What spark did you see in Jadhav, Chawla: Srikkanth asks Dhoni

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What spark did you see in Jadhav, Chawla: Srikkanth asks Dhoni

Former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth slammed ace skipper MS Dhoni’s mantra on selection following Chennai Super Kings’ seventh defeat in 10 matches in the ongoing IPL and termed the latter’s selections throughout the season as “ridiculous”.

“What is Dhoni’s deal? He says N. Jagadeesan doesn’t have spark but does ‘scooter’ (Kedar) Jadhav have that spark? This is ridiculous. I will not accept this answer today. All this talk of process and Chennai’s tournament itself is over,” Srikkanth told Star Sports Tamil.

“I will never accept what Dhoni is saying about this process,” said Srikkanth. “This process he keeps talking about is meaningless. You keep talking about process, process… but the process of selection itself is wrong.”

Srikkanth’s outburst came after CSK suffered a seven-wicket loss against Rajasthan Royals on Monday evening. After the game, Dhoni told official broadcaster Star Sports that the youngsters in the team had not shown him the kind of “spark” that would have warranted their inclusion in the side.

Jagadeesan’s case was singled out as he featured in just one game in the CSK XI against RCB when he scored 33.

“Dhoni now says that since the pressure is off, he’ll give the youngsters a chance. Come on yaar. I don’t understand this rubbish about the process at all. What spark didn’t he see in Jagadeesan? What spark did he see in Jadhav and Piyush Chawla?

“Karn Sharma at least took wickets. Chawla simply goes through the motions of bowling, coming on when the game is already lost. Dhoni may be a pistha (big shot) and there is no doubt he is great, but I cannot agree with him or accept this,” said the former Indian opener.

The three-time champions have six points from 10 games and are currently placed at the bottom of the points table. They next play Mumbai Indians on Friday.

Nokia launches 2 feature phones with 4G support in India

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Nokia launches 2 feature phones with 4G support in India

HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, on Tuesday launched two new feature phones — Nokia 215 and Nokia 225 — with 4G connectivity in the Indian market.

The Nokia 215 comes in cyan green and black color options and will be available online starting October 23 and at retail outlets starting November 6 for Rs 2,949.

The Nokia 225 in classic blue, metallic sand, and black color options will be available online starting October 23 and at retail stores starting November 6 for Rs 3,499, the company said in a statement.

“To strengthen our commitment to India further, we are excited to bring to our consumers Nokia 215 and Nokia 225, which are an amalgamation of affordability, 4G connectivity, and modern essentials,” said Sangeet Singh, Vice President, HMD Global.

Nokia 215 4G and Nokia 225 4G feature 2.4-inch LCD displays. Both the phones feature a 3.5mm audio jack, Wireless FM Radio, an MP3 player, and a flashlight.

Nokia has added the class Snake game on both the phones.

The primary difference between the two phones lies in the optics. While Nokia 225 4G features a VGA snapper on the back, Nokia 215 4G doesn’t come with any camera.

3 in 4 brands cut marketing budgets post Covid in India: Report

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3 in 4 brands cut marketing budgets post Covid in India: Report

Over three in four brand marketers (76 percent) in India have reduced the marketing budgets post Covid-19, shifting advertising budgets towards social media (76 percent) and paid search (64 percent) in the post-pandemic environment, a new survey said on Tuesday.

Maximizing marketing return of investment (ROI) remains on top of the mind (71 percent) followed by driving sales (76 percent) and brand positioning (36 percent) among those surveyed in India, according to German market research firm GfK.

Covid-19 has not only disrupted businesses globally but also shed light on the future-readiness of brands and marketers to drive growth.

“The survey findings portray a clear gap between their business goals and the tools they leverage to achieve them. In a post-pandemic environment, it is vital for brands to quickly realign objectives, measure effectiveness and lead through digital transformation,” said Karthik Venkatakrishnan, Regional Leader, Marketing and Consumer Intelligence, GfK.

Nearly 43 percent of brands and marketers in the Asia-Pacific region are still finding ways to measure and optimize business while only 30 percent of brands consider themselves as a ‘game-changer’ or ‘champion’ leading through digital transformation, the findings showed.

