The Indian Panorama

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  • Indian minister booked for burning journalist to death over a Facebook post

    Indian minister booked for burning journalist to death over a Facebook post

    Uttar Pradesh Minister Ram Murti Singh Verma has been booked along with five others in connection with the killing of a journalist by allegedly setting him on fire in Shahjahanpur district.

    Journalist Jagendra Singh was burnt to death for a Facebook post against Ram Murti. According to reports in CNN IBN, Singh’s family has claimed that a police officer allegedly set him on fire.

    Singh had reportedly written about Ram Murti’s involvement in illegal mining and forced occupation of land etc.

    “An FIR has been registered against Minister for Backward Classes Welfare Ram Murti Singh Verma, Inspector Sri Prakash Rai, and four others identified as Gufran, Akash Gupta, Amit Pratap Singh, and Bhure for allegedly killing Jagendra Singh by setting him afire,” police said.

    he FIR has been lodged under IPC 302 (murder), 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

    The FIR was registered at the Puwayan police station on Tuesday afternoon on the basis of a complaint by Jagendra’s son Raghvendra after the journalist died during treatment at a hospital in Lucknow on Monday night, police said.

    According to the family members of the deceased, Jagendra had made a Facebook post against the minister regarding his alleged involvement in illegal mining and land grabbing.

    The family alleged that during a raid at the journalist’s house at Awas Vikas colony in Sadar Bazar area of Shahjahanpur on June 1, he was set on fire, following which he was taken to a hospital in Lucknow.

    Before his death, Jagendra had accused Ram Murti Singh Verma of “unleashing” a reign of terror on him and his family for his investigative reports and comments against the minister.

    The journalist had alleged earlier that he sustained burn injuries during a raid by Inspector Sri Prakash Rai at his house.

    He reportedly told Inspector General (Civil Defence) Amitabh Thakur two days ago at the civil hospital in Lucknow that he was also attacked on April 28 near his house by the minister’s henchmen but no action was taken in the case.

    “He told me he was hounded for exposing the ministers alleged involvement in illegal mining and forced occupation of land,” Mr Thakur confirmed.

  • ‘Draw Muhammad’ contest planned in Phoenix

    ‘Draw Muhammad’ contest planned in Phoenix

    PHOENIX (TIP): An anti-Muslim activist is planning a “Draw Muhammad” cartoon contest and rally Friday,  May 29 at a Phoenix mosque.

    The event is being dubbed a “Freedom of Speech Rally” and comes three weeks after a similar event in Garland, TX., that prompted violence by two alleged ISIS sympathizers who attended the mosque.

    The president of the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix said he has been notified by Phoenix police and the FBI about the event. Usama Shami said he respects the protesters’ right to free speech.

    “Everybody has a right to be a bigot. Everybody has a right to be a racist. Everybody has a right to be an idiot,” Shami said. He added that members of the mosque have been encouraged to attend prayer services Friday evening as scheduled.

    “It will be the same as every Friday evening and we’re going to tell our members what we’ve told them before: not to engage them,” said Shami. “They’re not looking for an intellectual conversation. They’re looking to stir up controversy and we’re not going to be a part of it.”

    The organizer of the event, Jon Ritzheimer, has held two protests in Phoenix since the Texas shootings. The chants and slogans at the protests are brash and hateful. Some supporters wear t-shirts that state, “(expletive) Islam.” Ritzheimer says he is using provocative methods to draw attention to a religion he believes at its core promotes violence.

    “I want this to be about pushing out the truth about Islam,” said Jon Ritzheimer. “I’ve read the Koran three times… the ones flying the planes into the tower, those are Muslims following the book as it is written.”

    A Facebook page dedicated to the event, titled “Freedom of Speech Rally Round II,” states: “This will be a PEACEFUL protest in front of the Islamic Community Center in Phoenix AZ… Everyone is encouraged to bring American flags and any message that you would like to send to the known acquaintances of the 2 gunmen.”

    Phoenix roommates Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi drove to Texas and shot a security guard during the May 3 “Draw Muhammad” contest there. Police shot and killed the two men.

    Simpson and Soofi attended the Islamic Community Center of Phoenix until 2010 and, according to mosque leaders, never expressed extremist or violent views while attending during that time.

    The Facebook announcement for the rally also encourages participants to “utilize their second amendment right at this event just in case our first amendment right comes under the much anticipated attack.”

    As of Wednesday afternoon, the website showed 131 people confirming their attendance.

    One Facebook post on the page states, “Death to Islam! No coexistence!” Another comment states, “I am proud to be part of this rally and will continue to be a part of it until we have the freedom that all our vets and current military fight for!!! This is my way of joining their efforts!”

    Phoenix police declined to comment about security measures for the protest.

    Muslims consider images of the Prophet Muhammad offensive for various reasons. They compare drawn depictions of the religious figure to how Christians might view the burning of a cross.

  • Indian Americans dominate spelling bee – flooded with Racist comments

    Indian Americans dominate spelling bee – flooded with Racist comments

    WASHINGTON: Indian American children’s domination of the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee could be put down to their perseverance, the competition’s director has said while slamming the racist backlash against the winners of Indian-origin.

    Indian-American kids have placed a stranglehold on the Scripps National Spelling Bee, winning it now for seven years in a row and all but four of the last 15 years.

    Indian-Americans account for just under 1 per cent of the US population, but make up more than a fifth of the 285 spellers competing this week in the 88th edition of the bee, beginning today. If recent trends hold, they would account for more than a third of the contest’s 50 semifinalists.

    The winning streak of Indian-Americans is as impressive as it is difficult to explain. It is much the same way that Kenyan runners have owned the Boston Marathon.

    The streak has been much discussed and analysed in recent years — except by the people who actually run the bee.

    For the first time, Paige Kimble, the bee’s longtime director, agreed last week to address the sensitive question of why Indian-Americans have come to dominate the contest.

    The difference for Indian Americans may be a commitment to pursue the spelling championship over many years, she said.
    “How hard a child works is a very individual factor,” said Kimble, who won the national bee in 1981.

    “But what might be happening (with Indian American contestants) is that there might be perseverance for the National Spelling Bee goal over a longer period of time,” she was quoted as saying by the Washington Post.

    Indeed, of the Indian-American champions over the past 15 years, only one, Pratyush Buddiga, won on a first trip to the national bee in 2002.

    The others won after multiple trips, including last year’s co-champ, Sriram Hathwar, who made it to the national bee five times before winning, and Kavya Shivashankar in 2009 and Sameer Mishra in 2008, who both won on their fourth trips.

