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Saudi%20Arabia.JPG" />

The Saudi energy ministry said an oil storage yard at Ras Tanura, the site of an oil refinery and the world’s biggest offshore oil loading facility was attacked with a drone.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/peace-is-more-powerful-than-war-pope-francis-ends-epic-iraq-tour-368898">'Peace is more powerful than war': Pope Francis ends epic Iraq tour</a>

<img alt="Pope" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2095e478-7562-437e-ad23-2162636ca8c8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Pope_2.JPG" />

During Francis's trip, the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, he toured four cities, including Mosul, the former Islamic State stronghold where vast areas still lie in ruins, telling Iraqis that "peace is more powerful than war."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-orders-review-of-campus-sexual-misconduct-rules-changed-by-trump-368924">White House orders review of campus sexual misconduct rules changed by Trump&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/white-house-orders-review-of-campus-sexual-misconduct-rules-changed-by-trump-368924"><img alt="White House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f8ab19c2-84d0-447b-b18e-635ff0108631" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Biden_7.JPG" /></a> 
 
A Biden executive order he will sign later on Monday will direct the US Education Department to review all its existing regulations, orders, guidance, and 'policies for consistency with the administration’s policy to guarantee education free from sexual violence', according to a White House fact sheet provided Sunday night

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/billionaire-philanthropist-mackenzie-scott-ties-knot-with-science-teacher-368938">Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott ties knot with science teacher</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/billionaire-philanthropist-mackenzie-scott-ties-knot-with-science-teacher-368938"><img alt="Mackenzie" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="79bd33a3-c1cb-4ab1-8590-3056a39fae15" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Mekenzie%20Scott.JPG" /></a> 
 
The marriage to Dan Jewett, a Seattle science teacher, was mentioned in a post on the website for the philanthropic organization The Giving Pledge, in which Jewett said he would be signing on to Scott's commitment to give away most of her wealth

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/activists-paint-barriers-with-names-of-femicide-victims-in-mexico-368914">Activists paint barriers with names of femicide victims in Mexico&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/activists-paint-barriers-with-names-of-femicide-victims-in-mexico-368914"><img alt="Mexico" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa7ffa71-55cf-479e-a1c5-dc28e2c65e8a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Mexico_0.JPG" /></a> 
 
Near the front of the colonial-era building that serves as the president's offices, activists wrote: "Victims of Femicide" in huge letters across the top of the barriers, with the names of many women scrawled underneath

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iceland-records-20000-earthquakes-in-a-week-country-braces-for-volcanic-eruption-368905">Iceland records 20,000 earthquakes in a week; country braces for volcanic eruption</a>

<img alt="Iceland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d56afbf5-fc74-4217-a897-ce66923306b2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Iceland.JPG" />

The region has been under increased surveillance due to an unusual number of smaller tremors since the quake on February 24, which was felt in Reykjavik, and large parts of western Iceland.

Myanmar military junta is getting increasing isolated on global statge. Australia on Monday suspended defence ties with Myanmar over military coup. Meanwhile, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte started another controversy by appealing tp 'finish off communists'.

Myanmar military junta is getting increasing isolated on global statge. Australia on Monday suspended defence ties with Myanmar over military coup. Meanwhile, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte started another controversy by appealing tp 'finish off communists'. In other news, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle created a stir as they gave a tell-all interview to Oprah Winfrey. Read this and more in our Top 10 World News brief. Australia suspends defence ties with Myanmar over military coup Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Monday that Australian diplomats only had access to economic policy adviser Sean Turnell twice since he was detained in early February UKPNP chairman: Parts of Jammu & Kashmir illegally held by Pakistan since 1947 Speaking at a press conference at Geneva on human rights violations in Pakistan and the occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir, he said UKPNP is opposed to the use of religion as a weapon and terrorism as a foreign policy tool 'Finish off communists': Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte orders to kill rebels Human Rights groups are outraged over the deaths of what they said were legitimate activists under the guise of counter-insurgency operations, which came two days after Duterte told security forces they could kill rebels if they were holding a gun and to ignore human rights Royal concerns on Archie's skin colour to having suicidal thoughts, Meghan Markle tells all in Oprah interview As the couple stepped back from their “royal duties” last year, Meghan revealed how baby Archie, before he was born, raised concerns among the royals of how dark his skin will be, and whether they will consider making him a prince, among many other things Yemen's Houthi rebels target Saudi Arabia's Aramco oil facilities The Saudi energy ministry said an oil storage yard at Ras Tanura, the site of an oil refinery and the world’s biggest offshore oil loading facility was attacked with a drone. 'Peace is more powerful than war': Pope Francis ends epic Iraq tour During Francis's trip, the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, he toured four cities, including Mosul, the former Islamic State stronghold where vast areas still lie in ruins, telling Iraqis that "peace is more powerful than war." White House orders review of campus sexual misconduct rules changed by Trump A Biden executive order he will sign later on Monday will direct the US Education Department to review all its existing regulations, orders, guidance, and 'policies for consistency with the administration’s policy to guarantee education free from sexual violence', according to a White House fact sheet provided Sunday night Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott ties knot with science teacher The marriage to Dan Jewett, a Seattle science teacher, was mentioned in a post on the website for the philanthropic organization The Giving Pledge, in which Jewett said he would be signing on to Scott's commitment to give away most of her wealth Activists paint barriers with names of femicide victims in Mexico Near the front of the colonial-era building that serves as the president's offices, activists wrote: "Victims of Femicide" in huge letters across the top of the barriers, with the names of many women scrawled underneath Iceland records 20,000 earthquakes in a week; country braces for volcanic eruption The region has been under increased surveillance due to an unusual number of smaller tremors since the quake on February 24, which was felt in Reykjavik, and large parts of western Iceland.