Since the pandemic outbreak, 73 percent have reduced their marketing budgets in the Asia-Pacific.

While 56 percent said digital transformation is increasingly seen as an important KPI (key performance indicators) to achieve their goals, 53 percent agreed there is more focus on driving short-term sales.

Half of the brands across Asia-Pacific are driving short-term marketing activities to seize opportunities while keeping long-term brand-building campaigns live.

“This is large because the pandemic has impacted consumer behavior and their path-to-purchase resulting in a massive shift to e-commerce and altering media consumption habits,” Venkatakrishnan noted.

As per the GfK survey, four in five consumers said their decision to purchase a brand in the future is largely dependent on how brands position themselves during this difficult period.

Therefore, in order to reach the target audience effectively, 60 percent of marketers across nearly all industries in Asia-Pacific have allocated their budgets for social media marketing while 58 percent used their budgets for mobile advertising and paid search.

“In a post-pandemic environment, digital is definitely the way forward for brands in the new abnormal,” the survey noted.

In the digital transformation era, one in two-measure all their marketing activities but are using basic metrics such as last-click attribution (58 percent), media reach and frequency (57 percent), shares (51 percent), likes (49 percent), and comments (47 percent).

Nearly half of those surveyed are optimistic about a recovery in the next 6-12 months.

The survey targeted 144 marketers in 13 countries in the Asia Pacific across several industries.

OPPO launches its first smart TV line up in China

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OPPO launches its first smart TV line up in China

Smartphone brand OPPO has entered the TV segment with the launch of two flagship models in China.

The OPPO TV S1 is priced at 7,999 yuan but will be available for 6,999 yuan during the Double 11 sale.

Meanwhile, the OPPO TV R1 55-inch model costs 3,299 yuan whereas the OPPO TV R1 65-inch variant is priced at 4,299 yuan, reports GizmoChina.

The OPPO TV S1 sports a 65-inch QLED panel with 4K resolution (3840×2160 pixels).

As for audio, OPPO has partnered with Dynaudio to include 18 speakers with 85W sound output and 5.1.2 channels.

The TV also comes equipped with far-field microphones for Breeno voice assistant and a pop-up camera for video calls.

The flagship OPPO television is powered by MediaTek MT9950 chipset paired with 8.5GB RAM and 128GB internal storage enabling it to boot in 1 second.

It runs ColorOS TV with support for local streaming platforms like Tencent, Youku, Mango, and iQiyi.

OPPO TV R1 sports a 4K LCD panel with an LED backlight and it comes in two sizes — 55-inch and 65-inch.

It is powered by a less powerful MediaTek MTK9652 chipset but it still supports 8K video playback and 1 second boot time.

itel becomes stronger with 6 crore customers in India in 4 years

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itel becomes stronger with 6 crore customers in India in 4 years

Taking its success story forward, itel family becomes stronger with over 6 crore happy consumers in India, a resounding milestone for the smartphone brand within four years of its operations in India.

This important milestone reinstates it’s a success story in India which has been driven by its customer-centric approach, innovative and affordable product portfolio, robust distribution network along with localized marketing communication approach, according to the company.

“Since its inception in India, itel has witnessed tremendous growth and launched many ‘industry firsts’ for its discerning customers. We have been successful by virtue of the trust and faith reposed by the people of India for our efforts in bringing innovative, affordable, and trendy product portfolio backed with strong distribution, efficient service network and localized communication suiting every market,” Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, TRANSSION India, said in a statement.

“We want to make this festive season special for our customers by offering them trendy Mobile phones in all price segments suiting their needs – starting less than 4k to a range below 7k. Our Smartphones A23, A25 Pro, A48 and Vision 1 have been launched to provide best of value at a price point which is one of the best in the industry along with a variety of new range of Smart Gadgets and TVs which will redefine entertainment experience of our customers this festive season” Talapatra added.

This festive season, itel customers would be able to enjoy the magical product portfolio of itel with its flagship premium smartphone Vision 1 in less than 7K, A48 in less than 6K, A25Pro in less than 5K and A23 in less than 4K making it affordable, accessible across all segments of buyers. itel Vision 1, itel A48, itel A25 Pro and itel A23 are priced at Rs 6,699, Rs 5,999, Rs 4,999 and Rs 3,799, respectively.

