Japan has successfully launched a spacecraft designed to inspect and potentially remove man-made space debris from around the Earth, said a statement from Astroscale Japan on Monday.

Japan launches debris removal spacecraft to tackle space junk

The Indian Space Research Organisation&nbsp;(ISRO) has got back on track after the impact of the pandemic. The state-run space agency is gearing up for two upcoming launches, one in August and another in September.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre&nbsp;(SDSC) website, the GSLV launch is scheduled for August and PSLV is scheduled for September. However, the dates have not been specified&nbsp;as&nbsp;yet.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The GSLV rocket would be carrying India’s GISAT-1, an earth observation satellite that is meant to be placed in Geostationary orbit&nbsp;(36,000 kms from earth). This orbit is typically meant for communication satellites that have to cover a large swathe of land.

A satellite in geostationary orbit would be in sync with the rotation cycle of the earth&nbsp;(24 hours) and it would appear to be stationary when seen from the earth, thus giving it the name. It is said that three aptly positioned Geostationary satellites can cover pretty much the all of Earth.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/isro-moves-one-step-ahead-in-converting-cargo-carrier-gslv-rocket-into-human-carrier-398249">ISRO moves one step ahead in converting ‘cargo-carrier’ GSLV rocket into human-carrier</a>

According to ISRO, GISAT-1 is meant to provide near&nbsp;real-time imaging of large region of interest at frequent intervals, quick monitoring of natural disasters, episodic events and also obtain spectral signatures for agriculture, forestry, mineralogy, disaster warning, cloud properties, snow,&nbsp;glaciers and oceanography.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Asked&nbsp;over&nbsp;report&nbsp;of&nbsp;a news agency regarding the GISAT-1 launch being scheduled for 5:43&nbsp;am on August 12, Dr Sivan told WION that&nbsp;August 12 was more of an internal deadline and not an official launch date. He also added that activities for the launch have started and are underway.&nbsp;

The PSLV rocket, which is&nbsp;scheduled for September launch,&nbsp;is expected to carry a satellite dubbed as EOS-4 or Earth Observation Satellite 4.&nbsp;

The GSLV and PSLV launches would be India’s second and third launched for the year, respectively. It was in February that a PSLV,&nbsp;on a commercial flight,&nbsp;launched Amazonia-1, a Brazilian Earth Observation Satellite and 18 smaller satellites.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/gisat-1-indias-eye-in-the-sky-likely-to-be-launched-in-august-says-isro-chairman-dr-k-sivan-398427">GISAT-1: India’s 'Eye in the Sky’ likely to be launched in August, says ISRO chairman Dr K Sivan</a>

During the downtime owing to pandemic lockdowns across India, ISRO had been contributing to the nation’s COVID-19 fight. ISRO had ramped up manufacturing of liquid oxygen&nbsp;(cryogenic rocket fuel) to support hospitals.

ISRO centers also had repurposed their gas storage tanks to store liquid oxygen, thus using them as large depots to support the medical requirements. The&nbsp;organisation&nbsp;had also developed various models of indigenous, low-cost medical ventilators. These models were then handed over to Indian industry for mass manufacture.&nbsp;&nbsp;

ISRO is also working on conducting human-rating tests on its heavy lifter rocket,&nbsp;the GSLV Mk 3. Repeated tests of the rocket’s various&nbsp;engines, which are&nbsp;solid fueled, liquid fueled and cryogenic,&nbsp;are being done to ensure that the rocket,&nbsp;which ferries satellites can be reliable enough to carry Indian astronauts to low Earth orbit.&nbsp;Gaganyaan&nbsp;or Human Spaceflight&nbsp;programme&nbsp;is India’s most ambitious mission yet.&nbsp;

