Rupee slumps to touch pre-Rajan era level as bears grip stocks

India’s benchmark equity indices fell to their lowest levels in 20 months as concerns about a global economic slowdown amid slumping commodity prices and a weakening rupee spurred investors to sell shares.

The rupee breached the 68-a-dollar mark on Wednesday for the first time since August 2013. It closed at a record low of 68.85 a dollar on August 28, 2013, just days before Raghuram Rajan took charge as RBI Governor. Dealers said state-run banks intervened on behalf of the central bank after the currency touched an intra-day low of 68.17 a dollar, helping the rupee close at 67.95, compared with Tuesday’s 67.65.

“The RBI intervened in both the currency futures as well as in the spot market,” said a dealer with a state-run bank. “The intention of the central bank was not to allow the rupee to depreciate at a fast pace.” The central bank always maintains that it intervenes to curb volatility and does not target any level for the rupee.

The rupee has weakened 2.74 per cent so far this year after declining more than 5 per cent in 2015. Still, the Indian currency has performed better than its emerging market peers from Russia, Brazil and South Africa. Dealers said there could be more pressure on the rupee, going forward.

The 30-share Sensex lost a whopping 640 points during intra-day trades on Wednesday to touch a low of 23,839.76. It finally closed at 24,062.04, down 417.80 points or 1.71 per cent. This is the lowest close for the Sensex since May 15, 2014, when the benchmark ended at 23,905.60.

Source:- The Hindu, 21-Jan-2016

Militants storm Pakistan university, kill at least 20

Armed militants stormed a university in volatile north-western Pakistan on Wednesday, killing at least 20 people and wounding dozens a little more than a year after the massacre of 134 students at a school in the area, officials said.

A senior Pakistani Taliban commander claimed responsibility for the assault in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, but an official spokesman later denied involvement, calling the attack “un-Islamic.”

The violence nevertheless shows militants retain the ability to launch attacks, despite a nationwide anti-terrorism crackdown and a military campaign against their strongholds along the lawless border with Afghanistan.

A security official said the death toll could rise to 40 at Bacha Khan University in Charsadda. The Army said it had concluded operations to clear the campus six hours after the attack began, and that four gunmen were dead.

A spokesman for rescue workers, Bilal Ahmad Faizi, said 19 bodies had been recovered, including those of students, guards, policemen and at least one teacher, named by the media as chemistry professor Syed Hamid Husain. Husain reportedly shot back at the gunmen with a pistol to allow his students to flee.

Many of the dead were apparently shot in the head, TV footage showed. Thirty-five of the wounded are being treated in hospital, a police officer said. — Reuters

Source:- The Hindu, 21-Jan-2016

Mumbai varsity graduate wins an Oscar

After Bhanu Athaiya, Satyajit Ray, Resul Pookutty, A.R. Rahman and Gulzar, another person of Indian origin has joined the list of Academy Award winners. Rahul Thakkar, a computer engineering graduate from Mumbai University, has won an Oscar that honours scientific and technical achievement.

Mr. Thakkar shares the honour with Richard Chuang for “groundbreaking design” of the DreamWorks Animation Media Review System.

Earlier this month, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the ten scientific and technical achievements represented by 33 individuals who will be honoured at its annual scientific and technical awards presentation on February 13, at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills.

“With their outstanding, innovative work, these technologists, engineers and inventors have further expanded filmmakers’ creative opportunities on the big screen,” said Richard Edlund, Academy Award-winning visual effects artist and chair of the Scientific and Technical Awards Committee.

Unlike other Academy Awards, achievements receiving Scientific and Technical Awards need not have been developed and introduced during 2015. Rather, the achievements must demonstrate a proven record of contributing significant value to the process of making motion pictures.

Mr. Thakkar, who took his Master’s degree in computer science from Utah State University has over 20 years of experience in product design and research and is presently the vice-president at Brivo Systems.

The Academy Award citation says of the DreamWorks media review system: “Over its nearly two decades of development, this pioneering system enabled desktop and digital theater review. It continues to provide artist-driven, integrated, consistent and highly scalable studio-wide playback and interactive reviews.”

