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Trio ordered to clean Dubai zoo over cat killing video | Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid, has ordered three men accused of feeding a cat alive to two dogs and filming it, to clean the city's zoo for three months. He reportedly instructed the offenders, a Gulf citizen and two Asians, to clean the zoo's facilities for four hours a day. |
Military action against North Korea an option: US | US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said that the country's policy of "strategic patience" with North Korea is over and military action against the East-Asian country is an "option on the table". "We are exploring...new...security and diplomatic measures," Tillerson added. He further said that North Korea could no longer be allowed to continue developing its nuclear technology. |
Israel's Arrow anti-missile system used for the first time | Israel has shot down a Syrian anti-aircraft missile using its most advanced anti-missile system 'Arrow' for the first time, according to reports. The intercepted missile came down in Jordan, while two others are said to have landed in Israel, reports added. Syrian forces reportedly retaliated after Israeli fighter jets bombed multiple targets inside the country. |
Sports sponsorships hit â¹6,400 cr in India in 2016: Report | Sports sponsorships grew 19.33% in India when the overall advertising business grew 11.89% in 2016, a report by sports media firms GroupM ESP and SportzPower has revealed. Sports sponsorships touched â¹6,400 crore in the country last year, with ad expenditure on events growing 24.63% to â¹3,510.8 crore. Cricket had the highest contribution, with IPL alone attracting â¹1,020 crore in advertising. |
Optic fibre switch 1st to transfer data at 10 Gbps at -268ºC | A silicon-based optical fibre switch developed at a US-based laboratory is the first to transfer data up to 10 gigabits per second at near absolute zero temperatures. The device was tested at 25ºC, -173ºC and -268ºC and consumed 1000 times less power than commercially available electro-optical switches, hence, could be used for communications in extreme space conditions, said the developer. |
Not in my DNA to be insecure with others' success: Priyanka | Actress Priyanka Chopra has said that it's not in her DNA to feel insecure about the success of other actors. She added, "I'm very secure in who I'm and the work I do. I believe that there is enough work out there for everyone." Priyanka further said that she wants to be the best version of herself as an entertainer.nn |
Yadav loses balance, falls on the pitch at point of delivery | Indian pacer Umesh Yadav landed on the side of his boot as he was about to deliver a ball to Nathan Lyon, before he lost his balance and fell down on the pitch. The incident happened in the 135th over of the Australian innings. Umesh Yadav gave away 106 runs and took 3 wickets in the first innings. |
Jadeja pitches ball on leg, hits off stump to bowl Cummins | Indian spinner Ravindra Jadeja clean bowled Pat Cummins after he turned the ball away from the middle and leg to hit the top of the off stump. Cummins had offered a forward defensive shot but he was deceived by the turn of the ball. Jadeja went on to take a five-wicket haul in the innings, his eighth in 45 innings. |
Thailand organises buffet for elephants to mark Elephant Day | Dozens of elephants were treated to a fruit buffet organised in Ayutthaya to raise awareness for the animals on Thailand's Elephant Day. The elephants were dressed up and were blessed by monks with holy water. "We plan to reduce the exploitation of elephants as much as possible," said the manager of the place where the buffet took place.nn |
Saina Nehwal to donate â¹6 lakh to families of CRPF martyrs | Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal has decided to donate â¹6 lakh, â¹50,000 each, to the families of the 12 Central Reserve Police Force jawans killed in an attack in Chhattisgarh last week. Saina, who turned 27 on Friday, said she is pained by what happened in Chhattisgarh and this is a small contribution to the families who have suffered irreparable loss.nn |
Trivendra Singh Rawat to be next Uttarakhand Chief Minister | The BJP on Friday elected Trivendra Singh Rawat as the next Chief Minister of Uttarakhand. He will take oath as the CM on March 18. Rawat was a member of RSS from 1983 to 2002 and held the post of organising secretary in the Uttarakhand region. Notably, the BJP had won 56 of the 70 seats in the Uttarakhand Assembly. |
Kunal Kapoor shares pic of his physical transformation | Actor Kunal Kapoor took to social media to share a photo showing his physical transformation. "6 months, 23 days, 12 hours and 232 protein shakes later!" read the caption. He will be seen playing a warrior in his upcoming film 'Veeram'. "I have always been fit but this is the fittest and most muscular I have ever been," said Kunal. |
It's pay taxes or get out, says Adi Godrej | Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej has said that GST will check tax evasion and reduce unaccounted money in the system, adding that it's now "pay taxes or get out". Once the GST framework is in place, things will change for the better, he added. Commenting on demonetisation, Godrej said whenever a government has tried to control things, it has failed. |
