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Edelweiss Tokio Life offers Zindagi Plus Term Plan with spouse cover

Edelweiss Tokio Life is offering Zindagi Plus Term Insurance Plan to ensure financial security for your family. Under 'Better Half Benefit' option, it offers a life cover that starts in your spouse's name in case of your demise to provide them future financial protection. Under 'Top-up Benefit', you can increase your life cover annually and shield yourself from future uncertainties.
read more at edelweisstokio.in

No, trying to call you, pick up: Sona after Wendell Rodricks' demise

Following the demise of fashion designer Wendell Rodricks, Sona Mohapatra on Wednesday took to Twitter and wrote, "NO. @Wendellrodricks Trying to call you. Pick up." "Full of love. Full of life. All heart. All soul. A connoisseur. A creator. A pioneer. A change-maker. I feel lucky having known you. You'll remain in my heart forever," Sona wrote in another post.
read more at Hindustan Times

Shakti Sinh Gohil appointed interim Delhi Congress Incharge

Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday accepted the resignation of Delhi Congress chief Subhash Chopra and Delhi Congress Incharge PC Chacko and appointed Shakti Sinh Gohil as the interim AICC Incharge of Delhi. This comes after the Congress party failed to win a single seat in the Delhi Assembly elections for the second time in a row.
read more at ANI

Arvind Kejriwal is a terrorist, supports tukde-tukde gang: Newly-elected BJP MLA

Newly-elected BJP MLA from Delhi's Vishwas Nagar, OP Sharma, has said AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal "sympathises with terrorists, plays the role of Pakistan Army spokesman, raises questions on Indian Army and supports tukde-tukde gang". "Terrorist is the appropriate term for him," Sharma added. Earlier, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said there was enough evidence to prove "Kejriwal is a terrorist".
read more at ANI

KL Rahul can score a hundred even as a 12th man: Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan has said that the way KL Rahul is batting, he can score a hundred even as the 12th man. "Well played and wonderful century bro keep going strong! The way you are batting, even if you go as 12th man you will score a ton," Dhawan wrote on Instagram Stories, reacting to Rahul's 4th ODI ton.
read more at CricTracker

Michael Clarke splits with wife after 7-year marriage in divorce worth ₹192 crore

Ex-Australia captain Michael Clarke and his wife Kyly have announced they've split after seven years of marriage in a divorce worth AU$40 million (₹192 crore). "With the greatest of respect for each other, we've come to the mutual conclusion that this is the best course for us to take while committed to the co-parenting of our daughter," the couple said.
read more at CricTracker

Sachin responds to 16-yr-old Shafali who said meeting him was dream come true

India Women's 16-year-old Shafali Verma took to Twitter to share a picture of herself with Sachin Tendulkar. "The reason I took up this game was because of Sachin sir...[Meeting him] was a dream come true," she wrote. Responding to her, Sachin wrote, "Keep chasing your dreams because dreams do come true. Enjoy the game and always give your best."
read more at Twitter

IBM picks Slack for communication among its 3,50,000 employees

IBM has officially chosen messaging platform Slack for company-wide communication for its 3,50,000 employees. IBM has reportedly been using Slack since 2014, but it is now officially adopting Slack as the main communication tool internally. "Going wall to wall in IBM — it's basically the maximum scale that there is," said Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield.
read more at Livemint

I was not driving car, don't show me in bad light: Karnataka MLA's son

Karnataka Congress MLA NA Haris' son Mohammed Nalapad appeared before police on Wednesday in a hit-and-run case wherein four persons were injured. After coming out of the station, Nalapad said, "I wasn't driving the car, I plead with you (media) not to show me in a bad light as I've aged grandparents, please leave me." Nalapad was granted station bail.
read more at Deccan Herald

10 arrested over alleged molestation of students at Gargi College

Delhi Police has said that 10 people have been arrested in connection with the alleged molestation at Delhi University's all-women Gargi College last week. Over 11 teams are working on the case and are visiting various sites in Delhi-NCR for identification of suspects. "There were drunk middle-aged men harassing us, molesting us and masturbating at us," a student had alleged.
read more at India.com

Kerala journo goes speechless on live TV as she reads out she won an award

A video of a news presenter in Kerala going speechless for a few seconds as she reads out she has won the 2018 Kerala state award for best news presenter during a live broadcast has surfaced online. N Sreeja, a chief sub-editor with Mathrubhumi news channel, was on-air on Wednesday when news of the Kerala state media awards came out.

India wants to play on front foot, 8-month-old govt scored century of decisions: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the decisions taken by his government in the first few months of its second term. "India is the youngest nation in the world which wants to play on the front foot. The eight-month-old government has scored a century of decisions. India has taken quick decisions, work has happened at a quick pace," he said.
read more at Times Now

Am I a closet Sanghi for mourning demise of an RSS man? Tharoor on criticism

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor wrote in an article that he was trolled and accused of being a "closet Sanghi" for condoling RSS leader P Parameswaran's death. "One could disagree with...party's ideology...but find common ground with its leaders on some things. But we've reduced our politics to black and white today: either for or against, nothing in between," he wrote.
read more at The Print

Chile's anti-obesity measures cut sugary drink sales by 23.7% in 2 yrs: Study

Chile's anti-obesity measures have cut sugary drink sales by 23.7% in two years, research showed. The government banned sales in schools and adopted black and white labels warning consumers about products that are high in sugar, salt or fat. The research said allowable sugar content in foods without labels may have dropped from 22.5g per 100g to 10g per 100g.
read more at The Guardian

Sachin Tendulkar's most home tons came at Chennai's Chepauk Stadium

Sachin Tendulkar smashed five of his 42 centuries in India at Chennai's MA Chidambaram or Chepauk Stadium, the most for him at a single Indian stadium. Sachin's first-ever international hundred in India also came at Chepauk, when he hit 165(296) in a Test against England on February 12, 1993. Interestingly, Sachin hit all five centuries at the stadium in Tests.
read more at Cricket Country

I smoked a lot of things, it was a dark time: Actor Noah Centineo

Actor Noah Centineo, known for starring in 'Charlie's Angels', has revealed he took a lot of drugs when he was younger as "it was a really dark time in his life". He added that his and his friend's favourite thing was to take Molly and talk for hours. "I never...injected anything...I smoked a lot of things...was really upset," said Noah.

Akshay's 'Sooryavanshi' most anticipated Indian film of 2020: IMDb

Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Sooryavanshi' is the most anticipated Indian film of 2020, according to a list released by IMDb. The list is based on the actual page views of more than 200 million monthly visitors on the website. 'Sooryavanshi' is followed by Ranbir Kapoor's 'Brahmastra' and Ajay Devgn's 'Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior'. Ranveer Singh's '83 also features in the list.
read more at Zee News

Salman is hardworking, even after pack up, he's doing something: Disha

Disha Patani, while talking about the actors she has worked with, said that Salman Khan is very hardworking and he never rests. "He's always on the go and even after pack up, he's doing something or the other," she added. Talking about Anil Kapoor, the actress said, "He is very passionate about his work. He looks like my younger brother."

