CSC partners with WhatsApp for digital literacy service chatbot

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CSC partners with WhatsApp for digital literacy service chatbot

The Common Services Centers (CSC) on Thursday said that it has partnered with Facebook-owned messaging app WhatsApp for a chatbot for citizens to receive digital literacy services and resources.

People can send a “Namaste” at CSC Academy’s official WhatsApp account +91 99991 89321, to access details and course modules of flagship programs.

The digital programmes like the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) and the Digital Beti initiative is available in English, Hindi, and seven other regional languages.

“The ability to deliver digital literacy modules through WhatsApp will help us in the extension of the programme to those still unreached in rural as well as urban areas,” Dinesh Tyagi, CEO, CSC SPV, said in a statement.

“The partnership will redefine the delivery model of education and skill-related content, especially for rural India,” Tyagi added.

To date, over 500 unique users have accessed CSC’s WhatsApp chatbot and it is expected to be used by 10 million beneficiaries by August 2021.

The Digital Beti initiative aims to train 5,000 rural entrepreneurs in digital literacy in over 3,000 villages across 10 Indian states, while the PMGDISHA initiative focuses on making at least 40 percent of rural households digitally literate.

“We’re delighted to partner with CSC to support rural women entrepreneurs and help deliver on CSC’s goal of digital literacy,” said Shivnath Thukral, Head of Public Policy, WhatsApp India.

WhatsApp is also working with NITI Aayog’s WEP programme and this partnership expands on WhatsApp’s efforts to play an important role in driving digital and financial inclusion across India.

Virat, Rohit continue to lead ICC ODI rankings for batsmen

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Virat, Rohit continue to lead ICC ODI rankings for batsmen

Star Indian batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have maintained their top two positions in the latest ICC rankings for ODI batters which got updated following the completion of the three-match series between England and Australia. While Kohli is at the numero uno spot with 871 rating points, Rohit has 855 rating points and is currently placed at the second spot.

Meanwhile, England opener Jonny Bairstow and the Australia pair of Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey, all of whom slammed centuries in the final match of the series at the Old Trafford on Wednesday, have made remarkable gains in the rankings.

Bairstow topped the three-match series aggregate with 196 runs after his 126-ball 112 in the final match to make a return to the top 10. The previous best for the 30-year-old was the ninth position in October 2018. He is now within 23 points of his career-best rating points of 777.

Maxwell and Carey, who were involved in a 212-run fifth-wicket stand that helped Australia complete a thrilling three-wicket victory and take the series 2-1, are next to each other in the rankings table led by Kohli and Rohit.

Maxwell has gained five places to take joint 26th position along with Paul Stirling of Ireland after scoring 186 runs in the series, while Carey comes in next after his total of 152 runs elevated him 11 places to a career-best 28th position.

Others to move up in the list include Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne (up 20 places to a career-best 63rd) and Sam Billings of England, who scored 118 in the first match to finish with 183 runs in the series, only behind Bairstow and Maxwell, making it to the top 100 for the first time.

England all-rounder Chris Woakes is a major gainer in the rankings for bowlers, advancing three places to a career-best fourth position after finishing with six wickets in the series. Woakes is now second in the list of all-rounders after also notching 89 runs in the series. His compatriot Ben Stokes is among those he has overtaken to reach within 20 points of Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi.

Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has returned to the top 10 for the first time in nearly two years, his player of the match performance of 3/34 in the first match the highlight of a four-wicket tally. He has moved up from 15th to the eighth position.

England fast bowler Jofra Archer has gained 18 slots to reach a career-best 10th place after finishing with seven wickets in the series including a player of the match effort of 3/34 in the second match.

Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa’s series-topping 10 wickets have lifted him to 21st position.

Five-time World champions Australia collected 20 points from their first series of the Super League, introduced to add context to bilateral ODI series. The top seven teams from the Super League and hosts India book direct spots for the 2023 World Cup.

England leads the points table with 30 points but is the only team to have played two series, winning 2-1 at home against Ireland early on in the championship.

Amartya Bobo Rahut on advantages of creating music amid pandemic

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Amartya Bobo Rahut on advantages of creating music amid pandemic

New-age Bollywood composer Amartya Bobo Rahut has opened up on the pros and cons of making songs amid lockdown.