Top 10 World News: Myanmar military isolated, Harry-Meghan interview, more

Indian Coast Guard over weekend thwarted an attempt by Sri Lankan boats to smuggle narcotic drugs worth USD 286.5 million into India from Lakshadweep. As per the coast guard, the smugglers dumped five bags of contraband weighing nearly 260 kg in water after they realised they couldn't escape from Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft.

Based on initial investigation, the Coast guard has said that the SLFB Akarsha Duwa was at sea for over a fortnight

After the boats were intercepted at sea, the behaviour of occupants and their misleading statement gave rise to suspicion. After tactful interrogation by the Indian Coast, the occupants of the boat admitted that they had been involved in narcotics smuggling.

<img alt="Indian Coast Guard intercepts Sri Lankan ships with narcotics" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c58acb00-d3d2-4f79-89f4-108e9191b48b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Indian%20coast%20guard%20Sri%20Lanka.jpg" />

Owing to rough sea conditions off Minicoy Islands, the boats were brought to Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday (7th March) for further interrogation by the security agencies.&nbsp;

<img alt="Indian Coast Guard intercepts Sri Lankan ships with narcotics" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="02ae2ae2-5d37-4c1e-930b-033de3925f6a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Indian%20Coast%20Guard%20smuggling.jpg" />

Post joint investigation at Vizhinjam, SLFB Akarsha Duwa along with 6 Sri Lankan crew was detained. Two other Sri Lankan boats with crew were released for a handover to Sri Lankan authorities for further investigation, due to considerable quantity of fish stock onboard.

A similar attempt was thwarted in November last year, when ICG &nbsp;apprehended Sri Lankan fishing boat ‘Shenaya Duwa’ off Kanyakumari, carrying narcotics worth around USD 136 &nbsp;million in the international market.

Indian Coast Guard over weekend thwarted an attempt by Sri Lankan boats to smuggle narcotic drugs worth USD 286.5 million into India from Lakshadweep. As per the coast guard, the smugglers dumped five bags of contraband weighing nearly 260 kg in water after they realised they couldn't escape from Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft.

Indian Coast Guard over weekend thwarted an attempt by Sri Lankan boats to smuggle narcotic drugs worth USD 286.5 million into India from Lakshadweep. As per the coast guard, the smugglers dumped five bags of contraband weighing nearly 260 kg in water after they realised they couldn't escape from Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft. Based on initial investigation, the Coast guard has said that the SLFB Akarsha Duwa was at sea for over a fortnight After the boats were intercepted at sea, the behaviour of occupants and their misleading statement gave rise to suspicion. After tactful interrogation by the Indian Coast, the occupants of the boat admitted that they had been involved in narcotics smuggling. Owing to rough sea conditions off Minicoy Islands, the boats were brought to Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday (7th March) for further interrogation by the security agencies. Post joint investigation at Vizhinjam, SLFB Akarsha Duwa along with 6 Sri Lankan crew was detained. Two other Sri Lankan boats with crew were released for a handover to Sri Lankan authorities for further investigation, due to considerable quantity of fish stock onboard. A similar attempt was thwarted in November last year, when ICG apprehended Sri Lankan fishing boat ‘Shenaya Duwa’ off Kanyakumari, carrying narcotics worth around USD 136 million in the international market.

Indian Coast Guard intercepts Sri Lankan boats, seizes narcotics worth millions

Social media mongers can safely bet on NASA to release brilliant pictures of celestial bodies every now and then. The space agency has a robust presence in online world and they continue to post interesting bits of info and images that thrill.

