US launches 'powerful strikes' against Islamic State in Nigeria, says Trump
President Donald Trump has said the US launched a "powerful and deadly strike" against the Islamic State (IS) group in north-western Nigeria, BBC reported.
In a post on Truth Social, the US president described IS as " terrorist scum", accusing them of "targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians".
He said the US military "executed numerous perfect strikes", without giving any further details. It is unclear what exactly targets were struck and when, according to BBC.
ISRO rocket LVM-3 places 6000-kg US satellite – its heaviest – into orbit
India’s heaviest launch vehicle LVM-3, in its third commercial mission, placed US communication satellite Bluebird Block-2 in a precise orbit early Wednesday morning. Weighing around 6,100 kg, it was the heaviest satellite launched by an Indian rocket, The Indian Express reported.
“This (the LVM3-M6 mission) was the ninth consecutive successful launch for LVM-3, demonstrating a 100% reliability… The satellite was placed with less than 2-km deviation from the planned orbit, which is one of the best performances among launch vehicles in the global arena… This gives us great confidence for the Gaganyaan mission,” said ISROchairperson V Narayanan after the successful launch.
A modified version of the same launch vehicle — a human-rated version with more safety — will carry Indian astronauts to space, according to The Indian Express.
App Aligarh University Teacher, Out For Walk, Shot Twice In The Head
A school teacher was shot dead Wednesday at the Aligarh Muslim University campus in Uttar Pradesh, NDTV reported.
Danish Rao, who taught computer science at the ABK High School on campus for 11 years, was out for a walk with two colleagues when two men on a scooter stopped them at 8.50 pm and threatened them with pistols. Rao was shot at least three times, twice in the head.
Senior Superintendent of Police Neeraj Jadon confirmed both men shot at Rao, according to NDTV.
UK social media campaigners among five denied US visas
Two British campaigners are among five people denied US visas after the State Department accused them of seeking to "coerce" American tech platforms into suppressing free speech, BBC reported.
Imran Ahmed, an ex-Labour adviser who now heads the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), and Clare Melford, CEO of the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), were labelled "radical activists" by the Trump administration and banned from entering the US.
A French ex-EU commissioner and two senior figures at a Germany-based anti-online hate group were also denied visas, according to BBC.