“I have been working with numerous directors and have primarily tried to imbibe their ideas and vision to my music. Pandemic has allowed me the time to work on my vision. It has helped me channelize my vision and helped me create a lot of content,” Amartya told IANS.

The 43-year-old composer has scored songs in films such as “Tumhari Sulu”, “Drive”, “Jai Mummy Di” and “Aurangzeb”, and has now come up with a new song, “Shaam simti”, which was shot in Goa after lockdown.

” ‘Shaam Simti’ is an expression of longing for a person who has long gone, but whose absence becomes more painful through every passing moment. I composed this song for my wife who I love very dearly, and one day when we were having a drink and chatting, we discussed how either of us would feel once one of us goes away with age, since we don’t have children. This song came from that feeling. So it’s completely honest and dedicated to her,” he said.

This in turn also dictated the song’s creative process. “That’s the reason I kept the arrangement of the music as simple as possible. The song has a single piano as accompaniment and nothing else. As for the video, a friend of mine who lives in Goa was nice enough to shoot during lockdown along with his wife,” he said.

16 militants killed in 7 anti-terror operations in Srinagar: DGP

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16 militants killed in 7 anti-terror operations in Srinagar: DGP

Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh on Thursday said 16 terrorists have been killed in seven operations in Srinagar district this year so far, including Hizbul Mujahideen commander Junaid Sehrai.

Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, he said based on the specific information police and the CRPF launched an operation in Batmaloo on Thursday in which three terrorists were killed.

He said a Deputy Commandant of the CRPF leading the operation was injured while a woman, Kausar Riyaz, was killed in the exchange of fire.

“Her death is an unfortunate loss, I express sympathy with the family of the deceased,” he said.

Giving details about the anti-terror operations in Srinagar, the DGP said so far this year 16 terrorists have been killed in seven operations in the city, including a top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Junaid Sehrai.

“Five of the 16 terrorists killed this year belonged to Srinagar while the rest of them were from other districts,” he said.

He said as compared to last year, 2020 was a successful year for the security forces in J&K.

“72 anti-terror operations have been carried out this year in which 177 terrorists were killed, including 12 in the Jammu region,” he said.

He said of the 177 terrorists killed, 22 were foreign terrorists.

“This shows the involvement of Pakistan in fomenting terrorism in Kashmir,” the DGP said.

He said Pakistan is making efforts to revive terror outfits like Al Badr and float new terror ones.

“Most of the terrorist activities are planned and executed by the Pakistani agencies in Karachi,” he said.

He said 20 persons who had earlier joined terrorism have shunned violence and joined their families.

Gurmeet Choudhary on outdoor shoot amid Covid-19 pandemic

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Gurmeet Choudhary on outdoor shoot amid Covid-19 pandemic

Gurmeet Choudhary is back in Mumbai along with the rest of the unit, after an outdoor stint for the film, The Wife, in Jaipur.

He said it wasn’t easy to shoot the film amid Covid-19, and shared his experience of being on the set after lockdown.

“Completing the film was a challenge during this pandemic as we weren’t shooting in Mumbai, we were shooting out of the city. When you are shooting outside the city, the major concern is if someone contracts in the team Covid-19 then we would need at least a 21-days quarantine and keep the shoot on hold. The cycle would be going if the number of cases increased,” he said.

“I think our film is the first one in Bollywood to start during the pandemic and end smoothly with no (COVID positive) cases,” Gurmeet added.

He expressed concern about the workers. “We had to be sure that even when the shoot was over, everyone needed to be negative. The entire team of 100 to 120 tested negative and after that, we took the decision to return. I feel it is an achievement in itself that as a team we worked together and headed back safely,” he said.

“Many shots have been kept on hold and people have lost their jobs. Lightmen, cameramen, actors, sports, directors, assistants and roughly 300 people are involved in making a film. Many have been sitting at home without work or heading back to their villages. I think this is positive that a film went on floor in the Covid-19 era and it worked out smoothly,” Gurmeet said.

“The Wife” is as an urban-horror film, co-starring Sayani Dutta.

Trump makes headway among Indian-Americans, but Biden has huge lead

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Trump makes headway among Indian-Americans, but Biden has huge lead

An overwhelming majority of Indian-Americans will be voting for the Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden, whose running mate is Kamala Harris, according to a voter survey, but President Donald Trump has also made a double-digit increase in support among the community.