NASA hasn't disappointed this time as well. It has tweeted a beautiful picture of a galaxy far far away. The name of the galaxy is NGC 2336 in scientist speak. The galaxy was discovered in 19th century. The image shows that the galaxy is a spiral, similar to our own Milky Way Galaxy.

"Check out NGC 2336, a galaxy about 100 million light-years away. Discovered in 1876, by astronomer William Tempel, the image captured by @NASAHubble &nbsp;shows the sheer size and beauty of this majestic galaxy," NASA tweeted.

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Check out NGC 2336, a galaxy about 100 million light-years away.✨ 
 
Discovered in 1876, by astronomer William Tempel, the image captured by <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAHubble?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAHubble</a> shows the sheer size and beauty of this majestic galaxy. 
 
Find out how it gets its blue glow: <a href="https://t.co/2hLC3DajkO">https://t.co/2hLC3DajkO</a> <a href="https://t.co/XRh9MMNyy7">pic.twitter.com/XRh9MMNyy7</a>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1368687911600787457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The galaxy is 100 million light-years away! It means that even if we make a spaceship that travels at the speed of light, (~ 300 thousand kilometres per second) it will take us 100 million years to reach this galaxy.

This means an&nbsp;interesting thing.

The light from this galaxy that we see now, was emitted 100 million years ago! None of us or even our ancestors were alive when the light that reaches Earth today was emitted by the galaxy.

This leads to another interesting bit.

The galaxy NGC 2336 may have changed shape, collided with another galaxy, or may even have got obliterated. But we may only know that 100 million years after the event takes place. Because light from such an event will take that much time to reach us.

Space is super super huge. Feeling small yet?

Social media mongers can safely bet on NASA to release brilliant pictures of celestial bodies every now and then. The space agency has a robust presence in online world and they continue to post interesting bits of info and images that thrill.

Social media mongers can safely bet on NASA to release brilliant pictures of celestial bodies every now and then. The space agency has a robust presence in online world and they continue to post interesting bits of info and images that thrill. NASA hasn't disappointed this time as well. It has tweeted a beautiful picture of a galaxy far far away. The name of the galaxy is NGC 2336 in scientist speak. The galaxy was discovered in 19th century. The image shows that the galaxy is a spiral, similar to our own Milky Way Galaxy. "Check out NGC 2336, a galaxy about 100 million light-years away. Discovered in 1876, by astronomer William Tempel, the image captured by @NASAHubble shows the sheer size and beauty of this majestic galaxy," NASA tweeted. Check out NGC 2336, a galaxy about 100 million light-years away.✨ Discovered in 1876, by astronomer William Tempel, the image captured by @NASAHubble shows the sheer size and beauty of this majestic galaxy. Find out how it gets its blue glow: https://t.co/2hLC3DajkO pic.twitter.com/XRh9MMNyy7 — NASA (@NASA) March 7, 2021 × The galaxy is 100 million light-years away! It means that even if we make a spaceship that travels at the speed of light, (~ 300 thousand kilometres per second) it will take us 100 million years to reach this galaxy. This means an interesting thing. The light from this galaxy that we see now, was emitted 100 million years ago! None of us or even our ancestors were alive when the light that reaches Earth today was emitted by the galaxy. This leads to another interesting bit. The galaxy NGC 2336 may have changed shape, collided with another galaxy, or may even have got obliterated. But we may only know that 100 million years after the event takes place. Because light from such an event will take that much time to reach us. Space is super super huge. Feeling small yet?

NASA releases beautiful photo of a galaxy far far away

As NASA’s Perseverance rover fell through the Martian atmosphere last month, a video camera on the spacecraft captured the breakneck deployment of its parachute, which was decorated with splotches of reddish-orange and white.

Those splotches were a secret message.

During a news conference last week, Allen Chen, the engineer in charge of the landing system, narrated what could be seen and learned in the slowed-down video.

He added, cryptically and nonchalantly, that his team hoped to inspire others. “Sometimes we leave messages in our work for others to find for that purpose,” he said. “So we invite you all to give it a shot and show your work.”

Across the Atlantic Ocean, Maxence Abela, a 23-year-old computer science student in Paris, realized what Chen was saying: The seemingly random pattern on Perseverance’s parachute contained a code.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-releases-beautiful-photo-of-a-galaxy-far-far-away-368896">NASA releases beautiful photo of a galaxy far far away</a>

He called his father, Jerome, a software engineer at Google in London, and the two set to solving it.

“We like those kinds of little challenges,” Maxence Abela said. “We didn’t think we would be able to solve it, but we would at least try.”

Collaborating via teleconference, they downloaded the video, isolated images showing the fully inflated parachute and started piecing together the bits. So did others around the world, trading insights on Twitter and forums on Reddit.

