Virat Kohli named ICC world cricketer of the year
Indian captain Virat Kohli has been named the world cricketer of the year at the ICC annual awards announced in Dubai today. Kohli reclaimed the award he first won in 2012. This is the second time in succession that an Indian has won the overall cricketer of the year award. Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had claimed the honour last year.
Kohli also bagged the top honour for ODI players. This is the first instance since 2013 that the ODI Cricketer of the Year award has been won by a non-South African. Quinton de Kock received the accolade for 2016, with AB de Villiers winning it in 2014 and 2015.
Kohli was also named captain of the ICC Test and ODI teams of the year.
Kohli was also named captain of the ICC Test and ODI teams of the year.
In the qualification period from 21st September, 2016 to the end of last year, Kohli amassed 2,203 Test runs at an average of 77.80 including eight centuries. In ODIs, he scored 1,818 runs including seven centuries at an average of 82.63. In Twenty-20s, Kohli made 299 runs at a strike rate of 153.
Australian captain Steve Smith claimed the Test Player of the Year honour. He had scored 1,875 runs in 16 matches at an average of 78.12, with eight hundreds and five 50s.
UNSC to step up pressure on Pakistan
Pakistan is accused of supporting the Taliban and various militant groups in Afghanistan.US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley has said, the UN Security Council should step up pressure on Pakistan to change its behaviour.
Briefing reporters after returning from a UN Security
Council visit to Afghanistan, she said, the Afghan government has asked the 15-member powerful wing of the world body to step up pressure on Pakistan. She said, the Afghan government is starting to see the Taliban concede.
Council visit to Afghanistan, she said, the Afghan government has asked the 15-member powerful wing of the world body to step up pressure on Pakistan. She said, the Afghan government is starting to see the Taliban concede.
The Kabul visit of UN Security Council members came ahead of the Kabul Process meeting next month where the Afghan government is expected to present its strategy for reaching a settlement with the armed opposition.
India’s exports surge
India’s exports grew by 12.36% in December 2017 to 27.3% 03 billion US dollars on account of strong performance by sectors like engineering goods and petroleum products.
According to data released by Ministry of Commerce and Industry, exports have been on a positive trajectory since August 2016 to December 2017 with a dip of 1.1 % in the month of October last year.
Exports of engineering goods as well as petroleum products showed an increase of over 25% in December.
Benjamin:Come to Israel, Invest in Israel
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today India and Israel are the oldest cultures on earth and both are democracies.
Both the countries share love for freedom and are a match made in Heaven. Talking at the India-Israeli Business Summit in Mumbai today which was attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis besides business leaders of both countries, he said Indo-Israel partnership is reaching unprecedented heights.
Netanyahu further said that an efficient and direct flight route with India. The ability to have this contact is very important for innovation and progress .
He assured that Indian Businessmen will be received in Israel with unbelievable warmth and tremendous respect.
He ended his address with Come to Israel, Invest in Israel and Israel will come here as well. Speaking at the power breakfast with the top corporate honchos, Israeli Prime Minister said the future belongs to those who innovate and therefore it is crucial that business leaders of both countries meet.
The business leaders, who were present at the breakfast included, Ajay Piramal, Rahul Bajaj, Adi Godrej, Harsh Goenka, Anand Mahindra, and Chanda KochharNetanyahu wraps up his six-day India visit today.
Other engagements of Mr Netanyahu today include, dedicating memorial at Nariman house and the ‘Shalom Bollywood’ programme for film personalities.
SC strikes down ban on release ‘Padmaavat’
Supreme Court has cleared the decks for the all-India release of controversial movie ‘Padmaavat’ on the 25th of this month.
A bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, today stayed the orders issued by Rajasthan and Gujarat governments prohibiting the release of the film, also restraining any other state from issuing any such notifications and orders. The bench observed that the states are obliged to maintain law and order.
The producers had approached the apex court challenging the notification and orders issued by the states prohibiting the film’s release.
Senior advocates Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, representing producers of the movie, told the bench that states have no power to issue such notifications when the Central Board of Film Certification has given a certificate of release.The bench posted the matter for further hearing in March.
India successfully test-fires Agni-5
India successfully test-fired indigenously developed long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, Agni-5, off the Odisha coast today. The state-of-the-art missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation DRDO, was test fired successfully from the Abdul Kalam Wheeler Island at 9:54 AM. The three-stage solid propellant Agni-5 missile has a strike range of over 5,000 kilometres and can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne. Defence sources said the missile covered 4,900 kilometres in 20 minutes in today’s launch.
AIR correspondent reports that the missile is about 17 metres long, 2 metres wide and has a launch weight of around 50 tonnes.Today’s test is the fifth developmental trial of the long-range missile, carried out by the Strategic Forces Command of Indian Army to check its operational readiness. Unlike other missiles of Agni series, the latest one ‘Agni-5’ is the most advanced having new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine.
The missile can hit most northern parts of China and other parts of Asia, Europe and Africa. Defence sources said after some few more trials, Agni-5 will be inducted into the Services. Once this missile is inducted into Services, India will join the super exclusive club of countries with Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles alongside the US, Russia, China, France and the UK. The last test of the missile was conducted from the same test range on December 26, 2016.
Viorica Dancila,PM elect Romanian
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis appointed Social Democrat nominee, European lawmaker Viorica Dancila, as prime minister on Wednesday and handed her a mandate to form a new government.
Dancila will become the first woman prime minister in the history of the Eastern European country.
Iohannis made the decision after consultations earlier Wednesday with parliamentary parties when main opposition parties had neither concrete proposals for the prime minister’s position, nor a political understanding between them.
“Having weighed all arguments, taking into account the concrete situation in Parliament, I have decided to give the Social Democratic Party (PSD) one more chance,” said the president, stressing that now the Social Democrats must show a strong performance, as “Romanians have great expectations, I have great expectations as well.”
The president called on those involved in forming the government to get moving so that the entire procedure can be completed by Feb. 1.
CEC dates on NE states election
Tripura votes on Feb 18, Meghalaya, Nagaland on Feb 27; results on March 3, 2018.
Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti said, in Tripura, the polling will take place on the 18th of next month, while Meghalaya and Nagaland will go to polls on 27th February.The counting of votes for all the three states will be held on 3rd March.
Chief Election Commissioner AK Joti said, in Tripura, the polling will take place on the 18th of next month, while Meghalaya and Nagaland will go to polls on 27th February.The counting of votes for all the three states will be held on 3rd March.
Gazette notification for the poll in Tripura will be issued on the 24th of this month. For polls in Meghalaya and Nagaland, the notification will be issued on 31st January.
Mr Joti said, VVPATs will be used with EVMs during the polling in the three states. He said, the expenditure ceiling for candidates in the polls will be 20 lakh rupees.
Replying to media query on electoral bonds, Mr Joti said, it is a step in right direction as there will be a digital trail of donations made.
With the announcement of the schedule, the model code of conduct has come into force. Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura have 60 Assembly seats each.
Comments