Biden has assured 66 percent of the Indian-American votes and Trump of only 28 percent if the election was held on the day they were polled, the 2020 Asian American Voter Survey (AAVs) has found.

But Trump’s backers have increased by 12 percent since 2016.

Hillary Clinton, who ran against him on the Democratic ticket, received 77 percent of the Indian-American votes to only 16 percent that Trump got, according to the 2016 Post-Election National Asian American Survey.

There appears to be an 11 percent erosion in support for the Democratic Party in the last four years.

However, Biden’s margin of 38 percent over Trump among the Indian-Americans is still more than six times the margin in the national polls covering all ethnicities.

The RealClearPolitics aggregation of national polls on Wednesday showed Biden having only a 5.9 percent lead, with 49 percent support compared to 43.1 percent for Trump.

Speaking at a panel discussion during the release of the report on Tuesday, Niraj Antani, a Republican Ohio State Assemblymember, described the increase in Trump’s support among Indian-Americans to his outreach to them, his India visit, and his neutrality on issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act and the ending of Kashmir’s special constitutional status.

“Biden’s opposition to those issues have sort of polarised the community,” he said.

Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic member of the House of Representatives from Illinois, said that Biden has to conduct “a vigorous outreach” to the Indian-American community.

But he said that Indian-Americans should “absolutely not” worry about India losing support under Biden and Harris because he “has been a stalwart friend of India through different prime ministers”.

US-India relations transcends partisanship in the US, he said, adding: “As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I can tell you for a fact that our national security is bound up with the security of India” because of the China factor and US-India relations are going to grow closer.

The influence of Harris is not fully factored into the AAVS because her pick as the Vice Presidential nominee was announced only on August 11, midway through the poll between July 15 and September 10.

Krishnamoorthi said Harris’s nomination is going to be “a big play” in the Indian community.

She should “talk a little more about her biography, talk about her Indian heritage and her roots and talk about how that informed and influenced who she is today”, he said.

Ninety-eight percent of Indian-Americans have planned to vote in the November election, according to the AAVS produced by APIAVote, AAPI Data, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

And 58 percent said they were more enthusiastic about voting this year.

While the percentage of Indian-Americans who back the Democratic Party candidate has come down, the party has solidified its base in the community.

The percentage of those who consider themselves Democrats has increased to 54, up by 8 percent from 46 percent in the 2016 survey.

Those who consider themselves Republican has meanwhile dropped to 16 percent from 19 percent in 2016. Those who consider themselves independent has also fallen from 35 percent to 24 percent in the four years.

he surveys showed that 44 percent of Indian-Americans had a “somewhat favorable” view of Biden and 26 percent “very favorable” view of him, with only 14 percent having a “very unfavorable” view and six percent are somewhat unfavorable”.

In contrast, 54 percent of Indian-Americans had a “very unfavorable” view of Trump and 8 percent “somewhat unfavourable”.

Only 20 percent had “very favorable” views of him and 16 percent “somewhat unfavourable”.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, the director of AAPIData, said that the high unfavorable rate for Trump “really limits his ability to make much more headway in the Indian-American population”.

The survey showed that Indian-Americans were overwhelmingly liberal in their outlook, both political and social.

Indian-Americans are concerned about growing inequality with 40 percent saying that it was an extremely important issue, 38 percent a very important issue, and 20 percent somewhat an important issue.

Sixty-eight percent of Indian-Americans said there was a lot of discrimination against Muslims in US society, 21 percent some discrimination, and only 9 percent none.

Sixty percent of Indian-Americans agreed strongly and 22 percent “somewhat strongly” that the government should do more to give Blacks equal rights with whites, and 38 percent had very favorable views of the Black Lives Matter movement and 32 percent “somewhat favorable” views

Thirty-eight percent of Indian-Americans considered policing reforms extremely important, 46 percent is very important and 10 percent somewhat important.

On government size, 56 percent of Indian-Americans backed having a bigger government, while 22 percent favored smaller ones.

Eighty-six percent of Indian-Americans were supportive of affirmative action programs that give preference in jobs and admissions to educational institutions.

There is concern over foreign interference in US elections and 43 percent of Indian-Americans worry about frequently, 23 percent somewhat frequently and 18 percent never.

The only area where there wasn’t a huge difference in perceptions of Democrats and Republicans was in dealing with the economy and jobs: 39 percent of Indian-Americans said Democrats did a better job and 31 percent Republicans, while 27 percent saw no difference between the two parties.