    Kimble and other bee organizers were appalled by the reaction to last year’s contest, when Sriram, then 14, and his co-winner Ansun Sujoe, then 13, were greeted with a barrage of racist comments on Facebook and Twitter.

    “We certainly followed the coverage last year and we are aware of Twitter posts that are not nice, that indicate that we have a long way to go as a country in embracing all of our immigrant population,” Kimble said.

    Despite the backlash, for Indian Americans the growing spelling dynasty has become a source of great pride.

    Shankar points out that immigrants from India, who are the parents and grandparents of today’s spellers, are typically well-educated professionals and driven to succeed.

    In a country where sports is king for many young people, Buddiga said the bee offered competition that coincided with academic goals set by Indian American families.

  • Chinese rescue Indian mountaineers

    HYDERABAD (TIP): Over 20 mountaineers from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were on their way home via Lhasa after Chinese Mountaineering Association (CMA) on April 30 rescued them from Everest base camp, where they had been stranded following the Nepal earthquake.

    Nalgonda resident Shekhar Babu-led climbers planned to scale the world’s highest mountain from dangerous North Col.

    They had stayed put at the camp as avalanches triggered by the earthquake had blocked the highway connecting Nepal and China.

    “The team is safe and will be reaching Lhasa on Friday evening,” said a representative from Hyderabad’s Transcend Adventures that had organized the expedition. He said the climbers would be flown from Lhasa to India.

    As posted on the adventure club’s Facebook wall, Nima Tsering, vice-chairman, CMA, visited the base camp and told the climbers that they will be taken down, much to the relief of team leader Shekhar Babu and his boys.

    Tsering also carried some good news with him, which brought some cheer and relief to the mountaineers who pay huge sums to plan a trip to Everest. The CMA said the registration fee of the climbers for this year would hold good for the next three years.

    “We are grateful for this gesture,” said Prithvi Raj, a representative from the adventure club.

    Anxious family members have been calling the club with queries about their loved ones. “We have informed them and they are relieved that they are safe and are being escorted to safety,” said Raj. The team will return to India in a few days time.

  • Calyx Group Revolutionizes Real Estate Industry

    Calyx Group Revolutionizes Real Estate Industry

    Pune, India April 24th 2015. Calyx group, one of the leading real estate companies has set a new trend across the property industry. Their exciting offers and spectacular constructions have bagged sale of more than Rupees 300 Crores. The group brings exciting Shubh Labh offers on various residential projects all around Pune.

    Calyx group is one of the top real estate development and land acquisition companies in Pune. They have completed several projects all around the city. From affordable residential schemes to exclusively luxurious projects, the company has an edge over all types of property developments. The group owns majestic projects in and outside the ambit of Pune city in areas like, Bibewadi, Warje, Wanowarie, Hadapsar, Kothrud, Sinhgad Road, Shukrawar Peth, Pirangut and a lot of other places. Calyx group served a treat to the Punekars by offering great deals throughout Gudi-Padwa to Akshay Tritya festival months.

    Various 1, 2 and 3 BHK residential apartments and commercial shops are being offered by the group across the geography of Pune city. Calyx group has received a great response from Pune residents. More than Rupees. 300 Crores worth property has already been sold. Following are some of the ongoing projects with surprising offers:

    Calyx Artemis Project: Located at Sinhgad Road, these 2 BHK luxurious apartments can be owned by paying amount for only 1 BHK flats.

    Calyx Navyangan Phase 1 Project: Huge phase of 700 flats at Pirangut, New Pune, offering booking of flats on just 5% down payment.

    Calyx Vanalika Project: Another massive project of 1000, 1 and 2 BHK apartments at Pirangut, Pune where flats can be owned at 5% down payment.

    Calyx Signature Project: Unbelievable offer on limited 2 and 3 BHK luxury apartments and shops where an Audi A3 comes free with every flat.

    Calyx Parineeta Project: Offer on limited 2 BHK luxurious homes in Kothrud where bookings can be done at 40% down payments and rest of the amount can be paid on possession.

    Calyx Future City Project: 1 and 2 BHK flats can be booked by paying just INR 21,000 at Urawade, Pune. The vast project comprises of 700 flats with 1 BHK worth only INR 21 Lacs (all Inclusive service tax, VAT and registration charges and stamp Duty).

    The premier real estate construction organization believes in quality work and timely delivery of projects. Their enormous success in the past has created tremendous reputation in the realty industry. Whether your requirement is to live amidst the core of the city or away from the buzz of the city, the group offers multitude of projects that answer all your needs.

    Traditionally known as a reliable name in realty, the Calyx Group is now venturing into the exciting realms of entertainment and telecom. Over the years, the Calyx Group has earned a reputation of forging long-term business associations that make an indelible impact on the industry.

    Facebook page URL: https://www.facebook.com/calyxgroup

    Website URL: http://www.calyxcorp.co.in/

    Calyx Constructions Pvt. Ltd.
    Contact : admin@calyxcorp.co.in / +(91) 88888 50014

  • OLA RAISES $400M, LED BY DST GLOBAL

    MUMBAI (TIP): In one of the largest financing rounds for an Indian internet startup, taxi-hailing service Ola said it has raised $400 million – or around Rs 2,500 crore – led by Russian tech billionaire Yuri Milner’s investment firm DST Global. With this, the four-year-old company is now valued at $2.5 billion, or more than Rs 15,000 crore.

    Ola has mopped up about $675 million across five rounds of funding in the backdrop of an all-time high investor sentiment around Indian consumer-facing tech companies.

    DST, known for its bets on Facebook and Twitter, is joined in the new round by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, hedge fund Falcon Edge, Japan’s SoftBank, Tiger Global, Steadview Capital and Accel Partners US.

    A company statement said on Thursday the capital raised will be used to strengthen Ola’s leadership, expand into smaller markets by adding another 100 cities and pump$100 million into growing TaxiForSure (TFS), which it acquired recently. With this fund-raise, Ola becomes the third most valued domestic consumer internet company after Flipkart and Snapdeal, valued at $11 billion and $5 billion respectively. Just six months back, the taxi service venture was valued at $650 million when it raised funds from Softbank, making it a four-fold jump in its valuation.

    People familiar with the fund-raise said Milner’s DST will own 9% in Ola, having put $225 million. SoftBank, which is expected to have shelled out $90 million, will see its stake trim down to 25% from about 32%. Milner had personally invested in Ola last year.

    Founded by Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati, batchmates at IIT-Bombay, Ola operates across 100 cities at present and, along with TFS, is a clear leader in the taxi aggregation market. The TFS buyout and now this massive raise are expected to give it a huge leg up over Uber which entered India in 2013. Aggarwal said Ola’s vision is that people shouldn’t find the need to own a car.

