Passenger strips in Air India flight, walks down aisle naked
A male passenger in Dubai-Lucknow Air India Express flight on Saturday stripped mid-air and started walking down the aisle naked. Reportedly, the cabin crew immediately wrapped a blanket around the man and two crew members held him to keep him seated. The passenger was handed over to security upon landing while the reason why he stripped is still unknown.
Fake Instagram profile of IGP Roopa made to cheat people of money
A fake Instagram account of IGP Roopa Moudgil was created that cheated people of money by sharing posts seeking donations for “destitute women”. “I don’t have an Instagram account. It came to my notice when someone tweeted to me screenshots of the money that was being collected…The money was being sent to a Paytm account,” Roopa said.
2-year-old boy whose Yemeni mother sued US to meet him dies
Abdullah Hassan, the two-year-old boy whose Yemeni mother sued the US to meet him has died, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said. Shaima Swileh was not able to meet her son, due to the Trump administration’s travel ban on citizens from five Muslim-majority countries. She was eventually granted a US visa days before his death.
Russia builds fence separating occupied Crimea and Ukraine
Russia has finished building a 60-kilometre security fence separating annexed Crimea from mainland Ukraine. The fence is topped with barbed wire and has various types of sensors, and is also equipped with video surveillance systems, according to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) agency. Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
She considers authoritarian tag a ‘badge of honour’: B’desh PM’s son
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina considers being called authoritarian by the Western media a “badge of honour”, her son Sajeeb Wazed said ahead of the national election today, adding there was space for dissent in the country. Notably, Hasina’s government has been accused of suppressing dissent and jailing critics, including many supporters of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Germany approves $8-billion rail and road tunnel link to Denmark
German authorities on Friday gave their approval to an $8 billion rail and road tunnel linking Denmark and Germany. The 19-kilometre Fehmarnbelt link comprises a four-lane motorway and a two-track railway, and is part-funded by the European Union. The project, which is expected to be completed by 2024, has been delayed by environmental protests in Germany.
Kannur collector posts policemen’s pic, compares it to Beatles cover
Kerala’s Kannur district collector Mir Mohammed Ali took to Twitter to share a picture of policemen who worked with local artists to promote road safety in a remote part of the district. Ali captioned the picture of the policemen standing on zebra crossing “Kannur’s Beatles”. He compared their picture to the iconic cover of album ‘Abbey Road’ by ‘The Beatles’.
Told Ranveer I want open relationship when we met in 2012: Deepika
Actress Deepika Padukone has said that when she met Ranveer Singh in 2012, she wanted to try the concept of casual dating and told Ranveer, “I really like you but I want to keep it open.” “I did not emotionally invest in this relationship,” said Padukone. “But…six months into it…I was pretty much emotionally invested in us,” she added.
Started dating when I was 13, never casually dated anyone: Deepika
Actress Deepika Padukone has revealed that she began dating at the age of 13, however, she has never casually dated anyone. “Whether it was one year, two years or three years, they were always proper relationships,” Padukone said. “I’d been in several relationships before and many times my trust was broken,” she added.
Dil pe baat lag gayi lagta hai: Kohli as Lyon gets taunted by Pant
During Australia’s 80th over on the fourth day of the Melbourne Test, India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant teased Nathan Lyon by saying, “We don’t want to come tomorrow for nothing.” Responding to Pant, Lyon said, “I can’t understand you…I like you too.” India captain Virat Kohli, who was standing near Pant, remarked, “Dil pe baat lag gayi lagta hai.”
Ex-England captain Strauss’ wife Ruth dies aged 46 of lung cancer
Ex-England captain Andrew Strauss’ wife Ruth Strauss died aged 46 following a battle with cancer. Ruth, who had married Andrew in 2003 and had two children with him, was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer in December last year. Strauss said it gave his family “huge comfort” that Ruth died in Australia, where she was born.
Tattoo on our foreheads we can’t erase: Jones on ball-tampering row
Talking about the Cape Town Test ball-tampering scandal, former Australia batsman Dean Jones said, “It feels like we have a huge tattoo on our foreheads that we cannot erase.” “These three boys (David Warner, Cameron Bancroft and Steve Smith) were old enough to make the right decisions. Sadly, they have to pay for their consequences, as do we,” he added.
Cameron Bancroft’s 9-month ban ends, named in Perth Scorchers squad
Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft’s nine-month ban for his role in using sandpaper during the Cape Town Test against South Africa in March officially expired today. Subsequently, the 26-year-old was named in the Perth Scorchers’ side for their Big Bash League match against Hobart Hurricanes on Sunday. Steve Smith and David Warner’s bans will end in March next year.