Goa Cong leader resigns; says "canât accept Rahul as leader" | Congress leader from Goa, Savio Rodrigues, offered his resignation and said that he could not accept party Vice President Rahul Gandhi as a leader. He further said that Gandhi is not taking responsibility for the political party's loss in the Assembly polls, and added that Digvijaya Singh was responsible for the defeat. Congress MLA Vishwajit Rane also resigned on Thursday. |
Snapdeal Founders earned â¹80cr each by selling stake in 2015 | Snapdeal Founders Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal, each earned â¹80 crore in 2015 after selling nearly 25% of their stake in Snapdeal, according to filings with the Registrar of Companies. While Bahl is an angel investor in as many as 24 startups, Bansal is an investor in 19. Recently, Snapdeal fired 600 employees and founders announced taking 100% pay cut. |
No proposal to withdraw new â¹2,000 notes, says Arun Jaitley | Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said there is no proposal to withdraw the â¹2,000 notes that were introduced after demonetisation. The â¹2,000 banknotes were introduced along with new â¹500 currency following the withdrawal of old â¹500 and â¹1,000 notes. Jaitley further said old notes returned to the RBI amounted to â¹12.44 lakh crore as on December 10, 2016. |
Indrani to oppose son Mikhail's claim on Sheena's property | Key accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, Indrani Mukerjea, on Thursday told a CBI court that she would oppose her son Mikhail's claim on Sheena's share of ancestral property. Indrani's mother, who died in 2015, had in her will left a piece of land, a two-storied house and two other structures in Guwahati for Sheena and her brother Mikhail. |
Election should be held for Cong Prez post also: MS Aiyar | Urging to bring changes in Congress' leadership, senior party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Friday said that election should be held on every level, even for Congress' President post. "I would be surprised if someone would like to stand against Rahul Gandhi," he added. Aiyar had on Thursday admitted that Congress' position in national politics is "shrinking". |
Emma Watson starrer 'Beauty and the Beast' hits the theatres | Emma Watson's 'Beauty and the Beast' "is a trip fantastic and beats all the versions that've come before it", wrote Mid-Day. Hindustan Times wrote, "The film...reveals a stunning musical treat for your eyes, ears and heart", while NDTV wrote, "Emma is an alert Belle, Dan Stevens' Beast is the perfect foil". It was rated 3.5/5 (Mid-Day), 3/5 (NDTV), 4.5/5 (HT). |
Computers will make us funnier and sexier, says Google exec | Google's Director of Engineering Ray Kurzweil has said that computers will soon have human-level intelligence and help humankind become "funnier" and "sexier". "We're really going to exemplify all the things that we value in humans to a greater degree," he added. Kurzweil also predicted that by 2029 human brains will be fitted with computers and connected to a cloud. |
China's cash-strapped LeEco to sell Silicon Valley property | Chinese technology conglomerate LeEco, which fired nearly 80% of its workforce in India earlier this month, is reportedly selling its 49-acre Silicon Valley property to ride out a cash crunch. LeEco had bought the property from Yahoo less than a year ago to house about 12,000 employees. The US site will reportedly be sold to a developer for $260 million. |
Be Indian and Buy Indian, says HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh | HDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh on Friday said that we have to protect our Indian industries, calling for people to 'Be Indian and Buy Indian'. He further favoured GST, stating that once the initial confusion around the regime is dealt with, economists have projected that the GDP will go up. Commenting on demonetisation, Parekh termed it as a big bang reform. |
Jadeja does Dhoni-like no-look runout in Ranchi Test | Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Australian player Josh Hazlewood with a MS Dhoni-like no-look runout during the Ranchi Test on Friday. KL Rahul collected the ball at square leg and threw it towards the non-striker's end, where Jadeja ran Hazlewood out with a back flick. MS Dhoni had produced a similar runout at the same venue in an ODI last year. |
Shah Rukh Khan will not feature in my next film: Farah Khan | Farah Khan has revealed that Shah Rukh Khan will not feature in her next directorial. She added, "I feel the urge to make an indie film...(but) I'm not capable of writing such scripts...I need someone to help me..." Notably, SRK featured in 'Main Hoon Na', 'Om Shanti Om' and 'Happy New Year', three of the four films Farah has directed. |
India end Day 2 at 120/1, trail Australia by 331 runs | India ended day two of the Ranchi Test at 120/1 driven by Lokesh Rahul's 67(102), trailing Australia by 331 runs. Earlier, Australia were dismissed for 451 with Ravindra Jadeja ending with figures of 5/124, his eighth five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Glenn Maxwell scored his maiden Test ton scoring 104(185) while Steve Smith remained unbeaten on 178(361). |
