Sat on bench for hours after losing in 1992 Oly quarters, reveals Paes

TB Team
-
0
Sat on bench for hours after losing in 1992 Oly quarters, reveals Paes

Eighteen-time Grand Slam champion Eighteen-time Grand Slam champion Leander Paes made history in 1996 when he became the first Indian tennis player to win an Olympic medal in Atlanta. However, his dream of winning an Olympic medal could have been fulfilled four years earlier had he and Ramesh Krishnan not lost to the Australian duo of John Basil Fitzgerald and Todd Andrew Woodbridge in the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles event in Barcelona.

“When Ramesh Krishnan and I lost a chance to win an Olympic medal in 1992 after losing in the quarter-finals of the doubles competition, I realized that Ramesh was retiring and he was not going to be around for the 1996 Olympics,” Paes said during the fifth episode of ‘The Finish Line’, hosted by Asian Games gold medallist squash player Saurav Ghoshal.

“I also realized that there were no youngsters who were going to be prepared enough to win a medal in Atlanta. In 1992, I was only looking to get to the Olympics. And then when I came so close to winning a medal, I sat on the bench after we lost the quarter-finals for around two hours and 45 minutes.”

One of the greatest doubles players in the sport, Paes said after that defeat, he specifically practiced for the singles competition.

“I reinvented my train of thought and decided to transform my physical strength and mental aptitude for singles competitions between 1992 and 1996,” Paes said.

In the 1996 Olympics, Paes finally went on to win a bronze in the singles competition after defeating Brazil’s Fernando Meligeni. made history in 1996 when he became the first Indian tennis player to win an Olympic medal in Atlanta. However, his dream of winning an Olympic medal could have been fulfilled four years earlier had he and Ramesh Krishnan not lost to the Australian duo of John Basil Fitzgerald and Todd Andrew Woodbridge in the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles event in Barcelona.

“When Ramesh Krishnan and I lost a chance to win an Olympic medal in 1992 after losing in the quarter-finals of the doubles competition, I realized that Ramesh was retiring and he was not going to be around for the 1996 Olympics,” Paes said during the fifth episode of ‘The Finish Line’, hosted by Asian Games gold medallist squash player Saurav Ghoshal.

“I also realized that there were no youngsters who were going to be prepared enough to win a medal in Atlanta. In 1992, I was only looking to get to the Olympics. And then when I came so close to winning a medal, I sat on the bench after we lost the quarter-finals for around two hours and 45 minutes.”

One of the greatest doubles players in the sport, Paes said after that defeat, he specifically practiced for the singles competition.

“I reinvented my train of thought and decided to transform my physical strength and mental aptitude for singles competitions between 1992 and 1996,” Paes said.

In the 1996 Olympics, Paes finally went on to win a bronze in the singles competition after defeating Brazil’s Fernando Meligeni.

Renowned Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan wins Jnanpith award

TB Team
-
0
Renowned Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan wins Jnanpith award

Eminent Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri was on Thursday conferred with the Jnanpith award at his residence ‘Devayanam’ by Kerala Culture Minister A.K. Balan.

Appearing live from his office in the state Secretariat, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan paid tributes to the life and works of 93-year-old Akkitham, as he is popularly known.

Seated in an armchair at his home, Akkitham received the award and became the sixth Keralite to be conferred the prestigious literary award.

Akkitham’s work includes “Irupatham Noottantinte Ithihasam”, “Balidarashanam” and “Dharma Sooryan” among over 45 works of poems, plays, and short stories.

Samsung joins Flipkart to debut Galaxy F series on Big Billion Day

TB Team
-
0
Samsung joins Flipkart to debut Galaxy F series on Big Billion Day

Riding on its successful Galaxy ‘M series amid a surge in online shopping, Samsung on Thursday announced a partnership with Flipkart to globally debut its next affordable Galaxy ‘F series on the first day of the Big Billion Days sale in India next month.

The company will debut the fully-loaded Galaxy F41 as the first smartphone in the new series that will be priced between $200-$250 (somewhere around Rs 15,000-Rs 18,000) to give consumers a ‘full-on’ experience regarding display, battery, and looks.

The new series is being launched at a time when the online smartphone market share in India is likely to hit an all-time high of 45 percent in the second half this year owing to the pandemic as people prefer to buy online.

“Samsung and Flipkart will launch a new smart upgrade programme build on our defense-grade mobile security platform Knox where, if a consumer buys Galaxy F41, he or she will get 30 percent upfront discount and the balance 70 percent amount can be paid in 12 easy installments,” Asim Warsi, Senior Vice President and Head of eCommerce Business, Samsung India, told IANS.