Extending the magical experience to a wider portfolio of devices and with great demand from the market, itel launched Smart Gadgets and its magical range of TV portfolio. With itel Mobile, Smart Gadgets, and TV, India will witness a new wave of empowerment in mobile, digital, and entertainment experience and consumption.

“itel’s success strategy is built on its five key pillars – Innovation through many industries first features, channel relationship & engagement, customer centricity with 950+ service centers & Carlcare, building local connect through customized marketing communication, a robust distribution network of 1 lakh+ retailers and 1,000 plus partners”, Talapatra added.

Expanding on itel’s six core values, the latest festive offering by itel is designed to provide the latest features and technology bundled with a user-friendly interface, value proposition, reliability, accessibility, and customer care.

The latest addition itel A48 is all set to redefine the overall smartphone experience by being the perfect choice for entry-level smartphone users. itel A48 is a magical combination of premium design aesthetics and super trendy features to fulfill all common needs of the aspirational millennials of tier 3 and below towns, be it financial transactions, virtual education for kids, entertainment, or running a small scale business.

itel A48 features 6.1-inch HD+ IPS Waterdrop full-screen display with in-cell technology and 2.5D TP lens providing a better screen design.

Running on the latest Android 10 (Go Edition), itel A48 is powered with a 1.4GHz quad-core processor for seamless multitasking functionality. In terms of memory configurations, the phone comes with 2GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage expandable up to 128GB.

The smartphone comes equipped with a dual 5MP AF rear camera with LED flash and 5MP selfie camera—configured in the unique camera setup, adding to the premium look and feel of the phone. The front 5MP Big Pixel selfie camera with AI Beauty Mode is equipped with a flashlight to ensure a bright and clear selfie.

To further fuel the festive cheer, itel has also launched a category disruptor, itel A25 Pro — a new 2GB+32GB variant of itel A25 smartphone in completely new packaging to offer consumers a host of features.

itel A25 Pro comes packed with a brighter IPS display resolution (1280×720 pixels) of 12.7cm (5.0 inch) HD along with wider viewing angles.

It comes equipped with a 5MP AI rear camera and a 2MP selfie camera. The power-packed smartphone also comes equipped with 2GB RAM, a face unlocking feature and 32GB internal storage along with a dedicated expandable memory up to 32GB.

Punjab CM moves draft resolution to reject Centre’s farm laws

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Punjab CM moves draft resolution to reject Centre’s farm laws

In a move to protect the state’s farmers and agriculture, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday presented in the Vidhan Sabha a draft resolution rejecting outright the Centre’s “anti-farmer” laws and the proposed electricity amendment Bill, with an appeal to all parties to rise above political interests in the spirit of saving the agrarian state.

The draft resolution seeks annulment of the farm laws and the proposed Electricity Bill, as well as promulgation of “a fresh ordinance making the procurement of food grains on the minimum support price (MSP) a statutory right of the farmers and continue with procurement by the Government of India through the FCI and other such agencies”.

Regretting that several legislators indulged in frivolous activities on Monday to gain political mileage, with some coming in tractors and some spending the night in the Assembly precincts in protest against non-receipt of his government’s Bills, the Chief Minister said he had signed the same at 9.30 p.m., after extensive discussions and consultations with various experts.

Such delays in sharing copies of Bills happen in an emergent session, he said, pointing to something similar happening when his government had brought in the Punjab Termination of Water Agreements Act during his last tenure in 2004.

Amarinder Singh said the Bills being presented on Tuesday, the second day of the special assembly session, would form the basis of the state’s legal battle ahead and, hence, needed to be thoroughly vetted before the presentation.

The draft resolution expresses the deep regret of the state legislative assembly over the “callous and inconsiderate attitude of the Government of India in attending to the concerns of the farming community on recent alleged farm legislation enacted by them”.

It reads that the assembly is constrained to unanimously reject the three (farm) legislations and the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

Referring to The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, the draft resolution notes that the Union Government had converted the relevant farm ordinances into Acts and notified the same on September 24 and 26 even though the concerns and sentiments of the House were conveyed to the Prime Minister through the letter of September 14 by the Chief Minister.