Policeman must have shot himself: BJP MLA on Bulandshahr violence
BJP MLA Devendra Singh Lodhi in Uttar Pradesh on Friday said that police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was killed in the December 3 Bulandshahr violence, must have shot himself “accidentally”. “He was an encounter specialist…Perhaps…he attempted to fire at himself in his arms in self-defence but the bullet missed the mark and went through his eyebrows,” Lodhi said.
Who’ll play the role of ‘Accidental CM’? BJP on Karnataka CM
BJP’s Karnataka unit took a dig at the state’s Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, calling him an ‘accidental chief minister’. “If there was a movie titled #AccidentalCM who will play the role of Kumaraswamy?” Karnataka BJP posted on Twitter. Kumaraswamy is “celebrating New Year in Singapore”, while Karnataka “has slipped to a debt ridden state”, another tweet by Karnataka BJP read.
No special screening for Cong: Anupam on ‘The Accidental…’
On being asked whether the makers of the upcoming film ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ would comply with a special screening for the Congress, Anupam Kher said, “No, why should we have a special screening for the Congress?” The Maharashtra Youth Congress has announced they’ll not allow the film to be screened if their demand for a prior screening isn’t met.
It will happen when it has to happen: Deepika on motherhood
Talking about motherhood and planning a family, Deepika Padukone said, “It will happen when it has to happen. Motherhood trumps being married. That’s what I hear from people who have had children.” Talking about tackling her pregnancy rumours, she said, “I don’t think there’s anything to tackle. As people in the public eye, you’re anyways so used to constant speculation.”
Chilli powder put in girls’ private parts at Delhi shelter home: DCW
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has said that female staff at a shelter home in Dwarka allegedly abused the girls by putting chilli powder in their private parts as punishment. The matter came to light after DCW conducted a surprise visit at the home that houses 22 inmates. The shelter home has girls aged between 6 and 15.
Agitations are uncalled for: Madhur on ‘The Accidental…’
Madhur Bhandarkar, while talking about the agitations and controversies surrounding the upcoming film ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’, said, “These agitations are uncalled for, especially when we talk about freedom of expression.” “It is just the trailer that has been released and people are already agitated about it… This is not fair if we talk about democracy,” he added.
Human rights are for common man, not for criminals: UP CM
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on Friday said human rights were for common man and not for criminals and anti-social elements. He added that people appreciated the policing in the state despite reading negative articles and criticism about human rights violation. He further said that some people shield wrong people in the name of human rights violation.
3 men convicted of murder of Indian-origin family in UK
Three men were found guilty of murder on Friday for causing an explosion in a shop in February in Leicester, UK, that killed five people, including three members of an Indian-origin family. The convicts caused the explosion to destroy the shop in order to claim £300,000 in insurance. The Indian-origin family had moved to the UK from Mauritius.
Told Suhana if guy says ‘Rahul, naam to suna hoga’ he’s stalker: SRK
Shah Rukh Khan has revealed he told his daughter Suhana that if a boy comes and tells her ‘Rahul, naam to suna hoga’, his dialogue from ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’, then he’s a stalker. “If a boy looks at you across a room at a party and says, ‘Aur paas, aur paas’, go kick him in the shins,” he added.
Mayank will smell the coffee in your canteen: Shastri to O’Keeffe
India head coach Ravi Shastri has criticised Australian commentator Kerry O’Keeffe who insulted debutant Mayank Agarwal by saying that his highest first-class score of 304* had come against “railway canteen staff.” “[Mayank] has got a message for Kerry…when you…open your canteen, he wants to…smell the coffee and compare it to the ones back home in India,” Shastri added.
Crowd chants ‘Kohli is a wanker’, Kohli takes his cap off and bows
Team India captain Virat Kohli took his cap off and bowed to the crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after some spectators were heard chanting, “Kohli is a wanker”. “Bagging a champion when he is smashing your national team into a pulp is just dumb,” a user tweeted reacting to it. “He handled it beautifully,” wrote another user.
It was Rohit’s idea: Bumrah on 113-kmph ball that dismissed Marsh
India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has revealed his 113-kmph yorker that dismissed Australia’s Shaun Marsh in the Melbourne Test was Rohit Sharma’s idea. “Rohit…told me you can try a slow ball like you bowl in one-day cricket…so, I thought yeah, I could give it go…Some of their guys play with hard hands…The execution was good on the day,” Bumrah added.