“Once the consumer returns the old device after 12 months, he or she can then upgrade to the new Samsung Galaxy smartphone with the same upfront sale scheme, which is the global first and no brand in India offers any such attractive scheme for the consumers to date,” Warsi informed.

Flipkart is yet to announce the dates for its festive sales but according to reports, it will fall in the middle of the next month.

“The strategic partnership with Samsung reinforces our commitment to make the latest in technology accessible to over 250 million customers across Bharat, during a time when smartphones are bringing immense value to people’s lives,” said Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group.

According to Tarun Pathak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, the movie is apt at a time when e-commerce sales are touching new high in the country.

“Being an all-segment player, Samsung plans new series based on specific product features as it can move the most-loved and top-end specifications across its portfolio like it did in the’ series with introducing a monster 7000mAh battery. The Galaxy F41 will also have some surprise elements,” Pathak told IANS.

“The online smartphone sales in India logged 40 percent in the first half of this year and it is expected to grow further to nearly 45 percent owing to a steep rise in online sales in the social distancing times. However, Samsung should also keep its offline market in mind as it has a strong presence there pan-India,” Pathak stressed.

Galaxy F41 will make its global debut at the ‘Full On Festival’, scheduled for October 8 that will be streamed online.

According to Warsi, just like the Galaxy ‘M’ series that is expected to reach the sales figure of over two crore units in India by the end of this year, the Galaxy ‘F’ is also designed ground-up in India for the young Indian consumers and manufactured at the Samsung’s factory in Noida.

“Galaxy ‘F’, designed in India in collaboration with Flipkart, is a celebration of the rising aspirations of socially-savvy consumers. Galaxy F’s proposition is ‘full-on’ — the lifestyle that defines today’s young Gen Z consumers and we are confident that F Series smartphones will live up the ‘full-on’ credo,” Warsi said.

Delhi riots: Umar Khalid sent to judicial custody till Oct 22

TB Team
-
0
Delhi riots: Umar Khalid sent to judicial custody till Oct 22

A Delhi court on Thursday sent former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid, arrested in connection with a case related to the widespread violence which broke out in Delhi’s North-East area in February, to judicial custody till October 22.

Delhi Police’s Special Cell had arrested him on September 13 night under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, following which he was sent to 10 days police custody. He was produced before Additional Session Judge Amitabh Rawat of Karkardooma court via video-conferencing earlier in the day at the end of the remand period.

On the request of Umar Khalid and his counsel Trideep Pais, the court allowed him to meet his parents before going to jail and directed his counsel to move an application for providing him spectacles. Advocate Pais will also move an application requesting the court to provide him security.

“In the last 10 days in police custody, I have not signed any paper or statement,” Umar Khalid informed the court during the video conferencing.

He is accused of hatching a criminal conspiracy to cause communal unrest by inciting people protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens.

On March 6, the FIR was registered against Khalid and one Danish based on information provided by an informer to Crime Branch Sub-Inspector Arvind Kumar.

According to FIR number 59/2020, complainant Sub-Inspector Arvind Kumar said that riots are a premeditated conspiracy. “The conspiracy was hatched by Umar Khalid and two others associated with different organizations,” the FIR further stated.

Umar Khalid gave provocative speeches at two different places and appealed people to block the roads during US President Donald Trump’s visit, to spread propaganda at the international level about how minorities in India were being persecuted, the FIR added.

Umar Khalid and his associates brought women and children to the road at several places in a bid to hatch a conspiracy to incite riots, the Sub-Inspector alleged, adding that firearms, petrol bombs, acid bottles, and stones were stored at homes in Kardampuri, Jafrabad, Chand Bagh, Gokulpuri, Shiv Vihar and nearby areas as part of the conspiracy.

Explaining the conspiracy, the complainant said that co-accused Danish was given the responsibility of gathering people from different places to take part in the violence. “On February 23, women and children were made to block the roads under the Jafrabad Metro Station to create tension amidst the neighborhood people in a bid to give rise to riots,” it added.

Besides this, Khalid has also been named in charge sheets filed in various cases of the riots. Communal violence broke out in North-East Delhi on February 24 after clashes between the citizenship law supporters and protesters spiraled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

Lava set to launch 4-5 smartphones ahead of Diwali

TB Team
-
0
Lava set to launch 4-5 smartphones ahead of Diwali

Home-grown mobile handset brand Lava is planning to launch four to five devices at the beginning of November, boosting its portfolio with fresh products in the festive season.

