A controversial Sri Lankan field commander, accused of grave human rights abuses during the country's 26-year civil war, has been appointed the new Army Commander, the President's office announced on Monday.

Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, 55, will take charge as incumbent Army chief Lt Gen Mahesh Senanayake's service was not extended. President Maithripala Sirisena's office announced that Lt Gen Shavendra Silva has been named as the new army commander.

Silva headed the Army's 58th Division in the final battle against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels in the final stages of the civil war in 2009. His brigade was accused of attacking civilians, hospitals and stopping humanitarian supplies to trapped Tamil civilians.

The Union Home Ministry has fixed the retirement age of all Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel at 60 years, an order issued on Monday said.

The MHA issued the order following a January 2019 Delhi High Court verdict asking the Ministry to fix a retirement age that would be uniform for all members of the CAPFs.

All personnel in the Central Industrial Security Force and the Assam Rifles retire at the age of 60. However, in the other four forces — Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal — those from the ranks of constable to commandant retire at 57, but those above them retired at 60.

India is the world’s largest emitter of anthropogenic sulphur dioxide, which is produced from coal burning, and greatly contributes to air pollution, a study claimed on August 19.

According to an analysis of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) data released by environmental NGO Greenpeace on August 19, India has more than 15% of all anthropogenic sulphur dioxide (SO2) hotspots in the world detected by the OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) satellite.

The major SO2 emission hotspots in India are Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh, Neyveli and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, Talcher and Jharsuguda in Odisha, Korba in Chhattisgarh, Kutch in Gujarat, Ramagundam in Telangana and Chandrapur and Koradi in Maharashtra.

Vodafone Idea on Monday said Balesh Sharma has stepped down from the position of chief executive officer (CEO) citing personal reasons. Ravinder Takkar, currently Vodafone Group's representative in India, will be appointed as the new MD and CEO with immediate effect, the telecom major said in a statement.

"The Board of Vodafone Idea Limited today announced that it has accepted Balesh Sharma's request for personal reasons to step down as CEO of Vodafone Idea," the company said in a press release. Sharma will be taking up a new role with Vodafone Group, which will be announced in due course.

Sharma has been the CEO of Vodafone Idea since the completion of the merger. He was Chief Operating Officer of Vodafone India prior to that. "Balesh has driven the strategy of the combined business since its formation and he has also spearheaded the largest-ever equity raise in India," Vodafone Idea said.

Indian Space Research Organisation has successfully placed  Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft into lunar orbit this morning as planned. After this ion into the lunar orbit, four more orbit maneuvers will be carried out till September 1st to bring it closer to Moon’s surface in the proximity of 100 km of lunar orbit. 

Chandrayaan 2 was launched on July 22 by GSLV Mark III-M1 launch vehicle. Its ion into lunar orbit today is another milestone for ISRO, before Lander Vikram and rover Pragyan soft-land on the south pole of the moon on September 7.

Veteran composer Khayyam, best known for his music in classic films such as Umrao Jaan and Kabhi Kabhie, passed away after a prolonged illnesses at a hospital here on Monday. He was 92.

Mohammed Zahur Hashmi, popularly known as Khayyam, was admitted to Sujay Hospital in suburban Juhu a few days ago owing to breathing issues and other age-related illnesses. “He died at Sujay Hospital around 9.30 p.m.,” a family friend said.

According to the composer’s spokesperson, Khayyam’s mortal remains will be kept at his residential complex from 10 a.m. onwards for people to pay their last respect. Thereafter, his funeral will take place with full state honours, the spokesperson said.

Paytm has elevated its CFO Madhu Deora as President of the company on Monday. Madhur joined the digital payment firm in October 2016. Earlier, Deora has served as Managing Director in Citigroup's investment banking business in New York, London and Mumbai.

"We have grown over 20x in the last 3 years by creating a payments-led lifestyle and financial services app in our country. The next phase of our journey is to expand our offerings in consumer internet and financial services," said Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma. "As we expand our business, we are promoting Madhur to the role of President. Madhur has been a key partner in this success".

I-League champion Chennai City FC on Sunday announced a strategic partnership with German sports goods supplier uhlsport to develop grassroots football in Tamil Nadu and across India.

The German company, established in 1948, sells football products under the uhlsport brand and handball products under the Kempa brand, and is the official supplier of the Bundesliga teams 1. FC Koln and Fortuna Dusseldorf.

In France, uhlsport is the official supplier and official ball sponsor of the top division Ligue 1, where teams such as Paris Saint Germain, Monaco, Marseille and others play, and the second division Ligue 2.

Former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishra on Monday passed away at a hospital in New Delhi. He was 82 and unwell for several months.

Mishra was a three-time Chief Minister of the State. He was also the last Congress Chief Minister of the State. He was a Cabinet Minister at the Centre as well.

His brother Lalit Narayan Mishra was Railway Minister at the Centre during Indira Gandhi’s regime as Prime Minister.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday launched a scheme to improve infrastructure of government schools in the state.

The scheme named “School Fagadaba” (Make education bettter) was launched at the cabinet hall of Chief Minister’s Secretariat, where the CM interacted with dignitaries and officials present at seven different schools through video conferencing.

He said the objective of the scheme was to ensure better infrastructure, quality education and overall improvement of government schools to make them model schools.

The state government is mulling installation of biometric attendance machines in government schools to ensure the presence of teachers at their posting places, he added.