Astronauts who will leave the International Space Station on Sunday will have to use diapers on the way home, because of a broken toilet in their SpaceX capsule.
The Nasa astronaut Megan McArthur described the situation as “suboptimal” but manageable. She and three crewmates will spend 20 hours in the capsule, from the time the hatches are closed until a Monday morning splashdown.
Continue reading...Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Pensioners Association has demanded that DA (Dearness Allowance) and its arrears should be given to them immediately.
State convener of Madhya Pradesh Pensioners Association, Anil Vajpayee, said that dearness allowance of pensioners has not been increased citing Section 49 of Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000. “Officials say that it needs to get nod from Chhattisgarh government also. This excuse seems ridiculous. Senior citizens should be provided relief immediately,” said Vajpayee.
Congress has demanded immediate relief for over 4.50 lakh pensioners of Madhya Pradesh, who have been not given increased DA (Dearness Allowance) and its arrears.
“DA of government employees was increased only by 8% instead of 16% whereas 4.50 lakh pensioners have been deprived of their right citing technical reasons,” said Bhupendra Gupta, vice president of media department of Congress.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath meets Sonia Gandhi over bypoll results
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will on Sunday discuss preparations for elections in seven states -- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur – all ruled by it -- and Congress-ruled Punjab early next year and Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, both ruled by the BJP, towards the end of 2022.
It will also discuss the party's setback in the recent by-elections, particularly in Himachal Pradesh where the Congress swept the polls, winning one Lok Sabha and three Assembly seats.
This is the first time since 2019 that the revamped executive will meet in Delhi; the Central office-bearers and Union ministers will attend it in the national capital from 10 AM to 3 PM on Sunday, while others will join it through video-conferencing in the state capitals.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to shape the party's stand on a variety of key issues and set the tone for the upcoming Assembly polls in his valedictory address at the executive, which is to be kick-started with the inaugural address by party president J P Nadda.
The national general secretaries on Saturday finalised a number of resolutions to be taken up in the executive. The resolutions will focus on praising PM Modi for the vaccination dashboard crossing 100 crore doses, reduction in petrol, diesel and edible oil prices and his "successful foreign visits."
The meeting will discuss in particular the complete rout of the party in Himachal Pradesh by-elections despite the BJP being in power, as also newly appointed Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai failing to prevent the Congress from annexing Hangal assembly seat in his home district and its both candidates getting trounced in Rajasthan despite the split in the ruling Congress.
Also Read: Maharashtra: I-T searches at branches of co-op bank, Rs 53.72 cr cash deposits restrained
NASA's Earth-observing satellite Landsat 9 has collected its first light images of Earth, capturing critical observations about our changing planet. Launched on September 27, Landsat 9 is a joint mission between NASA and the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The images, all acquired October 31, provide a preview of how the mission will help people manage vital natural resources and understand the impact of climate change. The images add to Landsat's unparalleled data record that spans nearly 50 years of space-based Earth observation.
Landsat programme "has the proven power to not only improve lives but also save lives", said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson in a statement.
NASA will continue to work with USGS to help decision makers "better understand the devastation of the climate crisis, manage agricultural practices, preserve precious resources and respond more effectively to natural disasters", Nelson added.
These first light images show Detroit, Michigan, with neighbouring Lake St Clair, the intersection of cities and beaches along a changing Florida coastline and images from Navajo Country in Arizona that will add to the wealth of data helping monitor crop health and manage irrigation water.
The new images also provided data about the changing landscapes of the Himalayas in High Mountain Asia and the coastal islands and shorelines of northern Australia. Landsat 9 is similar in design to its predecessor, Landsat 8, which was launched in 2013 and remains in orbit, but features several improvements.
Landsat 9 can differentiate more than 16,000 shades of a given wavelength colour; Landsat 7, the satellite being replaced, detects only 256 shades. This increased sensitivity will allow Landsat users to see much more subtle changes than ever before.
Landsat 9 carries two instruments that capture imagery: the Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2), which detects visible, near-infrared and shortwave-infrared light in nine wavelengths, and the Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2), which detects thermal radiation in two wavelengths to measure Earth's surface temperatures and its changes.
These instruments will provide Landsat 9 users with essential information about crop health, irrigation use, water quality, wildfire severity, deforestation, glacial retreat, urban expansion, and more.
USGS will operate Landsat 9 along with Landsat 8, and together the two satellites will collect approximately 1,500 images of Earth's surface every day, covering the globe every eight days.
Hirdaram Nagar/Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Sindhi Central Panchayat has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on November 15 to inaugurate the renovated Habibganj railway station in the state capital, sources said.
