US launches campaign to decriminalise homosexuality globally
US President Donald Trump’s administration is launching a campaign to end the criminalisation of homosexuality globally. Homosexuality is illegal in more than 70 countries, including eight countries where it is punishable by death. The US’ move was conceived partly in response to the recent reported execution by hanging of a gay man in Iran.
UK teenager who joined ISIS to be stripped of her citizenship
British teenager Shamima Begum, who left her home country at the age of 15 to join the Islamic State in Syria, will be stripped of her citizenship, her lawyer said. Begum, now aged 19, is in a refugee camp in Syria where she gave birth to a boy last week. Begum had recently said that she wanted to return home.
Trump signs order to create US Space Force
US President Donald Trump has signed an order to create a Space Force, as the new branch of the military. Under the Space Policy Directive-4, the force would have “both combat and combat support functions to enable prompt and sustained offensive and defensive space operations”, the memo signed by Trump read. The directive will have to be approved by Congress.
PayU appoints former Reliance Payments exec as its India CEO
South African conglomerate Naspers-owned online payments service provider PayU has appointed former Reliance Payments co-chief executive Anirban Mukherjee as its India CEO. Mukherjee will replace Amrish Rau, who is transitioning into Naspers’ Head of Financial Technology Partnerships and Investments role. An IIT Kharagpur and IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, Mukherjee has also worked with Capital One.
What is Ericsson’s case against Anil Ambani’s RCom?
Sweden’s Ericsson, which managed Reliance Communications’ (RCom) network, moved a bankruptcy court last year to recover ₹1,600 crore in dues. RCom settled the dispute in May 2018 by offering ₹550 crore but failed to meet the payment deadlines. Ericsson moved a second contempt petition against Chairman Anil Ambani in January after RCom missed its final December 15 deadline to repay.
Government to infuse ₹48,239 crore in 12 banks, including PNB
The government has said it will infuse ₹48,239 crore in 12 state-run banks, including fraud-hit Punjab National Bank (PNB), to help them maintain regulatory capital requirements. It said that Corporation Bank and Allahabad Bank, the two “better-performing” banks under the RBI’s Prompt Corrective Action, will get ₹9,086 crore and ₹6,896 crore respectively, while PNB will get ₹5,908 crore.
Black Panther 1st superhero film nominated for Best Picture Oscar
Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Panther’ is the first superhero film to be nominated in the Best Picture category at the Oscars. The film, which minted $1.3 billion (over ₹9,246 crore) globally, is also the third-highest grossing Best Picture nominee ever, after ‘Avatar’ (2009) and ‘Titanic’ (1997). The film has received seven nominations at the upcoming 91st Academy Awards.
Burberry apologises for hoodie as model says ‘suicide isn’t fashion’
British luxury fashion house, Burberry, has apologised after it was criticised for showcasing a sweatshirt that featured a noose around the neck at the recently concluded London Fashion Week. The design was criticised by model Liz Kennedy, who said, “Suicide is not fashion”, following which several people condemned it for evoking racist lynching imagery and being insensitive to suicide.
There is no scandal with Rafale deal: Dassault Aviation CEO
French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation’s CEO Eric Trappier on Wednesday said, “There is no scandal with Rafale, we had the request for 36 aircraft and we are going to deliver it.” “If Government of India wants more aircraft, we will be more than pleased to deliver,” he added. Trappier attended the five-day Aero India Show in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
2,500 Kashmiri youths take part in Army recruitment in Baramulla
As many as 2,500 Kashmiri youths took part in an Indian Army recruitment drive for 111 vacancies in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla on Tuesday. “Entering the Army gives us a chance to serve the nation and helps protect families,” an aspirant said. The turnout comes days after the massive terror attack in J&K’s Pulwama that claimed 40 CRPF jawans’ lives.
Cancer survivor becomes mother after doctor saves ovary below skin
A 32-year-old Kerala woman has given birth to a girl via surrogacy after she underwent surgery to get her uterus and an ovary removed in 2014 due to uterine cancer. However, Dr Chitrathara decided to place her right ovary below the skin so that it could be removed in case it developed cancer, but it was used to retrieve eggs.
