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Haryana starts its own anti-Romeo squads, 72 held on Day 1
On the lines of the anti-Romeo squads in Uttar Pradesh, the Haryana government on Wednesday launched 'Operation Durga'. The police teams nabbed 72 people from across the state on the very first day. The teams visited public places such as schools, colleges, bus stands and railway stations, and nabbed persons indulging in crimes against women, a government spokesperson said.
There is legal ban on holding parties after 10 pm in Goa: CM
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said there is a legal ban in the state on holding parties after 10 pm. "The ban has been upheld by the state government. There is no controversy about it," Parrikar added. The statement comes after Vinod Palyekar, a minister in Parrikar's cabinet, demanded a police crackdown on late night and rave parties.
Bangladesh executes 3 Islamists over attack on British envoy
Bangladesh executed Harkat-ul Jihad Islami group leader Abdul Hannan and two aides on Wednesday over the 2004 grenade attack on British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, days after their clemency pleas were turned down. The trio was convicted and sentenced to death in 2008 for the attack on a Muslim shrine that killed three people and wounded the then British envoy.
Illegal rave held in London tube carriage
The British Transport Police was forced to shut down an impromptu "rave" on a London tube carriage on Monday night. Video footage shows award-winning DJ Harry Shotta, a sound station, flashing lights and passengers dancing while filming the party. YouTube prank channel Trollstation, which has previously turned a tube carriage into a strip club, was responsible for the stunt.
Latte art, Quidditch added to Oxford Dictionary
'Quidditch', a fantasy sport played in the Harry Potter franchise, and 'Latte art', illustrations made by pouring steamed milk onto lattes and similar coffee drinks, are among the 40 new additions to the Oxford Dictionary. The words 'Showmance', a romantic relationship between co-stars for publicity, and 'Cli-fi', a genre of fiction exploring issues related to climate change, were also added.
Fox News host takes vacation amid sexual harassment case
Fox News host Bill O’Reilly is taking a "long-scheduled vacation" after reports of financial settlements over alleged sexual harassment. O’Reilly’s holiday follows a wave of companies pulling advertisements from his prime-time show, the cable news channel’s biggest. A woman claimed O'Reilly revoked an offer of a job on the network after she declined to join him in his hotel suite.
SRK's cameo in Tubelight not promotional gimmick: Kabir Khan
Kabir Khan, the director of the upcoming Salman Khan starrer Tubelight, has said that Shah Rukh Khan's cameo appearance in the film is not a promotional gimmick. "If you see the film, you will realise that the role demanded a superstar presence. It is crucial to the plot, changes the entire plot and Shah Rukh fits the bill," said Kabir.
Pak is making another 'Sarbjit': Randeep on Kulbhushan case
Actor Randeep Hooda tweeted that Pakistan is making another 'Sarbjit', while referring to the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national who was arrested and sentenced to death in Pakistan on charges of spying. "No trial, no evidence, only a closed military court proceeding??? It reeks of lies," tweeted Randeep. He further wrote, "Maybe we should break him out @SushmaSwaraj."
Parineeti shares video of her watching Devgn's old film
Actress Parineeti Chopra has shared a video where she and Tusshar Kapoor are seen watching Ajay Devgn's 2001 film 'Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke'. "He's not happy that we're watching his film," said the actress in the video. Devgn in the brief glimpse onscreen can be seen dancing to the song 'Halle Halle' in the 2001 film.
Sri Lankan players not capable enough to play in IPL: Murali
Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan has said current Sri Lankan cricketers are "not capable enough" to play in the IPL. "Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England, there are a lot of good players there. The tournament can have 32 international players, our guys don't fit into it...We had great players but they all retired," said Muralitharan.
Mumbai Indians ease past Sunrisers Hyderabad
Mumbai Indians eased to a 4-wicket win over defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Indian Premier League match on Wednesday. Batting first, Sunrisers Hyderabad put up 158/8 with Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner scoring 48 and 49, respectively. In reply, 23-year-old Nitish Rana's 36-ball 45 guided Mumbai Indians' chase which ended in 18.4 overs.
PV Sindhu advances to 2nd round of Singapore Open
PV Sindhu advanced to the second round of the Singapore Open, winning her opening match against 2016 All England champion Nozomi Okuhara, 10-21, 21-15, 22-20 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, India's men's singles players Kidambi Srikanth and B Sai Praneeth won their respective first round matches. Women's doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy also advanced to the next round.