Source:- The Hindu, 21-Jan-2016

‘Good evidence’ for 9th planet in solar system

Scientists reported on Wednesday they finally have “good evidence” for Planet X, a true ninth planet on the fringes of our solar system.

The gas giant is thought to be almost as big as Neptune and orbiting billions of kilometres beyond Neptune’s path distant enough to take 10,000 to 20,000 years to circle the sun.

This Planet 9, as the two California Institute of Technology researchers call it, hasn’t been spotted yet.

Computer modelling

They base their findings on mathematical and computer modelling, and anticipate its discovery via telescope within five years or less.

The two reported on their research on Wednesday in the Astronomical Journal because they want people to help them look for it. — AP

Source:- The Hindu, 01-21-2016

ISRO puts fifth GPS satellite in orbit

In yet another textbook launch, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday launched IRNSS-1E, the fifth of the seven-satellite Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) into space.

ISRO’s workhorse PSLV C-31 rocket lifted the 1,425 kg satellite from the second launchpad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here at 9.31 a.m. and placed it in the intended orbit some 19 minutes later. This is ISRO’s first launch for this year.

Though it was a textbook launch, the extremely cloudy skies in Sriharikota deprived the onlookers and journalists of a clear view, as the soaring rocket was visible only for a few seconds, before clouds engulfed it.

Announcing that the launch was a success, ISRO chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar said the national space agency had a long way to go since two more satellites were to be launched by March.

Director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre P. Kunhikrishnan called the launch a “New Year gift” to the nation and said the calendar was hectic for the space agency this year.

With the launch of the first four satellites — IRNSS-1A, 1B, 1C and 1D were launched in July 2013, April and October, 2014 and March last year respectively — ISRO said, “The current achieved position accuracy is 20 metres over 18 hours of the day with four satellites.”

IRNSS-1E with a mission life of 12 years was launched into a sub geosynchronous transfer orbit with a 284 km perigee (nearest point to Earth) and 20,657 km apogee (farthest point from Earth) with an inclination of 19.2 degree with reference to the equatorial plane.

IRNSS-1E carried navigation and ranging payloads, including a rubidium atomic clock, C-band transponder and corner cube retro reflectors for laser ranging. The signal-in-space of four satellites has already been validated by various agencies within and outside the country.

Source:- The Hindu, 21-Jan-2016

Photonics to drive terabit chips

Scientists from the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE) at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru are working on two projects in the area of photonic integrated circuits.

In the first, researchers and scientists at CeNSE are building a next-generation processor. It’s hard to imagine a world without microprocessors. These ubiquitous little chips drive our technology and are embedded everywhere, from phones to laptops to DVDs and rockets. But at its very core, each unit is still electrical; it has millions of transistors connected with copper lines.

What if you replaced the copper lines with photonic components? It would exponentially improve the power of microprocessors. Now, scientists from CeNSE, in a project supported by the Defence of Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), are trying to develop indigenous technology for high-speed optical interconnect technology. CeNSe has received a Rs. 5-crore grant from the DRDO for the three-year project.

“The copper wires/interconnect create a bottleneck for data transfer, but the project, will exploit high-speed Silicon photonics to improve data transfer between the core and the memory exponentially,” said Professor Shankar Kumar Selvaraja from CeNSe. In the second project, a CeNSE team is working towards improving the existing optical communication technology. “The aim is to build integrated photonic transceivers that will allow for communication speeds beyond 1 terabits per second per channel in a scalable fashion,” said Professor V. R. Supradeepa, one of the principal investigators of this Rs. 3.40 crore project.

Source:- The Hindu, 21-Jan-2016

Backchannel efforts begin to resolve U.S. visa fee issue

In the first backchannel diplomatic effort since the official notification of the recent visa fee hike move by the Obama administration, a group of U.S. Congress Representatives held a meeting with India’s premier software body, Nasscom, to ensure that such issues were amicably(characterized by friendliness) resolved to boost India-U.S. trade and investment ties.

Sources in the government and Nasscom confirmed that the meeting between a delegation of U.S. Congress Representatives including Ami Bera, the only Indian-American Representative in the U.S. Congress and a member and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans and Nasscom representatives in New Delhi.