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has got back on track after the impact of the pandemic. The state-run space agency is gearing up for two upcoming launches, one in August and another in September.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has got back on track after the impact of the pandemic. The state-run space agency is gearing up for two upcoming launches, one in August and another in September. According to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) website, the GSLV launch is scheduled for August and PSLV is scheduled for September. However, the dates have not been specified as yet. The GSLV rocket would be carrying India’s GISAT-1, an earth observation satellite that is meant to be placed in Geostationary orbit (36,000 kms from earth). This orbit is typically meant for communication satellites that have to cover a large swathe of land. A satellite in geostationary orbit would be in sync with the rotation cycle of the earth (24 hours) and it would appear to be stationary when seen from the earth, thus giving it the name. It is said that three aptly positioned Geostationary satellites can cover pretty much the all of Earth. Also Read | ISRO moves one step ahead in converting ‘cargo-carrier’ GSLV rocket into human-carrier According to ISRO, GISAT-1 is meant to provide near real-time imaging of large region of interest at frequent intervals, quick monitoring of natural disasters, episodic events and also obtain spectral signatures for agriculture, forestry, mineralogy, disaster warning, cloud properties, snow, glaciers and oceanography. Asked over report of a news agency regarding the GISAT-1 launch being scheduled for 5:43 am on August 12, Dr Sivan told WION that August 12 was more of an internal deadline and not an official launch date. He also added that activities for the launch have started and are underway. The PSLV rocket, which is scheduled for September launch, is expected to carry a satellite dubbed as EOS-4 or Earth Observation Satellite 4. The GSLV and PSLV launches would be India’s second and third launched for the year, respectively. It was in February that a PSLV, on a commercial flight, launched Amazonia-1, a Brazilian Earth Observation Satellite and 18 smaller satellites. Also Read | GISAT-1: India’s 'Eye in the Sky’ likely to be launched in August, says ISRO chairman Dr K Sivan During the downtime owing to pandemic lockdowns across India, ISRO had been contributing to the nation’s COVID-19 fight. ISRO had ramped up manufacturing of liquid oxygen (cryogenic rocket fuel) to support hospitals. ISRO centers also had repurposed their gas storage tanks to store liquid oxygen, thus using them as large depots to support the medical requirements. The organisation had also developed various models of indigenous, low-cost medical ventilators. These models were then handed over to Indian industry for mass manufacture. ISRO is also working on conducting human-rating tests on its heavy lifter rocket, the GSLV Mk 3. Repeated tests of the rocket’s various engines, which are solid fueled, liquid fueled and cryogenic, are being done to ensure that the rocket, which ferries satellites can be reliable enough to carry Indian astronauts to low Earth orbit. Gaganyaan or Human Spaceflight programme is India’s most ambitious mission yet.

Indian space agency ISRO gearing up for two launches: GSLV Mk2-GISAT in August, PSLV in September  

China has launched its long-awaited emissions trading system, which is being considered as a key tool in its quest to drive down emissions of climate change-causing greenhouse gases and go carbon-neutral by 2060.

Trading began at 9:30 am local time (0130&nbsp;GMT) at the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange, official news agency Xinhua reported.

The scheme is aimed at setting pollution caps for big-power businesses for the first time.&nbsp;

Also, it allows firms to buy the right to pollute from others with a lower carbon footprint.

China had first announced plans for a nationwide carbon market a decade ago.&nbsp;

However, the progress was hampered by coal-industry lobbying and various policies that pushed for quick growth at the expense of the environment.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-grapples-with-worst-case-scenario-as-covid-19-cases-surge-398324">Also read |&nbsp;Indonesia grapples with 'worst-case scenario' as COVID-19 cases surge</a>

As per the estimates by Citigroup, $800 million worth of credits will be bought for this year, rising to $25 billion by the end of the decade.&nbsp;

This would help in making China's trading scheme about a third the size of Europe's market.

According to data from the International Energy Agency, the market will initially cover 2,225 big power producers that generate about a seventh of the global carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels.

At a press conference this week, deputy environment minister Zhao Yiming described it as "a key tool to help the country achieve its goal of reaching peak emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060."

However, analysts say it is not a quick climate fix and could take years before the world's biggest polluter changes course.&nbsp;

Lauri Myllyvirta, the lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said officials had "pared down ambitions" for the scheme, which was originally expected to cover seven sectors, including aviation and petrochemicals.

