Aircraft-Sized Asteroid Heading Towards Earth. Close Approach On...

An asteroid drifts aimlessly through the vast expanse of space. With no fixed path or destination, the 'cosmic nomad' sometimes comes in close contact with other space objects and planets due to gravitational forces. Space agencies like NASA have developed programmes to keep a watch on these celestial wanderers so that our planet can be kept safe from any catastrophic impact. The American space agency has even created a dedicated page listing the asteroids that will pass very close to the Earth. And that list shows Asteroid 2023 SN6 racing towards out home planet.

The aircraft-sized space rock will pass cross Earth at a distance of 4.8 million kilometres on October 4 (Wednesday) - still close considering distance in the space is measured in astronomical terms.

According to NASA data, the asteroid is travelling at a speed of 30,564 kilometres per hour.

However, the space agency's Centre for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) hasn't classified the asteroid as a potentially hazardous object.

It belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, named after the 1862 Apollo asteroid, discovered by German astronomer Karl Reinmuth in the 1930s.

Asteroids, space rocks that are remnants from the formation of our solar system, often tumble and spin, and are propelled forward by the momentum of its birthplace. Their surface, weathered by eons of cosmic radiation and micrometeoroid impacts, tell the story of asteroids' journey through the depths of the universe.

In 2022, NASA launched a mission to deflect an asteroid hurtling towards the Earth as part of its planetary defence mechanism. It is called Double Asteroid Redirection Test or DART.

In the first phase, a spacecraft sent by NASA scientists crashed into Dimorphos, its targeted asteroid, on September 26, 2022.

The cube-shaped "impactor" vehicle, roughly the size of a vending machine, flew into the football stadium-sized asteroid about 11 million km from Earth.

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"Socio-Economic Data Soon": Nitish Kumar At All-Party Meet On Caste Survey

At an all-party meeting called a day after results of the caste survey were released, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar promised to put the socio-economic data in the public domain as well, but did not specify a timeline for doing so. The first instalment of the survey, released on Monday, gave a break-up of the numbers of each caste, but did not reveal how they were doing on various socio-economic indicators.

The meeting was keenly watched because the survey, which has been controversial despite an all-party consensus on conducting it - and has even been challenged in various courts - had produced a muted reaction from the Bihar unit of the BJP but had prompted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accuse the opposition of "trying to divide the country in the name of caste".

The state unit of the BJP, which attended the meeting, has been criticising what it calls "errors" in the survey and, at the same time, taking credit for starting work on it when it was in power in Bihar with Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United).

Discussions

The meeting of the nine parties in Bihar that have a presence in the legislature - Janata Dal 
(United), Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, BJP, Hindustani Awam Morcha, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI(ML) and AIMIM - was called by the chief minister to share details of the survey and discuss the road ahead.

Sources told NDTV that most of the parties that attended the meeting expressed happiness and relief that the results of the survey had been released and a promise made to the people had been fulfilled. 

BJP Legislature Leader Party leader Vijay Kumar Sinha expressed his dissatisfaction at some groups allegedly being left out of the report, but top officials and Mr Kumar assured him that, if such a thing had happened, it was an error and would be rectified. 

Sources said there were demands for the release of socio-economic data, but the government is weighing its options. During the meeting, it was discussed that the data could be released during the next session of the Bihar Assembly. 

Congress' Take

After the meeting, Congress Legislature Party leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan said all parties, including the opposition, were happy and gave their suggestions.

Asked whether the BJP had also welcomed the results, Mr Khan said, "Definitely".

Pressed further on the "errors" pointed out by the party, he said, "There are certain things that they pointed out and the chief minister has said that they will be fixed if they are found to be true. But, overall, everyone has welcomed the results,

"When there was a demand for a caste survey in the whole country, the BJP was against it. This is a fact. Bihar is the first state (to carry out such a survey) and Nitish ji had said we would do it at our own expense. This is also a fact that the BJP should understand," Mr Khan said in Hindi. 

What The Survey Found

The data revealed that nearly 63.1% of the state's 13.1 crore population belongs to a backward class and roughly 85% are members of a backward or extremely backward class, or a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe.