Talks were held on steps to increase the annual bilateral trade from the current $100 billion to $500 billion in the next few years by strengthening India-U.S. partnership in initiatives such as ‘Start-up Mission’ and ‘Make In India’ as well as by resolving all outstanding issues including the recent U.S. visa fee hike, the sources told The Hindu . Indian industry body CII had said the U.S. visa fee hike is highly discriminatory and punitive and is specifically geared towards India and Indian-centric technology companies.

According to Nasscom, the visa fee hike will restrict and reduce the usage of H1B and L1 visas by Indian technology companies, the sources said. The sources said since these visas were for short-term work, the American lawmakers were requested not to confuse this issue with immigration or spread the “myth that hiring of foreign tech workers is hindering employment of local professionals”.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on January 12 had said the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, signed into law by the U.S. President Barack Obama on December 18, 2015, increases fees for certain H-1B and L-1 petitioners. These petitioners must submit an additional fee of $4,000 for certain H-1B petitions and $4,500 for certain L-1A and L-1B petitions postmarked on or after December 18, 2015, it addedThe additional fees apply to petitioners who employ 50 or more employees in the U.S., with over 50 per cent of those employees in H-1B or L (including L-1A and L-1B) non-immigrant status, the USCIS said. It said this fee is in addition to the base processing fee, Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee, American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 fee as well as the premium processing fee, if applicable.

In effect the hike is more than double the fee for these categories of H1B and L1 visas, which are for temporary work visas for skilled professionals, and according to Nasscom the decision’s financial implication on the Indian technology sector would be about $400 million annually.

Indian technology companies will be the most affected by the move as it is the largest user of H1B visas (67.4 per cent of the total 1,61,369 H1B visas issued in FY14 went to Indians), and is also amongst the largest users of L1 visas (Indians received 28.2 per cent of the 71,513 L1 visas issued in FY14).

 Source:- The Hindu, 21-Jan-2016

Dalit student suicide: HRD Ministry denies putting pressure on Hyderabad University

Dattatreya had written a letter to HRD Minister Smriti Irani after a clash between two student groups in the campus in which an ABVP leader Susheel Kumar was attacked. 

Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani.

The HRD Ministry on Tuesday rejected allegations that it had put any pressure on the University of Hyderabad in the matter relating to the suspension of a Dalit student, who committed suicide on Sunday.

After it emerged that the Ministry had sent five letters including four reminders to the University regarding the August 17, 2015 letter written by Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, it said it was only following procedures.

“It would be wrong to say that the Ministry has put any pressure on the Hyderbad University. The Ministry had only followed the procedure as per the Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure.

“According to the procedure, if there is a VIP reference, it has to be acknowledged in 15 days and another 15 days may be taken to reply to it. Since no response was coming from the University, the Ministry had to send reminders,” HRD Ministry spokesperson Ghanshyam Goel said.

Seeking to justify the Ministry’s action, officials said that even in Cabinet meetings the Ministry is supposed to provide all details about pending assurances, VIP references, grievances etc.

According to sources, the Ministry had sent its first letter on September 3, 2015 to the University, and reminders were later sent on September 24, October 6, October 20 and November 19.

Officials said that the University finally replied on the matter on January 7.

Dattatreya had written a letter to HRD Minister Smriti Irani after a clash between two student groups in the campus in which an ABVP leader Susheel Kumar was attacked.

Rohith Vemula, a Dalit PhD scholar, who committed suicide on Sunday night, was among the five research scholars who were suspended by the University in August last year over the alleged assault case. They were also kept out of the hostel.

The issue took a political turn with allegations that the extreme step taken by Rohith was a result of discrimination against dalit students at the behest of Dattatreya, following his letter to Irani, seeking action against their “anti-national acts”.

Rohith was found hanging at the Central University’s hostel room in the campus on Sunday, triggering protests from fellow students this morning.

Source: Indian Express

Dalit student suicide: Rahul Gandhi slams Smriti Irani, Hyderabad Central Univ VC

Rahul Gandhi demanded "strictest punishment" the for Vice-Chancellor and the minister holding them "responsible" for the death of the research scholar.

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi addressing students at Hyderabad Central University

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday targeted Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani and Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya over the suicide of Dalit scholar saying the ministers and the Vice Chancellor have “not acted fairly” that in turn forced the student to take the extreme step.

