Vodafone plans to cut up to 1,200 jobs from its Spanish business, the company said on Thursday, though it declined to give further details ahead of talks with labour representatives expected to begin at the end of the month.
The telephone company said in November it planned to reduce its costs in Spain and Italy to respond to challenging business conditions.
The Committee of Administrators chief Vinod Rai on Thursday recommended a two-ODI ban on India players Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul for their controversial comments on women in a TV show but fellow COA member Diana Edulji has referred the matter to the BCCI’s legal cell.
Pandya’s comments, slammed as misogynistic and sexist, drew a lot of flak from all corners, prompting CoA to issue a show cause notice on Wednesday. The all-rounder, in response, said that he was sincerely regretful and would not repeat the behaviour.
“I am not convinced with Hardik’s explanation and I have recommended a two-match ban for both players. However the final decision will be taken once Diana gives her go ahead,” Rai told agencies.
On the show, Pandya boasted about hooking up with multiple women and also how open he has been about it with his parents.
Rahul, the more restrained of the two in the show hosted by film-maker Karan Johar, has not yet reacted to the social media storm. The two players were given 24 hours to explain themselves by the BCCI.
It is learnt that Edulji has also sought the opinion of BCCI acting President CK Khanna, acting Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary, and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry on the issue.
A high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Thursday for the second time to decide the fate of CBI Director Alok Verma, reinstated by a Supreme Court order after he was sent on forced leave by the government, officials said.
The other members of the committee included Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Justice A K Sikri, who was nominated by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to represent him.
The panel’s meet held on Wednesday remained inconclusive, they said, without giving further details.
The CBI chief and his deputy Special Director Rakesh Asthana were sent on the forced leave over two months ago to stop the “kilkenny cat fight” between them. They had accused each other of corruption.
Verma, who resumed office on Wednesday, had revoked most of the transfers done by M Nageshwar Rao, who was appointed as the interim CBI chief in his absence.
Ahead of the meeting, Kharge said he has sought documents, including enquiry report by the Central Vigilance Commission into the matter.
“I have asked for certain documents from the government concerning the matter including the CVC’s enquiry reports,” he told reporters here on Thursday.
He said that Verma should also be given an opportunity to appear before the committee and represent his case.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi also attacked the government ahead of the crucial meeting and said Modi is in a “tearing hurry” to “sack” CBI chief Alok Verma because of the Rafale deal.
“1. Why is the PM in such a tearing hurry to sack the CBI Chief?
“2. Why will he not allow the CBI Chief to present his case in front of the selection committee ? Answer: RAFALE,” Gandhi said on Twitter.
The top court had asked the government to convene the meeting within a week of its order. It had quashed the government’s unprecedented “overnight” order issued in October last year, stripping Verma of his powers and sending him on leave after he and his deputy traded corruption charges, sparking a bitter feud.
The court, while reinstating Verma, however, made it clear that he will desist from taking any major policy decision till a high-powered committee considers the issue of “divestment of power and authority”.
Verma had challenged his ouster from the CBI in the apex court.
Asthana has also approached the Delhi High Court for quashing of an FIR registered by the CBI, reportedly at the instance of Verma, in an alleged corruption case. A decision in this regard is pending in the high court.
Verma’s two-year fixed tenure as CBI director ends on January 31.
World number one Novak Djokovic will start his bid to win a record seventh Australian Open title next week against a qualifier following Thursday’s draw.
The Serb had a magnificent 2018, making an astonishing climb back from outside the world’s top 20 in June, winning Wimbledon and the US Open on the way to reclaiming the number one ranking in November.
He will start his drive to make history against a yet-to-be-decided qualifier and could meet France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the second round.
Champion Roger Federer, seeded three and also gunning for a seventh Melbourne title, starts his title defence against world number 99 Denis Istomin and could meet Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals.
“He (Djokovic) continues to challenge me. I played him in his prime when he was virtually unbeatable. It was important not to get frustrated by it. I always enjoy my matches against him,” 20-time Grand Slam winner Federer said at the draw.
“We are both natural attacking players. We are aggressive. He is up there with Nadal and Hewitt they make me rethink my game. I like to play attacking tennis, so I’ve come full circle.”
Second seeded Nadal begins against Australian James Duckworth, fourth seed Alexander Zverev faces Slovenian Aljaz Bedene while last year’s runner-up Marin Cilic has a tricky encounter with Australian Bernard Tomic.
A highlight first round clash will see Australia’s unseeded Nick Kyrgios up against Canada’s big-serving 16th seed Milos Raonic, with the winner facing either Stan Wawrinka or Ernests Gulbis.
Three-time Grand Slam winner Andy Murray has a tough clash with 22nd-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut as he returns from a hip injury.
India are slated to play home series against Australia from February 24 to March 13.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket Australia announce the schedule for the upcoming home series against Australia set to be played from February 24 to March 13, 2019. The series will comprise two T20Is that will start at 1 PM (IST) and five ODIs, which will start from 7 PM (IST),” a BCCI statement said on Thursday.
The two-match T20Is will be played on February 24 in Bengaluru and February 27 in Visakhapatnam, followed by five-match ODIs on March 2 in Hyderabad, March 5 in Nagpur, March 8 in Ranchi, March 10 in Mohali and March 13 in Delhi.