Scientists identify protein to track dormant HIV cells | In a first, French scientists have discovered a biomarker that gives away the presence of inactive HIV in the body. The biomarker, a unique protein exists only on the surface of T cells that harbour the AIDS-causing virus. The marker, if proved reliable, could be used to track down and kill 'latent' HIV reservoirs in patient's blood, said the scientists. |
New trailer of Taapsee Pannu's 'Naam Shabana' released | A new trailer of the Taapsee Pannu starrer 'Naam Shabana' has been released. Taapsee features as a special agent in the action spy thriller which is a spin-off to the 2015 film 'Baby'. Directed by Shivam Nair and also starring Akshay Kumar, Manoj Bajpayee, Anupam Kher and Danny Denzongpa, the film is scheduled to release on March 31. |
Music group makes before and after videos of plastic surgery | Korean pop music group 'Six Bombs' has released 'before' and 'after' videos, showing results of the plastic surgery that they have undergone through two music videos. In the first video, the four members are seen receiving plastic surgery consultation. The follow-up video shows the girls walking out of the hospital showing their post-surgery results. |
Google map to show houses viable for solar roof in US | A map under Google's 'Project Sunroof' will be showing which houses across the US are viable for solar roofs or have enough unshaded area for solar panels. Google uses visual data from Google Maps and Google Earth to generate 3D models of the total sunlight that reaches a roof. Google data says Houston is the city with most solar potential. |
Robot dog barks, wags tail to show social media notification | A San Francisco-based startup has created 'Soshee', a palm-sized robot dog that connects to users' smartphones via Bluetooth and barks or wags tail to indicate a new notification. The 4.5-inch tall robot can stand, sit, turn its head, bark and even walk a few steps in response to different notifications from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. |
Stopping global warming only way to save Barrier Reef: Study | Australia-based researchers have raised concerns over large-scale coral deaths due to bleaching caused by global warming. The study found that 91% of corals on the Great Barrier Reef had suffered from bleaching over the past two decades. Bleaching, caused by underwater heatwaves when corals expel the algae living inside, turns corals white and makes them vulnerable to fatal diseases. |
Women don't report sexual harassment due to shame: Swara | Actress Swara Bhaskar has said that a possible reason for women not reporting sexual harassment is due to the culture of shaming women in Indian society. She added that fear of not being believed, tedious bureaucratic process and fear of vengeance, particularly if people being challenged are more powerful, are other reasons for women not reporting sexual harassment. |
World's oldest club to allow female golfers after 273 years | Scotland's Muirfield golf course, founded in 1744 and believed to be the oldest in the world, will allow women to attain membership for the first time. The decision reportedly comes after the club lost out on a chance to host the prestigious Open Championship. Women, however, will have to wait for nearly 2-3 years due to a membership waiting list. |
La La Land actor Ryan Gosling features on cover of GQ India | Hollywood actor Ryan Gosling, who starred in Oscar-winning film 'La La Land', has featured on the cover of the March issue of men's magazine 'GQ India'. He is wearing a grey polo T-shirt with grey pants, accessorising his look with a watch. The magazine has called the edition 'The Big Hollywood Issue' and it has described Ryan as 'Super Suave'. |
Perfume designed to smell like kitten fur released | New York-based company 'Demeter Fragrance Library' has released 'Kitten Fur', a perfume which is designed to smell like a kitten. "Fifteen years in the making, we've captured the olfactory essence of warmth and comfort... That PURRfect spot, just behind a kitten's neck," read their Facebook post. The company also offers other scents including 'New Baby,' 'Popcorn' and 'Gin and Tonic'. |
Bicycle kick assist sets up bicycle kick goal in match | Rio de Janeiro-based club Botafogo's players scored a double bicycle kick goal in a domestic league match recently. Botafogo midfielder Bruno Silva intercepted a cross from the right flank and attempted a mistimed bicycle kick, which sent the ball towards striker Roger, who was also in the box. Roger also attempted a bicycle kick which ended up finding the net. |
US women's ice hockey team to boycott WC over wage demands | US women's ice hockey team is set to boycott the 2017 world championships unless its demands for higher wages are met by USA Hockey. The women, who are the defending world champions, are under USA Hockey's contract only during years when the Winter Games are held and are seeking a deal that would compensate them during non-Olympic years. |
