Kohli blames batsmen for losing Test to Sensex breaches 35,000: Top stories

Captain Virat Kohli blamed his batsmen after India lost the second Test match to South Africa; the Sensex breached 35,000; and Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu went on a roadshow in Ahmedabad. These stories made news on Wednesday. Here is more about them.

India ‘not good enough’, says Kohli after losing second Test to South Africa

India “weren’t good enough” and batsmen “let the team down”, said captain Virat Kohli after South Africa defeated his team by 135 runs in the second Test in Pretoria. Seamer Ngidi, 21, recorded figures of 6-39, his best in first class cricket, as South Africa bowled India out for 151 in their second innings to taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match contest.

Sensex breaches 35,000 as govt cuts extra borrowing

The benchmark BSE Sensex breached the 35,000 levelfor the first time in late afternoon trade, as banks rallied after the government decided to cut its additional market borrowing requirement by 60%for the current fiscal year. All sectoral indices on BSE ended higher with bank, capital goods and IT leading the gains. Sentiments got a boost after the government lowered the additional borrowing requirement for the current fiscal to Rs 20,000 crore from Rs 50,000 crore estimated earlier, brokers said.

Haryana Class 12 student, suspect in rape and murder of Dalit girl, found dead

A Class 12 student, who is suspected of raping and killing a 15-year-old Dalit girl in Haryana, was found dead late Tuesday night, police said. He was undressed when his body was fished out of a canal near Kirmach village of Kurukshetra district, four days after the mutilated body of the girl was found in adjoining Jind. The two were neighbours in Jhansa village of Jind district.

Rs 100 crore in demonetised notes found in Kanpur house

Demonetised notes worth about Rs 100 crore were found spread out like a mattress on the floor of a house under construction in Kanpur Tuesday night--one of the biggest hauls since Rs 500 and Rs 1000 banknotes were banned in November 2016. Sixteen people have been arrested for the haul of cash found at the house owned by businessman Anand Khatri, who is a member of a group that has diversified business interests.

BJP youth faction ‘purified’ stage after my speech: Prakash Raj

Actor Prakash Raj alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party’s youth faction sprinkled cow urine to “cleanse” the stage after he criticised union minister Anant Kumar Hegde in a speech at an event in Sirsi, Karnataka. “Will you continue this cleaning and purification service where ever I go...#justasking,” said Raj on Twitter. Raj spoke about Hegde, who has got into controversy for his Hindutva statements, at a programme called “Our Constitution, Our Pride”. He has written against BJP’s politics in Karnataka and condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged silence on journalist Gauri Lankesh’s murder.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and his wife Sara Natanyahu use a spinning wheel during a visit to the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad. (AFP/ PIB)

Modi and Netanyahu hold roadshow in Ahmedabad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on a roadshowin Ahmedabad, where hundreds of people waving Indian and Israeli flags lined up the streets as the motorcade travelled to Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram. “An inspiring visit to the hearth of one of humanity’s great prophets of inspiration - Mahatma Gandhi”, Netanyahu and his wife wrote in the guest book at Sabarmati.

Supreme Court bench begins hearing petitions against Aadhaar

Is there anything wrong in using Aadhaar to increase the efficiency of government welfare schemes? That was the substance of questions posed by two judges, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI) on Wednesday as a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court began hearing pleas against Aadhaar.

The Constitution Bench is hearing 28 petitions challenging Aadhaar’s legal validity.

Is it politics? Rajinikanth offers best wishes to Kamal Haasan

Actor Rajinikanth said his party will not partner with any other in Tamil Nadu elections but refused to comment whether he and Kamal Haasan could tie up in politics. “Only time will tell,” he said when reporters asked him whether the two actors will come together in politics. “I always thought Kamal would start a political party before me,” he said. The two men have announced their entry into politics in Tamil Nadu at a time there is a political vacuum created by the death of J Jayalalithaa and the ill health of DMK chief M Karunanidhi.

Tracey Crouch is UK’s minister for loneliness

A minister will look after issues related to more than 9 million young and old people, including many who have no social interaction whatsoever for days, in the United Kingdom. Tracey Crouch, who is minister for sport and civil society, has been tasked with the portfolio of loneliness, which will coordinate across the government on policy issues related to loneliness.