The general category makes up just 15.5 per cent of the population. Among the Other Backward Classes, the biggest group is the Yadav community, which accounts for 14.27% of all OBCs.

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Amitabh Bachchan And Rajinikanth To Share Screen Space After 32 Years

It's a double treat for all Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth fans. Amitabh Bachchan has joined Rajinikanth's Thalaivar 170. The production house officially announced the news on Tuesday. Sharing a picture of Amitabh Bachchan, the production house wrote, "Welcoming the Shahenshah of Indian cinema. Mr. Amitabh Bachchan on board for Thalaivar170. Thalaivar170Team reaches new heights with the towering talent of the one & only@SrBachchan." The film will be directed by Jai Bhim director TJ Gnanavel. The title of the movie has not been fixed yet. The shooting will reportedly start this month.

Take a look at the post here:

Welcoming the Shahenshah of Indian cinema ✨ Mr. Amitabh Bachchan on board for #Thalaivar170🕴🏼#Thalaivar170Team reaches new heights with the towering talent of the one & only 🔥 @SrBachchan 🎬🌟😍@rajinikanth @tjgnan @anirudhofficial #FahadhFaasil @RanaDaggubati… pic.twitter.com/BZczZgqJpm

— Lyca Productions (@LycaProductions) October 3, 2023

Earlier in the day, the production house also revealed that Rana Daggubati and Fahadh Faasil will also act in the movie. Welcoming Fahadh Faasil on board, the makers wrote, "Welcoming the incredibly versatile talent Mr. Fahadh Faasil on board for #Thalaivar170."

Take a look at the post here:

Welcoming the incredibly versatile talent 🎭 Mr. Fahadh Faasil ✨ on board for #Thalaivar170🕴🏼#Thalaivar170Team gains a powerful new addition with the astonishing performer 🤨 #FahadhFaasil joining them. 🎬🤗🌟@rajinikanth @tjgnan @anirudhofficial @RanaDaggubati… pic.twitter.com/cOYwaKqbAL

— Lyca Productions (@LycaProductions) October 3, 2023

Welcoming Rana Daggubati in the cast, the makers wrote, "Welcoming the dapper & supercool talent Mr. Rana Daggubati. on board for #Thalaivar170#Thalaivar170Team has gotten even more charismatic  with the addition of the dashing." Take a look at the post here:

Welcoming the dapper & supercool talent 😎 Mr. Rana Daggubati ✨ on board for #Thalaivar170🕴🏼#Thalaivar170Team has gotten even more charismatic 🌟 with the addition of the dashing @RanaDaggubati 🎬🤗✌🏻@rajinikanth @tjgnan @anirudhofficial @ManjuWarrier4 @officialdushara… pic.twitter.com/XhnDpm27CH

— Lyca Productions (@LycaProductions) October 3, 2023

"I'm doing my 170th flim with director Gnanavel and Lyca which will be a huge entertainer at the same time with a social message," Rajinikanth told reporters at the Chennai airport before leaving for Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, reported PTI.  The cast also includes Ritika Singh, Manju Warrier and Dushara Vijayan. Jawan composer Anirudh Ravichander will be in-charge of the music.

Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth acted together in Hum (1991). Rajinikanth's upcoming films include a yet-untitled project with Lokesh Kanagaraj and daughter Aishwarya Rajinikanth's Lal Salaam. Amitabh Bachchan will be next seen in Ganapath and Kalki 2898 AD.

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Pics: New Vande Bharat Trains With Sleeper Coaches Ready For 2024 Rollout

The Indian Railways is finally set to introduce Vande Bharat sleeper coaches, with the Union Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, sharing images of the concept train coaches on the microblogging site Koo. The new trains are expected to roll out by 2024 and will provide a faster and more comfortable travel experience for passengers.

"Concept Train by Vande Bharat (sleeper version) Coming soon... early 2024, the minister wrote on Koo.