Ronaldo 1st to 100 European club goals as Real beat Bayern
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score 100 goals in European club competitions following his brace in Real Madrid's 2-1 win over 10-man Bayern Munich in their Champions League quarter-final first-leg in Munich on Wednesday. Bayern midfielder Arturo Vidal's 26th-minute header gave the hosts the lead before Ronaldo scored his 96th and 97th UCL goals in the second half.
Umpires miss SRH batsmen not changing strike post over's end
The on-field umpires failed to spot Sunrisers Hyderabad batsmen David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan failing to change the strike at the end of the 6th over. Warner had hit Mumbai Indians' Jasprit Bumrah for a four on the sixth delivery of the sixth over before facing Mitchell McClenaghan on the very next over's first ball.
Nita has built a bigger brand of MI than Reliance: Mukesh
Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani has credited wife Nita, saying she has built a bigger brand of IPL team Mumbai Indians than Reliance itself. "A lot of us at Reliance say that we are very proud of what Reliance has done...but I think with both her school and cricket, Nita has built a bigger brand for Reliance," said Mukesh.
India-Australia Test series drew record viewership
The recently concluded four-match Test series between India and Australia drew a record viewership of 110 crore gross impressions, broadcaster Star Sports claims. The third Test between the two sides recorded viewership of 38 crore. Earlier in the year, the ODI series between India and England became the highest rated bilateral ODI series in the last five years.
LS Budget Session 575% more productive than Winter Session
The Parliament's recently concluded Budget Session was more productive than the 2016 Winter Session by 575%. Lok Sabha recorded 108% productivity in terms of scheduled hours in the Budget Session while it had witnessed only 16% productivity in the Winter Session. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha was nearly five times more productive during the Budget Session than in the Winter Session.
Election Commission introduces open challenge to hack EVMs
The Election Commission on Wednesday introduced an "open challenge" for people to hack electronic voting machines, starting May first week. This comes after opposition parties urged the poll panel to revert to the paper ballot system while alleging that EVMs were tampered with in elections. The challenge will be open for around 10 days and will have various levels.
What will be the impact of daily changes in petrol prices?
Petrol and diesel prices in five cities will change daily in line with international rates from May 1, which may lead to surprise changes for customers when major international events affect crude prices. Essential commodities' prices may also fluctuate daily due to the move. The move will let oil companies align prices with crude price, allowing them to reduce losses.
Pics of Ranbir as Sanjay Dutt in biopic emerge online
Pictures of Ranbir Kapoor from the shoot at Mumbai's Pali Hill for the upcoming biopic on Sanjay Dutt have emerged online. The pictures show Ranbir with receding hairline, a moustache and a red tilak on his forehead. The film's shoot was stalled for a while when the Pali Hill Residents Association complained for not taking prior permission from the association.
Artificial intelligence beats humans to win ₹1.8 cr in poker
An artificial intelligence system known as 'Lengpudashi' beat a team of engineers, computer scientists, and investors in a Chinese poker competition this week to win over ₹1.8 crore. Lengpudashi, which means 'cold poker master', was created by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University. "People think that bluffing is very human... it turns out that’s not true," said one of Lengpudashi's creators.
Qualcomm ordered to refund ₹5,200 crore to BlackBerry
Chipmaker Qualcomm has been asked to refund ₹5,200 crore to Canadian technology company BlackBerry in an arbitration settlement. The dispute was over royalties that BlackBerry had paid in advance to Qualcomm for use of its products or patents. BlackBerry argued that there should be a cap on certain royalties, while Qualcomm said the payments were supposed to be non-refundable.
Delhi PWD asks AAP to vacate party office immediately
The Public Works Department of the Delhi government has issued a notice to AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal asking him to immediately vacate the party's Rouse Avenue office. This comes after Lt Governor Anil Baijal ordered cancellation of the office allotment to AAP in the wake of Shunglu Committee's report which pointed out irregularities in government accommodation allotments.
Regularly targeted with offensive words: Mamata on bounty
After a BJP youth leader declared a ₹11 lakh bounty on her head, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee responded by saying that she was "regularly targeted" with such offensive words. "[T]he more they say such things, the more we will progress," she added. Earlier, a Kolkata-based cleric made a counter-offer of ₹22 lakh on the BJP youth leader's head.