The new portfolio of products could include one device above Rs 10,000, marking the entry of the brand in a new price segment as it looks to give Chinese brands dominating the India smartphone market some competition, industry sources told IANS.

Currently, the brand offers smartphones only in the lower range segment, under Rs 8,000.

To cater to different customer groups, Lava is likely to launch the phones in a variety of price segments – under Rs 6,000, Rs 6,000-Rs 8,000, Rs 8,000-Rs 10,000, and the Rs 10,000+ segment.

Significantly, the fresh portfolio could have a “designed in India” smartphone as the brand is focusing on designing smartphones for the past one year.

Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Local ke liye Vocal” call, Lava announced in May that it plans to shift its entire mobile R&D, design, and manufacturing for the export market from China to India.

Lava exports over 33 percent of its phones to markets such as Mexico, Africa, Southeast Asia, and West Asia.

As part of the transition, Lava will invest around Rs 80 crore this year and subsequently around Rs 800 crore over the next five years.

The move came after the Indian mobile phone manufacturers gained a significant cost advantage over China from the Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) scheme announced by the government last month.

BenQ partners Zoom to deliver certified video conferencing displays

TB Team
-
0
BenQ partners Zoom to deliver certified video conferencing displays

Taiwanese electronics company BenQ on Thursday announced its partnership with video conferencing platform Zoom to deliver certified video conferencing displays for modern meeting rooms.

According to the company, with the integration of Zoom Rooms, BenQ interactive displays, as well as digital signage, will bring back the work efficiency and provide seamless interactive telecommunication through video conferring.

“In the process of corporates adjusting to the new normal of remote working, BenQ reaffirms its commitment by integrating with Zoom and creating innovative smart technology while understanding the need for technological innovations and the market demands in the current scenario,” Rajeev Singh, Managing Director, BenQ India, said in a statement.

BenQ displays with Zoom will enable remote screen sharing, content collaboration, and whiteboarding with notes.

In addition, business owners, SMB presenters, and enterprise IT managers can rely on BenQ displays for video conferencing.

“The partnership with technology leaders like BenQ is key to our mission of delivering high-quality visual communications to the world. Together with BenQ, we can help businesses and individuals overcome today’s challenges to build toward tomorrow’s success,” added Jeff Smith, Head of Zoom Rooms, Zoom Video Communications.

Cricket Australia confirms fixtures for Sheffield Shield Trophy

TB Team
-
0
Cricket Australia confirms fixtures for Sheffield Shield Trophy

South Australia will host the opening four rounds of the Sheffield Shield Trophy in October and November, Cricket Australia announced on Thursday.

Round one matches will begin on October 10 with South Australia taking on Western Australia and Queensland facing Tasmania. Acknowledging the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for all Victorian arrivals into South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales have agreed to postpone their round one game to begin on November 17.

Three further rounds will be played in the October-November window before the 10th season of the Big Bash League begins in December.

The decision to play the first four rounds of the Marsh Sheffield Shield in South Australia allows for the best possible chance to play a full domestic schedule, CA said in a statement.

Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, said the revised schedule highlighted the intent of Australian cricket to provide a full domestic schedule during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The Marsh Sheffield Shield is an incredibly strong competition and for generations has been a crucial factor in the success of the Australian men’s team,” Hockley said. “It is the envy of cricketing countries throughout the world. We would like to thank the South Australian government for their willingness to work together to deliver these fixtures.”

Alistair Nicholson, Australian Cricketers Association Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our players place an enormous value on our domestic competitions, and this has been reflected in their commitment and flexibility to get the game going.”

CA is planning to stage the remainder of the Sheffield Shield season, the Women’s National Cricket League, Marsh One-Day Cup, and Under-19 Female and Male National Championships in 2021.

Shweta Tripathi stresses on mental health dialogue in unlock scenario

TB Team
-
0
Shweta Tripathi stresses on mental health dialogue in unlock scenario

Actress Shweta Tripathi Sharma believes it is essential to discuss mental health as the unlock process continues all over India.

“A detailed conversation around mental health must ensue during the unlock phase. Considering people are stepping out to work amidst the fear of Covid-19, it’s important to conduct systematic counseling and therapy sessions to put them at ease,” she said.

“Over and above, lockdown experiences are different from case to case but the phase has been riddled with existential questions. It is also important that trained professionals must conduct sessions to address the different fears and worries of those in the entertainment industry,” she added.

