Don't miss out on these top 5 fiction reads before 2019 ends!

Agencies
November 30, 2019

New Delhi, Nov 28: Be it a holiday or just any other regular day, books can be the best companion one can have and no matter whether you admire gripping page-turners or literary novels, there's something for everyone. Yes, yes, for you too!

With 2019 being a bumper year for novels, a number of new releases by new and established authors hit the book stands, some of which will leave you inspired while others will give you the right mix of emotions.

As 2019 is nearing an end, here are five amazing reads that you shouldn't miss out reading on:

1. A Marketplace for Murder by Debleena Majumdar
Is killing a human the only kind of murder? What about the murder of a dream? Or, the murder of identity? This who and whydunit crime thriller explores the three questions through the unravelling a web of lies, murder and deceit that threaten to bring crime very close home for Leena, a business journalist.

The alternating first-person voice of the unknown killer and the third-person narrative takes the story across the modern-day Bangalore and a strange discovery at an archaeological expedition with characters you would have seen around you.

2. The Atlas of Reds and Blues by Devi S Laskar
Written in an episodic style full of segments and snapshots, this literary work dips into and dissects what it means to be a person of colour, particularly a woman (and writer) of colour in contemporary America.

The book may be small, but it's sure to make a lasting impression on anyone who reads it.

3. Ib's Endless Search for Satisfaction by Roshan Ali
This is a portrait of a young man in our present-day urban country. The eponymous protagonist, who shares a house with his schizophrenic father, is pushed to the peripheries before long.

What follows is a long-winded search--lit with dark humour, lined with angst and anxiety, and unfolding in an inimitable style.

4. The Body Myth by Rheea Mukherjee
A 'modern' marriage, mental illness, love, myths and a menage a trois (the couple, Sara and Rahil, and their new friend, Mira) make up this debut (originally published in the US by Unnamed Press).

The book leaves pre-conceived notions and expectations of relationships--and reading--outside its own plotline, and questions if togetherness can be toxic and what 'conventional' love looks like.

5. A People's History of Heaven by Mathangi Subramaniam
The author, activist and educator's debut novel for adults is a celebration of five girls (Deepa, Banu, Padma, Rukshana and Joy) on the cusp of adulthood.

Set in a tight-knit slum community, the book talks of survival despite the threat of demolishment. Despite all odds, these girls and their mothers form a bond to fight the bulldozers sent to bury their lives and homes. 

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Agencies
March 10,2020

New Delhi, Mar 10: Crisis-hit Yes Bank on Tuesday said that it has enabled inward IMPS and NEFT services.

The move allows people to send money from other bank accounts to their Yes Bank account through IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) and NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer) mode.

In a tweet, the bank also said that Yes Bank customers can pay their credit card dues and loan obligations from other bank accounts.

"Inward IMPS/NEFT services have now been enabled. You can make payments towards YES BANK Credit Card dues and loan obligations from other bank accounts. Thank you for your co-operation. @RBIA @FinMinIndia," said tweet.

Last week Yes Bank was placed under moratorium and a withdrawal cap of Rs 50,000 was imposed till April 3.

The administrator of Yes Bank, Prashant Kumar and Rajnish Kumar, the Chairman of the State Bank of India are hopeful that moratorium would be lifted within a week.

As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) draft reconstruction scheme for the crisis-hit private lender, the SBI will take up 49 per cent in the bank by investing Rs 2,450 crore.

The new board of directors will stand constituted from the appointed date. It will comprise a CEO and MD, non-executive chairman and non-executive directors. The SBI will have nominee directors appointed on the board of the reconstructed bank.

The RBI may appoint additional directors to the board, who shall continue in office for one year, or until an alternate board is constituted by Yes Bank.

The SBI will not reduce its holding below 26 per cent before completion of three years from the date of infusion of the capital.

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Agencies
June 22,2020

Chennai, Jun 22: Commuting the death sentence to life imprisonment for five convicts, the Madras High Court on Monday set free Chinnasamy, the main convict, who had also been sentenced to death in the Udumalpet Shankar honour killing case.

A Division Bench comprising Justice M. Sathyanarayanan and Justice M. Nirmal Kumar also dismissed the appeal by the state police against the acquittal of three persons by a lower court.

The Bench ordered the five convicts sentenced for life to undergo a jail term of not less than 25 years.

In 2016, V. Shankar, who had married C. Kausalya, was killed by a gang in Udumalpet in Tamil Nadu. The gang also injured Kausalya in the attack.

It was alleged the parents of Kausalya -- Chinnasamy, Annalakshmi -- were against the marriage.

P. Pandidurai, the uncle of Kausalya at the behest of Chinnasamy and Annalakshmi had hired a gang to kill Shankar.

The gang killed Shankar in broad daylight in a public place and Kausalya too got injured in the attack as she tried to save her husband.

The Principal District and Sessions Court in Tiruppur had convicted and sentenced to death six accused persons -- Chinnasamy, P. Jagadeesan, P. Selvakumar, M. Manikandan, M. Mathan alias Michael and P. Kalaithamilvaanan.

The court also sentenced two other accused, K. Dhanraj for life and Manikandan to a five year jail term, while acquitting Annalakshmi, Pandidurai and Prasanna.

The convicts had filed an appeal against their sentence in the Madras High Court while the police filed an appeal against the acquittal of three persons.

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Agencies
February 26,2020

New Delhi, Feb 26: With the government pushing for the disinvestment of Air India, industrial conglomerate Adani Group may emerge as one of the bidders for the debt-laden national carrier, sources said.

According to highly placed sources, the Group has held internal rounds of deliberations on whether or not to submit an Expression of Interest (EoI) and the discussions are still in the preliminary stage.

If the company actually submits an EoI, it would be a major move towards further diversification of the company which has business interests across sectors right from edible oil, food to mining and minerals. 

It also entered into airport operations and maintenance business and won bids for privatisation of six airports, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru in 2019. 

On being contacted by IANS, the company did not comment on the matter.

Air India is one of the most important divestment proposals for the current fiscal to reach the huge Rs 2.1 lakh crore target.

The government in January restarted the divestment process of the airline and invited bids for selling 100 per cent of its equity in the state-owned airline, including Air India's 100 per cent shareholding in AI Express Ltd. and 50 per cent in Air India SATS Airport Services Private Ltd.

After its unsuccessful bid to sell Air India in 2018, the government this time has decided to offload its entire stake. In 2018, it had offered to sell its 76 per cent stake in the airline.

Of the total debt of Rs 60,074 crore as of March 31, 2019, the buyer would be required to absorb Rs 23,286 crore.

Air India, along with its subsidiary Air India Express, has a total operational fleet of 146 aeroplanes.

Further, the disinvestment department has extended the last date for submission of written queries on the Performance Information Memorandum and Share Purchase Agreement to March 6.

The last date for submission of written queries on PIM and SPA was originally set for February 11, following which the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) on February 21 issued 20 clarifications on the queries raised and expected.

Any delay in the tentatively rolled out timeline would also delay DIPAM's plan to identify the pre-qualified bidders by March 31 and the financial bids invitation as well. It is expected to take more than two months after the selection of the pre-qualified bidders to complete Air India's sale.

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