    “We have been able to make this possible for millions of customers in the past four years by creating over a hundred thousand driver entrepreneurs on the platform. With increasing smartphone penetration and immense growth in smaller cities and towns, we will be able to drive the benefits of this on-demand platform deeper into the lives of our customers and partners.” 

    Recently, Ola launched an on-demand cafe service and is also said to be toying with the idea of entering the highly competitive grocery delivery space. In the US, Uber has also been experimenting with other lines of businesses based on the delivery platform like Uber Movers for shifting house, UberRush, a courier service, and Uber Corner Store for grocery deliveries.

    India’s taxi market, estimated at over $10 billion in size, is largely unorganized but is fast changing with the advent of asset-light, aggregator services backed by heavy technology. Over the past year, the three players (Ola, Uber, TFS) have slugged it out with cut-throat competition, guzzling millions in investor money and throwing discounts to get larger market shares. Ola is said to be losing $30 million every month. It claims to be clocking 2 lakh average monthly rides.

    DST has been bullish about Asian tech-backed taxi companies as it picked up a stake in China’s largest taxi-hailing app Didi Dache, which recently merged with its closest competitor Kuaidi Dache, to form a $6-billion transportation behemoth. Buoyed by increased smartphone penetration, the 300-million strong internet user base in India is the next big opportunity for investors after China. Having come to the Silicon Valley as a relative unknown, Milner bulked up the DST portfolio by sinking in millions of dollars behind fast-growing internet firms like Airbnb, Spotify and Zynga, and is today one of the most sought after investors globally. Last year, it led a $210-million financing round in Flipkart, signalling the Russian investor’s interest in domestic tech firms.

  • 3 Indian-Americans Among Biggest Philanthropists of 2015: Town and Country Magazine

    3 Indian-Americans Among Biggest Philanthropists of 2015: Town and Country Magazine

    WASHINGTON:  Three Indian-Americans are among 50 biggest philanthropists of 2015, that includes top business honchos like Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

    The list compiled by American lifestyle ‘Town and Country Magazine’ figures New York-based Adarsh Alphons, Reshma Saujani and Shaila Ittycheria, all under 40 years of age.

    “These are the men and women whose serious dollars, bold ideas, and old-fashioned hard work have made them the year’s most noteworthy and inspiring givers,” says the magazine of people on its ‘T&C 50: The Biggest Philanthropists of 2015’ list.

    Ms Saujani, 39, is the founder of ‘Girls Who Code’, a three-year-old nonprofit that teaches computer skills to girls from low-income communities to close technology’s gender-gap.

    “This is more than just a programme. It’s a movement”, said Ms Saujani, who was also among four Indian-American entrepreneurs on a recent list of the 40 most talented and dynamic professionals under the age of 40 in New York City.

    Meanwhile, 30-year-old Mr Alphons founded ‘ProjectArt’ to unleash the creative power in each child and change the way the world views arts education, because for him, art saves lives.

    His ‘Grand Plan’ is to help troubled New York City students via ProjectArt, which provides free art classes at public libraries in all five boroughs.

    It does this by public awareness and programmes. Using its unique library-partnerships model, it helps youth express their artistic visions, set goals and display their art in celebrated art galleries in New York City, all at no cost to the students.

    Expelled from school when he was just seven-years-old for drawing in every class, Alphons – son of former Indian bureaucrat KJ Alphons – has been painting portraits for Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela and the Pope by the time he was 15 – all because one art teacher perceived his passion for art and believed in him, according to information on his website.

    Ms Ittycheria, 31, co-founded ‘Enstitute’ that bypasses college by placing its students in paid tech apprenticeships.

    Her ‘Grand Plan’ is to educate the digitally inclined and debt-averse.

    The list also includes Zuckerberg’s wife Priscilla Chan, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, and actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Emma Watson.

     

  • Class action lawsuit against Facebook to begin in Vienna

    Class action lawsuit against Facebook to begin in Vienna

    Max Schrems, the Austrian law graduate spearheading a class action lawsuit against Facebook for alleged privacy breaches, said ahead oft he preliminary hearing in Vienna on Thursday said he hoped to send a message to US-based online companies who think “you can do anything you want in Europe.”

    The 27-year-old accused the social networking site of taking a “Wild West” approach to data protection. Schrems and 25,000 other Facebook users are suing the website for a range of rights violations, from the “illegal” tracking of their data under EU law to Facebook’s involvement in the PRISM data collection program of the United States National Security Agency (NSA).

    “Basically we are asking Facebook to stop mass surveillance, to (have) a proper privacy policy that people can understand, but also to stop collecting data of people that are not even Facebook users,” Schrems told French news agency AFP.

    Schrems has brought the case against the company’s European headquarters in Dublin, which registers all account outside the United States and Canada – amounting to about 80 percent of Facebook’s 1.35 billion users. The case was filed in Vienna, as all EU countries are compelled to enforce court rulings from any other member state. 

    The judges will also rule on Facebook’s claim that the suit is inadmissible under Austrian law, an objection described by Schrems’ lawyer as without “any substance.”

    The plaintiffs are asking for 500 euros ($540) each in damages – a symbolic amount, as per Schrems’ explanation, the case is not about getting rich, but rather “about the principle that fundamental rights have to be applied.”

    The suit has garnered a huge amount of interest from all over the world. Within days of launching the case last August, Schrems was overwhelmed by the thousands of people from Europe, Asia, Latin American and Australia who wanted to take part. In the end, he limited the number to 25,000 participants, but a further 55,000 have already registered to join the proceedings at a later stage.

    The case landed in the European Court of Justice (ECJ) after the Irish authorities refused to open a probe into the alleged violations. The ECJ’s decision, which is expected in 2016, could have far-reaching implications for American tech companies operating in Europe.

  • ARREST OVER OBJECTIONABLE REMARK: SC SEEKS RESPONSE OF UP COPS

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court today sought explanation from UP Police on the circumstances leading to the arrest of a boy for allegedly posting on Facebook objectionable comments against senior SP leader Azam Khan.

    A bench comprising justices J Chelameswar and R F Nariman asked the UP police to file response to the petition alleging that the Supreme Court advisory that section 66A of the Information Technology Act would not be invoked without consultation of high ranking police officers like IG or DCP was violated.”We will examine,” the bench said and posted the matter after four weeks.