Chinese man denied birthday party amid coronavirus, threatened to blow himself

A 59-year-old man in southwest China poured petrol on himself and tied firecrackers around his waist after authorities cancelled his birthday party as a precaution amid the coronavirus outbreak. He held out a lighter to threaten them to let the party go ahead. Prosecutors filed criminal charges against him as he defied a ban on public gatherings.
read more at The New Indian Express

Pope rules against allowing married men to become priests in Amazon region

Pope Francis dismissed a proposal to allow married men to be ordained as priests in the Amazon region to overcome the shortage of priests. The Pope said that those who want to become missionaries should be encouraged to go to Amazon. Reportedly, at least 85% of villages in Amazon are unable to celebrate Mass every week due to the shortage.
read more at Reuters

Cambodia to allow ship to dock as 5 nations refuse over coronavirus fears

Cambodia will allow a cruise ship, MS Westerdam, to dock after it was turned away by Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand and Guam (US territory) over fears that someone on board may have coronavirus. However, the ship which is carrying 1,455 passengers and 804 crew hasn't reported any coronavirus cases. The ship is expected to reach Cambodia on Thursday.
read more at Reuters

Woman, son held for cancelling 3,250 hotel reservations in Japan

Japanese Police arrested a mother-and-son duo for cancelling 3,250 hotel room reservations and keeping $22,000 earned in reward points while causing a loss of around $1 million to hotels across Japan, reports said. The police alleged the suspects targeted hotels with high consumer points via an online booking service. Reportedly, the suspects have been doing this for over a year.
read more at The New Indian Express

2 letter bombs explode in Netherlands, no injuries reported

Two letter bombs exploded in the Netherlands, one at the ABN Amro Bank and the other in the office of Japanese electronics company Ricoh, the police said. They added that no injuries were reported in the explosion. The police further said that they are investigating if there's any link to a string of letter bombs intercepted since early January.
read more at Reuters

Wockhardt to sell part of branded generic biz to Dr Reddy's for ₹1,850 cr

Mumbai-based Wockhardt has agreed to sell parts of its branded generic business comprising 62 products and a manufacturing plant at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh to Dr Reddy's Laboratories for ₹1,850 crore. The business which is being transferred reported around ₹377 crore in revenue from operations, accounting for 15% of the consolidated revenue for the nine-month period ended December 2019.
read more at Livemint

India's industrial production shrinks 0.3% in December

India's Index of Industrial Production shrank 0.3% in December compared to 2.5% growth in the same month a year ago, according to National Statistical Office data. The manufacturing sector output declined by 1.2% compared to 2.9% growth in December 2018. The IIP growth during April-December period decelerated to 0.5% from a growth of 4.7% in same period of 2018.
read more at Livemint

Two Indian crew on board Japan cruise ship test positive for coronavirus

Two Indian crew onboard cruise ship Diamond Princess off Japanese coast have tested positive for coronavirus. Earlier today, Japan health ministry said 39 people on the ship have tested positive for coronavirus. The ship was placed in quarantine for two weeks on arriving in Yokohama, on February 3, after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was diagnosed with coronavirus.
read more at Livemint

Fashion designer Wendell Rodricks passes away in Goa aged 59

Fashion designer Wendell Rodricks passed away at his home in Goa aged 59, a member of the family has confirmed to Indian Express. In 2014, the Government of India conferred upon him its fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri. An activist for social causes, environment, and gay rights, Rodricks married Jerome Marrel in a civil ceremony in Paris in 2002.

Food was thrown at me at school: 22-yr-old singer whose song 'Friday' went viral

Rebecca Black, the 22-year-old American singer behind the 2011 viral song 'Friday', that critics called the 'worst song ever' and several memes were made on it, shared a note on social media on Tuesday. She revealed she felt ashamed, depressed and food was thrown at her at school. "I'm trying to remind myself...time heals and nothing is finite," she added.
read more at The Guardian

112-year-old Japanese named world's oldest living man

Japan's Chitetsu Watanabe has been named as the world's oldest living man at 112 years 344 days. Chitetsu lived in Taiwan for 18 years and worked at a sugar cane plantation. He returned to Japan after WWII and worked as a civil servant until his retirement. He has five children, 12 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
read more at Deccan Herald

Singapore's biggest bank sends 300 staff home after 1 contracts coronavirus

Singapore's biggest bank DBS has asked 300 staff to leave its head office on Wednesday and work from home after an employee tested positive for coronavirus. All of them had been working on the same floor where the infected person worked. The bank employs over 5,000 people at Marina Bay Financial Centre, where it occupies 18 floors in one tower.
read more at Reuters

Jimmy Neesham shares pic of his on-field argument with Rahul, ICC responds

New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham took to Twitter to share a picture of him with KL Rahul from the third ODI, which showed the two arguing with each other on the field. "Paper, scissors, rock?" Neesham jokingly captioned the picture. Responding to the picture, the ICC wrote, "Perhaps we do this instead of super overs?"
read more at CricTracker

RCB remove profile pics, posts from social media accounts; fans ask why

IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have removed profile pictures and several posts from their social media accounts. A fan wrote, "Why? Are you going to surprise us with a new logo and name?" Reacting to RCB's activity, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal tweeted, "Arey @rcbtweets, what googly is this? Where did your profile pic and Instagram posts go?"
read more at CricTracker

Rashid reveals he is developing 'mystery' variation, says he will use it in Tests

Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan has said he is developing a 'mystery' variation in his bowling. "I am looking forward to bowling those deliveries more in the Tests," he added. "That gives me an extra opportunity because you're bowling many more overs and there's not so much pressure on," he explained. Afghanistan will face Australia in a Test later this year.
read more at CricTracker

WhatsApp announces it now has more than 2 billion users worldwide

WhatsApp has announced that it now has more than 2 billion users worldwide, more than 1.5 billion users it revealed two years ago. The announcement makes WhatsApp the only second Facebook-owned app to join the two-billion-users club, with Facebook amassing over 2.5 billion users. Founded 11 years ago, WhatsApp was bought by Facebook for $19 billion in 2014.
read more at TechCrunch

CBI books Educomp Solutions, its directors in ₹1,955 cr bank fraud case

CBI has registered a bank fraud case worth ₹1,955 crore against edtech company Educomp Solutions, its directors and Edu Smart Services. The case was filed by State Bank of India and 12 other banks including ICICI Bank, YES Bank and Axis Bank. Following the complaint, CBI carried out searches in eight locations of Educomp Solutions, Edu Smart and its directors.
read more at Inc42

Kerala man suffers 90% burns while trying to save wife from fire in UAE

A UAE-based 32-year-old man from Kerala sustained 90% burns while trying to save his wife from a fire at their home. Anil Ninan is in a critical condition while his wife, who suffered 10% burns, is out of danger. The fire was suspected to be caused by a short circuit from the electric box in the corridor of their apartment.