The Asian American Survey 2020 was carried out by Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, Asian American Pacific Islander Data and Asian Americans Advancing Justice surveyed members of all Asian ethnic groups around the country.

The survey to gauge Asian views on a number of subjects included 250 Indian Americans and a breakdown of their views by the community was given.

Potential Covid-19 drug azithromycin may up risk of cardiac events

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Potential Covid-19 drug azithromycin may up risk of cardiac events

New research adds to the growing body of evidence that potential Covid-19 drug azithromycin — a commonly-prescribed antibiotic — may increase the risk for cardiac events in patients.

The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, found that if the azithromycin drug is taken with certain other drugs that affect the electrical functioning of the heart, then cardiac events increased.

“Our findings should give researchers and clinicians looking at azithromycin as a potential treatment for Covid-19 pause,” said study author and Indian-origin researcher Haridarshan Patel from the University of Illinois Chicago in the US.

“We found that if taken together with drugs that affect the electrical impulses of the heart, the combination is linked with a 40 percent increase in cardiac events, including fainting, heart palpitations, and even cardiac arrest,” Patel added.

Drugs that affect the electrical impulses of the heart, specifically the interval in the electrical rhythm called the QT interval, are called QT-prolonging drugs.

These drugs include blood pressure medications such as ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers, some antidepressants, anti-malaria drugs such as hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, opioid medications, and even muscle relaxers.

Previous studies looking at azithromycin and cardiac events examined specific populations that tend to be older and have more health issues, including Medicaid patients and veterans.

But in this study, the team used a large database containing medical data on millions of patients in the US with a mean age of 36 years old.

The risk of cardiac events with azithromycin was evaluated against amoxicillin, another antibiotic that has never been linked to cardiac events and which has no impact on the QT-interval.

The researchers looked at data from more than four million patients who were hospitalized or visited an emergency department for a cardiac event between 2009 and 2015 who started taking either amoxicillin or azithromycin within five days of their hospital visit.

The researchers found that the likelihood of cardiac events with azithromycin compared with amoxicillin was not significantly higher, with the most common cardiac events being fainting and palpitations.

However, among patients taking both a QT-prolonging medication and azithromycin together, the risk of cardiac events was 40 percent higher compared with the amoxicillin group.

“Studies looking at using azithromycin to treat Covid-19 or other diseases should very carefully consider its use among patients who are also taking QT-prolonging medications,” Patel noted.

Recently, a study published in the journal Lancet Rheumatology revealed that the combination of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and azithromycin (AZM) has been linked to significant cardiovascular risks.

SC fines Adarsh Scam accused for filing repetitive bail applications

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SC fines Adarsh Scam accused for filing repetitive bail applications

The Supreme Court has imposed a Rs 25,000 fine on Raj Kumar Modi, an accused in the Adarsh scam case, for repeatedly filing bail applications, terming it as an abuse of the process of law.

A bench comprising Justices L. Nageswara Rao, Hemant Gupta, and S. Ravindra Bhat, said: “Repetitive filing of applications amounts to an abuse of process of law. This application is filed in spite of the order passed by this Court categorically stating that no further application for extension of interim bail shall be entertained.”

The fine was imposed after the bench heard another petition filed by Raj Kumar Modi seeking interim bail.

The apex court noted that he was granted bail for a period of two months on June 15 on the ground that his mother was seriously ill.

Later, he filed an application for further extending the interim bail for six months on the ground that his mother passed away and he had to perform certain rituals.

He also informed the court that his wife was suffering from serious ailments.

On August 10, the top court extended the interim bail for a month and directed the petitioner to surrender on or before September 15.

“It was made clear that no application for extension of interim bail shall be entertained. We gave liberty to the petitioner to file an application for bail if the Special Leave Petitions are not finally heard, within a period of six months,” noted the bench.

Later, another bail application was filed on the ground that Raj Kumar Modi was suffering from epididymitis.

While submitting the plea, senior advocate K.V. Viswanathan, appearing for the petitioner, said that unless properly treated, epididymitis can lead to complications.

He also pointed out that the number of Covid-19 patients in jails were increasing.

The bench said the repetitive filing of applications amounts to an abuse of process of law.

Additional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi, representing the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), argued that the top court should treat this matter seriously as the applicant is repeatedly filing for interim bail.

