Man falls 70 feet into volcano trying to get a better look, survives
A man survived a 70-foot fall into the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island after he climbed over a railing to get a better look at the cliff edge, authorities said. The rescue personnel found him alive but seriously injured on a ledge below the cliff’s edge. Kilauea, which is not currently erupting, is among the world’s most active volcanoes.
Indian Premier League is better than the World Cup: AB de Villiers
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers, who is currently playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League has said that the Indian T20 league is better than the World Cup. “It’s the most incredible tournament to be part of…It is so intense, so fast, and the following is just incredible,” added De Villiers.
EC decision was not unanimous in 2 clean chits to PM Modi: Report
Two of the first three clean chits given by EC to PM Narendra Modi were not unanimous, as per a report. The instances involved his “majority-minority” speech at Wardha and his appeal to first-time voters in Latur by invoking IAF’s airstrike. In both cases, one member in CEC Sunil Arora-led panel comprising commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra had dissented.
Saw Rahul’s birth in Delhi, can’t question citizenship: Ex-nurse
Retired nurse and voter from Kerala’s Wayanad Rajamma Vavathil has said she was witness to Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s birth in Delhi and no one should question his citizenship. All records about Rahul’s birth would be there at the hospital, she said. “I was lucky…I was first among the few who took newborn baby in my hands,” she further said.
Rabada, who bowled top 4 fastest deliveries of IPL 2019, ruled out
Delhi Capitals fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, who has bowled the top four fastest deliveries in Indian Premier League 2019, has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament. Rabada, who is also IPL 2019’s current Purple Cap holder with 25 wickets, has been advised to return by Cricket South Africa as a precautionary measure ahead of the World Cup.
ICC expands T20I rankings list to 80 teams; Spain, France included
The ICC has expanded its men’s T20I team rankings table from 18 to 80 teams. Teams like France, Spain, Botswana, Lesotho and Mozambique are among the sides figuring in the new men’s T20I rankings table. Pakistan top the first expanded rankings list with 286 points, while India are fifth with 260 points. Nepal are placed 11th on the rankings table.
MBA, Ranji cricketer poses as BCCI chief selector; jailed
Nagaraju Budumuru, a Ranji cricketer who represented Andhra Pradesh in 2014, was arrested on Thursday for impersonating BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad. Police said the MBA graduate changed his profile name to MSK Prasad on Truecaller app, and collected ₹2.88 lakh and ₹3.88 lakh in two separate cases. Budumuru had previously posed as an Andhra minister’s personal assistant, police added.
Policeman folds hands to request people to go to safe zones in Odisha
Odisha Police has shared pictures showing IPS officer Pinak Mishra requesting natives with folded hands “to cooperate and move to the safe zones” ahead of Cyclone Fani. The officer could be seen going door to door and requesting people. “Evacuating everyone living in vulnerable low lying areas to the designated safe cyclone shelters is our top priority,” the department tweeted.
3 people die in Odisha as Cyclone Fani nears West Bengal
Three people have been confirmed dead, said NDRF, after Cyclone Fani hit Odisha on Friday and is weakening while moving towards West Bengal. In three separate incidents, a teenager was killed after a tree fell on him, a woman was killed after being hit by flying debris and a 65-year-old woman died of a heart attack in a cyclone shelter.
Unemployment rate in US reaches 49-year low at 3.6%
The unemployment rate in the US has reached 3.6%, dropping to its lowest level in more than 49 years, figures released by the US’ Labour Department showed. The US added 2.63 lakh jobs in April, with the professional and business services witnessing the highest increase in payroll. Average earnings in the US grew at an annual rate of 3.2%.
SL to deport all visa-violating foreigners after blasts kill 257
The Sri Lankan government has ordered to deport all foreigners remaining in the country without visas and those overstaying their visas. This comes after 257 people were killed in the Easter Sunday serial blasts. The government further decided to formulate a policy on handling the issue of foreign religious preachers who visit Sri Lanka to promote extremist ideologies.
Indian journo held in Sri Lanka for trespassing released on bail
Danish Siddiqui, the Delhi-based photojournalist who was arrested in Sri Lanka for alleged unauthorised entry into a school, has been released on bail by a Sri Lankan court. He has been asked to appear in court next week. Siddiqui was in Sri Lanka to cover the aftermath of the Easter Sunday blasts that killed 257 people.
Rahane reappointed Royals’ captain after Smith’s departure
The Rajasthan Royals reappointed Ajinkya Rahane as the side’s captain after Steve Smith returned to Australia. Earlier, Smith had been appointed as the side’s captain after the team managed to win just two of their opening eight matches. Under Smith, the Royals won three of their five matches with one producing no result.