Singing National Anthem to be made compulsory in Maharashtra colleges

Maharashtra's Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant on Wednesday said that the Maharashtra government will make singing the National Anthem in colleges compulsory. "We are going to start this from February 19 on the occasion of Shivaji Jayanti," the minister said. "The letter regarding the same will be issued to all colleges," he added.
read more at ANI

EVMs can malfunction like car or pen but can't be tampered: CEC Sunil Arora

Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has said that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) can malfunction like a car or a pen but they cannot be tampered with. He said EVMs are in use for 20 years now and there was no question of returning to the ballot paper. He added that the Supreme Court has upheld the use of the machines.
read more at Deccan Herald

What about my rights?: Nirbhaya's mother breaks down inside court

Nirbhaya's mother broke down inside the court on Wednesday as she demanded a death warrant for the four convicts in gangrape case. She said, "I'm here from one-and-a-half years...waiting for them to avail their legal remedies. However, even I'm victim's mother, what about my rights?" The court provided a convict with legal aid after he said he didn't have one.
read more at Hindustan Times

Labourer buys lottery ticket on way to get loan from bank in Kerala, wins ₹12 cr

A daily-wage labourer in Kerala who won a ₹12-crore lottery had bought the lottery ticket while he was on his way to a bank for a loan. Porunnan Rajan's house was on the verge of being repossessed by a bank due to loan default. Rajan said he aims to clear his debt, expand his home and educate his younger daughter.
read more at The New Indian Express

My household felt unsafe, it was destabilised: Jennifer Aniston

On being asked how she keeps herself optimistic if things aren't going the right way, actress Jennifer Aniston said, "I think...it comes from growing up in...household that was destabilised and felt unsafe." "Watching adults being unkind to each other...made me think, 'I don't want to do that. I don't want to be that.' So...I've my parents to thank," she added.
read more at Daily Mail

People thinking I commercialised pain of Kashmiri Pandits are donkeys: Vidhu

Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra has said people who are accusing him of commercialising the pain of Kashmiri Pandits in 'Shikara' are donkeys. "'3 Idiots', which I produced earned ₹33 crore on...first day...and we knew...first day collection of 'Shikara' will be ₹30 lakh," he added. "Despite that, we gave 11 years of our life to make this film," said Vidhu.
read more at Zee News

Auditioned for 'Once Upon...', it was a disaster: Home Alone actor Macaulay

Macaulay Culkin, known for his role in 'Home Alone', has revealed that he auditioned for Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood', but he didn't get the role as his audition was a "disaster". "I wouldn't have hired me. I'm terrible at auditioning...and this was my first audition in...eight years," he added. The film featured Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt.
read more at Daily Mail

Finest film of our careers: SRK on 10 yrs of 'My Name is Khan'

Shah Rukh Khan on Wednesday shared a post on the completion of 10 years of his film 'My Name is Khan' and wrote, "Thank you Karan Johar and Kajol for making arguably...finest film of our careers." Shah Rukh also shared some pictures from the sets and wrote, "Only film I needed to see everyday pics to know if I've...expressions right!"
read more at The Quint

Second batch of 25 diplomats visit Jammu & Kashmir

The second batch of foreign envoys arrived on Wednesday for a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to assess the ground situation six months after the abrogation of Article 370. The 25 envoys included representatives from the EU, Canada, France and Afghanistan, among others. After their arrival in Srinagar, they went for a Shikara ride in the famous Dal Lake.

Former TERI chief RK Pachauri put on life support in Delhi: Reports

The former chief of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), RK Pachauri, has been put on life support, reports said. The 79-year-old was admitted to a Delhi hospital with a prolonged cardiac ailment and had undergone open-heart surgery. Pachauri had to step down from his post at TERI after a former colleague accused him of sexually harassing her.
read more at The Quint

India bans e-cigarettes on flights and airports

India has announced the ban on e-cigarettes in both domestic and international flights and at airports, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security said in a January 10 issue. The government had imposed a ban on production, manufacture and advertisement of e-cigarettes in 2019. Offenders will be given jail term for up to one year and a fine of ₹1 lakh.
read more at Entrackr

Turkey gives man 2.5 yrs in jail for spitting on customer's pizza

A Turkish court sentenced a delivery man to 2.5 years in jail for spitting on a pizza before delivering it to a customer in 2017. The CCTV footage of the incident shows the man taking a selfie while committing the act. The court convicted him on charges of "poisoning food and endangering people's health" and "damaging property".
read more at Daily Mail

Over 100 showing symptoms similar to coronavirus in Nepal: Officials

Authorities in Nepal's Sindhupalchowk district have claimed that over 100 people in its area are showing symptoms similar to that of the new coronavirus infection, media reports said. A health official said that a team of doctors, including health assistants and auxiliary workers, has been dispatched to the area after it got a request from local authorities for assistance.
read more at The New Indian Express

IKEA Founder's assistant Jon Abrahamsson Ring named new CEO

IKEA has named Jon Abrahamsson Ring, a former assistant to furniture giant IKEA's Founder Ingvar Kamprad, as the new CEO. Ring will be succeeding Torbjorn Loof, who resigned after being the retail giant's head for seven years, and take over the new position from September 1. Ring rejoined IKEA, where he had worked from 1998 to 2008, in 2017.
read more at Free Press Journal

Nissan files lawsuit against ex-boss Ghosn, seeks $91 mn in damages

Nissan said it has filed a civil lawsuit in Japan against former Chairman Carlos Ghosn seeking $91 million in damages "as a result of years of misconduct and fraudulent activity". The amount may rise depending on penalties that Nissan may have to pay to regulators. Ghosn fled to Lebanon in December while he was facing financial misconduct charges in Japan.
read more at Reuters

Govt approves infusion of ₹2,500 cr into 3 PSU general insurers

The government has approved infusion of ₹2,500 crore capital into three PSU general insurers - Oriental Insurance Company Limited, National Insurance Company Limited and United India Insurance Company Limited. The Cabinet allowed the "immediate release of ₹2,500 crore in the light of the critical financial position and breach of regulatory solvency requirements," the statement said.
read more at The Financial Express

Maharashtra announces 5-day working week for state govt employees

The Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced five-day working week for state government employees, which will be applicable from February 29 onwards. The decision was taken at the state Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Employees working for the Government of Maharashtra presently get second and fourth Saturdays off every month.
read more at Livemint

Sana Khan confirms breakup, claims choreographer Melvin cheated on her

Actress Sana Khan has confirmed her breakup with choreographer Melvin Louis, claiming he cheated on her. "I felt that he was up to something. Since I had my doubts, I took his phone, which he snatched back from me and started deleting messages," she said. Sana further said she knows the girl's name but won't reveal it.
read more at Hindustan Times

Puducherry becomes first Union Territory to pass resolution against CAA

Puducherry on Wednesday became the first Union Territory to pass a resolution against the CAA, urging the Centre to withdraw the Act. This comes days after Puducherry Lieutenant Governor wrote to CM V Narayanasamy saying that the Act "cannot be questioned or deliberated in any manner." Previously, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh passed an anti-CAA resolution.

