ICICI Bank topped the list of banks that witnessed most number of frauds during April-December period of 2016 with state-owned SBI taking the second spot, RBI data said.

During the first nine months of the current fiscal, as many as 455 fraud cases involving Rs.1 lakh and above were detected in ICICI Bank, closely followed by SBI (429), Standard Chartered (244) and HDFC Bank (237).

The other banks which reported large number of frauds to the apex bank during the period include Axis Bank (189), Bank of Baroda (176) and Citibank (150).

However, in value terms, frauds involving Rs.2,236.81 crore were reported in SBI, followed by Punjab National Bank (Rs.2,250.34 crore) and Axis Bank (Rs.1,998.49 crore).

The data provided by RBI to the Finance Ministry also revealed the involvement of bank staffs in fraud cases.

In the case of SBI, 64 employees were involved in fraud cases, while it was 49 for HDFC Bank and 35 for Axis Bank.

In all, 450 employees were involved in fraud cases in different public and private sector banks during April-December 2016, in 3,870 cases involving a total value of Rs.17,750.27 crore.

Smoking marijuana may significantly raise the risk of stroke and heart failure, scientists including one of Indian origin have found.

While previous marijuana research has focused mostly on pulmonary and psychiatric complications, the new study is one of only a handful to investigate cardiovascular outcomes, researchers said.

"Like all other drugs, whether they're prescribed or not prescribed, we want to know the effects and side effects of this drug," said Aditi Kalla, Cardiology Fellow at the Einstein Medical Centre in the US.

"It's important for physicians to know these effects so we can better educate patients, such as those who are inquiring about the safety of cannabis or even asking for a prescription for cannabis," said Kalla.

Coming at a time when marijuana, medically known as cannabis, is on track to become legal for medical or recreational use in more than half of US states, the study sheds new light on how the drug affects cardiovascular health.

The study included the health records of patients admitted at more than 1,000 hospitals comprising about 20 per cent of US medical centres.

Researchers extracted records from young and middle-aged patients – age 18-55 years – who were discharged from hospitals in 2009 and 2010, when marijuana use was illegal in most states.

Marijuana use was diagnosed in about 1.5 per cent (316,000) of more than 20 million health records included in the analysis.

Comparing cardiovascular disease rates in these patients to disease rates in patients not reporting marijuana use, researchers found marijuana use was associated with a significantly increased risk for stroke, heart failure, coronary artery disease and sudden cardiac death.

Marijuana use was also linked with a variety of factors known to increase cardiovascular risk, such as obesity, high blood pressure, smoking and alcohol use.

After researchers adjusted the analysis to account for these factors, marijuana use was independently associated with a 26 percent increase in the risk of stroke and a 10 per cent increase in the risk of developing heart failure.

"Even when we corrected for known risk factors, we still found a higher rate of both stroke and heart failure in these patients, so that leads us to believe that there is something else going on besides just obesity or diet-related cardiovascular side effects," Kalla said.

"More research will be needed to understand the pathophysiology behind this effect," he said.

Research in cell cultures shows that heart muscle cells have cannabis receptors relevant to contractility or squeezing ability, suggesting that those receptors might be one mechanism through which marijuana use could affect the cardiovascular system.

It is possible that other compounds may be developed to counteract that mechanism and reduce cardiovascular risk, Kalla said.

Newly elected BJP MLAs on Sunday passed a resolution demanding the return of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as the Chief Minister of Goa.

The resolution was passed at a meeting of BJP MLAs at a meeting attended by Parrikar, union minister Nitin Gadkari and caretaker Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar. 

Parrikar left the meeting temporarily when the resolution was passed, BJP MLA Michael Lobo told reporters.

"We want Parrikar as the CM of Goa. We have faxed our resolution to party President Amit Shah," Lobo told reporters.

Parrikar was Chief Minister of Goa before he was elevated as the Defence Minister in November 2014.

Lobo also said that the leaders of the BJP, which emerged as the second largest party in the February 4 election with 13 of the 40 seats seats, were in talks with Goa Forward and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) as well as independents over the formation of an alliance.

Both the regional parties have won three seats each, while three independent candidates have also been elected. 

The BJP needs the support of eight MLAs to reach the magic number of 21 seats in the assembly. The Congress has won 17 seats and is the single largest party.

"We are confident of getting the required numbers and stake claim to form the government on Monday," Lobo said.