“It’s just exciting that NASA is putting these little puzzles in their missions,” said Adithya Balaji, a graduate student in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh who independently tackled the problem.

Balaji compared the parachute puzzle to a couple of science fiction movies: “Contact,” where a scientist played by Jodie Foster unravels an alien message, and “The Martian,” where Matt Damon’s character Mark Watney communicates with people back on Earth using a similar code.

“I think that it’s exciting that real life can be sometimes even more exciting than the movies,” Balaji said.

The person who came up with the idea for embedding a message was Ian Clark, who led development of the parachute. NASA’s previous rover, Curiosity, used the same system when it successfully landed on Mars in 2012. But a failure of a prototype parachute intended for future missions spurred engineers to improve the design.

While watching video of a high-altitude test of the new parachute for Perseverance, Clark noticed that the checkerboard pattern on the canopy made it difficult to track how individual portions of the parachute unfurled and inflated.

Because Perseverance would be outfitted with video cameras, Clark wanted a pattern that would be visually distinct. That, in turn, provided an opportunity “to have a little fun with it,” he said.

He asked Matt Wallace, a deputy project manager for the mission, for permission.

“I told them 'OK,'” Wallace recalled. “Just make sure it was appropriate and couldn’t be misinterpreted.”

The 70-foot-wide parachute consisted of 80 strips of fabric radiating outward from the center to form a hemisphere-shape canopy, and each strip consisted of four pieces. Clark thus had 320 pieces to work with.

Some of his ideas would have required additional colors, but that could have threatened the parachute’s integrity if untested dyes weakened the fabric fibers.

“We were unwilling to go to a cloth that was dyed in a color that we had never used before,” Wallace said.

Even a pattern of just orange and white, the two colors of previous parachutes, raised potential issues. “There’s all kinds of second-guessing questions,” Clark said. “Like could having more white than orange, or vice versa, mean that the parachute was going to warm up differently and maybe that would change its behavior?”

After all, mission managers would have been embarrassed if they had to explain how they lost a $2.7 billion mission because a parachute engineer had sneaked in a secret message.

But Clark’s analysis showed no ill effects, and the plan went forward. Until recently, only about half a dozen people knew about it.

When computer scientists see something in black and white — or, in this case, orange and white — they think of binary code, the 1s and 0s that are the language of computers. That was the first clue that the puzzle solvers pursued last week.

For each orange section on the Perseverance parachute, Maxence Abela and his father wrote down a 1, and for each white section, they assigned a 0. That translated into a long string of 1s and 0s.

They thought that perhaps the digits could be rearranged into a picture, like the message that scientists broadcast in 1974 from the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico to tell distant alien civilizations of humans on Earth.

“We couldn’t find anything that looked like anything,” Maxence Abela said.

They tried breaking up the digits into groups of 8 — a common practice used in computer programming — but that too yielded gibberish.

Then the elder Abela noticed that the digits seemed to fit in groups of 10. “Every 10 bits, there would be three zeros in a row,” Maxence Abela said. That, they decided, was not a coincidence.

Still, the resulting numbers did not make sense until they realized they had read the 1s and 0s in the wrong direction, anti-clockwise instead of clockwise. When they wrote down the digits in the opposite order, the 10-digit chunks of binary code translated into small numbers, which could then be assigned to letters. The number 1 corresponded to the letter A, the number 2 was B, 3 was C, 4 was D and so on.

The message on the inner three rings: “Dare Mighty Things.”

Maxence Abela posted on Twitter his answer at 4:36 p.m. Eastern time, about two hours after Chen had dropped his cryptic hint during the news conference.

This is a credo often cited at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, which built and operates Perseverance. It comes from “The Strenuous Life,” a speech by Theodore &nbsp;Roosevelt in 1899: “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”

There were still some numbers and letters in the fourth ring that neither Abela could make sense of. Those turned out to be the longitude and latitude of the NASA center: 34°11’58” N 118°10’31” W.

“If you look in Google Earth, if you type in those coordinates, I think you’re about 10 feet from the door of the JPL visitor center,” Clark said.

In the evening, Adam Steltzner, the chief engineer for Perseverance, posted an annotated diagram explaining the solution.

The parachute was not the only fun that the builders of the Perseverance rover had.

Eagle-eyed observers spotted a series of drawings that represented the five rovers NASA has sent to Mars, from the small Sojourner in 1997 to Perseverance now.

A plaque that will be used to calibrate one of the rover’s main cameras includes patches of colors, but there are also whimsical drawings that include DNA, a rocket and a dinosaur.