Most of Flipkart's $1.4 bn funding will go to PhonePe: Binny
Flipkart Co-founder and group CEO Binny Bansal has said a major part of its newly-raised $1.4 billion capital will be invested in new businesses, especially PhonePe and fintech. Flipkart had acquired UPI-based payments startup PhonePe in April last year. Bansal added that the e-commerce major will also invest in automation and artificial intelligence and work on improving customer capabilities.
Arunachal not in India but a disputed border region: China
Arunachal Pradesh is not an Indian territory but is a disputed part of the Sino-Indian border, China said on Wednesday. Referring to the Dalai Lama's visit to the state, the Chinese foreign ministry claimed that the Tibetan spiritual leader and Indian officials made provocative statements, which will have a "negative impact" on settling the territorial disputes through negotiations.
Kulbhushan Jadhav’s trial was by the book: Pervez Musharraf
Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said the trial of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death for spying, was carried out according to prescribed legal procedure. "Jadhav opted for a civilian defence lawyer, which was provided to him, it is a misconception that there is no defence in court-martial cases," Musharraf added.
CBSE denies textbook said 36-24-36 was ideal female figure
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has denied reports that its Class 12 textbook suggested that 36-24-36 was the ideal female body shape. "CBSE does not recommend books by any private publishers to the affiliate schools," the board stated. The book referred to in the media reports is titled 'Health and Physical Education', published by New Saraswati House.
Chemical attack was false flag to set up Syria Prez: Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the chemical attack in Syria was a "false flag" set up to discredit Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Adding that Russia has information of a potential incident similar to the chemical attack in Idlib, possibly targeting a Damascus suburb, Putin said that the United States was planning to launch new missile strikes on Syria.
Bank robber abandons accomplice after he falls ill, dies
An armed bank robber in Italy abandoned his accomplice during a raid when the latter lost consciousness and died, it has emerged. The robbers, brandishing box cutters, had forced staff to hand over about €5,000 (₹3.4 lakh) before one of them dropped to the floor. The robber tried resuscitating his accomplice before abandoning him and running away with the money.
Airtel seeks TRAI intervention on Reliance Jio's new offer
Bharti Airtel has asked telecom regulator TRAI to intervene after rival Reliance Jio started a new offer for customers that was similar to a previous programme stopped by authorities. Airtel said that it hopes the regulator will act against the offer. Airtel has said Reliance Jio's 'Dhan Dhana Dhan' plan violates the spirit of the regulator's directive.
This can't occur again: United CEO on dragging man off plane
After police officers dragged a passenger from an overbooked United Airlines flight, CEO Oscar Munoz said, "This can never, will never happen again." "We're not going to put a law enforcement official...to remove a booked, paid, seated passenger," he added. Munoz had earlier refused to apologise for the incident, but issued an apology after company's valuation fell by $1 billion.
Retail inflation hits 5-month high of 3.81% in March
India's retail inflation rose to a five-month high of 3.81% in the month of March, compared with February’s 3.65%, government data released on Wednesday stated. The rise was due to costlier protein items, edible oils, and non-food products like fuel and light. Further, food inflation was at 1.85% as against 2.01% in February.
Harry Styles could have played Han Solo in Star Wars: Report
As per reports, British singer Harry Styles had been considered to play the younger version of the character Han Solo in the upcoming Star Wars spin-off. The makers reportedly considered him even though he had virtually no acting experience as they took into account his huge star potential, which would give the solo project publicity.
Suhana, Aryan aren't joining films as actors right now: SRK
Actor Shah Rukh Khan has said that currently his children Suhana and Aryan are not thinking of joining films as actors. Talking about Suhana, SRK said, "I think she's a great actor. She really likes it. If the passion is retained in the next two-three years, come and act." He also joked that his youngest son AbRam is already acting.
Dhoni's wife posts photo in CSK attire
Rising Pune Supergiant's former captain MS Dhoni's wife Sakshi Dhoni posted a picture of herself in Dhoni's former team Chennai Super Kings' attire, captioned, "#throwback". Sakshi followed it with a post titled 'Rules of Karma', reportedly aimed at RPS owner Sanjay Goenka's brother, Harsh Goenka's tweet which claimed that Pune captain Steve Smith had overshadowed Dhoni.
More than half of Delhi's MLAs face criminal cases
The number of MLAs of the Delhi Legislative Assembly against whom criminal cases have been registered by the Delhi police is 35, the Central government informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Notably, the Delhi assembly has a strength of 70 but due to the resignation of AAP MLA Jarnail Singh, it has been reduced to 69.