The festival of colors, Holi is finally here. One of the most celebrated festivals in India,  it is found widespread recognition as the festival of colours around the world as well. With people smearing each other with Gulaal and digging on Holi special delicacies like ‘Gujiaan’, ‘Chaat’ and the everyone’s favourite ‘Bhaang’.

The festival has different names in different states of India and is also a two-day affair. According to the Hindu calendar the festival falls on the full moon day of the Phalgun month. This year, the ‘Choti’ Holi falls on March 12 and the ‘Rangowali’ Holi falls on March 13.

In the run up to Holi, your Whatsapp as well as Facebook inbox is usually full of messages, wishing you on the festival of colours. Here are Holi Whatsapp messages you can send to wish your loved ones on Holi!

1) Pyar ke rang se bharo pichkari,
sneh ke rang do duniya sari,
ye rang na jane koi jaat na koi boli,
aapko mubarak ho aapno ki holi.

2)'Bright colors, water balloons, lavish gujiyas and melodious songs' are the ingredients of perfect Holi. Wish you a very happy and wonderful Holi.'

3)Chadenge jab pyare rang,

ek meri dosti ka rang bhi chadhana.

Lagne lagenge tumhe suhane sare rang,

Aur meri dosti ka rang chamkega hurdum tumhare sang.

Bolo sarararara..

Wish you a very mastiful and colourful Happy Holi!

 
4)Holi tyohar hai Rang aur Bhaang ka
Hum sab yaaron ka 
Ghar mein aaye mehmano ka
Gali mein gali walon ka 
Mohalle mein mahoul waalo ka
Desh mein deshwalo ka.
Boora naa maano Holi hai Holi hai bhai Holi hai!

5)Holi man bhedo ko mitane ka saar hai,
Holi dushmano ko gale lagane ka tyohar hai,
Holi naa khele jo manhoos,
Unki jeevan mein haar hai.

6)May you have the most blessed holi festival than you ever had.
May it be full of fun,joy and love.
May you be as colorful as the festival itself or even more.
Lets all have lots of fun.
Life is full of colors,
May be this HOLI festival,
You even had more colors in your life.

7) “Punam” Ka Chand
“Rango” Ki “Doli”
Chand Se “Uski”
Chandni Boli
“Khushiyon” Se
“Bhar De Sabki “Jholi”.
“Mubarak” Ho”aapko ye “HOLI”
” Happy Holi

8) H-Happiness of life. O-Ocean of color L-Language of love I-Integration with one another. Wishing u and ur family Happy colorful n safe HOLI

9)Niklo galiyo me bana kar toli

bhiga do aaj har ek ki jholi

koi muskara de to use gale laga lo

warna nikal lo, Laga ke rang keh ke Happy Holi!

TDP MLA and member of the Andhra Pradesh assembly Bhuma Nagi Reddy has died of cardiac arrest in Kurnool district on Sunday, his family members said.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had tweeted that Bhuma had suffered from heart attack and was in a critical condition.  Bhuma was admitted in a hospital in Nandyal.

The MLA, 53, is suffered cardiac arrest while reading newspapers at his house in Allagadda in Kurnool district in the morning. He is survived by two daughters and a son. 

Bhuma quit the YSR Congress Party last year and returned to the TDP along with his daughter Akhila Priya, who is also a member of the assembly from Allagadda.

He had got nationwide attention in 1996 when he had contested from Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency as TDP candidate against then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. Bhuma lost the poll with a margin of over 98,000 votes.

He, however, won the by-election after Narasimha Rao vacated the seat to retain Berhampur in Odisha. Bhuma retained the Lok Sabha seat in 1998 and 1999 elections.

In 2009, Bhuma and his wife Shobha Nagi Reddy quit the TDP to join Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) floated by popular actor Chiranjeevi. He contested from the Nandyal Lok Sabha constituency but finished third.

BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday said the party will muster support to have the numbers required to form the government in Manipur.

"The BJP has already got some support and hopes for cooperation of others as well to get the numbers required to form the government in Manipur," he said here.

He said the election results were a clear mandate against the Congress and the Ibobi Singh government.

Madhav, the man behind the BJP's turnaround in Manipur and Assam last year, said all political parties which have secured votes have an obligation toward the people.

He hoped that all elected representatives will come together and support the BJP to help it form the government in the northeastern state.

Manipur yesterday threw up a hung assembly with the ruling Congress bagging 28 of the 60 seats and the BJP winning 21.