He added, "China's coal, cement and steel production have all gone up as the government pours in billions of dollars to energy-intensive sectors to boost growth after the pandemic. Rules to limit emissions will disrupt this growth model." 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

China has launched its long-awaited emissions trading system, which is being considered as a key tool in its quest to drive down emissions of climate change-causing greenhouse gases and go carbon-neutral by 2060.

China has launched its long-awaited emissions trading system, which is being considered as a key tool in its quest to drive down emissions of climate change-causing greenhouse gases and go carbon-neutral by 2060. Trading began at 9:30 am local time (0130 GMT) at the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange, official news agency Xinhua reported. The scheme is aimed at setting pollution caps for big-power businesses for the first time. Also, it allows firms to buy the right to pollute from others with a lower carbon footprint. China had first announced plans for a nationwide carbon market a decade ago. However, the progress was hampered by coal-industry lobbying and various policies that pushed for quick growth at the expense of the environment. Also read | Indonesia grapples with 'worst-case scenario' as COVID-19 cases surge As per the estimates by Citigroup, $800 million worth of credits will be bought for this year, rising to $25 billion by the end of the decade. This would help in making China's trading scheme about a third the size of Europe's market. According to data from the International Energy Agency, the market will initially cover 2,225 big power producers that generate about a seventh of the global carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels. At a press conference this week, deputy environment minister Zhao Yiming described it as "a key tool to help the country achieve its goal of reaching peak emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060." However, analysts say it is not a quick climate fix and could take years before the world's biggest polluter changes course. Lauri Myllyvirta, the lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, said officials had "pared down ambitions" for the scheme, which was originally expected to cover seven sectors, including aviation and petrochemicals. He added, "China's coal, cement and steel production have all gone up as the government pours in billions of dollars to energy-intensive sectors to boost growth after the pandemic. Rules to limit emissions will disrupt this growth model." (With inputs from agencies)

'Key tool': China launches the long-awaited carbon trading scheme

India Yamaha Motor (IYM) Pvt Ltd. unveiled its all-new FZ-FI and FZS-FI with ABS, an addition to the 149 cc segment bike, in Bengaluru on Monday.&nbsp;

The FZ-FI model is priced at Rs. 95,000 (ex-showroom) and will be available in Metric Black and Racing blue colours. Meanwhile, the FZS-FI model which is priced Rs. 97,000 (ex-showroom) will come in Matt black, Dark matt blue, Gray &amp; Cyan Blue variants.&nbsp;

The third generation FZ, now coupled with stylish and sporty features, will flaunt a design proportion that resembles a classic ambush pose of an urban fighter.&nbsp;

Both FZ-FI and FZS-FI come with ABS and mount an air-cooled, 4-stroke, 149cc, SOHC, 2-valve, single-cylinder, fuel-injected 'Blue Core' engine that aggressively certifies the FZ breed by passing down a look based on machismo, big-boned feeling and emphasizes it during straight line acceleration.

The newly launched models are introduced in India on the backdrop of 'The Call of the Blue', a brand campaign launched by Yamaha, last year. The campaign holds the promise of energising the passion of motorcycling in India as per the global standards.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Motofumi Shitara, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group of companies said, "The excitement of The Call of the Blue continues with the launch of the new FZ-FI and FZS-FI with ABS in India today as a part of its offering of extraordinary motorcycling experiences from Yamaha. Following the outstanding response from YZF-R15 Version 3.0 launched in the last year, the company is confident to further create a niche in the 150 CC class segment with the new FZ-FI and FZS-FI and this new launch from Yamaha will strengthen the company’s presence in the deluxe class in India."

The company also announced to soon launch several other models enabled with the new ABS technologies.

India Yamaha Motor (IYM) Pvt Ltd. unveiled its all-new FZ-FI and FZS-FI with ABS, an addition to the 149 cc segment bike, in Bengaluru on Monday. The FZ-FI model is priced at Rs.