CBI had theory to implicate politicians in Sohrabuddin case: Court
In the 350-page judgement acquitting all 22 accused in 2005 Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case, a CBI court stated, “CBI had before it a premeditated theory and a script intended to implicate political leaders.” “It clearly appears that the CBI was more concerned in establishing a particular pre-conceived and premeditated theory rather than finding out the truth,” it added.
Tesla adds Elon Musk’s ‘close friend’ Larry Ellison to board
Tesla has named Oracle Co-founder Larry Ellison and pharmacy chain Walgreens’ global HR head Kathleen Wilson-Thompson as independent directors. The appointments are part of the settlement Tesla reached with US securities regulator over CEO Elon Musk’s tweets about taking the firm private. Ellison, who calls himself a close friend of Musk, had revealed that Tesla is his second-largest investment.
My Airbnb guest threw party for 300, furniture was missing: US man
A US man said his New York house was booked through Airbnb by a man in December 2017 who threw a New Year’s party for 300 people without his permission. “There was furniture missing…the glass panel on my staircase was shattered,” the man said. “Airbnb paid me for the damages but a year later repairs are continuing,” he added.
Chinese soldier teaches tai-chi to Indian jawan; video surfaces
A video of a Chinese soldier teaching tai-chi, a martial art form, to an Indian soldier is being widely shared online. The video shows the Indian soldier trying to imitate the martial art moves being performed by his Chinese counterpart. The armies of the two countries recently held joint military exercises that concluded on December 23.
Passenger arrested with 2 kg gold hidden in microwave in Hyderabad
A passenger was arrested from Hyderabad airport for hiding over two kilograms of smuggled gold worth ₹66 lakh in a microwave oven. The passenger had landed in Hyderabad after taking an Oman Airlines flight from Dubai on Thursday. The gold was in the form of 46 plates coated with silver and fixed in the transformer of a microwave oven.
Headless bodies of woman, girl and toddler found in a drum on road
Headless bodies of a 32-year-old woman, a 12-year-old girl and a toddler were found inside a drum on the Rohtak-Bhiwani road in Haryana on Friday. While the Haryana Police have not been able to identify the bodies, they have asked Delhi, Rajasthan and Punjab Police for missing persons reports that match the description of the bodies.
US veteran who credited whisky, cigars for long life dies aged 112
The US’ oldest known WWII military veteran, who credited whisky and cigars for his long life, has died in Texas at the age of 112. “I been smoking cigars from when I was 18 years old, I’m still a smoking ’em. Twelve a day,” Richard Overton once said. He was honoured on Veterans Day in 2013 by ex-President Barack Obama.
Nestle plans to launch meat-free burger in 2019
Swiss company Nestle is planning to launch meat-free burger made from soy and wheat protein under the Garden Gourmet label in 2019. The company is also experimenting with vegan milk, a liquid derived from walnuts and blueberries, with a purple hue. “Vegetarianism has never been this popular before and it’s here to stay,” Nestle CTO Stefan Palzer said.
Amul allowed to air edited ice-cream ads after objections by HUL
The Bombay High Court has allowed Amul to air its advertisements after deleting the content against which Hindustan Unilever (HUL) had raised objection. The court, however, rejected Amul’s claim that the ads were not depicting frozen desserts in a disparaging manner. Amul’s ads claimed that frozen desserts were made with Vanaspati or vegetable oil and urged customers to choose ice-creams.
No ban on ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’ in MP: Congress
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday denied reports claiming that the Madhya Pradesh government will ban the film ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’. “Fake propaganda by BJP won’t desist us from questioning the PM Modi govt on rural distress, unemployment…GST, failed Modinomics,” Surjewala said in a tweet. “Nation wants governance, not diversion,” he added.
65-yr-old gives birth, 80-yr-old husband says baby ‘precious gift’
A 65-year-old woman on Wednesday gave birth to a healthy baby girl at a hospital in Poonch district of Jammu & Kashmir. Following the baby’s arrival, the woman’s 80-year-old husband Hakim Din thanked the Allah and called their baby a “precious gift”. The couple already has a 10-year-old son.
Kapil Sharma shares official video of his wedding to Ginni Chatrath
Comedian Kapil Sharma, who recently got married to his long-time girlfriend Ginni Chatrath, has shared the first official video of their wedding. The couple had a Hindu wedding on December 12 followed by a Sikh wedding on December 13. This was followed by two receptions, one in Amritsar and another in Mumbai, which was attended by many Bollywood celebrities.