Koo App

Concept train - Vande Bharat (sleeper version) Coming soon… early 2024

View attached media content

- Ashwini Vaishnaw (@ashwinivaishnaw) 3 Oct 2023

The Vande Bharat sleeper coaches will be equipped with a number of new features, including wider berths, brighter interiors, spacious toilets, a mini pantry, and advanced safety features. The new trains are expected to be more energy-efficient and environment-friendly than current coaches. 

The introduction of Vande Bharat sleeper coaches is a significant development for the Indian Railways, as it will allow passengers to travel long distances on high-speed trains overnight. This is expected to make train travel more attractive to passengers and boost the overall ridership of the railways.

Seen as a symbol of a progressive and self-reliant India, the indigenous semi ligh speed train aims at providing a totally new travel experience to the passengers.

Speed, Safety and Service are believed to be the hallmarks of this train.

Equipped with world-class features, the Vande Bharat Express promises a comfortable journey to passengers. 

The first Vande Bharat Express, between New Delhi and Varanasi, was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 15, 2019. 

Manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, the train set stands as a symbol of the 'Make-In-India' initiative and showcases India's engineering prowess.

The project to manufacture indigenous semi-high-speed train sets began in mid-2017, and within 18 months, the ICF Chennai completed Train-18.

The country's first semi-high-speed train was named Vande Bharat Express in January 2019. The train achieved a maximum speed of 180 kmph on the Kota-Sawai Madhopur section.

(With inputs from agencies)

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BJP Preps Rajasthan List, Question Mark On Ashok Gehlot's Opponent

The Rajasthan BJP has finalised the names of 39 candidates and has also put finishing touches  on a few others on the list. Sources said the first list of the BJP could be released after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jodhpur on October 5.

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat told NDTV the BJP's list is ready. "There will be good news soon for everyone," he said in Jodhpur on Monday.

But who will fight Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in Jodhpur is the big question.

The BJP is not keen to give Mr Gehlot a walkover in his constituency Sardarpura, where he won the last four elections comfortably, sources said.

The BJP plans to put Gajendra Singh Shekhawat against Mr Gehlot in Sardarpur. Mr Shekhawat is the MP from Jodhpur and had defeated Mr Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot in the last national election.

It's not just Mr Shekhawat, the BJP appears to be making MPs fight MLA elections on tough seats.

The BJP is said to have asked Vasundhara Raje if it would be a good idea for her to take on Mr Gehlot head on.

Ms Raje brings firepower to the BJP; the party may benefit from her charisma and crowd-pulling abilities to wrest a tough seat in Rajatshan.

The BJP's strategy seems to be using MPs and other strong candidates for fast bowling so that they can knock out some of the Congress's star batsmen.

Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari could also be asked to take on Rajasthan Speaker CP Joshi in the Nathdwara seat that falls in her constituency of Rajsamand.

Making MPs fight MLA elections is going to lead to a lot of political churning in Rajasthan.

If MPs win MLA elections, there will be that many contenders for the Chief Minister's post.

But in his Chittorgarh rally today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear the only face is the lotus (BJP's election symbol) and the party as a whole is fighting the election.

Putting the party first also has a clever agenda for the national leadership to reduce the influence of regional leaders like Mr Raje and Shivraj Singh Chauhan. The party has the option of creating a new line of leadership at the central level who are young, fresh and ready not only for 2024 but 2029 too.

The Congress in the meantime is working on its ticket list. Thirty names have been finalised and Mr has reported to have told ministers after a cabinet meeting on Sunday that many of them may not get tickets to fight anti-incumbency.

The Congress's surveys have suggested that Mr Gehlot remains a popular leader, but there is anti-incumbency against MLAs and ministers.

Think tanks working closely with the Congress have suggested at least 90 seats in the Congress should be changed. It is not known whether the party will accept this recommendation.

The Congress is likely to release its list after the BJP does.

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R Ashwin's Reverse Sweep In Nets Sparks Meme Fest Ahead Of World Cup 2023

Ravichandran Ashwin made a sensational return to the Indian cricket team for the ODI series against Australia and thanks to his brilliant performance, he was included in the Cricket World Cup 2023 as a replacement for the injured Axar Patel. Ahead of the Cricket World Cup, Ravichandran Ashwin was pictured playing the reverse sweep in the nets and that resulted in social media users coming up with hilarious memes. Ashwin will be part of the spin trio including Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in the squad and his batting will also be a key asset for India who will be hoping for him to score some important runs down the batting order.

