ISIS beheads Japanese journalist Kenji Goto
In a video released online on Saturday night, ISIS purportedly shows the beheading of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto who it was holding hostage. Goto, a freelance journalist, was abducted by the militant group ast year while reporting on Syria’s civil war. ISIS had demanded $200 million dollar ransom for Goto and his friend Haruna Yukawa who was beheaded earlier this month. A militant in the video addressed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: "Because of your reckless decision to take part in an unwinnable war, this knife will not only slaughter Kenji, but will also carry on and cause carnage wherever your people are found. So let the nightmare for Japan begin."
India successfully test-fires Agni V
India successfully test-launched its long-range ballistic missile Agni V from Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast on Saturday. The 17-metre-long three-staged missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation has a range of 5,000 km and can carry a nuclear warhead of over one ton. This was India’s third successful test-launch of Agni V, with two basic versions of the missile being tested in 2012 and 2013. The project was also the final one for DRDO chief Avinash Chander, who was sacked on January 14, more than a year before his contract was to end.
Sushma Swaraj embarks on four-day visit to China
India’s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has arrived in Beijing on a four -day visit. She will be meeting the Chinese president Xi Jinping and her Chinese counterpart. She is expected to hold talks on bilateral and multilateral issues. Swaraj is also likely to discuss the arrangements for a second of the Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra in Tibet. .
Prosecution evidence in Uber rape case finishes in 17 days
The prosecution in the Uber rape case completed recording of the evidence in just 17 days as part of the fast-track trial set up by a Delhi court. Of the 44 witness cited in the chargesheet, only 28 were examined; the remaining 16 were not relevant. The statement of the accused driver, 32-year-old Shiv Kumar Yadav will be recorded on February 3.
Another secretary-level bureaucratic reshuffle
Days after the Narendra Modi government sacked foreign secretary Sujatha Singh, there has been another reshuffle of department secretaries. Among the several changes, Gujarat cadre IAS officer, Gauri Kumar who was the labour secretary will now serve as the Secretary Coordination and Public Grievances. Urban development secretary Shankar Agarwal has been handed the charge of labour secretary. His transfer is being attributed to poor implementation of Modi's key project of building smart cities.
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In a video released online on Saturday night, ISIS purportedly shows the beheading of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto who it was holding hostage. Goto, a freelance journalist, was abducted by the militant group ast year while reporting on Syria’s civil war. ISIS had demanded $200 million dollar ransom for Goto and his friend Haruna Yukawa who was beheaded earlier this month. A militant in the video addressed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: "Because of your reckless decision to take part in an unwinnable war, this knife will not only slaughter Kenji, but will also carry on and cause carnage wherever your people are found. So let the nightmare for Japan begin."
India successfully test-fires Agni V
India successfully test-launched its long-range ballistic missile Agni V from Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast on Saturday. The 17-metre-long three-staged missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation has a range of 5,000 km and can carry a nuclear warhead of over one ton. This was India’s third successful test-launch of Agni V, with two basic versions of the missile being tested in 2012 and 2013. The project was also the final one for DRDO chief Avinash Chander, who was sacked on January 14, more than a year before his contract was to end.
Sushma Swaraj embarks on four-day visit to China
India’s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj has arrived in Beijing on a four -day visit. She will be meeting the Chinese president Xi Jinping and her Chinese counterpart. She is expected to hold talks on bilateral and multilateral issues. Swaraj is also likely to discuss the arrangements for a second of the Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra in Tibet. .
Prosecution evidence in Uber rape case finishes in 17 days
The prosecution in the Uber rape case completed recording of the evidence in just 17 days as part of the fast-track trial set up by a Delhi court. Of the 44 witness cited in the chargesheet, only 28 were examined; the remaining 16 were not relevant. The statement of the accused driver, 32-year-old Shiv Kumar Yadav will be recorded on February 3.
Another secretary-level bureaucratic reshuffle
Days after the Narendra Modi government sacked foreign secretary Sujatha Singh, there has been another reshuffle of department secretaries. Among the several changes, Gujarat cadre IAS officer, Gauri Kumar who was the labour secretary will now serve as the Secretary Coordination and Public Grievances. Urban development secretary Shankar Agarwal has been handed the charge of labour secretary. His transfer is being attributed to poor implementation of Modi's key project of building smart cities.
