Andhra farmers with less than 5-acre land to get ₹9,000
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday announced ₹9,000 each to farmers with less than 5-acre land, under the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme 2019-20. This is apart from the ₹6,000 assistance announced by the Centre for farmers holding less than 5-acre land. Farmers with more than 5-acre of land will be given ₹10,000 each, he added.
Amazon, Flipkart seek stake in kids apparel platform: Report
E-commerce majors Amazon and Flipkart are in talks to acquire a minority stake in Mumbai-based kids apparel platform Hopscotch, a report claimed. Hopscotch has also reportedly hired UK-based Barclays to help raise $60 million and is looking to buy back shares from employees. Founded in 2012 by Rahul Anand and Lisa Kennedy, Hopscotch has raised around ₹184 crore till date.
BJP govt dedicated to poor, farmers, Dalits, women: Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that the BJP government is dedicated to the poor, farmers, Dalits, tribals and women. “Nobody has ever been so concerned about farmers like this government,” he added. “Never…had such schemes been announced for farmers in India, wherein ₹75,000 crore was spent to deposit ₹6,000 in every farmer’s bank account,” Fadnavis further said.
Only surgical strike won’t do: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut
Commenting on Pulwama terror attack, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has said only carrying out surgical strike will not yield results. “Now strikes have to be…inside till Lahore and Islamabad…The PM Narendra Modi government has to do what Indira Gandhi government did,” he added. Party chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday also said, “It is now time to strike inside Pakistan”.
Pulwama shouldn’t be an excuse to harass J&K people: Mufti
Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said that the Pulwama terror attack shouldn’t be used as an excuse “to persecute or harass people” from Jammu and Kashmir. “Why should they suffer for somebody else’s action?” Mufti said in a tweet. “We need to be united instead of letting people exploit our fears,” she added.
Shirdi Temple trust to give ₹2.51cr aid to martyrs’ families
The Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi has announced a total financial aid of ₹2.51 crore for the families of 40 CRPF jawans martyred in the Pulwama terror attack, chairperson Suresh Haware said. He added that the trust strongly condemns the cowardly act by terrorists. The amount will be given to the martyrs’ families after completing all formalities, he further said.
Urge unicorn firms to donate to Pulwama victims: Screwvala
Producer Ronnie Screwvala urged Indian startups with over $1-billion valuation, also known as ‘unicorns’, to donate to victims of the terror attack in J&K’s Pulwama. “Team [Uri: The Surgical Strike] committed ₹1 crore to families of Uri attack/Army Welfare Fund – will ensure part goes to victims [of] Pulwama,” he tweeted. Screwvala had produced the film ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’.
Take back 800 ISIS prisoners or they’ll be freed: Trump to Europe
US President Donald Trump has demanded that European nations take back and put on trial their citizens who joined Islamic State and were captured by US-allied forces in Syria, warning the 800 prisoners would otherwise be released. Adding that the US is withdrawing after “100% victory” over ISIS, Trump said, “Time for others to step up and do the job.”
Army Major martyred in blast near LoC was to get married next month
Thirty-one-year-old Major Chitresh Bisht, who was martyred in an IED explosion near Line of Control on Saturday, was to get married next month in Dehradun. He’s survived by his father, retired police officer SS Bisht, his mother and elder brother. “We used to speak almost every day over…phone but today we couldn’t speak and this incident happened,” his father said.
Day after break down, Train 18 begins first commercial run
India’s fastest train Vande Bharat Express (Train 18) began its first commercial run on Sunday, a day after it suffered a brake failure. “Tickets sold out for the next two weeks already,” Railway Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted, sharing a video of the train. Railways Ministry on Saturday clarified that the train broke down due to a “possible cattle run over”.
Shaw returns from injury, named in Mumbai squad for T20 tournament
Prithvi Shaw has been included in Mumbai’s squad for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which is India’s domestic T20 tournament. The tournament will mark the 19-year-old’s return to competitive cricket after he sustained an ankle injury during a practice game in Australia in November. Shaw is a part of Mumbai’s 15-member squad which will be led by Ajinkya Rahane.
On-field umpire gets hit on head by player’s throw during Irani Cup
Umpire CK Nandan was struck on his head by a throw from a Vidarbha fielder during Irani Cup 2019 match, which concluded today. The incident took place in 95th over of Rest of India’s second innings, when Hanuma Vihari pushed a ball towards long-off. Nandan went down to the ground in pain and resumed after being attended to by physios.
Keep Pakistan’s MFN status, let citizens decide what F is: Gambhir
After India withdrew Pakistan’s MFN (Most Favoured Nation) status following Pulwama attack, former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir tweeted that India should continue the neighbouring country’s ‘MFN’ status but this time civilians must decide what ‘F’ stands for. Earlier, Gambhir had also said that this time conversation between Pakistan and India should be in a battleground.