Meanwhile, the Indian cricket team on Sunday arrived in Thiruvananthapuram for Cricket World Cup 2023 warm-up fixture against the Netherlands. As the members of Men in Blue walked out of the terminal, many fans, who had gathered outside the airport, chanted ‘India, India.' 

Ravi Ashwin practicing reverse sweep in the nets. pic.twitter.com/eIXFgEwTcA

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 30, 2023

India's first warm-up game against England in Guwahati was washed out due to rain. They will have one more opportunity to test their playing XI against the Netherlands on Tuesday. 

Ashwin Anna doing hands on practice to understand how to counter reverse sweeps on his bowling. pic.twitter.com/KtM0l859Ff

— Gaurav Gulati (@gulatiLFC) September 30, 2023

India have an almost full-strength side at their disposal with KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Jasprit Bumrah all making successful comebacks from long-term injuries. 

He is trying to gain some extra in front of axar and kuldeep. Something X factor.

— Insider Prakash (@Insider_prakash) September 30, 2023

All three of the stars have played a significant role. In the Asia Cup Super 4 match against Pakistan, Rahul made his comeback official with a stunning century.

In the second ODI against Australia, Iyer also scored a century. 

With a fierce performance against Pakistan in the Asia Cup Super Fours, Bumrah has shown signs of getting back to his best. After allowing a run in each of his first two outings against Australia in the final ODI, the legendary bowler put on a death bowling masterclass. 

India will start their World Cup drive on October 8 against Australia in Chennai. 

India World Cup squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav.

(With ANI inputs)

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''AI Version Of Me, Have Nothing To Do With It'': Tom Hanks Warns About Ad

Veteran Hollywood actor Tom Hanks has warned his fans about an AI version of himself used in an advertisement for a dental plan. The Oscar-winner actor took to Instagram to post a computer-generated image that eerily looks similar to him and stressed that he has ''nothing to do with it''.

''BEWARE!! There's a video out there promoting some dental plan with an AI version of me. I have nothing to do with it, '' the 67-year-old actor wrote on the photo of his AI counterpart from the clip. The image has been used in the advertisement without his consent.

Here is the post:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tom Hanks (@tomhanks)

Mr Hanks has previously spoken about the usage of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology in the creative industries. In May, when he was a guest on the ''Adam Buxton Podcast'', he spoke about impact of AI in movies. He said that he could keep appearing in new movies after he dies with artificial intelligence technology.

''Anybody can now recreate themselves at any age they are by way of AI or deep fake technology. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and that's it, but my performances can go on and on and on. And outside of the understanding that it's been done by AI or deepfake, there'll be nothing to tell you that it's not me and me alone. And it's going to have some degree of lifelike quality. And that is certainly an artistic challenge, but it's also a legal one,'' he said. 

Mr Hanks also shared that people in the industry are now talking about how to protect actors from the effects of technology.

"I can tell you that there are discussions going on in all of the guilds, all of the agencies, and all of the legal firms in order to come up with the legal ramifications of my face and my voice and everybody else's being our intellectual property," the actor shared.

In 2004, he starred as a digitally animated version of himself in the Christmas movie 'The Polar Express'. He was also de-aged in scenes in the 2022 film 'A Man Called Otto.'

This year, the renowned actor also published his debut novel called 'The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece'. The book is based on "a wildly ambitious story of the making of a colossal, star-studded, multimillion-dollar superhero action film, and the humble comic book that inspired it all", according to the official synopsis. It was released on May 9 and received mixed reviews.

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What Are mRNA Vaccines That Earned Two Scientists Nobel Prize In Medicine?

The coronavirus pandemic brought global renown to the mRNA technology that underpins vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, and on Monday earned a Nobel Prize for two scientists who have been key to its development. 

Katalin Kariko of Hungary and Drew Weissman of the United States won the Nobel Medicine Prize for their work on "nucleoside base modifications that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19".