The Naga Peoples Front (NPF) and the National People's Party (NPP) bagged four seats each. The Lokjanshakti Party, Trinamool Congress and an Independent candidate won one seat each.

The Congress had won 42 seats in the 2012 assembly. The BJP, on the other hand, had no members in the outgoing House.

Spies at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) have called an emergency summit with Britains political parties after warning them that the next general election is vulnerable to cyber attacks by the Russians.

Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), has written to leaders of all the main political parties offering expert help to strengthen network security, reported the Sunday Times.

In his letter, Martin said: "You will be aware of the coverage of evnts in the United States, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the potential for hostile action against the UK political system."

He called a "technical seminar" on cyber-security for politicians.

"This is not just about the network security of political parties' own systems. Attacks against our democratic processes go beyond this and can include attacks on Parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups and individuals' email accounts," Martin said.

Experts at GCHQ have made protecting the political system from foreign hackers as "priority work".  

They fear that Kremlin-backed hackers could steal and leak internal emails or publish private databases of voters' political views in an attempt to damage the standing of political parties with the public, according to the report.

A senior government source said GCHQ would help with the security of "personal datasets, including the electoral roll and voter identification data".

Security officials stepped in after Russia was accused of helping Donald Trump win the US presidential ­election by hacking and publishing 20,000 emails from the rival Democratic Party.

Russia was also accused of infiltrating the German Parliament's computer network in 2015.

Pakistani troops on Sunday engaged in unprovoked firing at Indian pickets in the Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch district of Jammu.

According to a spokesman of the Northern Command of the army, ceasefire violation was being done by Pakistan army in the Krishana Ghati sector from 12 noon. They were firing 82 mm mortars, and also using automatic weapons.

The Pakistani firing was being responded by our troops befittingly, the spokesman said.

He added that no casualty on the Indian side has been reported.

Iraqi special forces battling the Islamic State group have pushed deeper into west Mosul, where a commander said jihadist resistance is weakening under repeated assaults.

The IS is facing simultaneous offensives by the government forces, Turkish-backed rebels and a US-supported alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, in western Mosul.

The old city Mosul could see some of the toughest fighting of the operation — which has not yet begun — nor has fighting inside the city of Raqqa, IS's main bastion in Syria.

Iraq's Counter-Terrorism Service attacked the Al-Amil al-Oula neighbourhood of west Mosul early on Friday, and were battling the jihadists inside it, said CTS commander Major General Maan al-Saadi.

Iraq's Joint Operations Command later announced that CTS had retaken that area along with Al-Amil al-Thaniyah neighbourhood.

According to Saadi, the IS resistance had diminished following a string of losses since the launch of the government's assault on west Mosul on February 19.

"After we broke the (first) defensive line, they lost many fighters," he said.

"The enemy has begun to collapse. They have lost many of their combat capabilities. Today, the enemy sent (suicide car bombs), but not in the numbers they sent at the beginning of the battle."

Seif Rasheed, 28, a medic with the CTS unit operating from a house behind the lines in the Shuhada district, said it received one dead and one wounded on Friday.

"The dead was shot in the head and the wounded in the neck and hip," he said. "Daesh (IS) are hiding in homes, opening the doors and firing at troops from just a few metres."

Supplies to the IS-held parts of Mosul have dwindled over the past week as the army shut the main route westward.

"We used to get potatoes, vegetables and milk from Badoosh, but these areas are no longer accessible," said a man in Zanjeely district over the phone.

"The entire family lives in one room and mortars are falling like rain."

In another sign that the jihadists are feeling the squeeze, their chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has abandoned Mosul, leaving local commanders behind to oversee defence of the city.

Iraqi forces launched their operation to retake Mosul in October, and recaptured the whole east bank of the Tigris River that runs through it in January.

They then set their sights on the smaller but more densely populated west side of the city.

More than 215,000 people are displaced as a result of the battle for Mosul, according to the International Organisation for Migration. Others fled their homes but later returned.

In neighbouring Syria, the jihadists lost more ground to a Russian-backed offensive by government forces east of second city Aleppo.

Russia's military on Friday said it had carried out over 450 airstrikes in support of the offensive over the past week, killing more than 600 IS fighters, and destroying 16 infantry fighting vehicles and 41 machinegun-mounted pickups.

Washington, too, has turned up the heat on the IS in Syria, doubling its troops in the country with the deployment of 400 reinforcements to back the offensive on Raqqa.

