BSF Inspector martyred, 5-yr-old girl killed in Pak shelling in J&K
A Border Security Force (BSF) Inspector was martyred and a five-year-old girl was killed in Pakistan shelling in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch on Monday. State officials said they have ordered closure of educational institutions within five kilometre radius of the LoC in Poonch’s Shahpur sector as a precautionary measure. “The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly,” Army officials said.
Hardik Patel approaches SC after being barred from fighting polls
Patidar leader Hardik Patel has approached the Supreme Court after being barred from contesting Lok Sabha polls following Gujarat High Court’s refusal to stay his conviction in a 2015 riot case. Patel has requested the apex court to cancel his conviction. He was sentenced to two-year jail in July 2018, however, the sentence was suspended a month later.
She was the complete opposite of me: Kangana on playing Jayalalithaa
Actress Kangana Ranaut, while speaking about portraying late Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa in the upcoming biopic on the latter, said, “She was the absolute opposite of me…She was far more docile and refined in her demeanour, more sophisticated in her choice of words.” “But if you tried to run her down, she would always bounce back,” Kangana added.
I feed off MS Dhoni’s energy: CSK all-rounder Dwayne Bravo
CSK all-rounder Dwayne Bravo, who scored 27(16) and defended 12 runs off last over to help his team beat RR on Sunday, said he feeds off captain MS Dhoni’s energy. “He also encouraged me to be positive, that’s important. I enjoy batting with him because he makes batting so easy. He puts the opposition under so much pressure,” he added.
Cong-NCP like Kumbhkaran, they sleep and eat your money: PM
Addressing a rally in Maharashtra, PM Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Congress-NCP’s alliance in the state is like “Kumbhkaran”. The PM added that they (Congress-NCP) sleep for six months when they are in power. PM Modi further said that one of them “wakes up after six months, eats public money and then again goes to sleep”.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath refers to Army as ‘Modi Ji Ki Sena’
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on Sunday referred to Indian Army as “Modi Ji Ki Sena”. Addressing a rally in the state, he said that the Congress used to “serve biryani to terrorists whereas ‘Modi Ji Ki Sena’ serves bullet and bomb to terrorists”. He said that things that were “impossible for the Congress are now possible for PM Modi”.
Not in race for PM’s post: Mulayam after filing nomination for polls
Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, accompanied by his son Akhilesh Yadav, filed his nomination from Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri for the Lok Sabha elections on Monday. The 79-year-old founder of SP ruled himself out of the prime ministerial race and said that the PM candidate of the SP-BSP alliance will be decided after the polls.
BJP fields ally Thushar Vellappally to fight Rahul from Wayanad
Thushar Vellappally, chief of the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), an ally of BJP in Kerala, will take on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad, BJP president Amit Shah announced on Monday. “A vibrant and dynamic youth leader, he represents our commitment towards development and social justice,” Shah said. Wayanad will go to polls on April 23.
India squad for WC to be announced on or before Apr 20: MSK Prasad
Team India chief selector MSK Prasad has said the selection committee will announce the squad for 2019 World Cup on or before April 20. As per the tournament’s guidelines, every team has to unveil its final squad at least a month before the beginning of the tournament on May 30. The World Cup will take place in England and Wales.
Manu Sawhney takes over as ICC Chief Executive with immediate effect
Manu Sawhney today assumed the position of Chief Executive of the ICC. Sawhney, the ex-CEO of Singapore Sports Hub and ex-Managing Director of ESPN Star Sports, has been working alongside the outgoing Chief Executive David Richardson for last six weeks to ensure a smooth transition. Richardson will remain with the ICC until July to oversee the delivery of World Cup.
Mamata criticises Yogi for calling Army ‘Modi Ji Ki Sena’
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday criticised UP CM Yogi Adityanath for calling Indian Army as ‘Modi Ji Ki Sena’. She added, “Such blatant personalisation and usurping of our beloved Indian Army is an insult and a humiliation.” She said Army belongs to all and is “a great asset of our nation, and not a cassette of the BJP”.
Amazon invests ₹240 crore in its India food retail business
Amazon has infused about ₹240 crore in Amazon Retail India, which manages the supply of grocery and food items. As per filings sourced by paper.vc, the infusion came from Singapore-based Amazon Corporate Holdings, with a token amount from US-registered ‘Amazon.com’. Amazon Retail was incorporated in 2017 after receiving a license to retail food products through an inventory-led model.
Woman claims harassment by delivery boy, Swiggy gives her ₹200 coupon
A Bengaluru woman, in a Facebook post, accused a Swiggy delivery boy of abusing her and seeking sexual favours. “I…made a complaint to the customer service and ‘sorry’ and a ₹200 coupon was what I got as compensation,” she added. Commenting on her post, Swiggy Delivery Partners wrote, “We’re sorry…This isn’t the sort of service we’d wish for our patrons.”
