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Aegon life iTerm insurance plan helps customers save tax,"With Aegon Life iTerm Insurance plan, customers can enjoy tax benefits on your premiums paid and save up to ₹46,800^ on taxes. The plan provides life cover up to the age of 100 years. Also, customers have options to insure against Critical Illnesses, Disability and Accidental Death Benefit Rider with a life cover up to the age of 80 years."
"Have known Hirani for yrs, what if MeToo claims are not true: Sonam","Speaking about the sexual harassment allegations against Rajkumar Hirani, Sonam Kapoor said, ""I've known Hirani for many years...What if it's not true, the [#MeToo] movement will get derailed."" ""In the #MeToo movement, I always believe a woman. But in this case, we need to reserve our judgment,"" she added. Hirani has been accused by an assistant who worked in 'Sanju'."
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan denies getting notice for smuggling currency,"Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has denied receiving any notice from the Enforcement Directorate over allegedly smuggling foreign currency out of India. ""It would have been better if the authorities would have served the notice first if any and then publicised this,"" reads a press release issued on behalf of Rahat. The statement further called the allegation ""bizarre""."
"India get all out for 92, their lowest ODI total in New Zealand","India recorded their lowest ODI total in New Zealand after getting all out for 92 runs in 30.5 overs in the fourth ODI at Hamilton on Thursday. Seven of India's batsmen were dismissed for single-digit scores, while their number ten batsman Yuzvendra Chahal top-scored with 18*(37). India's previous lowest ODI total in New Zealand was 108."
Govt directs Alok Verma to join work 1 day before his retirement,"Weeks after ex-CBI Director Alok Verma told the Department of Personnel and Training to consider him retired, the Home Ministry asked him to join work on the last day of his fixed tenure as Director on Thursday. The ministry directed him to immediately join as DG, Fire Services, the post he was transferred to after his removal as CBI chief."
Called PM Modi 'sir' 10 times to satisfy his ego: Andhra CM,"Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu has said, ""When I met then US President Bill Clinton, I addressed him as Mr Clinton, not as 'sir'. (PM Narendra) Modi is my junior in politics...I addressed him as sir 10 times."" ""I did this...to satisfy his ego in the hope that he will do justice to the state,"" he added."
"Cong wins Ramgarh bypoll in Rajasthan, takes total to 100 seats","Congress candidate Shafia Zubair won the Ramgarh Assembly seat in Rajasthan, by defeating BJP's Sukhwant Singh with a margin of 12,228 votes in the bypoll. With this victory, Congress has taken its total to 100 seats in the 200-member assembly. The election to the Ramgarh seat was delayed due to the death of sitting MLA and BSP candidate Laxman Singh."
UP cousins fed human excreta for friendship with boys,"Two minor cousins in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur were allegedly repeatedly burnt with tongs and forced to eat human excreta by their family for being friends with two boys from the same school. The cousins revealed their ordeal to the police and Child Welfare Committee after being brought back to Gorakhpur from Nepal, where they had fled to escape the torture."
81-yr-old woman conducts physical training in J'khand schools,"Isha Ghosh, an 81-year-old member of Bharat Scouts and Guides (BSG), has been imparting physical and mental training to schoolchildren in Jharkhand for several decades. Chaibasa-based Ghosh reportedly walks seven kilometres daily and spends eight hours conducting physical training, apart from climbing and yoga sessions. She says, ""One should do something for society till one's last breath."""
"Ram, Krishna didn't smoke, why should we: Ramdev to sadhus at Kumbh","Urging saints and seers at the Kumbh Mela to quit smoking, Yoga guru Ramdev said, ""We follow Ram and Krishna who never smoked in their life then why should we?"" Making them take a pledge to quit tobacco, he collected chillum (clay pipe) from several sadhus. He said he will deposit the chillums for display at a museum he'll build."
Pharma exec gave doctor a lap dance to sell medicine in US: Witness,"Former stripper and regional sales director of a pharmaceutical company, Sunrise Lee, gave a doctor a lap dance in a nightclub to persuade him to prescribe an addictive fentanyl spray in 2012, the company's sales representative told a US court. She said she saw Lee ""sitting on [doctor's] lap, kind of bouncing around."" Lee has been accused of bribing doctors."
 I only cried at my 'bidaai' as I felt peer pressure: Isha Ambani,"Reliance Industries' Chairman Mukesh Ambani's daughter Isha Ambani, who got married last month, said she only cried at her 'bidaai' because she felt peer pressure as everyone was crying, especially her parents. ""I was emotional too but everyone around me would cry all the time,"" she added. ""It was a very emotional affair for everyone in my family,"" said Isha."
"Louis Vuitton owner to stockpile 4 months of wine, spirits in UK","Louis Vuitton owner LVMH, which makes high-end beverages like Moët & Chandon champagne and Hennessy cognac, said it's stockpiling four months' worth of wine and spirits in UK in preparation for Brexit. ""We're ready for worst case scenario if there are difficulties with deliveries,"" the French luxury giant said. The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29."
"Karan Johar, Tabu turn showstoppers on opening night of LFW","Filmmaker Karan Johar and actress Tabu turned showstoppers for Gaurav Gupta on the opening night of Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/ Resort 2019. While Johar wore a red sequinned jacket with black pants, Tabu walked the ramp in a grey embellished gown. The fashion show, which began on January 29, will continue till February 3."
Those on bail will go to jail: PM Modi takes jibe at Rahul,"In a jibe at Congress President Rahul Gandhi, PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday said those on ""bail will have to go to jail."" PM Modi added, ""He is out on bail and his associates too are facing charges...I know they will be convicted one day."" The PM claimed he'd waged a war on corruption because he's from a common household. "
How long can I tolerate Congress leaders' potshots: K'taka CM,"Days after he threatened to step down from his post if Congress MLAs continue ""crossing the line,"" Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy accused them of taking potshots and asked, ""How many more days can I tolerate such stuff?"" Kumaraswamy, who made the statements after a Congress MLA demanded that Siddaramaiah be made CM again, said, ""Power is ephemeral."""
Odisha CM Patnaik controls mining mafia: Union Minister,"Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday claimed the illegal mining mafia in Odisha operates under the control of CM Naveen Patnaik and state Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik. He added, ""The time has come for the people of Odisha to put a full stop to their activities...The time has come for us to ask for an explanation from this corrupt government."""
I think the opposition even dreams about me: PM Modi,"Claiming there is a dearth of ideas among opposition parties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said, ""The opposition talks only about Modi the whole day, I suspect they even dream about me."" PM Modi, who was addressing the New India Youth Conclave in​ Surat, added that the opposition parties have only one agenda which is ""Modi"". "
ISRO unveils Bengaluru centre for manned space mission ,"The Indian Space Research Organisation on Wednesday unveiled Human Space Flight Centre in Bengaluru for its ₹10,000-crore manned space mission 'Gaganyaan' scheduled for 2021. ISRO said the centre will be responsible for development of engineering systems for crew survival in space and crew selection and training. It'll also pursue activities for sustained human space flight missions, ISRO added."
"12 killed, 170 injured in Saudi Arabia floods","At least 12 people have been killed and 170 others have been injured in Saudi Arabia this week due to flooding from heavy rain. The emergency services rescued 271 people from the flooded areas, more than half of them in Tabuk. Heavy rains hit mainly western and northwestern parts of Saudi Arabia, near its border with Jordan."
Isha Ambani features on February cover of Vogue magazine,"Reliance Industries' Chairman Mukesh Ambani's daughter Isha Ambani has featured on the cover of the February edition of Vogue India. She's dressed in a white shirt dress and black ruffled skirt by Australian designer Toni Maticevski, while accessorising her look with a Misho ring. In the cover story on her, Isha has spoken about her work and life after marriage.
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Indian Oil looking for annual deal to buy crude from US,"Indian Oil Corporation on Wednesday said it's looking for an annual deal to buy US crude as it seeks to broaden oil purchasing options. This comes amid uncertainties over Iran imports. The US had in November granted a six-month waiver to India from sanctions against Iran and restricted the country's monthly intake of Iranian oil to 3,00,000 barrels per day.

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Pacer once took 7 wickets for just 1 run in 32 balls in a Test,"Former Windies fast bowler Curtly Ambrose dismissed seven Australian batsmen within a span of 32 balls giving away just one run, in a Test match on January 30, 1993. Ambrose's spell helped his team bowl out Australia for 119 in the first innings, after being 85 for 2 at one point. Ambrose ended with first-innings figures of 18-9-25-7."
UK zoo offers people to name cockroach after their ex on Valentine's,"A London zoo is offering people to name a cockroach after their exes on Valentine's Day for £1.50 (nearly ₹140). ""For those that don't quite require revenge, there's another way to make you feel better about getting back at your ex,"" the zoo said in a statement. The names will appear on zoo's 'roach board' on February 14. "
Rohit Sharma becomes 14th Indian cricketer to play 200 ODIs,"Stand-in captain Rohit Sharma has become the 14th Indian cricketer to play 200 ODIs, achieving the feat after taking the field against New Zealand in fourth ODI at Hamilton on Thursday. The 31-year-old had made his ODI debut on June 23, 2007, against Ireland in Belfast. Rohit scored 7,799 runs in his first 199 ODIs at an average of 48.14."