India Yamaha Motor (IYM) Pvt Ltd. unveiled its all-new FZ-FI and FZS-FI with ABS, an addition to the 149 cc segment bike, in Bengaluru on Monday. The FZ-FI model is priced at Rs. 95,000 (ex-showroom) and will be available in Metric Black and Racing blue colours. Meanwhile, the FZS-FI model which is priced Rs. 97,000 (ex-showroom) will come in Matt black, Dark matt blue, Gray & Cyan Blue variants. The third generation FZ, now coupled with stylish and sporty features, will flaunt a design proportion that resembles a classic ambush pose of an urban fighter. Both FZ-FI and FZS-FI come with ABS and mount an air-cooled, 4-stroke, 149cc, SOHC, 2-valve, single-cylinder, fuel-injected 'Blue Core' engine that aggressively certifies the FZ breed by passing down a look based on machismo, big-boned feeling and emphasizes it during straight line acceleration. The newly launched models are introduced in India on the backdrop of 'The Call of the Blue', a brand campaign launched by Yamaha, last year. The campaign holds the promise of energising the passion of motorcycling in India as per the global standards. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Motofumi Shitara, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group of companies said, "The excitement of The Call of the Blue continues with the launch of the new FZ-FI and FZS-FI with ABS in India today as a part of its offering of extraordinary motorcycling experiences from Yamaha. Following the outstanding response from YZF-R15 Version 3.0 launched in the last year, the company is confident to further create a niche in the 150 CC class segment with the new FZ-FI and FZS-FI and this new launch from Yamaha will strengthen the company’s presence in the deluxe class in India." The company also announced to soon launch several other models enabled with the new ABS technologies.

Yamaha India launches third generation FZ-FI and FZS-FI with ABS, price starts from Rs.95000

Rolls-Royce, now owned by BMW, has launched its first SUV — the Cullinan.&nbsp;

The Cullinan is named after the world's largest diamond and like its namesake, it is huge. It stands at six feet tall.&nbsp;

Rolls-Royce says the Cullinan is the real thing. And that too many SUVs are called so without really being able to go off-road.&nbsp;

To back up its claim, Rolls-Royce has released a number of YouTube videos made in partnership with National Geographic. The videos show the Cullinan being bashed around the planet... Alright, maybe not bashed but see for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/RollsRoyceMotorCars/videos">yourself</a>:

<img alt="cullinan2.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/cullinan2.jpg" width="770" />

<img alt="cullinan3_0.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/cullinan3_0.jpg" width="770" />

<img alt="cullinan4_1.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/cullinan4_1.jpg" width="770" />

<img alt="cullinan5_0.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/cullinan5_0.jpg" width="770" />

(All images from&nbsp;rolls-roycemotorcars.com)

Now to what the Cullinan can do:&nbsp;

It can wade through water 21 inches high.&nbsp;

It comes with night vision, including pedestrian and wildlife warnings, a drowsy-driving alert, a four-camera parking system, helicopter view, crash-avoidance systems of course, and Wi-Fi. &nbsp;

The Cullinan has a top speed of 155 miles per hour or 250 kmph. &nbsp;

How much will it set you back? 325,000 American dollars or about Rs 2.2 crore.&nbsp;

You will however still have to wait a few months for it. The Cullinan is expected to hit Indian shores sometime towards the end of 2018.&nbsp;

The Cullinan is named after the world's largest diamond and like its namesake, it is huge. It stands at six feet tall

Rolls-Royce, now owned by BMW, has launched its first SUV — the Cullinan. The Cullinan is named after the world's largest diamond and like its namesake, it is huge. It stands at six feet tall. Rolls-Royce says the Cullinan is the real thing. And that too many SUVs are called so without really being able to go off-road. To back up its claim, Rolls-Royce has released a number of YouTube videos made in partnership with National Geographic. The videos show the Cullinan being bashed around the planet... Alright, maybe not bashed but see for yourself: (All images from rolls-roycemotorcars.com) Now to what the Cullinan can do: It can wade through water 21 inches high. It comes with night vision, including pedestrian and wildlife warnings, a drowsy-driving alert, a four-camera parking system, helicopter view, crash-avoidance systems of course, and Wi-Fi. The Cullinan has a top speed of 155 miles per hour or 250 kmph. How much will it set you back? 325,000 American dollars or about Rs 2.2 crore. You will however still have to wait a few months for it. The Cullinan is expected to hit Indian shores sometime towards the end of 2018.

