Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday condemned the definition of a "perfect female body" in a class 12 textbook as "sexist" and has ordered action in the matter even as the private publisher has decided to stop the printing and sale of the book.

Excerpts from the Physical Education textbook defining "36-24-36" as the "best body shape for females" on Thursday created an outrage on social media with critics demanding that the text be withdrawn.

The book titled "Health and Physical Education" written by V K Sharma and published by Delhi-based New Saraswati House, is taught at various schools affiliated to CBSE.

CBSE, however, clarified that it "does not recommend any books by private publishers in its schools".

"I condemn the remarks in the book as sexist. The text is non-defendable and unacceptable. We have taken serious note of it. I have instructed the officers to take appropriate action in this regard," Javadekar told reporters.

"It is not an NCERT book but by a private publisher and action will be taken against them. We are also asking CBSE schools to follow NCERT books rather than private publishers in interest of earning profit," he added.

The publishers also announced that they have "stopped the printing, selling and distribution of the revised book with immediate effect".

"We do review our books from time to time but some points have remained uncorrected due to an oversight and hence the book will again be reviewed by our editorial board and any inconsistencies found will be corrected," the publishers added.

The excerpt from the chapter "Physiology and Sports" which is going viral read, "36-24-36 shape of females is considered the best. That is why in Miss World or Miss Universe competitions, such type of shape is also taken into consideration".

Various Twitter users shared picture of the mentioned text and demanded that the publishers withdraw the content and schools replace the book in their curriculum.

In a statement, the CBSE had said, "Schools are expected to exercise extreme care while selecting books of private publishers and the content must be scrutinised to preclude any objectionable content that hurts the feeling of any class, community, gender, religious group. Schools have to take responsibility of the content of the books prescribed by them".

The Human Resource Development ministry had last month said that CBSE has no mechanism to evaluate the quality of textbooks of private publishers and it has no mandate to prescribe or recommend textbooks other than those published by NCERT.

In his dissent note to the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Review Committee report, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Arvind Subramanian has described the fiscal deficit targets suggested by the committee as "arbitrary". Adherence to it will aggravate "booms and busts" in the economy, he has said.

The committee headed by former Revenue Secretary NK Singh, whose report was made public on April 12, has recommended that the fiscal deficit should be brought down to 2.5 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) by the financial year 2023 in a phased manner. 

It has also suggested a revenue deficit of 0.8 per cent and a combined Centre-state debt-to-GDP ratio ceiling of 60 per cent for fiscal 2022-23, which is the end point of its medium-term fiscal road map. 

"The new architecture would be a corset on fiscal policy, resulting in extreme procyclicality-aggravating booms and busts-with adverse effects on the economy," Subramanian wrote in his dissent note.

"There is a problem (with the targets) because multiple targets force policymakers to aim at too many, potentially inconsistent objectives and analytical frameworks, running the risks of overall fiscal policy being difficult to communicate for the government and comprehend for market participants," he said.

The CEA suggested the focus should be on the primary deficit until the fiscal deficit is entirely eliminated.

"This strategy will ensure that debt will remain on a downward path even over the longer term, when India's debt dynamics turn less favourable," he said.

"This would ensure a declining debt trajectory, which would reassure investors and ensure that India's debt remains sustainable even when India's debt dynamics turn less favourable in the medium term," he added. 

He said the "escape clause" should have a "more reasonable growth trigger that allows for some relaxation of the deficit targets during recessions, and some tightening of these targets during booms."

"Such a simple, clear, and consistent architecture would truly be an FRBM for the 21st century."

India's fiscal deficit in the April-February period of the last fiscal ended March 31 touched Rs 6.06 lakh crore or 113.4 per cent of Budget Estimates for 2016-17-as against 107.1 per cent of Budget in the same period of last year, government data showed last month.

The government had set the target of restricting the 2016-17 fiscal's deficit at 3.5 per cent of the GDP, or to Rs.5.34 lakh crore.

