Russia Says Repelled "Massive" Ukrainian Drone Attack On Energy Plants

Russia said Sunday it had repelled a "massive" Ukrainian drone attack on energy and fuel plants in Moscow and 14 regions, one of the largest such strikes since the start of the two and half-year conflict.

Ukraine has repeatedly sent drones to strike Russia's energy infrastructure in recent months, in retaliation for Moscow's missile attacks that have hugely damaged its own energy network since the Kremlin first sent troops into the country in February 2022.

"It is entirely justified for Ukrainians to respond to Russian terror by any means necessary to stop it," President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Facebook.

The latest barrage saw 158 drones fired, most of them downed over the regions of Kursk, Bryansk, Voronezh and Belgorod which border Ukraine, Russia's defence ministry said.

Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that 10 drones had targeted various areas in and around the capital.

One of them sparked a fire at an oil refinery within the city limits of the sprawling capital, he said, while a coal-fired power plant near the city was also reported to have been targeted.

The barrage came just days after Russia sent over 200 drones and missiles at Ukraine's energy infrastructure, in one of the largest such attacks.

It also comes nearly a month since Ukraine went on the offensive in Russia's Kursk region, crossing the border and capturing Russian territory as Russian troops continued their slow but steady advance in eastern Ukraine.

Sobyanin said Sunday morning that a downed drone had hit a "technical building" at the Moscow oil refinery, owned by the Gazprom energy giant, in the southeast Kapotnya area of the capital.

The mayor later said "the fire at the oil refinery has been localised and there is no threat to people or the plant's operation".

In the Tver region northwest of Moscow, five drones targeted the area of Konakovo power plant and caused a fire that was swiftly extinguished, according to governor Igor Rudenya.

'Most massive' attack

A local official in the Moscow region, Mikhail Shuvalov, said on Telegram that three drones had also tried to hit the Kashira coal-fired power station, but that "there were no victims nor damage and it did not catch fire".

Russian military blogger Rybar, who is followed by more than 1.3 million people, wrote, "the night attack by the Ukrainian armed forces was the most massive since the start of the special military operation" in 2022.

In the city of Belgorod and the surrounding area, governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said 11 were injured in a later Ukrainian attack on Sunday afternoon, among them two children and there was widescale damage to blocks of flats and houses.

In the Donetsk region, Russia is advancing towards the city of Pokrovsk and Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky wrote on Facebook that the "situation is difficult in the direction of the enemy's main offensive".

At least three people were killed and nine injured by shelling of the Donetsk region near the town of Kurakhove, the regional governor Vadym Filashkin said.

Russia on Sunday claimed control of two new villages in the region: Ptyche near Pokrovsk and Vyyimka further northeast.

'Terrorising Kharkiv'

On Sunday afternoon, Russia struck Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv with missiles, injuring 47 people including seven children, according to the emergency services.

National police said Russia injuring 21 at a shopping centre and 18 at a sports centre, of whom five were children.

The attack caused "large-scale destruction and fires," the emergency service said and "people could be under the rubble".

An AFP photographer saw rescuers working in the rubble of the destroyed Sports Palace centre with a dog, looking for survivors and bringing out one of those injured on a stretcher.

Outside the shopping centre, there were burnt-out cars and facades torn off buildings and flames from a damaged gas pipe.

Prosecutors said Russia fired two Iskander-M ballistic missiles at a shopping centre and three at the Sports Palace while three other missiles hit near the sports centre.

The energy ministry said that Russia had attacked an energy facility in the city, without giving details.

Kharkiv also came under attack Friday with an aerial strike killing seven including a teenage girl.

"Russia is once again terrorising Kharkiv, striking civilian infrastructure and the city itself," Zelensky wrote on Facebook, appealing for more weapons to fend off attacks.

He urged global leaders to show the "courage to give Ukraine everything it needs to defend itself".

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

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/v7heZV9
via IFTTT

Celebrated "Russian Spy" Whale Hvaldimir Found Dead In Norway: Report

A beluga whale named Hvaldimir which captured the world's imagination in 2019 was found dead in Norway, a report said. The 14-foot-long and 2,700-pound whale was spotted with a harness seemingly designed for a camera five years ago, prompting the internet to nickname him Hvaldimir the spy whale. 

The harness bore the marking "equipment" from St. Petersburg, fueling widespread speculation that the whale was part of a Russian reconnaissance mission. The mystery deepened as no official claim of ownership was made by Russia, leaving the world to wonder if this whale was a spy or just an unfortunate whale caught in a strange circumstance.