Rolls-Royce launches its first SUV. Yours for only Rs 2.2 crore

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani launched new electronic ID cards on Thursday and faced immediate opposition in his own government towards a system that has fuelled bitter rows over ethnic politics only months before parliamentary elections are due.

The much delayed "e-tezkera" system, named after the local term for identity cards, is intended to reduce fraud, streamline public administration and give a clearer picture of the population by centralizing data on one digitized card.

"E-tezkera will help security in the country," Ghani said at a ceremony at which he received the first card to be issued.

"The problem with the traditional ID card was that the foreign terrorists could easily make fake national Afghan IDs and challenge our security."

But the inclusion of a national identity denomination that is rejected by some groups in Afghanistan has laid bare the persistent ethnic divisions that have widened sharply over the past year.

The new system has been the subject of furious argument because it designates a holder's nationality as "Afghan", a term used in the past to denote Pashtuns, traditionally the most politically powerful ethnic group.

Some members of other groups, notably Persian-speaking ethnic Tajiks, say that use of the term on the cards is intended to entrench the power of the Pashtuns by suggesting that their identity is equivalent with that of the nation as a whole.

Like almost all kings and presidents of Afghanistan, Ghani is an ethnic Pashtun and he has faced increasing opposition from Tajiks as presidential elections next year approach.

Shortly after the ceremony, Ghani's partner in government, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, whose Jamiat party mainly represents ethnic Tajiks from northern Afghanistan, rejected the new cards.

"Large national processes need more work and strategy that can achieve people's satisfaction," he told a news conference. "There are far important priorities.

"I am not against electronic ID cards, but this was not the time for it, because there are disagreements among the people about the e-ID cards."

The new cards have faced long delays for both technical and political reasons and Ghani's original intention of using them to register voters and reduce fraud in parliamentary elections scheduled for October has been abandoned.

Registration will be based on the old paper ID cards, although as many Afghans do not even have one of these, millions will have to be issued by October for sufficient numbers of voters to be included, a process already behind schedule.

The term 'Afghan' was used in the past to denote Pashtuns, traditionally the most politically powerful ethnic group

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani launched new electronic ID cards on Thursday and faced immediate opposition in his own government towards a system that has fuelled bitter rows over ethnic politics only months before parliamentary elections are due. The much delayed "e-tezkera" system, named after the local term for identity cards, is intended to reduce fraud, streamline public administration and give a clearer picture of the population by centralizing data on one digitized card. "E-tezkera will help security in the country," Ghani said at a ceremony at which he received the first card to be issued. "The problem with the traditional ID card was that the foreign terrorists could easily make fake national Afghan IDs and challenge our security." But the inclusion of a national identity denomination that is rejected by some groups in Afghanistan has laid bare the persistent ethnic divisions that have widened sharply over the past year. The new system has been the subject of furious argument because it designates a holder's nationality as "Afghan", a term used in the past to denote Pashtuns, traditionally the most politically powerful ethnic group. Some members of other groups, notably Persian-speaking ethnic Tajiks, say that use of the term on the cards is intended to entrench the power of the Pashtuns by suggesting that their identity is equivalent with that of the nation as a whole. Like almost all kings and presidents of Afghanistan, Ghani is an ethnic Pashtun and he has faced increasing opposition from Tajiks as presidential elections next year approach. Shortly after the ceremony, Ghani's partner in government, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, whose Jamiat party mainly represents ethnic Tajiks from northern Afghanistan, rejected the new cards. "Large national processes need more work and strategy that can achieve people's satisfaction," he told a news conference. "There are far important priorities. "I am not against electronic ID cards, but this was not the time for it, because there are disagreements among the people about the e-ID cards." The new cards have faced long delays for both technical and political reasons and Ghani's original intention of using them to register voters and reduce fraud in parliamentary elections scheduled for October has been abandoned. Registration will be based on the old paper ID cards, although as many Afghans do not even have one of these, millions will have to be issued by October for sufficient numbers of voters to be included, a process already behind schedule.