Ranveer Singh, Sara Ali Khan starrer ‘Simmba’ hits theatres
Ranveer Singh and Sara Ali Khan starrer ‘Simmba’, which released today, “is a sure-shot winner,” wrote Bollywood Hungama. The film “is a potboiler that you expect it to be,” said The Times of India (TOI). Hindustan Times (HT) praised Ranveer’s performance and wrote that he “lifts [the]…blockbuster.” It has been rated 4/5 (Bollywood Hungama), 3.5/5 (TOI) and 3/5 (HT).
Veteran actor Kader Khan’s health critical, put on ventilator: Reports
Veteran actor Kader Khan, who has been admitted to a hospital, is in critical condition and has been put on a BiPAP ventilator, as per reports. The actor is reportedly suffering from breathlessness and is showing symptoms of pneumonia. His present condition results from the neurodegenerative disease Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), reports added.
90-yr-old Kerala man meets his 1st wife after 72 yrs of separation
Kerala’s 90-year-old Narayanan Nambiar met his 86-year-old wife Sarada, after 72 years of being separated from each other. Married in 1946, they got separated after Narayanan was put in jail for participating in the Kavumbai farmers rebellion. Narayanan and Sarada met again after their relatives decided to set up a meeting for the two.
Pujara’s innings could cost India the Melbourne Test: Ponting
Ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting has said that Cheteshwar Pujara’s knock of 106 runs off 319 balls could cost India the ongoing Melbourne Test match. “[Pujara] just locks himself in this little bubble where scoring doesn’t seem to faze him at all,” he added. Ponting added that scoring rate of two runs per over makes it “pretty hard” to win Tests.
Someone could’ve been killed: Lillee criticises Perth Test pitch
Ex-Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee has criticised the pitch used for the second Australia-India Test at the new Optus Stadium in Perth for having variable bounce. Adding that the pitch was not good for cricket, Lillee said, “Someone could have been killed on that pitch because it was very much…some [deliveries] were taking off, the odd one was keeping low.”
Cab driver held for shooting policeman dead in Bulandshahr violence
The Special Investigation Team probing the December 3 Bulandshahr violence has claimed they have arrested a taxi driver, Prashant Nat, who is the killer of police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh. While the police haven’t been able to find the gun used to kill Singh, they said Nat has confessed to the crime. Nat also has a criminal background, police stated.
5 dead as fire breaks out on 14th floor of Mumbai residential tower
At least 5 people were killed and several others were injured after a fire broke out on the 14th floor of a residential tower in Mumbai’s Chembur on Thursday. The cause of the fire is still unknown. A search and rescue operation by the Mumbai Fire Brigade is underway, said officials from the disaster management unit of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
Pilots told to announce when flying over sites like Statue of Unity
Aviation regulator DGCA has asked airlines to direct pilots to make announcements of important monuments and sites like Taj Mahal, Statue of Unity and Ajanta Ellora while flying over them. The regulator said this was to enhance awareness about India’s cultural heritage. “It is made clear that the above announcements be made without compromising safety of operations,” it added.
Barack Obama named most admired man for 11th year in a row
Former US President Barack Obama has been named the most admired man by Americans for the 11th year in a row, according to an annual poll conducted by Gallup. US President Donald Trump finished second for the fourth consecutive year. Meanwhile, Former US First Lady Michelle Obama ended Hillary Clinton’s 17-year run as most admired woman.
Future Group Founder Biyani’s family office raises ₹3,000 cr
Future Group Founder and Group CEO Kishore Biyani’s family office has raised ₹3,000 crore to reduce debt. Biyani said that the shareholding in the group’s listed companies will be “unaffected”. Adding that the funding is one of the largest deals in India at the family holding company level, Biyani said it will help the group to diversify its investments.
Tata Group spent ₹70,000 cr on restructuring, acquisitions in 2018
Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran has said the group spent over ₹70,000 crore to “restructure Tata companies, consolidate cross-holdings, acquire strategic assets and infuse much-needed capital”. In a year-end message to over 7 lakh employees, Chandrasekaran said 2019 will bring a number of macro challenges. He asked employees of the conglomerate to focus on what they can control.
Instagram mistakenly launches scroll feed sideways feature
Instagram Head Adam Mosseri has confirmed that the app mistakenly test launched a new feature to scroll feed sideways. The feature, which let users scroll their feed similar to the interface of Instagram Stories, launched on a broader scale than anticipated. The update, which faced criticism by users on social media, has now been rolled back from the app.
UP Police to use AI, face recognition app to nab criminals
Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday launched AI-based facial recognition app ‘Trinetra’, which it will use to nab criminals. The app contains a database of five lakh criminals collected from criminal records of the state police, the prisons department and Government Railway Police. It will assist policemen at ground level by deploying methods like biometric records analysis and phonetic search.