On the edge of the calibration plaque is an inscription: “Are we alone? We came here to look for signs of life, and to collect samples of Mars for study on Earth. To those who follow, we wish a safe journey and the joy of discovery.”

As NASA’s Perseverance rover fell through the Martian atmosphere last month, a video camera on the spacecraft captured the breakneck deployment of its parachute, which was decorated with splotches of reddish-orange and white.

As NASA’s Perseverance rover fell through the Martian atmosphere last month, a video camera on the spacecraft captured the breakneck deployment of its parachute, which was decorated with splotches of reddish-orange and white. Those splotches were a secret message. During a news conference last week, Allen Chen, the engineer in charge of the landing system, narrated what could be seen and learned in the slowed-down video. He added, cryptically and nonchalantly, that his team hoped to inspire others. “Sometimes we leave messages in our work for others to find for that purpose,” he said. “So we invite you all to give it a shot and show your work.” Across the Atlantic Ocean, Maxence Abela, a 23-year-old computer science student in Paris, realized what Chen was saying: The seemingly random pattern on Perseverance’s parachute contained a code. Also Read | NASA releases beautiful photo of a galaxy far far away He called his father, Jerome, a software engineer at Google in London, and the two set to solving it. “We like those kinds of little challenges,” Maxence Abela said. “We didn’t think we would be able to solve it, but we would at least try.” Collaborating via teleconference, they downloaded the video, isolated images showing the fully inflated parachute and started piecing together the bits. So did others around the world, trading insights on Twitter and forums on Reddit. “It’s just exciting that NASA is putting these little puzzles in their missions,” said Adithya Balaji, a graduate student in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh who independently tackled the problem. Balaji compared the parachute puzzle to a couple of science fiction movies: “Contact,” where a scientist played by Jodie Foster unravels an alien message, and “The Martian,” where Matt Damon’s character Mark Watney communicates with people back on Earth using a similar code. “I think that it’s exciting that real life can be sometimes even more exciting than the movies,” Balaji said. The person who came up with the idea for embedding a message was Ian Clark, who led development of the parachute. NASA’s previous rover, Curiosity, used the same system when it successfully landed on Mars in 2012. But a failure of a prototype parachute intended for future missions spurred engineers to improve the design. While watching video of a high-altitude test of the new parachute for Perseverance, Clark noticed that the checkerboard pattern on the canopy made it difficult to track how individual portions of the parachute unfurled and inflated. Because Perseverance would be outfitted with video cameras, Clark wanted a pattern that would be visually distinct. That, in turn, provided an opportunity “to have a little fun with it,” he said. He asked Matt Wallace, a deputy project manager for the mission, for permission. “I told them 'OK,'” Wallace recalled. “Just make sure it was appropriate and couldn’t be misinterpreted.” The 70-foot-wide parachute consisted of 80 strips of fabric radiating outward from the center to form a hemisphere-shape canopy, and each strip consisted of four pieces. Clark thus had 320 pieces to work with. Some of his ideas would have required additional colors, but that could have threatened the parachute’s integrity if untested dyes weakened the fabric fibers. “We were unwilling to go to a cloth that was dyed in a color that we had never used before,” Wallace said. Even a pattern of just orange and white, the two colors of previous parachutes, raised potential issues. “There’s all kinds of second-guessing questions,” Clark said. “Like could having more white than orange, or vice versa, mean that the parachute was going to warm up differently and maybe that would change its behavior?” After all, mission managers would have been embarrassed if they had to explain how they lost a $2.7 billion mission because a parachute engineer had sneaked in a secret message. But Clark’s analysis showed no ill effects, and the plan went forward. Until recently, only about half a dozen people knew about it. When computer scientists see something in black and white — or, in this case, orange and white — they think of binary code, the 1s and 0s that are the language of computers. That was the first clue that the puzzle solvers pursued last week. For each orange section on the Perseverance parachute, Maxence Abela and his father wrote down a 1, and for each white section, they assigned a 0. That translated into a long string of 1s and 0s. They thought that perhaps the digits could be rearranged into a picture, like the message that scientists broadcast in 1974 from the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico to tell distant alien civilizations of humans on Earth. “We couldn’t find anything that looked like anything,” Maxence Abela said. They tried breaking up the digits into groups of 8 — a common practice used in computer programming — but that too yielded gibberish. Then the elder Abela noticed that the digits seemed to fit in groups of 10. “Every 10 bits, there would be three zeros in a row,” Maxence Abela said. That, they decided, was not a coincidence. Still, the resulting numbers did not make sense until they realized they had read the 1s and 0s in the wrong direction, anti-clockwise instead of clockwise. When they wrote down the digits in the opposite order, the 10-digit chunks of binary code translated into small numbers, which could then be assigned to letters. The number 1 corresponded to the letter A, the number 2 was B, 3 was C, 4 was D and so on. The message on the inner three rings: “Dare Mighty Things.” Maxence Abela posted on Twitter his answer at 4:36 p.m. Eastern time, about two hours after Chen had dropped his cryptic hint during the news conference. This is a credo often cited at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, which built and operates Perseverance. It comes from “The Strenuous Life,” a speech by Theodore Roosevelt in 1899: “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” There were still some numbers and letters in the fourth ring that neither Abela could make sense of. Those turned out to be the longitude and latitude of the NASA center: 34°11’58” N 118°10’31” W. “If you look in Google Earth, if you type in those coordinates, I think you’re about 10 feet from the door of the JPL visitor center,” Clark said. In the evening, Adam Steltzner, the chief engineer for Perseverance, posted an annotated diagram explaining the solution. The parachute was not the only fun that the builders of the Perseverance rover had. Eagle-eyed observers spotted a series of drawings that represented the five rovers NASA has sent to Mars, from the small Sojourner in 1997 to Perseverance now. A plaque that will be used to calibrate one of the rover’s main cameras includes patches of colors, but there are also whimsical drawings that include DNA, a rocket and a dinosaur. On the edge of the calibration plaque is an inscription: “Are we alone? We came here to look for signs of life, and to collect samples of Mars for study on Earth. To those who follow, we wish a safe journey and the joy of discovery.”