Afghanistan President launches ID cards terming everyone 'Afghan', but citizens dissent

The US military conducted air strikes in Libya on Monday, following a government request to target the Islamic State group&#39;s Libyan stronghold of Sirte, the Pentagon announced. 
 
While the Pentagon has previously carried out air attacks on specific high-value IS targets in Libya, Monday&#39;s action marked the first known US strikes in Sirte itself. 
 
&quot;At the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord, the United States military conducted precision air strikes against ISIL targets in Sirte, Libya, to support GNA-affiliated forces seeking to defeat ISIL in its primary stronghold in Libya,&quot; Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement, using an acronym for the IS group. 
 
US strikes in Sirte &quot;will continue&quot;, Cook added without elaborating. 
 
President Barack Obama authorised the bombings following recommendations from top pentagon officials, and the strikes were &quot;consistent with our approach to combating ISIL by working with capable and motivated local forces&quot;, Cook added. 
 
&quot;The US stands with the international community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya,&quot; he said. 
 
Monday&#39;s action comes after a US strike targeted an IS training camp in a rural area near Sabratha, outside Tripoli, in February, likely killing an IS leader called Noureddine Chouchane and dozens of other jihadists. 
 
In November, a US strike killed Abu Nabil, another IS leader who was also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi. 
 
A US senior administration official said US action would be limited to strikes and information sharing to support these, and that 
American troops would not take part in any ground operations to support the GNA. 
 
The official said precision strikes would target key IS military infrastructure such as tanks, high-caliber weapons and command and control nodes.&nbsp;Libya spiraled into chaos after longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in October 2011, with two governments vying for power and armed groups battling to control vast energy resources. 
 
Exploiting Libya&#39;s power vacuum, IS jihadists established a foothold in Libya, especially in Sirte. The Pentagon estimates fewer than 1,000 IS fighters are in Sirte. 
 
(AFP)

Monday's action comes after a US strike targeted an IS training camp in a rural area near Sabratha, outside Tripoli, in February

The US military conducted air strikes in Libya on Monday, following a government request to target the Islamic State group's Libyan stronghold of Sirte, the Pentagon announced. While the Pentagon has previously carried out air attacks on specific high-value IS targets in Libya, Monday's action marked the first known US strikes in Sirte itself. "At the request of the Libyan Government of National Accord, the United States military conducted precision air strikes against ISIL targets in Sirte, Libya, to support GNA-affiliated forces seeking to defeat ISIL in its primary stronghold in Libya," Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement, using an acronym for the IS group. US strikes in Sirte "will continue", Cook added without elaborating. President Barack Obama authorised the bombings following recommendations from top pentagon officials, and the strikes were "consistent with our approach to combating ISIL by working with capable and motivated local forces", Cook added. "The US stands with the international community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya," he said. Monday's action comes after a US strike targeted an IS training camp in a rural area near Sabratha, outside Tripoli, in February, likely killing an IS leader called Noureddine Chouchane and dozens of other jihadists. In November, a US strike killed Abu Nabil, another IS leader who was also known as Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi. A US senior administration official said US action would be limited to strikes and information sharing to support these, and that American troops would not take part in any ground operations to support the GNA. The official said precision strikes would target key IS military infrastructure such as tanks, high-caliber weapons and command and control nodes. Libya spiraled into chaos after longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in October 2011, with two governments vying for power and armed groups battling to control vast energy resources. Exploiting Libya's power vacuum, IS jihadists established a foothold in Libya, especially in Sirte. The Pentagon estimates fewer than 1,000 IS fighters are in Sirte. (AFP)

US launches first anti-IS air strikes in Libya's Sirte

The Indian Government on Thursday morning launched the &#39;Sankat Mochan&#39; operation to evacuate Indian nationals from South Sudan. 
 