In a move to support higher government spending in this fiscal, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has pegged the fiscal deficit target at 3.2 per cent of the country's GDP in his Budget 2017-18. 

The figure is higher than the earlier targeted figure of 3 per cent of the GDP for 2017-18. The target for 2018-19 has been set at 3 per cent.

The FRBM Act, 2003, is designed to institutionalise financial discipline, reduce fiscal deficit, improve overall management of public funds by moving towards a balanced budget and strengthen fiscal prudence. 

The Act's main purpose was to eliminate revenue deficit of the country and bring down the fiscal deficit to a manageable 3 per cent of the GDP by March 2008, but this deadline got postponed due to the global financial crisis that unfolded late in 2007.

With India taking great pride in its soft power, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said this alone can only go so far, and the real art lies in combining both the powers – hard and soft – effectively, something that the “Chinese are doing better”.
“Hard power without soft power is bullying, but then soft power alone at the end of the day is a weak force. However, if you can combine both the powers effectively then you have that self vigor, and this is where the Chinese are doing a better job at the moment,” Tharoor said at the launch of 'My Driver Tulong and Other Tall Tales from a Post Pol Pot Contemporary Cambodia' here at India Habitat Centre.

Referring to Cambodia, Sri lanka and neighboring countries, Tharoor argued that India should think of offering something different to these nations, because if it is about pumping in resources then “Indian investment cannot quite compare to the large investible surplus of China”.

“I have said this in Parliament also that the biggest challenge with Indian foreign policy is not Pakistan, it is the Ministry of Finance. We have our prime ministers and foreign ministers going abroad and making commitments and then the ministry of finance cheerfully refusing to fulfil them when the time comes.
“And then India's aide history is littered with promises either not fulfilled or fulfilled very slowly. All of these things are in contrast with the way China goes about it and I think we cannot honestly think of competing meaningfully with China here,” he said.

However, talking specifically about Cambodia, a former diplomat himself, Tharoor said India faces “serious challenges” in the country as unfortunately some of the well intentioned acts also didn't go according to the plan.

“We contributed a team to Cambodia for restoring parts of the Angkor Wat, the largest Hindu temple in the world, but were subsequently accused of having done such a bad job that we ended up damaging it.

“There is the Archaeological Survey of India doing one area and then year after French Archaeological Survey is there to do another area and they disparagingly say the Indians messed up the first one. Now, we do not know whether it is real or racism. But, the fact is that some of that is still lingering.”

The book, a fictional travelogue of Cambodia, is written by the first time author and civil servant from Kerala, MP Joseph.

Baahubali broke the language barrier to become a pan-Indian hit in 2015 but director S S Rajamouli says he was not as sure-footed about the first part as he is for the upcoming sequel Baahubali: The Conclusion.
The first movie ended on a cliffhanger, leaving the audience with the question- 'why did Katappa kill Baahubali?', which became a catch-phrase and sustained interested in the sequel.
“We were a little nervous during the first part but for this one we are quite confident because there has been a big fan-base which has been following it since the past two years. During this time, none of them lost interest in the film and it kept on going,” Rajamouli says.
“Everyone wants to know the answer to the question, 'WKKP' (Why Did Katappa Kill Baahubali). We are quite upbeat about it,” he told reporters here last evening.
The two-part epic-fantasy stars Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Tamannaah and Anushka Shetty in lead roles.
Rajamouli says it was wonderful of South Indian star Prabhas to dedicate himself fully for years to Baahubali despite being a top hero of the industry.
“The whole film Baahubali was possible because of this man (Prabhas) who being a top hero in south gave three and a half years for the film. I don't think we could've done it (the film) without him,” he says.
The filmmaker, however, says the franchise is so huge that no person, including himself, can be bigger than the project.
“I think whether the director or producer or any other professional involved in it, we are all being carried on a big ship called Baahubali,” he says.
Baahubali is such a big thing, we being the people who worked on it, are getting the attention. I don't think I am a bigger person than the project,” Rajamouli says.
He was speaking at the IMAX poster launch of Baahubali: The Conclusion, which is scheduled to release on April 28.

