Daily wrap: Chandrayaan-2 launch on July 15; NIA arrests ISIS mastermind in TN
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ISRO chairman K said Chandrayaan-2 will be launched on July 15 at 2.51 am. Photo: ISRO

Daily wrap: Chandrayaan-2 launch on July 15; NIA arrests ISIS 'mastermind' in TN


ISRO: Chandrayaan-2 to take off on July 15

The ambitious second moon mission Chandrayaan-2 is all set to be launched on July 15. This was declared by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K Shivan on Wednesday (June 12). He said that Chandrayaan-2 will be launched on July 15 at 2.51 am. The total mass of the mission is 3.8 tonnes, he added. Earlier, ISRO indicated that Chandrayaan-2 might be launched from July 9 to July 16 with the Moon landing expected to take place on 6 September.

NIA sleuths arrest ISIS ‘mastermind’ of Tamil Nadu module in Kovai

National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday (June 12) arrested Mohammed Azharrudin, the alleged mastermind of ISIS Tamil Nadu module over his alleged motive to perpetrate terror attacks in south India, especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Earlier in the day, NIA sleuths conducted raids at the residences and offices of Azharrudin and five of his associates in Coimbatore city and detained them for questioning. Sources close to NIA said the six were booked by NIA, Kochi on May 30.

AIADMK to stick to dual leadership

Amid the hullabaloo over the need for a single leadership in the ruling AIADMK, senior ministers of the party said that the dual leadership will continue. The party also decided to constitute a committee comprising party coordinator O Panneerselvam and deputy coordinator and chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to guide its day-to-day functioning and decide the further course of action. The decision was taken at a functionaries’ meeting on Wednesday (June 12). The party also issued a statement asking functionaries and leaders to refrain from talking to the media regarding party affairs.

Modi LS leader, Rajnath his deputy in BJP’s new parliamentary party executive

The BJP on Wednesday (June 12) announced its parliamentary party executive committee with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its leader in Lok Sabha and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as the deputy leader. In Rajya Sabha, Union minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot has been appointed as leader of the house and his cabinet colleague Piyush Goyal as the deputy leader.

UP Bar Council president shot dead by colleague

The newly-appointed Bar Council president of Uttar Pradesh Darvesh Singh was shot dead on Wednesday on the premises of Agra Court by a lawyer who then tried to kill himself, police said. Singh, who was elected to the post two days ago, had come for a visit to the civil court when she was attacked at around 2.30 pm.

2 CRPF personnel among 7 killed in terrorist attack in J&K

Terrorists on Wednesday (June 12) carried out an attack on a busy road in Anantnag district of South Kashmir killing at least two CRPF personnel and injuring five others including an inspector of Jammu and Kashmir Police, officials said here. They said at least two terrorists attacked a patrol party of the CRPF on the busy KP Road in Anantnag with automatic rifles followed by the hurling of grenades.

China appoints veteran diplomat Sun Weidong as new envoy to India

Veteran Chinese diplomat Sun Weidong, an expert on South Asia who worked closely with external affairs minister S Jaishankar during his tenure as ambassador in Beijing, has been appointed as the country’s new envoy to India. Sun, who also served as the ambassador to Pakistan, is currently the director general of the Policy and Planning department of the Foreign Ministry.

Govt insistence on BSNL/MTNL revival flies in face of Air India logic

It is an abiding mystery that the Modi government, in its second tenure, wants to exit the business of flying by selling off Air India (AI) but wants to cling to the business of telephony. Plans for the sale of AI, which is wholly owned by the government and has been posting losses for at least a decade, are underway. The logic behind the disinvestment is that the domestic airline business is dominated by private airlines as AI has been pushed down the pecking order and continues to pile on losses. The government has finally set aside security concerns and of connectivity to the hinterland suffering if the industry is left exclusively to private players.

PM not to fly over Pakistan while travelling to Bishkek: MEA

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not fly over the Pakistani airspace while travelling to Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on Wednesday (June 12) to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the External Affairs Ministry said. It said the Prime Minister will fly over Oman, Iran and several Central Asian countries countries to reach Bishkek. India requested Pakistan to let Modi’s aircraft fly over its airspace when he travels to Bishkek. Pakistan accorded an ‘in principle’ approval to India’s request.

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