A man in Florida tried to burn down a convenience store owned by Indian-Americans because he thought the owners were Muslims, officials said.

Richard Lloyd, 64, told the police officials that he wanted to "run the Arabs out of our country" so he pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St. Lucie store on Friday and set the contents on fire, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a news release posted on Facebook.

The fire was put out quickly and didn't cause much damage since the store was closed and protected by security shutters.

Lloyd told detectives he assumed the owner was a Muslim and that angered him because of "what they are doing in the Middle East," Mascara said.

"It's unfortunate that Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," the sheriff said.

He said Lloyd's mental health will be evaluated and the state attorney's office will decide if this was a hate crime, CNN reported on Sunday.

Lloyd was charged with first-degree arson and booked into the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond.

According to CNN affiliate WPEC, Lloyd told investigators he tried to buy a bottle of Tropicana orange pineapple juice at the store a few days ago but was told they didn't have any. He was also upset because he assumed the store employee was a Muslim, WPEC said, citing the investigative report.

Lloyd told investigators he planned to burn the building because he "was doing my part for America," WPEC said.

Last month, Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead and his friend Alok Madasani was injured in a hate attack in Kansas City. 

Another Indian, Harnish Patel, was killed in South Carolina last week, but the killing was not identified as a hate crime.
 

India on Saturday summoned Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah to conveyed its "grave concern and strong protest" at the continuing incidents of ceasefire violations by the Pakistan side at the LoC and International Border.

"The government registered its strong protest at the fatal casualty of an Indian soldier in unprovoked firing by Pakistan forces on March 9, 2017," said a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement.

"The Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan was conveyed the government's expectation that Pakistan will not take any step detrimental to peace along the LoC and IB and to the security of India," it added.

On Friday night, Pakistan had summoned the Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh to express concern over the acquittal of RSS leader Swami Aseemanand in the 2007 Ajmer Sharif blast case, Dawn news reported.

Some 150 to 200 people holding Turkish national flags gathered outside the Dutch Embassy in Ankara on late Saturday to protest bans on Turkish politicians from holding rallies in Netherlands ahead of April 16 constitutional referendum.

Dutch government has made the issue a part of their elections on March 15, Xinhua quoted Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus as saying to NTV news broadcaster.

Entrances of Dutch Embassy in Ankara and Consulate in Istanbul, along with their residences, were closed on late Saturday due to "security reasons," a Turkish Foreign Ministry official said.

The move comes after the Dutch police closed a road of Turkish consulate in Rotterdam on Saturday after Turkish ministers insisted to hold a rally in the country against the Dutch government.

With Goa polls throwing up a fractured verdict, both the BJP and the Congress legislature parties are meeting on Sunday to decide their respective leaders and work out strategies to form government in the state.

"The BJP legislature party will meet in the afternoon. We will explore the possibility of forming the next government," party's state general secretary Sadanand Tanawade said.

Senior BJP leader and Defence minister Manohar Parrikar is expected to attend the meeting, sources said.

The Congress Legislature Party will also meet on Sunday.

Following the meeting, the party is expected to stake claim to form government as it has the won the maximum 17 seats in the state Assembly elections, All India Congress Committee Secretary Girish Chodankar said.

In the 40-member House, the BJP bagged 13 seats. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the Goa Forward Party (GFP) and the independents won three seats each, while the NCP bagged one.

In the last polls, the BJP had won 21 seats and the Congress nine.

The stand of regional parties the Goa Forward Party and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party is likely to play a decisive role in the formation of the next government.

The MGP had snapped ties with the BJP ahead of the polls, held in February.

The GFP, which has not revealed its strategy so far, will also be meeting on Sunday to discuss the situation, its spokesman Durgadas Kamat said.

Both the Congress and the BJP are expected to woo the regional forces to get the required numbers to form government in the tourist state where the majority mark is 21.

Independent candidate Rohan Khaunte, backed by the Congress, won in Porvorim seat taking the party's tally to 18.

The party is now short of three legislators to stake claim to rule the state.

The BJP's tally stands at 14 as Independent candidate Govind Gawade, supported by the party, won in Priol seat.

The party needs support of seven more MLAs to retain power in the coastal state.

The NCP's lone legislator Churchill Alemao is expected to go with the Congress, party sources said.

Leander Paes and his Argentine partner Juan Martin de Porto crashed out in the opening round of the men's doubles event to bring an early closure to India's challenge at the ATP Indian Wells Masters, here.

