Say ‘Jai Hind’ after every flight announcement: Air India tells crew
State-run carrier Air India on Monday in an official advisory asked all crew members to say ‘Jai Hind’ at the end of every announcement “with much fervour”. According to officials, the current advisory is a “reminder” to the staff, in line with the “mood of the nation”. The advisory was issued by Amitabh Singh, Director Operations, Air India.
ICICI Bank to buy 9.9% in NBFC Kisan Finance for ₹18 crore
Private lender ICICI Bank on Monday said it will acquire 9.9% stake in Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) Kisan Finance for nearly ₹18 crore. Under the transaction, the lender will buy 1.49 crore shares from the NBFC. Kisan Finance, which was incorporated in December 2017, had registered a net loss of ₹48 lakh in 2017-18 at revenue of ₹4 lakh.
Thais overseas vote in 1st election since 2014 military coup
Thai people living overseas began voting on Monday in the country’s first general election since the military coup in 2014. About 1.2 lakh Thai overseas in 67 countries have registered to vote, with the Thai expats in Australia constituting the largest group of overseas voters. Around 26.3 lakh Thai voters have registered to cast ballots in advance outside their constituencies.
SC rejects review plea for reinvestigating Gandhi’s assassination
The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition asking the court to recall its judgement that rejected reinvestigation into the Mahatma Gandhi assassination case. The petitioner claimed that “fresh” documents and evidence would clear the air in the matter. In March 2018, the apex court had rejected the petitioner’s earlier plea for reinvestigation into the assassination case.
Amazon to let brands remove fake items from its website
Amazon has launched ‘Project Zero’, that lets brands remove counterfeit listings from their website via self-service tool, without having to first report it to Amazon. This comes alongside a product serialisation tool that generates unique codes for each product, which can be scanned by Amazon to ensure authenticity. Amazon claims its automated protection scans five billion product listings daily.
‘Brahmāstra’ logo unveiled at Kumbh Mela with 150 drones
Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor and director Ayan Mukerji unveiled the logo for their upcoming film ‘Brahmāstra’ with a sound and light show at Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. About 150 drones were launched to form various displays, including the film’s title and logo. A puja was also held for the film, which is scheduled to release in December 2019.
Aishwarya, Abhishek to star in Bhansali’s film: Reports
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her husband Abhishek Bachchan will star in filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming film, a biopic on lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi, as per reports. While Abhishek will reportedly play the role of the lyricist in the film, Aishwarya will play Punjabi poetess Amrita Pritam. Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra were earlier considered for the film, reports said.
Riverdale actor Luke Perry passes away after suffering stroke at 52
Actor Luke Perry, known for his roles in TV shows like ‘Riverdale’ and ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’, passed away on Monday aged 52. The actor was hospitalised on Wednesday in Los Angeles, US after suffering a massive stroke. During his career, spanning over three decades, Perry featured in several TV shows and films including ‘Oz’ and ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’.
100 still feared trapped or dead inside Indonesia gold mine
Up to 100 people could still be trapped and feared dead inside a collapsed illegal gold mine in Indonesia, the authorities said on Monday. Eight miners have died and 20 have been rescued, according to reports. The mine collapsed last week when beams and support boards broke suddenly, triggering a landslide.
UK royals issue social media rules after Kate, Meghan abused online
The UK royal family has issued guidelines for social media users in the wake of escalating abuse of Kate and Meghan, the respective wives of Prince William and Harry. The comments must not be discriminatory, “off-topic, irrelevant or unintelligible” or contain advertising. The royal family warned it will block trolls posting offensive messages and may report offenders to the police.
7 of 10 most polluted cities in world in 2018 are in India: Report
Seven of the 10 most polluted cities in the world in 2018 are in India, with Gurugram being the top most polluted city, according to data released by IQAir AirVisual and Greenpeace. Apart from Indian cities like Ghaziabad, Noida and Patna, Pakistan’s Faisalabad and Lahore and China’s Hotan are also in the top 10.