The Panchayat urged the MP government to request the Prime Minister to perform the Bhoomi Poojan of the proposed over bridge at Hirdaram Nagar.
Patron of the Panchayat Prakash, president ND Khemchandani and general secretary Suresh Jaswani and others have written a letter to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur and local legislator Rameshwar Sharma about the issue.
According to the letter, because of a lack of under and over bridge, the residents of Santnagar are facing problems.
Thousands of people and soldiers in the cantonment area, EME centre, CTO, Kailash Nagar, Data Colony and airport road waste a lot of time because of closure of the railway gate again and again.
As the cremation ground is near the railway, funeral processions are forced to stop because of the shutting of the railway gage.
Jaswani said that the then minister of state for railways Madhavrao Scindia had announced construction of an over bridge on March 23, 1987.
Scindia made the announcement in presence of the then chief minister Motilal Vora at a meeting in Nav Yuvak Sabha hall.
A sum of Rs 4 crore was sanctioned for construction of the over bridge, but as the state government did not provide its share of funds, the announcement could not be implemented, Jaswani said.
The office-bearer of the Panchayat said that the railway ministry had sanctioned Rs 30 crore each for gate number 114 and 115.
Former pro tem speaker of MP assembly Rameshwar Sharma increased the amount to Rs 33 core each for both the gates.
In the budget of 2020-21, the state government made a provision of Rs 100 crore for the two over bridges in Sant Hirdaram Nagar. But nothing has been done to start the construction work.
Sant Nagar gets streetlights
The streetlights on both sides of the thoroughfares in Sant Nagar were switched on following instructions of local legislator Rameshwar Sharma. It was Sharma’s Diwali gift to the residents of Sant Nagar. BJP leader and president of Pandit Deendayal Bourbon Club Jagdish Aswani requested Sharma for providing streetlights.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: Chhath festival begins from Monday, preparations underway
It took only seven minutes of the Manchester derby to be in no doubt about the parlous state of United.
When Eric Bailly clumsily intercepted João Cancelo's cross to divert the ball into his own net, it was the start of another agonizing Old Trafford encounter with a now far superior rival.
The only surprise from Saturday's derby was United escaping with a 2-0 loss to Manchester City after Bernardo Silva met another delivery into the box from Cancelo, got ahead of Luke Shaw and beat goalkeeper David De Gea at his near post in stoppage time Humiliation was avoided, two weeks after being routed 5-0 by Liverpool here, but it was another encounter to reinforce just how far United has slipped behind the Premier League's elite.
"We had the game of our lives," City attacking midfielder Phil Foden said.
"Everything just went right. A lot of possession. A lot of chances. We dominated from start to finish." It was so serene that Pep Guardiola didn't even make a single substitution.
"The game was 2-0," the City manager said, "and it was so comfortable." This was City's first Premier League win over United since March 2019 but in that time Guardiola's side has won the title twice, while the trophy hasn't been on the red half of Manchester since 2013.
City and United do boast the world's most expensive football squads - each assembled for more than $1 billion - but that wouldn't be obvious watching in the lashing northern English rain.
On paper, six points now separate defending champion City in second from United in fifth. The gulf in quality, tactics and style looks greater, with City effortlessly cruising to victory.
"It's a big step backwards," United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said.
"It's a way of losing that we don't like. When you lose a game against a good team, you want to see a better Man United team than that." It wasn't Guardiola's name City fans were singing at Old Trafford. They were mercilessly mocking Solskjaer.
"Ole's at the wheel," they serenaded the United manager, sarcastically adopting the United fan song.
Solskjaer limps on in the job, with just one win from six league games. The only success came last Saturday against Tottenham, which acted swiftly to decide managerial change was required. And in firing Nuno Espirito Santo and hiring Antonio Conte, the north London club snapped up a potential replacement for Solskjaer.
"We started the game badly, passive, and when they got the first goal it was hard," Solskjaer said.
"David kept us in the game with some good stops and then they score a goal at the back stick which shouldn't happen.
"They played well and some praise has got to go to them, but we were not at our level and the standard has to be raised. We don't pass the ball as well as I know we can and we don't find the angles. Sometimes we made the wrong solution, sometimes the right solution but not the right execution." The Norwegian couldn't rely on being bailed out again by Cristiano Ronaldo, whose double salvaged a Champions League draw at Atlanta on Tuesday.
Instead Ronaldo cut a frustrated figure as the lack of intensity and pressing left him isolated up front. Only once did he come close to scoring what would have been an equalizer in the 26th minute, with a first-time volley from Ronaldo pushed wide by Ederson.
It electrified the crowd with the type of roar not heard again until the rarely used Donny van der Beek was brought on in the second half.