Paes and Del Porto were no match for Luxembourg's Gilles Muller and American Sam Querry as they suffered straight sets 3-6 4-6 defeat to make early exit from the ATP Masters event.

A break of serve in each set was enough for Muller and Querry to pocket the comfortable win.

The Indian-Argentine pair, however, had their chances in as they had as many as eight opportunities to break their opponent's serve the second set but failed.

In contrast, Muller and Querry converted one out of the three break point opportunities that came their way in the second set to seal the affair in little over an hour.

With Leander's loss, India's campaign came to an end in the tournament as Rohan Bopanna and Pablo Cuevas have already been shown the door in the opening round.

Bopanna and his Uruguyan partner Cuevas fought hard before losing 6-2 3-6 10-7 against Serbian combination of Novak Djokovic and Viktor Troicki.

A man in Florida tried to burn down a convenience store owned by Indian-Americans because he thought the owners were Muslims, officials said.

Richard Lloyd, 64, told the police officials that he wanted to "run the Arabs out of our country" so he pushed a dumpster in front of the Port St. Lucie store on Friday and set the contents on fire, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a news release posted on Facebook.

The fire was put out quickly and didn't cause much damage since the store was closed and protected by security shutters.

Lloyd told detectives he assumed the owner was a Muslim and that angered him because of "what they are doing in the Middle East," Mascara said.

"It's unfortunate that Lloyd made the assumption that the store owners were Arabic when, in fact, they are of Indian descent," the sheriff said.

He said Lloyd's mental health will be evaluated and the state attorney's office will decide if this was a hate crime, CNN reported on Sunday.

Lloyd was charged with first-degree arson and booked into the St. Lucie County Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond.

According to CNN affiliate WPEC, Lloyd told investigators he tried to buy a bottle of Tropicana orange pineapple juice at the store a few days ago but was told they didn't have any. He was also upset because he assumed the store employee was a Muslim, WPEC said, citing the investigative report.

Lloyd told investigators he planned to burn the building because he "was doing my part for America," WPEC said.

Last month, Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead and his friend Alok Madasani was injured in a hate attack in Kansas City.

Another Indian, Harnish Patel, was killed in South Carolina last week, but the killing was not identified as a hate crime.

Nobel Peace Prize winner and education activist Malala Yousafzai has received an offer to study at a British university after applying to Oxford.

Yousafzai made the announcement at an education conference in Birmingham. She said she received an offer, conditional of achieving three As in her A-Levels, to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE), reported the Guardian on Saturday.

But Yousafzai, who narrowly escaped death in 2012 after being shot by the Pakistani Taliban for her outspoken campaigning over girls' right to education, kept quiet on where her next educational venture had come from, according to the report.

Giving the final speech at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) annual conference, she said: "I'm studying right now."

"I'm in year 13, I have my A-Level exams coming and I have received a conditional offer, which is three As, so I need to get the three As, that's what my focus is right now, and I hope to continue my work and also continue my studies."

"And I'm really thankful to you all for your support for encouraging me for my mission. That's what makes me and keeps me so strong, so thank you so much for that, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak," she said.

When the education campaigner finished her speech, the hundreds of delegates rose and gave her a standing ovation.

She said that, alongside her degree, she would continue to work for the Malala Fund. "My goal is to make sure every child, girl and boy, they get the opportunity to go to school."

"It is their basic human right, so I will be working on that and I will never stop until I see the last child going to school," she said.

The teenager also provoked laughter from the audience when she revealed she thought she was in trouble when she was called out of a chemistry class to be told she was the next Nobel Prize recipient.

"She called me outside and I went and she said: ‘You have won the Nobel peace prize.' So, it was a big surprise, and I said: ‘Thank you'."
 

World number one Andy Murray was stunned by Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday after losing 6-4, 7-6(5).

Pospisil, ranked 129th in the world showcased some classic skills balancing it with aggressive approach and pouncing on Murray whenever opportunity arose.

"I knew I was a long shot. I've played Andy four times and didn't win a set," the 26-year-old Canadian told a media channel.

"I felt like I had the ability to (win) but to actually go through is a whole new thing. I tried to bring different tactics … versus the other times I played him,” he added

"I didn't want to give him the same look each time. I wanted to put pressure coming into the net, using my strength, which is my ability at the net and serving well."

Pospisil's best accomplishment in tennis career till now was winning the 2014 Wimbledon doubles title with Jack Sock of the US.