Nikita Venkatesh

In a bid to revive dwindling interest in Test cricket, Australia and New Zealand have joined forces to meet in the game’s first day-nighter later this year.

The trans-Tasman rivals will play a three-match Test series beginning November 27, with the final match to be played under lights in Adelaide.

A pink ball will be introduced in order to facilitate the game under floodlights while still allowing players to wear traditional whites.

Reflecting on this new format, Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said he hopes the idea would increase interest in the game.

Asian shares have climbed up as the euro lagged behind in the early hours of trading on Tuesday, with Greece looking almost certain to default on a loan payment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stoking fears of the country’s exit from the eurozone.

While MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan went up 0.1 percent, Japan’s Nikkei stock index added 0.2 percent, reported The Guardian.

The Food and Drug Administration in U.S. have announced a final three-year timetable to eliminate artificial trans fats from the edible products.

According to the FDA, the reason behind the anticipated ban is that trans fats, which are usually added to processed foods via partially hydrogenated oils, are not recognised as safe for use in human food, reported Slate Magazine.

A new study has revealed that for type 2 diabetes risk, where you live matters.

The University of California San Francisco study found that living in a neighborhood with resources to support exercise and with access to healthy food was linked to a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes, Medpage Today reported.

Researchers found that 12 percent of the more than 5,000 people in the study developed diabetes within the average 8.9 years of follow-up, but patients who lived in areas that had access to more physical activity resources and healthy foods had a lower risk of developing diabetes.

Vacations are good, but for half of travellers, who jet off without saving enough in advance, they tend to come with a baggage: credit card debt, as per a new study.

Survey by credit data monitoring company Experian Consumer Services found that forty-six percent of people said they paid for a vacation by credit card when they didn’t have enough saved, the USA Today reported.

A new study has revealed that cranberry juice may help protect against heart disease and diabetes risk factors.

As per the study, drinking low-calorie cranberry juice cocktail may help lower the risk of chronic diseases that rank among the leading causes of death worldwide, including heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

The finding shows that cranberries provide a rich source of protective compounds, called polyphenols, which support our body’s natural defenses and help us achieve a balanced lifestyle to improve health.

Former minister of state for coal Dasari Narayan Rao on Tuesday alleged that the coalgate scam took place when the then-prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh was in charge of the Coal Ministry.

Detailed story to follow. (ANI)

Expressing serious concern over the issue of farmers’ suicide, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Bijoy Sonkar Shastri on Tuesday said it should not be looked upon as pertaining to one particular state.

“The issue of farmer suicide is a critical one. It should not be looked at in context of a state but we should think of better policies which would solve their issues. They do not have any other means besides farming. The Central Government is thinking of better policies and programme to address their issues,” said Shastri to ANI.

Detailed story to follow. (ANI)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday said that it was wrong to ‘taint’ Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde on the basis of allegations over irregularities in a contract awarded by him.

“You cannot taint people just on the basis of allegations. You need to show proof for that,” said BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli.

Tawde is facing allegations of irregularities in a contract awarded by him.

The finance department has sought a detailed probe into allegations of irregularities in a Rs 191 crore contract awarded by Tawde’s School Education Department without e-tendering.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Tuesday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not understand anything about polls in Bihar, adding that the party did not even have manifestos and ideas for the same.

“BJP does not understand anything about Bihar elections. They don’t have manifestos and ideas; they have a negative campaign and you cannot win public’s trust by this,” RJD leader Manoj Jha said.

The assembly polls in Bihar would be held most likely in September or October this year.

United Democratic Front ( UDF) candidate K Sabarinathan is currently in the lead in the Aruvikkara by-polls in Kerala.

As per latest reports, Sabarinathan currently leads by over 6000 votes, while the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the BJP are in the second and third place respectively.

The counting is still underway. (ANI)

Expressing concern over Modi government’s stringent actions againt non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the United States on Tuesday cleared air about the situation.

The American nation maintained that it supports the “pro-business reforms” of the Modi Government but at the same time remains concerned about difficulties caused to non-governmental organisations, a top State Department official has said.

National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key member of Naga insurgent group NSCN-K for allegedly being a part of conspiracy to carry out the June 4 ambush that killed 18 army men in Manipur, in the first breakthrough in the probe into the incident.