CoA seeks written explanation from KXIP on Ness Wadia controversy
The CoA has sought a written explanation from KXIP on suspended arrest sentence handed to their co-owner Ness Wadia for possession of cannabis. Wadia was arrested at an airport in Japan’s Hokkaido for possession of 25gm of banned substance. A franchise may receive sanction if anyone related with the team [player/owner] brings disrepute to the game.
India’s campaign at NZ Open ends after Prannoy’s exit
India’s campaign at the New Zealand Open ended after the unseeded HS Prannoy lost 21-17, 15-21, 14-21 to world number 11 Japanese shuttler Kanta Tsuneyama in his last-eight round match. The two shuttlers now hold a 1-1 head-to-head record against each other. Tsuneyama will play third seed and Jakarta Asian Games gold medallist Jonatan Christie in the last-four round.
Arsenal keeper Cech to release charity song with Queen drummer
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech revealed that he is planning to release a charity song. The song, which is named ‘That’s Football’, also features Queen drummer Roger Taylor. The song will be released next week and will mark Cech’s retirement from football after having played over 700 games for Arsenal, Chelsea, Rennes and Sparta Prague.
Reviewed 10L possible terror videos, removed 90,000: YouTube
Google-owned YouTube manually reviewed 10 lakh videos it suspected of violating its terrorism policy in the first three months of 2019. It added it also deleted 90,000 videos in violation of the same. Google told a US House panel in a now-disclosed April 24 letter that it spends “hundreds of millions of dollars annually” on content review.
SoftBank planning IPO of $100-billion Vision Fund: WSJ
Masayoshi Son-led Japanese multinational conglomerate SoftBank Group is planning an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of its $100-billion Vision Fund, the Wall Street Journal reported. It is also reportedly in talks with Oman to raise funds. The company has publicly stated it plans to set up a second investment fund, reportedly of at least the same size as its Vision Fund.
China may build military bases around the world: US
China plans to build military bases around the world to protect its investments under the Belt and Road Initiative, the Pentagon has said in its annual report to the Congress. Other locations where China could build the military bases include the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the western Pacific. China currently has just one overseas military base, in Djibouti.
I never denied I hold Canadian passport: Akshay on citizenship row
After being criticised for not voting in the Lok Sabha elections, actor Akshay Kumar said that he “really” doesn’t understand the unwarranted interest and negativity about his citizenship. “I have never hidden or denied that I hold a Canadian passport,” he added. “I find it disappointing that my citizenship issue is constantly dragged into needless controversy,” he further said.
Billionaire Elon Musk personally owes $507 million to banks
Tesla’s billionaire CEO Elon Musk personally owes $507 million to three banks involved in the carmaker’s stock and debt sale, a company filing showed. Musk has pledged about 13 million of his Tesla shares, which represent about 40% of his holdings, as collateral for personal debts. Those pledged shares have a value of about $4 billion at today’s share price.
Asteroid to fly from 31,000 km in 2029, to be seen with naked eye
NASA has revealed that a 340-metre-wide asteroid will “harmlessly” fly by Earth on April 13, 2029, about 31,000 kilometres above the surface. This is within the distance of some Earth-orbiting satellites and will make the asteroid visible to naked eye. Initial orbital calculations had revealed ‘Apophis’ had a 2.7% chance of impacting Earth but later observations ruled out that possibility.
Cyclone Fani, strongest storm to hit India in 20 years
Tropical Cyclone Fani, the strongest storm to hit India in 20 years, made landfall in Odisha this morning damaging houses and uprooting trees after 10 lakh people were moved into shelters. All flights to and from Bhubaneswar and Kolkata airports and all trains on the Kolkata-Chennai route have been cancelled. The storm is expected to enter Bangladesh by Saturday evening.
Pak uses terrorism as tool against India: CIA’s ex-Deputy Director
Pakistan has created terrorist groups as a tool to use it against India, the US’ intelligence agency CIA’s former Deputy Director Michael Morell said. Pakistan is obsessed with India as a perceived existential threat, he added. “I believe that Pakistan, at the end of the day, maybe the most dangerous country in the world,” he further said.
Crane at construction site falls on houses due to Cyclone Fani
A video of a crane, installed at a construction site of a high-rise building, falling down on several houses in Bhubaneswar due to Cyclone Fani went viral. Cyclone Fani is said to be most severe cyclonic storm to make landfall in India in 20 years. Earlier, a roof at hostel in AIIMS Bhubaneswar blew off due to the strong winds.