“These three legislations along with the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020 are clearly against the interests of farmers and landless workers, and time-tested agriculture marketing system established not only in Punjab but also in original green revolution areas of Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh,” it said, adding the Government of India had clearly enacted trade legislations and not farm legislations.

Further, said the draft resolution, these laws are also against the Constitution of India (Entry 14 List-II), which comprises agriculture as a subject of the state.

These legislations are a direct attack, and use of subterfuge to encroach upon the functions and the powers of the states, as enshrined in the country’s Constitution, said the draft resolution, read out by the Speaker.

Google discontinues Nest Secure alarm system

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Google discontinues Nest Secure alarm system

Google has discontinued its Nest Secure alarm system although the company will continue to support the existing users.

Google introduced the Nest Secure system in 2017 — with a keypad called the Nest Guard as the central hub, sensors around the house called Nest Detects, and NFC key fobs to arm and disarm the system in case of an intrusion.

“Google Nest will no longer be producing Nest Secure, however, we will continue to support our security users in all the same ways,” a Google spokesperson told The Verge on Monday.

The system also connects to the Nest mobile app so the users get alerts and arm and disarm the system remotely.

The Nest Secure system was launched at $499 but the company dropped the price to $399 later.

The Nest Secure system is made up of Google Nest Guard, Google Nest Detect, Google Nest Tag, and the Nest app.

“You can customize Nest Secure to fit your home, change settings with the Nest app, get a reminder if you leave home without setting the alarm, and more,” Google said.

Google in June announced that its Advanced Protection Programme (APP) is now available for Nest smart home devices.

Google’s Advanced Protection Programme is designed to give an extra layer of security to anyone who is at “high risk” of being targeted online.

It requires physical security keys, one of which has to be used with a password to access the user’s account and restricts most outside access to a Google account, blocking unknown apps and fraudulent attempts to access an account.

Decline in new Covid cases continues as India’s tally nears 76L

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Decline in new Covid cases continues as India’s tally nears 76L

With a spike of 46,790 coronavirus cases and 587 deaths in 24 hours, India’s tally on Tuesday was 75,97,063 cases.

This is one of the lowest spikes in a single day in the last two and a half months.

Out of these, 7,48,538 are currently active; 67,33,328 have been discharged, while 1,15,197 lost the battle against the pandemic.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), India’s active cases have fallen below eight lakh after six weeks and continue to slide further down.

On Sunday, after denying for months, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan stated that India was in the stage of community transmission but it is limited to only certain districts and states.

While the recovery rate stands at 88.26 percent, the fatality rate is 1.52 percent, the MoHFW data said.

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit with a total of 16,01,365 cases, including 42,240 deaths; followed by Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.

According to the data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India conducted 10,32,795 sample tests in a single day on Monday, taking the total number of samples tested so far to 9,61,16,771.

DDLJ turns 25: SRK reveals why he was sceptical to play a romantic hero

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DDLJ turns 25: SRK reveals why he was sceptical to play a romantic hero

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) is 25 years old on Tuesday, and Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan looks back at the 1995 blockbuster that helped cement his loverboy image that makes women weak in the knees even today.

SRK surprises you by saying he was initially skeptical about his ability to pull off the romantic scenes in the ever-popular love story.

“I was told by many people that I looked unconventional, very different from what the perception of a leading man was. I did feel, maybe, not being handsome enough — or, as they called it back then, ‘chocolaty’ — would make me unsuitable for romantic roles. Also, I am very shy and awkward with ladies, and I didn’t know how I would say all the loving, romantic bits,” Shah Rukh recalled.

“I have to admit, for someone who doesn’t like mushy and romantic films, the scenes Kajol and I did make me feel fuzzy and warm! There, I said it,” he smiled.

Released on October 20, 1995, the Aditya Chopra directorial, which starred SRK and Kajol, the film tells the love story of Raj (SRK) and Simran (Kajol) who live in the UK. The film kicked off the trend of NRI romances on the Bollywood screen and also reorganized romance in Hindi cinema forever.