Latest ODI rankings for batsmen out; Rohit 14 points behind top-ranked Kohli

India opener Rohit Sharma, who missed the New Zealand series due to injury, is 14 rating points behind top-ranked Virat Kohli in the latest ODI rankings for batsmen. Ross Taylor, who was named Man of the Series, has jumped one spot to be ranked fourth. Further, South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton De Kock has jumped two spots to be ranked seventh.
read more at CricTracker

Latest ODI rankings for bowlers out, Bumrah loses top spot after wicketless series

India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has lost the top spot in the latest rankings for bowlers in ODI cricket. Bumrah, who went wicketless in the three-match series against New Zealand, is now second with 719 rating points. New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult is the top-ranked bowler with 727 rating points. Afghanistan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman is third with 701 points.
read more at CricTracker

Shubman should open in first Test vs New Zealand instead of Shaw: Harbhajan

Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has suggested that Shubman Gill should open in the first Test against New Zealand instead of Prithvi Shaw. "Shubman should get his chance since he has been part of the team (as reserve opener) for quite a while without playing any Test match," Harbhajan said. He added that Mayank Agarwal should continue as the main opener.
read more at CricTracker

SC judge recuses himself from hearing plea against Abdullah's detention

Supreme Court judge, Justice MM Shantanagoudar, on Wednesday recused himself from hearing the plea challenging National Conference leader Omar Abdullah's detention. The plea was filed by Omar Abdullah's sister Sara Abdullah Pilot challenging his detention under the J&K Public Safety Act (PSA). "I am not participating in this matter," Justice Shantanagoudar said at the outset.
read more at Zee News

Uber sets up 100-member team for Uber Money in Hyderabad

Uber announced on Tuesday that it has set up an over 100-member team for Uber Money in the Hyderabad tech centre. The technology professionals will look after global financial products and technology innovations. Uber had announced the launch of Uber Money in October 2019 which also has presence in San Francisco, Palo Alto, New York and Amsterdam tech centres.
read more at Inc42

Decomposed bodies of 5 of family including 3 kids found at Delhi home

Five family members including an e-rickshaw driver, his wife and three children were found dead inside their house in Delhi's Bhajanpura. Police said they could have died at least six days ago as their bodies were badly decomposed. DCP (Northeast) Ved Prakash Surya said police received a call today after neighbours complained of a foul smell emanating from the house.
read more at Deccan Herald

CBI gives clean chit to ex-Special Director Rakesh Asthana in bribery case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has cleared its former Special Director Rakesh Asthana and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Devender Kumar in the 2018 bribery case registered by then CBI chief Alok Verma, officials said on Tuesday. The clean chit came a day before the Delhi High Court deadline to complete the probe expired.

Mumbai Police Commissioner's family firm got govt contract before Maha polls

A firm owned by the son and wife of Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve was awarded a contract by the Devendra Fadnavis-led government for the digitisation of Mumbai Police's official records days before the Maharashtra Assembly polls. Barve said the firm offered services free of cost. However, the project could not be initiated owing to "technical issues", an official said.

Gujarat changes Budget presentation date over US President Trump's visit

The Gujarat government has announced that it is rescheduling tabling of the Budget 2020-21 in the Legislative Assembly to February 26. "Due to the visit of PM Narendra Modi and US President [Donald] Trump to Ahmedabad, the state government has decided to reschedule the Budget session and presentation of the Budget," Gujarat Home Minister Pradipsinh Jadeja said.
read more at The New Indian Express

Delhi High Court rejects plea seeking voting rights for prisoners

The Delhi High Court has dismissed a plea seeking voting rights for prisoners. The court bench noted that the right to vote is neither a fundamental right nor a common law right, it is provided under a statute and is subject to restrictions imposed by the law. This restriction doesn't allow prisoners to cast vote from jails, it said.
read more at India.com

Trump to attend 'Kem Chho, Trump!' in Ahmedabad after 'Howdy, Modi' in US: Reports

US President Donald Trump will attend a gathering reportedly named 'Kem Chho, Trump!' during his visit to Ahmedabad later this month. The event will be similar to the 'Howdy, Modi' event held in the US last year, reports added. The event will be held at the newly-built world's largest stadium - Motera Stadium, which will reportedly be inaugurated by Trump.
read more at PTI

Bonsai grown in a tin can during World War II stolen from museum

A Japanese Black Pine bonsai tree, grown in a tin can during World War II, and a Silverberry bonsai tree, worth thousands of dollars were stolen from a Washington state museum. "These trees have been cared for every day for more than 70 years, and if that daily care doesn't continue the trees will die," curator of the museum said.
read more at Pacific Bonsai Museum

India's retail inflation hits 7.59% in January, highest since May 2014

India's retail inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index, accelerated to 7.59% in January as food prices stayed high, according to official data released today. The inflation rate is slightly above December's 7.35% and the highest since May 2014. This is the second straight month that retail inflation is above the upper end of RBI's tolerance band of 2-6%.
read more at Bloomberg Quint

US classifies India as developed nation

The US has classified India as a developed nation, eliminating the preferential treatment it received in countervailing duty investigations. This makes it easier for the US to penalise India if it harms US industries with unfairly subsidised exports. India was re-designated on account of it being a G20 member and having a share of more than 0.5% of world trade.
read more at The Print

Vicky Kaushal, Janhvi Kapoor walk the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week 2020

Vicky Kaushal and Janhvi Kapoor on Tuesday walked the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week 2020 for designers Kunal Rawal and Rahul Mishra. Vicky wore a white kurta and paired it with a black overcoat and trousers. Meanwhile, Janhvi wore a sleeveless hand-embroidered aqua gown and accessorised it with a necklace. Kajol's sister Tanishaa also attended the fashion show in Mumbai.
read more at The Quint

Don't ask me about politics, let Mughals, Mongolians rest in peace: Adnan

On being asked whether history should be a factor in political discourse, Padma Shri-awardee Adnan Sami said history should be kept in past. "Just like you wouldn't ask...politician about Raag Darbari...don't ask me about politics," he added. "Let the Mughals, the British, the Mongolians, Alexander the Great and everybody else you want to bring in...rest in peace," Adnan further said.

Now, I can't imagine them as a couple: Alaya on parents' separation

Actress Alaya F said in an interview that her parents, Pooja Bedi and Farhan Furniturewalla, got separated when she was around five years old. She further said both of them have been extremely involved in her life, adding, "It's only been...happy childhood." "Now when I look back, I can't imagine them as a couple...because they are so different," she added.

