Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora today assumed Chairmanship of Association of World Election Bodies, AWEB for the term 2019-21 as India takes over the Chair from Romania. 

An official release said, India was unanimously nominated to be the Vice-Chair of AWEB at the last General Assembly held at Bucharest in 2017. 

The AWEB Flag was handed over to the new Chairman, Sunil Arora and it will remain with Election Commission of India for the two year term till 2021. More than 110 delegates from 45 countries attended the meeting. 

Mr Arora announced that an AWEB Centre would be set up at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management, New Delhi for documentation, research and training and fr sharing best practices.

Former India limited overs skipper Mithali Raj on Tuesday announced retirement from T20 International to focus on one-day cricket, keeping 2021 50-over World Cup in mind.

The 36-year-old senior opener has captained the country in 32 T20Is, including the three women’s WT20 World Cups in 2012 (Sri Lanka), 2014 (Bangladesh) and 2016 (India).

“After representing India in T20 internationals since 2006, I wish to retire from T20Is to focus my energies on readying myself for the 2021 One Day World Cup,” said Mithali, who had captained Indian women’s first-ever T20I played in Derby back in 2006.

Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza has called time on his 18-year international career after announcing his retirement from all formats of the game at the end of the upcoming Twenty20 international triangular series in Bangladesh.

Masakadza, 36, set a world record in 2001 when, at the age of 17 years and 354 days, he scored 119 against the West Indies in Harare to become the youngest player to make a century on test debut, a mark beaten months later by Bangladesh’s Mohammad Ashraful.

Masakadza bows out having played 38 tests, in which he scored 2,223 runs, including five centuries and eight fifties, 209 one-day internationals and more than 60 Twenty20 internationals.

India's moon lander Vikram is all set to land on the moon on September 7 with Indian Space Research Organisation completing the second and final de-orbital operations successfully this morning.

According to ISRO, Vikaram's second de-orbital operations began at 3.42 AM using the on-board propulsion system and was completed in nine seconds. With this operation, the required orbit for the Vikram to commence it descent towards the surface of the Moon is achieved. 

The touchdown on the Moon's south polar region will be between 1.30 AM and 2.30 AM on September 7.

After the touch down by Vikram, the rover Pragyan will roll down from the former to carry out the research for which it has been designed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Vladivostok this morning on a two-day visit to Russia. Mr Modi will attend the 5th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) beginning today in Vladivostok. Prime Minister will also hold the 20th India-Russia Annual Summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a series of tweets, Mr Modi said, he looks forward to discussing regional and international issues of mutual interest with President Putin. Prime Minister said, his visit underlines the desire of the two countries to diversity and further strengthen bilateral relations. 

Mr Modi will the chief guest at the Eastern Economic Forum. The EEF provides a platform for discussing issues aimed at expanding international cooperation in Asia-Pacific region and developing the economy of Russia's Far East. There are several sessions involving India at the EEF. Among them are harnessing the power of Youth, Logistics - a digital pathway, Human Capital in Eurasia, and the Russia India business dialogue.

New Delhi: Indian Army has handpicked four lady officers including Lt Col Nandani to train the first batch of women soldiers who will be inducted into the military police by year-end or early next year.

The Colonel Commandant of the Military Police, Lt Gen Ashwani has interviewed Lt Col Nandani in Srinagar for the role of the instructor of the first-ever batch of women soldiers for the Army.

There will be more women officers as instructors including Maj Julie who was the instructor to the first batch of women constables in Assam Rifles.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat had earlier announced that women soldiers will be inducted into combat roles on priority after facing criticism that women were being kept away.

The women Corps of Military Police (CMP) batch, whose prime responsibility will be policing army cants, will see a hundred women jawans being recruited. Presently, the Army, Navy and Air Force have only women officers, not jawans. Women soldiers are presently under the selection process from thousands of volunteers across the nation and the training of the selected 100 is likely to start in December in Bangaluru.

The Indian cricket team started their World Test Championship campaign on a high as they won both of their matches against West Indies and thanks to the clean sweep, Virat Kohli & Co are leading the table with 120 points. According to the points system, a win in a two-match series will see the winning team awarded 60 points and as a result, the dominant show by India earned them 120 points from the series win. India bowled West Indies out for just 210 in Kingston, Jamaica, on Monday to win the second Test by 257 runs. (Full scorecard of 2nd Test match)

In the points table, India are followed by New Zealand, Sri Lanka, England and Australia - all these teams have won one match each. While New Zealand and Sri Lanka have 60 points, both Australia and England – who have played three matches – have 32 points to show for all the drama unfolding at the Ashes.

The Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-2 mission has moved away from the main spacecraft, and closer to the moon, lowering itself into an orbit that was 104 km from the lunar surface at the nearest point and 128 km at the furthest. The lander had separated itself from the main spacecraft on Monday and had started moving independently, though in the same orbit as the main spacecraft.

After a four second manoeuvre performed at 0850 am this morning, Vikram, which carries the Pragyaan rover inside, changed its orbit and reached closer to the moon. Through a similar operation on Wednesday, Vikram would lower itself further into an orbit that would be about 36 km from the lunar surface at its nearest point. It is from this orbit that it will begin its final descent on to the moon on the early hours of Saturday.

The main spacecraft would continue to remain in its original orbit, and would relay information to the tracking station in Bengaluru for at least one year. “Both the Orbiter (main spacecraft) and Lander are healthy,” ISRO said in a statement after today’s manoeuvre.

In a major boost to the Indian Air Force’s combat capabilities, eight US-made Apache AH-64E attack helicopters are set to be inducted into the IAF on September 3, officials said on Monday.

Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa will be the chief guest during the induction ceremony, which will take place at the Pathankot Air Force station.

The AH-64E Apache is one of the world’s most advanced multi-role combat helicopters and is flown by the U.S. Army.

“Eight of the Apache attack helicopters are set to be inducted into the IAF, that will enhance the force’s combat capabilities,” a senior IAF official said.

The IAF had signed a multi-billion dollar contract with the U.S. government and Boeing Ltd in September 2015 for 22 Apache helicopters. The first four of the 22 helicopters was handed over to the air force by Boeing on July 27.

The BJP-led Haryana Government has announced a 4,750 crore rupees waiver on interest and penalty on crop loans. This will benefit around 10 lakh farmers of the state. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said this while addressing a rally in Bhiwani, Haryana yesterday. 

The farmers who have borrowed from Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS), District Cooperative Central Banks, Land Mortgage Bank and Haryana Land Reforms and Development Bank will benefit from this decision. 

According to the announcement, the farmers whose bank accounts were declared Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) by these banks and were unable to renew their loans will now be able to do so. Mr Khattar said, out of 13 lakh farmers who borrowed from PACS, the accounts of over eight lakh had turned into NPAs. He said, the five per cent penalty imposed on farmers who failed to repay loans taken from PACS will now be completely waived.