Recalling playing Raj, SRK said: “Raj was unlike anything I had done. Before ‘DDLJ’, there was ‘Darr’, ‘Baazigar’ and ‘Anjaam’ — films in which I had portrayed negative characters. Also, I always felt that I wasn’t cut out to play any romantic type of character. So, when I was presented with the opportunity by Adi and Yash (Chopra) ji to essay the role, I was excited to work with him but had no idea how to go about it, and also if I would be able to do it well.”

“It was one of those roles that I realised I can do with me using a version of my real self. So, you might see some quirks, habits and mannerisms that were true to my off-screen persona — especially the sense of humour part,” he added.

DDLJ would go on to become the longest-running film in the history of Indian cinema. It ran for over 20 years in Mumbai’s Maratha Mandir theatre.

Apart from Shah Rukh and Kajol, late actor Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, Anupam Kher, and Parmeet Sethi also left an indelible mark with stellar performances.

Beyond fresh storytelling, characterization and performances, the film is also remembered to this day for the songs Jatin-Lalit composed.

SRK says he still listens to the songs of the film.

“I don’t change the radio channel when a DDLJ song comes on. I can never get sick of them. They bring back memories of a film that shaped my path forward in an unforgettable way,” Shah Rukh reminisced.

According to him, “DDLJ” helped him “cement my place and brought me fame in a way that I didn’t think it would”.

“As for perception, I always felt that I can play more unconventional roles because of my looks, but ‘DDLJ’ has belied that and I still struggle to make that one macho unconventional kicka** character which suits me, or so I thought. But it has been a struggle to not be considered romantic and sweet for the last 25 years — a struggle, I guess, I am happy to lose,” Shah Rukh quipped.

Saudi Arabia has fastest 5G download speed, S Korea second

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Saudi Arabia has fastest 5G download speed, S Korea second

South Korea’s 5G download speed is the world’s second-fastest behind Saudi Arabia, reaching an average speed of 336.1 megabits per second (Mbps), a report revealed on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia delivered an average 5G download speed of 377.2 Mbps, according to a report from industry tracker Opensignal, which tracked data between July 1 and September 28 in 15 countries with 5G networks.

South Korea’s average 5G download speed over the period was also 5.6 times faster than its average 4G download speed of 60.5 Mbps.

The latest data mark an improvement for South Korea’s 5G network, which recorded an average download speed of 312.7 Mbps in an August report from Opensignal, reports Yonhap news agency.

The time South Korean 5G users spend connected to the network also rose, reaching 22.2 percent, up from 20.7 percent found in the previous report.

Many countries that have deployed 5G, including South Korea, currently offer the network’s services on non-standalone mode, requiring support from the 4G network.

South Korea, however, ranked fifth in terms of 5G accessibility in the latest data, with Saudi Arabia at 37 percent, Kuwait at 27.7 percent, Thailand at 24.9 percent, and Hong Kong at 22.9 percent.

The latest data comes as the number of 5G users in South Korea has picked up in recent months, since its commercial roll out in April last year.

As of August, the country had 8.7 million 5G mobile accounts, up some 800,000 from the previous month.

Our challenge is to maintain winning habit this IPL, says Kaif

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Our challenge is to maintain winning habit this IPL, says Kaif

Delhi Capitals are currently placed at the top of the points table in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League. Having registered seven wins in nine matches, the team — which looks all set for a place in the playoffs — will look to keep the momentum going when they take on seventh-placed Kings XI Punjab at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday evening.

“We are very happy at the moment because, in the first game that we chased, we lost against SRH. We couldn’t chase their target of about 160, but against CSK it was good because it was a tough task to chase,” said Delhi Capitals’ assistant coach Mohammad Kaif.

“We were not chasing well so far in this tournament – we were a defending kind of team. Our bowlers have done well so far, but it was good to see Shikhar – the way he batted, and he had been doing so well in the whole tournament but was getting 20s, 30s every single game. So it was good to see him also getting his first hundred in the IPL,” added Kaif.

Speaking on the importance of having a team that can set-up as well as chase totals, Kaif said, “To win a tournament like IPL, you have to be all-round performers. If you bat first, you have to put runs on the board, which we have been doing in this tournament. But if you bat second, you should be able to chase down the target.”