Alphabet making quieter delivery drones after noise issue: Report
Alphabet-owned drone delivery startup Wing is reportedly working on making quieter drones after facing noise-related issues in its trial, which it has been conducting in Australia since 2014. The report claimed the speed of the drones was also slowed down. This comes after the startup recently announced it will launch its drone-delivery service in Finland in the spring of 2019.
Tata Motors, group firms working on electric car plans
Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran on Thursday said Tata Motors is working closely with other group entities such as Tata Capital and Tata Power to create Electric Vehicle (EV) ecosystem in the country. The group’s automobile arm had won a government contract for supplying electric cars. The company’s electric mobility business is headed by Shailesh Chandra.
China’s first cloned kitten likely to be born in March 2019
China’s first cloned kitten is expected to be born in March 2019, Beijing-based biotech company Sinogene’s deputy general manager Zhao Jianping said. He revealed the clone will be produced with the same technique used to create world’s first-ever mammal cloned from adult cells, sheep Dolly. The firm has created 10 cloned dogs so far, with 10 more being gestated currently.
Andhra teacher held for making students strip as punishment
A private school teacher in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor was arrested on Thursday for making six students strip as a punishment for coming late to the class. Pictures and videos of the incident surfaced online, following which the Mandal Education Officer filed a complaint against the teacher. A case has been filed under different sections of IPC and Juvenile Justice act.
Kartarpur corridor high point of diplomacy for Imran Khan govt: Pak
Pakistan has called the Kartarpur corridor the “high point of diplomacy” for the Imran Khan government. However, not “much progress” has been made with India on the bilateral front so far, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mohammad Faisal, said. Pakistan agreed to open the corridor to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur for Guru Nanak Dev’s 550th birth anniversary next year.
Deepika Padukone got engaged to Ranveer Singh 4 years ago: Report
Actress Deepika Padukone has revealed she got engaged to Ranveer Singh four years ago, a Filmfare magazine report quoting the actress said on Thursday. In October, Deepika appeared on talk show ‘Koffee With Karan’ and confirmed that she has been dating Ranveer Singh for six years. The actors got married as per Konkani and Sindhi traditions in Italy last month.
Pvt exporters had no problem selling our oil: Iran after sanctions
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh has said that private exporters have had “no problems” selling Iranian oil despite US sanctions. The US had granted exemptions to eight countries allowing them to temporarily continue buying Iranian oil after reimposing the oil sanctions. President Hassan Rouhani earlier said the sanctions will affect people’s lives but won’t bring the country to its knees.
Non-bank lenders meet PM Modi, seek easier regulations
Representatives from Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek easier norms regulating the sector. The industry has been hit by liquidity issues and tough regulations by RBI, the delegation said. It further demanded that the central bank provide a liquidity window for NBFCs and HFCs to restore confidence in the sector.
No blackout of subscribed TV channels after regulation: TRAI
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has said channels subscribed to by customers won’t blackout after the new regulatory framework for broadcasting and cable services takes effect on December 29. This comes amid speculations of blackouts across existing subscribed TV channels after the transition. The authority added they are preparing an implementation plan to enable a smooth transition.
Considering legal options on GST penalty order: Hindustan Unilever
Consumer goods company Hindustan Unilever has said it’s considering legal options after GST anti-profiteering authority found it guilty of not passing on rate cut benefits to consumers. Following this, it was asked to deposit ₹223 crore in central and state consumer welfare funds. The company claimed it passed on entire benefit to customers through reduction in prices or higher grammage.
UK woman calls 999 for ‘missing’ fish and chips; police responds
The North Yorkshire Police revealed it received an emergency call from a woman who was angry at a shop for sending her a sausage instead of two portions of fish and chips she had asked for. “Please only use 999 in an emergency,” the police tweeted. Reacting to this, a user commented, “There should be a time wasters fine £100.”
I’m on WhatsApp too: Bieber shares number, deletes tweets later
Singer Justin Bieber on Monday appeared to accidentally tweet out his phone number before quickly deleting it. Some of his deleted tweets read, “Had to change it, Hit me at +505 5853 1341″ and ‘I’m on WhatsApp too.” Reacting to this, a Twitter user commented, “Justin Bieber accidentally tweeted his phone number so we added him to the group chat.”
Main budhi hun isliye nahin bulaya? Neena on actresses’ roundtable
After journalist Rajeev Masand shared a picture of actresses part of a roundtable discussion conducted by him, 59-year-old actress Neena Gupta tweeted, “Rajeev meri film bhi toe hit huee hai ya main budhi hun isliye nahin bulaya.” Responding to the ‘Badhaai Ho’ actress, Masand wrote, “Aap shandaar hain…Aapko bulaya tha…aap Maldives mein chutti mana rahi thi…Jald milenge aur baat karenge.”