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has launched legal action against opposition leader Alexei Navalny over an accusation of bribery in his report into alleged corruption by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, a court said on Thursday.

Usmanov has launched action against the Kremlin critic for the “protection of his honour and dignity” at Moscow's Lyublinsky court, the court's press service told TASS state news agency.

Navalny, who has announced he intends to stand for president in 2018, in March released a report claiming Medvedev controls a property empire through shadowy not-for- profit organisations. The video has been viewed more than 18 million times on YouTube.

Medvedev has denied the claims, which he described as “malarkey.”

Navalny's supporters last month held the largest unauthorised demonstration in Moscow in years,    protesting over the accusations against the prime minister, one of President Vladimir Putin's closest associates.

Usmanov was listed as Russia's third richest businessman by Forbes magazine in 2016 with a fortune of USD 12.5 billion. His interests range from metallurgy to social networking sites Mail.ru and VK and business daily Kommersant.
Navalny's report says Usmanov donated a mansion in an elite suburb of Moscow whose value it estimates at USD 70 million to a foundation it links to Medvedev.

The report says: “We know very well what such a gift means: it is a bribe.”
Usmanov is personally suing Navalny and his Anti- Corruption Foundation which produced the report, according to the website of Moscow city courts.

In an interview with Vedomosti independent business daily yesterday, Usmanov said he gave the house and grounds to the foundation in exchange for land it owned, which he bought at a “nominal price”.

He said the house and the land were worth approximately the same – around USD 50 million.
“This is no bribe!” Usmanov told Vedomosti.

He said he planned to sue Navalny “over the lying” in the report.

Navalny, who is a lawyer, responded defiantly on Twitter, saying he would call Medvedev as a witness.

He rejected Usmanov's description of the deal, saying the billionaire bought the land from commercial companies.

Navalny has been targeted in a number of legal cases he describes as politically motivated. This year he was convicted of fraud in a retrial after the European Court of Human Rights quashed the original verdict. This conviction would bar him from standing for public office.

Actor Akshay Kumar has hosted a get together for Amazon head Roy Price and Amazon Video team head.

Taking to Twitter, the 49-year-old star shared a group picture which also featured his wife and actress-turned-writer Twinkle Khanna.

“Wonderful to catch up with Amazing Amazon head @RoyPrice and the @AmazonVideoIn team Brad, James and Nitesh. Thanks for coming over,” Akshay wrote alongside the photo.

Price was also impressed with mangoes the actor offered to him at the gathering.

“Great mangoes and company @akshaykumar! See you soon,” he tweeted.

Though the reason behind the meeting is still unknown, rumour has it the two might collaborate in future.

Akshay is currently shooting for his wife's maiden- production “Pad Man” alongside Sonam Kapoor.

He has also collaborated with Salman Khan and Karan Johar for a film, which will be directed by Anurag Singh.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on Thursday urged Japan to focus on its sky-high government debt if the world's third largest economy wants to ensure its future prosperity.

The latest OECD Economic Survey of Japan encourages reforms in order to increase labour force participation and create more "regular" jobs, especially for women, boost productivity and put public finances on a sustainable track, Xinhua news agency reported.

OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria said in reference to the latest survey that Japan's demographic and fiscal challenges will require greater efforts and further reforms.

Such reforms are necessary "to notably raise productivity, which now lags behind the leading OECD economies", he said

"In the labour market, employment opportunities for women must be expanded. Achieving stronger and sustainable productivity gains should lead to more inclusive growth that distributes the dividends of increased prosperity fairly across society," said Gurria.

It is important that Japan remove "obstacles to female employment, notably by increasing the availability of affordable childcare" and "changing its culture of long working hours through a binding ceiling on overtime work which would improve work-life balance for all workers," the survey said.

