03 November 2014
National:
Actor Sadashiv Amrapurkar passes away
Bollywood actor Sadashiv
Amrapurkar, who was being treated for a lung infection at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani
Hospital in Mumbai, passed away. He was 64. Amrapurkar had won two Filmfare
awards. In 1984, he won the award for the best supporting actor for “Ardh
Satya” and in 1991, the best villain trophy for his portrayal of a ruthless
eunuch in “Sadak”. His other works include “Aankhen”, “Ishq”, “Coolie No. 1” and
“Gupt: The Hidden Truth”.
Indian researcher develops new device to track status
of heart
An Indian researcher has
developed a wearable device that he claims can help one track the status of heart,
both in medical and emotional terms. The Inner You (INYU) is a wearable device
that helps the user to track and manage his or her physical as well as
emotional health. The SmartCardia technology is based on several years of
research from the Embedded Systems Laboratory at the Ecole Polytechnique Frale
de Lausanne (EPFL). It can be used to track Electrocardiogram (ECG), breathing
and key vital signs of users, so that they can get timely feedback from the
doctor. The developer of the device intends to price it around Rs 9,000, so
that tracking one’s complete health becomes affordable.
Most crimes against women take place at home
Women seem to be most
unsafe in their homes while the conviction rate in crimes against women remains
very low, a government study has found. Cruelty by husband and relatives
continue to have the highest share (38%) of crimes against women, followed by
'assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty' (23%), kidnapping and
abduction (17%) and rape (11%). The Central Statistics Office (CSO)'s report
'Women and Men in India 2014'said 5% of total cognizable crime fell under the
category of crime against women in 2013 against 4% in 2012. The rate of
incidence of crime against women per lakh women was maximum (11% each) in
Arunachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in 2013, followed by 10% in West Bengal, 9%
in Rajasthan and 8% in Maharashtra. Among the states, 13% of rape victims were
in Madhya Pradesh, followed by 10% in Rajasthan and 9% each in Uttar Pradesh
and Maharashtra.
International:
55 killed in suicide attack at Wagah in Pakistan
At least 55 people,
including children and security personnel, were killed and nearly 200 injured
in a powerful suicide blast at Wagah in Pakistan, minutes after the popular
flag-lowering ceremony at the main Indo-Pakistan land border crossing.
Death for top Jamaat financier
A Bangladesh war crimes
tribunal handed death penalty to senior Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali for committing
crimes against humanity during the country’s Liberation War. Under Ali’s
command, local collaborators of Pakistan Army let loose a reign of terror to
suppress Bangladesh’s freedom struggle in Chittagong. Ali has also pumped
billions into Jamaat-e-Islami since the 1980s. He has been sentenced to death
for murder charges and given a total of 72 years jail term for the remaining.
Ali was the third most powerful man of the notorious al-Badr force. His
sentence came only days after another tribunal handed death penalty to
Al-Badr’s main leader and Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami.
Islamic state massacres 322 people of Iraqi tribe in
Anbar
Iraq's government says
that Islamic State militants have executed 322 members of an Iraqi Sunni tribe
in western Anbar province. The country's ministry of human rights said more
than 50 bodies were founded in a water well, while 65 members of the Al-Bu Nimr
tribe have been kidnapped. The group's latest attack came yesterday morning
when militants shot and killed at least 50 of the tribe. ISIS militants, also
Sunnis, control large areas of Iraq and Syria. The ministry said that the ISIS
is holding the 65 hostages as prisoners of war. It said, the militants also
stole livestock from the tribe.
Legendary British Jazz musician Acker Bilk passes
away
British Jazz
clarinettist Acker Bilk, who personified the trad jazz revival of the 1950s and
60s, has died after a lengthy illness, aged 85. His most famous number Stranger
on the Shore was the UK's biggest selling single of 1962 and made him an
international star. His last concert was in August 2013. Known for his goatee,
bowler hat and fancy waistcoat, Bilk was awarded Most Excellent Order of the
British Empire, MBE in 2001 for services to the music industry.
Business & Economy:
Assets of India's financial institutions touch $2.8
trillion
The total value of
assets held by India's financial institutions touched nearly USD 2.8 trillion,
the third largest among BRICS nations, in 2013. Way ahead, neighbouring China's
financial institutions held assets to the tune of USD 34.43 trillion last year,
the Financial Stability Board (FSB) has said. BRICS grouping constitutes Brazil,
Russia India, China and South Africa. As per the figures compiled by the FSB,
the value of assets of financial institutions in India touched USD 2.79
trillion in 2013. After China, among BRICS nations, Brazil is at the second
spot with such assets worth USD 4.91 trillion. Russia's financial institutions
held assets to the tune of USD 2.75 trillion while that of South Africa touched
USD 1.06 trillion. In the report that covers many countries, financial
institutions have been classified into as many as seven categories.
Sports:
Hamilton wins US Grand Prix
Race by race and point
by point, Lewis Hamilton is tightening his grip on the Formula One world championship
and squeezing out Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg. Mercedes had another 1-2
finish in a dominating season that has pushed Hamilton and Rosberg well clear
of the pack in the title chase. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo was third for his
eighth podium finish on the season. Force India then lost its second car when
Nico Hulkenberg retired in the 17th lap.
Delightful knock by Misbah
Pakistan was on the
verge of its first series win over Australia in 20 years and victory in the
second Test after skipper Misbah-ul Haq rewrote the record books with his
belligerent batting in Abu Dhabi. Misbah smashed a 56-ball hundred, equalling
West Indian legend Viv Richards’s record made against England at Antigua in
1986, minutes after breaking the mark for the fastest fifty which he made off
just 21 balls at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. Misbah’s stunning blitz allowed
Pakistan to declare its second innings at 293 for three, setting a daunting
603-run target for Australia which suffered another batting collapse before