IPL 13: Mumbai Indians launches interactive platforms for its ‘paltan’

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IPL 13: Mumbai Indians launches interactive platforms for its ‘paltan’

Mumbai Indians on Thursday launched an array of virtual fan engagement innovations to share a never-before experience for its loyal MI Paltan (fan army) for the upcoming Indian Premier League season.

After launching its seasons’ theme campaign earlier this week, the title defenders have now revealed a slew of digital initiatives aimed to offer wholesome experience fans have been used to while visiting the home ground Wankhede Stadium.

‘MI Live’ is a concept where fans are welcomed to Mumbai Indians’ live studio show from their home. The Mumbai Indians-specific live show will invite fans to be a part of a pre, mid and post-match show. The 14-match day shows will be produced by Mumbai Indians and live-streamed simultaneously on MI’s official YouTube channel, Facebook page, Twitter account and on a dedicated channel on Jio TV.

‘Paltan Play’ in association with Samsung is a second screen experience game, which allows participants to play and compete against each other on Mumbai Indians match days. Fans can analyze an ongoing MI match and predict the number of runs to be scored and wickets to taken per over.

‘Virtual Wankhede’ is an innovative concept by Mumbai Indians, in association with Myntra, to provide the MI Paltan with an opportunity to cheer their team alongside fellow supporters connected virtually.

‘MI Buddy’ is an interactive AI-powered WhatsApp bot that will deliver Mumbai Indians-related information on demand for fans on their mobile devices.

“These initiatives aim to connect our fans virtually, bring them even closer to each other, win exciting prizes and bragging rights while enjoying our match day programs,” said a Mumbai Indian spokesperson. “We believe these initiatives would be path-breaking in the current context of IPL being played without fans in the stadiums and are sure our Paltan would feel proud of being part of our journey.”

Mumbai Indians will begin their title defense against Chennai Super Kings in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Petrol, diesel rates fall again as crude prices soften

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Petrol, diesel rates fall again as crude prices soften

Petrol and diesel prices in the country have fallen again in the wake of the softening of global oil prices as an extended run of Covid-19 has depressed demand and created a glut in the market.

On Thursday, the pump price of petrol and diesel fell by 15 and 19 paise per liter respectively in the national capital.

Accordingly, petrol is now being retailed at Rs 81.40 a liter and diesel at Rs 72.37 a liter in Delhi.

This is the third fall in the petrol price and the seventh reduction in diesel price this month. Prior to this month, while the petrol price had risen, the diesel price remained steady or fell for a few days.

According to the Indian Oil Corporation website, the petrol price has now reduced to Rs 81.40, Rs 82.92, Rs 88.07, and Rs 84.44 a liter in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai respectively. Similarly, the price of diesel in these metros in the same order stands at Rs 72.37, Rs 75.87, Rs 78.85, and Rs 77.73 per liter respectively.

Thursday’s price cuts have been in the range of 13-15 paisa in the case of petrol and 18-20 paisa in the case of diesel.

The latest changes in the retail prices of auto fuel are in line with the global price movement of the product. In the international market, crude prices have also shed 15 percent gain in the last few days reaching below $40 a barrel from the level of $45 a barrel and rising just in the previous month. It is currently hovering at around $41 a barrel.

The price of fuel may remain steady or fall in the coming days due to the current movement in international oil prices.

HP unveils new PC, printing products to empower SMBs

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HP unveils new PC, printing products to empower SMBs

PC and printer major HP on Thursday announced a new range of laptops, desktops, printers, and services for enterprises and small and medium businesses (SMBs) globally.

“With organizations prioritizing their investments in technology to enable their employees with flexible, hybrid working environments, HP aims to offer the best experiences on the devices, performance, and essential support,” said Ketan Patel, Managing Director, HP India Market.

Touted as the world’s lightest AMD-based business notebook, the HP ProBook 635 Aero G7 would be available in November.

The company introduced new print products, services, and solutions optimized for new ways of working, including the new HP LaserJet Enterprise 400 Series which is HP’s smallest enterprise printer, providing seamless remote management.

The company also launched ‘HP Business Boost’ to give SMBs easy access to technology, security, and support services for managing remote work at an affordable monthly cost.

“A key focus for us will be small and medium businesses that contribute nearly a third of our GDP and generate employment for millions,” Patel said.