These types of jabs are new but researchers have been working for decades to try to figure out how to use messenger RNA (ribonucleic acid) for other vaccinations and to treat illnesses from AIDS to cancer. 

How does it work? 

Messenger RNA's job in the body is to help deliver specific instructions from DNA to cells. In the case of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna jabs, lab-generated mRNA tells human cells to create antigens -- proteins that are similar to ones found in the Covid-19 virus.

Thanks to those antigens, a person's immune system learns how to fight the virus and neutralise Covid if it enters the body.

After the cells create these proteins, the body breaks down the mRNA instructions and gets rid of them.

Such direct communication with cells is revolutionary -- classic vaccines aimed to provoke an immune response by injecting a neutralised form of a virus or antigens into the system. 

Where did this come from?

The first big breakthrough, in the late 1970s, was in using mRNA to make test-tube cells produce proteins. A decade later, scientists were able to get the same results in mice, but mRNA still had two major drawbacks as a medical tool.

For one thing, cells in live animals resisted synthetic mRNA, provoking a dangerous immune response.

On top of that, mRNA molecules are fragile, making them difficult to deliver to the system without altering them.

In 2005, Kariko and Weissman of Penn State University published a groundbreaking study showing that a lipid -- or fat molecule -- envelope could safely deliver mRNA without negative effects. 

The research caused a buzz in the pharmaceutical community and start-ups dedicated to mRNA therapies began to pop up around the world.

What else can mRNA do? 

Scientists have worked on developing mRNA jabs for illnesses like seasonal flu, rabies and Zika, as well as those that have remained vaccine-resistant until now, including malaria and AIDS.

Researchers have also started testing personalised treatments on cancer patients, using samples of the proteins in their tumours to create specialised mRNA.

This then triggers the immune system to target specific cancer cells.

"The mRNA platform is versatile," University of Pennsylvania biochemist Norbert Pardi told AFP. "Any protein can be encoded as mRNA so there are many potential applications."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Watch: Rajasthan MLA Polishes Shoes, Touches Man's Feet With Forehead

With elections just around the corner, political parties are going that extra step to win over voters, even if it means walking that extra mile in someone else's shoes. And that is just what an Independent MLA from Rajasthan did when he polished the shoes of his party workers and constituents.

Resolute in his commitment to combating caste biases in the state, the MLA gathered his supporters at a cobbler's shop and polished their shoes. Videos of his unique election campaign - which quickly went viral on social media - showed him respectfully touching the feet of an elderly supporter with his forehead and seeking his blessings.

Under a shed, hundreds had gathered to meet their MLA, who sat there polishing shoes. "An MLA who polishes our shoes, protects us and the Constitution is among us," the announcement in the background said.

As people showered rose petals and cheered for the MLA, Mr Hudla helped an elderly man out on his newly polished shoes.

Speaking to NDTV, Mr Hudla said he wants to remove caste discrimination. "Eradicating caste discrimination is my priority. I consider workers as my God. I stand with the common man, the poor, and the labourers and I am always ready to help them. Today I have honored them by polishing their shoes," he said.

After nearly an hour of polishing hundreds of shoes, Mr Hudla stressed: "My aim is to eliminate caste discrimination in the area. Many in the area indulge in caste politics, which is not right for us. In Mahwa, people are living in peace with love for one another. We have established new dimensions of development in the Mahwa Assembly Constituency."

"I firmly believe that casteism is a hurdle in our path towards progress and development," Mr. Hudla stated. "It perpetuates discrimination and divides our communities. It's high time we break these barriers and work together to uplift every citizen."

Earlier in the day, to mark Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, Om Prakash Hudla raised a 100-metre-high Tricolour outside the Mahwa district hospital. Supporters then carried him on their shoulders to a stadium, where the MLA unveiled the statue of former President APJ Abdul Kalam.

Interestingly, the MLA had polished the shoes of his constituents after winning the election in 2018.

