Indian Sub-continent

NEW DELHI, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to launch its third moon mission Chandrayaan-3 in June next year, the state-run broadcaster All India Radio said Friday.

The broadcaster said ISRO plans to send Indian astronauts into space by 2024.

India's federal junior minister for the department of space Jitendra Singh has said the progress of the third moon mission Chandrayaan-3 was hampered due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved 1.5 billion U.S. dollars in financing to help Pakistan provide social protection, promote food security and support employment for its people amid devastating floods, the ADB said on Friday.

The loan is part of ADB's significant response package to support people, livelihoods and infrastructure in Pakistan in the wake of the recent floods which have affected over 33 million people and caused extensive damage to infrastructure and agriculture, the ADB said in a statement.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s elections commission on Friday disqualified former Prime Minister Imran Khan from holding public office for five years, after finding he had unlawfully sold state gifts and concealed assets as premier, officials said.

The move is likely to deepen lingering political turmoil in the impoverished Islamic country struggling with a spiraling economy, food shortages and the aftermath of unprecedented floods this summer that killed 1,725 people, displaced hundreds of thousands and triggered a surge in malaria and other flood-related disease.

New York, Oct 19 (PTI) A globe spanning, 15-year investigation has led to the repatriation of 307 antiquities by the US that were stolen and trafficked from India and valued at nearly four million dollars, the majority seized from disgraced art dealer Subhash Kapoor.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced on Monday the return of 307 antiquities valued at nearly USD 4 million to the people of India.

Mumbai, Oct 20 (PTI) The rupee depreciated 6 paise to a record low of 83.06 against the US dollar in opening trade on Thursday due to a stronger greenback overseas and unrelenting foreign fund outflows.

Besides, a sell-off in domestic equities and risk-averse sentiments weighed on the local unit, forex traders said.

At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened weak at 83.05 against the dollar, then slipped further to quote 83.06, a fall of 6 paise over its previous close. The local currency also hit a high of 83.07 in early deals.

Maharajganj (UP), Oct 20 (PTI) A 12-year-old girl was found dead with a rope wrapped around her neck here, police said on Thursday

The incident happened in Lakshmipur village on Wednesday, they said.

According to the police, the teenager's parents had gone to work in the field when the incident happened.

After returning home in the evening, they found their daughter dead, police said, adding the girl appears to have died of strangulation.

The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, they said.

Sultanpur (UP), Oct 20 (PTI) A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by two men from her village here, police said on Thursday.

According to a complaint filed by the minor's family, the incident happened on October 17 in Dhammaur police station area, they said.

They alleged the accused even threatened the girl not to tell anyone about it.

The girl has been admitted to the district hospital for treatment, Dhammaur police station in-charge Shyam Sundar said.

ISLAMABAD, Oct 19 (APP): The Indian apathy towards the people of war-hit Afghanistan stood exposed as the Narendra Modi government revoked the visas of Afghan students enrolled in Indian universities.

According to the media reports, out of an estimated 14,000 Afghan students currently enrolled in 73 Indian universities, about 2,500 have been restrained from returning to India who were desperate to continue their education.

Kanpur: "Today's boys are showing the least respect to their elders. They are impolite," said a tad bit hurtful father.

He was certainly letting out his emotional utterances like a normal healthy person. For him, this stands as a big problem of our society. 

Being a responsible individual his pain was not off the mark. Professionally he deals in leather related items yet he does not often conceal what he genuinely feels.

COLOMBO, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Around 38 percent of Sri Lankans live in landslide-prone areas, a senior scientist from the National Building Research Organization (NBRO) warned on Tuesday.

Dr. Wasantha Senadeera, a senior scientist from NBRO, said that 30 percent of Sri Lanka's landmass is prone to landslides and 14 districts in the country are prone to landslides, especially those in the central part of the country.