Volvo to limit top speed of all cars to 180 kmph from 2020
Swedish automaker Volvo Cars has announced limiting the top speed of all its cars to 180 kmph from 2020. This comes under Volvo’s aim for no casualties or serious injuries in a new Volvo car by 2020. It is also investigating how smart speed control and geofencing technology could automatically limit car speeds around schools and hospitals in the future.
Have reports of militants being trained to attack via sea: Navy chief
Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba on Tuesday said, “We…have reports of terrorists being trained to carry out operations in various modus operandi, including through the medium of the sea.” He added the Pulwama attack was perpetrated by extremists and “aided by a State” that seeks to destabilise India. Lanba said, “India faces a more serious form of terrorism, state-sponsored terrorism.”
Not afraid: Prof files complaint after harassment over India-Pak post
Karnataka professor Sandeep Wathar, who was allegedly forced to kneel down and apologise by ABVP workers over a post on India-Pakistan conflict criticising BJP and its followers, has filed a complaint. “I’m not afraid of voicing my opinion. It was reported that…I have absconded which is…untrue,” he said. Sandeep added, “I want the college to acknowledge…I’ve not done anything wrong.”
Sitharaman touches feet of martyred soldiers’ mothers at army event
At an army event on Monday in Dehradun, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman honoured the mothers of martyred soldiers by touching their feet. A video shows Sitharaman presenting them with bouquets and shawls, following which the minister touches their feet. The event was held to mark the contribution of the soldiers, who were martyred in encounters with terrorists.
Train from Bengaluru catches fire, many trains in Andhra delayed
A train that was travelling from Bengaluru to Jamshedpur caught fire at around 2 am on Monday in Andhra Pradesh’s East Godavari district. While no casualties were reported, the pantry car of the train was reportedly destroyed in the fire. Several trains scheduled to run between Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam regions in Andhra Pradesh, have been delayed as a result.
I plan to end preferential trade status given to India: Trump
US President Donald Trump has said he intends to end India’s designation as a beneficiary developing country under Generalised System of Preferences program, which allows Indian exports worth $5.6 billion (over ₹39,000 crore) to enter US duty free. He said he decided to take the step after India didn’t assure US it’ll provide equitable and reasonable access to Indian markets.
Flower ‘Flame Lily’ classified as endangered in Karnataka
The Karnataka State Action Plan on Climate Change, prepared by Environmental Management and Policy Research Institute and The Energy and Resources Institute has classified flower ‘Flame Lily’ as an endangered species in Karnataka. The flower, scientifically called Gloriosa superba, is Tamil Nadu’s state flower. Experts said the flowering cycle of the plant was affected by temperature fluctuation.
Mercedes-Benz unveils 1st-ever Formula E race car concept
Mercedes-Benz unveiled its first-ever Formula E electric racing car concept ahead of the 89th International Motor Show in Geneva. The EQ Silver Arrow 01, with a 52kWh battery, has a top speed of 280 kmph and a 0-100 kmph acceleration in 2.8 seconds. Notably, Mercedes is the only automaker to participate in both Formula 1 and Formula E in 2019-20.
After 4 months in jail, ex-Nissan chief gets bail in Japan
The Tokyo District Court on Tuesday approved the release of sacked Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn on $8.9-million bail, ending nearly four months of detention in Japan. He was released on the conditions that he remain in Japan and be prevented from seeking to destroy evidence. Ghosn is accused of underreporting income and transferring personal losses to Nissan, among other charges.
Man City to invest in an Indian club this year: Man City CEO
English Premier League side Manchester City’s Chief Executive Officer Ferran Soriano said that the club is planning to invest in an Indian football team by the end of this year. Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour of the Abu Dhabi Royal Family recently purchased their seventh club in the form of the Chinese third division club, Sichuan Jiuniu.
Best brother in the world: Sara wishes Ibrahim on 18th b’day
Wishing brother Ibrahim Ali Khan on his 18th birthday on Tuesday, Sara Ali Khan shared her pictures with him and wrote, “Happiest birthday to the best brother in the world.” “Thank you for always having my back (literally) and tolerating all my nonsense patiently (mostly),” Sara further wrote. Ibrahim is Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s son.