Parrikar inducts two former Congressmen into Goa Cabinet
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday inducted two former Congress leaders as cabinet ministers. Vishwajit Rane had switched over to the BJP only last week after resigning as a Congress MLA on the day of the floor test on March 16. Mauvin Godinho had left the Congress to join BJP shortly before the assembly polls, held on February 4.
If Pak harms an Indian citizen, it is proxy war: Ramdev
Speaking on the issue of death sentence awarded to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan, yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Wednesday said, "If a citizen of our country is harmed by Pakistan, India should give a befitting reply, and we should consider this as proxy war." Ramdev termed the sentencing as "shameful" and said the whole country is with Jadhav.
1,400 Sikh pilgrims cross over to Pak to observe Baisakhi
Nearly 1,425 Sikh pilgrims, including women and children, crossed over to Pakistan on Wednesday in three special trains from the international Attari railway station to observe Baisakhi festival on Thursday. The leader of the delegation, Balwinder Singh, said the pilgrims on reaching Pakistan would pay obeisance at Gurudwara Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Sikh religion's founder Guru Nanak Dev.
Victim cannot appeal acquittal without HC nod: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has refused to reconsider its 2015 verdict holding that a victim cannot file an appeal against an acquittal order without permission of the concerned High Court. This comes after Gauhati HC had directly taken up the appeal of a victim, who had not taken its permission to file the petition challenging the acquittal of a rape accused.
86-year-old woman held over graffiti outside Swiss bank
Swiss police have arrested an 86-year-old woman for spraying anti-war graffiti outside the Swiss National Bank headquarters in Bern. The woman, who painted "Money for weapons kills", was reportedly protesting in support of an initiative aiming to ban Swiss financing of any company that produces weapons. Swiss entities reportedly have holdings of $3.97-11.9 billion in companies that make weapons.
Won't be surprised if Iran Prez assassinated: Israel Min
Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said he would not be surprised if Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was assassinated during its Presidential elections scheduled in May. Lieberman also claimed that the murder of top Hamas leader Mazen Faqha, which has been blamed on Israel, was an internal job. Notably, the Iran-backed Hamas aims to liberate Israel-occupied Palestinian territories.
Signs of life found 10 km below the deepest point on Earth
Scientists have found rock fragments containing organic matter originating from further 10 km below the Mariana Trench, the deepest point on Earth. Scientists said that the fragments were brought to the sea floor by massive mud volcanoes near the Mariana trench. The evidence, if confirmed, would triple the previously estimated depth limit for life within the Earth's mantle, scientists added.
ScoopWhoop responds to harassment claim against Co-founder
Online media startup ScoopWhoop has published a response to the FIR filed against its Co-founder Suparn Pandey by a former senior executive, accusing him of sexual harassment and assault. "We have taken every step to ensure the complainant gets a fair hearing...We are fully prepared to dutifully take the necessary action if found guilty," said ScoopWhoop's official statement.
Lok Sabha functioned at 108% productivity in Budget session
In terms of hours scheduled, Lok Sabha witnessed a productivity of 108% while Rajya Sabha recorded 86% productivity during the recently concluded Budget session, as per PRS Legislative Research. In comparison, Lok Sabha in the previous session had recorded just 16% productivity, the worst since the BJP government took over, while Rajya Sabha had 18% productivity in the previous session.
Ed Sheeran settles ₹129 cr lawsuit over his song
Singer Ed Sheeran has settled a lawsuit of $20 million (₹129 crore) over song writing credits for his 2014 single 'Photograph'. The singer was accused of making a 'note-for-note copy' of a song titled 'Amazing' by songwriters Martin Harrington and Thomas Leonard. However, details of the settlement have not been disclosed.nn
India's 1st 'one man band' plays 13 instruments at one time
Twenty-four-year-old Gladson Peter from Mumbai is known as India's first 'one man band' who can play 13 musical instruments at the same time. He can play a total of 45 instruments, including the acoustic guitar, drums, piano, ukulele, and ghungroos. Peter shared his first 'one man band' video in May 2016.
Sita a matter of faith, no proof she existed: Union Minister
Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma on Wednesday said in the Rajya Sabha that Sita is a matter of faith and there is no historical evidence that she existed. "Lord Ram is my god. The minister's reply has shaken my faith. I condemn his reply," Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said. "The government should apologise," JD(U) parliamentarian Anil Kumar Sahani said.