It added that "breaking down dualism in the labour market-the current segmentation between 'regular' and 'non-regular' workers, with differing levels of benefits, pay and employment protection-is key to promoting inclusive growth."

It went on to say that an increase in welfare spending linked to the aging population would put "upward pressure" on government debt, which hit 219 per cent of GDP in 2016 and is the highest ever recorded in the OECD.

The report urged Japan to implement a "detailed and credible fiscal plan to put the debt ratio on a downward path".

Veteran actor Robert De Niro says David O. Russell is among those directors to whom he can commit for a project even before he gets the script in hand.

"David O Russell was telling me the story in bits and pieces and so on for about a year, I guess. And then finally started sending pages, then the whole script. I think he sent some pages or half of it or something, whatever. And there's certain directors, they say they're doing something, you're going to say you'll do it, you'll commit way before the script is written," De Niro said in a statement. 

The actor has worked with Russell in three projects, with Joy being one of them.

Joy tells the tale of self-made real life entrepreneur and inventor of the Miracle Mop, Joy Mangano and the story of the journey towards the success. 

The film based on a true story will be airing on Star Movies Select HD on Wednesday.

Targeted killings of specific ethnic groups in South Sudan's civil war amount to “genocide”, according to Britain's International Development Minister Priti Patel.

“It's tribal, it's absolutely tribal, so on that basis it's genocide,” Patel told reporters in Uganda yesterday, according to a ministry press officer travelling with her.

Patel was returning from a visit to South Sudan where people have “experienced trauma and horror none of us can comprehend”, she told AFP in a separate interview.

Civil war erupted in South Sudan in 2013 after a power struggle between President Salva Kiir — who is ethnic Dinka — and his former deputy Riek Machar from the Nuer community.

The Dinka and Nuer are the two largest ethnic groups in South Sudan and with their history of bloody rivalry, fighting quickly pitted the two against each other.

However the conflict has also drawn in the country's myriad smaller groups, either taking sides with the government or the rebels or fighting each other for the upper hand in local conflicts over land or other issues.

Refugees fleeing fighting in South Sudan have told AFP of targeted killings by government troops, who identify people according to language or tribal scarring before slaughtering them.

In the southern town of Pajok, seen as sympathetic to the rebels, government troops went on a rampage last week killing at least 85 people, numerous witnesses told AFP after fleeing to Uganda.

As fighting broke out in the second largest city of Wau this week, priest Moses Peter told AFP that government troops were “targeting certain groups of people”.

United Nations experts in early December reported “ethnic cleansing” in several parts of South Sudan.
The UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, has warned of “a strong risk of violence escalating along ethnic lines, with the potential for genocide.”

South Sudan's Information Minister Michael Makuei slammed Patel's comments as “unfortunate and misleading”.
“That is a very unfortunate statement given by an irresponsible person. There is no genocide. These are all things that are orchestrated by people who are made to make these reports,” he said.

China has never sought a trade surplus with the US, a top official said on Thursday, as the world's two largest economies work to ease tension and develop rapport.

Sun Jiwen of the Ministry of Commerce said: "China is willing to expand imports from the US based on domestic demand."

Sun attributed the current trade surplus to differences in economic structure, industrial competitiveness and international division of labour, Xinhua news agency reported.

The imbalance is easing as middle-income Chinese generate huge demand for imported products, a trend already shown in both US and Chinese official data.

Washington's trade deficit with China dropped 5.5 per cent to around $347 billion in 2016, according to the US Department of Commerce. 

In February, the monthly figure declined 26 per cent. Statistics from Chinese customs confirm the changes.

Sun hoped the US would adjust its exports controls to create conditions to dissolve the deficit.

Although the surplus is registered in China's balance of trade, bilateral trade generates mutual benefits, he said. 

Analysts estimate that about 40 per cent of the trade surplus is generated by US companies in China.

China has become the largest trade partner of the US, while the latter is China's second largest. 

Bilateral trade stood at $520 billion in 2016, more that 200 times the level in 1979 when the countries established diplomatic ties. 
 

