The Vice President, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu today called upon the Indian community in Lithuania to serve as a bridge in strengthening economic and cultural relations between the two countries.

Addressing the Indian community at Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania on the second day of his three nation tour to the Baltic region, he said the bilateral trade between the countries was below potential and added that Lithuania could be an important technology partner for India, especially in areas such as lasers, renewable energy, agro-food processing and life sciences.

“I reviewed the situation after the fire at AIIMS yesterday. The hospital area has not been affected by the fire and there has been no loss or damage to life.” This was stated by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare after visiting the hospital and taking stock of the situation on site at AIIMS along with Director, AIIMS, New Delhi and senior faculty members today in the morning.

As informed by CBI, Dr. Naresh Sharma, Dy. Drug Controller (I), CDSCO (Hq), New Delhi has been trapped and taken in custody by them on 16.08.2019 and legal investigation under Cr.No. and Section RC-29/2019 u/s 7 of PC Act, 1988 has been initiated.

The Vice President, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, who began a three-nation tour to the Baltic region today, briefed the Lithuanian President, Gitanas Nauseda on the recent decision of the Indian Government to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution that conferred Special Status upon Jammu and Kashmir.

Aadi Mahotsav (National Tribal Festival), a joint initiative of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India & Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) begins at Polo Ground, Leh-Ladakh today.

In the run-up to the United Nations Framework for Climate Change (UNFCC) Conference of Parties (COP-25) meet to be held later in the year from 2nd to 13th December, the BASIC countries held its 28th Ministerial meeting on Climate Change from 14th to 16th August in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Raksha Mantri ShriRajnath Singh has approved setting up of a Committee under the Chairmanship of Director General (Acquisition) to review the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2016 and Defence Procurement Manual (DPM) 2009.

In continuation of the meeting held on August 14, a Committee of senior officials of Ministry of Defenceled by Additional Secretary, Department of Defence Production alongwith Chairman, Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) once again met the office bearers of the All India Defence Employees Federation, Indian National Defence Workers Federation, Bhartiya Pratiksha Mazdoor Sangh and Confederation of Defence Recognized Association here today on the issue  of Strike notice  given by them starting with effect from August  20, 2019.

The Central Board of Secondary Education will conduct the 13th edition of Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) on 08-12-2019 (Sunday). The test will be conducted in 20 (Twenty) languages in 110 cities all over the country.

In Badminton, BWF World Championships begins today at Basel in Switzerland. India's Sai Praneeth B will clash with Jason Anthony Ho-Shue of Canada, while hs prannoy will take on Finnish Eetu Antti Oskari Heino today.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has said Lithuania could be an important technology partner for India, as he underlined the immense potential for growth in bilateral trade.

The Supreme Court today granted two more weeks time to the CBI to complete the ongoing investigation into the road accident case in which the Unnao rape survivor and her lawyer have sustained critical injuries.

Home Minister Amit Shah today said the politics of appeasement and vote bank were the reasons for the continuance of the evil practice of triple talaq, for so long.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said that Article 370 of the Constitution has been abrogated to ensure all-round development and extend benefits to the people of the newly-created Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

President Ram Nath Kovind today inaugurated the Presidential Guest House named Jal Kiran at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.The Guest House will serve as the accommodation for the President and the Prime Minister during their visits to Mumbai.

He will be holding meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Dr A K Abdul Momen on Tuesday. He is also scheduled to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday.

India and Bangladesh enjoy excellent bilateral relations with a number of important projects in the field of railways, power and infrastructure sector being run in Bangladesh with Indian assistance and co-operation. 

However, issues like river water sharing remain to be finalised. Both the leaders are expected to discuss issues of mutual importance during the visit of the External Affairs Minister to Bangladesh.

It will be the first Bangladesh visit  of External Affairs Minister after the new government took oath in India in May.

Muhammed Anas, on the other hand, won the men's 300m race in 32.41 seconds. 
 

Prime Minister Modi's first stop will be the UAE on 23-24 August where he will meet the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest.

On the second leg of his visit, Prime Minister Modi will arrive in Bahrain on 24 August for a two-day visit. this will be  the first-ever Prime Ministerial visit from India to Bahrain. 