Myntra Co-founder, PremjiInvest execs invest in apparel brand Turms
Apparel brand Turms parent BigPhi Technologies has raised ₹2 crore in fresh funding from angel investors. The investors included Flipkart-owned fashion portal Myntra’s Co-founder Raveen Sastry and PremjiInvest partners Rahul Garg and Atul Gupta. PremjiInvest is the family office of Wipro Chairman Azim Premji. Founded in 2016 in Bengaluru, Turms makes stain-repellent and odour-resistant clothing.
BJP desperate to form alliance of its own: Mayawati
Former Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati on Wednesday said the BJP is desperate to form an alliance of its own following the BSP-SP alliance in the state. Mayawati’s remarks came after the BJP announced an alliance with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and the AIADMK in Tamil Nadu. She further said that people are fed up with the BJP’s anti-people policies.
UAE coach who approached Pak captain for fixing banned for 10 years
The ICC has banned Irfan Ansari, a coach based out of UAE from all cricketing activities for 10 years for breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption code. Ansari had approached Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed with a view to engage him in corrupt conduct by soliciting information from him during a series in October 2017. Sarfaraz had reported the approach immediately to ICC.
India could be banned if they don’t play Pak in WC: Chetan Chauhan
Ex-India opener and UP Sports Minister Chetan Chauhan has said India would have to face consequences if they pull out of the World Cup match against Pakistan. “We could be fined or banned…I think government and BCCI will consider this,” he added. He further said that if India forfeit the match, it’d be detrimental for the team in World Cup.
Photos of Imran Khan, other Pak cricketers removed from Chinnaswamy
In a protest against Pulwama attack, Karnataka State Cricket Association removed the photographs of Pakistani cricketers, including Imran Khan, from Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium. Earlier, pictures of Pakistani cricketers were removed from stadiums in Mohali, Jaipur and Dharamshala. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed the responsibility for the attack, in which 40 CRPF jawans were martyred.
JNU professor blames Mehbooba Mufti for Pulwama attack
A Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor has blamed former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti for the Pulwama attack. She tweeted, “The RDX filled vehicle could not be checked as the 3 check barriers were removed by…Mufti.” The professor also asked Mufti to hand over her 40 people for “public execution” if she was really hurt for 40 martyred soldiers.
Angry relatives ask BJP leaders to remove shoes at martyr’s funeral
Angry relatives of 55 Rashtriya Rifles jawan Ajay Kumar, martyred in an encounter with terrorists in Pulwama, asked BJP leaders to remove their shoes during his funeral in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut on Tuesday. Union Minister Satya Pal Singh, Meerut BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal and others were at the funeral. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
No threat to Kashmiri students after Pulwama attack: Javadekar
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar has rejected reports of any assault on Kashmiri students following the Pulwama attack and said there’s no threat to students from Kashmir. He added countrymen are angry after the Pulwama attack, but no Kashmiri student has been assaulted. The Home Ministry on February 16 issued an advisory to ensure the safety of Kashmiris across the country.
6 Army jawans feared dead after avalanche in Himachal: Reports
At least six jawans of the Army’s JK Rifles unit were feared dead after an avalanche hit them in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, reports said. Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner Gopal Chand said the body of one jawan has been recovered, whereas five bodies were yet to be traced. The avalanche occurred at around 11 am on Wednesday morning.
MIT scientist gets body armour idea from lobster on eating it
MIT scientist Ming Guo revealed he got the idea to develop lobster-inspired body armour when while eating it with a visitor they began to wonder why transparent underbelly was difficult to chew. He alongside other scientists then found that lobsters’ underbellies are flexible and nearly as tough as industrial rubber. “We think [findings] could motivate flexible armour design”, Guo added.
Driver can sleep in Tesla car with new self-driving tech: Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the self-driving feature, to be released by 2019-end, will be capable enough by 2020-end to let people in driving seat sleep in cars through the journey. A Tesla Model X driver, running the Autopilot mode was killed in a car crash in March 2018. Tesla had claimed he had missed the semi-autonomous system’s warnings.