Woman gives birth amid Cyclone Fani in Odisha, names baby ‘Fani’
A 32-year-old woman, working as a helper at a coach repair workshop in Bhubaneswar, gave birth to a baby girl in Railway Hospital at 11:03 am today amid Cyclone Fani. The baby has been named after the cyclonic storm. Both the mother and the child are fine, as per the doctors. The cyclone made landfall at Odisha coast earlier today.
Gujarat farmers seek compensation from PepsiCo for harassment
Three of the Gujarat potato farmers sued by PepsiCo have said the company must pay compensation for the harassment they were subjected to even though the law is very clear on the subject. They added that PepsiCo’s decision to withdraw the cases against them must be unconditional. PepsiCo said it decided to withdraw the cases after discussions with the government.
India again postpones retaliatory tariffs against 29 US products
India has further delayed implementation of its June 2018 order to impose retaliatory tariffs on 29 US products, including almonds, apples and phosphoric acid, till May 16. The tariffs were announced after the US refused to exempt India from new steel and aluminium tariffs. The extension comes amid the US’ decision to withdraw duty-free benefits to Indian exporters.
Ex-Alibaba exec Bhushan Patil quits as Paytm President: Report
Former Alibaba executive Bhushan Patil has quit as the President of Noida-based fintech platform Paytm, as per a report. He had joined the startup in 2016 to look after its cross border commerce business. Patil, an IIT Bombay alumnus, had previously served as a director for Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, leading its new Global Markets initiatives for over five years.
SpaceX admits crew capsule exploded in April engine test
Elon Musk-led aerospace startup SpaceX has confirmed that one of Crew Dragon capsules, meant for human spaceflight, was destroyed in the failed April 20 engine test. An attempt to test-fire the eight ‘SuperDraco’ engines had triggered the explosion, SpaceX revealed. The destroyed capsule was the same vehicle that had successfully docked with the International Space Station in March.
Ex-ISRO chief AS Kiran Kumar gets France’s highest civilian award
Former ISRO chairman AS Kiran Kumar was on Thursday conferred with France’s highest civilian award ‘Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur’ for his contribution to India-France space cooperation. The Padma Shri awardee lead ISRO from 2015-2018 and has contributed to projects like India’s first experimental remote sensing satellite, Bhaskara-1, launched in 1979 and even Chandrayaan-1 and Mangalyaan.
Nelson Mandela’s prison drawing auctioned for over ₹78 lakh
A drawing by late South African President Nelson Mandela of the door of his prison cell on Robben Island, where he was held for 18 years, was auctioned on Thursday in New York for $112,575 (over ₹78 lakh). “For him, painting was a way of relaxing, but also making sense of the past,” Mandela’s daughter Makaziwe said.
NZ PM gets engaged to partner a year after giving birth to daughter
New Zealand’s PM Jacinda Ardern got engaged to her partner, television host Clarke Gayford, nearly a year after giving birth to her daughter Neve Te Aroha. They’d met for the first time during an award show nearly seven years ago and later to discuss a constituency issue. Ardern is only the second world leader to give birth while in office.
Anil Ambani’s wealth falls 60% in 2 months to $120 mn: Bloomberg
The value of Anil Ambani’s holdings in Reliance Group companies has plunged 60% to about $120 million from $300 million in mid-March, according to Bloomberg. To overcome a cash crunch, his Reliance Capital has outlined plans to raise ₹14,000 crore by selling stakes in mutual fund and general insurance businesses. Reliance Communications has approached bankruptcy court to resolve its debt.
Spain’s Xavi to retire at the end of the season
Spanish midfielder Xavi Hernandez, who made a record 767 appearances for Barcelona and 133 for Spain’s national team, has announced that he will retire from football at the end of the current season. “I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for me as a coach,” wrote Xavi, who has been playing for Qatari team Al-Sadd since 2015.
Pele congratulates Messi on his 600th goal for Barcelona
Brazilian football legend Pele took to Twitter to congratulate Barcelona’s Lionel Messi after the Argentine scored his 600th club career goal on Wednesday in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool. “I would like to offer my congratulations to you, Lionel Messi, on your 600th goal. What a way to score it. Fabulous,” wrote Pele.
Tiger Woods to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom next week
American golfer Tiger Woods will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from US President Donald Trump next Monday, the White House announced on Thursday. The 43-year-old golfer had ended an 11-year major championship drought when he won the Masters on April 14. Trump had tweeted about honouring Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Putin signs bill to cut Russia’s internet from outside world
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill that enables cutting off the nation’s internet from foreign servers. The sovereign ‘Runet’ law is a response to US cyber strategy following the 2016 presidential election where Russia was accused of interference. Further, an internal domain system would allow Russia to stay connected if it was cut off from the global internet.