19-year-old Shubman Gill becomes India's 227th ODI cricketer,"Batsman Shubman Gill has become the 227th cricketer to represent India in ODI cricket, achieving the feat against New Zealand in the fourth ODI at Hamilton on Thursday. The 19-year-old received his maiden ODI cap from former captain MS Dhoni. Notably, Shubman was named Player of the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand last year."
2 seat cushions from 'missing plane carrying footballer' found,"Investigators searching for a lost plane carrying Argentine forward Emiliano Sala found two seat cushions on French coast that ""likely"" belonged to the aircraft. The investigators said they'll now launch an underwater seabed search for aircraft wreckage. The Cardiff City footballer was travelling from France's Nantes to Wales' Cardiff when his plane disappeared over English Channel on January 21."
"Italian coach knocks rival down with headbutt, banned for 5 months","Italian third division football side Lucchese's head coach Giancarlo Favarin has been banned for five months for headbutting Alessandria's assistant coach Gaetano Mancino during a brawl following the teams' 2-2 draw on Sunday. Mancino was caught off-balance and knocked to the ground after the headbutt. Earlier in the match, Favarin had told his own player to break an opponent's legs."
Cyclists sleep on stadium floor instead of hotel over costly cycles,"Cyclists taking part in National Track Cycling Championship in Jaipur opted to sleep on the floor inside the stadium instead of hotels over expensive cycles. The organisers had booked hotels but they didn't have the provision for cyclists to keep their bikes inside. A national gold medallist said their cycles cost between ₹5-9 lakh and once damaged, they become non-repairable. "
Brazilian mother narrates football matches to blind son from stands,"Silvia Grecco, a 56-year-old Brazilian mother narrates her local football team Palmeiras' matches live to her 12-year-old blind and autistic son Nickollas from the stands. ""I describe details: this player is wearing short sleeves...colour of...football boots, hair colour...Everything I see and feel, I tell him, even when I need to curse the referee!"" Grecco said after a recent match."
SBI left account data of millions of users unprotected: Report,"A TechCrunch report has claimed that India’s largest bank SBI secured a passwordless server ""overnight"" on being alerted it allowed anyone to access phone numbers, bank balances, and transactions of millions of its customers. The Mumbai-based server was containing two months of data from SBI Quick, an SMS and call-based system used to request basic information about accounts, TechCrunch revealed."
CM Parrikar under pressure from PM after our Goa meet: Rahul,"Rahul Gandhi has replied to Goa CM Manohar Parrikar's letter, which accused the Congress President of using his ""visit to an ailing man for political gains"". ""He's under immense pressure from the PM after our meeting and needs to demonstrate his loyalty by attacking me,"" Gandhi wrote in his letter. Parrikar had clarified he didn't discuss Rafale deal with Rahul."
Man arrested for cheating Amazon of ₹30 lakh by taking refunds,"Twenty-seven-year-old Mohammed Mahuwala was arrested in Indore on Wednesday for allegedly cheating e-commerce giant Amazon of nearly ₹30 lakh. Mahuwala was a member of a gang who ordered costly gadgets from Amazon. ""[They] used to get refund of the amount paid...by saying the parcel...was empty. In reality, these devices were taken out from parcel and sold...to local shopkeepers,"" said police."
AgustaWestland scam accused Rajiv Saxena extradited to India,"AgustaWestland chopper scam co-accused Rajiv Saxena was extradited to India from UAE on Wednesday. He had been evading the Enforcement Directorate's summons claiming he was suffering from leukaemia but had moved an anti-money laundering court for anticipatory bail in December, stating he had never been summoned at his Dubai address. Saxena's lawyers alleged he had been ""illegally extradited"". "
Pakistan holds 'keys to war': Afghanistan,"Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said the ""keys to war"" are in Pakistan's Islamabad, Quetta and Rawalpindi, accusing the country of providing safe havens to militants, including those belonging to the Taliban. Ghani added the ""key to peace was in Afghanistan"". His comments came amid the talks between the US and the Taliban to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan."
Insurance agent 'Lord Voldemort' jailed for threatening clients,"A Singapore-based insurance agent has been jailed for two years and five months for threatening to harm his clients unless they paid him in bitcoins. The 36-year-old set up an email account, and signed the messages as 'Lord Voldemort', a fictional character from the Harry Potter series. Ye Lin Myint targeted about 33 people, including those who cancelled insurance policies."
Woman turns Apple AirPods into earrings to avoid losing them,"Gabrielle Reilly, a 22-year-old US woman, created earrings for her Apple AirPods and put it up for sale online for $20 (about ₹1,500). ""I absolutely refuse to lose them (AirPods)...So I made earrings,"" she explained. The earrings, which took her over an hour to make, debuted in a video on Twitter that has since garnered over three million views."
"Shocked, hurt by ICICI's decision, truth will prevail: Kochhar","Ex-ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar said she's ""utterly disappointed, hurt and shocked"" by the bank's decision to terminate her. Kochhar said she served ICICI for 34 years with utmost honesty and integrity and that ultimately truth will prevail. Adding that she hasn't been given a copy of the independent probe report, Kochhar said none of ICICI's credit decisions are unilateral"
Fashion brand H&M hires Facebook data scandal whistleblower,"Swedish multinational fast-fashion brand Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) has hired Christopher Wylie, the whistleblower who exposed Facebook's Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Wylie’s focus will be to help get better insights on customers, products and markets and support work on sustainable and ethical artificial intelligence, H&M spokesperson said. Wylie is a former employee of Cambridge Analytica."
Twitter testing news-first timeline feature on Android,"Micro-blogging platform Twitter is testing a new feature on Android to put news on the top of a user's timeline. ""With this update, we’re making it easier for people to see news and stories their followers have been discussing,"" Product Manager Walter Gurzynski said. The feature comes alongside a prompt saying, ""Catch up on what's happened while you were away."""
Samsung builds world's first 1TB storage chip for smartphones ,"Samsung has started mass producing its one terabyte 'embedded Universal Flash Storage (eUFS) 2.1' technology for ""use in next-generation mobile applications"", which it claims is the industry's first such eUFS. The company added the new eUFS will let smartphones store 260 10-minute videos shot in 4K UHD format. It'll be sized the same as the previous 512GB version, Samsung said."
People with 'negative mindset' quizzing pro-poor schemes: PM,Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the people with 'negative mindset' are questioning him and his government for floating pro-poor schemes. He added negative mindset people are raising doubts about schemes such as building toilets and providing free gas connections to the poor. He further said that negative mentality laced with a vested interest still exists in the country.
"Rahul is hybrid specimen, has no clue about religion: Hegde","Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde took a dig at Congress President Rahul Gandhi by calling him a ""hybrid specimen"" who has no clue about religion. ""A father who's...Muslim, a mother who's...Christian and the son is supposed to be...Brahmin. How is that even possible?"" he said. He added such ""hybrid specimen"" cannot be found in any laboratory in the world."
Extreme cold to affect 200 million people as polar vortex hits US,"Several parts of the US are set to experience record low temperatures as the polar vortex hit the Upper Midwest, with more than 200 million people expected to experience below-freezing temperatures this week. Temperatures throughout the Upper Midwest are expected to be at least 20-40℉ below zero. Government offices and schools have been closed in several areas."
13 booked for firing air shots at Mahatma Gandhi's effigy,"The police on Wednesday registered cases against 13 persons, including a woman leader of Hindu Mahasabha, in Aligarh for firing at an effigy of Mahatma Gandhi with an air pistol. ""The incident took place in a house in Naurangabad locality of the city,"" Senior Superintendent of Police said. The video of the event went viral on social media, he added."
Railway police rescues woman with leg stuck in train toilet,"Railway police has rescued a woman travelling on a train in Chennai who got her leg stuck inside the commode of a toilet. After being caught inside the commode hole, she struggled to remove her leg and following failed attempts, she shouted for help, reports said. Railway police used a cutter to pry open the commode and freed her leg."
US begins sending back asylum seekers to Mexico,"The US on Tuesday began returning asylum seekers to Mexico, sending back a migrant from a Central American nation and called the move a ""response to the illegal migration crisis"" faced by it. Under its Migrant Protection Protocols policy, the US will return certain migrants who cross into the country illegally back to Mexico while their asylum requests are processed."
Yashwant Sinha demands probe into alleged fund diversion by DHFL,"Former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on Tuesday demanded a probe into the alleged diversion of loans worth ₹31,000 crore by Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL). All agencies including regulators of the government have failed to track nefarious deals, he said. This comes after a media report on Tuesday accused DHFL's controlling shareholders of diverting funds to shell companies to buy assets."