The beluga, whose name is a blend of the Norwegian word for whale, "hval," and the Russian name Vladimir, quickly became a subject of global fascination. Unlike other belugas, which typically inhabit the remote and frigid Arctic waters, Hvaldimir appeared unusually comfortable around humans, leading experts to believe he had been in captivity for much of his life. 

"It's heartbreaking. He's touched thousands of people's hearts just here in Norway," Sebastian Strand, founder of the nonprofit Marine Mind, which worked to protect Hvaldimir, said as quoted by the New York Times. 

Last year, Norway requested its citizens to avoid any type of contact with Hvaldimir who was seen in a fjord close to Oslo.

"The white whale known as "Hvaldimir" now resides in the inner Oslofjord. This means that it has arrived in a very densely populated area, and the risk that the whale may be injured due to human contact has thus become significantly greater," a statement by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries read. 
 

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/b3WpsAt
via IFTTT

Scientists Unveil Doughnut-Shaped Structure Hidden In Earth's Outer Core

Scientists have unravelled a doughnut-like structure buried deep within Earth's swirling outer core of molten metal. The exciting discovery was reported in a new study published in Science Advances.

The discovery was made by a research team that analysed seismic waves generated by large earthquakes. The expert team included Professor Hrvoje Tkalcic, a geophysicist from the Australian National University. These waves travel through Earth, giving scientists information about its internal composition.

As Professor Tkalcic explained, the researchers focused on how these seismic waves were slowing down while passing through a certain portion of the outer core near its boundary with the mantle.

"By understanding the paths of those waves and their travel times, we reconstructed their journey through the Earth's outer core," he added.

These waves were slower, indicating that a torus-shaped, or doughnut-shaped, region within the outer core was orientated parallel to the equator. This finds a new layer of complexity to the structure at the interior of the Earth.

The authors of the study write, "Thermochemical inhomogeneities in the Earth's outer core that enhance our understanding of the geodynamo have been elusive. Seismic constraints on such inhomogeneities would provide clues on the amount and distribution of light elements in the core apart from iron and nickel."

"Here, we present evidence for a low-velocity volume within the outer core via the global coda correlation wavefield. Several key correlogram features with a unique sensitivity to the liquid core show variations with wave paths remarkably slower in the equatorial than polar planes. We constrain a torus structure at low latitudes with 2% lower velocity than the surrounding liquid outer core via waveform modeling. We propose a thermochemical origin for such a low-velocity torus, providing important constraints on the dynamical processes of the Earth's outer core," the author said.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/0mhqMDS
via IFTTT

Explained: New US Guidelines For International STEM Students

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the updated policy guidelines for international students' eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT) in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. 

The revised guidelines, effective from August 27, offer clarity on rules concerning online study, school transfers, grace periods, and study abroad programmes. These will apply to all pending and future requests.

OPT duration extended for STEM students

As per USCIS, international students in STEM will now enjoy up to three years of OPT, compared to one year for the students of non-STEM fields. This will allow students to gain more work experience in the country.

Online Study Allowances

Eligible students will now be able to count one class or up to three credits per academic session towards their full course of study, without violating the F1 visa terms. It must be noted that the class is taken online or via distance learning, meaning that it does not require any physical attendance.

School Transfers

The new policy now grants permission to eligible students to transfer between Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) schools, certified by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), at the same educational level or even a switch between different educational levels.

Post-Completion OPT 

The new guidelines mention that students who have completed their associate, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree programmes are now eligible for the post-completion OPT.

OPT extensions

Students will now be able to apply for STEM OPT extension up to 90 days before the expiry of their current employment authorisation.

To be eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension, they will require a valid post-completion OPT period; a qualifying STEM degree from an accredited institution; and work with an employer enrolled in E-Verify.

60-Day Grace Period

Once they complete their OPT, students will have a 60-day grace period. During this time, they remain eligible to change their educational level, consider transferring to another SEVP-certified school, or apply for changing to a different nonimmigrant or immigrant status. 

During this period, the employers can also sponsor the student's H-1B visa.

Clarification on the application period

The revised manual corrects the timeline during which the students can apply for the STEM OPT extensions, besides other technical adjustments. This ensures that the students can submit their applications.

Guidelines for the Study Abroad Programme

Students, who are enrolled in SEVP-certified schools, will be able to maintain active status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) during the study abroad programmes if its duration is less than five months. For longer programmes, they will require a new Form I-20.

Students, who receive a STEM OPT extension, will be required to report any changes in their legal name, address, or employment details to the DSO within 10 days. Even in case there are no changes, still they will have to confirm their information every six months.
 