Amazon India gets RBI approval to launch its e-wallet
Amazon India has announced that it has received RBI approval to launch its own digital wallet. The Prepaid Payment Instrument licence will allow Amazon to take on established e-wallets such as Paytm and Freecharge. "This will allow us to help customers adopt digital payments at scale and thereby contribute towards making India a less-cash economy," said Amazon India's Payments VP.
14,132 inmates in Delhi prisons against capacity of 7,818
There are 14,132 undertrials and convicted prisoners in Delhi jails, including Tihar, as against their sanctioned capacity of 7,818, the government said on Wednesday. MoS for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, however, said there was no congestion in the wards for convicts. Further, 10 incidents of violence were reported in prisons during the last three years, he added.
Goa cops ordered to stop late night parties: Minister
Demanding a complete ban on drug-ridden late night parties in Goa, state Water Resources Minister Vinod Palyekar said police officials were instructed to stop such parties. Adding that parties create problems for old people and students, "Late night parties are not part of our culture. We need not encourage them. They should be shut down immediately," Palyekar said.
Ivanka influenced Syria strike decision: Donald Trump's son
US President Donald Trump's son Eric Trump has said that his father's decision to bomb a Syrian airbase was influenced by his sister Ivanka Trump who was "heartbroken and outraged" by the nerve gas attack. Eric added that the action proved that his father was not in league with Russia and would not be "pushed around" by its President.
Even Hitler didn't use chemical weapons: White House
Comparing Nazi leader Adolf Hitler with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Tuesday claimed that not even Hitler sank to using chemical weapons in the way Assad's government did in Syria last week. However, after facing criticism for the comparison, Spicer issued an apology saying, "I mistakenly made an inappropriate and insensitive reference."
Trump approves Montenegro's membership to NATO
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed the US instrument of ratification for Montenegro's membership to NATO. This comes after the Senate last month backed the expansion of NATO to allow the small Balkan state to join the alliance. "Countries in the Western Balkans are free to choose their own partners without outside interference," the White House said.
Man fills wife's car with cement as she changed surname
A man from Russia recently filled his wife's car with cement after she legally changed her surname for a supermarket promotion. She changed her name as supermarket Veniy stated it would pay about ₹56,000 monthly to customers who changed their surname to the brand name. Video footage shows the man directing a mixing lorry to pour cement in the car.
Dog opens several doors to escape animal hospital
A ten-year-old Great Pyrenees escaped from an animal hospital in Virginia, United States, by managing to open all the doors in his way. Surveillance video shows the dog, named General, unlatching the door to his kennel and making his way past other doors. General was later found at a house nearby.
Dog breaks Guinness World Record by popping balloons
A dog has broken the Guinness World Record by popping 100 balloons in 36.53 seconds. The record for the 'fastest time to pop 100 balloons by a dog' was set by whippet Toby on his 9th birthday in Canada. The previous record of 39.08 seconds was held by Twinkie the Jack Russell Terrier.
Woman grabs 12-foot python while shopping in supermarket
A woman shopping in the dairy section of a South African supermarket ended up grabbing a 12-foot python from among the yoghurt and milk cartons. The African Rock Python, which was sleeping, was later caught by local snake catchers. It was rescued and is set to be released into a national park.
TV host trolls tabloid that mocked her for wearing same top
Australian television presenter Lisa Wilkinson has trolled the Daily Mail newspaper which mocked her for wearing the same blouse twice. After the story was published, Lisa wore the same blouse on the show the following morning. "I did something incredibly brave today that's never been done in the history of female broadcasters. #blousegate," she wrote on Twitter.nn
Adi Godrej disapproves Infosys' Murthy's pay hike comments
Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej has disapproved the move of Infosys Co-founder Narayana Murthy to publicly express concern over the pay hike of the company’s COO Pravin Rao. “Of course, there will be a big gap because there are very few people capable of taking top-level things but I think that it should be left to each company,” he said.
Arjun, pick me or Ranveer as your half girlfriend: Parineeti
Actress Parineeti Chopra tweeted that Arjun Kapoor needs to choose one, either Ranveer Singh or her as his half girlfriend. Responding to her tweet, Arjun tweeted, "Meri hottie pari meri cutie pari meri beauty pari !!! U are chosen for my future and u know it !!!" The tweets followed the trailer release of Arjun's upcoming film 'Half Girlfriend'.