Boos, though, were once again the soundtrack of the home crowd at Old Trafford. What could spare Solskjaer from losing his job during the international break is that the fans are yet to chant against the United striker-turned-underwhelming manager - yet.
"I have a good communication all the time with the club," Solskjaer said.
"That's very up front and honest about the situation. I work for Man United and I want the best for Man United. As long as I'm here, I want to do what I can to improve this, and that's going back to what we looked like."
Frozan Safi, 29, is believed to be the first women’s rights defender to be killed since Taliban return to power
A 29-year-old activist and economics lecturer, Frozan Safi, has been shot and killed in northern Afghanistan, in what appears to be the first known death of a women’s rights defender since the Taliban swept to power almost three months ago.
Frozan Safi’s body was identified in a morgue in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif after she went missing on 20 October. “We recognised her by her clothes. Bullets had destroyed her face,” said Safi’s sister, Rita, who is a doctor.
Continue reading...Anti-establishment Million Mask March group gathered to let off fireworks and demonstrate against the government
Eight police officers have been injured after clashing with hundreds of anti-establishment protesters in Parliament Square on Bonfire Night.
Demonstrators wearing Guy Fawkes-style masks had gathered at nearby Trafalgar Square at the annual Million Mask March with some throwing fireworks at officers.
Continue reading...Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh rose to 7,92,894 on Friday with an addition of six fresh cases, while no new death due to the infection was reported in the state, a health department official said.
The death toll remained unchanged at 10,524, the official added.
The recovery count increased to 7,82,258 after eight COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals in the last 24 hours, he said.
The state is left with 112 active cases.
With 52,120 swab samples examined during the day, the number of tests in MP went up to 2,05,22,518 the official added.
An official release said 7,13,45,463 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far in the state, including 4,972 on Friday.
Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 7,92,894, death toll 10,524 (no change), recovered cases 7,82,258, active cases 112, number of tests so far 2,05,22,518.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: Absconding criminal nabbed in Bhopal after his visit to his ailing mother
Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): A 20-year-old youth murdered over a dispute of money during playing gambling in the crematorium under Gosalpur police station area of Jabalpur on Friday.
The dead youth was identified as Satyam Rajak, resident of Khinni Mohalla Ashram Road. After committing the crime, the accused fled from the spot.
According to the police, Satyam reached there to play gambling. The accused, Arun Kumbhar was also betting in the play. During placing bets, Satyam had a dispute with Arun. After that Arun took out a knife and attacked on the back of Satyam.
Satyam fell down and died on the spot. On getting the information the deceased’s family members rushed to the spot and informed the police.
Acting on the information, Gosalpur TI Sanjay Bhalavi and Sihora SDOP Shrutikriti Somvanshi, along with the FSL team reached the spot. The police sent the body to Sihora Marchuri and detained some people who were gambling at the time of the incident and questioned them in connection with the crime.
The police registered a case of murder against the accused and started the search operation to nab the accused.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: Government teacher kills wife, commits suicide in Dewas
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state capital has registered a minimum temperature of 13.2°C in the past 24 hours, weather office said.
The maximum temperature in the state capital was 29.9°C, said weather office.
On the other hand, Raisen registered the lowest minimum temperature of 10°C in the state.
The weather remained dry and there was no major change in temperature in the state.
The temperature in the districts in Indore, Shahdol, Rewa and Chambal divisions remained less than normal, said weather office.
The dry northerlies are blowing across the state capital intensifying the nippiness.
The nights are so cold, that the residents have begun to wear woolens.
A thin cover of smog hung over the city on Friday evening, partly because of the season and partly because of the smoke released by the cherry-bombs exploded on the occasion of Diwali.
Driving a two-wheeler without wearing knitwear in the day as well as at night has become difficult.
A large swathe of the state experienced dry weather, according to the weather office.
The evenings have begun to fall very early and the mornings are a little hazy. There is no major change in the temperature in the next 48 hours.
In the meantime, the winged guests have begun to arrive on the banks of the Upper Lake. Their number will soon grow.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: Air Quality Index in state reaches record high post-Diwali celebrations
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has received awards for its rural tourism projects in London. The world responsible tourism award - 2021 has been instituted by World Travel Mart (WTM) wherein the MP projects were awarded under different categories.
The event was organised between from November 1-3 in London. Managing director of state tourism development corporation S Vishwanathan and deputy director Yuvraj Padole received these awards.
The board received Best Project award under the category of best tourism destination developed in post Covid era. At zonal level, rural tourism was awarded golden prize.
In a separate category, the WTM recognised the safe tourism for women project as best project under separate category -diversity in tourism. Principal secretary, tourism and culture, Sheoshekhar Shukla has expressed pleasure on the feat saying that recognition at global level is a matter of pride.