GST collections for March hit record high of ₹1.06 lakh crore
Finance Ministry on Monday said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection stood at ₹1.06 lakh crore in March, recording the highest-ever monthly collection since GST launch. Around 75.95 lakh GSTR-3B returns were filed for February up to March 31, as against 73.48 lakh a month ago. This is the fourth time the collections crossed ₹1 lakh crore this fiscal.
Pregnant Esha Deol performs with daughter at her annual day
Actress Esha Deol, who’s expecting her second child, shared pictures on Instagram of her dancing with daughter Radhya on stage. She wrote it was her daughter’s first dance performance. “Since Radhya was born, she’d always move her body in rhythm…So when she performed for her annual day, it was a special moment for Bharat [her husband] and me,” Esha added.
Imran Tahir surpasses Shane Warne’s record tally in IPL
Chennai Super Kings’ Imran Tahir has surpassed Shane Warne as the leading wicket-taking overseas leg-spinner in the Indian Premier League after going past the former Rajasthan Royals captain’s tally in CSK’s match against RR on Sunday. Tahir now has a total of 59 wickets to his name in 41 IPL matches, including a solitary 4-wicket haul.
Australia beat Pakistan to complete series whitewash
Australia beat Pakistan in the fifth ODI by 20 runs to complete a 5-0 one-day series whitewash in Dubai on Sunday. Australia’s top four batsmen all posted half-centuries with Glenn Maxwell scoring his third consecutive 50-plus score. Following the win, Australian cricket team’s coach Justin Langer said, “It’s very satisfying”.
Pappu strike: Kerala CPI(M) on Rahul’s candidature from Wayanad
The official mouthpiece of Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala, ‘Deshabhimani’ termed Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s decision to contest elections from Wayanad constituency as “Pappu strike”. On Sunday, Congress announced Rahul will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Wayanad as well as Amethi constituency. Notably, this is the first time Rahul is contesting from two seats.
Airbnb confirms investment in OYO’s Series E funding round
US-based home-renting platform Airbnb confirmed it has invested an undisclosed amount in Gurugram-based hospitality startup OYO Rooms in its Series E funding round. As per reports, the deal is estimated to be worth $150-200 million. Launched in 2013 by Ritesh Agarwal, OYO had raised $1 billion from investors including Japan’s SoftBank and Sequoia Capital in 2018.
Non-subsidised LPG cylinder price increased by ₹5
The price of non-subsidised LPG has been increased by ₹5 per cylinder, and that of subsidised LPG by ₹0.25. A 14.2 kg subsidised cooking gas cylinder will now cost ₹495.86 in Delhi whereas a non-subsidised cylinder will cost ₹706.50. This is the second straight increase in non-subsidised LPG rate after price was hiked by ₹42.5 per cylinder on March 1.
Vadra gets anticipatory bail in money laundering case on ₹5L bond
A special CBI court in Delhi today granted anticipatory bail to Robert Vadra and his close aide Manoj Arora on personal bonds of ₹5 lakh each in a money laundering case. Vadra is facing allegations of money laundering in the purchase of a ₹17-crore London-based property. The court has said Vadra won’t be allowed to leave the country without permission.
TRAI to move TV viewers yet to select pack to Best Fit Plan
TRAI’s extended deadline for migration of DTH and Cable TV viewers to the new regulatory framework ended on Sunday. The regulator has said cable operators and DTH companies can accommodate customers who haven’t confirmed their channel preferences yet, to a ‘Best Fit Plan’. The plan would be prepared by service operators based on users’ television consumption habits.
Cong afraid to contest from Hindu majority seats: PM Modi
Addressing a rally in Maharashtra, PM Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Congress is afraid to contest the upcoming elections on Hindu majority seats. Apparently referring to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, he added that they are contesting from those seats where the “majority is in minority”. The PM further said that the Congress has coined the term “Hindu Terror”.
Federer beats Isner to win 101st career singles title at Miami Open
Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer defeated John Isner in straight sets on Sunday to win his fourth Miami Open title and his 101st career singles title. The 37-year-old won with a scoreline of 6-1, 6-4 in 64 minutes to clinch his 28th Masters title in 50 final appearances. Federer has won 18 matches in 2019, while losing just two.
CEO Pichai was interviewed for 1st Google job on day of Gmail launch
Google CEO Sundar Pichai was interviewed for his first job at Google on April 1, 2004, the same day Google launched Gmail, which turns 15 today. “People kept asking me ‘What do you think of Gmail?’ during my interview,” said Pichai when he visited India in 2017. “I hadn’t used it…I thought it was an April Fool’s joke,” Pichai said.