The HP LaserJet Enterprise 400 Series is HP’s smallest enterprise printer providing seamless remote management and the world’s most secure printing experience:

The company also announced a new version of HP FutureSmart firmware – enabling a consistent, secure operating system across HP’s entire enterprise printer series.

Launching with the LaserJet Enterprise 400 series, FutureSmart 5 provides customers investment protection, additional security protections, and readiness for advanced cloud-based workflows, the company said.

According to the recent ‘HP Asia SMB Outlook report 2020′, one in four Indian SMBs aims to migrate more processes to digital and one in three will use online meetings and digital tools as strategies to rebound from the pandemic.

“Through HP Business Boost, HP is providing the practical support SMBs need to thrive post-pandemic,” the company said.

Rajasthan Royals look for turnaround in search for 2nd IPL trophy

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Rajasthan Royals look for turnaround in search for 2nd IPL trophy

Rajasthan Royals, who had won the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) edition, have reconstructed their team and will be looking to step up their game, after a forgettable outing last year, in IPL 13 beginning Saturday.

The Royals had released as many as 11 players after they ended at the seventh spot last season. Ajinkya Rahane led them for half of the IPL 12 and Steve Smith was handed over the captaincy by the team management in the middle of the tournament.

However, the players forming the crux of the team — Smith, Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, Shreyas Gopal, Varun Aaron, Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Riyan Parag, Shashank Singh, Mahipal Lomror, and Manan Vohra — will be there when they begin their tournament campaign against Chennai Super Kings on September 22 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The franchise has brought in Shane Warne as their brand ambassador and mentor, which in turn could provide a lot of motivation to the players considering the fact that they had won their maiden IPL title under the legendary Australian leg-spinner’s captaincy in 2008.

“This season I am looking forward to working as a team mentor and joining up with an excellent backroom staff in Zubin Bharucha and Andrew McDonald,” Warne had said recently. “Hopefully, we can have a successful season and achieve big things in the coming months.”

Strengths:

One of the biggest strengths of the Royals is having batsmen like Jos Buttler and Steve Smith. Buttler scored 311 runs in 11 matches at a phenomenal strike rate of 151.70 last year while Smith scored 319 runs. The team’s batting will certainly revolve around these two. The franchise also has skilled batsmen in Sanju Samson and Robin Uthappa who have a good IPL record.

Besides, they also have Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer who both were instrumental in England’s World Cup-winning campaign in 2019. Both are potential match-winners and team’s biggest strengths, not to forget David Miller, who on his day can turn a match on its head. The Jaipur-based franchise will also have young batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal who has been in the news ever since the U-19 World Cup where India reached the finals.

Weaknesses:

One of the things which can go against the Royals is their inability to get their combination right, considering they have made many new additions. Uthappa’s form of late hasn’t been that great and another under-par performance could add pressure on the likes of Smith and Buttler.

The fast bowling department is heavily dependent on Archer for breakthroughs. The Barbados-born bowler could suffer from fatigue considering he has been playing consistently for England ever since international cricket resumed after the Covid-19 hiatus. Jaydev Unadkat, despite being criticized for his poor performances, has been able to keep his spot in the Royals and he would definitely feel the pressure to deliver. Also, not having a top-class spinner who could find purchase on the slow UAE wickets could go against the Royals.

Squad:

Mahipal Lomror, Manan Vohra, Riyan Parag, Steve Smith (captain), Robin Uthappa (wicket-keeper), David Miller, Ankit Rajpoot, Mayank Markande, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Varun Aaron, Jaydev Unadkat, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Singh, Oshane Thomas, Andrew Tye, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tewatia, Shashank Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Anirudha Joshi, Tom Curran, Jos Buttler (wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Anuj Rawat

Support staff:

Andrew McDonald (head coach), Amol Mazumdar (batting coach), Sairaj Bahutale (spin bowling coach), Ish Sodhi (spin consultant and operations executive), Rob Cassell (fast bowling coach), Steffan Jones (fast bowling consultant), Dishant Yagnik (fielding coach), John Gloster (physiotherapist)

Covid deaths in Telangana breach 1,000 mark

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Covid deaths in Telangana breach 1,000 mark

The number of deaths due to Covid-19 in Telangana crossed the 1,000-mark on Thursday with nine more deaths while 2,159 new cases pushed the state’s tally to over 1.65 lakh.

Telangana is the 13th state in the country to see over 1,000 COVID deaths. Five of these states have fewer cases than Telangana.

