India’s latest all-weather earth observation satellite EOS-01 will be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) this afternoon, using the workhorse rocket PSLV-C49. Nine other customer satellites will also be carried into space by the rocket, in its 51st flight. It will be ignited at 3.02 pm, from the first launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota in southern Andhra Pradesh, close to Chennai. The 26-hour countdown for the launch mission began  at 1.02 pm yesterday and is progressing smoothly.

This will be India’s first mission from her launch pad at Sriharikota this calendar year. The ISRO scientists say the sequence of preparations ahead of the launch, as part of the countdown, is progressing with precision. The earth observation satellite EOS-01 is equipped with the synthetic aperture radar that has an enviable resolution. Coincidentally, the launch of its peer RISAT-2BR1, is the previous mission that took place from the national spaceport in December last year. The intended applications of the satellite include in agriculture, forestry and disaster management support. Its operational life will be five years, providing crucial data, seamlessly. 

India on Wednesday successfully flight-tested the enhanced version of Pinaka multi-barrel rocket system (MRLS). Indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the enhanced Pinaka along with guidance Pinaka will cover the range between 60 to 90 kilometres and will be deployed by the Indian Army.

The test-flight was carried out from Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, off the coast of Odisha.

The DRDO said that this new rocket system has a longer range with reduced length compared to the earlier variant (Mk-1), which will now be phased out. The design and development has been carried out by Pune-based laboratories of DRDO, Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL).

Indian Naval Ship, Airavat reached Port Sudan yesterday as a part of Mission Sagar-II. Indian government is providing assistance to Friendly Foreign Countries to overcome natural calamities and COVID-19 pandemic, and towards the same INS Airavat is carrying a consignment of 100 Tonnes of food aid for the people of Sudan.
 
Mission Sagar-II, follows the first ‘Mission Sagar’ undertaken in May-June 2020, wherein India provided food and medicines to Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros.
 
As part of Mission Sagar-II, INS Airavat will deliver food aid to Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea.
 
Mission Sagar-II, is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region ‘SAGAR’ and highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with her maritime neighbours and further strengthens the existing bond.

West Indian batsman Marlon Samuels, who top-scored in both of the team’s T20 World Cup final wins during a career that also had its share of controversies including a two-year ban for corruption, has retired from all forms of cricket.

‘ESPNcricinfo’ reported that Cricket West Indies chief executive Johnny Grave confirmed to it that Samuels had told CWI of his retirement in June, having last played in December 2018.

While his overall batting average is not overwhelming, Samuels was known as the man for big occasions, evidences of which were his exploits in the team’s T20 World Cup title triumphs in 2012 and 2016.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of General Insurance Business of Bharti AXA General Insurance Company Limited (Bharti AXA) by ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited (ICICI Lombard) under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002.

Earlier in August, ICICI Lombard announced its merger with Bharti AXA's non-life insurance business. The combined entity is set to emerge as the third-largest non-life insurer in India. Post the proposed deal, ICICI Bank's shareholding will come down to 48.1% while Bharti & AXA will together hold ~7.3% stake in the merged entity.

The exchange ratio for the same stands at 2 shares of ICICI Lombard for every 115 shares held by the shareholders of Bharti AXA General Insurance business. ICICI Lombard believes that there is significant headroom available for operating leverage and cost-effectiveness and that they do not require any capital raise at the moment given the solvency margins remain well above the regulatory requirements.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Sunday midnight handed over the Lucknow airport to the Adani group on lease for a period of 50 years.

The AAI had handed over the Mangaluru airport to the group on October 30 midnight.

The central government in February 2019 privatised six major airports of the country -- Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and Guwahati. After a competitive bidding process, the Adani group won the rights to run all of them for 50 years.

"On November 2, 2020, at 00:00 midnight, AAI's senior officials exchanged Memorandum & handed over Lucknow Airport @aailkoapt to @AdaniOnline," the AAI said on Twitter.

"Shri A.K Sharma, APD (Airport Director), Lucknow exchanged symbolic key in accordance with concession agreement & future development," it added.

The AAI had signed concession agreements with the Adani group on February 14 for operations, management and development of the Mangaluru, Lucknow and Ahmedabad airports.

Shane Watson, the former Australia all-rounder and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener, formally announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old released a video announcing the decision on Tuesday. “This closing chapter is going to be so hard to top, but I am going to try. I truly am forever grateful to have lived this amazing dream,” said the caption.

Watson had informed about his decision after CSK’s final IPL 2020 match against Kings XI Punjab on Sunday, which the Yellow Army won by nine wickets.

“It all started as a dream as a young kid saying to my Mum, as I watched a Test match, that I want to play for Australia. Now as I officially announce my retirement from all cricket I feel crazily lucky to live my dream,” said Watson.

Super typhoon Goni brought intense rains and caused heavy flooding in several provinces in the southern part of the Philippines' main island of Luzon on Sunday.

Goni is the world's strongest storm so far this year with winds reaching up to 225kph (140 miles per hour) and gusts of up to 310kph (190mph) as it continues to cross the main island.

Between 19 million and 31 million people could be affected according to the disaster management agency. Goni is among the strongest typhoons to hit the Philippines since Haiyan, which killed more than 6,300 people in 2013. It follows Typhoon Molave, which hit the Philippines last month killing 22 people, mostly through drowning in provinces south of Manila.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced Reliance Jio as the title sponsor of the Women's T20 Challenge 2020. This is the first time a sponsor is partnering with the BCCI exclusively for the women's counterpart to the IPL. The Board announced the development in a post on the IPL T20 website.
 
BCCI Chairman Sourav Ganguly said the Board grows the game of cricket across all formats, one key area of focus has been to grow the women’s game. He expressed hope that the Jio Women’s T20 Challenge will inspire more young girls to take up the sport and give parents the confidence that playing cricket is a great career opportunity for their daughters. The women's T20 challenge is scheduled to run from November 4-9 in Sharjah.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the seaplane service connecting Statue of Unity in Kevadia with Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad today. Mr Modi yesterday inaugurated a cruise service near the Statue of Unity. The 40-minute cruise will cover six kilometres. The prime minister also inaugurated Ekta Mall, an emporium spread over 35,000 square feet, where handicrafts from all over the country will be up for sale.

A Nutrition Park and a Safari Park are among the several other attractions that he threw open yesterday. The Safari Park is spread over 375 acre and has 1100 species of birds from India and abroad and about 100 animals. Mr Modi also launched an application whereby information about Kevadia will be available in six languages. Key areas of the developed region have been lit by LED lights.

The Prime Minister arrived in Ahmedabad yesterday morning. Immediately thereafter, he headed towards Keshubhai Patel’s residence in Gandhinagar to pay tribute to the leader, who passed away on Thursday. Mr Modi also paid tribute to singer-actor duo Mahesh-Naresh Kanodiya in Gandhinagar and met their family members.