HC judge seeks â¹14 crore from SC for disturbing his mind | Calcutta High Court judge Justice CS Karnan has written to the Chief Justice of India JS Khehar and other judges of the Constitution Bench demanding â¹14 crore for "disturbing his mind and insulting in public". Earlier, the Supreme Court had issued a bailable warrant against Justice Karnan for non-appearance in a contempt case. |
Apollo Alnac 4G tyres designed for miraculous performance | Apollo Tyres has introduced its latest 4th-generation range of tyres, Alnac 4G which offers high-quality driving precision, outstanding control, improved braking and impeccable stability while cornering. It will provide enhanced vehicle control during city driving with large outer shoulders, firm centre rib & new-gen tread compound. Alnac 4G tyres have superior dry and wet grip to ensure confidence during emergency. |
UK issues first license to create 'three-parent' babies | UK's fertility regulator has granted the first license to use "three-parent baby" technique to a fertility clinic in Newcastle. The procedure involves in-vitro fertilisation of an egg from two mothers with the father's sperm to prevent incurable genetic diseases in one of the mothers being passed on to the child. Notably, UK is the only country to legalise three-parent babies. |
Pregnant model hit by train during photoshoot | Fredzania Thompson, a pregnant woman from US was hit and killed by a train while allegedly posing for photos on the tracks. She was hit at a spot where two train tracks meet. She was reportedly trying to avoid a train approaching on one of the tracks, unaware that another train was also heading towards her on the other track. |
'Baahubali 2' trailer gets 5 crore views in 24 hours | The trailer of SS Rajamouli directorial 'Baahubali 2: The Conclusion' received 5 crore views across languages Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam on Facebook and YouTube in 24 hours. According to the film's makers, it is the most viewed Indian movie trailer in 24 hours. A continuation of 'Baahubali: The Beginning', the film will star Prabhas and Anushka Shetty in lead roles.n |
Pastor finds 706-carat diamond in Africa, gives it to govt | Emmanuel Momoh, a pastor working in the informal mining sector in Africa's Sierra Leone, unearthed a 706-carat diamond and handed it over to the government. The government announced that the diamond, among the largest in the world, was given to the President on Wednesday and will be auctioned in a "transparent" bidding process to raise funds for the community. |
Rahul doesn't even know where's Manipur on map of India: BJP | BJP's Assam leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, who quit Congress to join BJP, has said Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has no political knowledge and doesn't even know where Manipur is on the map of India. "His comments are based on the lines and statements fed to him by others," Sarma said. "We plan to wrest Tripura from the Left," he added.n |
Over 10 lakh Muslims sign RSS petition against Triple Talaq | Over a million Muslims, mostly women, have signed a petition moved by RSS-affiliated Muslim Rashtriya Manch (MRM) against the practice of triple talaq. "The representatives from the state and the government must come and sit together to start a debate on this so that Muslim women can claim a human status," the MRM stated. |
Na baithunga, na baithne dunga: PM Modi to BJP MPs | PM Narendra Modi, while addressing the BJP MPs on Thursday, said, "Na baithunga, na baithne dunga" (Neither will I rest nor will let you). As per reports, Modi has set new goals for BJP leaders to ensure party's victory in the 2019 General Elections. Earlier, while assuring to curb corruption, Modi had said, "Na khaunga na khane dunga". |
PM Modi is not authoritative: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti | Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said, "I have met PM Narendra Modi a few times and I have found that he is open to ideas. He is not authoritative." Speaking at India Today Conclave, she added, "Contrary to perception and allegations by some, Modi is not centralised. He wants to make a true federal system in the country." |
Priest, nuns accused of covering up minor's rape surrender | Days after the arrest of Father Robin Vadakkumchery in connection with the alleged rape of a minor girl in Kerala's Kannur, a priest and two nuns accused of covering up the matter surrendered before the police on Friday. The rape survivor gave birth to a child after being raped by the 48-year-old priest, who was arrested on February 28. |
BJP got laddoos from Andhra to Delhi to celebrate victory | The BJP on Thursday distributed laddoos, reportedly flown in from the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh to Delhi, to its leaders. The party had ordered about 1,000-1,200 laddoos on Tuesday night, but the temple was able to deliver only about 600, a report stated. BJP President Amit Shah was offered a laddoo by BJP UP unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya. |
Players in IPL 2017 to wear helmet cameras: Reports | As per reports, batsmen will wear helmet cameras in the tenth season of the IPL, which begins on April 5. The 100-gram cameras, which have been used in Australia's Big Bash League, will be stuck on the peak of the helmet with their weight being evenly distributed front-to-back. Fabric shrouds are reportedly being produced in each IPL team's colour. |