Boeing sales cross $100bn for 1st time in its 102-yr history,"US-based Boeing on Wednesday reported annual sales worth $101.12 billion in 2018, the first time the planemaker's sales crossed the $100-billion mark in its 102-year history. The company said it expects to deliver between 895 and 905 commercial aircraft in 2019. Boeing retained its position as the world's largest planemaker for the seventh straight year, delivering 806 aircraft in 2018. "
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OnePlus named bestselling premium smartphone brand of 2018: Report,"OnePlus has emerged as India's best-selling premium smartphone brand of 2018, as per a report by Counterpoint. It captured 36% of the market share in the premium segment, in Q4 2018. Further, its OnePlus 6 emerged as the highest selling premium smartphone of 2018 followed by OnePlus 6T."
"Can never look at female body, even if naked, in vulgar way: Pooja","Filmmaker Pooja Bhatt, while talking about the presentation of women in her films, said, ""I can never look at a female body, even if it's naked, in a vulgar manner."" ""Our audience can say...the women in my films are bold or sensual, but never ever vulgar,"" she added. Pooja further said her censor board is her ""own heart and mind""."
Kangana made fake promises to cast: 'Manikarnika' actress Mishti,"Actress Mishti, who has featured in 'Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi', has said the film's co-director Kangana Ranaut made false promises to the cast. ""Kangana had said, 'I want dates because all characters look jumbled up...I'm trying my best to give everybody a prominent space on screen.' After watching the movie, there is no scope for other characters,"" Mishti added. "
PM-led panel to meet on Friday to pick new CBI chief: Kharge,"The high-powered committee led by PM Narendra Modi to select the next CBI Director will meet again on February 1, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has said. The panel consisting of Kharge and Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi met on January 24, but the meeting ended ""inconclusively"" after Kharge cited lack of details in the list of 80 IPS officers. "
"McGregor fined ₹35 lakh, Khabib ₹3.5 crore for brawl; both banned","Nevada State Athletic Commission has banned MMA fighters Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov for six months and nine months respectively over their roles in the mass brawl that occurred after their fight at UFC 229 last October. McGregor and Khabib have been fined $50,000 (₹35 lakh) and $500,000 (₹3.5 crore) respectively. The brawl occurred after Nurmagomedov confronted McGregor's teammate."
"Banned for 4 matches, Sarfaraz shares 'log hai na' poem for critics","Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, who has been banned for four matches over racist remarks, took an apparent dig at his critics by sharing a video of a child reciting 'log hai na' poem on Twitter. ""Pyaar karna hai to khud se kar...dushmani karne ke liye log hai na,"" the poem read. ""This is how the world is,"" Sarfaraz wrote."
Confessed to spot-fixing to escape police torture: Sreesanth to SC,"Banned cricketer Sreesanth has told Supreme Court he initially confessed to Delhi Police about his alleged involvement in 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal to escape continuous police torture. Sreesanth further said the bookie tried dragging him into spot-fixing but he didn't fall for it. Citing Sreesanth not informing BCCI about fixing approach, the apex court said Sreesanth's conduct ""wasn't good""."
"Govt to present Interim Budget, not full Budget on February 1","The Finance Ministry on Wednesday said the government will present an Interim Budget on February 1. The clarification came amid speculations that a full Budget may be presented during the session. The government recently assigned Piyush Goyal temporary additional charge of the Finance and Corporate Affairs ministries in the absence of Arun Jaitley, who is in the US for treatment."
"US intelligence naive and wrong, should go back to school: Trump","US President Donald Trump on Wednesday called his country's top intelligence chiefs ""naive"" and ""wrong"" on Iran and added that they should perhaps ""go back to school"". Trump claimed Iran is testing rockets, calling the country ""a source of potential danger and conflict"". Top US intelligence officials on Tuesday said that Iran isn't currently taking steps towards building nuclear weapons."
Vatican priest handling sex abuse cases quits over alleged sex abuse,A senior priest at the Vatican who handled cases of sexual abuse has quit after being accused of sexual abuse by a former nun. The accused priest claimed he is innocent and said he would consider taking legal action. The Vatican said in a statement that a Church investigation of the case was underway.
Woman rejects job after CEO bullies her in interview; he apologises,"A 22-year-old writer turned down a job offer, claiming she was bullied to the point of tears during her two-hour interview by a UK company's CEO. Olivia Bland added the ""brutal"" interview brought back painful memories of her abusive relationship. ""I am so sorry that anyone has been hurt, it is never my intent,"" Web Applications CEO Craig Dean replied. "
Police officer probing Paytm extortion case arrested for extortion,"Noida Police has arrested Sector 20 station in-charge Manoj Pant and three journalists for allegedly extorting money from a call centre owner for removing his name from an FIR. The four were caught while taking bribe money of ₹8 lakh, police said. Pant was the lead investigator in the Paytm extortion case involving Founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma's secretary Sonia Dhawan."
Qatar to invest $200 million in Airtel Africa,"Airtel on Wednesday said that Qatar's sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority will invest $200 million through a primary equity issuance in Airtel Africa. India's second-largest telecom operator's Africa unit recently raised $1.25 billion from six investors. Airtel Africa, the holding company for Airtel's operations in 14 African countries, is preparing for an initial public offering."
Rohit Shetty still working on script for Golmaal 5: Shreyas,"Actor Shreyas Talpade said that 'Golmaal' filmmaker Rohit Shetty is still working on the script for the fifth instalment of the 'Golmaal' film franchise. ""He was telling us the other day that he...cracked some story. Once he's done with the...scripting, he'll take a call,” the actor added. The series features Shreyas along with Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor."
Man sues Avengers actress Gwyneth for ₹22 crore over ski crash,"A 72-year-old man named Terry Sanderson has sued 'Avengers' actress Gwyneth Paltrow for allegedly crashing into him while skiing, and is seeking $3.1 million (over ₹22 crore) in damages. The lawsuit states the actress got up and skied away after knocking the man down, leaving him with broken ribs. The incident reportedly took place in 2016 in Utah, US. "
Yami Gautam felicitated by BSF for performance in 'Uri...',"Yami Gautam was felicitated by Border Security Force (BSF) in Amritsar for her performance in 'Uri: The Surgical Strike'. ""BSF is the first line of defence of our country and it gives me...pride to have met them,"" Yami said. The film, which also stars Vicky Kaushal, is based on the Indian Army's surgical strike operation which took place in 2016."
Facebook hires its privacy critic as privacy policy manager,"Social media giant Facebook has hired privacy critic Nate Cardozo, formerly the top legal counsel for US privacy watchdog EFF, as a privacy policy manager for WhatsApp. Cardozo had called Facebook a ""faceless corporation"" whose business model depends on user's confusion and indifference about privacy, in October 2015. Facebook has also hired attorney Robyn Greene as its privacy policy manager."
Apple to cut some iPhones' prices outside US over strong dollar,"Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company plans to lower some iPhones' prices in markets with currencies that weakened against the US dollar in the past year. ""We’ve decided to go back to (iPhone prices) more commensurate with...local prices...a year ago,"" Cook added. The price cuts, in hopes of increasing sales, are reportedly occurring for second time in 12 years."
Scientists test wetsuit to protect wearer after shark attack,"Scientists in Australia's Flinders University are testing a wetsuit prototype that could protect its wearer after a shark attack. The suit, made of synthetic material similar to the material used in bulletproof vests, could help reduce blood loss after a shark attack. ""The majority of fatalities from shark bites is due to blood loss...shock from blood loss,"" a scientist said."
Come armed with sticks for PM Modi's rally in WB: BJP leader,BJP National Secretary Rahul Sinha on Wednesday asked the party workers in West Bengal to come armed with sticks to PM Narendra Modi's rally in the state on February 2. His statement came a day after clashes broke out following BJP chief Amit Shah's WB rally. Sinha added the TMC is indulged in violence as they're afraid of BJP's strength.
'4B' for Opposition is 'Bua-Bhatija-Bhai-Behen': Amit Shah,"BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday took a dig at the Opposition parties saying that the 'mahagathbandhan' for the Opposition is 4B - ""Bua-Bhatija-Bhai-Behen"". He added that 4B for the BJP meant ""Badhta Bharat, Banta Bharat"". He said Opposition's government cannot take the country ahead and ""only Modiji can provide a 'mazboot' (strong) government""."
"Volkswagen retains top spot in global sales, beats Toyota","German automaker Volkswagen Group has retained the car industry's top spot in global sales, beating its Japanese rival Toyota. Volkswagen's sales, including its MAN and Scania heavy trucks and buses, rose 0.9% to 10.83 million in 2018, the company had said. Toyota came second with around 10.6 million deliveries, including its affiliated brands Daihatsu and Hino, in 2018."
"Plot, treason by Nissan executives led to my arrest: Ghosn","Ousted Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn has said his arrest over alleged financial misconduct was led by ""plot and treason"" by the Japanese carmaker's executives who opposed its deeper integration with Renault and Mitsubishi. Ghosn added he had discussed the integration plans with Nissan's CEO in September, a month before his arrest. He further said he wouldn't flee if granted bail."
