Invests $2billion in India
Amazon will invest an additional $2 billion in India to support its growth in the country. Amazon has scaled up rapidly in the country since its launch in June last year. The company has heavily invested in logistics and marketing and has created a network of warehouses across the country. It now sells over 17 million products across 28 categories and hosts about 8,500 merchants on its marketplace.
Wall of Shame to stop outside defecation
West Bengal’s Nadia district uses a ‘wall of shame’ to stop villagers from attending nature’s call in the open fields. Names and photographs of those who defecate in the open are pasted on a village wall. The district, which has a population of 5.2 million, strives to achieve the target of 100 per cent open defecation-free status by 2019.
This is being done to attach a sense of stigma and shame for those defecating in the open. We have constructed around 95 per cent toilets so far but this is not enough as people who have been going out in the open (to defecate) since generations cannot be expected to use toilets suddenly. Once they start using toilets their names would be restored.
7.9 magnitude
A 7.9 magnitude earthquake strikes in Nepal only 2km below the earth’s surface. At least two are dead with many more injured. Tremors are felt as far away as Delhi. Reporter:
Massive tremors have been felt here in Delhi and several other parts of India. You can see pictures of our Delhi studios, where the windows rattled and everything shook for a very long time, for a minute perhaps or longer.
Police:
We don’t know about the casualties, we are flooded with calls.
Modi:
We are in the process of finding more information and are working to reach out to those affected, both at home & in Nepal.
Fighter plane lands on highway
A Mirage 2000 fighter jet lands on the Taj Expressway as part of a military drill. The exercise is done to test if landings on highways are possible in emergencies. Fire fighters, emergency services and army personal are present to witness and check the incident.
27 pilgrims killed in stampede
At least 27 pilgrims die in a stampede in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh while gathering at the Godavari river at the start of the Maha Pushkaralu festival. Pilgrims believe that taking a bath in the river will rid them of their sins. Police:
The incident happened as the first set of worshipers were coming out of the river after taking a dip and then got in the way of others who wanted to be in the water at an auspicious time. It was a frightening situation, with women and children crying for help. The policemen on duty were helpless and it took more than an hour to bring the situation under control.
Three terrorists killed
Pubjab Police shoot and kill three heavily armed terrorists in the dawn-to-dusk offensive at Dinanagar after they arrive from Pakistan late in the night. The terrorists plant five improvised explosive devices on a railway track before getting in the police station. Director General of Police Saini:
The Union government had also offered to move in National Security Guards (NSG) but Punjab Police wanted to prove that they had the expertise to handle any situation. All the officers taking part in this operation were battle-hardened soldiers of the state’s fight against terrorism. We are grateful for the army’s assistance, though.
Police station attack: 11 dead
11 people are reported dead after a terrorist attack on a New Delhi . Chief of Police:
Six victims were killed — three civilians and three security forces. The raid was a terror attack but it is not immediately clear to which group the attackers belonged. We know that the same gunman earlier fired at a nearby bus stand before storming the police station, which is next to a hospital.
Police stations on high alert
Members of India’s security forces are on high alert across the country after the fatal shootings at a police station in New Delhi in the western state of Punjab. In addition to the fatalities reported it is now being reported that eight injured being treated in area hospitals. Security establishments around the country are concerned that the gunman was able to gain access to the police station and hold off security and military personnel for over 11 hours before the siege could be brought to a close. A junior minister expresses the government’s concern based not only on this event but also in response to intelligence received from across India’s borders.
There have been earlier reports of Pakistan infiltration and cross-border mischief in this area.
Outbreak
At least 1,872 patients have tested positive with Dengue Fever in New Delhi, of which seven have died. State-run hospitals in the country’s capital are overrun. Authorities say they have ordered hundreds of additional beds to accommodate the surge of patients in government hospitals, which provide free treatment. They also mandated private hospitals to not turn away anyone requiring admission. The capital’s chief minister makes a surprise checks at crowded wards after national media runs the story of a six-year-old boy who died from a suspected case of the illness. Several city hospitals, his father said, refused treatment to his child, citing a shortage of beds. A seven-year-old boy also died for want of treatment. police say that his parents then killed themselves by jumping from the roof of their rented four-story house. City spokesperson:
There is a sense of panic. People insist on hospitalization even if symptoms are mild.
Two million apply for 300 clerical jobs
Uttar Pradesh’s government is overwhelmed after receiving over two million applications for 368 low-level government jobs. Even though the prerequisites for the posts include having primary school qualifications and being able to ride a bicycle, 255 PhD holders and 152,000 graduates have applied. The successful candidates will receive a monthly salary of 16,000 rupees ($240).Official:
These candidates have to be interviewed but my estimate is that the entire process will take at least four years to complete even if there are ten boards interviewing 200 candidates a day, for 25 days a month.
Files declassified
India declassifies 64 files on Bose. The files will be put on public display, but their contents are not yet known. Some analysts say that the declassified files are not as important as those still classified. It is not known how many more classified files on him the government is in possession of. A source in the India’s prime minister’s office says:
[We can not] declassify files related to Chandra as it [would] adversely affect relations with foreign countries.
Many people in India refuse to accept the official version of events of Bose’ death –that he died in a plane crash — especially since no photograph of the body, which officials say has been cremated, has been released.
Soldiers, policeman killed in ambush
Two soldiers and one policeman are killed in India-held Kashmir when an unknown number of gunmen open fire on two army trucks and a police car travelling through Baramulla west of the region’s main city of Srinagar. Security forces launched a major search for the militants who fled the scene.
Submarine data leak
Australian media reports DCNS is hit by a massive leak of secret data on its submarines. 22,400 leaked pages detail the combat capability of the Scorpene-class DCNS submarine designed for the Indian navy, variants of which are used by Malaysia and Chile. DCNS says it has launched an inquiry:
This inquiry will determine the precise nature of the documents which have been leaked, the potential damage to our customers as well as those responsible.
Indian Defence Minister Parrikar orders a probe into the report
I have asked the navy chief to investigate the matter and find what has been leaked and how much of it is about us. What I understand is there is a hacking.
Tesla reopens talks with Indian government
Senior Tesla executives visit India, meeting officials from Modi’s office and other ministries to discuss local sourcing of parts and more. The executives propose setting up a factory in India to build electric cars for domestic sale and export, but no location or investment has been specified. Though India previously declined Tesla’s request to lower the import tax on cars (causing earlier talks to end in gridlock), the matter is not being discussed during this visit.