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Pope’s Sunday prayer to be livestreamed as coronavirus spreads VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis has decided to deliver Sunday’s (Mar 8) prayer by livestream and Italy called in retired doctors as the new coronavirus epidemic gathered strength and emptied streets in Europe’s worst affected country. The 83-year-old pontiff broke with centuries of tradition by enlisting the help of technology to keep crowds from descending on Saint Peter’s Square for the traditional Angelus Prayer. “The prayer will be broadcast via livestream by Vatican News and on screens in Saint Peter’s Square,” the Vatican said in a statement. Source: CNA

19,410 runs, 57 centuries: Domestic giant Wasim Jaffer retires from all forms of cricket Domestic cricket giant Wasim Jaffer, former India, Mumbai and Vidarbha opener, announced his retirement from all formats of the game on Saturday, March 07. Jaffer made his first-class debut in the 1996-97 season to play domestic cricket for over 20 years and finished as the most-capped player in the Ranji Trophy. His rich legacy of Ranji Trophy records includes the most caps (156), the most runs (12,038), the most centuries (40), the most catches (200), along with being the highest run-scorer in the Duleep Trophy (2545)...

New political party offers new democratic option: Jitendra Singh Every new political party offers a new democratic option and therefore, all those having faith in democracy should welcome it, Union Minister and BJP leader Jitendra Singh said on March 7. He said this without naming rebel Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former Jammu and Kashmir finance minister Altaf Bukhari who is expected to launch his own party in Srinagar on Sunday. Many prominent PDP, Congress and National Conference leaders are expected to join the businessman-turned-politician’s outfit. “Citizens have the right to be offered different options in a democracy, so...

‘I’m sowing the seeds of service, hope they will bear fruit’: Altaf Bukhari After seven months of an unprecedented security and internet lockdown in the wake of the revocation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir is ushering in a spring marked by a calibrated easing of restrictions and release of political leaders. The latest straw in the wind is an effort to break the political ice. Altaf Bukhari, Kashmir’s leading business tycoon and an expelled senior leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has emerged as the prime mover in efforts to revive the political process. Source: Hindustan Times

‘Don’t celebrate me if you are not going to listen’: Manipuri child climate activist Licypriya Kangujam turns down Modi’s #SheInspiresUs campaign Child environmental activist from Manipur Licypriya Kangujam turned down the offer to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s #SheInspiresUs campaign on International Women’s Day, saying she doesn’t want to be “celebrated” as the prime minister doesn’t “listen” to the young activist’s voice. The government had chosen the eight-year-old environmental activist as one of the women to run Modi’s social media accounts as part of his #SheInspiresUs campaign — dedicated to women “whose life and work will help ignite motivation in millions” on Sunday. Taking to...

Karnal MC seals Dharmendra-inaugurated ‘He-Man’ dhaba The Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) sealed the ‘He-Man’ dhaba here for allegedly not taking change of land use (CLU) certificate, illegal construction and not getting the building plan approved. This dhaba was inaugurated amid much fanfare on February 14 by Bollywood superstar Dharmendra. Local businessmen Sunil Tinna and Gaurav Tinna, who run a hotel along NH-44, gave part of the premises on lease to Vikas Choudhary and Rakesh Garg of Noida to run the dhaba last year. As per information, no CLU certificate was taken from the KMC to run the dhaba. Construction was...

Indigenous Defence Production Key to Make India $5 Trillion Economy by 2024, Says Rajnath Singh New Delhi: The government has set a target of $26 billion turnover in aerospace and military manufacturing in next five years, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, noting that indigenous defence production was key to achieving the country’s aim to be a $5 trillion economy by 2024. He said adequate thrust is being given on enhancing defence exports though the primary aim of indigenous defence production is to cater to the needs of the armed forces. In an address at the ET Global Business Summit, Rajnath Singh...

CBI vs CBI: Major relief for bribery-accused Rakesh Asthana, court accepts clean chit The CBI special court at Rouse Avenue Complex on Saturday accepted the central investigation agency’s clean chit to former special director Rakesh Asthana and DSP Devender Kumar, while taking cognizance of the CBI’s chargesheet against Manoj Prasad. Special CBI Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal said in his order there wasn’t sufficient material against public servants – Rakesh Asthana and Devender Kumar. The court order is a major relief for Rakesh Asthana, who has claimed since day one that a “fabricated” FIR was filed against him at the behest of...

Enraged at Nirbhaya convicts mocking justice system, need to stop this: Smriti Irani NEW DELHI: Union minister Smriti Irani said on Saturday she was “enraged” that the death-row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case were making a “mockery of justice” by their delaying tactics and asserted that urgent steps were required to stop it. “We need to go a step forward, especially with regard to the conviction rates… what we saw in the Nirbhaya case and it is happening. “The fact that rapists can throw caution to the winds, the fact that they can laugh in the face of justice...

Bill Clinton Explains Monica Lewinsky Affair as ‘Managing My Anxieties’ Former President Bill Clinton, recalling the sex scandal that led to his impeachment in 1998, says in a new documentary series that his extramarital affair with Monica S. Lewinsky was a way of “managing my anxieties.” The four-part documentary series, “Hillary,” which was released on Friday on Hulu, focuses on Hillary Clinton’s life, her marriage to Mr. Clinton and her unsuccessful campaign for president in 2016. In the series, Mr. Clinton, 73, is asked by the director, Nanette Burstein, why he engaged in an affair with Ms. Lewinsky, then a White...