    Senior advocate Soli Sorabjee, appearing for petitioner in the matter, drew the attention of the bench to the apex court’s May 16, 2013, advisory which made it clear that no case would be lodged under the controversial provision of the law unless and until there is an approval from high ranking officers like IG or DCP.

    The counsel appearing for UP government said that nothing has been left in the matter as the boy has been released on bail and there are remedies available to him under the law.

    When Sorabjee said that during the hearing of petitions challenging the validity of the section 66A of the IT act he should have pressed for the stay of the operation of the provision, the bench said, “Very often the laws are misused but we can not stay all laws because of being misused.”

    The SC had yesterday agreed to hear the plea seeking explanation from the UP Police on the matter in which a Class XII student was arrested for allegedly posting on Facebook
    ‘objectionable’ comments against the leader.

    By the time advocate Manali Singhal made an oral mention of the application, news had reached that the 19-year-old youth was granted bail and would walk out of the jail shortly on completion of formalities.

    A local court had on March 18 sent the Bareilly youth to 14 day judicial custody.The present application questioning his arrest was filed by a Delhi-based girl and law student Shreya Shingal, who was the first person to file a PIL challenging the validity of section 66A of the IT Act.

    She has also sought amendment in Section 66A of the Act, after two girls — Shaheen Dhada and Rinu Shrinivasan — were arrested in Palghar in Thane district as one of them posted a comment against the shutdown in Mumbai following Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray’s death and the other ‘liked’ it.

  • World record in academics established by Indian American Joshua Chari

    World record in academics established by Indian American Joshua Chari

    The 16-year-old is scheduled to receive gubernatorial honors Thursday for completing much of his undergraduate studies and pocketing eight — yes, eight — associate degrees along the way.

    How’d he do it? Chari is one of hundreds of students who have taken part in the Richardson Independent School District’s dual credit program, where qualifying students can garner credit for both high school and college at the same time.

    Joshua will soon be a Berkner High School alumnus, but at the time this article was published, his only alma mater was Richland College.

    [quote_box_right]The Indian Panorama was the First to report this story which is now been picked by other News agencies like CNN[/quote_box_right]

    DALLAS (TIP): A Richardson ISD  and Richland College student. Aged 16  has earned a world record of 7  A.S degrees while still in his final year of high school.

    Joshua Chari, son of Raj & Manjusha Chari of Richardson, Texas has earned a record 7 Associate degrees, moving past the known US record of 4 A.S degrees in parallel with the high school diploma. Joshua achieved this mostly through the “Early College Education” program in some US states which allow high school students to sign up for advanced level classes which give high school and college credit at the same time.

    Joshua attended  Richland College, Dallas, from where he earned his degrees in Liberal Sciences, Computer Science, Electrical, Bio-Medical, Telecommunications, Software and Computer Engineering. Joshua started taking college credit classes since he was in the 7th grade. He will get his 8th and final  Associates’ degree in Mechanical Engineering in May, 2 weeks before he gets his high school diploma.

    Joshua has been honored by various government and educational institutions for his stellar academic achievements by proclamations and awards, pictures and videos of which could be seen on the internet. he Texas State legislature has recognized and honored Joshua by passing a bill exclusively in his honor through house bill HR480.

    After high school, Joshua plans to go to Univ. of Texas at Dallas, in for a fast-track BS/MS degree with Dual Majors in Bio-Medical and Mechanical Engineering with dual minors in Nano-Technology and Business. He already has a full ride Academic Excellence Scholarship for the entire college studies.

    Links to some of Joshua’s TV interviews and honors and articles in the news are as follows:

    1. Text of the Bill HR480, honoring Joshua Chari, by the 84th Texas House of Legislature:
    https://legiscan.com/TX/text/HR480/1119381

    2. Dallas Morning News article : http://bit.ly/1Ajo7go

    3. Richardson School District Newsletter, Joshua Chari’s article:
    http://www.risd.org/SchoolTimes/010915/index.html#a2

    4. Richardson Mayor and City Council presenting Joshua with a Proclamation:
    https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=754213557950559&se t=vb.100000857648884&type=2&theater

    5. Dallas County Commissioners and County Judge recognizing Joshua for his achievements at the county
    administration offices:
    https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=741545482550700&se t=vb.100000857648884&type=2&theater

    6. WKRC TV channel:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5lVvsGucug

    7.     ABC TV channel: http://6abc.com/494187.

  • e-commerce firm “THE FIND” founded by Indian Americans acquired by Facebook

    e-commerce firm “THE FIND” founded by Indian Americans acquired by Facebook

    Facebook had been in-talks with ‘The Find’ for the past few weeks and the deal was finally done this week for an undisclosed amount. 

    e-commerce firm “TheFind” was co-founded in 2006 by Indian American CEO Siva Kumar and CTO Shashikant Khandelwal, both with Indian Origin.

    In its webpost, TheFind said many of its employees would be joining Facebook and work on improving the relevance of the social network’s advertising. TheFind added that its search engine will go offline “in the next few weeks.”

    Facebook has been testing a “buy” button since July 2014 that lets users purchase goods directly. Now, with TheFind, it would be able to add additional shopping tools to its service. 

    Facebook and TheFind cast the acquisition as a way to lift the digital advertising business of Facebook, which with $12.6 billion in annual ad sales last year, is unquestionably a dominant player in the industry.   “Together, we believe we can make the Facebook ads’ experience even more relevant and better for consumers,” Facebook said in a statement about the deal.  

     
     
  • Katju dares Rajya Sabha to punish him

    Katju dares Rajya Sabha to punish him

    Hours after the Rajya Sabha unanimously adopted a resolution condemning him for calling Mahatma Gandhi a British agent and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose a Japanese, the former Supreme Court judge, Justice Markandey Katju remained defiant and dared the upper house to punish him.

    “A humble advice to the Rajya Sabha. O wonderful news ! The Rajya Sabha ( the upper House of the Indian Parliament ) has passed a resolution condemning me !

    “But of course that is not enough. I must also be punished for what I said about that fake who is called the Father of the Indian Nation, and that agent of the Japanese fascists,” Katju wrote on his Facebook page, in an act of defiance.

    A mere censure is no punishment. So some of them wanted to strip me of the perks and facilities I have as a retired Supreme Court Judge. But then again that will require amendment of the rules, because after all I am indeed a retired Supreme Court Judge.

    “May I make a humble suggestion to the Hon’ble Members of the House ( because evidently they have run out of ideas ). Just pass a resolution that immediately on my return to India I will be arrested and hanged, drawn and quartered.without any trial. Na rahe baans na baje baansuri ,” Katju wrote, sharing a timesofindia.com’s story on his Facebook page.