Sherpa widows to climb Everest to complete husbands’ ascents
The widows of two Sherpa climbers, who died on Mount Everest, will try to climb the mountain to complete the unfinished ascents of their husbands. Furdiki Sherpa’s husband died while fixing ropes for foreign clients on the mountain in 2013, while Nima Doma Sherpa’s husband was killed in an avalanche near the base camp in 2014.
CA said it doesn’t pay us to play, it pays us to win: Steve Smith
Banned Australian cricketer Steve Smith has revealed after Australia lost the Hobart Test against South Africa in 2016, Cricket Australia executives told Australian players that the board pays them to win and not just play matches. Notably, Cricket Australia was described as “arrogant” and “bent on winning at all costs” in a review of its culture after the ball-tampering scandal.
Warner asked to tamper with ball, I did it to feel valued: Bancroft
Banned Australian cricketer Cameron Bancroft has revealed David Warner asked him to rub the ball with the sandpaper during the Cape Town Test against South Africa in March. He said he tampered with the ball because he didn’t know any better as he just wanted to “fit in and feel valued”. “[It] led to a really destructive situation,” he added.
Delhi auto driver saves woman, baby from drowning, loses own life
A 30-year-old auto-rickshaw driver named Pawan Shah lost his own life after saving a woman who jumped from a bridge with her baby in a Delhi canal on Saturday. Three men nearby helped rescue the mother-son duo before Pawan was washed away by a strong current. Pawan was pronounced dead as his body has not been found for four days.
Good for nothing: Delhi parents on son who fled with car, ₹13L cash
An 18-year-old Delhi boy has run away with his parents’ car after withdrawing ₹13 lakh from his mother’s account and stealing ₹50,000 from her almirah, said police. His parents have lodged a complaint, alleging that their “good for nothing” son might use the car for illegal activities. The boy, a class 12 student, ran away from home on December 19.
Couldn’t meet SRK, will come back: Pak man freed after 19 months
Pakistani national Abdullah Shah, who was freed by India on Wednesday after 19 months, said that he couldn’t fulfill his childhood dream of meeting Shah Rukh Khan. “I was given family like treatment in Amritsar jail. I’ll come back again but legally now,” he added. Abdullah had illegally crossed into India last year, claiming he wanted to meet Shah Rukh.
Terror suspect stole family gold to fund ISIS-inspired group
The ISIS-inspired module busted on Wednesday after raids at 17 locations in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh was largely self-financed, National Investigation Agency (NIA) IG Alok Mittal revealed. “One of the ten arrested persons has said he stole and sold family gold to finance his activities,” Mittal added. The NIA had seized over 100 clocks, explosives, a rocket launcher among others.
Man pledged to be barefoot till Cong wins, MPS CM helps him wear shoes
Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, who is leading the first Congress government in the state after 15 years, today helped Congress worker Durga Lal Kirar wear shoes to fulfil his vow. Durga Lal had pledged that he wouldn’t wear shoes or slippers till Congress returned to power in Madhya Pradesh. Nath tweeted that he “salutes” such party workers.
Ex-Governor Bimal Jalan to lead RBI’s panel on excess reserves
The RBI has appointed former Governor Bimal Jalan as the Chairman of the Economic Capital Framework committee formed to address the issue of RBI reserves. The committee will submit its report within a period of 90 days from the date of its first meeting. The six-member panel also includes RBI Deputy Governor NS Vishwanathan and Economic Affairs Secretary SC Garg.
E-tailers can’t sell products of companies they have stake in: Govt
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has barred online retailers from selling products of companies in which they have a stake. It also said that e-commerce firms cannot mandate any seller to sell any product exclusively on its platform only. “Cashback provided by the group companies of marketplace entity to buyers shall be fair and non-discriminatory,” the ministry’s notification added.
Google search for Bhojpuri films surpasses Bollywood films in India
Google search for Bhojpuri films overtook search for Bollywood movies in India in 2018, data analysed from Google Trends revealed. The analysis showed that film-related searches have increased significantly over cricket and news-related searches since 2015. Salman Khan has been the most googled Indian actor while Sunny Leone has been the most searched actress since 2013 in India, it revealed.
Amazon Alexa crashes amid high user requests on Christmas
Several users in Europe complained that Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa crashed down on Christmas Day for nearly two hours. Users said that Alexa was unable to complete requested tasks like switching on room lights or playing music. Amazon responded, “some Echo devices in Europe have had intermittent connections”, adding that the issue had been resolved.