Data against corrupt people on CVC's portal deleted: Report | As per an India Today report, the hard disk of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) portal crashed on November 28 and the data stored online until that date has been lost as it was not backed up. One of those cases which got deleted pertains to alleged corruption in National Textile Corporation under the Textiles Ministry, now headed by Smriti Irani. |
Rajkummar Rao starrer 'Trapped' hits the theatres | The Rajkummar Rao starrer 'Trapped' which released on Friday "manages to grippingly hold your attention with...an underwhelming setting...", wrote Mid-Day. "The film is compelling but it could have been more cleverly plotted", wrote NDTV while India Today said "Rajkummar Rao and his terrific act deserve a watch". It was rated 4/5 (Mid-Day), 3.5/5 (NDTV, India Today). |
Jewellery worth â¹1 cr stolen from Kendall Jenner's house | Jewellery worth â¹1 crore was stolen from the home of 21-year-old model Kendall Jenner. Kendall called police at 1 am on Thursday morning when she realised some of her jewellery was missing. Police reportedly found no evidence of a forced entry and believe it was taken by someone who attended a party at the house on Wednesday night. |
Cops filmed drinking on Holi at MP police station suspended | Around fifteen policemen, including two Assistant Sub-Inspectors, who were caught on camera drinking liquor and dancing inside a police station on Holi in Gwalior were suspended on Thursday. In the video, some policemen were also seen drinking liquor in uniform. "Their behaviour is unacceptable...and an inquiry has been initiated against them," said Gwalior's superintendent of police. |
Messenger updates that disappear in 24 hrs launched in India | Facebook has launched the 'Messenger Day' feature in India, which allows users to post photos or videos within the Facebook Messenger that disappear in 24 hours. Users will be able to control who can see their updates and reply to them. Different text, stickers, and frames could be added to these updates. |
Loans to Vijay Mallya given during UPA regime: Govt | Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar on Friday said in Lok Sabha that loans of â¹8,040 crore to liquor baron Vijay Mallya were given when the previous UPA government was in power. "Till December 31, 2016, there were 9,130 wilful defaulters in the country who had taken loans amounting to Rs 91,155 crore from various PSU banks," he added. |
Bharat Petroleum planning to launch a road trip startup | State-controlled Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) is planning to enter the travel business with the launch of a startup called 'Happy Roads', that would help travellers plan and execute road trips. BPCL is looking to launch the startup's app in about two months. The app will also give real time updates on travel destinations and suggest nearby places to explore. |
Parliamentary Panel proposes merger between BSNL and MTNL | A parliamentary panel has suggested the merger of state-run telecom firms Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam (MTNL) for their long-term survival. The committee said the merger would give both the entities a chance to compete against private sector players. The Telecom Department informed the panel that both firms are in financial losses and face declining revenues. |
Got 50 hoax calls on bomb threats in airports in 2016: Govt | The government on Thursday apprised the Parliament that over 100 hoax calls about bomb threats in flights and airports in the country were received in the last four years and nearly 50 of these were made in 2016. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has been seeking stricter punishments like life imprisonment for such callers. |
Selena Gomez features on cover of Vogue America for 1st time | Singer Selena Gomez has featured on the cover of fashion magazine 'Vogue America' for the first time. She can be seen wearing a floral co-ord from American luxury fashion company Michael Kors. Selena accessorised her look with silver hoops from Jennifer Fisher Jewelry. The cover story on her is titled 'Cool, Candid, Courageous: Selena Gomez Gets Real'. |
Kohli much better than Smith, Root and Williamson: Flintoff | Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has said that Indian captain Virat Kohli is 'head and shoulders above' the likes of Australian captain Steve Smith, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and English captain Joe Root. "I would've loved to have a bowl at him but I honestly don't know what his weaknesses are," added Flintoff. |
Outfits made of Assam's Muga silk presented at fashion week | Fashion designer Samant Chauhan showcased his collection named 'Golden Threads of Assam' at the Amazon India Fashion Week. His creations, which included overcoats, jackets, tunics, tapered churidars and dresses, were made out of Muga silk. The outfits were decorated with motifs like wheat stalks, maize and flowers inspired by the fields in Assam. |