Hillary Clinton says she won’t run for US president in 2020
Former first lady and secretary of state Hillary Clinton has said she won’t run in the 2020 US presidential elections. Clinton, who lost to President Donald Trump in 2016, said, “I’m going to keep on working and speaking and standing up for what I believe… the kind of things that are happening right now are deeply troubling to me”.
No significant hit on exports: India on US ending preferential status
After US President Donald Trump announced plans to end India’s preferential trade status, India’s Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan said the decision won’t have “significant impact” on the country’s $5.6 billion exports to the US. “The duty benefit is only $190 million annually,” Wadhawan stated. Last year, the US had revoked duty-free privileges on import of around 50 Indian items.
What’s preferential trade treatment to India that US wants to end?
The US’ Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) scheme provides duty-free entry for certain goods from over 100 countries including India. Of the total US imports of $21.2 billion under GSP in 2017, India was the biggest beneficiary with $5.6 billion, followed by Thailand ($4.2 billion). India’s top GSP exports included auto parts, gems and jewellery, textile materials and chemical products.
London HIV patient second in the world to be cleared of AIDS virus
A man dubbed ‘London patient’ has become the second known adult worldwide to be cleared of HIV, three years after he received a bone marrow transplant from a virus-resistant donor. The donor had a genetic mutation ‘CCR5 delta 32’, which gives HIV resistance. The patient is “functionally cured but it’s too early to say he’s cured,” said Dr Ravindra Gupta.
Widow, teenage stepsons of Malaysian CEO charged for his murder
Cradle Fund CEO Nazrin Hassan’s 43-year-old widow Samirah Muzaffar, and her two sons from a previous marriage, aged 13 and 16, were arrested on charges of his murder on Monday. It was initially thought Hassan was killed after his cellphone exploded and started a fire at his home near Kuala Lumpur last June. Murder conviction carries death penalty in Malaysia.
SAD MP Sher Singh Ghubaya joins Congress
A day after resigning from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya joined the Congress on Tuesday. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Ghubaya was formally inducted into the Congress in the presence of party President Rahul Gandhi. Punjab Congress chief Sunil Kumar Jakhar was also present during the joining at the residence of the Congress chief.
Japan startup develops software to spot shoplifters before they steal
Japanese startup Vaak has developed a software which can spot potential shoplifters even before they steal any item from a store. The software uses footage from the security cameras for fidgeting, restlessness and other potentially suspicious body language of people. The software analyses the security-camera footage and alerts the store’s staff about potential thieves via a smartphone app.
Kohli fastest to reach 4k, 5k, 6k, 7k, 8k, 9k int’l runs as captain
India captain Virat Kohli has become the fastest batsman to score 9,000 runs in international cricket as captain, reaching the milestone against Australia in his 159th innings as captain on Tuesday. The previous record was held by Ricky Ponting (204 innings). Interestingly, Kohli was also the fastest to reach 4,000, 5,000, 6,000, 7,000, and 8,000 ODI international runs as captain.
BJP website hacked; abusive content and memes posted on site
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s official website was taken offline on Tuesday after hackers reportedly defaced the site. Screenshots of the homepage of the party site on social media reveal an expletive-filled message and a meme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. A message on the website said it will be back up soon.
Google finds it paid men less than women for the same job
Google in its own internal audit found the company was paying men working as Level 4 Software Engineers “less discretionary funds than women” in the same role in 2018. Google ended up paying $9.7 million in pay adjustments to 10,677 employees during the year, which included new employees. However, Google did not specify how many of these employees were men.
Jet pledges FDs worth ₹1,500 cr to borrow ₹225 cr from SBI
Crisis-hit Jet Airways has pledged ₹1,500-crore fixed deposits with various banks to borrow ₹225 crore from State Bank of India (SBI). The money will be used primarily to fund the airline’s core businesses which include cost of flying and payment of salaries, reports said. As per loan documents, Jet has given “first and exclusive” rights on its FDs to SBI.
MSRTC to run buses on LNG, to save ₹1,000cr yearly: Minister
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has decided to convert the buses in its fleet to run on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), state transport minister Diwakar Raote said. The conversion, which will happen in phases, will save around ₹1,000 crore annually on diesel, he added. The cost of modification of each bus is around ₹1.5 lakh, Raote further said.