Govt cuts customs duty on electric vehicle parts to 10-15%,"The government has cut down customs duty on import of parts and components for electric vehicles to 10-15%, down from the previous 15-30%. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs said disassembled parts will attract 10% duty, whereas 15% will be levied on pre-assembled packs. However, fully built electric vehicles will continue to attract 25% import duty."
Swine flu outbreak kills 76 in Rajasthan,"Government officials on Wednesday said that a swine flu outbreak has killed 76 people this year in Rajasthan. Colder weather has worsened the seasonal outbreak of the H1N1 virus in the country, officials added. Rajasthan recorded more than a third of all swine flu deaths in India with Jodhpur being the worst affected area in the state, officials said."
N Korea unlikely to give up nuclear weapons: US intelligence chief,"North Korea is ""unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons and production capabilities"", Director of US' National Intelligence, Daniel Coats, said. ""North Korean leaders view nuclear arms as critical to regime survival,"" he added. His statements come despite North Korea's agreement with the US at the Singapore summit last year to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula. "
Jet Airways denies being told to ground aircraft,"Jet Airways on Wednesday denied it was directed by GE Capital Aviation Services to ground its aircraft due to non-payment of dues. The airline said it's in the process of delivering three aircraft to lessors due to the expiry of lease terms. Further, three aircraft have been temporarily grounded to carry out an engine normalisation exercise, it added."
"ICICI fires Chanda Kochhar, to take back bonuses paid in last 9 yrs","Retired Justice Srikrishna's enquiry panel has found that ex-CEO Chanda Kochhar violated ICICI Bank's code of conduct. The bank said it'll treat Kochhar's exit as termination and will take back all bonuses paid to her from April 2009 until March 2018. The CBI recently filed a case against Kochhar, her husband, and Videocon MD in the ICICI-Videocon loan case."
Ex-cricketer Martin out of ICU after being on ventilator for a month,"Ex-India cricketer Jacob Martin has been shifted to general ward from the ICU after being on a ventilator for nearly a month following a road accident, wherein he severely injured his lungs. Martin's wife Khyati mentioned there are chances that Jacob will be in hospital for two more months. BCCI, CSK and various cricketers provided financial assistance for Martin's treatment."
"Malinga's wife targets Perera on Facebook, he seeks board's help","Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera has written to Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva, asking the board to intervene after ODI captain Lasith Malinga's wife Tanya targeted him on Facebook. Tanya accused Perera of meeting country's Sports Minister to secure his place in the team. ""We've become laughing stock of whole country...because of one person's personal vendetta,"" Perera wrote."
Don't use visit to ailing man for political gains: Goa CM to Rahul,"Goa CM and ex-Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has written a letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi over his claim that Parrikar told him he has nothing to do with new Rafale deal. Parrikar wrote, ""Kindly do not use your visit to an ailing person to feed political opportunism."" In their five-minute meeting, they didn't discuss anything about Rafale, he added."
"PM Modi stops speech after cameraman faints, asks officers to help","Prime Minister Narendra Modi stopped his speech at the inauguration of the new terminal building at Surat airport after observing that a cameraman had fainted. PM Modi then asked his officers to urgently arrange for an ambulance for the cameraman. ""It's good that PM was paying attention to his surroundings during his speech,"" the cameraman later said from a hospital. "
Couple divorces minutes after marriage as families fight over lunch,A couple got divorced minutes after their wedding ceremony got over in Gujarat's Gondal as a disagreement broke out and relatives from both sides started throwing dishes at each other during lunch. The advocates representing both sides arrived at the marriage hall and got the couple divorced within minutes. The couple even reportedly returned the gifts exchanged during the ceremony.
Minister praises rape-convict Asaram over Matru-Pitru Divas,"Gujarat Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasma has written a congratulatory message to a yoga ashram run by rape-convict Asaram's organisation for observing February 14 as ""Matru-Pitru Pujan Divas"" (Mother-Father worship day). After the Congress termed the letter as ""unfortunate"", saying it ""shows the nexus between BJP and godman"", Chudasma clarified, ""All I have done is sent best wishes."" "
Trump ordered to kill me: Venezuela President Maduro,"Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has claimed that his American counterpart Donald Trump ordered the Colombian government and the Colombian mafia to kill him. ""If something happens to me, Trump and Colombian President Iván Márquez will bear responsibility,"" he added. The US has blamed Maduro for the economic crisis in Venezuela and recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim President."
"8 Asian billionaires aged over 90, including Mistry, control $125bn","Eight Asian billionaires aged 90 or above on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index of world's 500 richest people have a combined net worth of $125 billion. The richest among them is Hong Kong's Li Ka Shing with a net worth of $30.5 billion. India's 90-year-old Pallonji Mistry, who controls 18.3% of Tata Sons through Shapoorji Pallonji Group, is worth $20.1 billion."
"1,000 kg banned plastic seized from Saravana Bhavan in Chennai","Tamil Nadu food safety officials on Wednesday raided and seized 1,000 kgs of banned plastic items from Hotel Saravana Bhavan in Chennai's Vadapalani. Officials began a surprise check in the branch at 8 am. The state government had banned single-use plastics from January 1 and said the banned items should be handed over at the offices of the city corporation."
"Shamita Shetty abused, driver slapped after accident: Report","Actress Shamita Shetty was verbally abused and her driver was slapped in an incident of road rage in Mumbai on Tuesday, as per reports. The incident reportedly took place after a motorist who was accompanied by two friends, rammed his vehicle into Shamita's car. The men allegedly manhandled and threatened Shamita's driver when he stepped out to inspect the damage. "
Trolling has become the norm on social media: Vaani,"Actress Vaani Kapoor said that trolling has become a norm on social media, adding, ""There's no one who hasn't got trolled on social media."" ""Everybody is out there to pull the other person down but it'll only bother [you] if you let it bother you,"" Vaani added. She further said, social media offers a platform ""where people enjoy belittling everybody"". "
Whoever invented marriage was creepy as hell: Sushmita posts joke,"Actress Sushmita Sen took to Instagram to share a joke on the subject of marriage. ""Whoever invented marriage was creepy as hell. Like I love you so much I’m gonna get the government involved so you can’t leave,"" Sushmita's post read. ""This is an insult to [the] beauty of marriage,"" an Instagram user commented on her post."
Actor Karanvir Bohra detained in Russia over passport damage,"Television actor Karanvir Bohra, who flew to Russia on Tuesday to attend a film festival, has been detained in Moscow due to passport damage. ""They [are] contemplating to deport me back to India,"" the actor wrote on Twitter. The Indian embassy in Russia's capital responded to his tweet and said that they were looking into the issue. "
"If I don't get an award, that award is at loss: SRK","While speaking about winning awards for his films, Shah Rukh Khan said, ""If I don't get an award, that award is at a loss."" ""Sometimes, the prestige of an award increases when I receive it,"" the actor jokingly added. Shah Rukh further said that he was ""extremely ambitious"" but in a ""fair manner"". "
Actress Patralekhaa to make her Kannada film debut ,"Actress Patralekhaa will make her debut in the Kannada film industry with the action-comedy film 'Where is my Kannadaka?' ""I can definitely say that it’s a kind of role that I haven’t portrayed on screen so far and that makes it special for me,"" the actress said in a statement. Shooting for the film will reportedly begin in April."
"Gmail faces temporary global outage, users face '404 error'","Gmail on Tuesday faced a global outage, which also affected India, wherein certain users complained they faced a '404 error' message while trying to sign-in to their accounts. The error message read: ""The requested URL was not found on this server. That's all we know."" Google responded saying ""problem with Gmail should be resolved (now). We apologise for the inconvenience""."
Decide about an alliance within 15 days: Uddhav to BJP,"Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has asked the BJP to decide about the alliance with the Sena within 15 days and said the BJP should make a concrete proposal on the alliance. Thackeray added that only if the BJP agrees to Sena's terms and conditions, the party will agree for an alliance. Sena is free to fight independently, he said. "
"Grand alliance, if wins, will see a new PM every day: Shah","BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday took a dig at the Opposition's proposed grand alliance saying if the ""mahagathbandhan comes to power, each opposition leader will be a Prime Minister every day of the week"". He added, ""[The] country will go on...holiday on Sunday"". He said the Opposition is thinking about leading the country but does not have a leader."
Demonetisation made homes affordable for youth: PM Modi,"Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said his government's demonetisation decision made houses affordable for the aspiring youth. He added decisions like demonetisation and RERA have put a check on black money that used to be ""parked in the real estate sector"". He said 'UDAN' (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme has boosted the development of the country's aviation sector."
Bosch makes its 1st India investment in IISc spinoff SimYog,"German multinational engineering and electronics firm Bosch has made its first investment in India in Bengaluru-based deep-tech startup SimYog. SimYog has raised about ₹6.3 crore in the funding round, with participation from early-stage venture capital firm Ideaspring Capital. Incubated at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), it provides design and sign-off tools for automotive electronics."