She feels it’s important that all working professionals in the entertainment industry or otherwise should “seek help from trained professionals to help channelize their stress into something productive”.

“Since we are also part of a creative industry, we need to be at peace to do our best work possible,” said Shweta, who is gearing up for the launch of the web series “Mirzapur 2”.

The larger conversation on mental health is conspicuously missing, she shared and hopes “we can have that conversation as we all return back to sets. It won’t be easy shooting amidst restrictions. We all need help in tackling the anxiety that working on set could incur”.

On this day: India, under Dhoni, beat Pak to win inaugural World T20

TB Team
-
0
On this day: India, under Dhoni, beat Pak to win inaugural World T20

It was on this day in 2007 when Team India, led by MS Dhoni, won the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup, defeating Pakistan in a pulsating summit clash which kept the fans, both in the stadium as well as those across television sets, on the edge of their seats till the very last moment.

With one wicket in hand, Pakistan needed six runs from the final four balls at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. Joginder Sharma, who was probably bowling the over of his life, was under immense pressure after giving away seven runs of the first two balls.

Misbah-ul-Haq was at the crease along with Mohammed Asif and all the players in the Pakistani dug-out were on their feet, waiting for Misbah to score the winning shot and celebrate what would have been one of their biggest wins at the international stage.

Amid all the nervousness, Joginder has a long chat with Dhoni who comes all the way down from the wicketkeeper’s end to soothe the medium-pacer.

He takes a deep breath, takes off from his run-up, and bowls a slower delivery outside the off stump. Misbah goes for the scoop shot over short fine-leg. The ball goes straight up in the air and S. Sreesanth takes the catch, a moment because of which his name got etched in the record books.

Thirteen years have passed but still, the images of Dhoni lifting the World T20 trophy along with his teammates are as fresh as it can get in the memories of cricket fans across the country.

“I will remember this special day until my last breath. It changed Indian cricket in terms of what followed the next HTTP year. It was a complete team effort throughout the tournament,” tweeted Irfan Pathan on Thursday while remembering that day.

India’s journey to the World T20 title was nothing short of a fairytale. A relatively young team, led by a long-haired Dhoni, made its way into the last-four riding on famous wins over the likes of South Africa and England who had more T20 experience and were counted among tournament favorites.

And after beating hot favorites Australia in the semifinals, the Men in Blue entered the summit clash with a belief they could achieve something special and leave behind the poor performance in the 50-over World Cup where they had to crash out of the tournament in the initial stages in the West Indies.

After opting to bat, Gautam Gambhir, who had been one of India’s top performers in the tournament, scored 75 runs as Dhoni’s side was limited to 157/5 in their stipulated quota of 20 overs in the finale. The other Indian batsmen fell cheaply and only Rohit Sharma managed to hit some good runs as he made 30 not out.

Yuvraj Singh, the hero from the epic semi-final match against Australia, found it tough to get going and was dismissed for just 14. Skipper MS Dhoni too departed cheaply for just 6. Rohit Sharma, in the end, played a cameo of 30 to take the team total to 157/5 in the allotted 20 overs.

During the chase, Pakistan suffered an early blow when Mohammad Hafeez was dismissed in the first over, and Kamran Akmal fell for a duck soon afterward. The hopes were all but dashed for the Shoaib Malik-led side when they lost their skipper and Shahid Afridi. However, Misbah played a blinder of a winnings to take his team almost across the finishing line until he went for the scoop down the short fine leg and made Pakistan short of winning the title by just five runs.

Thirteen years have passed since that memorable day and Team India is still in search of their second World T20 title, something which Virat Kohli and boys would desperately want to achieve in the next two years when two flagships T20 tournaments take place.

Flock witnesses 40% revenue growth for 3 consecutive quarters

TB Team
-
0
Flock witnesses 40% revenue growth for 3 consecutive quarters

Workplace communication and collaboration platform Flock has seen 40 percent growth in sales for the three consecutive quarters, along with witnessing a 60 percent permanent increase in user time spent on the platform.

The company said it has also doubled its number of paid users in the last two quarters in the pandemic times.

Flock’s daily active users now spend more than 90 minutes on the platform on average per day, with the most active users spending upwards of 300 minutes collaborating with team members every day.

“Our aim has always been to make communication seamless across teams and departments and we’re working towards that goal of providing users with a secure environment to do their best work in,” said Bhavin Turakhia, Founder and CEO at Flock.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, employers have turned to collaboration platforms like Flock to ensure business continuity.

The company said it has become the de-facto platform for all work communication for thousands of companies both in India and across the globe.