PM Modi inaugurates supercomputer ‘PARAM Shivay’ at IIT-BHU
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated a supercomputer named ‘PARAM Shivay’ of 833 teraflop capacity built for ₹32.5 crore, at IIT-Banaras Hindu University. The supercomputer was built under the ₹4,500-crore National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), under which 73 supercomputers would be installed. A postal stamp was also released by PM Modi on the centenary year of the institute.
Russian hackers trying to influence EU elections: Microsoft
Microsoft has claimed that Russian hackers targeted European officials and non-profit organisations in contact with government officials to influence European Union elections. About 104 individuals across six countries were targeted from September-December 2018. The attacks originated from the same group which had allegedly meddled in the 2017 French presidential elections and 2016 US elections.
‘Delhi-6’ was film with soul, poignant message: Abhishek
On the occasion of his film ‘Delhi-6’ completing a decade since its release, Abhishek Bachchan took to Instagram to share a motion poster from the film and wrote, “A film with a…soul of gold and…a very poignant message.” “What a wonderful time I had shooting this film,” the actor added. He further thanked the cast and crew of ‘Delhi-6’.
Gaga 1st to be nominated for Best Actress, Best Song at same Oscars
Lady Gaga is the first person in Oscars’ history to be nominated for Best Actress as well as Best Original Song in the same year. The actress earned the nominations for her performance in the film ‘A Star Is Born’ and her song ‘Shallow’. Mary J Blige previously earned nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Song in 2018.
Walton family wealth surges $3.3 billion after Walmart results
The collective fortune of the Waltons, the world’s richest family, surged $3.3 billion on Tuesday after Walmart reported its fourth-quarter results. Shares of the world’s largest retailer rose 2.2%, boosting the wealth of the founder’s family to $175.2 billion, according to Bloomberg. The family’s net worth has increased by more than $14 billion since the start of the year.
We will target US if it deploys new missiles in Europe: Russia
Moscow will match any US move to deploy new nuclear missiles in European countries by stationing its own missiles near the US, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. Putin said Russia was not seeking confrontation and would not take the first step to deploy missiles in response to Washington’s decision this month to quit a Cold War-era arms control treaty.
India’s fastest train hit by stone for the third time in two months
India’s fastest and newly-launched train Vande Bharat Express or Train 18 was hit by a stone when it was crossing Tundla junction railway station in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. The incident caused one of the train’s window panes to break. This was the third such stone-hurling incident in two months involving the newly-inaugurated train.
Rafale jet pays tribute to Suryakiran pilot at Aero India
A Rafale fighter jet flew at lower than its normal speed at Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru on Wednesday, to honour late Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi, a pilot of Suryakiran Aerobatic Team. A mid-air collision of two planes on Tuesday during rehearsals led to the death of the Wing Commander and injury to two more pilots, who ejected to safety.
Humpty Dumpty has no place in ICJ: Salve to Pak on abusive language
Responding to Pakistan’s submission at ICJ, India’s counsel Harish Salve said, “A criticism of a sovereign state of the case made out of the other state must be in language consistent with the dignity of other states. Humpty Dumpty has no place in this court.” “Transcript is peppered with words such as shameless, nonsensical, laughable and breathtaking arrogance,” he added.
India, Saudi Arabia sign 5 MoUs/deals during Crown Prince visit
India and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs)/Agreements during the visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The MoUs were signed in the fields of tourism and housing, among others. A framework cooperation programme was also signed between the two countries to enhance bilateral investment relations.
Leopard spotted in Maharashtra shopping mall, caught in hotel later
A leopard was spotted leaving the premises of Korum Mall in Maharashtra’s Thane on Wednesday morning. Following the information, the forest department launched a search for the leopard and found it in the basement of a hotel near the mall. The rescue team arrived at the spot and captured it after six hours of search operation.
Gayle breaks Afridi’s record of most sixes in international cricket
Windies’ opener Chris Gayle smashed his 477th six in international cricket during the first ODI against England today, breaking ex-Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s record of hitting most sixes in international cricket. Gayle achieved the feat in his 514th international innings. The 39-year-old has slammed 103 sixes in T20Is, 276 in ODIs and 98 in Test cricket.