'Candy Crush' game gets its own television show | Widely popular game 'Candy Crush' has got its own live-action television show which will begin broadcast from July 9 on American entertainment channel CBS. In the show, teams of two people will compete against each other on interactive game boards. Candy Crush Saga's creator Sebastian Knutsson is among the executive producers of the show. |
Pro-Islamic State group warns of attack on Taj Mahal | A pro-Islamic State media group Ahwaal Ummat Media Center has warned of attacks in India and published a graphic depicting the Taj Mahal as a possible target. The graphic features an image of Taj Mahal with the words "New target" below it. A van with Arabic text "Agra istishhadi" (Agra martyrdom-seeker) is also pictured, implying a threat of suicide attack. |
MS Dhoni rescued from a fire in a Delhi hotel | Former India captain MS Dhoni has been rescued from a fire which broke out in a hotel in New Delhi's Dwarka locality. Dhoni was staying at the hotel with the Jharkhand team, which is playing the Vijay Hazare trophy semi-final in the city. Players are reportedly safe, while the match has been postponed and will be played tomorrow. |
Bhopal train blast was a gift from IS leader Baghdadi: Probe | An accused in the Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train blast, during the interrogation, has reportedly revealed that the blast was a "gift" from Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. This announcement by the Islamic State was made in the form of a letter which was wrapped around the pipe bomb that caused the explosion. |
Netflix presents Marvelâs new superhero Iron Fist | Today, Netflix launched a new original series called âIron Fistâ. Set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Final Defender- Iron Fist is about Danny Rand, who returns to his home in New York with martial arts skills, after being presumed dead for 15 years. When a threat emerges, he must choose- Family legacy or duties? |
My children Roohi, Yash will inherit Kattappa's sword: Johar | Filmmaker Karan Johar, during Baahubali 2's trailer launch, said that his children Roohi and Yash will inherit the sword, which the character 'Kattappa' used to kill 'Baahubali' in the first film. "It'll be worth a huge amount I think. This is amazing," added Johar. He was given the sword by Rana Daggubati, as a gift from the 'Baahubali' team. |
Every polling booth to have VVPAT machines by 2019 LS polls | The Election Commission has announced that it will make the voting system watertight by introducing Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) by the 2019 General Elections. "EVMs are not temperable and the integrity of the electoral process is preserved," the poll panel said. The EC has asked for an additional fund of â¹3,174 crore for the purchase of VVPAT machines. |
How did BJP persuade regional parties in Goa to form govt? | BJP leader Nitin Gadkari on Thursday revealed that his partyâs "game-plan" was put into action on the night of March 11 â shortly after the results of the Goa Assembly polls were declared. "I reached Goa late that night and entered into talks with MGP and GFP leaders. They had some conditions which we accepted," he revealed. |
Police complaint against Haasan over Mahabharata remark | A police complaint was filed against Kamal Haasan by the nationalistic Hindu party 'Hindu Makkal Katchi' (HMK) over the actor's remarks about the Hindu religious text Mahabharata. Calling Haasan anti-Hindu, HMK Tamil Nadu secretary Rama Ravikumar said, "Haasan said that Mahabharata talks about a woman (Draupadi) who was used as a pawn and was gambled away...It has hurt our sentiments." |
Akshay Kumar donates â¹1.08 crore to families of CRPF martyrs | Actor Akshay Kumar on Thursday donated â¹1.08 crore in total to 12 families of CRPF martyrs who were killed in Chhattisgarhâs Sukma district in a Naxal ambush on March 11. Kumar had approached the Union Home Ministry requesting for bank account numbers of the martyred jawans' family members. "Kumarâs gesture exhibits his patriotism and devotion towards the country," said CRPF. |
I would not be here if it wasnât for Twitter: Donald Trump | Calling micro-blogging site Twitter a wonderful thing, US President Donald Trump has said, "Maybe I would not be here if it wasn't for Twitter" as the social media platform lets him bypass the "dishonest" press. "I have close to 100 million people watching me on Twitter, including Facebook and Instagram...I have my own form of media," Trump added. |
1st Indian-origin woman to go to space was born on this day | The first Indian-origin woman in space, Kalpana Chawla was born on March 17, 1962. Chawla moved to the United States in 1982 and joined NASA in 1988. Describing her first mission in space, she said, "You are just your intelligence", on experiencing weightlessness. The astronaut died with six crew members on her second mission aboard the Columbia spacecraft in 2003. |
Physicist declassifies 750 video footages of nuclear tests | A weapon physicist at Livermore Laboratory, California has declassified around 750 video footages from 210 atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by the US between 1945 and 1962. Physicist Greg Spriggs, with a team of film experts located around 6,500 of the estimated 10,000 films created during the testing and retrieved the decomposing films' content before it was "lost forever". |