“That’s the strength of the team and we want to achieve that kind of target you know so that when we are put into the bowl first and chase a target, we should be able to do it. We have some experienced players in the squad and have good bench strength – of course, we were a bit unlucky with some big injuries. But overall we have a squad to go all the way and so far we have done well,” expressed the assistant coach.

Commenting on what approach his team is adopting against each opponent, Kaif said, “We’re not looking at the team in front of us and are just approaching the matches as they come. We are aiming to take the two points in every match – be it Punjab or any other team. We just want to maintain that winning habit in this tournament – that’s our challenge.”

“Coaches speak to the players about this only, that now we have got the momentum, we don’t need to break it. That’s why when we try to pick and play our best team out of the players who are available,” added Kaif.

The aspect of Delhi Capitals’ performances this season that has stood out is the fact that almost all the players who have played this season, have performed well, and Kaif said it is down to what his coaching staff has been trying to tell the players.

“That is something we speak about in the meetings or in the nets. Ricky of course is very keen to have that mind-set – he speaks about a player making an impact whenever he gets a chance – he should win the game – and that’s what players have done so far,” said the 39-year-old.

“All the players have been fantastic for us, and it’s actually a great headache for the opponents. They would think how to plan against DC, who have got so many match-winners in their squad – to really contain and beat us on the day,” added the former Indian player.

IPL: Rajasthan move to 5th spot in points table, CSK lies at bottom

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IPL: Rajasthan move to 5th spot in points table, CSK lies at bottom

Three-time champion Chennai Super Kings have gone down to the bottom while Rajasthan Royals have moved to the fifth spot in the points table following the conclusion of 37 matches in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) edition.

On Monday evening, Rajasthan defeated Chennai by seven wickets and they now have eight points in 10 games. The MS Dhoni-led side, on the other hand, has six points from 10 games and their chances of making it to the playoffs are quite bleak. Delhi Capitals remain at the top of the standings with 14 points from nine games. They are followed by Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore who both have 12 points each.

Meanwhile, Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul and Kagiso Rabada of Delhi Capitals continue to leading respective batting and bowling charts.

Rahul, who has so far scored 525 runs in nine matches, holds the Orange Cap. He is followed by his teammate Mayank Agarwal who has collected 393 runs. Faf du Plessis of Chennai Super Kings completes the podium with 375 runs in 10 matches.

In the bowlers’ list, Rabada has scalped 19 wickets in nine matches and has the Purple Cap. Jasprit Bumrah is at the second spot with 15 wickets, followed by Mohammad Shami who has 14 wickets to his name.

On Tuesday, Delhi Capitals will take on Kings XI Punjab in the 38th IPL 2020 match in Dubai.

Premier League: 8 positive Covid cases in latest round of testing

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Premier League: 8 positive Covid cases in latest round of testing

The Premier League has informed that eight people had returned positive results in its latest round of coronavirus tests conducted on players and staff last week.

In a statement, the league on Monday said that the individuals who had tested positive for Covid-19 would now self-isolate for 10 days.

“The Premier League can today confirm that between Monday 12 October and Sunday 18 October, 1,575 players and club staff were tested for Covid-19. Of these, there were eight new positive tests,” the statement read.

So far, 42 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in seven rounds of testing beginning August 31.

US charges 6 Russian intelligence men for global hacking campaign

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US charges 6 Russian intelligence men for global hacking campaign

The US Justice Department has charged six Russian intelligence officers with being part of an extensive worldwide hacking campaign, including the NotPetya ransomware attacks that targeted Ukraine in 2015.

A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh returned an indictment charging six computer hackers, all of whom were residents and nationals of Russia and officers in the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), a military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces.

According to the indictment, the hackers also targeted the country of Georgia, the French elections, and the poisoning of former Russian military officer Sergei Skripal.

“These GRU hackers and their co-conspirators engaged in computer intrusions and attacks intended to support Russian government efforts “to undermine, retaliate against, or otherwise destabilize Ukraine, Georgia, elections in France, efforts to hold Russia accountable for its use of a weapons-grade nerve agent, and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games,” the US Justice Department said in a statement on Monday.