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Jyothi Yarraji's Bronze Upgraded To Silver At Asian Games - Here's Why

Jyothi Yarraji clinched silver in Women's 100m Hurdles event at Asian Games 2023 to complete a momentous day for India at the competition which saw them winning 9 medals in athletics - 2 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze. However, the medal was not without its fair share of controversies as Yarraji was initially third in the race but her bronze was upgraded to silver after Chinese runner Wu Yanni was disqualified for a false start. Both Yarraji and Wu were under review after the false start but the organisers decided to disqualify just Wu as she was the first runner to rush in during the false start to the race.

At the start of the race, Wu was in Lane 4 with Yarraji in Lane 5. During the false start, Wu rushed in first followed by Yarraji resulting in a disqualification for both. The decision taken by the organisers left a lot of people confused as the first person to rush is disqualified and Yarraji was the second to run forward.

Both players approached the screen for a review and it was decided by the organisers to allow the athletes to compete in the race with a post-race review deciding their future.

China's Lin Yuwei emerged the winner in the race with Wu finishing second and Yarraji coming third.

Yarraji finished with the timing of 12.91 secs while Lin clocked 12.74 secs.

However, around 30 minutes after the race finished, Wu was disqualified from the race and as a result, the bronze medal won by Yarraji was immediately upgraded to a silver medal.

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"Destroyed 20 Targets": Turkey's Air Strikes In Iraq After Ankara Blast

Turkish jets launched air strikes inside Iraqi Kurdistan late Sunday, after a blast earlier the same day injured two police officers near the parliament building in Ankara.

In the hours following the bombing, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had already vowed that "terrorists" would never achieve their aims.

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terror group by Turkey and its Western allies, claimed responsibility for the blast. It has waged a deadly insurgency against Ankara for four decades.

The district targeted in the bombing is home to several other ministries and the Turkish parliament, which reopened as planned in the afternoon with an address from Erdogan.

"The villains who threaten the peace and security of citizens have not achieved their objectives and will never achieve them," Erdogan said. 

The interior ministry said two attackers had arrived in a commercial vehicle around 9:30 am (0630 GMT) in front of "the entrance gate of the General Directorate of Security of our Ministry of the Interior, and carried out a bomb attack."

"One of the terrorists blew himself up," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya told journalists outside the ministry. "The other was killed by a bullet to the head before he had a chance to blow himself up."

Two police officers were lightly injured in the exchange of fire, but their lives were not in danger, he added.

The Ankara prosecutor's office said it had opened an investigation and banned access to the area. Local media were asked to stop broadcasting images from the scene of the attack.

North Iraq strikes

In a statement to the ANF news agency, which is close to the Kurdish movement, the PKK said that "a sacrificial action was carried out against the Turkish Interior Ministry".

On Sunday evening, an official in Iraqi Kurdistan reported that Turkish army planes bombing parts of the Bradost region and the village of Badran.

Turkey's defence ministry acknowledged an "air operation" in northern Iraq to "neutralise the PKK".

The ministry said that "20 targets used by terrorists" had been destroyed.

In his opening remarks, Erdogan also slammed the European Union for stalling his country's membership bid, stating that Turkey "no longer expects anything from the European Union, which has kept us waiting at its door for 40 years".

"We have kept all the promises we have made to the EU but they have kept almost none of theirs," he said, adding that he would not "tolerate any new demands or conditions" for his country to join the bloc. 

Sweden NATO bid

This session of Turkey's parliament must also validate Sweden's entry into the NATO alliance.

Hungary and Turkey in July lifted their vetoes against Sweden's entry into the Atlantic alliance, but have been slow to ratify its membership.

Erdogan indicated in July that ratification by the Turkish parliament would not take place before October, but it is expected to be approved during this parliamentary year. 

For months, Erdogan has been putting pressure on Sweden to take action against Koran desecrations that have strained relations between the two countries. 

Sweden's prime minister Ulf Kristersson was quick to pledge in a statement that his country "once again confirms its commitment to long-term cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism". 

Numerous foreign leaders also voiced support for Turkey after the attack, with messages of support coming from Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States embassy in Ankara.

The Turkish capital has been the scene of several attacks, particularly during the years 2015 and 2016 -- many claimed by the PKK or the Islamic State group. 