    Earlier, the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha saw members from opposition and treasury benches coming together to condemn Justice Katju’s remarks in his blog with the entire House later unanimously adopting a resolution by a voice vote.

  • FBI to help probe murder of US blogger Avijit Roy in Bangladesh

    NEW DELHI (TIP): FBI has agreed to help in the invetigation of the murder of American blogger Avijit Roy who was assassinated in Dhaka.

    Avijit Roy, who critisized religious extremism in his writings, was killed on February 26 when he was returning from a book fair with his wife.

    The decision to send FBI team came after the Bangladesh government accepted America’s offer to engage them in the investigation process, bdnews reported.

    “The FBI will deploy a small team to Bangladesh shortly to assist and collaborate with Bangladeshi law enforcement agencies to investigate the homicide,” said Monica Shie, US embassy spokesperson in Dhaka.

    The FBI would be able “to provide technical assistance with regard to transnational aspects of the investigation.”

    The elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Monday arrested Farabi Shafiur Rahman, a self-proclaimed Islamist blogger who had previously threatened Roy multiple times.

    “Avijit’s father mentioned Rahman’s name as he had threatened to kill his son several times,” Commander Mufti Mahmud Khan, director at Legal and Media Wing of RAB said.

    “A year ago Rahman threatened to kill Avijit Roy, one of the founder moderators of a popular blog Mukto-Mona,” he said.

    January 25 last year, Rahman’s Facebook status read, “It’s a holy duty of Bangalee Muslims to kill Avijit.”

    Then on February 9, last year, he commented on a Facebook post: “Avijit Roy cannot be killed now. He lives in America.”

    A court on Tuesday remanded Rahman in custody for 10 days for questioning.

    “He has confessed that he threatened Avijit Roy. Intense interrogation of Farabi could lead to important clues,” Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Monirul Islam said.

  • Brutal Action – Video captures LAPD fatally shooting homeless man

    Brutal Action – Video captures LAPD fatally shooting homeless man

    A homeless man has been shot dead in the street by Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers, sparking protests.

    Video footage of Sunday’s shooting, which was posted on Facebook by a witness, showed a man swinging his arms violently at police before being wrestled to the ground. 

    As at least three officers attempted to restrain the man, they can be heard yelling, “Drop the gun!, Drop the gun!”

    At least five gunshots can then be heard as officers appear to shoot the man.

    Video of the incident spread quickly as it was shared on social media across the world.

    LAPD Commander Andrew Smith told the Los Angeles Times that officers had attended the scene, in Los Angeles’ downtown Skid Row area, in reponse to a possible robbery and had encountered the man who began fighting with officers.

    The LAPD later posted several tweets describing their version of the event.

    Smith said that officers used a Taser, but it was “ineffective”.

    “At some point in there, a struggle over one of the officer’s weapons occurred,” Smith said.”At that point an officer-involved shooting happened.”

    As police continued to investigate the shooting, the Times reported that dozens of homeless activists gathered at nearby Pershing Square late on Sunday night to protest the shooting.

    In 2011, two California police officers were captured on video beating mentally disabled homeless man Kelly Thomas to death – sparking protests and a nationwide outcry. The two officers were later acquitted after being charged over the incident.

    Last year, massive protests spread from the St. Louis area across the US after a white police officer shot and killed unarmed African-American teenager Michael Brown.

  • CITING JIHADI THREAT, GOVT JUSTIFIES CURBS ON WEBSITES

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Websites containing jehadi propaganda and other offensive material needed to be blocked in public interest and for protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the country, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Feb 26.

    The Centre’s response came as it contested the arguments of internet service providers which had said that such by the government violated their rights.

    The Centre said section 69A of the Information Technology Act, which empowers it to block such sites, was required as there were many websites which resorted to “blackmail” tactics by posting offensive material and refused to remove them.

    “Facebook, google, twitter are responsible intermediaries but there are many lesser known intermediaries which are resorting to blackmail tactics by posting offensive articles and photos. People visit their sites out of curiosity and they get many hits which bring revenue to them. They are also reluctant to remove them as it would hit their business,” Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court.

    Appearing before a bench of Justices J Chelameswar and Rohinton Fali Nariman, the ASG said the law could not exempt the intermediaries from liability of removing the offensive material and they had to put in place a mechanism to prevent them from going public.

    Mehta said the government recently blocked 32 websites on the order of a Mumbai court as they contained jehadi propaganda. He said the social media was surreptitiously used for mentoring Indian youths to join jehadi activities.

    He, however, said there were established procedures and safeguards to prevent any misuse of this power. He said the secretary, department of information technology, had to approve blocking of sites. He said the government “sparingly and cautiously” used this power and only 2455 sites were blocked in 2014 and 1349 sites in 2013.

    He said the figure is minuscule in view of 80 million posts from India only on YouTube and Facebook in 2014.

    “Thus in view of the above statistics, it cannot be said that the provisions of section 69A have been abused or excessively used to the detriment of freedom of speech and expression of the citizens,” he said. “The said right cannot be urged to declare the scheme of blocking guidelines as ultra vires given the background that such power is exercised when there are compelling reasons available with the competent authority that it is necessary and expedient to block a particular URL in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or preventing incitement to commission of any cognizable offence,” the ASG said.

    The association of intermediaries had earlier told the court that the government should not take any punitive action against them as they only provided neutral platform to the people to post and action should be taken against persons who posted offensive material.

  • Foreign Secretary Jaishankar to travel to Pakistan

    Foreign Secretary Jaishankar to travel to Pakistan

    Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar will travel to Pakistan in March, seven months after India cancelled foreign secretary-level talks.

    “In accordance with the Prime Minister’s directive, will be undertaking a SAARC Yatra to all South Asian countries including Pakistan in March,” Spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry Syed Akbaruddin said on Tuesday.

    However, he did not reveal the exact dates, saying that visit has to be finalised at mutually convenient dates.

    Replying to a question during a live session on Facebook, Mr. Akbaruddin said, “We stand ready to talk with Pakistan in accordance with the Simla Agreement on all issues including Jammu & Kashmir.”

    In an ice-breaking move earlier this month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif after which it was announced that Jaishankar will visit Islamabad when he will “push bilateral agenda“.

    Using cricket diplomacy, Modi called leaders of four SAARC nations which, along with India, are participating in cricket World Cup. He conveyed best wishes to their teams.

    Thereafter, Mr. Modi announced that Mr. Jaishankar will undertake a “SAARC yatra” soon to strengthen relationship with them.