He flew in to Hyderabad from Delhi Tuesday morning and drove straight from the airport to the University campus where he addressed the agitating students.

Gandhi alleged that the institution, instead of operating fairly, has used its power to “crush” the freedom of students to express themselves.

“The Vice Chancellor and the Minister in Delhi have have not acted fairly. What is the result. The result is that the youth, who came here to improve the country, to learn and to express himself was put in so much pain that he had no option but to kill himself.

“Certainly he has committed suicide but conditions for his suicide were created by the Vice Chancellor, the minister and the institution,” he told the students, one of whom said before his speech that they did not want any politicising of the issue. He demanded “strictest punishment” for Vice-Chancellor and the minister holding them “responsible” for the death of the research scholar. Gandhi, however, did not name Irani who had over the weekend attacked him in Amethi accusing him of failure in addressing issues of youth in his constituency. After meeting the students, Gandhi upped the ante against Irani and Dattatreya and the Vice Chancellor, by observing in a tweet: The VC and Union Ministers in Delhi have not acted fairly. This youngster was put in so much pain that he had no option but to kill himself.” The dalit student Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide on Sunday night, was among the five research scholars who were suspended by Hyderabad Central University (HCU) in August last year and also one of the accused in the case of assault on a student leader. They were also kept out of the hostel. Union Labour Minister Dattatreya and Hyderabad University Vice Chancellor Appa Rao and three others were on Monday named in an FIR lodged with the Cyberabad Police over the alleged suicide of the Dalit student. The Congress vice president said there is “no question of the Vice Chancellor remaining” and criticised him severely for not even meeting the mother of the deceased. “There are certain people responsible for it. Vice Chancellor is among them. The minister is among them,” Gandhi said insisting that whoever is responsible for this outcome has to be punished in strictest terms. The Congress vice president also chose the occasion to flag the need for a legislation to protect the interests of the students. “We should not let the ball fall here. We should keep the flag up. In the future, we should create a legislation, a law which gives certain minimum rights to every Indian student, minimum rights with regard to the freedom of ideas and expression. “One can express those ideas regardless of who they are, what caste they are, where they come from, what religion they have,” Gandhi said. In a series of tweets, Gandhi said, “Any student can come to the University- whether he belongs to any caste or religion. He should feel that I can say what I want to say. The idea of a University is that young people can come and share their thoughts.” “These students were protesting against the unjust expulsion and social boycott of Dalit students on campus. Met students of the Ambedkar Students Association, Hyderabad University,” he said. “There are certain people who are responsible for this boy’s death. The Vice-Chancellor is among them. The Minister is among them and the people that have applied pressure on this boy from expressing his ideas are among them. Whoever is responsible for this “outcome” (the death) has to be punished in the strictest manner possible”, he said. Earlier, Gandhi, who was accompanied by senior Telangana Congress leaders, paid tributes to Vemula by garlanding a memorial “stupa” put up in the university. He also spent some time with family members of Vemula and consoled them.


Source: Indian Express

Virat Kohli to James Faulkner: Just go and bowl, I have smashed you enough in my life

Virat Kohli and James Faulkner engaged in a bit of a banter during the third one-dayer at Melbourne.

Australian all-rounder James Faulkner was on Sunday involved in some verbal dual with Indiancricketers, during the third One-Day International (ODI) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Faulkner was first seen chatting with Virat Kohli, who smashed his 24th ODI hundred of the career to help India score 295 for 6 in their allotted 50 overs. Later in the innings, when Indian captain MS Dhoni walked out to bat, Faulkner was seen having a word with him as well. “You’re wasting your energies. No point. I have smashed you enough in my life,” the stump microphone recorded Kohli as saying to Faulkner during the former’s innings. SCORECARD: India vs Australia 2015-16, 3rd ODI at Melbourne

Virat Kohli has had quite a few run-ins with the Australians in the past, most recently during the 2014-15 Test series © Getty Images

Faulkner however, would go on to have the last laugh as he hit the winning runs for Australia, who won the match by three wickets and gained an unassailable 3-0 series lead, with two more games to go. Australia had successfully chased the 300-plus totals in the first two games at Perth and Brisbane as well, with the Indian bowling taking some serious beating in the series so far. India however, have been consistent with the bat so far in the series, with Rohit Sharma (171 not out and 124) and Kohli (117) scoring centuries for the visitors and displaying brilliant form. UPDATES: India vs Australia 2015-16, 3rd ODI at Melbourne

India appeared favourites to pull themselves back in the series after reducing the hosts to 215 for six, before Glenn Maxwell (96 off 83 balls) played one of his finest knocks under pressure to guide his side home and win the ‘Man of the Match’ award.