Wanted JeM terrorist carrying ₹2 lakh reward arrested in Srinagar
A wanted terrorist belonging to Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has been arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar by Delhi Police Special Cell, officials said on Monday. A resident of J&K’s Kupwara, Faiyaz Ahmad Lone, had a reward of ₹2 lakh on his head. A non-bailable warrant was also issued against Lone by the Delhi High Court, police said.
Thanks for compliments: Swaraj to man calling her shameless minister
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said, “Thanks for your compliments. My office will get in touch with you and help you get passport,” to a man who told her, “Not a chowkidar…you are a shameless and ignorant minister.” “I’m a common man with ₹34,000 salary…I lost a great career opportunity due to passport delay,” the man had complained.
Japan names new imperial era, set to begin on May 1, as ‘Reiwa’
Japan has announced that the name of its new imperial era, set to begin on May 1, will be “Reiwa”. While ‘Rei’ means “good” and “beautiful” as well as “order” or “command”, ‘Wa’ means “peace” or “harmony”. The country’s current era, Heisei, which began in 1989, will end with Emperor Akihito’s abdication.
Sensex hits 39,000 for first time, Nifty surges above 11,700
India’s benchmark Sensex crossed the 39,000-mark for the first time ever on Monday. At day’s high, the Sensex jumped over 350 points to 39,028, overtaking its earlier all-time high of 38,989, hit in August 2018 while the Nifty 50 rose 91.75 points to 11,715.65. The record rally was driven by financial stocks such as ICICI Bank, SBI and Yes Bank.
J&J baby shampoo fails quality test, ‘harmful ingredients’ found
US healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) baby shampoo has failed quality tests by Drugs Control Organization of Rajasthan, which said “harmful ingredients” were found in it. A J&J spokeswoman said, “We don’t accept the interim results given to us, which mentioned samples to contain harmful ingredients- identification positive for formaldehyde.” Formaldehyde is known to promote the formation of cancer.
Congress fields Ghulam Ahmad Mir from Anantnag in J&K
Congress on Sunday named Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir as its candidate for Anantnag constituency in the state. In 2014, former CM Mehbooba Mufti won the seat, but the seat has been vacant since July 2016. National Conference had named former retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi as its candidate from the seat.
Hamilton wins Bahrain GP as Leclerc misses win record
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton won the Bahrain GP after Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who was leading for most of the race, missed the chance to become Ferrari’s youngest ever race winner due to an engine failure. Leclerc finished the race at the third spot as Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas secured the second position ahead of him.
Karim Benzema’s 89th-minute goal earns win for Real Madrid
Karim Benzema scored in the 89th minute to earn a 3-2 win for Real Madrid against Huesca on Monday. This is Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane’s second win in as many matches. Benzema has now scored against all the 34 teams he has faced in the La Liga. Real Madrid are third in the La Liga points table.
Former Congress Secretary P Sudhakar Reddy joins BJP
Former Congress Secretary P Sudhakar Reddy from Telangana joined BJP on Sunday in the presence of BJP President Amit Shah. Earlier in the day, Reddy had met PM Narendra Modi and expressed his desire to join BJP. “His joining BJP will strengthen the party in Telangana,” BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav said after Reddy joined BJP.
Apple hires Tesla Engineering VP for ‘Special Projects Group’
Michael Schwekutsch, Tesla’s Engineering VP, who oversaw its electric powertrains, has joined Apple in the role of Senior Director of Engineering at the Special Projects Group (SPG). The SPG reportedly houses Apple’s self-driving car division, Project Titan, led by Tesla’s former Senior Engineering VP Doug Field. Shwekutsch has also contributed to the Porsche 918 Spyder and BMW i8, among others.
Dentsu India names Malvika Mehra as Chief Creative Officer
Dentsu India, the advertising agency owned by UK-based Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN), on Monday announced the appointment of Malvika Mehra as its Chief Creative Officer (CCO). Mehra will be responsible for the agency’s creative duties across all offices. Dentsu India will also launch a new design and innovation unit called Dentsu India Tomorrow Lab which will be headed by Mehra.
BoB shares up 6% following merger with Vijaya, Dena Bank
Shares of Bank of Baroda (BoB) rallied as much as 6.5% on Monday as its merger with Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank came into effect. The consolidation of the three state-owned lenders created the third-largest lender of the country after State Bank of India and ICICI Bank. BoB now has over 9,500 branches, 13,400 ATMs and 85,000 employees.
Kingfisher introduces Kingfisher Instant Beer mix
Kingfisher has launched Kingfisher Instant Beer which is now available for tasting. With its patented Freeze Dryingᵀᴹ technology, Kingfisher has introduced sachets of beer powder that can be used to make instant beer with water-anytime, anywhere. It aims to make sure that consumers no longer have to fight for space in the fridge for beer bottles before a house party.