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused opposition parties in West Bengal of transferring votes to one another and said she was least bothered about who emerged as her party's principal opposition.

"It is not my responsibility to know who will come second and who will stand third (in the polls). It is the people's responsibility. We are grateful that people have given us much more support."

"I do not know when 'Ram' (BJP) will become 'Baam' (Left) and when 'Baam' will become 'Ram'. They sometimes transfer votes to one another. We do not do this… sometimes the CPI-M does it, sometimes the Congress, and even the BJP. It doesn't matter to us," Banerjee said here after an administrative meeting.

Her Trinamool Congress on Thursday retained the Kanthi Dakshin assembly seat in Purba Medinipur district as party candidate and former Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya trounced Bharatiya Janata Party's Sourindramohan Jana by over 42,000 votes.

The April 9 by-election was necessitated after Trinamool legislator Dibyendu Adhikari was elected to the Lok Sabha from Tamluk in 2016.

Banerjee announced that Bhattacharya, a Minister of State for Health in the Trinamool Congress govenrnment in its first term, will return to her ministry with an important portfolio. Banerjee also indicated a minor reshuffle in her ministry.

"Chandrima will get an important responsibility. I will make him a minister in Baisakh (first month of Bengali new year begins on April 15). One or two other changes will also be made," she said.

Bhattacharya had lost from Dum Dum (North) in the 2016 assembly polls.

The Tamil New Year, popularly known as Puthandu is the first day of the year according to the Tamil calendar. Celebrated across the State, people hold huge feasts to honour this day. One of the highlight of the festival is that people decorate the entrances of their houses with colourful kolams.

Puthandu also means that people send a lot of mobile messages and Whatsapp as well as Facebook messages. Here are some popular messages that you can send to share with your friends:

1. On this Tamil New Year, wish you be showered with the Divine blessing, of happiness and Prosperity. Puthandu Vazthukal!!!

2. Let's spread the message of true love, lasting peace, fresh hope and pure joy. Eniya Puthandu Vazthukal.

3. May this Tamil New Year’s day bring Joy, Prosperity, Success and Hope into your lives and your near and dear ones. Puthandu Vazhtukal!

4. Vettri’yai Virumbum Namakku, tholvi’yai Thaangum Manam Illai…! Tholvi’yai thaangum Manam irundhaal adhuvum, Oru Vettri’ dhaan.! Intha Putthaandil Anaivarukkum Vetri Kidaikattum. Wish You a Very Happy & Prosperous New Year!

5. This is a time of new beginnings and also to celebrate life – Puthandu Vazhtukal

6. Another Puthandu knocks! Let us expel our worries and errors and start anew Puthandu Vazhtukal!

7. Let this Tamil New Year bring lot of cheer, affluence and peace in your life.

8. Puthandu Vazhtukal. Let this New Year be a harbinger of optimism, passion and applaud.

9. Kadarkkarai mannalil Namadhu Natppai Yezhudhi Vaiththean, alai vandhu adiththu sendradhu, vilai Madhipillaa Muthukkal Yenakkey Sondham yendru. Happy Tamil New Year.

10. A new beginning, new hopes, and new horizons to reach, may the Sun radiate all the goodness of life. In the coming year and always!Puthandu Vazthukal!

Actor Tiger Shroff, who is famous for his dance and action moves, says that all his action sequences are inspired from the video game named Mortal Kombat.

"There is a video game called Mortal Kombat. All my action choreography has been inspired from there," said Tiger on Wednesday during the launch of Sony YAY!, a new children's entertainment channel by Sony Pictures Network.

He has been chosen as its brand ambassador.

Justifying his reason for being the brand ambassador of a kids' channel, he said: "I love children, that's why I said yes to be their brand ambassador. I love cartoons. I am a child at heart."

"I used to play a lot of football. I was involved in athletics. I was very active those days and I used to watch cartoons but play very less video games. I used to look up to superheroes."

Speaking about his upcoming film Munna Michael with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tiger said they are left with one song to shoot.
 