Source: cricketcountry

Ind vs Aus: We could have pulled one back, especially in Melbourne, says Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri was critical of the inconsistent bowling attack in the last three games against Australia.

India play for pride in the remaining two ODIs against Australia. (Source: AP) 

Shastri though was critical of the inconsistent bowling attack in the last three games. “They will be disappointed, there is no doubt about that because to win a game one or two bowlers can’t do the job. You need to bowl as a unit. The reason why we did well at the World Cup last year was we had all the five bowlers firing. “So when that happens then you have a chance of beating the best side in the world. But there are no excuses for bowling wides, so obviously they will be disappointed and they have to put their best foot forward,” said Shastri. “To apply finishing touch in close games, we need to bowl better and be consistent as a bowling unit. MS Dhoni mentioned in the press conference that there were too many easy boundaries. It’s not that the batsman has to earn it but they are given like freebies. That should be eliminated. Even if you cut that by 60-70 percent, it will become an even tighter game,” he added. If India were outplayed in the first two games, then the visitors did give Australia a hard time in the third match, which they lost by three wickets. Shastri defended his boys’ performance. “There is absolutely no shame in the way they have played despite recent results. Because I know there is only one way to go after this tour of Australia and that’s going up. I know what happened 12 months ago after the Test series and I know where we stand today as far as the Test team is concerned,” said the former India all-rounder. “I see no reason why after this series, I am sure, the bowlers will learn and we can go places. So disappointed yes because lets be fair we could have pulled one back especially in Melbourne. But it didn’t happen and Australia played well,” he added. Shastri stressed on the need to build bench strength and also suggested that BCCI should look into sending an extra squad member on far-away tours. “We need bench strength because this is one of the toughest tours. And I have been to Australia many times. In the last few days we have been through three time zones. And it’s not often you go through that. “You play in Perth, and you get on a flight and reach Brisbane where the time is different. Then to Melbourne where the time is different and all in the matter of six days. Now you consider all that and I think the boys have done extremely well,” he said. “And in the future I would suggest to the BCCI to have some extra players. Instead of just 15 on a tour like this, probably 16 would be advisable. Somewhere close to the subcontinent like in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, or the Middle East, 15 is fine. “But here when you travel that far, and suddenly you get injuries, I think it is something I will suggest. We need to have a bench-strength of atleast 7-8 bowlers have to be there all the time and there also there will be specialists for T20s, for ODIs and for Tests,” he added. Shastri also hinted about premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s to the playing XI after missing the action at MCG. “He is a seasoned campaigner and he is one of the best bowlers in the world. He has done fabulously well for us. Conditions demanded that we needed to look at other options and Ashwin’s absolutely fine with that decision. He might play 4th ODI, or in the next game,” said Shastri. “Our strength is spin because if you have experience in this bowling department, it’s in spin. So we went with that experience in the first game and then realised that we need more bases covered. We need that extra option of a bowler. And hence we played Rishi Dhawan and Gurkeerat Mann because it gave you an extra option,” he said, explaining the previous selection decisions. Talking further about an all-rounder’s role, he said, “Ravindra Jadeja has shown that in the Test series. He has matured a lot. He has played crucial innings in the Tests, so there is no reason why he can’t play overseas. But you have to get the opportunity first. Every time he has gone to bat, it’s been the death. “And we have batted so well at the top that the opportunity has not been there for the lower order. But if and when there is a situation, there is the opportunity to chase, it will be the test. And I am sure he will be up for it.” After the ‘play of pride’ for the Men in Blue in the remaining two matches, lies the T20 test in the three-match series to follow, but Shastri isn’t looking that far. “We will still focus on these two games. We want to see if the bowlers learn from what happened in the first three games, and if that happens, it will be the biggest plus irrespective of the result. “It’s a young side and we have had three debutants, and we have been plagued by injuries. It’s an opportunity to learn and in Australia nothing comes easy. It is one of the hardest places to play and you are playing against the world champions. The fact that they are competing, and they have competed right through this one-day series, is itself very good,” said Shastri. Shastri was also quick to respond to a query on the Indian batsmen slowing down near milestones and whether it impacted the team score. “If they were focusing on milestones, Virat Kohli wouldn’t be the fastest to 7000 runs, he could have taken another 100 games. And if that was the case Rohit Sharma would not be having two ODI double-hundreds and a highest score of 264. That’s my answer,” Shastri signed off