Martyred CRPF jawan’s 10-yr-old daughter lights his pyre at funeral
Martyred CRPF jawan Pradeep Singh’s 10-year-old daughter Supriya lit his pyre in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. Pradeep, who was among the 40 jawans martyred in the J&K attack, was returning to his post after spending a month with his family. On the afternoon of the attack, Pradeep was on the phone with his wife, when the call got disconnected.
Owner of Delhi’s Hotel Arpit Palace where fire killed 17 arrested
The Delhi Police has arrested Rakesh Goel, the owner of Hotel Arpit Palace where a fire killed 17 people earlier this week. Goel was arrested by the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch and will be produced in court today. Earlier, the Delhi government cancelled the No Objection Certificate (NOC) given to 30 hotels in Karol Bagh area over the incident.
Security to 5 separatist leaders withdrawn by J&K administration
In the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack, the J&K administration has withdrawn security to five separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Abdul Ghani Bhat and Bilal Lone. No security cover will be provided under any pretext to these five leaders and some other separatists, officials said. The security personnel belonged largely to CRPF and other para-military forces.
Kim to arrive in Vietnam on Feb 25 ahead of Trump summit: Report
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will arrive in Vietnam on February 25 ahead of a planned second summit with US President Donald Trump, according to a Reuters report. Trump and Kim are due to meet in Hanoi on February 27 and 28. The US said it aims to get as far down the road as it can at the summit.
No order passed by POCSO court against Nitish Kumar: JD(U)
D(U) on Saturday claimed that the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court has not ordered CBI to probe against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar over Muzaffarpur shelter home case. “It doesn’t even have power to issue any such direction to CBI”, the party said. The case relates to over 30 girls being raped at the shelter home.
Himachal passes bill to make Sanskrit 2nd official language
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Saturday passed the Official Language (Amendment) Bill 2019 to make Sanskrit the second official language in the state. The bill was introduced in the Assembly by Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahender Singh and was passed without discussion. The Assembly also renamed Himachal Pradesh University of Health Sciences after former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
National AIDS Research Institute to be renamed
National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) Director Dr Samiran Panda has said that the Indian Council of Medical Research has proposed to rename the institute. HIV infection has come down majorly, hence it is better to use the institute and research team in other fields as well, he added. This comes nearly three decades after the institute was established.
Messi reaches 30-goal mark for 11th successive season
Lionel Messi converted a penalty to help Barcelona register a 1-0 win over Real Valladolid as he reached the 30-goal mark in all competitions for the 11th successive season. Messi also missed a penalty in the match. With the win, Barcelona pulled seven points clear ahead of Atletico Madrid, who are currently second-placed in the La Liga points table.
Shikhar Dhawan to donate money to families of CRPF martyrs
Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan said that he will be donating money to the families of the 40 CRPF paramilitary troopers who were martyred in a terror attack and asked his Facebook followers to do the same. Earlier, Virender Sehwag had offered to bear the educational expenses of children of all the CRPF personnel martyred in the terrorist attack in Pulwama.
Salman donates to #BharatKeVeer fund for Pulwama martyrs’ families
Actor Salman Khan has contributed to #BharatKeVeer fund for the families of 40 CRPF jawans who were martyred in the Pulwama attack. Thanking Salman for his contribution, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted, “Thank you, Salman, on offering to contribute for Pulwama Martyrs through Being Human Foundation.” A suicide bomber had rammed his vehicle into a bus carrying jawans on Thursday.
Japan PM nominated Trump for Nobel Peace Prize on US request: Report
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize last autumn after receiving a request from the US government to do so, a Japanese newspaper reported. The report follows Trump’s claim on Friday that Abe had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize for opening talks and easing tensions with North Korea.
Trump’s choice for US Ambassador to UN Heather Nauert withdraws
US President Donald Trump’s choice for the country’s Ambassador to the UN, Heather Nauert, has withdrawn from consideration for the job for family reasons. “The past two months have been gruelling for my family,” she said. Trump had said he would nominate Nauert for the UN position to replace Nikki Haley, who resigned at the end of 2018.
Pak kids dance to ‘Dil Hai Hindustani’, school’s registration suspended
Pakistani authorities have suspended the registration of a school in Sindh after some students danced to ‘Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani’ and waved India’s national flag during a cultural event. “Promoting Indian culture in educational institutions was against Pakistan’s national dignity which could not be tolerated,” the Directorate of Inspection and Registration of Private Institutions Sindh said.
Same fire in my heart that’s burning inside you: PM Modi
Addressing a rally in Bihar’s Barauni, PM Narendra Modi offered condolences to the families of CRPF personnel who were martyred in Pulwama attack from the state and said, “I feel the same fire in my heart that’s burning inside you.” He also laid the foundation stone of various development projects in Barauni. He added, “Bihar’s set to get another AIIMS.”