During the visit, Prime Minister would be meeting and holding talks with His Royal Highness Prince Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain to discuss entire spectrum of bilateral relations and also regional and international issues of mutual interest.
 

Heavy rains remained unabated in Himachal Pradesh, leaving at least 24 people dead and nine others injured in rain-related incidents in the state. 

Due to heavy rains, district officials in the state have ordered closure of all educational institutions in Shimla and Kullu today. 

Gates of the Pandoh and the Nathpa Jhakri dams in Himachal Pradesh are being opened as the water level in the Beas and Sutlej rivers is very high. 

People have been requested to stay away from rivers, rivulets and streams to avoid any untoward incident.

UTTARAKHAND: 8 KILLED IN UTTARKASHI CLOUDBURST

In Uttarakhand, at least eight people have been killed 10 others were missing in flash floods following the cloud burst in Mori Block in Uttarkashi on Saturday night. 

Dozens of houses were damaged due to cloudburst. Water electricity and communication facilities have been badly hit. NDRF ,SDRF,ITBP and district administration are engaged in rescue operations. 

Meanwhile schools are closed in 12 Districts of the state following the Weather alert. Chief minister Trivendra singh rawat has directed all the district magistrates to stay alert in view of heavy rain prediction in the coming days. 

WATER LEVEL INCREASING IN RIVERS OF UP

With incessant rainfall continuing in the Himalayan range, the brunt of increased water level is laid on the plains. Water levels have been rising in Yamuna and Ganga Rivers in Prayagraj. Various other districts in the state are also suffering from increased water level.

Heavy rains remained unabated in Haryana and Punjab on Sunday causing floods in some parts, while authorities sounded high alert in the two states. Floods were reported from areas like Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib and Pathankot in Punjab.
 

Minister for External Affairs of Dr. S. Jaishankar and Nepal’s Minister of Foregn Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali will co-chair the meeting and lead their respective delegations.

According to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Joint Commission Meeting will review overall state of bilateral relations and various areas of cooperation such as connectivity and economic partnership, trade and transit, power and water resources, culture, education and other matters of mutual interest.

India-Nepal Joint Commission was established in June 1987. Its meetings are held alternately in Nepal and India. The last meeting of the Commission was held in New Delhi in October 2016.

During the visit, the Minister of External Affairs Dr. Jaishankar will pay courtesy calls on President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Mr. K P Sharma Oli. 

Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs will also host a dinner in honour of Dr. Jaishankar.

Organisers said they hoped the assembly would be peaceful, which would make for a rare calm weekend in a months-long movement that has been marked by violent clashes with police. 

While police had granted approval for the rally, they didn't approve an accompanying march. 

Demonstrators nevertheless fanned out and filled the streets, as there was not enough space at the designated assembly area. 

Public transit trains did not stop at stations near the assembly because of overcrowding.
 

Speaking at the 28th BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the environment minister said. The BASIC Group could play an important role in making Paris Agreement accepted by all the countries in its true letter and spirit. 

He added that  BASIC countries would be united and speak in one voice and the joint statement which was issued has highlighted all the issues which are relevant today.
 

The Vice President,  who who is on three-nation visit to the Baltic region, also briefed the Lithuanian President on the recent decision of the Indian Government to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution that conferred special status upon Jammu and Kashmir. 

He also informed the Lithuanian President that more than 100 progressive legislations have now become applicable to the two Union Territories. 

They include reservation of seats for women in Panchayats (Local Self Governments), implementing child protection programs, ensuring right to education for children and protecting women from domestic violence. 

Vice President is on a five-day trip to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, the first ever high-level visit from India to the three Baltic countries.
 

More than 50,000 landline phones were operational now. The services will be restored in other areas in a calibrated manner. 

Security forces continued to man barricades on roads but allowed people to move after checking their credentials. 

Briefing media persons in Srinagar on Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Government
Spokesperson Rohit Kansal said that govt will try to restore landline communication services as soon as possible in the valley.

The Government Spokesperson also said that over 190 primary schools will reopen in Srinagar tomorrow and all necessary arrangements in this regard have been made.

Shahidul Alam was arrested on August 5 last year under the controversial ICT Act on charges of spreading rumours and provoking people during an agitation for safer roads by students in Dhaka . He spent over 100 days in jail before he was released after being granted bail by the High Court.

