19th April News in Nutshell: Important stories of the day
Important stories of the day
National News
Facing flak, government puts new PF norms on hold till July 31
Under fire for its decision of restricting provident fund withdrawals till retirement, the government today put the proposed move on hold for three more months till July 31st. Read more
Protests against new Provident Fund rules turn violent in Bengaluru, several vehicles gutted in fire
The demonstrations in Karnataka’s capital city of Bengaluru against the central government’s budgetary proposal to restrict the withdrawal of Provident Fund until the individual attains the age of 58 today intensified, triggering violent protests on the second day of the agitation. Read more
Pathankot probe: NIA all set for Pak visit, awaits written clearance from Islamabad
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is ready to visit Pakistan to take forward its probe into the deadly terror attack at the Pathankot IAF base earlier this year. According to NIA sources, the agency is now waiting for a written clearance order from Pakistani authorities regarding their visit. Read more
On a day PM Modi visits J&K, Pakistan violates ceasefire in Samba district
On a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting the border state Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistani troops resorted to ceasefire violation along the International Border (IB) in Samba district. Read more
Govt considering criminalising marital rape: Maneka Gandhi
Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi today said the government is mulling criminalising marital rape, a month after her statement in Parliament that the concept cannot be “suitably applied in the Indian context” created an uproar. Read more
International News
At least 20 killed in suicide bombing near Afghan intelligence agency office
At least 20 people were killed today when a powerful suicide bombing rocked the central Kabul, a week after the Taliban announced the start of their annual spring offensive, Afghan media reported. Read more
Panama Papers leak: Nawaz Sharif leaves for Pak, promises probe into matter
Embattled Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today left for Pakistan amid a raging scandal back home over his family's offshore wealth after the Panama Papers leak mentioned his children's name for having shell companies. Read more
Obama, Putin agree to assist further in cessation of hostilities in Syria
US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin today agreed to assist further in securing a cessation of hostilities in Syria. Read more
Business News
YouTube launches 360-degree live streaming
Video sharing platform YouTube has introduced a 360-degree live streaming and spatial audio to its platform for both the viewers and event organisers. Read more
Relief in sight for MNCs as govt moves to expedite resolution to tax disputes
Aimed at reducing the number of tax disputes India is involved in with top multi-national companies, the government is now looking to expedite the resolution process and do so aggressively. Read more
Smartphones are diminishing people's privacy: Know how
The use of "location-aware" smartphones and voluntary sharing of information is diminishing people's privacy, say researchers from Tel Aviv University (TAU), Israel. Read more
Entertainment News
In three days, Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘Fan’ crashes 3 box-office records
Shah Rukh Khan’s latest ‘Fan’ has done wonders for the Bollywood superstar. The movie not just brought back the actor in SRK but is also minting crores at the box office. Read more
In a first, ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ Salman to don villain’s hat for ‘Race 3’, ‘Dhoom 4’?
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has played several memorable characters on screen. Be it the ‘Dabangg’ ‘Chulbul Pandey’, the adorable ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, the lover boy ‘Radhe’ or the family man ‘Prem’, the audience loved him in every avatar. Read more
Akshay Kumar's 'Housefull 3' to have the biggest ever trailer launch
The makers of the much anticipated film 'Housefull 3' have planned for the biggest ever trailer launch for the film. Read more
Sports News
India should know there is more to cricket than T20: Ian Botham
He is not the one to be enamoured by the razzmatazz of T20 cricket and that’s the reason why Ian Bothan thinks that India needs to understand that there is more to the game than the shortest format only. Read more
PCB disappointed after West Indies refuse to tour Pakistan
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is disappointed at the refusal of the West Indies cricket board to play a couple of limited over games from their full series in Pakistan later this year. Read more