Mumbai's talent tech startup Shortlist raises $2 million,"Mumbai-headquartered talent technology startup Shortlist has raised $2 million in a Series A round of funding. The round was led by Blue Haven Initiative, with participation from Compass Venture Capital, Zephyr Acorn among others. Founded by Simon Desjardins, Paul Breloff and Matt Schnuck, Shortlist screens candidates using predictive chat-based interviews and online competency-based assessments."
"MIT makes pill that expands in stomach to track cancer, ulcer","MIT engineers have developed a jelly-like ingestible pill that expands inside the stomach and can be used to monitor conditions like cancers and ulcers for up to a month. The pill, made using two types of hydrogels, is embedded with a sensor that continuously tracks the stomach's temperature. It can be removed by drinking a calcium-ion solution that shrinks it."
Brain signals converted directly into speech using AI: Study,"New York's Columbia University neuro-engineers claim to have developed a system that can convert human brain signals directly into speech using artificial intelligence. Researchers revealed a computer algorithm 'vocoder' was used. ""This is the same technology used by Amazon Echo and Apple Siri to give verbal responses to our questions,"" senior author of the study Nima Mesgarani said."
IIT Roorkee tests device to generate electricity from river flow,"A team of IIT-Roorkee scientists is testing a floating device that can generate electricity from flowing surface water of rivers. Instead of using water falling from height to turn turbines like in traditional dams, the prototype uses velocity of flowing river, professor RP Saini said. ""Flowing water can generate hundred times more power than wind of same velocity,"" Saini added."
US woman carrying baby dies after falling down stairs in subway,"A 22-year-old woman died after she fell down a flight of stairs in a New York City subway station while carrying her one-year-old baby in a pram. The station where she died didn't have elevators. Only about a quarter of New York City's 472 subway stations have elevators, making the rest inaccessible to people in wheelchairs and parents carrying prams."
Indian Oil third-quarter profit plunges 91% to ₹717 crore,The country's largest fuel retailer Indian Oil Corporation on Wednesday reported a 91% year-on-year decline in its net profit at ₹717 crore for the December quarter. The fall in profit came amid increased expenses which stood at ₹1.6 lakh crore and rise in foreign exchange loss. The company's domestic sales increased 2.8% from the year-ago period to 21.545 million tonnes.
People said I did bikini shoots anyway: Hansika on private pics leak,"Speaking about the incident when her private pictures were leaked online, actress Hansika Motwani said, ""Certain people [said] since I anyway did bikini shoots...what's the big deal if such pictures are leaked?"" ""When I do...bikini shoot, I'm doing it out of my own choice. Here it's being circulated without...consent,"" she added. Hansika said some of the leaked pictures were morphed."
Akhtar not criticising but personally attacking me: Sarfaraz Ahmed,Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has said that former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was not criticising but personally attacking him over the four-match ban handed to him by the ICC over his 'Abey Kaale' remark on South Africa's Andile Phehlukwayo. Akhtar had said that Sarfaraz's comments were unacceptable and that he had gotten off easily with a four-match suspension.
Apple loses $5 billion in revenue from China last quarter,"Apple on Tuesday said its sales in China fell 27% in the December quarter, representing nearly $5 billion of lost revenue. Apple's overall revenue fell 4.5% to $84.3 billion during the quarter while profit fell slightly to $19.97 billion. Notably, the iPhone maker reported a decline in both revenue and profits for the first time in more than 10 years."
"Activist says 'Wait till Rahul also promises free sex', criticised","After Congress President Rahul Gandhi's recent poll promises like Minimum Income Guarantee and women's reservation, scholar and activist Madhu Kishwar tweeted, ""Wait till Rahul Gandhi also promises free sex for every adult male for a certain number of days every year!"" Several people criticised her for the remark, with one saying, ""I can't believe you have written it. Stumped. Sad."""
"Don't politicise visit to Parrikar, BJP minister tells Rahul","After Congress chief Rahul Gandhi claimed Goa CM Manohar Parrikar told him he had ""nothing to do with the new Rafale deal,"" BJP minister Mauvin Godinho asked Rahul ""not to politicise a courtesy visit."" Godinho added, ""It wasn't the right thing for Rahul Gandhi to do...When you come to enquire about a person's health, it should be limited to that."" "
"Ravana pushed sister Surpanakha into war, Rahul did same: BJP MLA","BJP MLA Surendra Singh on Wednesday compared Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, to 'Ravana' and 'Surpanakha' from Ramayana. ""Just how Ravana pushed his sister Surpanakha in the war ahead of him, Rahul Gandhi has pushed his sister (Priyanka) in the fray...We are blessed with a leader like (PM) Narendra Modi,"" Singh said."
"Pay ₹25,000 to contest LS polls: AIADMK to ticket seekers","All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has told party leaders who want to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls to pay ₹25,000 while submitting their application forms. The fee is applicable for a total of 40 seats in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. AIADMK had issued a similar notification for party ticket aspirants ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. "
Bodo outfit head gets life term for 2008 Assam blasts that killed 88,"A special CBI court in Guwahati has awarded life sentence to National Democratic Front of Bodoland founder and chief Ranjan Daimary and nine others in connection with the 2008 Assam serial blasts, which killed 88 people. Around 11 bombs went off across Assam in the attacks that took place almost a month before 26/11 Mumbai attack."
"Don't play around with the law, SC warns Karti Chidambaram","The Supreme Court today allowed former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram to travel abroad but warned him, ""You can go wherever you want...but don't play around with the law."" The court also directed Karti, an accused in the Aircel-Maxis case, to deposit ₹10 crore as surety and warned him of action in case of ""an iota of non-cooperation."""
Kerala Congress leader charged for raping girl for 1.5 years,"Wayanad District Congress Committee member OM George has been booked for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor tribal girl for one and a half years in Kerala. George, who is currently absconding, was suspended from the primary membership of the party. Meanwhile, the girl has been shifted to a government-run shelter home. "
I'm in full hosh: CM Parrikar presents Goa budget with tube in nose,"Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, who is also the state Finance Minister, presented the annual budget in the state Assembly on Wednesday with a tube in his nose. Suffering from a pancreatic ailment for months, Parrikar said he was in full 'hosh' (consciousness) after Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar said the CM should come back to 'hosh' before speaking about 'josh'. "
"Delhi consultant accuses SpiceJet MD of cheating, police file FIR","The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against SpiceJet Chairman and MD Ajay Singh and seven other directors in a cheating case. A Delhi-based private consultant alleged that they used his services in the aviation sector, but did not pay his fees. ""The complainant has defrauded the company and is now filing frivolous complaints to extract money,"" SpiceJet said."
Anand Mahindra shares menu with dish 'delicious roasted husband',"Mahindra Group's Chairman Anand Mahindra took to Twitter to share the picture of a menu featuring a dish named 'Delicious roasted husband'. He captioned it, ""I'm certainly going to think twice about visiting this restaurant with my wife. Don't want her getting any creative ideas....!"" Reacting to his tweet, a user commented, ""Doesn't the wife roast the husband daily?"""
Deepika Padukone replaces Kiran Rao as chairperson of MAMI,"Deepika Padukone has taken over as chairperson of Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), replacing filmmaker Kiran Rao, who served as chairperson for four years. ""I believe in MAMI’s vision and we are committed towards creating a community that cinema lovers and creators...truly deserve,” Deepika said. Kiran Rao reportedly stepped down as chairperson to focus on a film project."
"14-year-old son found FaceTime bug a week ago, claims mother",A 14-year-old US boy's mother claims he found Apple's Group FaceTime call bug over a week before it went viral while setting up call to play Fortnite with his friends. Grant Thompson's mother said she tweeted about the bug on January 21 but didn't receive a response from Apple. FaceTime Group calls were disabled by Apple pending a software update.
FB paid some users $20 a month to access their data: Report,"Facebook has been paying some users up to $20 a month since 2016 to install VPN app 'Facebook Research' to access their private data, according to a TechCrunch report. The program, that targets users aged 13-35 years through ads, reportedly accessed private messages, search history, and Amazon order history. Facebook said it'll remove the app's iOS version, the report added."
MISA detainees are not freedom fighters: Chhattisgarh CM,"Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has said that Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) detainees are ""not freedom fighters"" and they should not get a pension. The state government on Tuesday ordered all Commissioners and District Collectors to put on hold disbursement of pension for MISA detainees from February onwards. The government also ordered their physical verification."
"Rahul Gandhi is a compulsive liar, says Goa CM's OSD","After Congress President Rahul Gandhi claimed Goa CM Manohar Parrikar had told him he had nothing to do with the new Rafale deal, OSD (Officer on Special Duty) to Parrikar, Prasanna Karthik called Rahul ""a compulsive liar."" Karthik accused Rahul of ""shamelessly"" lying about Parrikar after claiming he wanted to meet the CM to wish the latter a speedy recovery."
UP ministers took dip in Sangam to wash their sins: Rajbhar,"Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Wednesday took a dig at the state cabinet ministers who had gone to take a holy dip in the Sangam, saying that they were washing off their sins in the river. Rajbhar alleged that corruption in the present government was four times more than what it was during the SP and BSP governments."