His arrest and imprisonment sparked outrage at home and abroad.

The ICT Act was replaced by a new law called the Digital Security Act in September last year. While the government claimed that the new law was historic, media organisations and human right bodies have criticised it for containing harsh provision allowing police officials to search or arrest anyone without warrant.

Shahidul Alam is a renowned photographer and  founder of the Drik Gallery, Pathshala and the South-Asian Media Institute in Bangladesh.

He said that he is confident that business and industry leaders of Kaunas, would be in the forefront to expand and strengthen the trade and commercial ties between Indian and Lithuania, especially in sectors such as food and agro-processing, IT, textiles, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

Talking about 150th Birth Anniversary celebration of Mahatma Gandhi, Naidu said Mahatma Gandhi belongs not just to India, but to the entire world.

His philosophy and universal teachings continue to be relevant. In these times of strife, his powerful message of non-violence and peaceful co-existence stands all the more relevant.

He further added that India is grateful to the Government of Lithuania for installing the   monument in Rusne that immortalized the friendship of Gandhi and Kallenbach.

Mahatma Gandhi considered Kallenbach as not just a friend but his soulmate, who played an important role in evolution of Gandhi’s socio-political doctrine.

The Vice President said that India is one of the fastest-growing major economies of the world. This has happened due to determined efforts and policy initiatives taken by the government to make India one of the world’s most open destinations for investment, a leading hub of technology start-ups, and an easier place to do business.

He also talked about India’s ranking in the World Bank’s Doing Business Report 2018 showed an improvement of 30 places in one year.

The Vice President also talked about GST and informed that how it has led to uniform, simpler and digitally-enabled taxation in India.

Later, he Visited Kaunas University of Technology in Sanataka Valley and went around the Laboratory Area of the Institute of Materials Science and the Ultrasound Research Institute.

Addressing a function in Haryana today Defence Minister said, talks with Pakistan will be held only when it stops harbouring terrorists. 

Union Minister Rajnath Singh said, the government would never let down the country. Referring to abrogation of article 370 and 35-A the minister said, BJP government is implementing its poll manifesto. 

The function was organised to flag off "Jan Ashirvaad Yatra" from Kalka in Panchkula district.

Addressing the students of the prestigious Royal University of Bhutan here, PM Modi said it is natural that the people of Bhutan and India experience great attachment to each other. After all, they are close not just due to their geography.

Their history, culture and spiritual traditions have created unique and deep bonds between our peoples and nations, PM said. "India is fortunate to be the land where Prince Siddhartha became Gautam Buddha. And from where the light of his spiritual message, the light of Buddhism, spread all over the world.

Generations of monks, spiritual leaders, scholars and seekers have burnt that flame bright in Bhutan. They have also nurtured the special bond between India and Bhutan," the prime minister said in the majority Buddhist country. "As a result, our shared values have shaped a common world-view," PM Modi said in the presence of Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering.

"And as people, we are fortunate to be the living vehicle of this great legacy. No other two countries in the world understand each other so well or share so much. And no two countries are such natural partners in bringing prosperity to their peoples, PM said.

Anyone visiting Bhutan is struck as much by its natural beauty as by the warmth, compassion and simplicity of its people, the prime minister said. "During this visit, I have had the opportunity to interact closely with the present leadership of Bhutan. I once again received their guidance for the India-Bhutan relationship, which has always benefitted from their close and personal attention," said PM Modi, who is here on his second visit to Bhutan and the first since his re-election in May this year.

"Now, today, I am here, with the future of Bhutan. I can see the dynamism, and feel the energy. I am confident that these will shape the future of this great nation and its citizens. Whether I look at Bhutan's past, present or future, the common and constant threads are - deep spirituality, and youthful vigour. These are also the strengths of our bilateral relationship," PM said.

"Today, I stand here among the best and brightest youth of Bhutan. His Majesty (Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck) told me yesterday that he interacts with you regularly and had addressed the last convocation. It is from you all that Bhutan's future leaders, innovators, business persons, sports persons, artists and scientists will emerge," PM Modi said.

"India-Bhutan cooperation in hydro-power and energy is exemplary. But the real source of power and energy of this relationship are our people," PM said. So, it is people first, and people will always be at the centre of this relationship.