India sent two C-17 military transport aircraft to war torn South Sudan&#39;s capital city Juba to evacuate Indians stranded there, an exercise which is being led by Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh. 
 
Singh had also supervised the evacuation of nearly 4,000 Indians from conflict-ridden Yemen last year. 
 
An official advisory said that only Indian nationals with valid Indian travel document will be allowed boarding with maximum five kilogram cabin baggage and no check-in pieces. It also said that women and children will be accommodated on priority. 
 
Apart from Singh, Amar Sinha, Secretary (Economic Relations), will also travel to Juba. 
 
India has been closely monitoring developments in South Sudan, which is witnessing heavy fighting between former rebels and government soldiers in several parts of the city. A task force has been set up for the purpose. 
 
According to the ministry, there are around 600 Indians in South Sudan, of which 450 are in Juba and nearly 150 are outside the capital. 
 
(DNA)

India sent two C-17 military transport aircraft to war torn South Sudan's capital city Juba to evacuate Indians stranded there

The Indian Government on Thursday morning launched the 'Sankat Mochan' operation to evacuate Indian nationals from South Sudan. India sent two C-17 military transport aircraft to war torn South Sudan's capital city Juba to evacuate Indians stranded there, an exercise which is being led by Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh. Singh had also supervised the evacuation of nearly 4,000 Indians from conflict-ridden Yemen last year. An official advisory said that only Indian nationals with valid Indian travel document will be allowed boarding with maximum five kilogram cabin baggage and no check-in pieces. It also said that women and children will be accommodated on priority. Apart from Singh, Amar Sinha, Secretary (Economic Relations), will also travel to Juba. India has been closely monitoring developments in South Sudan, which is witnessing heavy fighting between former rebels and government soldiers in several parts of the city. A task force has been set up for the purpose. According to the ministry, there are around 600 Indians in South Sudan, of which 450 are in Juba and nearly 150 are outside the capital. (DNA)

India launches operation to rescue nationals from South Sudan

Dubai: Iran will press on with its missile programme &quot;with full force&quot; based on national security needs, a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying on Saturday, adding that critical comments by Germany&#39;s leader were unhelpful. 
 
Chancellor Angela Merkel told the parliament in Berlin on Thursday that missile launches by Iran earlier this year were inconsistent with a UN resolution urging it to refrain for up to eight years from missile work designed to deliver nuclear weapons. 
 
Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said Merkel&#39;s remarks were &quot;not constructive&quot; and would have no bearing on the programme, according to state news agency IRNA. 
 
Reiterating Tehran&#39;s assertion that the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear weapons, he added: &quot;Iran will continue with full force its missile programme based on its defensive plans and national security calculations.&quot; 
 
On Friday, Iran rejected as &quot;unrealistic&quot; a report by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon criticising its missile launches as inconsistent with its deal with world powers to curb sensitive nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief. 
 
Reuters reported on Thursday that a confidential report by Ban had found the tests to be inconsistent &quot;with the constructive spirit&quot; of the July 2015 agreement. 
 
Responding to German intelligence reports that Iran has been trying to acquire nuclear technology in Germany, Berlin said on Friday that certain forces in Iran may be trying to undermine the nuclear deal. 
 
Germany&#39;s domestic intelligence agency said in its annual report that Iranian efforts to illegally procure technology, especially in the nuclear area, had continued at a &quot;high level&quot; in 2015. 
 
(Reuters)

It also criticised Angela Merkel who had said the missile launches were inconsistent with a 2015 UN resolution