“We continue to seek user feedback and build the features and functionality which help businesses adapt to this new normal. Our revenue growth quarter over quarter is a reflection of the critical role we play for our customers,” said Gaurang Sinha, Director of Go-to-Market Strategy at Flock.

Moreover, companies have continued to use Flock as their platform of choice, even as many of their employees have retired to offices.

Flock’s features include providing single window access to all users in one team, easy integration to every modern business tool, security, and data privacy among many others.

The company, which has a presence in India, Dubai, and the US, has also introduced five new features last quarter such as Zoom integration, voice notes, video recording, emoji updates, and feedback section.

EB, MB’s ISL foray opens opportunities for others: Real Kashmir co-owner

TB Team
-
0
EB, MB’s ISL foray opens opportunities for others: Real Kashmir co-owner

Real Kashmir, a football club in Srinagar where guns and stones are more popular than the sport, have in the last few years been able to utilize the energy of the Kashmiri youths to its fullest. Having started their journey in 2016, the club has gone from strength to strength.

Promoted to the top division of the Indian football league within two years of its inception, the team finished third in the very first year.

Speaking to IANS, Sandeep Chattoo, co-owner of the team, explained how the club has changed the perception of the youth of Kashmir.

“There is no doubt that our club has changed the scenario and lifestyle here. Right now, in this pandemic, we have inter-district tournaments. Football is presently being played in the Kashmir districts. So, awareness and talent have always been there. That the club had to show the path, and that had already been done,” he said.

“We have strengthened our academy. We have around 3,000-plus strength now. We have a much better reserve team now. We have under-18, under-15, under-13 teams, and much more. We are planning everything in a way that in the next three years there will be developed at the grassroots level football in the state,” he said about his plans.

While many people have questioned the status of the I-League after the inception of the Indian Super League (ISL), Chattoo doesn’t agree that the I-League has been relegated to the second tier. He feels the players wouldn’t be short of motivation.

“It (I-League) has not been relegated or declared as a second-tier competition or anything. Everybody is saying so, but it’s still the Division One, at par with ISL. There may not be any promotion for two years, but who knows about the future,” he said.

Chattoo went on to say that the Real Kashmir team management will ask the players to work hard and perform well.

“There are now better chances for all the competing clubs because both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have gone to ISL, though it is very unfortunate for the I-League. It is, however, a big opportunity for the other clubs to grab the limelight in I-League. Good for them, but you see there is an aura around these clubs and we used to look forward to playing these clubs. But it is a matter of two years and after that, there would be promotions to ISL as well,” he pointed out.

Chattoo says that as per the AFC guidelines, promotion from I-League to ISL may start after a couple of years. This year everything is uncertain because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is just not going to be the same kind of euphoria as in the normal times. “We don’t even know when the league is going to start, considering the raising Covid-19 cases. All the arrangements for the I-League are being made in Kolkata. But we need pre-season practice,” he said.

“If we talk about this year, it’s all going to be a makeshift kind of a thing…how foreign players are going to come, how coaches are going to come. When are they going to come? All players are practically unfit now. So, we need a good pre-season practice before the start of the league,” Chattoo emphasized.

Chattoo said everybody realized that because of the pandemic if the I-League takes place this year there would be no home games. “And for us, the home games were something different — different from other states. It’s a kind of festivity here. But nobody can help these things,” he said.

“There is a disappointment. Every day hundreds of youngsters are asking if the league is happening or not. There are certain things we can’t do. But to compensate for the loss of that, we have strengthened our academy and we are going to start a vast grassroots level outreach program. Youngsters are getting involved, and the basic concept of development of football at the grassroots level is that it really works,” said the co-owner of Real Kashmir.

Facebook partners with Matrix Partners India to scale SMBs

TB Team
-
0
Facebook partners with Matrix Partners India to scale SMBs

Facebook on Thursday said it has joined hands with early-stage venture capital fund Matrix Partners to scale small businesses in India by providing them with timely digital skilling support.

The move comes barely a week after the social networking giant announced a grant of $4.3 million (Rs 32 crore) for more than 3,000 small businesses in Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru impacted by Covid-19.

The tie-up with Matrix Partners is a part of Facebook’s VC Brand Incubator Programme that collaborates with venture capital funds to help early-stage small and medium businesses (SMBs) to maximize their digital potential.

In light of the pandemic, Facebook has taken the program online to ensure continued skilling and support for small businesses even in these times.