This spirit is clearly seen in the outcomes of this visit, PM said. Going beyond the traditional sectors of cooperation, the two countries are seeking to cooperate extensively in new frontiers, from schools to space, digital payments to disaster management, PM said.

"Our cooperation in all these sectors will have a direct impact on young friends like you,?the prime minister said. "Democracy and education both aim to set us free. Neither can be complete without the other. And both help us to achieve our fullest potential, and be the best we can," PM said.

"As Bhutan soars high in these endeavours, your 1.3 billion Indian friends will not only just look on and cheer you with pride and happiness. But also they will partner you, share with you and learn from you," the prime minister added.

Assam CM said that the government is preparing a roadmap for setting up CNG fuelling station in all districts to make the state free from air pollution and to promote the use of clean and green fuel. 

Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal said vehicular emissions take a toll on the health of the people and so the government is working sincerely to promote the use of Compressed Natural Gas in the state.

Assam CM stressed the need for generating awareness among the owners, drivers and common people for the extensive use of CNG.

These persons underwent cataract surgeries on August 8 in this hospital. A three-member team comprising the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) and two government ophthalmologists had been constituted to inquire into the case. 

A team from Sankara Nethralaya from Chennai is being called for further treatment of these patients.

Chief Minister Kamal Nath has announced compensation and free treatment for each of the affected persons

The present FDI policy is silent on the fast-growing digital media segment. In the print media sector, 26 per cent FDI is allowed through government approval route.

Similarly, 49 per cent FDI is permitted in broadcasting content services through government approval route. But 100 per cent is allowed for up-linking of non-news and current affairs' TV channels, and down-linking of TV channels through automatic approval route.

"In the FDI policy, digital media does not find a place. As the sector is growing fast, we are looking at it will come under FDI cap or not," a source said. The proposal is worked out by the commerce and industry ministry, sources said. On in the proposal, Deloitte Partner Jehil Thakkar said that this is a great move by the government as it would help media companies to raise additional capital for their digital media segment.

"The government should clarify about the FDI cap in the sector and whether that FDI will be coming through automatic route or not, he said. Thakkar added that at present a significant part of the growth in the media sector is coming from the digital area. "Additional capital is needed to keep this growth going and FDI would be the most welcoming thing in this."

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech in July had stated that the government would examine suggestions of further opening up of FDI in aviation, media (animation, AVGC) and insurance sectors in consultation with all stakeholders with a view to attracting more overseas investment.

FDI in India dipped 1 per cent to USD 44.36 billion in 2018-19. Last year, the government had relaxed FDI rules for several sectors, including single-brand retail, non-banking financial companies and construction.

Foreign investments are considered crucial for India, which needs billions of dollars for overhauling its infrastructure sector such as ports, airports and highways to boost growth.

FDI helps in improving the country's balance of payments situation and strengthen the rupee value against other global currencies, especially the US dollar.

Addressing the students of the Royal University of Bhutan here, PM Modi asked them to work hard and take the Himalayan nation to great heights.

"The world today offers more opportunities than ever before. You have the power and potential to do extraordinary things, which will impact generations to come. Find your real calling and pursue it with full passion," PM Modi told the audience which included ministers, lawmakers and senior officials.

Noting that there are several challenges ahead, PM said, "for every challenge, we have young minds to find innovative solutions to overcome them." "Let no limitation constrain you. I want to tell you all, there is no better time to be young than now," PM told the students.

"As Bhutan soars high in its endeavours, your 1.3 billion Indian friends will not just look on and cheer you with pride and happiness. They will partner you, share with you and learn from you," the prime minister said.

Pointing out that India is witnessing historic transformations in a wide range of sectors, Prime Minister Modi said India is keen to cooperate extensively in new frontiers, from schools to space, digital payments to disaster management. "We inaugurated the Thimphu Ground Station of the South Asia Satellite and expanded our space cooperation.

Through satellites, benefits of tele-medicine, distance education, resource mapping, weather forecast and even warning of natural disasters will reach even remote areas," the Prime Minister said. Referring to India's space programmes and the Chandrayaan-2 mission, Prime Minister Modi said Bhutan is also on its way to having its own satellite. "It is even a matter of great happiness that young Bhutanese scientists will travel to India to work on designing and launching Bhutan's own small satellite. I hope that someday soon, many of you will be scientists, engineers and innovators," PM told the students.