Infosys, India's second-biggest software exporter, on Thursday, announced plans to return Rs.13,000 crore from its cash pile to shareholders after it reported an almost flat net profit in the March quarter and sales outlook that fell short of estimates.

Yielding to pressure from a group of founders and former executives, the company announced a share buyback programme and a pledge to raise dividends.

It also appointed Ravi Venkatesan, an independent director, co-Chairman in a bid to address the founders' corporate governance concerns.

It will begin to pay 70 per cent of annual free cash flow as dividend compared to a previous policy of sharing up to half its post-tax profit.

For the January-March quarter, Infosys reported a 0.2 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs.3,603 crore while revenue grew 3.4 per cent to Rs.17,120 crore.

In 2017-18 (April 2017 to March 2018), the company expects revenue to grow 6.5 per cent to 8.5 per cent in constant currency terms.

The stock fell over 3 per cent to Rs.935.05 in trade.

On a sequential basis, Infosys' net profit fell 2.8 per cent while revenue declined 0.9 per cent.

“Unanticipated execution challenges and distractions in a seasonally soft quarter affected our overall performance,” said CEO Vishal Sikka.

Sikka is grappling with twin problems of high-profile founders led by NR Narayana Murthy publicly criticising governance style, including salary hikes to top executives, and a visa crackdown by American President Donald Trump that will make it harder for companies like Infosys to send employees to work in the US.

He added: “Looking ahead, it is imperative that we increase our resilience to the dynamics of our environment and we remain resolute in executing our strategy, path to transform Infosys and drive long-term value for all stakeholders.”

Infosys, which has about $6 billion on its books, follows industry peers Cognizant and Tata Consultancy Services in announcing share buyback.

Cognizant had announced a $3.4 billion buyback while TCS is returning Rs.16,000 crore to its shareholders.

Two of Infosys' former CFOs-TV Mohandas Pai and V Balakrishnan – had recently exhorted institutional investors to raise questions about the huge cash pile on the company's books, saying investors have an obligation to protect their investment.

Infosys CFO MD Ranganath said the company is focussed on efficiency and margins.

“Capital allocation policy clearly says (it will be) up to Rs.13,000 crore. This takes into account our cash needs for the next couple of years,” he said, adding that this will leave the company with about USD 4 billion on its balancesheet.

Infosys earnings set the tone for other technology companies, with TCS slated to report its results on April 18 and Wipro on April 25.

Market watchers said Infosys' outlook for 6.5-8.5 per cent revenue increase for 2017-18 is disappointing as peers like Cognizant have guided for higher growth.

Cognizant, which follows January-December fiscal, expects its revenue to grow 8-10 per cent in constant currency terms during 2017.

In US dollars terms, Infosys net profit was up 1.8 per cent at $543 million for the March quarter while revenue grew 5 per cent to $2.5 billion.

For the full year, net profit grew 4.3 per cent to $2.1 billion while revenue was up 7.4 per cent to $10.2 billion.

The board has recommended a final dividend of Rs.14.75 per share for 2016-17.

Infosys added 601 (net) employees in the March quarter, taking its overall headcount to 2,00,364 people. Its attrition stood at 17.1 per cent.

On US visa-related concerns, Sikka said the role of visas in the tech industry has become too strong over the last 15 years.

“We have to deliver value to our clients…We have to live with the visa problem,” he said, prescribing “a healthy mix of local and global talent” to overcome such challenges.

NASA on Thursday released new global nighttime images of the Earth – including a detailed view of India and its surroundings that show how patterns of human settlement changed across the country between 2012 and 2016.

The new images compare the composite night-time view of India and its surrounding areas in 2016 with that of 2012.
The two images show how cities have grown and patterns of human settlements have changed across the country during those years, NASA said.

Satellite images of Earth at night – often referred to as “night lights” – have been a source of curiosity for public and a tool for fundamental research for nearly 25 years.