Barça held to 0-0 draw by Lyon in CL, their 4th draw in 5 matches
Barcelona were held to a scoreless draw by Lyon in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg on Tuesday. Barcelona, who failed to score despite 25 shots in the match, have been held to a draw in four of their last five matches across competitions. Elsewhere, Liverpool and Bayern Munich also played out a goalless draw.
Mass crash damages 21 cars during race, drivers escape uninjured
As many as 21 cars were damaged in a mass crash during the Daytona 500 NASCAR motor race. The race had 10 of its 200 laps left when a racer turned his opponent’s car, which slammed into the wall and began to spin. The 21-car accident led to sparks flying and debris littering the track, however, all drivers escaped uninjured.
Only illiterate can talk about war, says Mehbooba Mufti
Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said only “illiterate” people can talk about war. Her comment came a day after she said that Pakistan PM Imran Khan should be given a chance to prove that Islamabad wasn’t involved in the Pulwama attack. She added when there’s an option of dialogue then there’s no point talking about war.
I’m Pakistani, I condemn Pulwama attack: Pak journo starts campaign
Pakistani journalist Sehyr Mirza posted her picture on Facebook, holding a placard which read, “I am a Pakistani and I condemn Pulwama terrorist attack. #AntiHateChallenge #NoToWar”. “I won’t trade humanity for patriotism,” she wrote. Posting pictures of many women holding similar placards on another Facebook page, she urged Pakistani citizens to express solidarity with “Indian friends”.
Terrorism ‘sheltered and supported’ from across border: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said India is a victim of terrorism “sheltered and supported” from across the border. In an interview with Saudi newspapers, PM Modi urged all nations to reject the use of terrorism against others, dismantle its infrastructure and stop its financing. He further said India strongly condemns extremism and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
After $20 billion in Pakistan, Saudi to invest $100 billion in India
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Saudi Arabia will invest $100 billion in India and called it “a huge vote of confidence in the Indian economy.” “PM Narendra Modi welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s announcement to invest in areas like energy, refining and infrastructure,” MEA said. Crown Prince arrived for a two-day visit in India on Tuesday.
Cong, DMK announce poll alliance day after BJP-AIADMK tie-up in TN
Congress party and DMK on Wednesday announced their alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “Out of total 40 seats, 9 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and 1 seat in Puducherry have been given to Congress,” DMK President MK Stalin said. The announcement comes a day after the BJP announced an alliance with AIADMK in the state.
Scientists test one-time vaccine for all kinds of flu virus
Australia-based scientists have found ‘killer T-cells’ can fight all influenza (flu) virus types, potentially leading to the development of a one-time universal vaccination. Vaccination tests conducted on mice remarkably reduced flu virus levels and airway inflammation, scientists said. Only three strains, which haven’t mutated for a century, were found common in around 67,000 viral sequences.
Disappointed over new FDI rules on e-commerce: Walmart CEO
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon in an earnings call said the US retail giant was disappointed over India’s newly imposed FDI rules on e-commerce and lack of consultation during the change. However, he added, “In India, we remain optimistic about the e-commerce opportunity given the size of the market”. “Flipkart’s results were in line with our expectations,” McMillon further said.
Sonchiriya makers get legal notice for depiction of Chambal
A Gwalior-based NGO has sent the makers of the upcoming film ‘Sonchiriya’ a legal notice for allegedly depicting Chambal, a town in Madhya Pradesh, in a bad light. The NGO has sought the removal of scenes in the film that allegedly malign the image of the town. The notice further demands a written apology from the film’s makers.
We want Saudi Aramco, Sabic to be household names in India: Saudi
Saudi Arabia’s oil minister Khalid al-Falih on Wednesday said he wants oil producer Saudi Aramco and Sabic, the kingdom’s petrochemical company, to be household names in India. Falih said Aramco is looking for other opportunities in India apart from investing in the $44-billion Ratnagiri refinery project in Maharashtra. “India is our number one priority for investment outside Saudi,” he added.
