Mumbai cueist shines with silver medal at Belgium event

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March 15, 2019

Mumbai’s seasoned cueist V Subramaniam has bagged a sliver medal in the group 4-5 event of the World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) Belgian Open 2019.

As per the information available on WDBS website, the tournament was held at the Trickshot Club in Bruges, Belgium, and Subramaniam, fondly known as ‘Raja’, lost to England’s Daniel Blunn in the final to settle for sliver.

Blunn claimed a record eighth WDBS title.

Subramanian was competing in his first competition since the 2016 Open Disability Snooker Championship.

Previously undefeated in WDBS play, Subramanian maintained his flawless record by coming through the round- robin stage without the loss of a frame, before defeating Gunter Dhondt 2-1 in the last eight rounds.

In the semi-finals, he defeated Welshman Ben Rawson 2-1 to set up a clash of the titans in the final.

Having dropped one frame in the group stages to David Moore, Blunn progressed to the final with knockout victories against Olivier Biernaux and David Church, the latter in a repeat of last year’s final in Belgium.

AI combines Mumbai-NY flight with Mumbai-Newark flight from Mar 16

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March 15, 2019

Air India on Thursday announced that it is combining the Mumbai-New York flight with its Mumbai-Newark flight from March 16 to May 31 “due to operational reasons”.

As Pakistan has kept its airspace closed since the Balakot air strike by the Indian Air Force on February 26, Air India’s expenditure on flights to Europe and the US has increased significantly.

On Wednesday, Air India had announced that it is suspending its flights on the Delhi-Madrid and Delhi-Birmingham routes from March 16 “till further notice” due to “operational reasons”.

In a tweet on Thursday, the national carrier said the combined flight AI144 will depart from Newark at 2.15 pm (local time), make a stop in New York, and then arrive at the Mumbai airport next day at 2.10 pm (local time).

The combined flight AI191 will depart from the Mumbai airport at 1.30 am (local time), make a stop in New York, and then arrive at Newark airport at 8.15am (local time), Air India said in its tweet.

On Wednesday, the national carrier had said that AI135 Delhi-Madrid flight and AI136 Madrid-Delhi flight would be suspended from March 16, 2019, till further notice.

It added that AI113 Delhi-Birmingham flight and AI114 Birmingham-Delhi flight would be suspended too.

The airline said that AI117 Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham flight and AI118 Birmingham-Amritsar-Delhi flight would also be suspended too.

The airline had also offered full refund to customers.

Man gets 5 years in jail for beating another to death

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March 15, 2019

A 30-year-old school teacher in Maharashtra’s Thane district was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Mohammad Musbir Alam Shaikh was accused of beating to death a man, identified as Firoz Abdul Shakur Shaikh, in Charnipada in the district’s Kausa area on January 24, 2016, Additional Public Prosecutor Varsha Chandane said.

The victim was caught stealing a tyre of a motorcycle at a residential complex and was beaten with a wooden log and metal chains by Mohammad Musbir, Chandane said.

The victim died while being taken to hospital, she added.

The prosecutor said that district Judge SB Bahalakar, in an order on Thursday, convicted Mohammad Musbir Alam Shaikh and also fined him Rs 25,000.

Leander won Grand Slams at 42; I can at least still play some cricket: Sreesanth

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March 15, 2019

“If Leander Paes can win Grand Slams at 42, I can at least play some cricket at 36,” India cricketer S Sreesanth said after the Supreme Court set aside the life ban imposed on him by the BCCI for his alleged involvement in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal.

Sreesanth, along with Mumbai spinner Ankit Chavan and Haryana’s Ajit Chandila, were suspended for life by a BCCI disciplinary committee in 2013, a decision that the player had challenged in court.

Speaking to agencies after a favourable verdict by the apex court on Friday, a relieved Sreesanth said: “I don’t know what life has in store for me after all these years. It’s six years and I haven’t played cricket, which was my life.”

“I hope that the BCCI respects the verdict of the country’s highest court and allows me to at least get back to the cricket field. I hope that at least now I can walk to a school cricket ground and train there without being told that I am not allowed. I just want to play whatever cricket I can,” said Sreesanth, who has been a part of the 2007 World T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup winning squads.

But age is not something that he feels will be a factor in trying to make a comeback to competitive cricket.

“Your age is as much as you feel. I would again like to play club cricket in Scotland. I wanted to play last year but didn’t get permission. I can’t play club cricket in England at the moment as I have not played first-class cricket for six years now,” said Sreesanth, who has represented the country in 27 Tests, 53 ODIs and 10 T20 Internationals, respectively.

It’s always special to play for home team in IPL, says Ishant

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March 15, 2019

Excited to play for his home team for the first time since IPL’s inception, India pacer Ishant Sharma said that it is always a “special” moment for him to be returning to the iconic Feroze Shah Kotla stadium from where his journey started.

Having represented various teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Ishant will represent his home team Delhi Capitals in the season beginning March 23.