They provide a broad, beautiful view, showing how humans have shaped the planet.

Produced every decade or so, such maps have spawned hundreds of pop-culture uses and dozens of economic, social science and environmental research projects.

A research team led by Earth scientist Miguel Roman of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre in the US plans to find out if night lights imagery could be updated yearly, monthly or even daily.

In the years since the 2011 launch of the NASA-NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite, researchers have been analysing night lights data and developing new software and algorithms to make night lights imagery clearer, more accurate and readily available.

They are now on the verge of providing daily, high- definition views of Earth at night, and are targeting the release of such data to the science community later this year.

Since researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA released a new Earth at night map in 2012, Roman and teammates at NASA's Earth Observing Satellite Data and Information System (EOSDIS) have been working to integrate nighttime data into NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) and Worldview mapping tools.

The new global composite map of night lights was observed in 2016. The NASA group has examined the different ways that light is radiated, scattered and reflected by land, atmospheric and ocean surfaces.
The principal challenge in nighttime satellite imaging is accounting for the phases of the Moon, which constantly varies the amount of light shining on Earth, though in predictable ways.

Likewise, seasonal vegetation, clouds, aerosols, snow and ice cover, and even faint atmospheric emissions (such as airglow and auroras) change the way light is observed in different parts of the world.

The new maps were produced with data from all months of each year. The team wrote code that picked the clearest night views each month, ultimately combining moonlight-free and moonlight-corrected data.

Suomi NPP observes nearly every location on Earth at roughly 1:30 pm and 1:30 am (local time) each day, observing the planet in vertical 3,000-kilometre strips from pole to pole. Suomi NPP data is freely available to scientists within minutes to hours of acquisition.

Armed with more accurate nighttime environmental products, the NASA team is now automating the processing so that users will be able to view nighttime imagery within hours of acquisition.

This has the potential to aid short-term weather forecasting and disaster response.

Actress Kim Richards says she once had dinner with Donald Trump, now US President, but declined to divulge further details when asked if she dated him.

In an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion show, the 52-year-old actress said she once dated Trump. The episode will air on April 18, reports aceshowbiz.com.

"I heard a rumour that you once dated Donald Trump. Is that true?" host Andy Cohen asked Richards.

"Yes, let's not get into it. I had dinner with him. Let's just leave it at this! I don't want to talk about the President," Richards said.

Paytm Express and Savlon Swachh Bharat Express will soon chug along the tracks as the Indian Railways roll out brand trains.

Brands will find prominence on trains as the railways have offered the inside and the outside of compartments for showcasing products.

Coaches of premier trains will be used for vinyl advertising of various brands including mobile e-company Paytm and Savlon of ITC, a railway official said.

In an attempt to shore up its non-tariff revenue, railways will award advertising contracts of all Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto Express shortly.

Railways, which has earned Rs.10,181 cr from non-fare revenue sector in the 2016-17, set an ambitious target of Rs.14,000 cr in the current fiscal.

Earnings from advertising on rail over bridge, rail under bridge, station and trains are part of the non-fare revenue which is being taken up in a focused manner now and railway has created a separate directorate for it.

“Besides premier trains, all mail and express trains are also on the offer for advertising and we are in the process of finalising the contracts,” said a senior Railway Ministry official.

The contract will be given for five years which can be extended upto another 10 years depending upon the performance.

Railways have already sold rights for vinyl advertisements on four trains with an aim to earn over Rs 8 crore in a year.

The rights to put up vinyl wrapping advertisements on Mumbai Rajdhani, August Kranti Rajdhani, Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi and Ahmedabad-Mumbai double decker trains have been already awarded, official said.

He said the aim is to earn about Rs.1500 crore from vinyl wrappings in the next few years, subsequently all mail and express trains will be covered under the scheme.

Earlier, railways had allowed vinyl wrapping but it failed to attract adequate revenue in the absence of long-term advertising policy framework.

“Now a policy has been framed and we are ready to award the contract for as long as 10 years”, the official said.