Top stories from India and the world people read while you were away
A glimpse of latest news in brief.
Catch a glimpse of all the latest news you can use to begin your Thursday. From 100 days of demonetisation to the Tamil Nadu political drama and ISRO’s feat, HT brings to you a news capsule on what’s hot and trending.
100 days of demonetisation: Fake Rs 2000 banknotes entering India through Bangladesh
Fake Rs 2,000 bills are entering India through Bangladesh, three months after the newly minted banknote was introduced as an upshot of the Narendra Modi government’s demonetisation drive to fight corruption, counterfeiting and terrorist funding.
Sasikala in jail – political impasse in Tamil Nadu continues
The outcome of the power struggle in Tamil Nadu hangs in the balance, after AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala surrendered before a special court in Bengaluru following her conviction in a corruption case. Her loyalist Edappadi K Palaniswami met Governor C Vidyasagar Rao and insisted that he had the support of 124 MLAs. His challenger O Panneerselvam also met Rao and claimed the MLAs were being “captive” at a resort. He said he would prove his majority on the floor of the House “if given a chance”. Sasikala appointed her nephew Dinakaran as the party’s deputy general secretary and appears to have retained control of AIADMK although she will be in jail for the next four years and out of electoral politics for a decade. Experts say that even though Panneerselvam may have read the popular mood right and staged his revolt, the MLAs may stick with Sasikala’s faction to stay in power for four more years. One analyst argues that this is the beginning of the end for the AIADMK.
Two security personnel killed in encounter with Maoists in Chhattisgarh
Two Special Task Force (STF) personnel, including an assistant platoon commander, were killed in an encounter in insurgency-hit Kondagaon district of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, police said.
Protests erupt across Assam after abused girl posts on Facebook
There were protests across Assam after a girl’s Facebook post alleging that she was molested in Jorhat went viral. Public meetings, rallies and signature campaigns were held against the motorbike riding youths who reportedly abused the girl last week. The public was also incensed with a minister who said the girl should have reported it to the police instead of posting it on Facebook.
Congress wants probe into Irom Sharmila’s allegation about the BJP’s offer of money
The Congress moved the Election Commission demanding a probe into allegations by civil rights activist Irom Sharmila that she was approached by a BJP functionary with an offer of money to contest the Manipur assembly poll as a party nominee. Sharmila has claimed that the BJP offered her Rs 36 crore to contest elections.
ISRO launches 104 satellites: Achievements remarkable but it must tame ‘naughty boy’ GSLV
India has long proven its proficiency in the kind of rocket that launched a record number of satellites at one go on Wednesday, but the country’s future growth in space will depend exclusively on its success with the indigenous Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle programme that is now far from perfect.
Trump offers NSA job to Vice Admiral Robert Harward
The Donald Trump administration has offered the job of White House national security adviser, vacated by former US intelligence official Michael Flynn, to Vice Admiral Robert Harward, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter. It is not clear if Harward, a former deputy commander of US Central Command, has accepted the offer. On Wednesday, Trump slammed intelligence officials and the media over what he called “very, very unfair” treatment of Flynn and for “illegally leaked” information about reported contacts between his campaign advisers and Russian officials.
Trump’s nominee for Labor Secretary withdraws from post
Andrew Puzder who was nominated by Donald Trump to run the Department of Labor has withdrawn from the position, following criticism about his business interests, allegations of domestic abuse and reports that he employed an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper.
German paper apologises for false story on migrants attacking women
German daily paper Bild apologized to its readers for falsely reporting about a group of migrants allegedly assaulting women on New Year’s Eve in 2015 at Frankfurt. The paper said in a statement it regrets a report it published about “massive attacks by a mob of drunken foreigners”. “Bild explicitly apologizes for the untruthful reporting…This kind of reporting is not up to our own journalistic standards,” it said.
Mumbai and Delhi are among 100 most student-friendly cities in the world
Mumbai and New Delhi have, for the first time, been ranked among the world’s 100 best places to be a student in the Quacquarelli Symonds Best Student Cities rankings. QS analyses cities according to performance in six indicators: affordability, desirability, student mix, rankings, employer activity, and student views. Seoul and Tokyo are the Asian cities that figure in the top 10. Mumbai and Delhi are placed 85 and 86 respectively.
And here are some more
Trump avoids endorsing the two-state solution to Israel-Palestine conflict
President Donald Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to curb settlement activity but avoided any explicit endorsement of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a longstanding bedrock of U.S. policy in West Asia. Asked by the media if he backed a two-state solution, Trump said he could abide by whatever the two parties decided. “I’m looking at two-state and one-state and I like the one that both parties like. I’m very happy with the one that both parties like,” he said.
BBC journalist faces action for documentary on anti-poaching policy in Kaziranga
The environment ministry has suggested “blacklisting” Justin Rowlatt, BBC’s South Asia correspondent, for “grossly erroneous” reporting which projected the government’s anti-poaching strategy at the Kaziranga tiger reserve in “negative light” as a “shoot-to-kill” policy. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has issued a showcause notice and has asked the documentary to be removed from online portals with immediate effect.
Crime: Neighbours heard screams of woman but did not help
The neighbours of a man who tortured and beheaded his wife in Delhi heard her scream but did not intervene or call the police. They kept quiet thinking it was a domestic matter. “When his wife saw me, she started crying louder and requested me to rescue her,” said a neighbour who checked on them that night.
Cricket: Steve Smith & Co get priorities right at nets
Australians cut down on expansive shots, focus on strengthening defence and increasing patience during their first practice session of India tour.
Yusuf Pathan baffled after BCCI’s U-turn on permission to play in Hong Kong
Cricketer Yusuf Pathan was told by BCCI that he would be given a ‘no objection certificate’?to play in a T20 tournament in Hong Kong. However, reports have emerged that BCCI?will not issue the NOC now.
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