In the past, Ishant, who plied his trade in Deccan Chargers, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Kninght Riders, Rising Pune Supergiants and Sunrisers Hyderabad.

“For me, Kotla is something more than a ground. Right from the under-17 level, I have played all my matches. I have a number of memories here,” Ishant said in a video post on Instagram.

“Not only for me, but for all those who represent Delhi, Kotla is a memory for them because it is where it all starts. It is from here that we went ahead to represent our country.

The 30-year-old pacer was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.10 crore during the auctions in Jaipur earlier this year.

Ishant has scalped 58 wickets from 76 IPL games.

“I have got this opportunity after 12 years to represent my home team and I feel very proud. I will try to deliver my best and I hope we win the trophy this year,” he said.

Delhi Capitals will start their IPL campaign against three-time champions Mumbai Indians on March 24 at the Wankhede Stadium.

Lok Sabha polls: West Bengal has maximum first-time voters followed by UP, MP

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March 15, 2019

West Bengal has the maximum number of first-time voters in the coming Lok Sabha election, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

According to Election Commission data, 20.1 lakh first-time voters will be exercising their franchise in West Bengal. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have 16.7 lakh and 13.6 lakh first-time voters, respectively.

The number of people eligible to vote in Lok Sabha polls beginning next month has increased by 8.4 crore as compared to the 2014 general election, and these include 1.5 crore “young voters” who are in the 18-19 age group and would exercise their franchise first time.

Over 1.5 crore voters are in the age group of 18-19 years. These “young voters” constitute 1.66 per cent of the total electors.

Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have 12.8 lakh, 11.9 lakh, 8.9 lakh and 5.3 lakh first-time voters, respectively.

Lok Sabha elections will begin on April 11 and continue for over a month till May 19 across seven phases. The counting of votes will be held on May 23.

Cong approaches EC, seeks its intervention in removing hoardings of Modi govt at public places

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March 15, 2019

A delegation of Congress leaders on Friday approached the Election Commission and sought its intervention in removing hoardings projecting achievements of the Narendra Modi government, claiming it as a violation of the model code of conduct.

“It has come to our notice that hoardings and advertisements featuring the Prime Minister and projecting his government’s achievements are being displayed at public places and most notably petrol pump stations across the country despite the announcement of the schedule of the Lok Sabha elections.

“The said display is not only in violation of the model code of conduct but also represent misuse of public funds and official machinery for campaign purposes,” the memorandum submitted by the party leaders said.

The Congress demanded that the Election Commission issue directions for immediate removal of all such hoardings and also seek a compliance report in the matter.

Court allows ED to quiz lobbyist Talwar on IA’s purchase of 43 aircraft from Airbus Industries

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March 15, 2019

A Delhi court on Friday allowed the ED to question lobbyist Deepak Talwar in Tihar jail in a fresh case related to the purchase of 43 aircraft by erstwhile Indian Airlines from France’s Airbus Industries in 2005.

The Enforcement Directorate had on Thursday moved a Delhi court seeking orders to interrogate Talwar who is currently in judicial custody in a separate case related to negotiations to favour foreign private airlines causing losses to national carrier Air India.

In the present case, special public prosecutors D P Singh and Nitesh Rana had told the court that Talwar’s custody was required to unearth the entire criminal conspiracy related to the money laundering in relation to the purchase.

According to the ED, the case was filed against Indian Airlines officials and other unknown persons, “alleging that the officials, by abusing their official position as public servants in conspiracy with Airbus Industry and caused undue pecuniary advantage to Airbus Industries and caused corresponding undue loss to the government exchequer in carrying out the purchase of 43 aircraft by Indian Airlines from Airbus Industries, France.

SC seeks EC’s response on Opposition leaders’ plea for tallying of 50 per cent of EVMs with VVPAT

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March 15, 2019

The Supreme Court on Friday sought the Election Commission’s response on a plea by Opposition leaders seeking counting of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips of 50 per cent of EVMs in each constituency before the Lok Sabha results are declared.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna listed the plea of the opposition leaders for March 25 and asked the EC to depute an officer to assist the court.

The plea was filed by several opposition leaders, including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others.

HC to hear plea on condition of foot overbridges in Mumbai

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March 15, 2019

The Bombay High Court on Friday said that it would take up for hearing on March 22 a petition on the issue of “poor” condition of foot overbridges in the metropolis.

One of the petitioners Pradeep Bhalekar’s advocate Nitin Satpute approached the high court on Friday seeking urgent hearing of the plea a day after a foot overbridge near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station in south Mumbai collapsed killing six people and injuring 31 others.

A division bench of Justice Ranjit More and Justice Bharati Dangre agreed to hear the matter on March 22.

Bhalekar had filed the petition in September 2017 after a stampede on a congested foot overbridges in Elphinstone Road suburban railway station (now renamed Prabhadevi) claimed 31 lives.

In his plea, Bhalekar had sought a direction to the authorities concerned to constitute a special committee to conduct survey of all foot overbridges in the city and carry out repair works if they are found in dilapidated or dangerous condition.