“Facebook is committed to supporting the growth of small businesses in India, and this charter is stronger than ever as we work towards enabling their recovery from the pandemic,” Archana Vohra, Director, Small and Medium Businesses at Facebook India, said in a statement.

With the tie-up with Matrix Partners India, the program also completes one year during which it has collaborated with six VC Funds — Sauce.VC, Fireside Ventures, SAIF Partners, Sequoia Capital, DSG Ventures, and Matrix Partners India.

During this period, the programme has skilled, trained, and mentored more than 150 brands at various stages of their growth journey.

Matrix Partners India is a leading early-stage investor that partners closely with SMBs across sectors including consumer technology, business-to-business, enterprise, and fintech among others.

In India, among many other brands, they have also invested in marquee companies such as Ola, Quikr, Practo, Dailyhunt, Mswipe, Country Delight, and Razorpay among others.

“We’ve been early backers in many challenger brands from across the spectrum — eCommerce, gaming, CPG, neo-banking, healthcare, content – to name a few, and we’re thrilled to see them create world-beating products and leverage Facebook’s platform to reach their end consumers, and bring about large scale impact,” said Sanjot Malhi, Director, Matrix India.

“Over 20 companies from our portfolio, including Country Delight, Stanza Living, OZiva, ManMatters, Zupee, The Whole Truth, Dealshare, have now partnered with Facebook on this program.”

As part of the VC Brand Incubator Programme, Facebook has also started Campaign Lab that helps direct-to-consumer small businesses get creative solutions to support, and go live with mobile-friendly creatives and strategy in under 72 hours.

Trains suspended in Punjab as farmer agitation begins

TB Team
-
0
Trains suspended in Punjab as farmer agitation begins

Several trains were suspended on Thursday as farmers began a three-day ‘rail roko’ campaign against the Farm Bills passed by both Houses of Parliament.

The Ferozepur Railway division decided to suspend the operation of special trains till September 26 in view of the safety of passengers, a rail official told IANS.

The trains that were suspended include Golden Temple Mail (Amritsar-Mumbai Central), Jan Shatabdi Express (Haridwar-Amritsar), New Delhi-Jammu Tawi, Sachkhand Express (Nanded-Amritsar), and Shaheed Express (Amritsar-Jaynagar).

Activists of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) staged a sit-in protest on rail tracks in Barnala and Sangrur towns.

In a first-of-its-kind show of solidarity, 31 farmer organizations in Punjab cutting across party lines on Wednesday announced a joint statewide protest to be held on Friday. The organizations have given a call for a complete ‘Punjab bandh’. They have also chalked out a strategy for post-September 25 protests.

Amazon makes it easier to shop for sustainable goods

TB Team
-
0
Amazon makes it easier to shop for sustainable goods

Amazon has launched a new programme to help make it easy for customers to discover and shop for more sustainable products.

As part of this programme, customers will now see the “Climate Pledge Friendly” label when searching for more than 25,000 products, Amazon said on Wednesday.

This label will signify that the products have one or more of 19 different sustainability certifications that help preserve the natural world, such as reducing the carbon footprint of shipments to customers.

“Climate Pledge Friendly is a simple way for customers to discover more sustainable products that help preserve the natural world,” Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said in a statement.

As part of the Climate Pledge Friendly initiative, Amazon also announced Compact by Design, a new externally-validated certification that identifies products which, while they may not always look very different, have a more efficient design.

“With 18 external certification programmes and our own Compact by Design certification, we’re incentivizing selling partners to create sustainable products that help protect the planet for future generations,” Bezos said.

Climate Pledge Friendly selection includes grocery, household, fashion, beauty, and personal electronics products, as well as items from a range of other categories — from brands including Seventh Generation, Burt’s Bees Baby, and HP Inc.

These Climate Pledge Friendly products are clearly labeled in shopping results, have additional sustainability information on the product page, and are featured in a dedicated section of our store.

The new initiative supports Amazon’s commitment to reach the Paris Agreement ten years early and be net-zero carbon by 2040.

The company has already committed to reaching 100 percent renewable energy by 2025, ordered over 100,000 fully-electric delivery vehicles, and plans to invest $100 million in reforestation projects around the world.

The e-commerce giant also launched the Climate Pledge Fund, a $2 billion fund to back visionary companies whose products and services will facilitate the transition to a low carbon economy.

Aus vs NZ: Amy Satterthwaite’s 100th T20I on plate

TB Team
-
0
Aus vs NZ: Amy Satterthwaite’s 100th T20I on plate

New Zealand vice-captain Amy Satterthwaite, who is on the cusp of her 100th T20I, will be facing a challenge of a different kind on the Australian tour. She is accompanied by her daughter Grace on the series Down Under.