Make Hanuman Chalisa compulsory in schools, madrasas: Vijayvargiya to Kejriwal

BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya congratulated Arvind Kejriwal for AAP's win in the Delhi Assembly polls and asked him to "make recitation of Hanuman Chalisa compulsory" in all schools, colleges and madrasas. "Why should Delhi's children be deprived of Bajrangbali's blessings?" Vijayvargiya added. Earlier, Kejriwal recited Hanuman Chalisa when a reporter asked him if he goes to temple.
read more at Free Press Journal

Babar's style of play reminds me of Zaheer Abbas: Javed Miandad

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad has said that the team's current T20I captain Babar Azam's style of play reminds him of former Pakistan captain and batsman Zaheer Abbas. Babar, who recently scored his fourth ton in his last seven Tests, became the only batsman to be inside the top-five in each format's current batting rankings.
read more at CricTracker

Club bans broadcaster over 'racial abuse' subtitles in interview

Glasgow-based club Celtic Rangers have refused broadcaster Sky Sports accreditation to cover their games after the broadcaster incorrectly translated an interview with Rangers' Alfredo Morelos. The subtitles that appeared on-screen during the interview suggested that Morelos said that he had been racially abused by home supporters. Sky Sports later apologised for their "serious error".
read more at RT

Medical staff lead coronavirus patients in China's Wuhan in a dance

Coronavirus patients admitted to a hospital in China's Wuhan city were led in a dance by the medical staff this week. "We hope to make...atmosphere more active by taking patients to do some breathing exercises and dancing occasionally," Chen Xiaoyan, chief nurse at the hospital said. The coronavirus outbreak, that has killed over 1,000 people in China, began in Wuhan.
read more at Reuters

Nepal temporarily shuts hotel where 8 Indian tourists died

Authorities in Nepal have suspended the license of a hotel for three months where eight tourists from the Indian state of Kerala were found dead. A probe committee claimed the hotel management didn't follow the recommended safety measures. The police had said that suffocation due to a gas leak from the room heater may have led to their deaths.
read more at Deccan Herald

Tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang drops out of US Presidential race

Tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang announced that he is dropping out of 2020 US Presidential race after the New Hampshire Democratic primary election results showed him securing less than 3% of the votes. "Our signature proposal, universal basic income, has become part of the mainstream conversation," he added. Yang had promised a monthly stipend of $1,000 to all Americans over 18.
read more at Deccan Herald

Bharti Airtel subsidiary to raise ₹1,780 cr via perpetual security bonds

Bharti Airtel's Mauritius-based wholly-owned subsidiary Network i2i will raise $250 million (about ₹1,780 crore) through 25-year subordinated perpetual security bonds, the company announced. The amount raised from the bond sale will be used for investment in subsidiaries and refinance purposes. The bond sale comes after the company had raised $750 million (around ₹5,343 crore) recently.
read more at The Financial Express

Hafiz Saeed sentenced to 5.5 yrs in prison in Pak for terror financing

A Pakistani court has convicted 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed in two terror-financing cases. He was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison in each case and the sentences of both cases will run concurrently. According to the Counter-Terrorism Department, JuD was financing terrorism from the funds collected through non-profit organisations and trusts.
read more at Twitter

Was bleeding heavily, thought I had a miscarriage during 1st pregnancy: Kim

Kim Kardashian has revealed that she thought she suffered a miscarriage while she was pregnant with her eldest child North. "I was really [bleeding heavily] and in so much pain," she added, further revealing that her doctor couldn't find the baby's heartbeat initially. However, the doctor later found a heartbeat when she paid a visit to "clean out the miscarriage".
read more at Daily Mail

Uber to not fire driver who took customer to police station for anti-CAA talk

Uber has decided not to fire or take disciplinary action against its Mumbai driver Rohit Singh Gour who drove poet Bappadittya Sarkar to police after overhearing his conversation on anti-CAA protests. "Following our internal review...we enrolled the driver for re-sensitisation of our policies and community guidelines," Uber stated. It had suspended Gour for 72 hours as it conducted an inquiry.
read more at Hindustan Times

Stump mic saves Australia Women captain from getting run-out against India

During the final of Women's T20I Tri-Series final, Australia captain Meg Lanning survived getting run-out after India fielder Shikha Pandey's throw hit the stump mic. Lanning was outside the crease when the ball hit the stump mic and ricocheted allowing Australia to take an overthrow. Cricket Australia shared video of the incident, writing, "Another example of technology saving the batter!"
read more at CricTracker

World record for lowest ever ODI total equalled 

World record for the lowest ever total in ODI cricket has been equalled after Nepal dismissed USA for 35 runs in 12 overs at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Nepal's Kirtipur on Wednesday. Nepal chased down the target in 5.2 overs. Zimbabwe were dismissed for 35 in 18 overs by Sri Lanka in Harare on April 25, 2004.
read more at CricTracker

My wife hasn't eaten anything since yesterday: Bishnoi's dad as ICC punishes son

After leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi was charged by ICC over indiscipline after the Under-19 World Cup final against Bangladesh, his father said, "I wonder what happened to my son because he is one of my calmest children." He added, "My wife has not eaten anything since yesterday." He further said that Ravi lost his cool while trying to save his teammate.
read more at CricTracker

Mother meets her 7-yr-old dead daughter in Virtual Reality on Korean TV show

A Korean television show used virtual reality technology, paired with touch-sensitive gloves and audio, to reunite a mother with her deceased seven-year-old daughter who died in 2016. The show 'Meeting You' recounted the story of the family's loss of their seven-year-old daughter due to a disease. The mother and daughter met in a garden in virtual reality and held conversations.
read more at Daily Mail

FTC to look into acquisitions by Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued special orders to five large technology firms - Alphabet (including Google), Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft - to provide information about prior acquisitions not reported to the antitrust agencies. The companies require to report every deal they have made, including the terms, of each transaction made between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019.
read more at TechCrunch

MakeMyTrip Co-founder Deep Kalra steps down as CEO; Rajesh Magow takes over

MakeMyTrip's Co-founder Deep Kalra has stepped down as company's Group CEO and will now take up the role of Executive Chairman of MakeMyTrip board. MakeMyTrip's other Co-founder, Rajesh Magow, has taken over Kalra's role. Founded in 2000, MakeMyTrip acquired its rival Ibibo Group in a $2 billion deal in 2016.
read more at Inc42

Tiger Global-backed NoBroker acquires SocietyConnect in all-cash deal

Bengaluru-based real estate platform NoBroker has acquired Gurugram-based SocietyConnect in an all-cash deal. NoBroker CEO Amit Agarwal said that 32 employees of SocietyConnect will join NoBroker, and thus, SocietyConnect becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of NoBroker. Founded in 2016, SocietyConnect is a platform to manage day-to-day society operations like parking, notices, e-bills, etc.
read more at Inc42

Pro-Kannada groups call for K'taka bandh tomorrow over job reservation

The Karnataka Sanghatanegala Okkoota, a collective of pro-Kannada organisations, has called for a bandh in the state on Thursday for increasing reservation of jobs for Kannadigas in both private and government sectors. Cab services in Bengaluru may be affected from 6 am to 6 pm tomorrow as an association of Ola and Uber drivers has decided to support the bandh.
read more at Zee News

Medical equipment used on humans or animals to be treated as 'drugs'

Medical equipment used on humans or animals will be treated as "drugs" under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act with effect from April 1 to ensure they meet specific safety and quality standards. The list of 37 such devices include syringes, heart valves, X-ray and ultrasound machines. At present, 23 medical devices including cardiac stents and condoms are listed as drugs.
read more at Hindustan Times