He said that they are determined to develop the rural tourism as per the wish of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
The WTM classifies countries in four different zones. India, Australia, Europe and Middle Eastern countries are awarded Golden Prize. Vishwanathan told that they are focused on developing 100 villages for rural tourism with the cooperation of local communities.
It will help us provide a local touch to the visitors and tourists, including local food, sports, stay, music, arts and handicrafts, he says.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021, state wins second consecutive league
Bhopal/Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, his ministerial colleagues, state BJP president VD Sharma and several other prominent BJP leaders visited different and selected Lord Shiva temples across the state to watch Prime Minister’s Kedarnath visit programme live on screen, as per reports from various districts and official statements.
The temples include Mahakal temple at Ujjain and Omkareshwar temple, the two temples where two of 12 Jyotirlingas in the country exist and visited by Adi Shankaracharya.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reached Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain along with MP and state BJP president VD Sharma, higher education minister Mohan Yadav, MP Anil Firojia and several others where he offered prayers.
During the puja, he saw the worship being done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kedarnath temple virtually and listened to his speech, as per the official statement.
He also honoured prominent saints and seers of Ujjain in the discourse hall.
In his address after the welcome, he said it was hoped that with the blessings and guidance of the saints and with the vision of ‘Ramrajya’ the people of the state should continue to be served.
After Govardhan Puja over there, he said it was not a ritual. It means worshipping nature, saving environment, planting trees and preventing the cutting of trees.
“I bow to Kanhaiya (Lord Krishna), who gave us the mantra more than 5,000 years ago to worship nature and the mountains. This is Govardhan Puja in the true sense. If you want to save the earth, then be alert from now on,” Chouhan said while addressing volunteers under Ankur Abhiyan.
CM said the speech given by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the holy land of Baba Kedarnath on Friday was not just a speech but a great campaign of national reawakening.
He said, “Swami Vivekananda once said that those who are blind cannot see. Those who are deaf cannot hear, but I am clearly seeing that the end of the great destruction is near. Mother India is once again opening her eyes. A glorious, splendid, prosperous and thriving India will be built and the 21st century will belong to India. What the first Narendra Swami Vivekananda had said, today the second Narendra is fulfilling it.”
He said G-20 people were now saying that we were troubled in this world. The temperature of Earth's surface was increasing. It was feared that if the temperature continued to rise like this and the emission of carbon gases continued, then many cities would be submerged in water after a few years and destruction would increase in the world.
That’s why, he said, “I call upon people of the state to plant trees to save lives and ensure participation in saving trees. I plant a tree every day. If you cannot plant a tree every day like me, then on special occasions you can plant a tree a year.”
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2021, state wins second consecutive league
Shivpuri (Madhya Pradesh): A Congress leader in Shivpuri allegedly raped a lawyer on the pretext of marriage. He tried to extort money from the victim as he threatened her with dire consequences. The accused Girriraj Sharma Aichwada 45, a resident of Aichwada, is married and has three children, said Kotwali police.
The accused had come into contact with the woman lawyer during his case in 2019 and raped her while promising to marry her. The accused raped the victim several times hiding his marital status and also began demanding money from her.
The 32-year-old complainant told police that he always avoided her whenever she pressed for marriage.
However, the accused began demanding money from the victim a few months ago. When she refused to give in to his demands, the accused threatened her through their WhattsApp chats, said the cops.
Incharge of Kotwali police station Sunil Khemaria said accused has been booked under Sections 376, 506 and 384 of the IPC. He said the accused is on the run. Shivpuri Congress district president Shriprakash Sharma acknowledged that Giriraj was a member of the Congress party but his present status was not known.
Also Read: Madhya Pradesh: Offering prayers at Kedarnath Temple will now be easier, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan
The novelist on her love of Virginia Woolf, being inspired by HG Wells and how Jack Kerouac’s ego puts her off his books
My earliest reading memory
I was in my grandmother’s house in Ankara, Turkey. I must have been six years old. I learned how to read from Grandma’s cookbooks and traditional Middle Eastern love stories – Layla and Majnun, Ferhat and Shirin.
My favourite book growing up
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Back then a company in Turkey had published the story as a graphic novel, and I adored it. I not only read and reread the novel, but also painted every little drawing in it – the bonnets, the gowns, the guillotine. I loved history and I now realise that perhaps there was something personal going on as well: after my parents separated, my father stayed in France and remarried. He had another family, half-French, half-Turkish. We were completely estranged for a long, long time. So I was especially interested in books that had a connection with the bloody history in France.
Sudhir Kumar E S In early 2026, India witnessed an unusual controversy that blended military protocol, publishing practices, and politic...
