London: One of the world's most popular fitness trackers, Fitbit, has been accused of selling devices that pose a potential health risk. In a court filing, two model devices were said to “consistently mis-record heart rates by a very significant margin, particularly during exercise.” In the first trimester of 2015, Fitbit are said to have sold over 3.8 million devices, and 75% were Surge and Charge HR. The product in question, PurePulse, uses LED-based technology.
Margarita Louis-Dreyfus is expecting twin girls in April
Bern: Swiss multi-billionaire businesswoman Margarita Louis-Dreyfus is pregnant with twins at the age of 53. She is the chair of French conglomerate Louis Dreyfus Commodities and owner of the Olympique de Marseille football team. In an announcement made by the company, she said, “Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, Non-Executive Chairperson of the Louis Dreyfus Commodities Group Supervisory Board, is pregnant with twin girls, due in early April 2016. She intends to continue to exercise her duties as chairperson until the birth, take a brief break and return to work full time in late April.” the father is Philipp Hildebrand, 52, the Swiss vice-chairman of BlackRock, the American investment management company. The couple have been together since 2013. He is reported to have a fortune that runs to tens to millions of pounds.
Bill Clinton: Hillary the most qualified White House candidate
Washington: Making his first public appearance of the presidential primary campaign, Bill Clinton made a passionate endorsement of his wife's suitability. “Everything she touches she has made better,” he said. An audience of over 700 were packed into a college basketball court in Nashua to see the former president, and gave him a standing ovation when he took stage. In the speech which was given in the backdrop of Donald Trump accusing the former secretary of state of “creating” the Islamic State, Clinton carefully refrained from making any direct attacks on Trump. In subtle digs at the front GOP runner, he said, “We don't want to run away from the place we have built in America. America is a place which welcomes all people.”
Sikh attorney appointed top prosecutor in New Jersey
NEW YORK: An attorney of Sikh-American origin has been appointed as the top prosecutor in the most populous county in New Jersey, making him the first South Asian to occupy the post in the state. Gurbir Grewal, 42, has been sworn in as acting Bergen county prosecutor. In the gathering at his swearing-in, Grewal said he “cares deeply” about the county and is “deeply committed to public service. I want to spend my time here just seeing how I can make this an even better place,” he said. He described his appointment as an “honour and privilege” and said the office of the Bergen County prosecutor in “many real ways sets the standard for other prosecutor's offices throughout the state.”
Student from Hyderabad commits suicide at US university
North Carolina (US): A 23 year old Indian student has committed suicide at the North Carolina State University. Shiva Karan from Hyderabad, who was pursuing a master's programme at the university in Raleigh, was found hanging in his hostel room. While the exact reason behind his death is yet unknown, the student's maternal uncle Shiva Prasad told the media at his house in Ramanthapur that his nephew “in the last exams, got less grades which may have forced him to take such a drastic step.” The Telugu Association of North America informed the family members of Shiva's death. “We are still trying to learn more about what may have happened in Shiva Karans' case. Our volunteers in North Carolina will provide any necessary logistical support,” V Chowdary Jampala, president of TANA, said.
US military funds research into lab-grown testicles
WASHINGTON: The US military will be funding research for lab-grown testicles for soldiers whose battlefield injuries leave them unable to conceive children. More than 50,000 American troops have suffered wounds in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. The catastrophic effects of those explosions can be seen in the hundreds of soldiers who have lost arms and legs, those who can no longer dress themselves and those who can no longer walk. However, there are soldiers who return from the war with an even more serious injury which is not visible. An estimated 440 soldiers wounded in Iraq alone sustained injuries that would make it more difficult, or in many cases impossible for them to conceive children.
Islamic State sympathiser shoots Philadelphia police officer
PHILADELPHIA: A gunman claiming to have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, shot and wounded a Philadelphia police officer in an ambush on his patrol car. Edward Archer was later arrested after he fired shots at Jesse Hartnett, who was on duty, as per authorities. The masked attacker wearing white robes opened fire on Officer Hartnett's cruiser late in the night, walking towards the car with his 9mm handgun. “He has confessed to committing this cowardly act in the name of Islam,” Richard Ross, Philadelphia's police commissioner said in a statement. Philadelphia police Homicide Captain, James Clark said, “He said he pledges his allegiance to Isil, he follows Allah and that was the reason he was called on to do this.” US officials have been on a high security alert since a series of Islamic State-inspired attacks at home and abroad in recent months.
North Korea says it successfully tested Hydrogen bomb
SEOUL: North Korea has yet again managed to shock the world as it issued statements claiming to have successfully tested a miniaturized hydrogen nuclear device. The state media said the test, the fourth time North Korea has exploded a nuclear device, was ordered by young leader Kim Jong Un. “Let the world look up to the strong, self-reliant nuclear-armed state,” Kim wrote in a handwritten note shown by the North Korean state TV. The announcement was followed by the detection of a 5.1 magnitude earthquake near its known nuclear test site. The state claims the test was done in “self defence against the US having numerous and humongous nuclear weapons.” While the White House is yet to verify the success of the test, it condemned Pyongyang's violation of international law and promised to defend its South Korean ally.
Pakistan expels Bangladeshi diplomat
DHAKA: Pakistan has expelled a Bangladeshi woman diplomat, asking her to leave the country immediately, just days after a Pakistani woman diplomat was sent back to her country over accusations of having links with the Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh militant group. Pakistan's foreign office has issued an order for the expulsion of its diplomat from Dhaka in December. An official said, “Moushumi Rahman accompanied our high commissioner to Pakistan's foreign ministry where a senior officer of theirs verbally asked to send Moushumi back to Dhaka, citing no reason.” State minister for foreign affairs, Shahriar Alam said, “This appears to be a face-saving move on the part of Pakistan as it was forced to recall a diplomat of theirs.”
US varsity to sue AI for defamation
Washington: The Northwestern Polytechnic University has decided to file a defamation claim against Air India (AI), for allegedly spreading “false information” about the institution. NPU president Peter Hsieh said, “We are absolutely looking into taking legal action, which would include a defamation claim due to Air India's outrageous conduct and the permanent and irreparable damage to NPU's reputation.” Previously, the NPU management had accused AI of unjustifiably “barring NPU students from travelling” to the US.