The PKK has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984 in a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

In October 2015 an attack in front of a central station in Ankara claimed by the Islamic State group killed 109 people.

The most recent bomb attack in Turkey was in a shopping street in Istanbul in November 2022, where six were killed and 81 were injured.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Indian-Origin UK MP Hails Yogi Adityanath For UP's "Changed Perception"

A British MP sent a postcard to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, congratulating him for the "changed perception" of the state.

The British MP of Indian origin, Virendra Sharma, in his postcard, wrote, "Honorable Yogi Adityanath, I would like to congratulate you for achieving great successes in UP and bringing peace to the state".

On this occasion, author Shantanu Gupta presented his best-selling graphic novel - "Ajay to Yogi Adityanath" to the British MP. Each of his graphic novels contains a postcard to send a message to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Virendra Sharma also wrote a message.

Speaking at the House of Commons, author Shantanu Gupta discussed the developmental journey of Uttar Pradesh.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created 'Brand India' across the world, because of which Indians are given more importance across the world today, and ‘Brand UP' has become a strong brand across India.

Shantanu Gupta further said that the same Uttar Pradesh, which was once known for anarchy, corruption, and inefficient governance, is now a top investment destination under the Yogi government. In the ranking of ‘Ease of Doing Business', UP jumped from 14th place before 2017 to second position.

The author also mentioned that Uttar Pradesh is currently ranked number 1 in the implementation of more than 40 schemes of the Central Government. Today, Uttar Pradesh is known for its achievements such as the Uttar Pradesh Expressway, new airports, 24-hour electricity, and a strong law and order situation.

Mr Gupta shared some fascinating conversations between him and Yogi Adityanath's father, Anand Singh Bisht.

The author told the British Parliament that during his research, Anand Bisht revealed that a small blue one-and-a-half-room house in Uttarakhand's Panchur village was his only possession in life. This was all he could earn in his lifetime from the humble job of a forest guard.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Digital Passports: These Countries Are Early Movers

Finland became the first country to launch digital passports, aiming to streamline and enhance international travel.Finnish travellers departing from Helsinki to the UK now have the option to present a digital ID on their mobile device instead of their physical passport, according to Euronews. The Finnish Border Control has noted that this marks the first instance worldwide where a digital passport is accepted in a genuine border control setting, promising a more efficient and seamless travel experience.

The initiative was launched on August 28 in collaboration with Finnair, the Finnish police, and airport operator Finavia. The Finnish Border Guard is overseeing the trial, which will continue until February 2024 at Helsinki Airport's border control.

How do these digital passports function?

Interested travelers must initially download the FIN DTC Pilot digital travel document app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. To use the app, a phone screen locking method such as a PIN number, fingerprint, or face ID must be activated before installation.

Subsequently, travellers must register with the police at Vantaa Main Police Station's license services. This registration entails booking an appointment and presenting a valid physical passport to create its digital counterpart. During the registration process, individuals will provide consent and have a facial photo taken for facial recognition purposes.

Once registered, travelers can use DTC at Helsinki Airport when flying directly to the United Kingdom and returning to Helsinki Airport on Finnair flights until the trial concludes in February 2024. Before each trip, travelers must transmit their data via the app to the Finnish Border Guard 36 to 4 hours prior to departure.

Digital passports worldwide

Several countries have launched or are planning similar initiatives. In alignment with Finland, Poland, South Korea, the United States, and the United Kingdom are also developing digital passport projects. Notably, in 2021, Ukraine granted digital passports the same legal status as physical ones.

Singapore introduced HealthCerts in February 2021, a digital health passport that securely stores and presents Covid-19 test results and vaccination records for travelers. Additionally, countries such as China, Estonia, and Israel have introduced digital vaccine passports.

Where India stands

On the occasion of Passport Seva Divas on June 24, 2023, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced the commencement of the second phase of the Passport Seva Programme (PSP-Version 2.0), which will include new and enhanced e-passports. Jaishankar emphasized the commitment to providing passports and related services in a timely, reliable, accessible, transparent, and efficient manner.

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