Hailing the decades old friendship of Bhutan and India, PM Modi said it is natural that the people of the two countries experience great attachment to each other. "After all, we are close not just due to our geography. Our history, culture and spiritual traditions have created unique and deep bonds between our peoples and nations," PM said.

Recalling a Facebook post of Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering in which he mentioned about Exam Warriors - a book written by PM Modi to advise youngsters about how to face exams without stress, the prime minister said that post touched his heart. "Can I tell you something? Much of what I wrote in Exam Warriors is influenced by the teachings of Lord Buddha, especially the importance of positivity, overcoming fear and living in oneness, be it with the present moment or with Mother Nature," PM Modi said.

PM also said that in the 20th century, many Indians came to Bhutan as teachers. "Most Bhutanese citizens of older generations would have had at least one India teacher during their education," PM said.

Stating that Bhutan has understood the essence of happiness, PM said, "Happiness which springs from harmony. The world can do with a lot more happiness. Happiness, which shall prevail over mindless hate. If people are happy, there will be harmony. Where there is harmony, there will be peace."

Soon after his speech, PM Modi paid his respects at the National Memorial Chorten, a revered monument honouring the late Third Druk Gyalpo.

"A heartfelt tribute. PM @narendramodi pays his respects at the National Memorial Chorten in Thimphu, a revered monument honoring the late Third Druk Gyalpo," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is here on his second visit to Bhutan and the first since his re-election in May this year. 

Speaking at an event here on Saturday, Popatrao Pawar also called for cultivating crops based on climate or crop patterning and putting an end to flood irrigation, a common process of irrigation across India.

"The success of drip irrigation in Israel is due to all consideration being given to the farmers' requirements," said Pawar at the IIMPACT 2019, a PAN IIM Alumni conference. In India, the drip irrigation system is industry-designed with no input from farmer, he said.

Pawar's water conservation in Hiware Bazar village of Maharashtra helped improve the water table level by 35-40 feet.

He led the Bazar's transformation from a drought-prone village to a green and prosperous model village. His water conservation model is being taught at institutions such as Pune University and IIT Delhi.

Pawar said he convinced his village farmers to skip one season of Rabbi crop and save water. "This resulted in everybody taking a rest and holidays, the fields' fertility improved by going through fallow process and immense savings of water and power," he said.

"More than 80 per cent of these districts are adopting the Hiware Bazar model to conserve water," said Pawar, who has travelled to China, Israel and Malaysia among other countries sharing his knowledge of water conservation.

The mussel is the hoover of the sea, taking in phytoplankton for nourishment along with microplastics, pesticides and other pollutants which makes it an excellent gauge. One day, it may also be pressed into service to cleanse water.

"It's a super-filter in the marine world, filtering up to 25 litres of water a day," says marine biologist Leila Meistertzheim. "It's a real model of bioaccumulation of pollutants generally speaking."

As they pump and filter the water through their gills in order to feed and breathe, mussels store almost everything else that passes through, which is why strict health rules apply for those destined for human consumption. Like canaries in a coal mine, mussels have long been used as "bio-indicators" of the health of the seas, lakes and rivers they inhabit.

Little-known pollutants can turn up to join the usual suspects, with increasing attention paid to microplastics containing bisphenol A and phthalates, both thought to be endocrine disruptors.

Meistertzheim heads a study for France's Tara Ocean Foundation using mussels to gauge the health of the estuaries of the Thames, Elba and Seine rivers. The mussels, placed in fish traps, are submerged in the waters for a month before researchers dissect them to determine what chemical substances lurk in their tissues.

The idea of deploying mussels across the oceans to absorb ubiquitous microplastics is just a dream for now, but for other pollutants, the bivalves are already at work. "In some places, mussels are used, as well as oysters, to cleanse the sea of pesticides, for example," Meistertzheim notes.

Richard Luthy, an environmental engineer from California's Stanford University, says that, in most cases, mussels harvested from contaminated waters should not be eaten. But if the contaminant is E coli, mussels can be thanked for the "removal and inactivation" of the faecal material, he says, calling the service a "public health benefit". The mussels are edible because they "excrete the bacteria as faeces or mucus," he says.