BJP calls Tharoor's jibe at Yogi's holy dip 'unfortunate',"After Congress leader Shashi Tharoor took a jibe at UP CM Yogi Adityanath's holy dip in the Ganga, BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli said, ""This is very unfortunate."" Nalin added, ""An extremely educated and respected person like Tharoor always comes up with such kind of comments related to practices of the Hindu religion... Tharoor must show respect for other people too."""
"Gujarat govt asks Ola, Uber to start electric taxi services","The Gujarat government has asked ride-hailing services like Ola and Uber to start electric vehicle services. The state energy department, led by Gujarat's Energy Minister Saurabh Patel, is working on creating a policy to provide required infrastructure to mass-run electric vehicles. Patel said recharge stations with charged batteries will be available in a manner similar to existing petrol pumps."
Pics of asteroid that may hit Earth in next century released,"NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has sent the most detailed images of asteroid Bennu, which has a one-in-2,700 chance of hitting Earth in the next century as per NASA. The two images of the potentially Earth-bound asteroid's south pole were clicked from a distance of around 1.6 kilometres on January 17, NASA said. OSIRIS-REx has travelled around 2.2 billion km till date."
PM pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on 71st death anniversary,"Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 71st death anniversary at his Samadhi in Rajghat, New Delhi. ""On Martyrs' Day, we gratefully remember Mahatma Gandhi and the countless freedom fighters who sacrificed their all for our Independence,"" President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted. Congress President Rahul Gandhi also paid his tribute to Mahatma Gandhi."
Venezuela bars self-declared President from leaving country,"Venezuela has barred Juan Guaidó, who declared himself the interim President, from leaving the country and froze his bank accounts. He's prohibited from leaving for having ""caused harm to peace in the republic"", President of Venezuela's Supreme Tribunal of Justice, Maikel Moreno, said. This came after the US gave Guaidó the right to control Venezuela's bank accounts in the US."
Grenade thrown into mosque in Philippines; 2 killed,"At least two people were killed and four others were injured on Wednesday after a grenade was thrown into a mosque in Zamboanga, Philippines, authorities said. An unidentified assailant reportedly threw a grenade when about 10 people were sleeping. This comes days after explosions at a Roman Catholic cathedral left 21 people dead and over 100 injured in the Philippines."
Canada serial killer admits to murdering 8 men,"A serial killer in Canada has pleaded guilty to killing eight men, most of whom were linked to Toronto's Gay Village neighbourhood. Police had found the remains of seven men in planters at a property where 67-year-old Bruce McArthur worked as a landscaper. The cases allegedly involved sexual assault or forcible confinement and the bodies were dismembered."
"Deposit ₹10 crore, then go abroad: SC to Karti Chidambaram",The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Karti Chidambaram to deposit ₹10 crore with the court registry as a precondition to his travelling abroad in February and March. The apex court further asked him to appear before the Enforcement Directorate in March regarding the Aircel-Maxis and INX Media cases. Karti had sought permission to travel abroad for various tennis tournaments.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan gets notice for smuggling currency out of India,"Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan has been issued a show cause notice by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for allegedly smuggling illegal foreign currency out of India for three years. Khan got $340,000 (₹2.42 crore) through illegal means, of which he reportedly smuggled $225,000 (₹1.6 crore). The ED has sought the singer's response within 45 days."
West Bengal groom arrives in road roller for his wedding ceremony,"Arka Patra, a 30-year-old groom from West Bengal, arrived for his wedding ceremony in a road roller on Sunday. ""I wanted to make my wedding ceremony memorable and unique. I could take a vintage car, but that would not be new,"" he said. Patra said his wife also agreed to his idea when he had discussed it with her."
Upset about my 'Manikarnika' scenes being removed: Actress Mishti,"Actress Mishti, who has featured in 'Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi', has said she's really upset about some of her scenes being removed from the film. ""After the movie, I didn't...speak to anyone. I just walked out of the theatre,"" she added. ""[From] a selfish perspective, as an artiste I think my character has turned into a caricature,"" said Mishti."
We were worried it'd backfire: Kartik on 'backfie' tweet on PM Modi,"Actor Kartik Aaryan, while speaking about the tweet in which he shared a 'backfie' taken by Imtiaz Ali showing PM Narendra Modi from behind, said, ""We were...worried [it would backfire]."" ""We were calling ourselves losers but agar wo galat le liya hota toh backfire ho jata,"" he added. Speaking about the PM's reply, Kartik said, ""Bahut hi...sweet sa tweet tha."""
Shraddha criticised for cultural appropriation in Ratnani's shoot,"Shraddha Kapoor has been criticised over cultural appropriation for wearing a Native American headdress in a shoot by Dabboo Ratnani. The shoot is part of Ratnani's 2019 calendar launched on Monday. Calling out Shraddha, Instagram page Diet Sabya wrote, ""The 'controversy' is part of a wider effort by Native American activists to highlight the ongoing cultural genocide against indigenous peoples."""
"Rahul's simplicity, humbleness should be admired: BJP MLA","After Congress President Rahul Gandhi met Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, BJP MLA Michael Lobo said, ""His simplicity, his humbleness has to be really admired by all the Indians and the Goans."" Lobo added, ""These types of leaders are required in Goa and India."" Rahul had said he made a personal visit to Parrikar's office to wish him a speedy recovery."
MP CM reinstates teacher suspended for objectionable post on Rahul,"MP CM Kamal Nath has ordered the reinstatement of a government school teacher suspended for an objectionable online post on Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Stating the suspension was ""contrary to his (Rahul's) way of thinking"" and ""to my way of thinking as well,"" Nath advised the teacher to read about the sacrifice of the Gandhi family to ""dispel any prejudice""."
Parrikar said he has nothing to do with new Rafale deal: Rahul,"Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said, ""Friends...(Goa CM and former Defence Minister) Manohar Parrikar clearly stated he has nothing to do with the new (Rafale) deal that was orchestrated by PM Narendra Modi to benefit Anil Ambani."" The remarks comes after Rahul's meeting with Parrikar at the CM's office, which the Congress chief claimed was a ""personal visit""."
You want Ganga clean & also wash sins in it: Tharoor on UP CM's pic,"Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has shared an image of Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath taking a holy dip at Kumbh Mela along with his Cabinet ministers. ""You want to keep the Ganga clean and also wash your sins in it. Everyone is naked in this Sangam. Jai Ganga Maiya ki,"" Tharoor's caption on the picture read."
3 women arrested in Karnataka temple prasad poisoning case,"Three women were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the poisoning of prasad at a temple in Chikkaballapur district, Karnataka. Two women had died while several other people were hospitalised with complaints of vomiting and loose motions. The police had earlier said the temple management was not responsible as the women had brought the prasad themselves and were distributing it. "
Pak-based terror groups will continue attacks in India: US intel,"The US intelligence's worldwide threat assessment report has stated terror groups supported by Pakistan will continue to conduct terrorist attacks in India and Afghanistan. It also warned of communal violence in India in view of the upcoming General polls. The report claimed communal clashes ""could alienate Indian Muslims and allow Islamist terrorist groups in India to expand their influence."""
"L&T's retired Chairman encashes unused leaves of 50yrs, gets ₹19 cr","Padma Vibhushan awardee and retired non-executive chairman of L&T Group, Anil Manibhai Naik, received at least ₹19 crore after encashing his accumulated leaves of over 50 years. The company also revealed Naik got ₹55.038 crore as gratuity and ₹1.50 crore as pension that is a part of his retirement benefit. Naik had joined L&T in 1965 as a junior engineer."
"3-yr-old's black jacket removed for Assam CM's event, probe ordered",A video of a mother removing black jacket of her three-year-old child on orders of security personnel before entering an event addressed by CM Sarbananda Sonowal in Assam has surfaced online. A policeman said they had been asked to not allow anyone to carry black items inside the venue. A probe has been ordered into the incident by CM Sonowal.
"2-yr-old kidnapped by woman in Gurugram, rescued within 5 hrs","A two-year-old toddler was allegedly kidnapped by a woman while playing outside his house with his 11-year-old sister in Gurugram on Tuesday morning. The woman took the toddler to her home after lying to his sister that someone was calling her inside the house. Meanwhile, the police rescued the toddler within five hours and arrested the woman. "
"Priest falls after garlanding 18-foot Lord Anjaneyar idol, dies","A 53-year-old priest in Namakkal Anjaneyar temple in Tamil Nadu died after he slipped and fell down from an 11-foot-high platform after garlanding 18-foot-high Lord Anjaneyar statue, officials said. The priest was critically injured and was hospitalised on Sunday but he succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. An official claimed such an incident has not happened in the temple's history."
"MP to get 1,000 cow shelters to house 1 lakh cows by May","The Madhya Pradesh government will open 1,000 cow shelters to provide shelter to one lakh cows by May, a senior official revealed. The official added, ""The capacity of 614 private cow shelters would be increased to 60,000."" The scheme is the first of its kind in the state and is expected to cost ₹450 crore, he further said."