India are preparing to take on Australia in their away series. The first ODI will be played on January 12 at Sydney, followed by second ODI on January 15 at Adelaide and third ODI on January 18 at Melbourne.
Actor Prakash Raj, who recently announced that he would contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday and discussed ways to address various issues.
The actor, who has been vocal about his views on the current Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre, met the chief minister at his official residence in the Civil Lines.
Last week, Raj had said that he would be contesting the upcoming general elections from the Bengaluru Central constituency as an independent candidate.
“Met delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal thanked him and @AamAadmiParty for the support in my political journey. Discussed and requested to share various ways to address issues which his team has commendably done…#bengalurucentral #citizensvoice in parliament #justasking in parliament too (sic),” Raj tweeted after the meeting.
The Aam Aadmi Party, headed by Kejriwal, has also extended support, saying all “good people” should come into politics.
Raj has also been one of those seeking justice for his friend and senior journalist Gauri Lankesh, who was shot outside her residence in September, 2017.
Met delhi CM @ArvindKejriwal thanked him and @AamAadmiParty for the support in my political journey. Discussed and requested to share various ways to address issues which his team has commendably done.. #bengalurucentral #citizensvoice in parliament #justasking in parliament too pic.twitter.com/FJu4OirGWW
— Prakash Raj (@prakashraaj) January 10, 2019
Oscar winners Anne Hathaway and Tim Robbins are set to star alongside Mark Ruffalo in Participant Media’s untitled film about the lawsuit against the chemical company DuPont.
To be directed by Todd Haynes, the film is based on the New York Times Magazine article “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare” from Nathaniel Rich.
The script has been penned by Mario Correa and Matthew Carnahan. The story revolves around Robert Bilott, who had been practising as a corporate defense attorney for eight years when he took on an environmental lawsuit against the chemical company DuPont.
The suit turned into a battle exposing a decades-long history of chemical pollution.
The details of Hathaway and Robbin’s characters have not been revealed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Besides the two stars, the film will also feature Bill Camp, Victor Garber, Mare Winningham, William Jackson Harper and Bill Pullman.
Ruffalo, Pamela Koffler and Christine Vachon will produce the film, with Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King executive producing along with Michael Sledd.
The project will start production next week in Cincinnati.
Veteran actor Samuel L Jackson says he is no mood to hang up his boots as Nick Fury and he can play the S.H.I.E.L.D director for another 10 years.
Marvel next offering “Captain Marvel” marks the end of the actor’s nine-picture deal with the studio.
And Jackson, 70, says he is ready to play even into his ’80s.
“I could be the Alec Guinness of Marvel movies,” he told The Hollywood Reporter, referring to the British veteran actor, known for playing the iconic role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original “Star Wars” trilogy among many others.
Jackson will be seen sporting Fury’s younger look, created with make-up and CGI in Brie Larson-led “Captain Marvel”, which is set in 1995.
The new old look is modelled on the actor’s face from 1998’s “The Negotiator”.
He has already finished shooting for “Spider-Man: Far From Home”, which is slated to be released on July 5.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the BJP was open to alliances and cherished its old friends, in a hint that it was looking to strengthen the NDA in Tamil Nadu ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
In an interaction with the party’s booth-level workers from five districts in Tamil Nadu through video-conferencing, he recalled the “successful coalition politics” ushered in by former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the 1990s and said the BJP’s doors were “always open”.
“…20 years ago the visionary leader Atalji brought in a new culture in Indian politics, that of successful coalition politics. He gave utmost importance to regional aspirations…BJP has followed the way Atalji has shown us,” he said.
Modi, in this fourth interaction with the party workers in the state, was responding to questions from a worker whether the BJP would ally with AIADMK, DMK or Rajinikanth, who is yet to form his political party.
Lashing out at the Congress for “ill-treating” regional parties, he said, “What Atalji did was in direct contrast to the Congress which has never cared for regional aspirations.”
“Congress ill-treated regional political parties, aspirations and people because they felt they alone have the right to be in power,” he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had fought the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu leading a rainbow alliance comprising smaller parties including PMK, MDMK of Vaiko and won two of the 39 seats — one each by the party and PMK.
Unsuccessful relationships contribute to important chapters in life and American singer-actor Jennifer Lopez is not afraid to admit the reasons behind her past failed relationships.
“For me, the relationship journey has been very up and down. But it didn’t have to do with anybody else but me – it was about me figuring out me,” the singer said during an interaction with Harper’s Bazaar.
The 49-year-old said that in order to completely fall in love with somebody else, it is very important for people to first love their own selves, reports USA Today.
“Until you learn to love yourself, you can’t completely love [someone else] in a way that is pure and true. Once you do that, you can have relationships that are based on love and respect, that are supportive and nourishing. There’s an evolution there that had to happen for me. I feel like I’m in a better place now,” the ‘dinero’ singer added.
The ‘Second Act’ actor is currently dating Yankees star, Alex Rodriguez. Lopez made her red carpet debut with Rodriguez in May 2017 at the Met Gala and the two have been inseparable ever since.
The two even spiked engagement speculation in 2018, when Lopez flashed a massive ring in a video posted by Alex Rodriguez on Instagram. However, pouring some cold water over the hot rumours, Lopez came out and clarified that we won’t be hearing wedding bells anytime soon.