Mussels living in waterways affected by eutrophication often marked by abundant algae, are also fit for human consumption, researchers say. The phenomenon is often the result of waste dumped into the waterway containing phosphates and nitrites, such as detergents, fertilisers and sewage.

The nutrients in these substances encourage the proliferation of algae, which in turn starves the water of oxygen, upsetting the ecosystem. Mussels "recycle" these nutrients by feeding on the algae, says Eve Galimany, a researcher of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Milford Laboratory who has experimented with mussels in the Bronx River in New York.

The recycling principle is already at work in a pilot project titled Baltic Blue Growth in Sweden, Denmark and the Baltic countries which grows mussels to be fed to animals such as poultry, fish and pigs. "Eutrophication is the biggest problem of the Baltic Sea, the most urgent one," says project head Lena Tasse. Mussels "could be part of a solution". Why feed them to animals if they are safe for humans? Because Baltic mussels are too small to be of interest to seafood lovers, says Tasse, adding: "Swedes like big mussels." Meanwhile, the jury is still out on the effects of microplastics on human health.

A recent report by WWF said that humans ingest an average of five grammes of microplastics a week, about the weight of a credit card.

A 2018 study published in the journal Environmental Pollution, based on samples from British coastlines and supermarkets, estimated that every 100 grammes (3.5 ounces) of mussels contained 70 tiny pieces of plastic.

In Himachal Pradesh, several roads were blocked following landslides and flash floods.

In Punjab, an has been sounded in several districts following the release of excess water from Bhakra dam through the spill gates after heavy rainfall in its catchment area. Rain lashed several places in Punjab, including Ludhiana, Amritsar and Mohali and Chandigarh.

In Rajasthan, several rivers and dams are overflowing due to incessant rainfall. Chambal River is flowing 12 metres above the danger mark in Dholpur. 

Several parts of the Jammu region were lashed by heavy showers, raising the water level in major rivers, including Tawi. There were flash floods in Kathua and Samba districts. 

The national capital received light rainfall in the wee hours this morning, bringing respite from the humidity. Intermittent showers all through last night led to waterlogging in many parts of the city. 

Met department has forecast light to moderate rains and thundershowers today.  With the Yamuna flowing near the warning level, Delhi agencies are closely monitoring the situation to deal with any possible flooding.

In Uttarakhand, incessant rain has affected normal life in different parts of the state. 

In Uttar Pradesh, the threat of flood looms large over many villages close to major rivers in the state. In Bundelkhand region water released from various dams has caused ganger of flood in many villages.

More than 1,000 people had been invited, one witness said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Nusrat Rahimi said, the attacker set off explosives among the wedding participants. Both the Taliban and a local affiliate of the ISIS carry out bloody attacks in the capital.

“Around 1,200 guests were invited to the wedding,” said Ahmad Omid, a survivor who said the gathering was for his father’s cousin. “I was with the groom in the other room when we heard the blast and then I couldn't find anyone. Everyone was lying all around the hall.” Outside a local hospital, families wailed. “There are so many dead and wounded victims,” Omid said.

As per the officials, Interior Ministry spokesman Nusrat Rahimi said that there was no immediate information on the cause of the blast. The blast at the Dubai City wedding hall in western Kabul shattered a period of relative calm in the city.

On August 7, a Taliban car bomb aimed at Afghan security forces detonated on the same road in a busy west Kabul neighborhood, killing 14 people and wounding 145, most of them women, children and other civilians.

Kabul’s huge, brightly lit wedding halls are a center of community life in a city weary of decades of war, with thousands of dollars spent on a single evening.

The halls also serve as meeting places, and in November at least 55 people were killed after a suicide bomber sneaked into a Kabul wedding hall where hundreds of Muslim religious scholars and clerics had gathered to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.

“Devastated by the news of a suicide attack inside a wedding hall in Kabul. A heinous crime against our people; how is it possible to train a human and ask him to go and blow himself inside a wedding?!!” Sediq Seddiqi, spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, said in a Twitter post.

Briefing media in Thimpu, about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's engagement with the King, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo and Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said that there will be three pillars of the relationship between the two countries which is enduring nature of partnership based on mutual interest and trust. 