French aerospace firm Safran to set up engine plant in Hyderabad
French aerospace giant Safran Aircraft Engines announced it would build a new plant in Hyderabad to make parts for the LEAP turbofan engine from CFM International. Safran will invest €36 million (₹290 crore) in this new plant, which will cover 1.4 lakh sq ft in the Special Economic Zone of GMR. The construction is set to begin in June.
UK teen who joined ISIS will not be allowed here: Bangladesh
Bangladesh has said British teenager Shamima Begum, who joined ISIS when aged 15, is not a Bangladeshi citizen and there is “no question” of her being allowed into the country. This comes after UK Home Secretary said he would strip Shamima of her UK citizenship and suggested her to apply for Bangladesh citizenship as her parents are of Bangladeshi origin.
Low-intensity blast occurs in Kanpur-Bhiwani Kalindi Express’ toilet
A low-intensity blast took place in a toilet of a general coach of Kanpur-Bhiwani Kalindi Express near Uttar Pradesh’s Barrajpur station (about 30 km away from Kanpur) on Wednesday evening. “Anti Terrorist Squad is present at the site and after they give clearance, the train will be dispatched,” Railways Ministry said. There were no injuries or casualties in the incident.
Not opposed to Masood Azhar’s name in UN terror list: Saudi
Saudi Arabia’s MoS Foreign Affairs Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir on Wednesday said that “anyone who supports and finances terrorism must be designated and punished”. He also said the Pakistan-Saudi Arabia joint statement should not be politicised and was not directed against India’s efforts at the United Nations to list Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a “global terrorist”.
BSF organises ‘Bharat Darshan’ tour for 20 Kashmiri students
Border Security Force (BSF) on Wednesday organised a six-day ‘Bharat Darshan’ tour for 20 Kashmiri students of Jammu and Kashmir. The tour aims to take them to other states of India so that they understand how people live and know about their culture, BSF Inspector General said. In the wake of the Pulwama attack, such initiatives are important, he added.
Gayle 1st to hit 100 sixes vs one opponent in international cricket
Chris Gayle slammed 12 sixes against England in first ODI on Wednesday to take his tally of international sixes against them to 100. With this, he became the first-ever batsman to smash 100 sixes against one opponent in international cricket. The 39-year-old has hit 57 sixes in 31 ODIs, 28 in 11 T20Is and 15 in 20 Tests against England.
We received 4 lakh ticket applications for India-Pak WC match: ICC
ICC has received over four lakh applications for tickets of India-Pakistan 2019 World Cup match which is scheduled to take place on June 16 in Manchester, tournament managing director Steve Elworthy revealed. “The stadium (Old Trafford) only holds 25,000 people. So there’re a number of disappointed people,” he added. He further said they received 2.6-2.7 lakh applications for the final.
Lady Gaga, fiancé Carino split four months after engagement
Lady Gaga’s representative has revealed that the singer-actress and her fiancé Christian Carino have split up, four months after the couple had announced their engagement. The 32-year-old Oscar nominee began dating 49-year-old Carino in 2017 after her failed engagement to actor Taylor Kinney. “It just didn’t work out. Relationships sometimes end. There’s no long dramatic story,” Lady Gaga’s representative said.
My father took Bachchan as last name to shed caste: Big B
Amitabh Bachchan has revealed that his father, noted poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan, had changed his name from Harivansh Rai Shrivastav to shed the caste from his name. “Bachchan was my father’s brand of rejecting the stereotypes of caste and creed,” he explained. “I take pride in carrying forward the legacy. I am a Bachchan,” the actor added.
J&K withdraws & downgrades 18 Hurriyat leaders, 155 others’ security
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday downgraded and withdrew the security of 18 Hurriyat leaders and 155 political persons in the state. The affected leaders include SAS Geelani, Yasin Malik, Saleem Geelani, Nayeem Ahmed Khan and Abdul Gani Shah among others. This is in addition to the four persons whose security was withdrawn on Sunday.
Saudi prince orders release of 850 Indian prisoners on PM’s request
On the request of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the release of 850 Indian prisoners lodged in Saudi Arabian jails. “Another big deliverable!” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. The Saudi Crown Prince also announced the increase in quota for Indian Haj pilgrims to 2,00,000 at the request of PM Modi.
