The US Chamber of Commerce has ranked India 29th among 30 economies in its annual International IP Index even as it acknowledged that it has made “measurable and sustainable progression” on intellectual property rights.
The Index released by the chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Centre (GIPC) Wednesday found that 20 of the 30 economies improved their scores from last year with India moving up one notch from its position at the bottom.
Christian organisations here have taken umbrage at a show by standup comedy group All India Bakchod (AIB) for hurting their religious sentiments and demanded action against those associated with the programme.
The Association of Concerned Catholics (AoCC) Wednesday submitted a memorandum to Maharashtra Education and Culture Minister Vinod Tawde.
AoCC secretary Judith Monteiro said they have protested against some statements in the show pertaining to Jesus and church.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday visited the house of a college student who died after being beaten up for allegedly protesting the harassment of women, and ordered police to arrest the guilty.
The 20-year-old youth, Arup Bhandari, who slipped into coma after being beaten up for protesting the harassment of women during an idol immersion procession in Howrah district, succumbed to his injuries Monday.
The incident led to an outcry by opposition parties against the Banerjee government over its law and order record and “patronage of criminals”.
After being quoted as saying he can make or break the government, controversial BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj on Wednesday did an about turn and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his politics of “inclusive development” and described him as a “divine power”.
The five-time MP, a Hindutva voice, who has been served a show cause notice for his controversial statements, had in a media interview said that Modi should concentrate on the economy on the one hand and the Hindu agenda on the other. He had also reportedly said, “I can make or break the government.”
The Election Commission Wednesday allayed fears about tampering of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the Feb 7 Delhi assembly polls, saying it has put in place elaborate administrative measures.
“It is reiterated that the commission has put in place elaborate administrative measures and procedural checks and balances aimed at prevention of any possible misuse of procedural lapses,” the commission said in a statement.
BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday attacked Aam Aadmi Party over allegations of dubious funding, saying the party which takes black money will only do ‘black’ politics.
“Kali raat me kala dhan lene wali party kali rajneeti hi kar sakti hai (Party which takes black money in the darkness of the night can only indulge in black politics). They had promised that they will recover the blackmoney and now they have been found indulging in similar things,” Shah said addressing a rally in South Delhi’s Jangpura area here.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday vowed to fight for the poor and tribals till his last breath and said former environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan was pitted against him over the issue after he spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Karnataka Wednesday invited Chinese enterprises to invest in infrastructure projects in the state.
“As Karnataka needs to build strong infrastructure, China could be the best bet. With a view to taking bilateral ties to a new high, we favour expansion and deepening of exchanges and cooperation in all areas and settle questions left over by history,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told Chinese Ambassador to India Le Yucheng here.
Lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in females in developed countries and the change reflects the tobacco epidemic in women, according to a report released Wednesday by the American Cancer Society and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Lung cancer has been the top cancer killer for men for decades in developed countries. It is also the leading cancer killer in men in developing countries, where breast cancer still kills more women than lung cancer, Xinhua news agency cited the report as stating.
Lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in females in developed countries and the change reflects the tobacco epidemic in women, according to a report released Wednesday by the American Cancer Society and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Lung cancer has been the top cancer killer for men for decades in developed countries. It is also the leading cancer killer in men in developing countries, where breast cancer still kills more women than lung cancer, Xinhua news agency cited the report as stating.
The BJP-led Rajasthan government Wednesday defended its move to implement ‘Surya Namaskar’ (Sun worship) in schools across the state.
“Surya Namaskar, yoga and meditation are good for physical and mental development of a child,” Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Vasudev Devnani told IANS.
The minister said the sun is not of any religion but it is the one which gives “Urja” (Energy) to all.
“Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has already given her consent on this directive and we are not the only state as Madhya Pradesh has already implemented it.”
A three-day India-US international cooperation workshop on mutual legal assistance and extradition began here Wednesday.
The workshop, being jointly organised by the Central Bureau of Investigation, ministries of home affairs and external affairs and the US Department of Justice, was inaugurated by CBI director Anil Sinha.
North Korea Wednesday urged South Korea to show its will to improve inter-Korean ties by taking practical measures and avoid escalation of tensions.
South Korean unification ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol Monday told a press briefing that if North Korea really has the will to resolve pending issues and improve inter-Korean relations, it should come to the dialogue table without repeating its wasting claims any more.
South Korean media outlets also expressed concerns that north-south dialogue may be hard to materialise thanks to no response from Pyongyang to Seoul’s talks offer.