Will Smith cuts off son Jaden's hair for film role
Actor Will Smith shared pictures on social media to reveal that he cut off his son Jaden's dreadlocks for his role in the upcoming film 'Life In A Year'. "Getting Jaden Smith ready for the first day of filming #LifeInAYear...maybe I should've used scissors!" wrote Will alongside the photos. Jaden will star with Cara Delevingne in the romantic drama film.
Caitlyn reveals she underwent gender reassignment surgery
Reality television personality Caitlyn Jenner has revealed in her upcoming memoir titled 'The Secrets of My Life' that she underwent gender reassignment surgery in January this year. "The surgery was a success, and I feel not only wonderful but liberated," she wrote. Caitlyn further wrote that she was annoyed by fans who were constantly asking about her genitals. n
Kangana denies rumour of being approached for Fashion sequel
Actress Kangana Ranaut has denied rumours of her being approached by filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar for a sequel of the 2008 film 'Fashion'. "There are so many rumours floating around. Madhur sir last called me for his house warming party and that was it. Our conversation was only regarding that and nothing else," said Kangana.
In Pictures: The Barjot Mud Run held in Switzerland
The annual 'Barjot Run' obstacle race was held on April 8 in the western Swiss town of Biere. The race, which spans 7.5 kilometres and has 27 obstacles along its course, saw participation from over 1500 people. Competitors in various attire, including zombies, soldiers, gladiators, and pirates were seen participating in the run.
People can decide on shifting liquor shops: Rajasthan BJP
Rajasthan BJP chief Ashok Parnami on Wednesday suggested that residents of a locality can hold a referendum if they want liquor shops in their area to shift to other places. When asked about the increasing protests against liquor shops, "Rajasthan has witnessed people voting against liquor shops in their areas, and people have the right to hold referendum," he said.
8 Indian crew members held hostage by Somali pirates rescued
Somalia's military has rescued eight Indian crew members who had been held hostage by pirates, an official said on Wednesday. The sailors were rescued after regional forces surrounded the pirates in a small village, according to reports. Two crew members had been rescued earlier this week when the Somali authorities freed the commercial vessel.
Trump calls Syrian President Assad 'an animal'
US President Donald Trump has called Syrian President Bashar al-Assad an "animal" and accused him of attacking his own people with chemical weapons. "Even some of the worst tyrants in the world don't use the kind of gas they use," Trump added. He also clarified that the United States will not go to war with Syria.
Model slammed for 'racist' workout video
Model Pietro Boselli, known as "the world's hottest math teacher", has been slammed for posting a workout video, which shows him lifting a Filipino man while on holiday in the Phillippines. "This video reinforces racial stereotypes," wrote a user on Facebook. "A white European man coming to our country and treating our people like objects... Sounds familiar?" read another post.
Vidyut tweets audio clip of RGV calling Tiger 'transgender'
Actor Vidyut Jammwal has tweeted a phone conversation between him and filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who in a drunken state referred to Tiger Shroff as 'transgender'. He added that Vidyut is the greatest man while Tiger is the greatest woman he saw in his life. However, RGV tweeted that Vidyut would run away if Tiger challenges him to a fight.
Earliest animals on Earth were comb jellies, US study claims
A group of US-based scientists has claimed that sea creatures called comb jellies are the earliest species of the animal tree on the planet. To settle the ongoing debate whether sponges or jellies were the first animals, they studied genetic structures of oldest believed animals. Based on differences in genetic data, comb jellies were established as the first animal species.
Zara was originally called 'Zorba'
Spanish clothing retailer Zara was called 'Zorba', after the 1964 film 'Zorba the Greek', when its first store was opened in 1975. The name was however changed to avoid confusion, as a nearby bar had the same name. The name 'Zara' was later formed by rearranging the letters, as moulds for the letters in the sign had already been made.
There is a 'Train to the Clouds' in Argentina
The Tren a las Nubes, also known as the 'Train to the Clouds', is a tourist train service in Salta, Argentina. The 16-hour train journey travels about 217 kilometres and reaches a height of more than 13,000 feet above sea level. The train, which was originally built to transport goods, crosses about 29 bridges and 21 tunnels during the journey.
Islamist suspect detained over attack on Dortmund team bus
An Islamist suspect has been arrested in connection with Tuesday's bomb attack that targeted football club Borussia Dortmund's team bus in Germany, according to reports. Police officials had earlier found a letter claiming responsibility for the attack at the blast site, but they did not reveal who claimed responsibility. Dortmund defender Marc Bartra was injured in the attack.