NASA sent a secret message to Mars. Meet the people who decoded it

Pope Francis holds mass in St Joseph Cathedral in Iraq

Indian government on Thursday changed rules for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders. As per the new rules, any OCI cardholder who wishes to be involved in missionary, 'tablighi' or journalistic activities, he will have to obtain a special permission from the government. India's Ministry of Home Affairs made the announcement in this regard.

The notification issued by the MHA said that OCI cardholders will have to take special permission from Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO)

The OCI cardholder will be "required to obtain a special permission or a special permit from the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer or the Indian Mission to undertake research and to undertake any missionary or Tabligh or mountaineering or journalistic activities," said the notification.

In addition to this, overseas Indians will have to take permission for internship with foreign missions or need to visit a prohibited area.

The notification also has some benefits for OCI cardholders. It has given them parity with Indian nationals in domestic airfare tariffs or entry fees for national monuments, parks and museums in India

Reportedly, the rules are part of a brochure published on November 15, 2019 and have only been notified now.

Indian government on Thursday changed rules for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders. As per the new rules, any OCI cardholder who wishes to be involved in missionary, 'tablighi' or journalistic activities, he will have to obtain a special permission from the government.

Indian government on Thursday changed rules for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders. As per the new rules, any OCI cardholder who wishes to be involved in missionary, 'tablighi' or journalistic activities, he will have to obtain a special permission from the government. India's Ministry of Home Affairs made the announcement in this regard. The notification issued by the MHA said that OCI cardholders will have to take special permission from Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) The OCI cardholder will be "required to obtain a special permission or a special permit from the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer or the Indian Mission to undertake research and to undertake any missionary or Tabligh or mountaineering or journalistic activities," said the notification. In addition to this, overseas Indians will have to take permission for internship with foreign missions or need to visit a prohibited area. The notification also has some benefits for OCI cardholders. It has given them parity with Indian nationals in domestic airfare tariffs or entry fees for national monuments, parks and museums in India Reportedly, the rules are part of a brochure published on November 15, 2019 and have only been notified now.

Indian government changes rules for OCI cardholders   

Pope Francis, on Sunday, will meet Iraqi Christian who suffered under the Islamic State (IS) group. He will lead a prayer "for the victims of the war" in Mosul. Pope Francis is on a historic tour to Iraq. This is first-ever papal visit to the country. His tour on Sunday will take him to Mosul, an ancient city which became a stronghold of the Islamic State when the terrorist group swept across Iraq and Syria.

84-year-old Pope met Iraq's top Shiite Muslim cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani on Saturday which was hailed as a 'historic moment'.

"We all hope that this visit will be a good omen for the Iraqi people," Adnane Youssef, a Christian from northern Iraq, told AFP. "We hope that it will lead to better days."

On Saturday, Pope Francis commented on use of religion by terrorists.

"We believers cannot be silent when terrorism abuses religion," Francis said at an interfaith service

The Christian community of Iraq, a Muslim-majority country of 40 million, has shrunk from 1.5 million before the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein to only 400,000 now, about one per cent of the population.

Pope Francis on Saturday, held his first public mass on his Iraq tour in church of St. Joseph in central Baghdad.

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity", said one worshipper as she wiped away tears and cheered as the Pope left the Saint Joseph Chaldean Cathedral.