TVF postpones its upcoming web series "Bisht, Please!" | The Viral Fever (TVF) writer and director Nidhi Bisht has tweeted that TVF has postponed the release of its upcoming web series "Bisht, Please!" starring her. TVF has also done away with an event scheduled for March 17 in Delhi regarding the web series. This comes amid TVF Founder and CEO Arunabh Kumar facing sexual harassment allegations from multiple women. |
BJP MLAs chant 'Jai Shri Ram' in Raj Assembly over UP win | BJP MLAs in Rajasthan on Thursday chanted 'Jai Shri Ram' in the House to celebrate the landslide victory of the party in the recently held Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. It all started when Rajasthan Minister Rajendra Rathore asked the Opposition to congratulate them for their party's victory which led to a verbal altercation between the BJP MLAs and Opposition MLAs. |
Former Heinz security guard accused of insider trading | A former security guard for a board member of Heinz has been accused of insider trading before the ketchup makerâs 2013 takeover by Warren Buffett and 3G Capital. The guard was working at the board memberâs home around the period of discussion over Heinz's acquisition. He bought Heinz shares and after the takeover announcement, sold them for a $44,000 profit. |
Amazon's India head Amit Agarwal promoted as Senior VP | Amazon has promoted its India head Amit Agarwal to the post of Senior Vice President (SVP), making him one of the few SVPs at Amazon globally. Agarwal will, however, continue to head Amazon India. In April last year, Agarwal was inducted in the core team of Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos. |
Umesh Yadav breaks Maxwell's bat on first ball of the day | Australian batsman Glenn Maxwell's bat broke in half on the first ball of the day, bowled by Indian pacer Umesh Yadav, on day two of the Ranchi Test on Friday. Maxwell attempted to defend the 137 km/h delivery, which hit the bat below the handle and split it completely. Umesh was then seen pointing towards his bicep. |
Sony files patent to wirelessly charge a device from another | Japanese technology company Sony has filed a patent for a method that will let users wirelessly charge their device from another device using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. A device will search for nearby antennas that could help power it, the same way it searches for available Wi-Fi hotspots. Sony said the method will apply to "portable consumer electronic devices". |
Modi, Amit Shah to attend swearing-in of new Uttarakhand CM | Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah will attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Uttarakhand CM in Dehradun on Saturday. BJP, which won 57 out of 70 seats in Uttarakhand, is yet to announce the name of the CM. BJP and its allies have also not declared a CM for Uttar Pradesh, where they won 325 seats. |
Not reprising Karisma or Rambha's role in Judwaa 2: Taapsee | Actress Taapsee Pannu has said that she isn't reprising the role of Karisma Kapoor or Rambha in the upcoming sequel to 'Judwaa'. She added, "They've revamped the girl's character. I play an Indian girl, born and brought up in London, who studies with Varun Dhawan's character in college." The film, also starring Jacqueline Fernandez, is being directed by David Dhawan. |
Mira spoke about feminism on a personal level: Shahid | Actor Shahid Kapoor has said that his wife Mira Rajput spoke about feminism on a personal level and her statement was not a direct comment on anybody or any category of women. "I think she was speaking from a very positive space," he added. Shahid further said people are living in a time where everybody is getting hurt about everything. |
Watch: Dhoni's 2-year-old daughter learns names of IPL teams | Former India captain MS Dhoni has posted a video on Instagram of his daughter Ziva learning names of IPL teams. The video, captioned, "Ziva learning about IPL teams. 6 to start off," shows Ziva repeating names of cities being taught by her mother Sakshi. Ziva recently turned two, with Dhoni and Sakshi celebrating her birthday in Mussourie. |
Fitso social network for fitness enthusiasts raises â¹1.3 cr | Social networking app for fitness enthusiasts, Fitso on Thursday raised â¹1.3 crore in funding from a clutch of angel investors. PolicyBazaar CEO Yashish Dhaiya and Flipkartâs former executive Sujeet Kumar were among the investors. Launched in 2015 by IIT Delhi alumni, Fitso lets users find partners for cycling, running, swimming and other sports activities. |
Trailer of Oprah's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks out | The trailer of the television film 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks', starring Oprah Winfrey and Renée Elise Goldsberry, has been released. The film is about Henrietta, diagnosed with cervical cancer in the 1950s, and how her cancer cells (later known as HeLa) would change the course of cancer treatment. The film will premiere on HBO on April 22. |
301 Indian fishermen lodged in Pak jails: Sushma Swaraj | External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday apprised the Parliament that around 301 Indian fishermen are lodged in Pakistani jails. Pakistan, however, has confirmed the presence of only 77 of them, she added. India has taken up the issue with Pakistan and has put a policy in place where officials of both countries exchange information about prisoners, she stated. |