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Ap1N08U
via IFTTT

Manipur Chief Minister Slams Tejashwi Yadav Over "Racist" Jab At Himanta Sarma

A war of words between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav has escalated over the Assam government's move to scrap the practice of two-hour assembly session adjournment for jumma prayers.

While Mr Sarma from the ruling BJP pointed out the decision was taken jointly by all MLAs including Hindu and Muslim leaders, Mr Yadav alleged the Assam Chief Minister's party has made Muslims soft targets to spread hate and polarise society.

What escalated the exchange between the two was Mr Yadav's post on X that took a swipe at Mr Sarma as someone who wants to "gain cheap popularity and become the Chinese version of Yogi," alluding to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

असम के मुख्यमंत्री सस्ती लोकप्रियता हासिल करने एवं "योगी का चाइनीज़ वर्जन" बनने के प्रयास में जानबुझकर मुसलमानों को परेशान करने वाले कृत्य करते रहते है। BJP के लोगों ने नफ़रत फैलाने, मोदी-शाह का ध्यान आकृष्ट करने एवं समाज में धुर्वीकरण करने के लिए मुसलमान भाइयों को सॉफ्ट टारगेट... pic.twitter.com/tVue9mXoY9

— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) August 30, 2024

The RJD leader did not indicate if he was referring to inferior quality goods from China, or the north-east region, where people have often complained of racist remarks directed towards them.

Responding to Mr Yadav's attack, Mr Sarma said, "Doing away with the two-hour jumma break was not the Chief Minister's decision, but of all Hindu and Muslim legislators. When the assembly Speaker on Friday announced it, no Muslim MLA in the house raised any protest. There are 25 Muslim MLAs in Assam assembly, out of a total 126."

असम में जुम्मे के ब्रेक को ख़त्म करने के निर्णय को कांग्रेस ने भी समर्थन दिया। बिहार या देश की किसी भी अन्य विधानसभा में ऐसा कोई ब्रेक है ही नहीं। मैं हैरान हूँ कि असम के बाहर के लोग बिना सोचे-समझे इसका विरोध कर रहे हैं। pic.twitter.com/fuUhhEi1nf

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 31, 2024

The Assam Chief Minister said the proposal to do away with this provision in the rules of procedures of the assembly was placed before the rules committee, headed by the Speaker, which unanimously agreed to drop the jumma practice.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who is from the BJP, waded into the battle and attacked Mr Yadav, alleging that the RJD leader had labelled the Assam Chief Minister "a Chinese just because he is from the northeast."

"It appears that the INDI Alliance is made up of a bunch of ignorant racists who have no information about the history and geography of our country. First, it was Sam Pitroda. Now, it's Tejashwi Yadav who is being racist towards the people of northeast," Mr Singh said.

It appears that the INDI Alliance is made up of a bunch of ignorant racists who have no information about the history & geography of our country.

First, it was Sam Pitroda. Now, it's Tejashwi Yadav who is being racist towards the people of North east.

It is unfortunate that a... pic.twitter.com/uc78LpohC2

— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) August 31, 2024

Mr Sarma also shot back at Mr Yadav, accusing him of "hypocrisy". "Tejashwi Yadav is criticising me but I want to ask him... is there any such practice in Bihar? You (Mr Yadav) should have implemented a four-hour break when you were deputy chief minister of Bihar. Practice it first before preaching," Mr Sarma said.

He added the decision was being criticised only outside Assam, while the state MLAs showed commitment to work for development.

In May 2021, a blogger from Punjab was charged by the Arunachal Pradesh government for his racial remarks against a Congress MLA. The YouTube blogger Paras Singh had in a video termed then Congress MLA Ninong Ering a "non-Indian" and claimed the "state was a part of China", sparking furore among Arunachal residents as well as people from other parts of the country. Paras Singh was arrested and brought to Arunachal Pradesh, where he said he realised his mistake and sought apology. He was granted bail and allowed to return home.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/b35Dg9t
via IFTTT

"To Cover Up Delays...": Centre On Mamata Banerjee's Letter On Rape Cases

The Union Women and Child Development Minister has responded to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's second letter, seeking a stringent law and exemplary punishment on heinous crimes such as rape and murder.

Ms Banerjee in her second letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sought a mandatory provision for time-bound disposal of rape and murder cases. The two letters came amid the CBI investigation into the rape and murder of a junior doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The BJP had called her a "liar" over her letters, and questioned her over why she has not done anything to ensure implementation of existing "stringent" rules and regulations to protect women in her state.

"With regard to the information contained in your letter about the status of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) and exclusive POCSO courts in West Bengal, I may mention that according to information received from the Calcutta High Court, West Bengal has established 88 Fast Track Courts (FTCs), which are not the same as the Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) covered under the Central Government Scheme..." Union Women and Child Development Minister Annapurna Devi said in her response to Ms Banerjee.