The experienced duo of Satterthwaite and Lea Tahuhu had their first child in January this year. “We’ve got a nanny on tour looking after Grace when we train which has worked really well so far,” said Satterthwaite.

Satterthwaite, who has been sitting on 99 appearances since taking maternity leave said, if selected, she would cherish the opportunity to bring up her century in the upcoming series to be played at the Allan Border Field.

Following the three T20Is, the teams will play three ODIs with the Rose Bowl trophy up for grabs.

“I think it’s pretty special as it makes you reflect on your career and what’s gone before. It’s really special to have Grace here and to be able to come back and play after giving birth, I’m really proud.

“There’s always those nerves and apprehension about how you’re going to go when you’ve been out of the game for a while, but I feel I’ve been hitting it well in the nets, so I’m ready to go.

“We vetted the nanny pretty hard before she came in,” said Satterthwaite.

“She’s a local from Brisbane, so we had to make sure she wasn’t leaking info to the Aussie camp, but we’ve converted her into a Kiwi I think.”

Team moving in right direction in preparation for Olympics, says Vandana

TB Team
-
0
Team moving in right direction in preparation for Olympics, says Vandana

One of the most experienced strikers in the Indian women’s hockey team, Vandana Katariya has been extremely satisfied with the way the national side has progressed since the team resumed sports activities last month.

The 28-year-old has expressed that the Indian team is working towards moving back to top form in a slow and steady manner.

“Our coaches have told us that we shouldn’t rush into anything at the moment. We have a lot of time in our hands, so we are slowly rebuilding our own games. It’s been great to see the way the players have responded on the pitch while we carry out our sports activities,” said Vandana.

“We are certainly moving in the right direction and we will get back to our top form at the right time as it’s very important to peak at a certain time before the Olympics,” she added.

The forward, who has played over 200 matches and scored 64 goals for India, also said that the side is very fortunate to be preparing for the Olympics in a safe environment amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s been a very difficult time for the entire world, but we have still found a way to continue our preparation for the Olympics. We ensured that we maintained our fitness when we were away from the pitch, but it feels great to be back on the pitch to carry out our sports activities now,” said the 28-year-old.

“Hockey India and SAI have worked extremely hard to ensure that a safe environment was created for use at the SAI campus in Bengaluru and we are very fortunate to be in a place where we can start rebuilding our game without anything else on our minds.”

Vandana added that she feels completely rejuvenated after spending quality time with her family during the team break. The forward is very determined and motivated to take her game to the next level in the upcoming months.

“It was amazing to spend some quality time with my family. We were at the SAI campus for a long time and Hockey India made sure that they waited for the right time to give us a break. I cannot thank them enough for the way they planned our exit from the campus in June and also our entry into the campus once we returned in August,” she said.

“Now, I feel completely rejuvenated and I am extremely motivated to become better at my game in the next few months,” she added.

Instagram Reels rolling out update to create 30-second videos

TB Team
-
0
Instagram Reels rolling out update to create 30-second videos

Facebook-owned short video making app Instagram Reels is rolling out a new update allowing users to make 30-second videos instead of 15 seconds.

The company has also increased the timer from 3 seconds to 10 seconds. It is also adding trim and delete clips options to make editing simpler.

“We continue to improve Reels based on people’s feedback, and these updates make it easier to create and edit. While it’s still early, we are seeing a lot of entertaining, creative content,” Tessa Lyons-Laing, Director Instagram Reels, said in a statement.

The newly-added features should be available to all users in the next few days.

The new tools will be available in the 50 countries worldwide where Reels is available and elsewhere, as the app expands to new markets.

After the departure of Tik Tok, Instagram Reels became the most popular app for young Indians as seen in 10 (18-29 age group) said they would like to use Reels as a platform for video sharing.

Nearly two-thirds of urban Indians (65 percent) said they are likely to turn to alternatives or start using video apps that are either Indian or non-Chinese in origin, according to data provided by YouGov, Internet-based market research and data analytics firm.

Nearly 68 percent of TikTok content creators said they are likely to switch to Indian or non-Chinese versions of video-sharing apps.

Tiger Woods commits to defend title at Zozo Championship

TB Team
-
0
Tiger Woods commits to defend title at Zozo Championship

Former world number one golfer Tiger Woods will defend his title at the Zozo Championship scheduled to be played from October 22-25 a the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California.