Patriotism didn’t even spare skies: Mufti on ‘Jai Hind’ order
PDP President Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday took a dig at the Air India’s order asking all crew members to say ‘Jai Hind’ after every announcement. “Little surprise that with elections around…the josh of patriotism hasn’t even spared the skies,” Mufti tweeted. According to officials, the advisory is a “reminder” to the staff, in line with the “mood of the nation”.
Volvo to trial full-size self-driving e-bus in Singapore
Sweden’s Volvo Buses on Tuesday unveiled its full-size driverless electric bus ‘Volvo 7900 Electric’ for testing in Singapore. The 12-metre-long bus, with a capacity of about 80 passengers, is equipped with GPS and LiDAR-based system for positioning and scanning the area around it. It’s part of a Land Transport Authority scheme to develop and run driverless bus trials in Singapore.
He is reverse ageing: Twitter users on Anil’s pic with Malang cast
A picture of Anil Kapoor with the cast of his upcoming film ‘Malang’ has gone viral with social media users pointing out that the 62-year-old actor doesn’t look like he has aged. “He’s reverse ageing!!” a Twitter user wrote. “Now is the good time to confess if you’re some vampire, even they don’t age,” another user tweeted.
No coach set afire to recreate 2002 Godhra for PM’s biopic: Railways
Western Railway PRO (Vadodara division) Khemraj Meena has denied the reports that said an unused railway coach was set ablaze in Vadodara for recreating the 2002 Godhra train burning incident for PM Narendra Modi’s biopic. “They are using a damaged coach used for mock drills. There are no reports…which suggested that the coach was set on fire,” said Khemraj.
India to not discuss retaliatory tariffs with the US
Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan has said India is keeping retaliatory tariffs out of its discussions with US after President Donald Trump said he wanted to end India’s preferential trade treatment. India delayed enforcing retaliatory tariffs against US products worth $235 million to April 1. They were proposed to counter US’ move to raise duties on Indian steel and aluminium products.
TN CM E Palaniswami flags off 500 new buses in Chennai
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami on Tuesday flagged off 500 new buses in Chennai that are inducted by the state government to the fleet of State Transport Undertakings (STU). The 500 buses would be used in the STU divisions of Chennai, Salem, Viluppuram and Kumbakonam, a report said. Reportedly, the buses are built at the cost of ₹132.87 crore.
Congress to contest all 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan
Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot on Tuesday said that the party will contest all 25 seats in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. He added that the selection of nominees is in the final stage. He further said that the selection of candidates would be done on the basis of party workers’ feedback, hard work and winnability.
No damage to civilians in Balakot air strike: Sitharaman
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said Indian Air Force’s strike on Balakot-based JeM camp was “not a military action” as there was no damage to civilians. Sitharaman said that Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale’s statement is the government’s stand wherein casualty figures were not mentioned. She added there was no relation between the air strike and the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Not aware of any request from US on use of F-16: Pakistan envoy
Pakistan’s ambassador to the US Asad Majeed Khan has said he is not aware of any request made by US regarding the use of F-16 jets by Pakistan. The US said it’s trying to verify if Pakistan used F-16 jets to down an Indian MiG-21, potentially in violation of US agreements. Pakistan denied Indian claims that it used F-16 jets.
Pakistan claims to detain Masood Azhar’s brother, 43 others
Pakistan’s Interior Ministry on Tuesday claimed to have detained Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar’s brother Mufti Abdul Rauf among 44 members of banned outfits. This comes after Pakistan ordered to seize assets of all outfits banned by United Nations in the country. Earlier in the day, Pakistan Navy claimed it stopped an Indian submarine trying to enter the country’s waters.
Surveillance said 300 mobiles were active at JeM camp: Home Minister
Talking about IAF’s strike on JeM’s terror camp in Pakistan’s Balakot, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, “India’s respected and authentic NTRO surveillance system has said 300 mobile phones were active there.” “Were those…used by trees if not terrorists?” he added. On Monday, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa had said it was for the government to provide details on terrorists killed.