BJP making false claims about crop insurance to farmers: Mamata
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the BJP-led central government of making false claims of providing crop insurance to farmers in the state. She added the Centre paid 20% of the total crop insurance amount, and the rest 80% was paid by the state. She further said the BJP government had never been serious about farmers’ well-being.
Working to get new allies from south and east India: BJP
BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Wednesday said though smaller allies like RLSP have decided to leave the party, the BJP is working on bringing new allies into the fold from southern and eastern India. He added it is something that happens before elections and it is “nothing new”. He further said alliance politics is all about “accommodation and adjustments”.
Owaisi talking in Pak PM Imran Khan’s language: Giriraj Singh
Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday took a dig at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his comment on Noida Police order barring namaz in open, saying Owaisi was talking in the Pakistani PM Imran Khan’s language. He added that law is “equal for everyone”. Owaisi had said UP Police showered “petals for Kanwariyas”, but namaz can mean “disrupting peace”.
Ousted Nissan chief’s former aide released on bail in Japan
Nissan’s former Representative Director Greg Kelly was on Tuesday released from jail after being granted bail by a court in Tokyo, Japan. He was detained on November 19 along with his former boss and ex-Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn over suspicion of understating Ghosn’s income in financial statements for several years. The local court set Kelly’s bail at around $635,000.
Helicopter service launched at Statue of Unity for ₹2,900
A 10-minute helicopter ride service at a cost of ₹2,900 was launched on Sunday for the visitors at the ‘Statue of Unity’, the world’s tallest statue. Situated in Gujarat’s Kevadia, the Statue of Unity was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31. The Gujarat government built the statue at a cost of around ₹3,000 crore in 33 months.
SEBI imposes ₹20 lakh fine on 4 firms for fraudulent trade
Markets regulator SEBI imposed a total penalty of over ₹20 lakh on four firms for indulging in fraudulent trades in illiquid stock options segment on the BSE. It levied a fine of ₹5 lakh each on Avinash Infra Projects, Bina Udyog, Balajee Structurals, and ₹5.5 lakh on Blackcherry Commosale. SEBI investigated the trading activities between April 2014 and September 2015.
Huawei announces various offers on pre-booking of Mate 20 Pro
Huawei has announced exciting offers and deals on pre-bookings of the Mate 20 Pro. Customers who pay ₹2000 on the day of pre-booking will get the latest Sennheiser PXC 550 along with the Mate 20 Pro at a total price of ₹71,990. The smartphone will be available across 50 Croma outlets in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru & Hyderabad, starting December 25.
Delhi govt withdraws order increasing one-time parking charges
The Delhi government has withdrawn its order increasing one-time parking charges for cars by up to 18 times from January 1, 2019. The order had raised the one-time parking charges from existing ₹4,000 to up to ₹75,000 based on price of the vehicles. It was issued on behalf of the then Transport Commissioner Varsha Joshi on her last working day.
Kapil Sharma hosts second wedding reception in Mumbai, 1st pics out
Comedian Kapil Sharma with his wife Ginni Chatrath on Monday hosted their second wedding reception at Mumbai’s JW Marriott hotel. After years of dating, the couple tied the knot on December 12 in Jalandhar as per Hindu and Sikh traditions. They hosted a reception in Amritsar on December 14 for their friends and relatives.
What’s the difference between you & Islamic terrorists? Sonu to Sona
Singer Sonu Nigam today said, “What’s the difference between you and Islamic terrorists?” to singer Sona Mohapatra after she urged Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to cancel Kailash Kher’s participation in a government event. “It’s kind of terrorism that you’re deciding who works with whom,” Nigam said. “My right to petition is listed as Fundamental Right in the Constitution,” Sona responded.
Gambhir shares Santa’s pic with mask, criticises AAP over pollution
Ex-cricketer Gautam Gambhir took to Twitter to criticise AAP government over pollution in Delhi. Sharing a picture of a man dressed as Santa Claus wearing a mask, Gambhir wrote, “If you permit, sir, may I come? Else, get a Christmas tree, at least, sir.” Gambhir also tagged CM Arvind Kejriwal and Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan in his tweet.
‘Future Hotel’ opens in China, guests check-in by scanning faces
Billionaire Jack Ma-led Alibaba has opened a hi-tech ‘Future Hotel’ in China named FlyZoo, that lets guests check-in at the hotel and access their rooms by scanning their faces. Guests can also control the lights, television and curtains in the room via Alibaba’s voice-activated digital assistant. The hotel also employs robots to serve food, cocktails and coffee.