“No country has weaponized its cyber capabilities as maliciously or irresponsibly as Russia, causing unprecedented damage to pursue small tactical advantages and to satisfy fits of spite,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers.

The department has charged these Russian officers with conducting the most disruptive and destructive series of computer attacks ever attributed to a single group, including by unleashing the NotPetya malware.

“The FBI has repeatedly warned that Russia is a highly capable cyber adversary, and the information revealed in this indictment illustrates how pervasive and destructive Russia’s cyber activities truly are,” said FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich.

The NotPetya malware spread worldwide, damaged computers used in critical infrastructure, and caused enormous financial losses.

“For more than two years we have worked tirelessly to expose these Russian GRU Officers who engaged in a global campaign of hacking, disruption, and destabilization, representing the most destructive and costly cyber-attacks in history,” said US Attorney Scott W. Brady for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The NotPetya malware spread worldwide, damaged computers used in critical infrastructure, and caused enormous financial losses.

Microsoft pauses forced web app installs on Windows 10 devices

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Microsoft pauses forced web app installs on Windows 10 devices

After courting controversy for pushing an update for Windows 10 that covertly installs web pages for its Office apps without asking for user permission, Microsoft has said it was partly a mistake and has paused the process.

According to a report in The Verge late on Monday, Microsoft said it will pause the “migration” that brought progressive web apps (PWA) for Microsoft Office apps to Start Menu and there was a bug that caused this issue.

“Microsoft says it’s actually been pinning Office web shortcuts to the Start Menu since May 2019,” the report mentioned.

The ‘forced update’ installs Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook web-based apps.

These are basically the shortcuts to the web version of Office that can be accessed through any browser. These apps, however, are not the full version of Microsoft Office.

“They will only open a web-version of the app where you need to sign in with your Microsoft account to gain access,” reports XDA Developers.

One can easily uninstall them.

Go to Settings App and then Apps & Features page or use Control Panel and then Programs & Features to remove those unsolicited web apps which are only shortcuts that hardly take any space on your system.

Gokulam’s Rahul KP upbeat about upcoming I-League season

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Gokulam’s Rahul KP upbeat about upcoming I-League season

Gokulam Kerala FC forward Rahul KP has seen several ups and downs in his life. But whenever he faced a difficult situation, he found support in football, and his faith in the sport has never failed him.

The player, who rose from the academy setup of Gokulam Kerala FC, had humble beginnings and there were times when he traveled 10 kilometers on a bicycle to train alone. Despite the financial difficulties and adverse situations, he ambitiously embarked on his dreams.

Now GKFC has kept faith in its under-18 academy product as a new long-term contract has been agreed between the player and the club. “I am excited to sign the new contract. Last year was a memorable season for me. Our team played really well in all the tournaments it was a great learning curve for me. I want to achieve more with my club,” said the 21-year-old from Kasargod in Kerala.

Rahul was promoted to the senior team from the reserve team along with five other players last year. His debut was in the Durand Cup, which Malabarians won.

He also had substitute roles in Sheikh Kamal International Cup and also made his first debut in I-League against Mohun Bagan as a substitute. His dream start came against East Bengal and he had a stellar performance in the match with an assist.

“I am aiming to improve more. Last year training and playing along with the senior team, I was able to learn a lot. This year, it is a new coach. We have done only online sessions now but the whole squad has a lot of expectations this season to win the title. I want to help my team win the I-League,” he said.

Being a Malabarian from his academy days onward, Rahul has fond memories of the club. “The club has made commendable improvement all these years. If there were no clubs like Gokulam, I would have ended my career like any other player. The club has several raw talents in its academy and youth setups. I believe like me they will also get a chance,” he added.

Union Minister pleads voters to save his prestige in Bihar

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Union Minister pleads voters to save his prestige in Bihar

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai was seen pleading before voters with folded hands to save his prestige in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

Rai, during a rally in the Senduari high school in Vaishali district on Monday evening, made the request 11 times from the stage. He was campaigning in support of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Awadesh Singh.