Not taken seriously by govt: Stats body chief quits over jobs data,"The only two non-government members of National Statistical Commission (NSC), including its acting chief PC Mohanan, have resigned and cited government withholding the release of employment survey data for 2017-18 as one of the reasons. ""We felt the commission wasn't being taken seriously...Some of the decisions of the [NSC] weren't also considered. We thought we were being sidelined,"" Mohanan said."
"Singer Shivani Bhatia dies in car accident, husband survives","Singer and stage performer Shivani Bhatia died in a road accident on Tuesday morning, after her car rammed into a divider on the Yamuna Expressway. The singer was accompanied by her husband Nikhil Bhatia, who survived the accident. ""The accident occurred after Nikhil attempted to overtake a high-speed car and lost control of his vehicle,"" said police."
1 more institution died: Chidambaram on stats body resignations,"After the only two non-government members of National Statistical Commission resigned citing lack of involvement in key decisions, Congress leader P Chidambaram tweeted, ""One more venerable institution died...owing to malicious negligence by the government."" He added, ""We...remember with gratitude its valiant fight to release untainted GDP data...May the NSC rest in peace until it is re-born again!"""
Alphabet-backed US health insurance startup raises $500 mn,"Google parent Alphabet-backed US-based health insurance startup Clover Health has raised $500 million in a funding round led by existing investor Greenoaks Capital. As part of the funding, it'll promote its current CTO Andrew Toy to also assume President's role. Founded in 2014 by Vivek Garipalli and Kris Gale, the startup has raised a total of $925 million in funding. "
Porsche Taycan to feature charging faster than Tesla Model S,"German luxury carmaker Porsche has revealed its all-electric Taycan will feature an 800-volt battery that has fast-charging rates of up to 350 kilowatts. Adding over 60 miles of charge in just four minutes, the Taycan will exceed Tesla's Model S which currently absorbs around 120 kilowatts. Porsche also announced three years of free charging at Electrify America charging stations."
"Developer platform raises ₹7 crore from Binny Bansal, others","Developer platform 'Crio.Do' has raised ₹7 crore ($1 million) from investors including Flipkart Co-founder Binny Bansal and B2B online marketplace Udaan's Co-founders Amod Malviya, Vaibhav Gupta and Sujeet Kumar. Mekin Maheshwari, Udhyam Learning Foundation's founder, also participated in the funding round. Founded in 2018, the Bengaluru-based startup offers a learning environment for developers."
NASA's Curiosity rover clicks last selfie on Martian ridge,"NASA's Curiosity rover has shared its last selfie clicked on Mars' Vera Rubin Ridge, which was its home for over a year. A series of 57 pictures were stitched together to create the selfie. Curiosity had drilled its 19th sample at 'Rock Hall' on the ridge on December 15, 2018, which is also visible in the photo, NASA added."
"Jet Airways cancels 15 flights, grounds 6 Boeing 737 planes","Cash-strapped carrier Jet Airways cancelled 15 flights on Wednesday after grounding six Boeing 737 planes over non-payment of lease rentals. Facing debts of about $1.14 billion, Jet Airways had cancelled around 20 flights a day ago after three Boeing 737 aircraft were grounded. Meanwhile, the airline is in talks with its partner Etihad for additional cash infusion."
25-year-old man killed by girlfriend's brothers in Mumbai,"A 25-year-old man named Saif Ali Sharafat Ali was allegedly killed by the two brothers of his girlfriend in Mumbai on Tuesday. The police said Saif was going to marry his girlfriend, whose house he was at when her brothers attacked him. The 19-year-old and 23-year-old brothers, who were opposed to their relationship, fled after the incident but were arrested. "
UK MP jailed for lying to avoid speeding ticket,"UK MP Fiona Onasanya has been jailed for three months after she was found guilty of lying about a speeding ticket. Onasanya was found texting and speeding in an incident last year. She'd said that one of her former tenants was driving her car when it was caught speeding, however, he was found to be in Russia at the time."
"US thieves try to steal TV, return it as it didn't fit in car","Two thieves in Texas, US, took back a flat-screen television inside a house after it did not fit in the vehicle that they had stolen. The entire incident which took place earlier this month was caught on camera on the home surveillance system. The suspects remain at large and authorities have urged the public to help identify them."
Man goes to bank in Spider-Man costume on last working day in Brazil,"A bank employee in Brazil went to work dressed in a Spider-Man costume on his last working day, pictures and videos of whom have gone viral on the internet. A picture shared by a co-worker showed him lying across a desk in the superhero costume. Its caption read, ""Last day of work and this person is driving the boss mad."" "
Alia buys apartment in Mumbai's Juhu for over ₹13 cr: Reports,"Actress Alia Bhatt has reportedly bought a 2,300-square feet apartment for ₹13.11 crore on the first floor of a posh building in Mumbai's Juhu. She also received two open car parks. The 25-year-old actress had earlier reportedly purchased two properties on the second floor of the building from Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher for ₹5.16 crore and ₹3.83 crore. "
73-yr-old wins round-the-world sailing race after 212 days at sea,"French sailor Jean-Luc Van Den Heede on Tuesday won the round-the-world yacht race after 212 days alone at sea without modern instruments. The 73-year-old, who completed his sixth circumnavigation of the globe, became the oldest to complete the 30,000-mile Golden Globe race. Of the 19 sailors who started out last July, only five were still in the race on Tuesday."
Nothing but cricket can make people smile in Afghanistan: Rashid,"Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan has said that cricket has changed everything in Afghanistan in the last five-six years. ""(We players) just try and give 100% in each and every competition. Everywhere, we try our best to give something to the people back home...There is nothing else that can bring such a smile on their faces,"" Rashid added."
I'll improve myself: Sarfaraz on 4-game suspension over 'Kaale' row,"Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, who has been banned for four matches for his 'Abey Kaale' remark to South Africa's Andile Phehlukwayo, said he'll improve himself and his performance in the future. Sarfaraz was called back from South Africa by Pakistan Cricket Board after being banned by the ICC. ""I will rest and then play Pakistan Super League,"" he added."
"Bee attack stops India A's match for 15 minutes, 5 fans injured",A bee attack forced officials to stop play for around 15 minutes during fourth India A-England Lions one-day at Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. A group of fans provoked the bees by throwing stones at a beehive in the stands during England Lions' 28th over. Around five spectators were injured and taken to a hospital for medical care.
"Pic shows '5,000 troops to Colombia' in notes of US official","US' National Security Advisor John Bolton was photographed with a notepad that had ""5,000 troops to Colombia"" written on it, as he talked to reporters about neighbouring Venezuela. ""As the President has said, all options are on the table,"" a White House spokesperson said when asked if the US would consider taking military option amid the political crisis in Venezuela."
'French Spiderman' arrested for climbing Philippines skyscraper,"Urban free climber Alain Robert, popularly known as the 'French Spiderman', has been arrested in the Philippines after climbing an over 700-foot-tall skyscraper in Manila. ""I see thousands of people inside the building. I did brighten their day,"" Robert said when asked about his climb. He holds the Guinness World Record for 'most buildings climbed', having scaled over 120 structures."
"Tribunal rejects Ruias' ₹54,000-cr settlement bid for Essar Steel","The National Company Law Tribunal has rejected the settlement offer made by Essar Steel's promoters, the Ruia family, to regain control of the company. Ruias made a ₹54,389-crore offer on the day the Committee of Creditors approved ArcelorMittal's ₹42,000-crore resolution plan. ArcelorMittal welcomed the ruling and said it protects the integrity of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC)."
Ghalib's work could only have found meaning in India: Javed,"While speaking about the work of Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib, veteran lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar said, ""[The] language and depth used in his work could have only found meaning in India."" ""His work wouldn't have been nurtured and preserved if not for this country,"" the lyricist added. He further said that Ghalib had an ""amazing range of emotions"". "
Snapchat considering making user posts permanent: Reuters,"Disappearing photo and video-sharing platform Snapchat is considering making its users' posts longer or even permanent, a Reuters report claimed. It is further considering revealing identities of users who make public posts, the report added. The platform is carefully weighing the privacy, technical and legal considerations of revealing user identities on public posts, it further said."
No law says MLAs need to file assets to Lokayukta: AAP,"The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday said there is no law which mentions MLAs need to file their assets to the Lokayukta. ""AAP MLAs had filed their assets and liabilities to Election Commission in 2013 elections and then in 2015 elections,"" the party added. AAP will again file the affidavits in 2020 elections detailing the assets, the party said."
Opposition need not project PM face: Sharad Pawar,"Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said there's no need to think about the prime ministerial candidate of the proposed grand alliance of opposition parties before 2019 polls. ""We (UPA) hadn't declared a candidate before...2004 election. But we managed to give...successful government for 10 years,"" he added. He further said BJP had failed to keep its promises."
BJP has given green signal to fight again from Mathura: Hema,"BJP MP Hema Malini on Tuesday claimed that she had been given the ""green signal by higher-ups"" of the party to contest again from Mathura. She also promised the people of her constituency ""modernisation"" of the Mathura Junction railway station. The actor-politician also inaugurated various projects at the Mathura Junction."