    Next month’s visit will be seven months after India broke off foreign secretary-level talks in August last at the eleventh hour because the Pakistan High Commissioner here held consultations with Kashmiri separatists.

    Sharif had welcomed the foreign secretary’s proposed visit .

    “to discuss all issues of common interest”.

     

  • THE RISE, FALL AND RISE OF AAP

    THE RISE, FALL AND RISE OF AAP

    Aam Aadmi Party or Common Man’s Party; abbreviated as AAP is an Indian political party, formally launched on 26 November 2012. It came into existence following differences between the activists Arvind Kejriwal and Anna Hazare regarding whether or not to politicise the popular India Against Corruption movement that had been demanding a Jan Lokpal Bill since 2011. Hazare preferred that the movement should remain politically unaligned while Kejriwal felt the failure of the agitation route necessitated a direct political involvement.

    The party’s first electoral test was in the 2013 Delhi legislative assembly election, from which it emerged as the second-largest party, winning 28 of the 70 seats. With no party obtaining an overall majority, the AAP formed a minority government with conditional support from the Indian National Congress. A significant part of its agenda was to quickly introduce the Jan Lokpal bill in the Union Territory. When it became clear after the election that the other major parties would not support this bill, the AAP government resigned. It had been in power for 49 days.

    In the 2015 Delhi Legislative Assembly election, AAP swept nearly all seats, winning 67 of the 70. Its chief opponent, Bhartiya Janta Party, was reduced to 3 seats, while the Indian National Congress was reduced to zero.

    Background

    The origin of the AAP can be traced to a difference of opinion between Arvind Kejriwal and Anna Hazare, social activists who had both been involved in Team Anna, a strand of the anti-corruption movement for Jan Lokpal Bill that had gained momentum in India during 2011 and 2012. Hazare had wanted to keep the movement politically neutral but Kejriwal considered that direct involvement in politics was necessary because attempts to obtain progress regarding the Jan Lokpal Bill through talks with existing political parties had, in his opinion, achieved nothing. A survey conducted on a Facebook page that purported to be operated by India Against Corruption and other social networking services had indicated that there was wide support for politicisation. Hazare rejected the poll, saying “elections require huge funds, which will be tough for activists to organise without compromising on their values”. He also said it would be difficult to ensure that candidates are not corrupted once elected.

    Hazare and Kejriwal agreed on 19 September 2012 that their differences regarding a role in politics were irreconcilable. Kejriwal had support from some anti-corruption movement activists, such as Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan, but was opposed by others such as Kiran Bedi and Santosh Hegde. On 2 October,[13] Kejriwal announced that he was forming a political party and that he intended the formal launch to be on 26 November, coinciding with the anniversary of India’s adoption of its constitution in 1949.

    The party’s name reflects the phrase Aam Aadmi, or “common man”, whose interests Kejriwal proposed to represent. A party constitution was adopted on 24 November 2012, when a National Council comprising 320 people and a National Executive of 23 were also formed. Both the Council and the Executive were expected to have more members in due course, with the intention being that all districts and all classes of people would have a voice. Various committees were proposed to be formed to draft proposals for adoption by the party in a process that was expected to take several months. Although one aim was to limit nepotism, there were complaints at this initial meeting that the selection of people invited to attend was itself an example of such practices.

    The party was formally launched in Delhi on 26 November and in March 2013 it was registered as a political party by the Election Commission of India.

    Ideology and issues

    AAP says that the promise of equality and justice that forms a part of the constitution of India and of its preamble has not been fulfilled and that the independence of India has replaced enslavement to an oppressive foreign power with that to a political elite. The party claims that the common people of India remain unheard and unseen except when it suits the politicians. It wants to reverse the way that the accountability of government operates and has taken an interpretation of the Gandhian concept of swaraj as a tenet. It believes that through swaraj the government will be directly accountable to the people instead of higher officials. The swaraj model lays stress on self-governance, community building and decentralisation.

    Kejriwal has said that the AAP refuses to be guided by ideologies and that they are entering politics to change the system: “We are aam aadmis. If we find our solution in the left we are happy to borrow it from there. If we find our solution in the right, we are happy to borrow it from there.”

    In early 2014, there was some media speculation that an alliance might form between the AAP and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM). Prakash Karat, the CPIM leader, thought that there were some ideological similarities between the two parties, such as their agendas relating to social justice and decentralisation of power. The AAP’s Prashant Bhushan explicitly refuted any joining of forces, claiming that there was corruption within the CPIM. A columnist, T. C. A. Srinivasa Raghavan, has said that AAP is right-wing when it comes to morality and left-wing when it comes to economics.

  • North Carolina Muslims call for calm as students buried

    RALEIGH, UNITED STATES (TIP): The families of three Muslim students shot dead by a white neighbor said an emotional farewell to their loved ones on February 12, reiterating calls for the killings to be treated as a hate crime.

    More than 5,000 people gathered for the funeral of Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his wife Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, and her 19-year-old sister Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, who were killed by an anti-religion neighbor.

    The alleged shooter, Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, was believed to be strongly opposed to religion, as his Facebook page showed dozens of anti-religious posts, including proclamations denouncing Christianity, Mormonism and Islam.

    Police said they were investigating the crime as a parking dispute, but families of the slain students repeated their belief it was a religiously-motivated attack.

    “We are definitely certain that our daughters were targeted for their religion,” the father of the sisters, Mohammad Abu-Salha, told AFP.

    “This is not a parking dispute, these children were executed with shots in the back of the heads,” he said, surrounded by tearful family members as they prepared for the final funeral prayer.

    “This has hate crime written all over it and I’m not going to sit down for it,” he said later before three caskets.

    He said his daughter Yusor had complained that Hicks had harassed her, and appeared at her door to complain about a parking space with a gun holstered at his waist.

    Chapel Hill Police lieutenant Joshua Mecimore said the crime appeared to have been provoked by “an ongoing parking dispute between neighbors,” but added all possible motives were being investigated.

    Officials said the incident did not appear to be part of a broader anti-Muslim campaign, and District Attorney for Middle North Carolina

    Ripley Rand said the killing was being treated as an “isolated incident.”

    Neighbors recalled Hicks as troublesome, frequently squabbling with nearby residents over parking and seen with his gun in public, according to local media reports.

    – Stoking fear –

    The killing rattled the community, stoking fears among some Muslims in the tight-knit university town.

    “To be honest, it makes me more scared because I have two babies, so I don’t even want to imagine,” said Sarah Alhorani, a former student at University of North Carolina where Barakat was a second year dentistry student.”I was scared to walk out my door, but I did and I kept going and I kept my scarf on and you keep moving on,” said Alhorani, a friend of all three victims.Some Muslim leaders said the shooting was a reflection of wider anti-Muslim hostility, and warned it could sow fear among Muslim-Americans.