Dubai: Iran will press on with its missile programme "with full force" based on national security needs, a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying on Saturday, adding that critical comments by Germany's leader were unhelpful. Chancellor Angela Merkel told the parliament in Berlin on Thursday that missile launches by Iran earlier this year were inconsistent with a UN resolution urging it to refrain for up to eight years from missile work designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said Merkel's remarks were "not constructive" and would have no bearing on the programme, according to state news agency IRNA. Reiterating Tehran's assertion that the missiles are not designed to carry nuclear weapons, he added: "Iran will continue with full force its missile programme based on its defensive plans and national security calculations." On Friday, Iran rejected as "unrealistic" a report by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon criticising its missile launches as inconsistent with its deal with world powers to curb sensitive nuclear activity in exchange for sanctions relief. Reuters reported on Thursday that a confidential report by Ban had found the tests to be inconsistent "with the constructive spirit" of the July 2015 agreement. Responding to German intelligence reports that Iran has been trying to acquire nuclear technology in Germany, Berlin said on Friday that certain forces in Iran may be trying to undermine the nuclear deal. Germany's domestic intelligence agency said in its annual report that Iranian efforts to illegally procure technology, especially in the nuclear area, had continued at a "high level" in 2015. (Reuters)

Iran says it will continue with missile programme 'with full force'

Chinese mobile internet giant Alibaba Group has announced the launch of Privacy Knight, India`s first free app-lock with a face lock feature that protects mobile privacy from intruders. 
 
Currently available on Android, the app is equipped with face lock, the fastest and most accurate unlock solution in the world, which enables users to unlock their protected apps through a one-second-selfie. 
 
&quot;Face lock is set to change the way people protect their privacy. It`s the next big thing after fingerprint lock. The age of face lock is here,&quot; said Country Manager of 9Apps (Android Marketplace within Alibaba Mobile Business Group), Ebrahim Popat. 
 
With the boost of smartphone utilization, India is now the largest consumer market for security app in the world. Such tremendous demand indicates a strong need for better privacy protection. 
 
&quot;Indian users are particularly concerned about security of their private photos and SNS apps on their phones. On the other hand, with predictable popularization of mobile payment, the need for mobile financial security protection will also surge in the foreseeable future. Privacy Knight provides Indian users with an enjoyable and trustworthy privacy guard for their smartphone security,&quot; said Director Alibaba Mobile Security Department, Shuhua Chen. 
 
Simple yet reliable, the security app works on a one-second-step for face locking, saving users the trouble to remember patterns/pincode. 
 
Also, the face lock and blink detection setting ensure a 99.47 percent accuracy of face recognition, more precise than any other recognition models in the world.What makes Privacy Knight even safer is that no user information upload is requested, since face lock is accessible offline.Besides face lock, Privacy Knight also offers users excellent protection including app lock, vault, clean, themes, intruder selfie, fake cover, fake icon, and more.&nbsp;

Alibaba to launch India's first app-lock with a face lock feature.

Chinese mobile internet giant Alibaba Group has announced the launch of Privacy Knight, India`s first free app-lock with a face lock feature that protects mobile privacy from intruders. Currently available on Android, the app is equipped with face lock, the fastest and most accurate unlock solution in the world, which enables users to unlock their protected apps through a one-second-selfie. "Face lock is set to change the way people protect their privacy. It`s the next big thing after fingerprint lock. The age of face lock is here," said Country Manager of 9Apps (Android Marketplace within Alibaba Mobile Business Group), Ebrahim Popat. With the boost of smartphone utilization, India is now the largest consumer market for security app in the world. Such tremendous demand indicates a strong need for better privacy protection. "Indian users are particularly concerned about security of their private photos and SNS apps on their phones. On the other hand, with predictable popularization of mobile payment, the need for mobile financial security protection will also surge in the foreseeable future. Privacy Knight provides Indian users with an enjoyable and trustworthy privacy guard for their smartphone security," said Director Alibaba Mobile Security Department, Shuhua Chen. Simple yet reliable, the security app works on a one-second-step for face locking, saving users the trouble to remember patterns/pincode. Also, the face lock and blink detection setting ensure a 99.47 percent accuracy of face recognition, more precise than any other recognition models in the world.What makes Privacy Knight even safer is that no user information upload is requested, since face lock is accessible offline.Besides face lock, Privacy Knight also offers users excellent protection including app lock, vault, clean, themes, intruder selfie, fake cover, fake icon, and more.

Alibaba launches a face-lock security app called ''Privacy Knight''

launches

Launches, News on Launches, stories on Launches, articles on Launches, Launches stories at Wion, Launches news, Launches latest news