"Supporters weigh BJP MLA in coins, donate for his house in MP","BJP leader Sitaram Adivasi, a first-time MLA from Vijaypur constituency in Madhya Pradesh, is being weighed against coins by his supporters to make a concrete house. ""I will definitely pay back their affection with development of the area,"" Adiwasi said. As per his 2018 Assembly Elections affidavit, the 55-year-old owns a tractor on loan, a two-acre land, and ₹46,733."
Bhagwant Mann to take over as Punjab chief of AAP again,"AAP MP Bhagwant Mann will again take charge as the chief of the party's Punjab unit on Wednesday. In March 2018, Mann had tendered his resignation after Kejriwal apologised to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia over allegations of his involvement in drug trade. However, his resignation was rejected by Punjab AAP last week. "
Flipkart CEO opposes revised FDI policy deadline: Report,"Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy reportedly opposed the February 1 deadline of the revised FDI norms on e-commerce saying the regulations could cause ""significant customer disruption"" if the deadline wasn't extended. Reports added, he said the policy imposes conditions that could have undesirable impacts on India's e-commerce growth. His statements were written in letter to DIPP, as per Reuters."
Ancient tsunami proof found in coastlines of Kachchh: Study,"Researchers have found geological evidence for a palaeo-tsunami in northern Arabian Sea, believed to have taken place in 1008 AD, in the coastlines of Kachchh. Researchers identified a 250-km-long sand sheet deposition dating back to a thousand years, which is indicator of an underwater earthquake and an ancient tsunami. The coastline has unique geomorphic features of sediments, researchers said."
"India ranked 78 on global corruption index, US drops out of top 20","India has been ranked 78 on the 'Corruption Perceptions Index 2018' released by the Transparency International, moving up three places from 2017. The US has been ranked 22, dropping out of top 20 on the index for the first time since 2011. Denmark topped the index, which ranks 180 countries and territories. "
UP government directs officials to barcode stray cows,"Uttar Pradesh government has asked officials to barcode stray cows and set up temporary cow shelters at unused government buildings. The shelters can be established at cooperative institutions and at institutes of the Central government which have been lying closed, a government order read. It also suggested Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to be used to scan the barcodes. n"
India's Lambda buys US research firm Novum Pharmaceutical,"Ahmedabad-headquartered Lambda Therapeutic Research on Tuesday announced the acquisition of US-based Novum Pharmaceutical Research Services. The Indian contract research organisation said this is its second acquisition in North America following the acquisition of the R&D facilities of Canada's Biovail in 2010. Apart from India, Lambda has operations in Canada, Poland and the UK."
" Confiscated benami assets worth ₹6,900 crore: I-T Dept","The Income Tax Department on Tuesday said it has confiscated assets worth ₹6,900 crore so far under the anti-benami transactions law. Those who ""abet and induce"" benami transactions, benamidar and beneficiaries may face rigorous imprisonment up to 7 years besides being liable to pay fine, it added. The tax department started initiating action under the new law from November 2016."
Bank of Baroda Q3 profit surges fourfold to ₹471 crore,"Bank of Baroda on Tuesday posted 321% year-on-year rise in profit at ₹471 crore for the quarter ended December 31, 2018. The net interest income rose 16.6% to ₹4,744 crore compared to ₹4,068 crore in the same period a year ago. The lender's asset quality eased with gross bad loans declining to 11.01% as against 11.3% in the year-ago period."
"Timely resolution by NCLT can free up ₹67,000 cr: Report","Conclusion of cases under the bankruptcy law by the NCLT within 180-270 days mandated by law can release up to ₹67,000 crore to lenders, rating agency ICRA said. Of the 1,484 cases that have been sent to NCLT since 2016, 898 are yet to be resolved, it added. Out of this, 31% have exceeded the 270-day timeline, it further said."
Dewan Housing Finance shares plunge 11% after media report,"Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL) shares fell as much as 11% on Tuesday following a media report that alleged over ₹31,000-crore fraud by its controlling shareholders, the Wadhawans. The report alleged they diverted funds, including money borrowed from state-run banks, to shell companies. DHFL in response said the report was made with ""mala fide intent"" to damage its ""goodwill and reputation""."
Jet Airways grounds 3 more planes over rental dues: Reports,"Cash-strapped Jet Airways on Tuesday reportedly grounded three Boeing 737 planes due to non-payment of lease rentals, leading to cancellation of around 20 domestic flights. The number of aircraft grounded by the carrier due to rental payment issues now stand at six, reports added. The carrier has about 123 aircraft in its fleet, including 5 new Boeing 737 MAXs."
Djokovic signs his own jacket and gives it to empty-handed fan,"While signing autographs for fans following his Australian Open 2019 victory, world number one men's tennis player Novak Djokovic approached a fan who had climbed a partition to get close to him. After realising that the fan didn't have anything for him to sign on, Djokovic signed his own jacket, took it off and gave it to the fan."
"Spectator gets hit on face by six, returns with ice pack and beer","Brisbane Heat wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson slammed a six off Hobart Hurricanes' James Faulkner which ended up hitting a spectator on his face. The spectator was hit on the face while attempting to catch the six in the 17th over, however, he escaped injury. The fan was seen in the last over, applying ice pack to his forehead and drinking beer. "
I now have a metal hip: Murray undergoes 2nd hip surgery in a year,"Former world number one men's tennis player Andy Murray underwent a hip resurfacing surgery in London on Monday. The 31-year-old, who had undergone his first hip surgery in January last year, shared pictures of himself as well as his hip's X-ray on Instagram, writing, ""I now have a metal hip...Hopefully that will be the end of my hip pain."" "
"What is Beating Retreat ceremony, held 3 days after Republic Day?","The Beating Retreat organised annually at Delhi's Vijay Chowk on January 29 signifies the end of the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations. The ceremony marks the event when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and returned to the camps at the sounding of the Retreat. The ceremony includes performances by the bands of the Indian military and various police contingents."
UP CM Yogi takes holy dip in Ganga post cabinet meet at Kumbh Mela,"Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday took a holy dip at the Sangam along with other state cabinet ministers following their meeting at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. The cabinet meeting at Kumbh Mela was the first by UP CM Yogi outside Lucknow. It was held at the ""integrated control and command centre"" set up at Kumbh Mela venue. "
"Accenture to sell software that allowed it to cut 40,000 jobs","Global consulting firm Accenture said it will begin selling automation software that has already eliminated about 40,000 internal roles. Accenture's SynOps system suggests ways to streamline and automate processes in areas such as finance and accounting, marketing and procurement. The company said it took five years to build the SynOps platform."
"Zarina Wahab, Barkha Bisht Sengupta join PM Modi biopic cast","Actresses Zarina Wahab and Barkha Bisht Sengupta have joined the cast of the upcoming biopic 'PM Narendra Modi', starring Vivek Oberoi. Actors Manoj Joshi and Prashant Narayanan have also been roped in for the biopic, the film's makers announced. The film, directed by Omung Kumar, will also feature Boman Irani and Darshan Kumaar."
"Overwhelming to be compared to Ranbir, Ranveer: Rajkummar","Actor Rajkummar Rao has said that he finds it ""overwhelming"" to be compared to Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. ""I take it as a compliment...I take it with a lot of gratitude because you are comparing me with two great actors,” he added. Rajkummar further said he doesn't take competition into account and only hopes to grow as an actor. "
Charges dropped against SRK in Alibaug benami property case,"Shah Rukh Khan was dismissed of the charge of being a beneficiary of benami property in Maharashtra's Alibaug. The Income Tax Department issued an attachment order in February 2018, stating that the property was held by the company 'Deja Vu Farms', further naming Shah Rukh as a beneficiary. The Adjudicating Authority (AA) revoked the order, calling it 'baseless' and 'coloured'. "
Nana Patekar's mother passes away aged 99,"Nana Patekar's mother Nirmala Patekar passed away on Tuesday morning, aged 99. The actor and several close family members were present at Oshiwara crematorium in Mumbai where Nirmala's last rites were performed, as per reports. Nana, who lost his father when he was 28 years old, lived with his mother in Maharashtra's Murud before she breathed her last, reports suggested. "
Ravi Kishan's daughter to debut opposite Padmini Kolhapure's son,"Actor Ravi Kishan's daughter Riva will make her acting debut opposite actress Padmini Kolhapure's son Priyaank in the film 'Sab Kushal Mangal', which will also feature Akshaye Khanna in a lead role. The film will reportedly be directed by Karan Kashyap and produced by filmmaker Nitin Manmohan's daughter Prachi. Shooting for the film will begin in March, as per reports."
Transferred as complained about Rao's misconduct: CBI SP Balaji,"CBI SP T Rajah Balaji has accused that he has been transferred by the interim CBI Director M Nageswara Rao because he complained about Rao's ""misconduct"" to the then director in March 2017. Balaji was recently transferred from Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch to Ghaziabad CBI Academy. Balaji has also approached the Supreme Court with a petition challenging his transfer, report said."