Man held for carrying ₹45L foreign currency inside groundnuts, CISF shares video

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport caught a Dubai-bound passenger trying to smuggle ₹45 lakh worth of international currency. The passenger identified as Murad Alam was found to be carrying the currency hidden inside groundnut shells, hollowed-out biscuits kept in packets and other eatable items. Alam was handed over to Customs.
read more at Zee News

Non-subsidised LPG price hiked by ₹144.5/cylinder in steepest rise since 2014

Non-subsidised LPG price was hiked by ₹144.5 per cylinder from ₹714 to ₹858.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Delhi on Wednesday. This is the steepest hike in rates since January 2014 when prices had gone up by ₹220 per cylinder. However, the government has also increased the subsidy from ₹153.86 per cylinder to ₹291.48 for domestic users, officials said.
read more at Hindustan Times

Chinese marathon runner runs 50 km in his living room amid coronavirus lockdown

Under lockdown over coronavirus outbreak, an amateur Chinese marathon runner named Pan Shancu ran 50 km in his living room. Pan Shancu reportedly completed 6,250 laps of track consisting of two large tables set up inside his apartment. More than 1,100 people have been confirmed as killed by the virus in China and over 40,000 others have been infected there.
read more at The Guardian

Canada's Brookfield overtakes Blackstone as largest private investor in India

Canada's Brookfield Asset Management overtook US private equity firm Blackstone to emerge as the largest private investor in India in 2019, lifted by deals with Reliance Industries, as per deals tracker Venture Intelligence. It had made a $3.6 billion buyout of Jio's tower assets last year. Brookfield's investments totalled nearly $6.28 billion in 2019 compared with Blackstone's $2.38 billion.
read more at Livemint

Margot Robbie, Christian Bale to star in David O Russell's film: Reports

Margot Robbie and Christian Bale have been roped in to play the lead roles in David O Russell's yet-to-be-titled film, as per reports. It'll be produced by Matthew Budman and will go on floors in April, reports added. Bale has previously worked with Russell in 2010 film 'The Fighter', which earned him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2011.

Maxwell out of SA tour with elbow injury, could miss few IPL games

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has been ruled out of the team's upcoming tour of South Africa and could also miss a few matches of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. Cricket Australia has revealed that Maxwell will have surgery on Thursday and is expected to be out of action for between six and eight weeks.

MCC team to play one 50-over game, 3 T20 matches in Pakistan

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) team will play one 50-over game and three T20 matches during their upcoming tour of Pakistan, that begins on Thursday. MCC stated in a press release that all the matches will take place in Lahore. Lahore Qalandars will be the club's first opposition in a floodlit T20 match at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Schalke fined €50,000 for fans' racist abuse of Hertha Berlin player

The German Football Association (DFB) has imposed a fine of €50,000 on German club Schalke 04 for racist chants their fans made during last week's German Cup win against Hertha Berlin. Hertha Berlin's Jordan Torunarigha had stated that he was targeted by Schalke fans repeatedly during the game. DFB said in a statement that the fans had made monkey chants.

Italian referee banned for head-butting goalkeeper: Report

An Italian football referee has been banned for a year after he head-butted a goalkeeper he had sent off during a minor league game earlier this month, a news agency reported on Tuesday. Seeking an explanation, the goalkeeper had confronted the referee outside the changing room after the game. In response, the referee head-butted the keeper, who was then hospitalised.

Driver who died in 2018 Tesla crash in US had reported issues with 'Autopilot'

An Apple employee who was killed in California in 2018 while driving the Tesla Model X in the 'Autopilot' had reported problems with the system. Walter Huang had reported that the car had steered away from the highway during previous trips. He had complained to the Tesla dealership but they couldn't replicate it, saying it was Huang's fault.
read more at Livemint

Customer analytics startup MoEngage raises $25 mn in Series C round

Customer analytics startup MoEngage has raised $25 million in Series C round led by Eight Roads Ventures with participation from Matrix Partners India, Ventureast, among others. With the latest funding, the startup's total money raised stands at $40 million. Founded by IIT graduates Raviteja Dodda and Yashwanth Kumar, MoEngage offers tools to gain deeper customer insights for better engagement.
read more at Entrackr

Masked man loots ₹1.5 lakh from Oriental Bank of Commerce in Delhi

An unidentified man, wearing a mask, looted ₹1.5 lakh from the Oriental Bank of Commerce in Delhi's Tilak Nagar area on Wednesday. The man entered the bank after overpowering the security guard, collected the cash on gunpoint from the bank cashier and then immediately fled, police said. Delhi Police have formed multiple teams to investigate the case.
read more at Zee News

US Prez candidate Bernie Sanders wins New Hampshire Democratic primary

US Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Wednesday won the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary with around 25% votes. On Twitter, he wrote, "Our victory tonight is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump." "What we have done together here is nothing short of the beginning of a political revolution," he further added.
read more at Reuters

US offered Palestinians state that looks like Swiss cheese: Prez

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, while speaking at the United Nations, said that the State of Palestine in US President Donald Trump's proposed Middle East peace plan looks like Swiss cheese. In response, Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that it's the best plan that exists for Israel and Palestine. Palestinian leaders claimed the plan is biased towards Israel and rejected it.
read more at Reuters

Former Indian Oil, BPCL Chairman Sarthak Behuria joins RIL as advisor

Former Indian Oil and BPCL Chairman Sarthak Behuria has joined Reliance Industries (RIL) as a senior advisor, the company announced. Until last year, Behuria was with Adani Group and was the Chairman of IndianOil between 2005-2010 and became BPCL's Chairman in 2002. He will give strategic direction to the new joint venture between Reliance and BP, formed last year.
read more at Livemint

InterMiles is offering flat ₹500 off on every hotel booking

As planning begins for summer vacations, InterMiles has launched a special offer of flat ₹500 off on every hotel booking, seeking to make travel more rewarding. This offer is valid only for today and on a minimum transaction of ₹3000. With 1.5 million properties to choose from, you can look forward to great vacations across 40,000+ destinations.
read more at InterMiles

Arvind Kejriwal to take oath as Delhi CM for 3rd time in a row on February 16

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal will take oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi consecutively for the third time on February 16 at Ramlila Maidan. The AAP defeated BJP and Congress in the Delhi Assembly election by winning 62 out of 70 seats. Kejriwal had earlier taken oath as Delhi Chief Minister in 2013 and 2015.
read more at The Quint

Arijit buys 4 flats in Mumbai worth ₹9 crore, pays stamp duty of ₹54 lakh: Reports

Singer Arijit Singh has reportedly purchased four flats in a building in Versova, Mumbai worth ₹9.10 crore. He has also paid a stamp duty of ₹54 lakh, the report added. Quoting Square Feet India, a report in Hindustan Times mentions that the flats are on the same floor of the building.
read more at The Quint

Scene showing Kartik, Sara undressing themselves removed from 'Love Aaj Kal'

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has asked 'Love Aaj Kal' makers to remove a scene that shows Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan undressing themselves. The kissing scene in the beginning has been reduced and the lovemaking sequence has been modified. The board has also asked the makers to blur visuals of cleavage shown after the lovemaking scene.
read more at The Quint