"... ln spite of pendency of 48,600 rape and POCSO cases in West Bengal, the state has not operationalised additional 11 FTSCs which may be exclusive POCSO courts or combined FTSCs dealing with both rape and POCSO cases, as per the state's requirement. As may be seen, the information contained in your letter in this regard is factually incorrect and appears to be a step in the direction to cover up the delays in operationalizing the FTSCs by the state," Ms Devi said.

 BJP co-incharge for West Bengal Amit Malviya has also questioned the Bengal Chief Minister over not doing enough to ensure rules and regulations to protect women and girls are strictly followed.

"It is incumbent on Mamata Banerjee to explain why the West Bengal government hasn't done anything for implementing the stringent rules and regulations, which exist for protecting women and girls," Mr Malviya said in a post on X. "Stop writing letters. Answer the questions. You are accountable," he added.

On Ms Banerjee's demand for permanent judicial officers in FTSCs, instead of only retired judicial officers as prescribed in the FTSC scheme guidelines, the Women and Child Development Minister said, "... I may inform you that the scheme guidelines clearly provide for one judicial officer and seven staff to work exclusively for disposal of Rape and POCSO Act cases. Hence, additional charge of FTSCs cannot be given to any permanent judicial officer or court staff. This position was clarified earlier to the state of West Bengal..."

The rape and murder of the junior doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has sparked outrage across the nation, with doctors and others in the medical profession calling for fundamental reforms to ensure dignity and security at their workplace.

The Trinamool Congress has alleged the BJP has politicised the incident. The BJP has, however, pointed the finger back at Ms Banerjee's party with allegations that the medical college was ridden with insidious corruption.

The college's former principal Sandip Ghosh is under investigation. The Central Bureau of Investigation has also arrested the key suspect Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer, who was seen on CCTV outside the seminar room of the hospital where the junior doctor's body was found.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/9F0g5aH
via IFTTT

In A First For Kerala, Wife Succeeds IAS Husband As Chief Secretary

A wife is succeeding her IAS officer husband as the Chief Secretary of Kerala, a first in the state's history.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pointed to this rare occurrence on Friday during the farewell ceremony organised for outgoing Chief Secretary V Venu, who will retire from government service on August 31.

Venu will be succeeded as Chief Secretary by his wife Sarada Muraleedharan, who currently holds the post of Additional Chief Secretary.

Mr Vijayan recalled many instances in the state where couples, both of whom were in the civil service, have transferred the duties of Collector from one to the other.

He said that there have also been instances where both husband and wife have headed departments and become chief secretaries at different times.

"However, this is the first time in the history of Kerala that the post of Chief Secretary has been handed over by the husband to his wife," he said.

On this rare transition in the state's bureaucratic history, Muraleedharan said it was an odd moment for her as she bids adieu to her husband who will retire on August 31.

She said that both of them worked together as civil servants for 34 years, but she never gave much thought to the fact that they will not leave the service together.

"Now I am a bit anxious as I have to continue in service for another eight months after his retirement," she said.

The Additional Chief Secretary, in her welcome address, also said that her husband recently in an interview remarked that the Chief Minister was one of the most professional leaders in power that Kerala has seen.

The Chief Minister, in his speech bidding farewell to Venu, praised him for the work he did in various departments in the state government over the years.

"A medical doctor, dramatist, bureaucrat and a prominent personality in many capacities. This is a speciality that is not common to ordinary civil servants. He was able to advance both artistic and administrative work," Mr Vijayan said.

Venu, in his farewell speech, said that while he was gradually feeling a sense of relief as he set aside the burden he was carrying, he too was anxious when he thought of leaving a long familiar world of government service to that of a private citizen.

He said that when working as a government official, "We often forget that there will be a life after this".

"Usually, government officials get some time a couple of months before their retirement to meet friends, put things in order... But, tomorrow I have to tomorrow go to the office, my last day in service, hold my last review meeting and hand over various responsibilities to others before I retire," he said.

The outgoing Chief Secretary also said that as he looks back at his years of service, he was fortunate to have been able to work with and learn from the shining stars in the socio-political sphere of the state.

He also recounted his experiences working with various political leaders, including former Kerala Chief Minister E K Nayanar, over the years.

Venu also said that he got to learn a lot from Chief Minsiter Vijayan, whom he called a 'guru', as he was a pillar of support and a source of guidance while dealing with the fallout of the recent devastating landslides in Wayanad district of the state.

"I have learned a lot from him," he added. 

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

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/rvuRiYb
via IFTTT