  • FOUR INDIANS FIGURE IN THE TOP 100 GLOBAL RICH LIST

    FOUR INDIANS FIGURE IN THE TOP 100 GLOBAL RICH LIST

    LONDON (TIP): Four Indians have made it to the top 100 global rich list, as the country records for the first time more billionaires than Britain and Russia.

     

    The world now has a record 2,089 billionaires with Mukesh Ambani being the richest Indian in the list.

     

    The Reliance chief however ranks 41 in the top 100 global rich list.

     

    The other Indians to figure in the top 100 are Dilip Sanghvi of Sun Pharma who is ranked 53, Pallonji Mistry & family who own Tata Sons ranked 60 and Wipro’s Azim Premzi who is ranked 74.

     

    India has leapfrogged Russia and the UK to third place with 97 billionaires, 27 more than 2014. Manufacturing and Pharma are the preferred sectors with 23 and 14 billionaires respectively. Combined wealth of the Indian billionaires comes to $266 billion. Mumbai is headquarters to most of the Indian billionaires.

     

    The latest Harun Global Rich List 2015 shows an additional 222 billionaires were created last year, almost a third of whom were in China. Bill Gates remains the world’s wealthiest individual increasing his wealth to $85 billion. Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is second with $83bn, while Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg breaks into the global top 10 for the first time.

     

    The US still holds the crown for most mega-wealthy residents, at 537. But China is not far behind with 430, having acquired 72 new billionaires in 2014.

     

    Russia has 93 billionaires and UK has 80.

     

    New York remains the favourite city of the super-rich, with 91 billionaires while London is still fifth with 49.

     

    But six cities in Asia now make the top 10: Mumbai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shenzhen, Taipei and Shanghai.

     

    The List ranked 2089 billionaires from 68 countries, up 222 from last year.

     

    Mark Zuckerberg at 30 is the youngest member of the Top 10. His wealth soared 42%, moving him up 11 places to number 7.

     

    The ‘Big Two’ in the list are the USA and China with 537 and 430 billionaires respectively, amounting to almost half of the billionaires on the planet. Russia had a bad year, losing 10 billionaires.

  • 27 killed in attacks in Egypt’s North Sinai, Suez

    27 killed in attacks in Egypt’s North Sinai, Suez

    CAIRO: Twenty-seven people were killed in four attacks in Egypt’s North Sinai and Suez, security and medical sources said, in some of the worst anti-state violence in months and after commemorations around the anniversary of the 2011 uprising turned deadly this week.

     

    Egypt’s government faces an Islamist insurgency based in Sinai and growing discontent with what critics perceive as heavy handed security tactics.

     

    Thursday’s first attack was a bombing of military buildings in the capital of North Sinai province, that killed 25 and wounded at least 58, including 9 civilians, security and medical sources said.

     

    The flagship government newspaper, al-Ahram, said its office in the town of Al-Arish, which is situated opposite a military hotel, headquarters and base that security sources said were the intended targets, had been “completely destroyed”.

     

    Later, suspected militants killed an army major and wounded six others at a checkpoint in Rafah, followed by a roadside bomb in Suez city that killed a police officer, and an assault on an army unit south of Al-Arish that wounded four soldiers, security sources said.

     

    Sinai-based militants have killed hundreds of security officers since president Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood was removed from power following mass protests against his rule.

     

    The military said in a statement on its Facebook page that the attacks were the result of a successful campaign to pressure the militants.

     

    Tensions have risen across Egypt this week with protests, some of them violent, marking four years since the uprising that ousted longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak from power.

     

    Earlier on Thursday, a group of women protested in Cairo over the death of activist Shaimaa Sabbagh and around 25 others said to have been killed by security forces at rallies commemorating the 2011 uprising.

     

    Sabbagh, 32, died on Saturday as riot police were breaking up a small, peaceful demonstration. Friends said she had been shot, and images of her bleeding body rippled out across social media, sparking outrage and condemnation.

     

    “The Interior Ministry are thugs!” chanted around 100 women protesters at the site of Sabbagh’s death. Some held up signs with the word “Murderer” scrawled over the face of Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim.

     

    The protesters were defying a law that severely restricts protests. “People are here at incredible risk to themselves. But it’s a way of standing against the fear they have instilled,” said activist Yasmin el-Rifae.

  • Internet will ‘disappear’, says Google boss Eric Schmidt

    Internet will ‘disappear’, says Google boss Eric Schmidt

    DAVOS, Switzerland (TIP): Google boss Eric Schmidt predicted on Thursday that the internet will soon be so pervasive in every facet of our lives that it will effectively “disappear” into the background.

    “It will be part of your presence all the time. Imagine you walk into a room and… you are interacting with all the things going on in that room.”

    “A highly personalized, highly interactive and very interesting world emerges.”

    On the sort of high-level panel only found among the ski slopes of Davos, a panel bringing together the heads of Google, Facebook and Microsoft and Vodafone sought to allay fears that the rapid pace of technological advance was killing jobs.

    “Everyone’s worried about jobs,” admitted Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook.

    With so many changes in the technology world, “the transformation is happening faster than ever before,” she acknowledged.

    “But tech creates jobs not only in the tech space but outside,” she insisted.

    Schmidt quoted statistics he said showed that every tech job created between five and seven jobs in a different area of the economy.

    “If there were a single digital market in Europe, 400 million new and important new jobs would be created in Europe,” which is suffering from stubbornly high levels of unemployment.

    The debate about whether technology is destroying jobs “has been around for hundreds of years,” said the Google boss. What is different is the speed of change.

    “It’s the same that happened to the people who lost their farming jobs when the tractor came… but ultimately a globalize solution means more equality for everyone.”

    With one of the main topics at this year’s World Economic Forum being how to share out the fruits of global growth, the tech barons stressed that the greater connectivity offered by their companies ultimately helps reduce inequalities.

    “Are the spoils of tech being evenly spread? That is an issue that we have to tackle head on,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive of Microsoft.

    “I’m optimistic, there’s no question. If you are in the tech business, you have to be optimistic. Ultimately to me, it’s about human capital. Tech empowers humans to do great things.”

    Facebook boss Sandberg said the internet in its early forms was “all about anonymity” but now and everyone was visible.

    “Now everyone has a voice… now everyone can post, everyone can share and that gives a voice to people who have historically not had it,” she said.