Foreign Secretary said, they desired to strengthen science, technology and education links. He said, India will be happy to assist Bhutan in the health sector which is its priority. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said, the first day of PM Modi was very fulfilling.

Earlier, PM Modi held talks with his Bhutanese counterpart Dr. Lotay Tshering in Thimpu on Saturday. They reviewed the entire gamut of the bilateral relations and ways and means to further enhance it. The two leaders had one to one as well as delegation-level exchanges. Later both the leaders launched various projects. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhutanese counterpart Dr Lotay Tshering at Simtokha Dzong in Thimpu inaugurated Mangdechhu hydroelectric power plant. 

They released a commemorative stamp to mark the 50 years of Indo-Bhutan hydro-power relations. Both the leaders also unveiled the Inauguration Plaque of the Ground Station for South Asian Satellite. Prime Minister Modi launched RuPay Card in Bhutan by making a purchase at Simtokha Dzong. The two sides also signed ten MoUs in the field of science, technology, engineering and other sectors.

Later in a press statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the people of the country has given his government a huge mandate thus providing once again an opportunity to further strengthen the relationship between India and Bhutan.

PM said, Bhutan has a special place in the hearts of 130 crore Indians. PM Modi said, it is a privilege of India that it is a major partner in the development of Bhutan and its cooperation in Bhutan's five-year plans will continue taking care of Bhutan's priority. 

Prime Minister Modi also announced to enhance the supply of LPG from India from 700 to 1000 Metric Tonnes per month to ensure clean fuel in villages. PM said, India is committed to accelerating the development of Bhutan using space technology and in this direction, earth station of South Asia satellite was inaugurated yesterday. It will increase coverage of communication, public broadcasting and disaster management in that country.

Bhutanese Prime Minister mentioned about PM Modi's first visit to Bhutan in 2014 and quoting him that he remembered him saying that Bhutan and India are close, not because we have open borders, but because we have opened our hearts to each other. Bhutanese PM said, PM Modi's visit this time shows how much he means it.

Prior to this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the audience with the King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. He inspected the Guard of honour at Tsshichhofzong, the Presidential Palace in Thimphu.

PM Modi arrived in Paro on a two-day state visit to Bhutan yesterday. He was received at the Paro airport by the Bhutanese Prime Minister along with several senior ministers. 

Our Correspondent covering the Prime Minister's visit reports that children and youth queued up with Indian and Bhutanese flags along most of the 50 Kilometre-long road from Paro and Thimphu to greet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A bronze plaque will be unveiled in a ceremony starting around 1400 GMT to mark Okjokull which translates to "Ok glacier" in the west of Iceland, in the presence of local researchers and their peers at Rice University in the United States, who initiated the project.

Iceland's Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir, Environment Minister Gudmundur Ingi Gudbrandsson, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson are also due to attend the event. "This will be the first monument to a glacier lost to climate change anywhere in the world," Cymene Howe, associate professor of anthropology at Rice University, said in July.

The plaque bears the inscription "A letter to the future," and is intended to raise awareness about the decline of glaciers and the effects of climate change. "In the next 200 years all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path. This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it," the plaque reads. It is also labelled "415 ppm CO2," referring to the record level of carbon dioxide measured in the atmosphere last May. "Memorials everywhere stand for either human accomplishments, like the deeds of historic figures, or the losses and deaths we recognise as important," researcher Howe said. "By memorialising a fallen glacier, we want to emphasise what is being lost or dying the world over, and also draw attention to the fact that this is something that humans have 'accomplished', although it is not something we should be proud of."

Howe noted that the conversation about climate change can be abstract, with many dire statistics and sophisticated scientific models that can feel incomprehensible. "Perhaps a monument to a lost glacier is a better way to fully grasp what we now face," she said, highlighting "the power of symbols and ceremony to provoke feelings".

Iceland loses about 11 billion tonnes of ice per year, and scientists fear all of the island country's 400-plus glaciers will be gone by 2200, according to Howe and her Rice University colleague Dominic Boyer. Glaciologists stripped Okjokull of its glacier status in 2014, a first for Iceland.