Source: Indian express

Glenn Frey of Eagles dies at 67

Glenn Frey, a founding member of the rock band the Eagles, has died at 67, a publicist for the band has confirmed.

"Glenn fought a courageous battle for the past several weeks but, sadly, succumbed to complications from rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia," reads a post on the band's official website.

Frey had been suffering from intestinal issues, which caused the postponement of the band's inclusion in the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors.

Frey and the other original members of the Eagles — Don Henley, Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon -- came together to form singer Linda Ronstadt's backup band in the early 1970s.

They were all experienced musicians who forged a laid-back, country-tinged sound that the Eagles would eventually make famous.

"We are all in a state of shock, disbelief and profound sorrow," Henley said in a statement Monday. "I'm not sure I believe in fate, but I know that crossing paths with Glenn Lewis Frey in 1970 changed my life forever, and it eventually had an impact on the lives of millions of other people all over the planet.

"It will be very strange going forward in a world without him in it," Henley added. "But, I will be grateful, every day, that he was in my life. Rest in peace, my brother. You did what you set out to do, and then some."

Musicians of all stripes, from Carole King to Huey Lewis to Travis Tritt, posted tributes to Frey on Twitter.

Trump vows to protect Christianity

University president who told students to carry guns to teach Muslims a lesson, says Mr Trump lives Jesus’ teachings

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump acknowledges the crowd as he arrives at a campaign rally in Concord, New Hampshire on Monday.

Republican front runner for presidential nomination Donald Trump considers the Bible as the only book in the history of mankind that is better than the Art of the Deal, a book he authored.

But on Tuesday, his attempt to quote from the Bible to students at the Liberty University in Virginia showed he was not on familiar territory. Mr Trump said “two Corinthians” whereas the book has to be referred to as ‘second Corinthians.’ “Two Corinthians, 3:17, that’s the whole ballgame! Where the spirit of the Lord — right? Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, and here there is Liberty College — er, Liberty University!” Mr Trump said. “Two Corinthians walk into a bar..” a twitter response said.

That, however, did not stop the students from cheering him, as Mr Trump went on to elaborate on his plans to protect Christianity and “make America great again.” “If you look what’s going on throughout the world … Christianity, it’s under siege,” Mr Trump declared. “We’re going to protect Christianity,” he said, adding that he did not care for political correctness and went on with his all too familiar positions on further expansion of gun rights, restricting Muslims entering the U.S etc.

Though he retains overall lead in the race, Mr Trump is trying hard to increase his support among evangelicals who support his closest rival Ted Cruz in large numbers. Mr Trump has in the latest polls overtaken Mr Cruz among evangelicals too, but his appearance at the Liberty University was also an effort to go further.

The university, founded by television evangelist Jerry Falwell in 1971, with the motto “training champions for Christ,” is considered a mandatory stop for conservative candidates, to reinforce their Christian credentials. Now headed by his son Jerry Falwell Jr, the university has 14000 residential students. In a controversial move, Mr Falwell Jr recently exhorted his students to take gun training – offered free by the university – and carry weapons all the time. “If more good people had concealed-carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walked in and killed them…. Let’s teach them a lesson if they ever show up here,” he said adding that he himself carried a gun all the time.

In an unusual move, Senator Bernie Sanders addressed the students at the university last year, the first Democratic candidate to do so. Though the university’s declared position is that it does not endorse candidates, it was different for Trump. “In my opinion, Donald Trump lives a life of loving and helping others as Jesus taught…” Falwell Jr said.

Keywords: U.S. Presidential polls, Donald Trump, Trump's communal card, Christianity in America

Source : the hindu