Website uses AI to create faces of ‘people who do not exist’
US-based software engineer Phillip Wang has created a website, ‘thispersondoesnotexist.com’, which uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create real looking faces. “Each time you refresh the site, the network will generate a new facial image from scratch,” Wang wrote on Facebook. The website uses an algorithm called a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), developed by NVIDIA.
Had child without marriage, that proved me as strong-headed: Neena
Neena Gupta has said she suffered as an actress because of her public image while adding, “I had a child out of wedlock…that proved me as strong-headed; back then, a strong woman [could] only play a vamp!” “Girls…don’t smoke in public…don’t be physically friendly to a male friend…These are perceived as signs of a strong…independent woman,” she added.
25-yr-old Iraqi woman gives birth to septuplets; 6 girls and 1 boy
In what doctors are saying are the first septuplets (seven children born at one birth) in Iraq, a 25-year-old woman gave birth to six girls and one boy. She gave birth naturally and all of them are in good health. The children’s father said they were considering not to have more children but now have ten youngsters to look after.
Indian entrepreneurs to raise ₹2,000 cr for STEM university
A group of 40 Indian entrepreneurs and chief industry executives plan to raise ₹2,000 crore for a proposed 50-acre STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) university, ‘Plaksha’ in Mohali. The group, which includes Boston Consulting Group Asia-Pacific Chairman Neeraj Aggarwal, has already raised ₹400 crore. Plaksha has tied up with Stanford Research Institute and Purdue University.
Qatar invites India’s 1983, 2011 WC champs for FIFA World Cup
Nasser Al Khater, CEO of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, has extended the invitation for the FIFA World Cup to India’s cricket World Cup-winning teams of 1983 and 2011. “It is safe to say that this world cup (in Qatar in 2022) is for all of us to celebrate,” Khater said about the event.
Cummins 1st Aussie since McGrath 13 yrs ago to be Test rank 1
Pat Cummins has become the first Australian since Glenn McGrath 13 years ago to be the number one ranked Test bowler in the world, claiming the top spot in the latest ICC update. Cummins and England’s James Anderson have both moved ahead of South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada after the Proteas’ loss to Sri Lanka in Durban.
India becomes largest buyer of Venezuelan crude oil in Feb: Report
India became the largest buyer of Venezuelan crude oil in the first half of February, with imports jumping 66% to 620,000 barrels a day, according to Bloomberg. Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy, which is backed by Russia’s Rosneft, are reportedly driving the boost. However, Venezuelan crude exports have plunged since the US imposed sanctions against the country’s oil company.
Kulbhushan Jadhav case hearing to be streamed live by ICJ
Public hearings in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case will be streamed live on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) website, reports said. The ICJ has set a timetable for the public hearing in the case from February 18 to 21. Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.
Uber’s global revenue rises by 43% at $11.3 billion in 2018
Ride-hailing giant Uber has recorded revenue of $11.3 billion in 2018 globally, up 43% from 2017, as per the startup’s self-reported financial results. Further, Uber narrowed its losses from $2.2 billion in 2017 to $1.8 billion in 2018. It also posted $50 billion in gross bookings last year, reportedly for its ride-service and food delivery businesses, up 45% from 2017.
Abolish Article 370: JSW’s Sajjan Jindal after Pulwama attack
Following the Pulwama attack, JSW Steel MD Sajjan Jindal urged the government to convene an urgent Parliament session to revoke Article 370, which provides autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir. “Let the country see which party supports this and which doesn’t. We have to draw the line right here,” Jindal tweeted tagging PM Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
Indians protest outside Pakistan High Commission in London
Several UK-based Indians on Saturday protested outside the Pakistan High Commission in London against the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were martyred. The protesters also demanded the withdrawal of all military cooperation or aid given to Pakistan by the UK. They also blamed Islamabad for being a ‘haven for terror groups’.
Yeddyurappa, 3 others get bail in K’taka audio clip row
A special court in Bengaluru on Saturday granted anticipatory bail to Karnataka BJP President BS Yeddyurappa and three BJP MLAs in connection with the recent audio clips row. The court asked them to deposit ₹1 lakh in surety. This comes after JD(S) MLA Nagangouda Kandkur’s son filed a case against them over audiotape released by Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy.
China’s TCL may make phone that could bend into smartwatch
Chinese firm TCL, which handles sales of Alcatel and BlackBerry, is reportedly working on five new foldable devices, one of which could bend into a smartwatch, as per company renderings and patent filings. The device appears to be a slim smartphone that can wrap around users’ wrists. TCL will launch its first foldable product in 2020, an executive had said.
SAD asks Cong to remove Sidhu over Pulwama attack remark
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Majithia on Saturday asked Congress President Rahul Gandhi to remove Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu from the party for his remarks on Pulwama attack. SAD accused Sidhu of calling for a dialogue with Pakistan even after the terror attack. Sidhu had earlier said, “For a handful of people, can you blame the entire nation?”