He's the first head of the Roman Catholic church to preside over a mass in Iraq.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-top-shiite-cleric-plead-for-peace-in-historic-iraq-meeting-368503">Pope Francis, top Shiite cleric plead for 'peace' in historic Iraq meeting</a>

"This very important visit will boost our morale after years of difficulties, problems and wars," said an Iraqi Christian leader, Father George Jahoula.&nbsp;

Rebuilding efforts&nbsp;

Back in 2014, when IS militants swept across one-third of Iraq, Pope Francis had said he was ready to come to meet the displaced and other victims of war. &nbsp;

Seven years later, after a stop early Sunday in the Kurdish north of Iraq, he will see for himself the devastated Old City of Mosul and efforts to rebuild it.

Pope Francis will also visit Qaraqosh, further east in the Nineveh Plain, which is one of Iraq's oldest Christian towns.

(With AFP inputs)

Pope Francis, on Sunday, will meet Iraqi Christian who suffered under the Islamic State (IS) group. He will lead a prayer "for the victims of the war" in Mosul. Pope Francis is on a historic tour to Iraq.

Pope Francis, on Sunday, will meet Iraqi Christian who suffered under the Islamic State (IS) group. He will lead a prayer "for the victims of the war" in Mosul. Pope Francis is on a historic tour to Iraq. This is first-ever papal visit to the country. His tour on Sunday will take him to Mosul, an ancient city which became a stronghold of the Islamic State when the terrorist group swept across Iraq and Syria. 84-year-old Pope met Iraq's top Shiite Muslim cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani on Saturday which was hailed as a 'historic moment'. "We all hope that this visit will be a good omen for the Iraqi people," Adnane Youssef, a Christian from northern Iraq, told AFP. "We hope that it will lead to better days." On Saturday, Pope Francis commented on use of religion by terrorists. "We believers cannot be silent when terrorism abuses religion," Francis said at an interfaith service The Christian community of Iraq, a Muslim-majority country of 40 million, has shrunk from 1.5 million before the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein to only 400,000 now, about one per cent of the population. Pope Francis on Saturday, held his first public mass on his Iraq tour in church of St. Joseph in central Baghdad. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity", said one worshipper as she wiped away tears and cheered as the Pope left the Saint Joseph Chaldean Cathedral. He's the first head of the Roman Catholic church to preside over a mass in Iraq. Also Read | Pope Francis, top Shiite cleric plead for 'peace' in historic Iraq meeting "This very important visit will boost our morale after years of difficulties, problems and wars," said an Iraqi Christian leader, Father George Jahoula. Rebuilding efforts Back in 2014, when IS militants swept across one-third of Iraq, Pope Francis had said he was ready to come to meet the displaced and other victims of war. Seven years later, after a stop early Sunday in the Kurdish north of Iraq, he will see for himself the devastated Old City of Mosul and efforts to rebuild it. Pope Francis will also visit Qaraqosh, further east in the Nineveh Plain, which is one of Iraq's oldest Christian towns. (With AFP inputs)

Pope to meet Iraqi Christians in former Islamic State strongholds 

US Senate on Sunday passed President Joe Biden's USD 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. This will give most Americans a one time payment of USD 1400 and more help. Meanwhile, Pope Francis is getting ready to meet Iraqi Christians who suffered during Islamic State's rule. Read this and more in our morning news brief.

 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-senate-passes-bidens-19-trillion-covid-bill-on-party-line-vote-368516">US Senate passes Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid bill on party-line vote</a>

The Senate voted 50-49, with no Republicans voting in favor, on what would be one of the largest stimulus packages in U.S. history.

<img alt="Biden" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b239adcc-7b3a-46b7-8eff-23989bb11583" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Biden_6.JPG" />

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-asks-republicans-to-stop-using-his-name-to-raise-funds-368522">Donald Trump asks Republicans to stop using his name to raise funds</a>

Trump is, meanwhile, is using his Save America SuperPAC to raise money to assist the Republican candidates for 2022 congressional candidates

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-to-meet-iraqi-christians-who-suffered-under-is-368526">Pope to meet Iraqi Christians who suffered under IS&nbsp;</a>

On Saturday, Pope Francis commented on use of religion by terrorists.

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US agency probes Facebook for alleged racial bias

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US Senate on Sunday passed President Joe Biden's USD 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. This will give most Americans a one time payment of USD 1400 and more help.