Vaishali is the home turf for Nityanand where he has been elected seven times as a public representative. He is an MP from the Ujiarpur constituency. If he fails to give an impressive show in his home turf, it could lead to an uneasy situation for him in Central politics.

“We are capable of fighting on the borders and if anyone comes one inch in our territory, we will push them back. But when it comes to fighting an election at home, I have no hesitancy to fold hands before our own people and request them for their support,” Rai said while repeatedly using these lines in Vaishali to lure voters.

Vaishali district has eight Assembly constituencies, including Raghopur where Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejaswi Yadav has filed his nomination. The NDA leaders are also facing challenges from the Lok Jan Shakti (LJP) candidates after Chirag Paswan parted ways from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Paswan has a stronghold in Vaishali.

Due to 15 years of anti-incumbency against the Nitish Kumar government, Rai along with other leaders of the NDA is facing the heat this time.

Dow drops over 400 points amid stimulus talks, coronavirus concerns

TB Team
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Dow drops over 400 points amid stimulus talks, coronavirus concerns

Wall Street’s major averages closed sharply lower as investors looked to updates on a US stimulus deal while weighing the impact of a continued increase in coronavirus cases.

On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 410.89 points, or 1.44 percent, to 28,195.42. The S&P 500 was down 56.89 points, or 1.63 percent, to 3,426.92. The Nasdaq Composite Index decreased 192.67 points, or 1.65 percent, to 11,478.88, Xinhua news agency reported.

All the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors pulled back, with energy down 2.1 percent, leading the losses.

US-listed Chinese companies traded mostly lower, with seven of the top 10 stocks by weight in the S&P US Listed China 50 index ending the day on a downbeat note.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday that the White House and congressional lawmakers must reach an agreement in 48 hours if they want to pass a new COVID-19 relief package before the presidential election in November.

Democrats and Republicans have tried for weeks to work toward a follow-up package to combat the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet the two sides remained far apart on certain issues.

Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were slated to talk again Monday afternoon.

Market sentiment was also dented as coronavirus cases continued to surge.

The global COVID-19 caseload surpassed the milestone of 40 million on Monday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The United States reported more than 8.2 million cases and over 220,000 deaths, both the highest around the world.

Facebook introduces new ways to find videos in Watch platform

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Facebook introduces new ways to find videos in Watch platform

Facebook has introduced some exciting features in its video-on-demand platform Watch that is being visited by over 1.25 billion people every month.

Facebook Watch is the go-to place to discover videos across the platform from live events, to TV shows, sports, news, or music videos.

“In addition to following your favorite Pages and Profiles, you can now also follow topics. Topics let you personalize the videos that show up in your feed so it’s tailored to what you care about,” Facebook said in a statement on Monday.

Available in the US to begin with, Topics can also help users find new Pages to follow.

In the US and select markets, the users will also find ‘What’s Happening’ and ‘Featured’ sections in Watch.

“Videos in these sections are chosen by Facebook so you can catch up on timely and relevant moments, like the Television Academy’s annual Emmy Awards or MLB World Series highlights,” the company added.

In addition, you’ll see videos in your Watch feed based on what your friends are reacting to and what’s popular in your Groups.

Facebook last month introduced its Watch Together feature on the Messenger app where users can enjoy videos with their friends and family and see their reactions in real-time over Messenger video calls and Messenger Rooms.

Every day, there are more than 150 million video calls on Messenger, and more than 200 million videos sent via Messenger.

CBI raids 4 premises in loan fraud case, including BSP MLA’s firm

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CBI raids 4 premises in loan fraud case, including BSP MLA’s firm

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday carried out searches at four locations in a Rs 754.25-crore loan fraud case, including at a company linked to Bahujan Samaj Party MLA Vinay Shankar Tiwari, officials said.

A CBI official told IANS that raids were on at four locations in Noida and Lucknow.

He said the premises of Gangotri Enterprises, Ajit Pandey, Vinay Shankar Tiwari, Ritu Tiwari and, Royal Empire Marketing Pvt ltd were raided by the agency following registration of a case by the CBI.

Tiwari is an MLA from Gorakhpur’s Chillupar constituency. He owns Gangotri Enterprises.

Tiwari is the son of former state Minister Hari Shankar Tiwari.

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