FIR filed against actor Shahbaz Khan for allegedly molesting teenage girl

A case has been filed against actor Shahbaz Khan for allegedly molesting a teenage girl in Mumbai, police said on Wednesday. An investigation is underway, police said. Shahbaz has appeared in television shows including 'Yug', 'The Great Maratha', 'Betaal Pachisi', 'Chandrakanta' and 'The Sword of Tipu Sultan' and was recently seen on 'Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush' and 'Tenali Rama'.
read more at Hindustan Times

Kejriwal not ready to give up IIT habits, here also 90%: Dadlani on Delhi election

Singer-composer Vishal Dadlani on Tuesday congratulated Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal after the latter's victory in the Delhi Assembly elections. He tweeted, "Arvind Kejriwal is not ready to give up on his habits from his IIT days. Here also 90%!?" AAP won 62 out of 70 seats in Delhi Assembly elections.
read more at Twitter

US stripper falls on face from 20-ft-high pole, keeps twerking despite broken jaw

A video shows stripper Genea Sky from Dallas, US falling on her face from a 20-foot-high pole during a performance. However, she kept on twerking despite a broken jaw, chipped teeth, and a sprained ankle. In an Instagram post shared on Monday, Sky revealed that she had undergone a surgery and her jaw is "wired shut".
read more at Daily Mail

11 anti-CAA protesters in UP asked to sign ₹50 lakh peace bond each

Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal administration has issued notices to 11 persons protesting against the CAA and the NRC, asking them to sign a peace bond of ₹50 lakh each. "They have been told in the notices that police suspect that they may get involved in violence," an official said. Notices to 24 others would be sent soon, the official added.

Why are we gloating over AAP's win?: Cong leader on Chidambaram's tweet

After Congress leader P Chidambaram posted a tweet "saluting" Delhi voters for "defeating" BJP, Delhi Mahila Congress President Sharmistha Mukherjee asked him that why is the party "gloating over AAP victory". "Has Congress outsourced the task of defeating BJP to state parties?" she tweeted. Mukherjee added that if that is the case then they "might as well close shop".
read more at Zee News

After Delhi Congress President, Delhi in-charge PC Chacko quits over poll results

Congress leader PC Chacko on Wednesday quit from his position as the Congress' Delhi in-charge, taking responsibility for the party's debacle in the Assembly elections. This comes a day after Subhash Chopra resigned from the post of Delhi Congress President over party's performance. The party failed to win from any seat for the second time in a row.
read more at The Financial Express

PM Modi is a friend, he said millions will welcome me on India visit: US Prez

US President Donald Trump said he is looking forward to his India visit and indicated that the two countries might sign a trade deal. Calling PM Narendra Modi a "friend", Trump said the PM has told him that "millions and millions of people" would welcome him on his visit. Trump is slated to visit India on February 24 and 25.

1 held for firing on AAP MLA's convoy, police says MLA was not the target

Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested one person for firing on the convoy of AAP MLA Naresh Yadav on Tuesday night. Police said Yadav wasn't the target of the attack but the assailant specifically attacked the AAP worker, who was shot dead in the incident. The accused and the deceased had a personal dispute which resulted in the attack, police added.
read more at The Quint

Assam NRC list data goes offline, govt assures the data is safe

Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday said Assam NRC list data went offline due to a technical issue and assured that the data is safe. Earlier, Congress had called the missing of data a "mala fide act". The details of exclusion and inclusion of bonafide Indian citizens in NRC was uploaded after the final list was published in August 2019.
read more at The Quint

Rape survivor's father shot dead allegedly by accused in UP: Police

A rape victim's father was shot dead allegedly by the accused in Uttar Pradesh's Firozabad district on Monday, the police said. The family members alleged that the rape accused Achaman Upadhyay was putting pressure on the family and threatening the victim's father to withdraw the case. An FIR has been registered against Upadhyay and three unidentified aides on murder charges.
read more at Deccan Herald

Andhra man commits suicide near mother's grave fearing he has coronavirus

Days after getting discharged from hospital after suffering from an infection, a 50-year-old man in Andhra Pradesh killed himself fearing he contracted coronavirus and would spread it to his family. His body was reportedly found hanging on a tree near his mother's grave. He used to throw stones at family members when they tried to approach him, an official said.
read more at The New Indian Express

Lowest daily rise of new coronavirus reported since Jan 30 in China

China on Wednesday reported its lowest number of daily rise in new coronavirus cases since January 30. The total cases of new coronavirus in China have now reached 44,653, including 2,015 new confirmed cases on February 11 and it's the lowest daily rise in new coronavirus cases since January 30. The World Health Organization has officially named the virus "COVID-19".
read more at Reuters

4 survive for 32 days in ocean by eating coconuts, drinking rainwater: Report

Four people reportedly survived 32 days in the Pacific ocean by eating coconuts and drinking rainwater after their boat capsized. A group from Papua New Guinea had gone to celebrate Christmas on December 22 at an island but their boat capsized and eight people died. The four survivors, after drifting around 2,000 kilometres, were saved after a vessel spotted them.
read more at Hindustan Times

CIA used coding devices to crack top-secrets of countries including India: Report

The US' Central Intelligence Agency and the German BND spy service reportedly owned Swiss company 'Crypto AG' and used its encryption technology devices to crack other nations' top-secret messages, including India. The joint operation was codenamed "Rubicon" and ran from the 1970s to 2018. As per the report, at least four countries were allowed access to some of the secrets.
read more at Hindustan Times

Paedophilia doesn't kill, but abortion does: 72-yr-old US priest

A Catholic priest named Reverend Richard Bucci in the US' Rhode Island suggested abortion is worse than child abuse. The 72-year-old priest, who had earlier condemned lawmakers who supported the state's abortion bill, said, "We are not talking about any other moral issue, where some may make it a comparison between paedophilia and abortion...Paedophilia doesn't kill anyone and this does."
read more at The Guardian

56-yr-old man charged with holding woman captive as sex slave for 31 yrs

Venezuelan prosecutors indicted 56-year-old Matias Salazar on charges that he sexually enslaved a 49-year-old woman named Morella whom he held captive for 31 years in an apartment building. Salazar was also accused of crimes including psychological violence and sexual violence. He reportedly used to live with another woman in a building across the street from where Morella was held.
read more at Reuters

Ratan Tata defends woman after she gets criticised for calling him 'Chhotu'

Tata Sons' Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata on Tuesday shared a post on Instagram after he reached 1 million followers on the platform. Commenting on it, a woman wrote, "Congratulations Chhotu", to which users reacted with comments like "disrespectful" and "shameful". Defending her, the 82-year-old replied, "There's a child in each one of us. Please treat this young lady with respect."
read more at Instagram

CM-designate Arvind Kejriwal elected leader of AAP in assembly

The newly-elected MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday officially elected CM-designate Arvind Kejriwal as the leader of the AAP's legislative party. He is likely to meet Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and will stake claim to form the government in Delhi. The AAP came back to power in Delhi Assembly elections, winning 62 seats in the 70 seats.
read more at Twitter