US Senate on Sunday passed President Joe Biden's USD 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. This will give most Americans a one time payment of USD 1400 and more help. Meanwhile, Pope Francis is getting ready to meet Iraqi Christians who suffered during Islamic State's rule. Read this and more in our morning news brief. US Senate passes Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid bill on party-line vote The Senate voted 50-49, with no Republicans voting in favor, on what would be one of the largest stimulus packages in U.S. history. Donald Trump asks Republicans to stop using his name to raise funds Trump is, meanwhile, is using his Save America SuperPAC to raise money to assist the Republican candidates for 2022 congressional candidates Pope to meet Iraqi Christians who suffered under IS On Saturday, Pope Francis commented on use of religion by terrorists. US agency probes Facebook for alleged racial bias × China's polar silk road by 2025? ×

Morning news brief: US Senate passes COVID bill, Pope in Iraq, more

Maram al-Amawi, an 8-year-old girl in Gaza has been given a 3D-printed face mask in order to help her recovery from severe burns she received in a fire about a year ago. However, for the treatment to work, she has to wear it eight hours a day.

Eight-year-old Maram was severely burned a year ago in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip.

The inferno, which local authorities said was caused by a gas leak, left 25 dead and dozens injured, and ravaged several shops.

Today, she and her mother, who was also seriously injured on the face and hands, wear transparent plastic masks developed by medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

The mask puts pressure on the face and speeds up the healing process. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provided the mask.

To make this mask, the patient's face is copied using 3D scanner. This later allows printing of a customised plastic masks

The fitted mask, with adjustable straps to hold onto the face, has to be worn for between six months and a year, depending on the severity of the lesions.

'Family refused to look'

Even though her mask is transparent and fits perfectly with the contours of her soft face, Maram is afraid of being pointed at in the playground.

"The mask has made my burns better, but I'm afraid people will laugh at me if I wear it outside the house," the girl shyly confesses, dressed in the black-and-white striped lace uniform of her school, which is run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

"I put it on as soon as I get home from classes."

In fact, she wears it eight hours a day.

As for her mother Izdihar al-Amawi, 31, she keeps her mask on for 16 hours, only removing it during the day to eat.

At night, she wears another mask, and she also has special gloves for burns on her hands.

"Our wounds have improved thanks to the mask," says Izdihar, who now manages to go about household chores like before the accident.

"We were waiting for the taxi after shopping and we suddenly heard a big explosion, then saw fire everywhere," she recalls.

Izdihar and Maram spent two months in hospital undergoing operations.

Accepting their disfigured complexions was not easy.

"My family refused to look at my face after the accident," says Izdihar.

"I only saw my face 50 days after the operation, in the elevator mirror while going to get my mask at the clinic."

The mother of four hopes the scars will disappear "in two or three years, as the doctors told us."

Maram al-Amawi, an 8-year-old girl in Gaza has been given a 3D-printed face mask in order to help her recovery from severe burns she received in a fire about a year ago.

Maram al-Amawi, an 8-year-old girl in Gaza has been given a 3D-printed face mask in order to help her recovery from severe burns she received in a fire about a year ago. However, for the treatment to work, she has to wear it eight hours a day. Eight-year-old Maram was severely burned a year ago in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip. The inferno, which local authorities said was caused by a gas leak, left 25 dead and dozens injured, and ravaged several shops. Today, she and her mother, who was also seriously injured on the face and hands, wear transparent plastic masks developed by medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF). The mask puts pressure on the face and speeds up the healing process. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) provided the mask. To make this mask, the patient's face is copied using 3D scanner. This later allows printing of a customised plastic masks The fitted mask, with adjustable straps to hold onto the face, has to be worn for between six months and a year, depending on the severity of the lesions. 'Family refused to look' Even though her mask is transparent and fits perfectly with the contours of her soft face, Maram is afraid of being pointed at in the playground. "The mask has made my burns better, but I'm afraid people will laugh at me if I wear it outside the house," the girl shyly confesses, dressed in the black-and-white striped lace uniform of her school, which is run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. "I put it on as soon as I get home from classes." In fact, she wears it eight hours a day. As for her mother Izdihar al-Amawi, 31, she keeps her mask on for 16 hours, only removing it during the day to eat. At night, she wears another mask, and she also has special gloves for burns on her hands. "Our wounds have improved thanks to the mask," says Izdihar, who now manages to go about household chores like before the accident. "We were waiting for the taxi after shopping and we suddenly heard a big explosion, then saw fire everywhere," she recalls. Izdihar and Maram spent two months in hospital undergoing operations. Accepting their disfigured complexions was not easy. "My family refused to look at my face after the accident," says Izdihar. "I only saw my face 50 days after the operation, in the elevator mirror while going to get my mask at the clinic." The mother of four hopes the scars will disappear "in two or three years, as the doctors told us."

8-year-old girl in Gaza wears 3D printed mask to heal severe burns

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