New Zealand hand India their worst ever defeat in T20I cricket
New Zealand defeated India by 80 runs in the first T20I of the three-match series at Wellington today to hand them their worst defeat (by runs) in T20I history. India’s previous worst T20I defeat had come on May 7, 2010, when Australia defeated them by 49 runs in a World T20 match. The second T20I will take place on Friday.
Sabarimala board changes stand, supports entry of women of all ages
The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the Sabarimala temple, told the Supreme Court on Wednesday it has decided to “respect the judgement” lifting age restrictions on the entry of women in the shrine. The board had earlier opposed the entry of women of menstruating age in the temple. The court was hearing petitions seeking review of its September 2018 order.
Jennifer Lawrence gets engaged to boyfriend Cooke Maroney
Hollywood actress Jennifer Lawrence got engaged to her boyfriend, art director Cooke Maroney after over six months of dating, her representative has confirmed. The actress was reportedly spotted wearing a diamond ring on her ring finger during a dinner with Maroney on Monday. “They seemed like they were celebrating and people were talking about it,” reports added.
Flipkart CEO dismisses Morgan Stanley report on Walmart exit
Flipkart CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy in a letter to employees dismissed Morgan Stanley report which said Walmart may likely exit Flipkart due to India’s new FDI rules for e-commerce. “The report couldn’t be further than the truth,” said Krishnamurthy. “Walmart remains extremely confident about the potential of the Indian market and in Flipkart’s ability to lead the e-commerce space,” he added.
J&K-based terror group Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen banned: MHA
The Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM), which has been fighting for “liberation of Kashmir” and involved in a series of terror acts, has been banned by the government, the Home Ministry said. TuM has committed and participated in various acts of terrorism in India, the ministry notification added. The group has been engaged in the recruitment of youth for terrorist activities in India.
Doctor kills driver, puts chopped body parts in acid to erase proof
A government doctor in Madhya Pradesh allegedly killed his driver, then cut his body into pieces and put them into a drum filled with acid in order to dissolve them and erase evidence. Police said the doctor was having an illicit affair with the victim’s wife. The doctor was arrested after his neighbours informed the police of suspicious activities.
Woman who entered Sabarimala returns home, family moves out
The husband of Kanakadurga, the woman who entered the Sabarimala temple, has reportedly left their home along with their two children to stay at a rented accommodation. He reportedly made the move just before Kanakadurga reached her home following a court order. Earlier, she was allegedly assaulted and refused entry by her in-laws after her trek to Sabarimala.
Over 20 lakh Uttar Pradesh government employees go on strike
Over 20 lakh Uttar Pradesh government employees went on a strike on Wednesday to demand the restoration of the old pension scheme. The strike comes notwithstanding the invocation of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) by the government on Monday for six months. The act has been invoked keeping in mind the upcoming general elections and state board examinations 2019.
SC reserves judgment on challenge to Rao’s appointment
The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the validity of M Nageswara Rao’s appointment as interim director of the CBI. IPS officer Rishi Kumar Shukla recently took over as CBI director from Rao, who had stepped in when former chief Alok Verma was removed from the post. The petitioners have alleged a “lack of transparency” in Rao’s appointment.
PM Modi gave you Rafale, we’ll give assured income: Rahul
Addressing a public rally in Odisha, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said, “(Prime Minister Narendra) Modi gave you Rafale, we will give you minimum guaranteed income.” Rahul added, “No power in the world can prevent us from giving minimum income support to the poor…This is not a promise like giving ₹15 lakh or providing 2 crore jobs.”
NDMC removes posters of Rahul, Priyanka outside Congress HQ
The NDMC has removed the posters of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her husband Robert Vadra that were put up outside the Congress headquarters in Delhi. “Kattar soch nahi, yuva josh (Youthful energy, not extreme views),” their tagline had read. Meanwhile, referring to Rahul and Vadra, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the posters were of “two criminals”.
Mohandas Pai-backed 3one4 Capital launches new ₹350-cr fund
Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai-backed 3one4 Capital has launched a new fund, Continuum I with a target corpus of ₹350 crore. 3one4 Capital has reportedly already closed ₹150-crore commitments for the new fund. The new fund will focus on Series B and subsequent rounds of its portfolio companies and hand out cheques worth $3 million-$5 million.
India successfully launches its 40th communication satellite
India successfully launched its 40th communication satellite, GSAT-31, on Wednesday onboard European launch services provider Arianespace’s rocket from French Guiana. The satellite, weighing around 2,536 kg, is designed to last around 15 years and will provide continuity to operational services on some of the in-orbit satellites, ISRO said on its third mission for the year 2019.
SIT set up to probe 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Kanpur
The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Kanpur. The SIT, which will have a six-month tenure, will examine FIRs lodged during the riots and cases wherein the accused had got relief from the court. At least 125 people were killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Kanpur.
Twitter reacts to US Speaker’s clap during Trump’s speech
Following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s clap for President Donald Trump during his State of the Union speech, a Twitter user wrote, “Pelosi the Gawd with the most pettiest and sarcastic clap possible.” While one user tweeted, “Is this what the kids mean when they keep talking about a clap back?”, another wrote, “Iconic picture for the ages.”
China, Taiwan clash with propaganda videos on Lunar New Year
China and Taiwan marked the Lunar New Year by releasing videos showing their military capabilities, in the latest clash between the two. China released a video showing its jets and bombers flying against images of Taiwan’s scenery, with the background lyrics calling upon “brothers and sisters” to “return”. In response, Taiwan’s military released a video, titled ‘Freedom Is Not Free’.
SBI chief faces Ericsson contempt plea over RCom’s dues
Ericsson has filed a contempt petition against State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman in the Supreme Court for not fulfilling the lender’s assurance of settling Reliance Communications’ (RCom) dues as the lead banker. The Swedish firm also initiated its third contempt proceedings against RCom Chairman Anil Ambani for “willful disobedience” over repayment of dues. RCom owes ₹550 crore to Ericsson.
Jubilant FoodWorks parent withdraws royalty bid within hours
Jubilant Enpro, the parent of Domino’s Pizza India’s operator Jubilant FoodWorks (JFL), backtracked on charging a royalty from subsidiaries for using its brand name within hours after announcing the decision. This came after it sparked concerns about rewarding promoters at the expense of shareholders. Shares of Jubilant FoodWorks were down as much as 5.18% on Wednesday.
