The Cuban government said Washington is preparing for a military intervention in Venezuela under the humanitarian pretext, and called for international efforts to avoid the scenario. “The US intends to create a humanitarian pretext to initiate a military aggression against Venezuela and has proposed to introduce in that sovereign nation through intimidation, pressure and force, an alleged humanitarian aid,” said Havana in an official government statement on late Wednesday. The Caribbean island state added that the United States is obviously “paving the way” for building a “humanitarian corridor” by force under the “international protection” to safeguard the civilian interests, and…
Author: Samikhsya Bureau
India bowed out of the Hero Gold Cup after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Myanmar on Wednesday at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, finishing third in the group with three points from three games. Despite early exit, Indian coach Maymol Rocky was positive while assessing the team’s performance, stating that the competition was an important experience. “The team played well, I believe,” she said. “We are still in a developmental process with the target being clearing the second round of the 2020 Olympic qualifiers. Playing in the Hero Gold Cup against the likes of Myanmar, Nepal and Iran…
Parle Products, a leading food company is all set to launch a digital campaign – “HealthIsNotAChoice” for its newly introduced health brand Nutricrunch under its Platina division. The campaign aims at encouraging people to embrace the ‘Health is not a choice’ philosophy. The campaign began with innovative posts across Parle Nutricrunch social media platforms and in newspapers. All the posts strongly advocate treating one’s health and well-being as priority and showcase that one might have options for a lot of aspects in life but one’s journey to good health must not be compromised. As a part of the campaign, three…
Public sector aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has taken a lead role in organising the 2019 edition of Aero India, the Defence and civilian aerospace exposition dubbed as the biggest in South Asia to be held at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, on the outskirts of the city, from February 20 to 24. Besides providing entire logistic support, HAL will showcase its prowess in Defence and aerospace centered on the theme ‘Innovate, Integrate and Lead’. “HAL is poised to tap into the opportunities during the Aero India and will highlight its indigenously designed and developed fixed and rotary wing platforms,…
India-made ISUZU D-MAX pick-ups will now be available directly to government departments and public sector units through Government e-Marketplace (GeM). The central and state government establishments can now directly procure from the range of globally renowned ISUZU D-MAX Pick-ups, through the centralised GeM Portal, which includes the full-fledged commercial Pick-up — D-MAX Regular Cab Flat Deck (High-Ride variant), 5-seater multi-utility Pick-up – D-MAX S-CAB (Standard and High-Ride variants) and the versatile adventure utility Pick-up – D-MAX V-Cross (Standard and High-Grade variants). Uniformly priced across all states, the e-Marketplace platform will enable Isuzu Motors India to seamlessly cater to the varying…
At the invitation of President of Republic of Korea, Moon Jae-in, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a two-day state visit to that country and give a new momentum in high-level exchanges between two countries. During his visit, Mr Modi will be also honoured with Seoul Peace Prize. According to an official release, India and Korea share good ties and this got further boost during the visit of President Moon to India for Bilateral Summit in July 2018 and the participation of the Korean First Lady Her Excellency Madame Kim Jung-sook at the Deepotsav event in Ayodhya in November 2018.…
Despite some positive developments following years of brutal conflict, Iraq is gripped by political stalemate and a continued humanitarian crisis that is hampering the stabilisation of the country, the head of the UN Assistance Mission in the country, (UNAMI), Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, has told the Security Council. Special Representative Hennis-Plasschaert on Wednesday started her first briefing to the UN body since taking up her post, by explaining that although a new Prime Minister-designate has been nominated, the Iraqi Government remains incomplete due to “fierce disagreements among political parties”, with four top positions still vacant, including the key portfolios of the Interior,…