Earlier this month, PGA Tour and Zozo Inc. officials announced that the championship would not be played in Japan this year due to logistical issues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic but will instead move to Sherwood Country Club.

“I am excited to defend my title at the Zozo Championship. It is disappointing that we will not be able to play in Japan this year, but Sherwood Country Club will be a great backdrop for what I know will be a great championship,” Woods said.

Eleven months ago, he had equaled Sam Snead’s long-standing record of 82 career wins on the PGA Tour by securing a three-stroke victory at the inaugural Zozo Championship played at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan. In front of large galleries, Woods led the tournament from start to finish to beat Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Sungjae I’m of Korea shared third place in the star-studded tournament which heralded Japan’s first official PGA Tour event.

The Zozo Championship will feature 78 professionals, including the leading players from the 2019-20 FedExCup points list, players designated by the Japan Golf Tour Organisation, and sponsor exemptions.

Some corona patients show signs of heart damage months later: Study

TB Team
-
0
Some corona patients show signs of heart damage months later: Study

Researchers in the US have found that Covid-19 can leave some patients with signs of heart inflammation and injury months after they get sick with the virus, even in non-severe cases.

The findings could help explain the symptoms of recovered Covid-19 patients, some of whom are struggling with such issues as shortness of breath, chest pain and heart palpitations, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

“We basically die with the heart-muscle cells we’re born with, so anything that results in the death of heart muscle has the potential to irreversibly damage the heart’s mechanical ability and the heart’s electrical function,” Charles Murry, director of the University of Washington’s Center for Cardiovascular Biology, was quoted as saying to WSJ.

According to the study, heart inflammation can follow cases of seasonal flu or other respiratory viruses and lead to irregular heartbeats or even heart failure in some cases.

The mounting evidence of Covid-19’s toll on the heart stems from studies probing the effect of the coronavirus on heart-muscle cells, and autopsying people who died from the disease, as well as looking at the hearts of patients who have recovered.

The researchers said that the findings are still preliminary, especially those gleaned from testing in lab-grown cells.

“More research, including studies in patients, needs to be done before scientists can reach any conclusions,” they wrote.

The research team suspected there are two ways the coronavirus could cause heart inflammation and injure heart muscle.

According to the study, one possibility is that the heart becomes collateral damage in a patient’s intense immune reaction to the virus.

The other suspicion is that the virus invades heart tissue, which contains the molecular parts known as ACE2 receptors that the virus uses to enter cells.

The researchers found that the coronavirus could infect and replicate in lab-grown heart-muscle cells, impairing their ability to contract and to conduct the electrical signals required for regulating heartbeat, eventually killing them.

They reported their findings in a paper that was posted in August on a preprint server, but it hasn’t been peer-reviewed yet.

Earlier this month another study presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress, revealed that Covid-19 patients can suffer long-term lung and heart damage but, for many, this tends to improve over time.

England women go 2-0 up with all-round performance against WI

TB Team
-
0
England women go 2-0 up with all-round performance against WI

England bowlers came out with a brilliant performance as they helped their team secure a 47-run win against West Indies women and take a 2-0 lead in the ongoing five-match T20I series.

Batting first, England women managed to score 151/8, despite a top score of just 26 on Wednesday evening. Put into bat, Tammy Beaumont and Danni Wyatt got off to a strong start as they put on 30 runs in the first three overs. However, Shakera Selman gave just four runs in her first over and had the priced scalp of Beaumont who was caught at mid-on after scoring 21.

After the end of the powerplay, West Indies put themselves on top as Stephanie Taylor had Nat Sciver stumped before a mix-up allowed Deandra Dottin to run out Wyatt.

Heather Knight and Amy Jones kept the innings moving with a 40-run partnership and put England innings back on track but then they lost three wickets in the space of 10 runs and looked like getting bowled out even before the completion of 20 overs.

However, Sarah Glenn and Katherine Brunt prevented added 46 runs from 31 balls and Sophie Ecclestone capped off the innings with 11 runs from four balls to take the hosts to 151/8.

West Indies didn’t look comfortable at any point during their chase and even though Dottin and Taylor contributed with 38 and 28 respectively, the other batters struggled and all the visitors could manage was 104 for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

The two teams will now face each other in the third match at the same venue on Saturday.

Brief scores: England women 151/8 (Sarah Glenn 26, A Jones 25; Stafanie Taylor 2/12) beat West Indies Women 104/8 (Deandra Dottin 38, Stafanie Taylor 28; Mady Villiers 2/10) by 47 runs.

1...1,4641,4651,466...2,189Page 1,465 of 2,189