Khumlo Abi Anal, 40, the self-styled ‘Regional Commander’ of NSCN-K, is alleged to be a part of the conspiracy that was hatched to carry out the attack on army men at Chandel area of Manipur on June four, NIA said.

The first phase of the much anticipated multi-crore Metro Rail chugged into the city today, with Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa flagging off the inaugural service steered by a woman driver.

Jayalalithaa launched the services on the Alandur-Koyambedu sector by flagging it off from the state secretariat through live video, throwing open to the public a mass rapid transport system.

After Maggi controversy, Indo Nissin today announced withdrawal of its instant noodles brand ‘Top Ramen’ from the Indian market on orders from central food safety regulator FSSAI.

Earlier this month, Nestle had to recall Maggi noodles, while Hindustan Unilever also withdrew its Knorr instant noodles brand over safety and regulatory issues.

On June 8, FSSAI had come out with the advisory on product safety testing of all instant noodle products in India after lead beyond permissible limits in Maggi noodles along with taste enhancer Monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and activist Anjali Damania on Tuesday criticized Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde for awarding contracts without proper tenders and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs have off late been busy in collecting the funds spent during the assembly polls.

“BJP MLAs are busy in collecting the expenses that they incurred in the polls. How did Vinod Tawde order 62105? Fire extinguishers without tenders? It is absolutely wrong,” said Damania.

Tawde is facing allegations of irregularities in a contract awarded by him.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reportedly set up command centres across the United States to monitor any potential terror threats around its Independence Day on July 4, a federal law enforcement source said.

The source added that while no credible, specific threats surrounding the holiday had been received, its symbolic significance could make it a potential target for terror groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), reported Fox News.

Impressions and perceptions have a way of changing with the passage of time. Sixty-six days ago, Nepal was in the news for all the wrong reasons, or so it seemed, given the wide and largely negative media coverage of the devastation and ravage caused by the April 25 earthquake.

Then, it was conveyed through various mediums of communication that one of the world’s less well off economies was spiraling downward due to a natural calamity striking the nation after 81 years.

An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale struck Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday morning at 3.37 am.

According to reports, the epicentre of the quake was in the Hindu Kush region.

Further details are awaited. (ANI)

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday alleged that Arvind Kejriwal does not practice what he preaches, adding that the Delhi Chief Minister only looks to target rival politicians.

The BJP’s reaction came after an RTI enquiry revealed that Kejriwal’s power bill for a period of two months was in excess of Rs one lakh.

India and 49 other founding countries, have signed an agreement which provides a legal framework for the China-led ‘100 Billion’ US Dollar, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

The 60-article agreement specified each member’s share as well as governance structure and policy-making mechanism of the bank, which is designed to finance infrastructure in Asia.

The delegates from over 50 founding countries gathered at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for the signing ceremony yesterday.

Seven more countries are due to sign by the end of the year.(ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA Government has decided to continue the cleanliness drive in all central government offices up to August 15.

These will include public sector institutions such as banks and other departments.

The Union Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation said in a circular issued to all secretaries that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his desire to continue the cleanliness drive till 15 August 2015. (ANI)

Australia and New Zealand have received a significant boost to their local economies as a result of co-hosting the ICC World Cup 2015 while generating a staggering 1.1billion Australian dollars (843.59 million dollars).

The findings of an economic impact and benefits analysis carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers show that the tournament generated more than 1.1 billion Australian dollars in direct spending, created the equivalent of 8,320 full time jobs, and had a total of 2 million bed nights across the two countries.

The debate whether coffee is healthy or not has going on for long, but a century’s worth of research proves that coffee’s effects on human health is marginal at most unless a person belongs to some particularly sensitive group.

The choice to drink or abstain will neither shorten nor lengthen a person’s life in a noticeable way, reported Slate magazine.

AIADMK workers started celebrating as early reports indicated that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was leading by 20,000 votes in the counting of the RK Nagar by-polls.

The counting is still in progress.

The RK Nagar seat fell vacant following the resignation of P. Vetrivel.

The DMK, PMK and VCK have boycotted the by-election for various reasons.

A total of 28 candidates are in the fray in this assembly segment. (ANI)