    Schmidt, who said he had recently come back from the reclusive state of North Korea, said he believed that technology forced potentially despotic and hermetic governments to open up as their citizens acquired more knowledge about the outside world.

    “It is no longer possible for a country to step out of basic assumptions in banking, communications, morals and the way people communicate,” the Google boss said.

    “You cannot isolate yourself any more. It simply doesn’t work.” Nevertheless, Sandberg told the assembled elites that even the current pace of change was only the tip of the iceberg.

    “Today, only 40% of people have internet access,” she said, adding: “If we can do all this with 40%, imagine what we can do with 50, 60, 70%.”

    Even two decades into the global spread of the internet, the potential for opening up and growth was tremendous, she stressed.

    “Sixty percent of the internet is in English. If that doesn’t tell you how uninclusive the internet is, then nothing will,” said the tycoon. The World Economic Forum brings together some 2,500 of the top movers and shakers in the worlds of politics, business and finance for a four-day meeting that ends on Saturday.

  • ARMY SPELLS OUT NEW RULES FOR PERSONNEL USING SOCIAL MEDIA

    ARMY SPELLS OUT NEW RULES FOR PERSONNEL USING SOCIAL MEDIA

    NEW DELHI (TIP): After finding itself at the receiving end of several malicious campaigns in the social media, the Army on Thursday spelt out the dos and don’ts for its personnel who use these platforms.

    Though the policy was made sometime ago, the Army brought it in the public domain on Thursday asserting that being on the social media is purely a personal choice and under no circumstances the personnel will disclose details like rank, unit, formation, appointment, place of duty and movement on social networking sites. Operational and administrative matters, including issues that affect the image of not only the Army but also the armed forces, Defence Ministry and the government should not be discussed.Photos in uniform or background depicting Army installations and equipment must be avoided, the policy posted on the Army’s Facebook page stated. Online participation in polling, campaigns related to the armed forces or government are prohibited.

    Furthermore, the policy says Army personnel must not create or be a member of groups depicting religious sects, political groups, foreign military networks and hate groups. They are also barred from circulating chain mails, messages and posts on the armed forces. With several false WhatsApp messages on Army activities doing the rounds, the policy cautions the serving officers as well as veterans to verify the facts mentioned in those messages before accepting the content as truth. They are also expected to behave more responsibly while forwarding mails affecting the image of the Army.

  • MISSOURI MAN KILLS LOCAL FAVORITE ALBINO DEER, DONATES MEAT

    MISSOURI MAN KILLS LOCAL FAVORITE ALBINO DEER, DONATES MEAT

    KANSAS CITY (MISSOURI) (TIP): A Missouri man, criticized after he killed an albino deer that had been a community favorite, said on December 11 he would have the aging animal stuffed and would give away the meat to a needy family. Jerry Kinnaman, 40, said he had seen the deer around Cape Girardeau, Missouri, for years and refrained from shooting it because a neighbor enjoyed watching it. He killed it on Tuesday with a bow and arrow, he said. “He really hadn’t been on my property enough for me to actually hunt him,” Kinnaman said in a telephone interview. “This year he started showing up again periodically. I knew I had a chance.” The 10-point buck was about 7-1/2 years old, thin and probably near the end of its life expectancy, he said. Kinnaman said he could understand the outcry generated after he posted his kill of the locally famous deer on Facebook, and an article ran in the Southeast Missourian newspaper

  • Woman’s selfie catches Bill Clinton ogling at her

    Woman’s selfie catches Bill Clinton ogling at her

    LONDON: Bill Clinton was recently caught in action when his eyes wandered off to take a peek at a woman’s cleavage. Unaware that the stunning brunette Ari’elle Avdali was taking a selfie, the former US president was clicked with his gaze aiming at her breasts at Jerusalem’s Mount Herzl National Cemetery, which Avdali captioned “Billy boy checking on my tatas,” the Daily Star reported. In addition to that, the brunette’s friend posted the pic on Reddit saying that “Clinton did not realize that Avdali was taking a selfie with him.” The image instantly went viral and while one person said commented that Clinton, who had been previously entangled in a sex scandal with White House intern Monica Lewinsky during his term, would never change, while another commented: “Classic Bill.” Clinton was in Jerusalem to pay visit to the grave of the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995 after addressing a large rally in Tel Aviv. The snap also appears on Ari’elle’s Facebook page, which shows her in a low-cut dress and says she is from Tel Aviv in Israel.

  • North Texas teachers, children killed on road trip

    North Texas teachers, children killed on road trip

    DALLAS (TIP): Two North Texas teachers and several of their children were killed overnight while driving through Louisiana for a Disney vacation. Trudi and Michael Hardman died in the single-vehicle crash on Interstate 20 just west of Calhoun, La. Trudi was a kindergarten teacher at Wills Point Primary School, and Michael taught second grade at JFK Elementary in Terrell. The couple’s 4-year-old daughter, Casey, Michael’s 7-year-old son, Andrew, and Trudi’s 15-year-old, Dakota, were also killed.

    Trudi’s son, Hunter, and Michael’s son, Adam, survived and have been released from the hospital. Louisiana State Police said that the horrific crash happened around midnight. The16-year-old driving the family, Aaron Hardman, likely fell asleep at the wheel and left the road. He overcorrected and the family’s Chevy Tahoe began rolling, police said. Aaron remains hospitalized in intensive care in Shreveport. Police said six of the eight people in the SUV were not wearing a seatbelt and were ejected. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to all of the people affected by this tragic crash,” said Colonel Mike Edmonson with Louisiana State Police. “Crashes like this one don’t just affect the people involved.

    They affect family members, friends, troopers, first responders and the community at large. In an instance this family vacation turned into an unspeakable tragedy. I cannot stress enough the importance of wearing a seatbelt anytime you are in a vehicle.” The family was reportedly on their way to Walt Disney World in Orlando. “These kids and parents were active in the school and in the Wills Point Baseball Association. This was a wonderful family and was loved by all the kids that these wonderful teachers touched,” The Van Zandt Co Fire Marshal’s Office posted on Facebook.

    Terrell ISD’s superintendent described Michael Hardman as a dedicated teacher. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family members, colleagues, students and friends.We must lift each other up during this difficult time,” said Superintendent Michael French. Wills Point ISD said the impact of the tragedy is far reaching and affects each campus in the district. “Words cannot express the sadness in our hearts today,” said Superintendent Suzanne Blasengame. At least 250 people, including neighbors, friends and colleagues paid tribute to the Hardman family at a candlelight vigil Thursday, November 20 night at the Wills Point baseball fields. The family spent much of their free team on the fields because Michael coached youth league baseball.