Disease that still afflicts humans found in a fossilised dinosaur tail

Scientists have found a benign tumour in a fossilised tail of a young dinosaur, belonging to a grass-eating herbivore species that lived 60 million years ago. The scientists have identified this benign tumour as part of the pathology of LCH (Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis), a rare disease that still afflicts humans, particularly children under the age of 10.
read more at Phys

Toxic metals from late 1800's Industrial Revolution found in Himalayas

Byproducts of burning coal, like toxic metals, in Europe in the late 18th century were found on the Dasuopu glacier in the central Himalayas, around 6,400 miles from London, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. The researchers found that those metals were likely transported by winter winds, which travel around the globe from west to east.
read more at OSU

Robot that can perform supermicrosurgery successfully tested on human

MUSA, the first robotic system designed to perform reconstructive supermicrosurgery like reconnecting vessels with diameters as tiny as 0.3 millimetres, has successfully been tested on human patients. The robot was tested on a randomly selected group of 20 breast cancer patients, all of whom responded positively to the procedure.
read more at Nature

24-yr-old Hyd techie commits suicide after parents delay his marriage plan

Upset over delay in marriage, 24-year-old techie named P Nikhil Goud on Tuesday allegedly committed suicide in Hyderabad. After his sister's marriage two years ago, he reportedly kept asking his parents to look for a girl for him to marry but his parents, who thought he was too young to get married, had asked him to wait for few years.
read more at The New Indian Express

Taking steps toward independence vote from UK: Scotland's First Minister

Scotland is taking steps to hold a "legal and legitimate" referendum on independence from the UK, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said. "We should agree on a process between ourselves and the UK government for a referendum in line with clear mandate given by people of Scotland," she said. In 2014 referendum, 55% Scots voted to stay in the UK.
read more at Reuters

Stanford Executive Education offers Design Thinking program with GL

Stanford GSB Executive Education's Design Thinking Program is delivered in collaboration with Great Learning. This online program seeks to teach professionals from diverse backgrounds to innovate and create delightful customer experiences through real-world projects, with mentorship from design thinking experts. Participants learn from Stanford faculty and receive a certificate from Stanford Graduate School of Business on completion.
read more at greatlearning.in

It's crazy to climb the hill for people not born to star parents: Swara on nepotism

Talking about nepotism, Swara Bhasker said Kangana Ranaut is right about people born to "star parents" get a certain kind of access and privilege. "[Took] me 10 years to be...here today...Even Nawazuddin Siddiqui...took 16-17 years before making a mark," she added. "You can't take away the fact that it's crazy to climb that hill for people like us," said Swara.
read more at spotboye.com

What was the biggest and lowest margin of victory in Delhi Assembly polls?

AAP's Sanjeev Jha recorded the biggest margin of victory in Delhi Assembly elections, winning Burari constituency by a margin of 88,158 votes against JD(U)'s Shailendra Kumar. The lowest margin was recorded by AAP's Bhupinder Singh Joon, who won the Bijwasan seat by 753 votes against BJP's Sat Prakash Rana. The second biggest margin (71,827) was recorded by AAP's Amanatullah Khan.
read more at ECI

Shots fired at AAP MLA Naresh Yadav's vehicle, 45-year-old volunteer dead

Unidentified miscreants fired shots at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and MLA from Delhi’s Mehrauli constituency Naresh Yadav on Tuesday night. A 45-year-old party volunteer died in the incident and another sustained gunshot injury. The volunteers were accompanying Yadav while they were on their way back from a temple. This comes hours after AAP won Delhi elections, winning 62 seats.

82-year-old Ratan Tata hits 1 million followers on Instagram within 4 months

Tata Trusts Chairman Ratan Tata has reached 1 million followers on Instagram in less than 4 months of him joining the photo-sharing platform. The 82-year-old also posted a picture on Instagram to celebrate the occasion. "This wonderful online family is not what I expected when I joined Instagram and I have you to thank for it," he said.
read more at The Financial Express

About time we rely on ourselves: Philippines scraps 20-yr-old military pact with US

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday terminated a 20-year-old military cooperation pact with the US. The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) sets out rules for US soldiers to operate in the Philippines for humanitarian assistance and military exercises. "It's about time we rely on ourselves. We'll strengthen our own defences and not rely on any other country," a spokesperson said.
read more at Reuters

Quarantine officer on Japan cruise ship tests +ve for coronavirus as cases rise to 175

Another 39 people have tested positive for coronavirus on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan as well as one quarantine officer, bringing the total to 175, the health ministry said on Wednesday. About 3,700 people are aboard the ship, which was placed in quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on February 3.
read more at Reuters

Airbus reveals its blended wing plane design after secret flight tests

Airbus on Tuesday unveiled an aircraft design that blends wing and body, aimed to cut carbon emissions by around 20%. The French planemaker displayed a 3.2-metre-wide demonstrator model codenamed Maveric at the Singapore Air Show. Airbus has been test flying the model at a secret location in central France since June last year.
read more at Reuters

Two Indians including Ambani among world's top 10 fossil fuel billionaires

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani's $56 billion fortune is the world's fourth-biggest with links to greenhouse gas emissions, according to an analysis by Bloomberg. The only other Indian in the list is ArcelorMittal Chairman Lakshmi Mittal, who is worth $13.2 billion. The list was topped by the US' Koch family with a $150-billion fortune while Warren Buffett came in third.
read more at Bloomberg Quint

Amazon wants to question Trump over $10 bn Pentagon cloud contract

Amazon has asked a US Federal court to allow it to question US President Donald Trump over the $10 billion Pentagon cloud contract which was awarded to Microsoft. In its documents, Amazon said it seeks to depose seven "individuals who were instrumental" in awarding the JEDI contract. Microsoft will provide platform services for both the Pentagon's business and mission operations.
read more at Livemint

Google cancels plans to buy Africa's largest wind farm due to project delay

Google has cancelled its plans to buy 12.5% stake in Africa's largest wind farm because of delay in the project, Danish wind turbine maker Vestas said. Lake Turkana wind farm was set to be ready by 2017 and Google said it would buy the stake from Vestas. The tech giant cancelled the deal due to delays in the "transmission line".
read more at Reuters

World's largest firework weighing 1,270 kg explodes in US, video surfaces

The world's largest firework was launched in Colorado, US, setting a new Guinness World Record. The firework shell weighed 1,270 kg and flew over 2,200 feet into the air before exploding. The previous world record for the largest firework was set in the UAE in 2018 with a shell that weighed 1,088 kg.
read more at The Guardian

Coronavirus outbreak a very grave global threat: WHO

The coronavirus outbreak poses a "very grave threat for the rest of the world", the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "With 99% of cases in China, this remains very much an emergency for that country," he added. “What matters most is stopping the outbreak and saving lives,” Tedros further said.
read more at Hindustan Times

Sudan to send its ex-Prez Bashir to face International Criminal Court

Authorities in Sudan have agreed to send its former President Omar al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face genocide and war crime charges. The charges relate to the conflict that had broken out in the country's Darfur region in the early 2000s. Sudan's military ousted and arrested Bashir in April after mass protests in the country.
read more at The Guardian