Manchester United advance to last 8 of Europa League | Manchester United reached the Europa League quarter-finals, defeating Russian club FC Rostov 1-0 at Old Trafford on Thursday. After drawing 1-1 in the first leg in Russia, winger Juan Mata scored the decider in United's home fixture to give the club a 2-1 aggregate advantage. The Red Devils are now unbeaten in their past 16 European matches at home. |
McDonaldâs official Twitter handle posts anti-Trump tweet | The verified Twitter account of fast-food chain McDonald's on Thursday posted a tweet against US President Donald Trump, claiming that he has "tiny hands". The tweet, which had been pinned, was deleted nearly 20 minutes after it was posted. Refuting rumours that the tweet had mistakenly been posted by one of its employees, McDonald's said its account had been compromised. |
Baahubali 2 trailer leak due to Facebook glitch: Rajamouli | 'Baahubali 2' director SS Rajamouli said that the leak of the film's Tamil trailer on Thursday morning was due to a technical glitch on Facebook. He added that the video which was supposed to be in private mode went into public mode. However, he said that he was happy with the kind of response that the trailer received. |
Ravi Shastri praises PM Modi on 'tracer bullet' win in UP | Former Indian captain Ravi Shastri took to Twitter to congratulate PM Narendra Modi on BJP's victory in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, saying Modi and Amit Shah went past the 300 seats-mark like a "Tracer Bullet". Modi thanked Shastri and in typical commentary style by tweeting, "UP Polls did not quite go down to the wire." |
Cricketers Ian, Greg Chappell ask Adani to quit Aus project | Cricket legends Ian and Greg Chappell are among 90 prominent Australians who have signed an open letter, asking Adani Group to abandon its $21.7 billion coal mine project in Australia. The letter addressed to Founder Gautam Adani cited public opposition, risks to minersâ health, and climate change. It warned the project could damage bilateral ties and even affect sporting links. |
Trump's first wife to write memoir on raising their children | Ivana Trump, the first wife of US President Donald Trump, is reportedly writing a memoir that will focus on the couple's three children. It will go on sale in September and is expected be a story of "motherhood, strength and resilience". Trump and Ivana divorced in 1992 amid revelations of his affair with Marla Maples, who became his second wife. |
Scientists link China's air pollution to Arctic sea ice loss | Scientists have found that fast-melting ice in the Arctic is changing winter weather patterns over China. Record low Arctic ice in 2012 caused massive smog over China's sky in 2013, which led air pollution levels to rise 10 times the national limits. The event repeated itself in winter 2016-17 as Arctic ice plunged to its second-lowest extent in 2016. |
Court asks producer Karim Morani to surrender in rape case | A local court in Hyderabad has directed Bollywood film producer Karim Morani, who was booked for allegedly raping a Delhi-based woman, to surrender before the Hayathnagar police before March 22. The court cancelled his bail based on the prosecution's arguments. Morani is the co-producer of Shah Rukh Khan's films like 'Dilwale', 'Happy New Year', 'Chennai Express' and 'Ra.One'. |
Saudi Arabia, China sign deals worth â¹4 lakh crore | Saudi Arabia and China signed deals worth $65 billion (over â¹4 lakh crore) on the first day of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's visit to China. The deals included building refining and chemical plants in China. Saudi has sought to boost oil sales to China, the world's second-largest oil market, after losing market share to Russia last year. |
Azam Khan scolds officials for making him walk on muddy road | Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan allegedly lashed out at Uttar Pradesh government officials for making him walk on a muddy stretch after his car was stopped from entering Rampur Mandi. "Did Modiji instruct you to make me go through this?" Khan asked the officials. "Is this why I got you transferred... You were in a ditch," Khan further said. |
Unfortunate it happened again: Shahid on Padmavati vandalism | Actor Shahid Kapoor, while reacting to the burning down of the sets of his upcoming film 'Padmavati', said, "It is unfortunate that something like this has happened for the second time." He added that he is not aware of who is responsible for the vandalism. Earlier in Jaipur, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was manhandled by protesters during the film's shooting. |
Media firm Fox's â¹94,000cr takeover bid for Sky to be probed | Founder of 21st Century Fox, Rupert Murdochâs $14.4 billion (â¹94,000 crore) takeover bid for telco Sky is to be investigated by UK's media regulator. This is to see if the takeover gives Murdoch too much control of UK's news output and whether Murdoch family is a âfit and properâ owner. Earlier, Murdoch critics called for the bid to be blocked. |