Home Secretary Anil Goswami resigned Wednesday after he was told by the government to put in his papers over his alleged role in trying to stall the arrest of former Congress minister Matang Sinh in the multi-crore-rupee Saradha scam.
Official sources said Goswami handed over his resignation to Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
“The home secretary has resigned. He met the home minister and submitted his resignation,” said an official who did not want to be identified.
Home Secretary Anil Goswami resigned Wednesday following a controversy over his alleged role in trying to stall former Congress minister Matang Sinh’s arrest in the multi-crore-rupee Saradha chit fund scam, official sources said.
Goswami met Home Minister Rajnath Singh and submitted his resignation, a home ministry official told IANS.
He had also met Rajnath Singh earlier in the day to explain his position, the official said.
Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petrobras, which is mired in a massive corruption scandal, Wednesday said its entire senior management team will be replaced and that the names of the new directors could be announced in two days.
“Petrobras confirms that its board of directors will meet Friday to choose the new management team following the resignation of the president (of the company) and five other senior directors,” the oil giant said in a securities filing.
The Election Commission Wednesday termed as “totally incorrect and unacceptable” AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s contention that electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the Feb 7 Delhi assembly polls have been tampered with.
“Your comments about tampering of four EVMs in 38-Delhi Cantt assembly constituency is totally incorrect and unacceptable. The commission expected you to ascertain the correct facts on EVMs before making the comment on social media,” the poll panel said in a letter to Kejriwal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday said the huge turnout at his election rally here — his last before the Delhi assembly polls Saturday — was a clear indication of “the direction the wind is blowing” and appealed to voters to bring a stable BJP government in Delhi.
He also took a dig at surveys ahead of the Feb 7 polls that predicted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) having an advantage.
Addressing a rally in south Delhi’s Ambedkar Nagar, Modi said for a strong nation it was necessary to have a strong BJP government and appealed to voters not to give an “unstable” government to Delhi.
The Election Commission Wednesday termed as “totally incorrect and unacceptable” AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s contention that electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the Feb 7 Delhi assembly polls have been tampered with.
“Your comments about tampering of four EVMs in 38-Delhi Cantt assembly constituency is totally incorrect and unacceptable. The commission expected you to ascertain the correct facts on EVMs before making the comment on social media,” the poll panel said in a letter to Kejriwal.
A US court has found an Indian American woman guilty on charges of foeticide and felony neglect of a dependent after experiencing a miscarriage or what prosecutors claim was actually an illegal abortion.
After six days of trial and testimony, a jury in South Bend, Indiana deliberated for less than five hours before finding Purvi Patel guilty Tuesday, according to ABC News.
Patel faces up to 70 years in prison. She will be sentenced March 6.
It was yet another day of political slugfest between the AAP and the BJP in the run-up to the Feb 7 Delhi assembly polls with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Wednesday calling the former a “brilliant propagandist” which wears the “label of honesty” on its sleeve.
However, former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose party has been accused of receiving dubious funds, dared Jaitley to arrest him if he had dome anything wrong.
Hyderabad University was today given the first President’s award for the best university for academic excellence and overall outstanding work.
The award, which carries a citation and a trophy, was given by President Pranab Mukherjee to Hyderabad University’s Vice Chancellor Prof E Haribabu during a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Durbar Hall.
The Hyderabad University, which was established in October 1974, is a premier institution of post graduate teaching and research in the country. It has National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) rating of 3.72 on a scale of four.
Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi’s election campaign in the national capital today triggered feelings of nostalgia among the elderly people, who said his speech and mannerisms evoked memories of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
With Delhi going to the polls on Saturday, Rahul hit the road today with a massive roadshow, travelling through multiple constituencies, soon after addressing a huge rally in Bhalaswa village on the outskirts of Delhi.
Former captain Sourav Ganguly feels defending champions India have a good chance of reaching the final of the forthcoming cricket World Cup to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand later this month.
Releasing a book titled ‘Cupmohola’ (Seven World Cups) written by sports journalist Gautam Bhattacharjee, Ganguly today said, “I think India has a big chance in this World Cup.”
The book chronicles untold stories of the dressing room drama in the seven cricket World Cups, from 1987 to 2011.
Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly Wednesday said he was looking forward to following Indian vice captain Virat Kohli, South African skipper AB de Villiers and young Australian Test captain Steve Smith in the World Cup.
Ganguly made the comment at a book launch event when asked to name three players he was keen to follow in the big event beginning Feb 14.