People in Chechnya who are suspected of being lesbian, gay or bisexual, are facing a “new wave of persecution” following a spate of killings involving torture, and other rights abuses, has said a group of independent UN human rights experts. In a statement released on Wednesday by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the experts expressed alarm at information indicating a worsening situation for LGBT people in Chechnya: “Abuse inflicted on victims has allegedly become more cruel and violent compared with reports from 2017. It is no longer only gay men in Chechnya who are being…
The Supreme Court, in its order on the tug of war between between the Lieutenant Governor and Delhi government, on Thursday delivered a split judgement on services, the power to appoint, post and transfer officials in Delhi administration, but agreed on the Centre having control over Anti-Corruption Branch in Delhi. The service issue has been sent to a larger bench. A two-judge bench, headed by Justices A K Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan pronounced the verdict. Both the judges unanimously said that the Centre will have the jurisdiction over Delhi’s ACB. The Top Court had reserved the judgement last year,…
Radio is a powerful tool that continues to promote “dialogue, tolerance and peace,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said in message on Thursday, marking World Radio Day. “Even in today’s world of digital communications, radio reaches more people than any other media platform” explained the UN chief, adding that it “conveys vital information and raises awareness on important issues”. “And it is a personal, interactive platform where people can air their views, concerns, and grievances” he added, noting that radio “can create a community”. UN Radio was established on 13 February 1946, and since 2013, the day has been commemorated…
In quite an unusual but assertive note, fugitive business magnate Vijay Mallya on Thursday sought to join issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and wondered why the latter was “not instructing” banks to take the money he (Mallya) has offered to pay back. “I respectfully ask why the Prime Minister is not instructing his Banks to take the money I have put on the table so he can at least claim credit for full recovery of public funds lent to Kingfisher,” Mr Mallya wrote in a series of tweets. The business tycoon, who has been ordered by the UK government…
Big political row has been triggered off by veteran socialist Mulayam Singh Yadav’s heaps of praise on Prime Minister and extending of good wishes that Narendra Modi should ‘return’ to power again. “Hum log toh itna bahumat mein nahi aa sakte haen, Pradhan mantri ji aap phir pradhan mantri baney (We cannot win as many seats to come to power. Mr Prime Minister, you will again become Prime Minister),” Mr Yadav said in Lok Sabha perhaps making the most surprising political remark of circa 2019. With UPA stalwart Sonia Gandhi on his side, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav sprang major surprise…
In a bid to ease the burden of heavy bags, the Meghalaya government has fixed weight limits for students of all classes and imposed restrictions on home works for classes I and II. The government, which has set rules in pursuance to the guidelines of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India, pertaining to the matter of weight of school bags and the health of children. In a notification issued by Principal Secretary Donald P Wahlang, the schools shall not assign homework to students except those recommended by the MBOSE, ICSE or CBSE as per the guidelines formulated…
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido’s ambassador to the United States, Carlos Vecchio, during a meeting urged US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers to intensify pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government. “We must ensure that humanitarian aid can enter soon to serve all Venezuelans, while increasing pressure against the regime,” Vecchio said according to a press release issued by his office after the meeting on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Guaido told his supporters that US humanitarian aid would be delivered on February 23. Maduro so far has refused to accept aid that the United States has delivered to neighboring Colombia,…