In 1890, the glacier ice covered 16 square kilometres (6.2 square miles) but by 2012, it measured just 0.7 square kilometres, according to a report from the University of Iceland from 2017. In 2014, "we made the decision that this was no longer a living glacier, it was only dead ice, it was not moving," Oddur Sigurdsson, a glaciologist with the Icelandic Meteorological Office said.

To have the status of a glacier, the mass of ice and snow must be thick enough to move by its own weight. For that to happen the mass must be approximately 40 to 50 metres (130 to 165 feet) thick, he said.

According to a study published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)in April, nearly half of the world's heritage sites could lose their glaciers by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate.

Sigurdsson said he feared "that nothing can be done to stop it." "The inertia of the climate system is such that, even if we could stop introducing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere right now, it will keep on warming for century and a half or two centuries before it reaches equilibrium."

Iceland's Vatnajokull National Park, which was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in early July, is home to, and named after, the largest ice cap in Europe.

More than 100 MPs have written to Johnson to urge him to reconvene and let them sit permanently until October 31, the date Britain is due to leave the European Union.

MPs are not due to return until September 3. "Our country is on the brink of an economic crisis, as we career towards a no-deal Brexit," said the letter, signed by MPs and opposition party leaders who want to halt Britain's departure from the EU. "We face a national emergency, and parliament must be recalled now."

Parliament is set to break up again shortly after it returns, with the main parties holding their annual conferences during the September break. Johnson whose government commands a one-seat majority insists Britain must leave the EU on October 31, with or without a divorce deal with Brussels.

Labour main opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn wants to call a vote of no confidence in Johnson's government after parliament returns. He hopes to take over as a temporary prime minister, seek an extension to Britain's EU departure date to stop a no-deal Brexit, and then call a general election.

"What we need is a government that is prepared to negotiate with the European Union so we don't have a crash-out on the 31st," Corbyn said Saturday. "This government clearly doesn't want to do that." However, a YouGov survey found that a majority would rather see a no-deal Brexit than the veteran leftist taking over and staging another referendum. Some 48 per cent said they would rather Britain left the EU without a Brexit deal, with Jeremy Corbyn remaining in opposition. Some 35 per cent said they would prefer Corbyn became prime minister, and held a second referendum on Britain's EU membership.

Asked about leaving the EU without a deal, 49 per cent said they would consider it an unacceptable outcome, while 38 per cent said it would be acceptable. Britain could face food, fuel and medicine shortages and chaos at its ports in a no-deal Brexit.

There would likely be some form of hard border imposed on the island of Ireland, the document implied. Rather than worst-case scenarios, the leaked document, compiled this month by the Cabinet Office ministry, spells out the likely ramifications of a no-deal Brexit, the broadsheet claimed.

The document said logjams could affect fuel distribution, while up to 85 per cent of trucks using the main ports to continental Europe might not be ready for French customs. The availability of fresh food would be diminished and prices would go up, said the newspaper. 

Meanwhile Carrie Symonds and PR  expert will accompany British PM when he goes to stay with Queen Elizabeth II at her private Scottish retreat. The monarch traditionally hosts the prime minister for a weekend in September. It is thought Symonds will be the first unmarried partner of a sitting PM to stay at Balmoral.

"On August 22, the MHRD will launch the world's biggest project for teacher training called NISHTHA (National Initiative on School Teachers Head Holistic Advancement), under which more than 42 lakh teachers will be trained," Rina Ray, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, MHRD, said.

At an event organised here, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said, "India has traditionally been known for leadership in education and teacher preparation.

For thousands of years, Indian teachers were considered as vishwa guru." The achievements of the ancient Indian education system were legendary, he said, adding that schools were the foundation of any progressive nation and teachers were the powerhouse of the society, who molded and shaped the future of students to become productive citizens of tomorrow.

Reena Ray said around 19,000 teacher-training institutes across the country were mapped and put on Google Earth.

"Users can go online not only to see the geographical location of these institutes around the country, but also to check their report cards and give their feedback," she added.

Yaduvendra Mathur, Special Secretary, NITI Aayog, was also present on the occasion. "Teachers are the pillars of the society, but it is important to upgrade their skills and ensure that they are trained in the best way. This is only possible in collaboration with teacher education institutions, which play a key role in their actual transformation," he said.