Cuba’s Raul Castro to leave office in 2018

Cuba’s Raul Castro to leave office in 2018

Cuban President Raul Castro on Thursday affirmed that he will leave office in April 2018, when the country’s new national legislature convenes to elect a leader for the next five years. “When the National Assembly convenes, I will conclude my second and last mandate as leader of the state and government, and Cuba will have […]

Separatist parties keep majority in Catalonia election

Separatist parties keep majority in Catalonia election

Catalan separatist parties are on track to win most seats in the new regional parliament, setting the stage for more confrontation with Spain’s government. The Citizens party, which wants Catalonia to remain a semi-autonomous part of Spain, is the biggest party, therefore, it is unclear who will be given the right to form a government, […]

Positive global cues lift key equity indices

Positive global cues lift key equity indices

Broadly positive Asian markets, along with bargain hunting lifted the key indices of the Indian equities market during the early-morning trade session on Friday. According to market observers, healthy buying trend was witnessed in capital goods, automobile, banking and oil and gas stocks. At 9.30 a.m., the broader 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange […]

Schmidt to step down as Executive Chairman of Alphabet

Schmidt to step down as Executive Chairman of Alphabet

Eric Schmidt, a long-serving Google executive, will step down as Executive Chairman of Google’s parent company Alphabet in January, the company has announced. Schmidt will become a technical advisor to the company while continuing to serve on its board. “Since 2001, Eric has provided us with business and engineering expertise and a clear vision about […]

Facebook signs multi-year music deal with Universal

Facebook signs multi-year music deal with Universal

Taking on music streaming giants like Google-owned YouTube, Facebook and Universal Music Group (UMG) have announced a global, multi-year agreement reportedly worth several hundred million dollars. As part of the deal, UMG will become the first major music company to license its recorded music and publishing catalogues for video and other social experiences across Facebook […]

Facebook discards fake news warning flags

Facebook discards fake news warning flags

In yet another attempt to flush out fake news from its platform, Facebook has announced that it will no longer use Disputed Flags (red-warning icons) to identify false news. Instead, the social media giant will use its Related Articles tool to fight misinformation in its News Feed. “Instead of Disputed Flags, we’ll use Related Articles […]

India slams UNSC’s inability to confront terrorism in Afghanisataan

India slams UNSC’s inability to confront terrorism in Afghanisataan

India has criticised the Security Council’s impotency in confronting the terrorism threat in Afghanistan, which poses dangers beyond its borders. “While new threats emerge from the IS/Daesh (Islamic State), the Security Council cannot even decide whether to designate the new leaders of Taliban(as global terrorists) or to freeze the assets of the slain leader of […]

Restrictions in Srinagar to prevent separatist-called protests

Restrictions in Srinagar to prevent separatist-called protests

Authorities imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar city to prevent separatist-called protests post the Friday prayers against civilian killings during gunfights between the security forces and the militants. Senior separatist leader, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, was placed under house arrest at his Nigeen residence on the city outskirts. A police officer said restrictions under section 144 […]

Foggy morning in Delhi, 15 trains cancelled

Foggy morning in Delhi, 15 trains cancelled

It was a foggy morning here on Friday with the minimum temperature recorded at 11 degrees Celsius, three notches above the season’s average. At least 15 trains were cancelled, 28 delayed and nine were rescheduled due to fog in several parts of northern India. “There was moderate fog in the morning reducing the visibility to […]

Trump’s judicial nominee withdraws after viral video

Trump’s judicial nominee withdraws after viral video

Matthew Petersen, US President Donald Trump’s district court nominee who struggled to answer basic legal questions at his confirmation hearing last week, has withdrawn his nomination, the media reported. Petersen, who was up for a lifetime appointment on the US District Court for the District of Columbia, struggled to answer basic questions including how many […]