The 16th Lok Sabha held its last working session on Wednesday. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan hosted a lunch for media persons at her official residence here. In informal chat with journalists, Ms Mahajan said the “single biggest” achievement of her tenure was a “lesson by itself”. “I have been a member of the House for long….I also sat among front bench members. In the past, I might have complained against former Speakers Somnath Chatterjeeji and Meira Kumarji, that they have not given me time. But when I sat on the chair, I understood the limitations of how to take all along,…
New political outfit Bahujan Azad Party (BAP) which was floated a couple of years ago by 50 IITians, has announced its election symbol “SLATE” , here. Addressing a press conference at Press Club of India on Wednesday, Naveen Kumar, an IIT passout who is leading the party from the front said that nation has invested a lot in him and he must pay back to India by serving for making India developed nation. Accusing the BJP led government in the centre of attacking the institutions like Supreme Court and Media, he said that “India has gone 50 years back in…
କେଦାର ମିଶ୍ର ଷୋଡଶ ଲୋକସଭାର କାର୍ୟକାଳ ଗତକାଲି ସରିଛି। ୧୯୮୪ ପରଠୁ ଏହି ଲୋକସଭାରେ ପ୍ରଥମଥର ଲାଗି ଶାସକ ଦଳ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ସଂଖ୍ୟା ଗରିଷ୍ଠ ହୋଇଥିଲା। ମଇ ୨୦୧୪ ରେ ଷୋଡଶ ଲୋକସଭା ଗଠିତ ହେଲାବେଳକୁ ଏଥିରେ ଭାରତୀୟ ଜନତା ପାର୍ଟିର ସଦସ୍ୟ ସଂଖ୍ୟା ଥିଲା ୨୮୨। ତିରିଶ ବର୍ଷ ପରେ ପ୍ରଥମଥର ଲାଗି ବିଜେପି ଲୋକସଭାରେ ନିଜ ଶକ୍ତି ମୁତାବକ ସରକାର ଗଠନ କରିବାର ସୁଯୋଗ ପାଇଥିଲା। ତେବେ ଲୋକସଭାର ଶେଷ ଦିନ ବେଳକୁ ଏହି ସଂଖ୍ୟା ୨୬୮ କୁ ଖସି ଆସିଥିଲା। ସେହିପରି ଇତିହାସରେ ସବୁଠୁ କମ ସଂଖ୍ୟକ କଂଗ୍ରେସ ଦଳର ସଦସ୍ୟ ଲୋକସଭାକୁ ନିର୍ବାଚିତ ହୋଇ ଆସିଥିଲେ। ଲୋକସଭାରେ କଂଗ୍ରେସର ସଦସ୍ୟ ସଂଖ୍ୟା ଥିଲା ମାତ୍ର ୪୫। ହେଲେ ବିରୋଧୀ ଦଳ ଭାବରେ କଂଗ୍ରେସ ନିଜର ଅଳ୍ପ ସଦସ୍ୟଙ୍କୁ ନେଇ ସରକାରକୁ ଘେରିବାରେ ବେଶ ସଫଳ ହୋଇଥିଲା। ଲୋକସଭାର ନେତା ଭାବରେ ପ୍ରଧାନମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ନରେନ୍ଦ୍ର ମୋଦୀ ମାତ୍ର…
Empowering users to make seamless digital payments in their own language, India’s largest digital payments platform, Paytm, the brand owned by One 97 Communications Limited, on Wednesday announced that its Android app now supports 11 different languages, including all major Indian vernaculars and English. With this, Paytm has further expanded its lingual reach and has gone on to become the first digital payments major in India to offer the widest range of language options on its app, a release said here. Within 5 years of operations, Paytm today covers around 88 per cent of Indian villages and more than 60…
Skoda Auto India said that bringing back the premium Monte Carlo marque, which combines luxury and glamour with racing sports styling to its portfolio. The premium Monte Carlo range will offer distinctive black design accents and race-inspired exquisite interiors. The Rapid Monte Carlo will be introduced at an ex-showroom price of Rs 11.16 lakh in exclusive Flash Red colour. Commenting on the introduction of the new Skoda Rapid Monte Carlo, Zac Hollis, director Sales, Service, and Marketing, Skoda Auto India, said, ”We are glad to re-introduce the Monte Carlo marque in India. The Rapid Monte Carlo offers a compelling combination…
Construction and real estate industry should push for bringing the entire sector under the GST as early as possible to solve major problems of the sector, Group of Ministers on Real Estate under GST regime Secretary Manish Kumar Sinha suggested on Wednesday. The group of ministers will soon meet and address all issues, Mr Sinha said while speaking at an interactive session on ‘Decoding Union Budget – A Real Estate Perspective’ organised by the FICCI. Mr Sinha said the Government is very sensitive to this sector and doing the best it can. The government is aware of the fact that…
Hard task master Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who has been recently appointed as Congress general secretary ( Uttar Pradesh east) held a marathon 16 hours meeting on Tuesday which ended in the early hours on Wednesday and was ready within six hours to start afresh a series of meetings with party workers on Wednesday. Waving her hand from her vehicle, Priyanka entered the Nehru Bhawan , the state headquarters of the Congress here at around 1300 hours on Wednesday to continue her second day of the meeting. On the first day, she shared her mantra for unity with all the Congress…