Alibaba's bid to buy Flipkart for $6 billion failed: Reports
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba reportedly tried to buy Flipkart for $6 billion during the last quarter of 2016, but talks fell through at an early stage. Flipkart's valuation reached $15.2 billion in 2015, but was slashed to about $5.5 billion by investors by 2016 end. The acquisition proposal from Jack Ma-led Alibaba reportedly came amid multiple top-level exits at Flipkart.
Snapchat wasn't ready for 'poor nations' like India: Lawsuit
According to court filings in an ongoing lawsuit against Snapchat, the photo-messaging app's CEO Evan Spiegel said, "I don't want to expand into poor countries like India and Spain." The lawsuit, filed by former Snapchat employee Anthony Pompliano, alleges that Spiegel said the app was "only for rich people." However, Snapchat has said Pompliano is "just making things up."
Yogi puts pension scheme with 55 lakh beneficiaries on hold
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered the previous government's 'Samajwadi Pension Yojana' to be put on hold until it is verified if the scheme is actually reaching the intended 55 lakh beneficiaries, according to reports. The scheme would be continued after the verification on a bigger scale and would be called 'Mukhyamantri Pension Scheme', reports added.
Art of Living event destroyed Yamuna floodplains: NGT panel
The National Green Tribunal-appointed committee of experts has found Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living (AoL) responsible for destroying Yamuna floodplains, where its World Culture Festival was hosted last year. Further, the panel found that the rehabilitation of the floodplains destroyed by the event will take 10 years and cost over ₹13 crore.
50,000 villages in India do not have mobile network
Mobile network has not yet reached as many as 50,000 villages across the country, Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The Minister further added that he has written to all states to inform his ministry as to how many of the villages in their state still do not have a mobile network.
SC orders FIR in encounter killings by armed forces
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered that police must register an FIR in cases of encounter killings by the armed forces. From among the 265 cases of extra-judicial killings in Manipur, the court had said it would hear cases related to armed forces first. Earlier, the court curtailed the use of "excessive or retaliatory force" by armed forces under AFSPA.
Daily Mail to pay Melania Trump damages over 'escort' claims
UK's Daily Mail newspaper has agreed to pay an undisclosed amount as damages and issued an apology to US First Lady Melania Trump over false claims that she worked as a high-end escort in the 1990s. Melania had filed a $150 million lawsuit against the newspaper claiming the article had cost her millions of dollars in potential business.
US warns Russia to stop supporting Syrian President Assad
US State Secretary Rex Tillerson has warned Russia to stop supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, saying Russia risks becoming irrelevant in the Middle East because of this. Russia has continuously supported its long-time ally, the Assad regime, which has been blamed for last week's chemical attack in Idlib. The attack killed at least 100 people and injured 400 others.
Trust between US, Russia degraded under Trump: Putin
Under US President Donald Trump, the level of trust between Russia and US has deteriorated, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said. This comes after the US launched a missile strike on Russian ally Syria in response to a chemical attack. Russia had said that the strike amounted to "aggression against a sovereign nation" and was in violation of international law.
China says it will choose next Dalai Lama by draw of lots
China's Foreign Ministry has said it will select the next Dalai Lama, the highest monk in Tibetan Buddhism, through the traditional way of drawing lots from a sacred urn. It also dismissed the current Dalai Lama's assertion that China cannot choose his successor. The result of the draw will be followed by a mandatory approval from China's ruling Communist Party.
Mallya issued non-bailable warrant in brand promotion case
A Delhi court has issued an open-ended non-bailable warrant against Vijay Mallya in connection with a 1995 FERA violation case. The ED alleged Mallya violated provisions of FERA in arranging funds to advertise his liquor products abroad. Mallya had reportedly paid ₹1.3 crore to a UK firm for displaying the Kingfisher logo in Formula One World Championships without RBI approval.
Patanjali has no plans for an IPO: MD Acharya Balkrishna
Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali Ayurved has said that it has no plans for an initial public offer (IPO) yet. In an interview, Patanjali MD Acharya Balkrishna has said the company is focussing only on the domestic market currently and not looking at the international market with vigour. He further said, “Our ads are not for promoting our products but are informative.”
Apple, Walmart, others stashed $1.6 trillion in tax havens
The 50 biggest US companies, including global brands like Walmart and Apple, stashed $1.6 trillion offshore in 2015, according to Oxfam. The report reveals that these companies are increasing their use of tax havens for even greater tax breaks. It also warned that President Donald Trump's proposed tax reforms will rig American tax laws in favour of the rich.