Married man uses girlfriend’s money for other girlfriend’s abortion
Mumbai Police have arrested a 23-year-old married man who allegedly cheated his girlfriend of ₹6.5 lakh and used ₹60,000 from it for the abortion of another girlfriend. A case of rape and cheating was filed against the man, who’s also in the middle of divorce proceedings with his estranged wife. He has been remanded in police custody till December 26.
16-yr-old Gujarat girl with 5 ft 7 inch long hair sets world record
Gujarat’s 16-year-old Nilanshi Patel has set Guinness World Record for the longest hair on a teenager with 5 feet and 7 inch long hair. Nilanshi stopped taking haircuts after receiving a bad haircut at the age of six. She washes her hair once a week and it takes half an hour to dry and one hour to comb them.
India is working towards a single GST rate: Arun Jaitley
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday said a single standard GST rate could be introduced instead of two standard rates of 12% and 18%. He added that lowering the tax rate on cement from 28% was a priority. Congress has called new indirect tax with four rates – 5%,12%,18% and 28% – besides exempted items and cess, a complex system.
Loving the banter between Indian, Aussie players: Aus coach
Speaking about the verbal exchanges between the Indian and Australian players during the ongoing Test series, Australian coach Justin Langer said that he loved watching it. “I loved watching that. We saw a bit of Aussie humour, call it sledging, banter, what you like. There was a bit of humour to it, and we pride ourselves on that,” Langer said.
Sir Alex who managed Man Utd for 26 yrs is club’s new consultant
Sir Alex Ferguson, who managed Manchester United for 26 years, is the English club’s new consultant. Sir Alex was reportedly responsible for the appointment of new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following the sacking of Jose Mourinho. Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel is reportedly interested in joining the team and becoming the director of football.
Kohli is a great player of the modern era: Anil Kumble
Former Indian coach Anil Kumble praised Indian captain Virat Kohli, saying, “He is a great player of the modern era.” “He has matured and you can see it. The way he controls the game, I mean he doesn’t play too many loose shots. He doesn’t look to hit in the air,” Kumble added about the Indian captain.
Sania Mirza attends function hosted by President Kovind
The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind hosted several dignitaries including tennis player Sania Mirza at his residence at the Rashtrapati Nilayam, Bollaram. Mirza posted a picture of the meeting, captioned, “Thank you Honorable @presidentofindia Sir Ram Nath Kovind for having me over for the ‘At home’ party at your residence.”
Huawei gear to be removed from UK emergency services network
Britain’s BT Group will remove Huawei equipment from the core part of a $3-billion communications network it is developing for the UK’s police and other emergency responders. BT has been removing Huawei equipment from its own core 3G and 4G networks since acquiring EE, which used Huawei gear, in 2016. The expenses of the conversion will be borne by BT.
Apple removes app which portrayed homosexuality as ‘sin’
Apple has removed religious group Living Home Ministries’ app from App Store after it was accused of portraying homosexuality as a ‘sin’ by an LGBTQ rights group. In a petition, the group alleged the app sought for LGBTQ youth “to change from gay-to-straight through prayer and therapy”. “We thank Apple for…taking swift action to remove dangerous app,” the group said.
PDP leader Bashir Ahmed Runyal resigns from party
PDP leader and former IAS officer, Bashir Ahmed Runyal, resigned from the party on Monday. Following his resignation, Runyal said he had nothing against the party leadership, and was leaving due to “pressure from workers and public who felt let down by previous (PDP-BJP) government”. Runyal added that he will be fighting the upcoming assembly elections as an independent candidate.
Cong betrayed farmers of MP, C’garh, others: Union Minister
Taking a jibe at Congress, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the party has betrayed farmers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Punjab and Rajasthan. “They (Congress) have not waived off their (farmers’) loans,” he alleged. Javadekar also claimed that the nationalised banks, which were asked to forgo the loans, have been paid a minimal amount by the Congress.
Hindus innocent but not fools: Uddhav to BJP on Ram Mandir
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday criticised PM Narendra Modi-led government over Ram Mandir issue saying “Hindus are innocent but not fools”. He added that it has been “30 years” and still the BJP says that matter is in court. Addressing a rally in Maharashtra, Thackeray also criticised the Centre over the Rafale deal.
Mamata playing role of Kim Jong-un in Bengal: Union Minister
Union Minister and BJP leader Giriraj Singh on Monday likened West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. “Like Kim, she kills everyone who raises voice against her,” Singh added. This comes after the Calcutta High Court, based on a plea moved by WB government, put a stay on BJP’s proposed Rath Yatra in the state.