Arpita shares childhood pic with her brother Salman Khan
Arpita Khan has shared a childhood picture of herself with her brother actor Salman Khan on the photo-sharing app Instagram, where she is seen hugging him. Sohail Khan can also be spotted in the picture. Arpita is the adopted daughter of Salim Khan and Salma Khan and the biological daughter of a homeless woman who died on a Mumbai footpath.
Big B shares old pic of Ranbir; calls him superstar of today
Actor Amitabh Bachchan took to Twitter to share an old picture which shows Ranbir Kapoor as a child. "And that wide-eyed little fellow is the Superstar of the day today! Ranbir Kapoor...What an actor!" he wrote alongside the photo. The photo also features Ranbir's mother Neetu Kapoor, his sister Riddhima and grand-uncle Shashi Kapoor.
New tech to cool electronics using 'jumping droplets' made
Engineers have developed a new cooling technology that uses 'jumping droplets' to cool processors and power electronics. When placed beneath electronics, the droplets vaporise after absorbing the electronics' heat escaping towards cooling structures on the floor. The floor made of a hydrophobic material repels the recondensed merging droplets making them jump away to the top for recooling.
Mamata bounty row: Cleric offers ₹22L for BJP leader's head
After a BJP youth wing leader offered ₹11 lakh for beheading West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, a Muslim cleric has made a counter-offer of ₹22 lakh for the BJP leader's head. "Mamata Banerjee is our respected leader and I consider her as my sister," the cleric said. He had earlier issued fatwas against PM Narendra Modi and author Salman Rushdie.
Video: TN cop slaps woman during anti-liquor protest
A senior police official has been caught on the camera slapping a woman during an anti-liquor agitation in Tiruppur district of Tamil Nadu. Reacting to the episode, some agitators allegedly pelted stones at the police, who resorted to lathi-charge. The residents have alleged that they were given no prior warning ahead of the "violent assault" against them.
Government denies any plan to build wall between India, Pak
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has informed the Parliament that there is no proposal with the Central government to build a wall along Pakistan border. In another statement, the Union Home Ministry said that approximately 250 km of India-Pakistan border has not been fenced primarily due to riverines, ditches and marshy terrain, and pending land acquisition.
UP govt transfers 20 IAS officers in 1st bureaucratic rejig
Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday transferred 20 senior IAS officers in the state. The move is the first major bureaucratic reshuffle by the new government since assuming power last month. UP cadre IAS officer Avanish Kumar Awasthi has got the charge of all the departments held by principal secretary (information) Navneet Sehgal, who has been put on wait-list.
MP cop fat-shamed by Shobhaa De sheds 15 kg in a month
Madhya Pradesh police officer who weighed 182 kg and underwent a bariatric surgery after being fat-shamed by author Shobhaa De, has lost about 15 kg in a month. "I'm feeling very fit and following the instructions for diet and an hour-long walk, as given by the doctors. Even my overall health has improved as I've started losing weight," he said.
Rocks at a waterfall in Brazil 'swallow' people into a cave
Rocks at the Pedra Que Engole waterfall near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil are known to 'swallow' people into an underwater cave. People near the rocks are pulled in by the current of the water and are taken inside a dark, water-filled cave. The attraction was reportedly discovered by a tourist in March 2016.
Why does reading in a moving car cause motion sickness?
Motion sickness is caused when the brain receives conflicting signals from eyes and ears. When a person is reading in a car, the visual field stays still but the inner ear detects the car's movement. This conflict triggers nausea, as the brain possibly thinks that the person has consumed something toxic and it is best to vomit out the poison.
What are the new umpiring signals to send off cricketers?
Marylebone Cricket Club, international cricket's law-making body, has approved two umpiring signals which will be used to send off misbehaving players. To send off a player temporarily, the umpire will raise both hands with fingers spread and palms point towards scorers. To permanently remove a player, the umpire will point their index finger with their arm outstretched to the side.
Student works undercover in China iPhone factory for 6 weeks
New York University student Dejian Zeng has shared his experience of working undercover in a Chinese iPhone factory for six weeks. Zeng's job entailed inserting screws in iPhones for as long as 12 hours daily. "Sometimes they don't allow you to speak. You just sit there and wait until the next phone comes in...I consider it as torture," he said.