Telangana health officials say the case fatality rate in the state is low at 0.60 percent compared to many states. The national average is 1.62 percent.

According to the director of public health, 53.87 percent of the deceased in Telangana had comorbidities.

Seventy percent of 1,65,003 cases reported so far in the state were asymptomatic.

As many as 65.23 percent of those tested positive were in the age group of 21-50 years. Officials said that the ratio of those above 51 years dropped to 21.82 against 24.71 percent earlier. Those below 20 years are now 12.95 percent against 10 percent earlier.

Officials said 64.83 percent of those tested positive were male while the remaining 38.17 percent were female.

During the last 24 hours ending Wednesday at 8 p.m., Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) reported 318, a slight drop from 325 reported the previous day. Its neighboring districts Rangareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri reported a daily jump of 176 and 121 cases respectively. Sangareddy, another district bordering the state capital, recorded 64 cases.

Outside Hyderabad and surrounding districts, Nalgonda topped the list with 141 cases followed by Siddipet (132), Karimnagar (127), Warangal Urban (98), Nizamabad (84), and Khammam (77).

The state also saw 2,108 people recovering from the virus during the same period. With this, the total number of recoveries have gone up to 1,33,555

The state’s recovery rate has further improved to 80.94 percent against the national average of 78.59 percent.

The number of active cases in the state stands at 30,443 including 23,674 in-home/institutional isolation.

The authorities conducted 53,094 tests during the last 24 hours. With this, the number of samples tested so far mounted to 23,29,316.

The authorities permitted five more private laboratories to conduct the tests, taking the total number of laboratories to 60 including 17 government-run laboratories. There are also 1076 rapid antigen tests in the state. They tested 53,094 samples including 23,361 primary and 6,371 secondary contacts. However, no break-up of RT PCR and rapid antigen tests were available.

The state health authorities said samples tested per million population improved further to 62,740. This is much higher than the daily testing target of 5,600 per day as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) benchmark of 140 per million per day.

Out of 20,396 beds under government, 17,823 beds are vacant including 1,505 ICU beds.

The number of private hospitals treating COVID patients increased to 225 with the government adding one more hospital to the list. They have a total of 11,340 beds, out of which 7,125 are vacant.

SSR case: CBI team back in Delhi, to meet AIIMS forensic board

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SSR case: CBI team back in Delhi, to meet AIIMS forensic board

Almost a month after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) went to Mumbai to probe the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, it has returned to Delhi and will hold a meeting next week with the AIIMS forensic team, sources said on Thursday.

According to CBI sources, the team of the SIT has returned to Delhi on Wednesday and will now be holding meetings with the AIIMS forensic team on Sunday and later in the coming week also to take its medico-legal opinion in the case.

The team had gone to Mumbai along with the forensic team on August 20, a day after the Supreme Court gave its nod to the CBI probe into the death of the late actor.

During the CBI’s stay in Mumbai, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) forensic team also visited the flat of Sushant and recreated the crime scene along with Sushant’s sister Mitu, Pithani, and personal staff.

The CBI last month had roped in the AIIMS forensic department to take its assistance in studying the autopsy report prepared by the Cooper Hospital, the crime scene recreation and to guide the federal agency if there was any foul play in his death.

Sushant was found dead in his Bandra flat on June 14.

AIIMS Forensic Department head Dr. Sudhir Gupta has constituted a medical team to assist the CBI.

AIIMS sources said, “We are in the process of perusal of the case after the due medical board meeting and subsequent meeting with the CBI.”

The source said that the AIIMS forensic department medical board’s opinion will be given to the CBI, and hoped it will present a total conclusive report without any confusion or doubts. The source, however, said that the reports could not be shared as the matter was sub judice.

He further said that next week the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) findings and the CBI investigation findings have to be understood before a final medical opinion is arrived at.

The CBI team during its stay in Mumbai recorded the statement of Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, her brother Show, father Indrajit, his house manager Samuel Miranda, flatmate Siddharth Pithani, former celebrity manager Shruti Modi, talent manager Jaya Saha, personal staff Neeraj Singh, Keshav Bachne, Dipesh Sawant and several others.

The CBI team also recorded the statement of Sushant’s sister Mitu Singh in Mumbai, and his father K. K. Singh, and elder sister Rani Singh in Delhi.

The CBI’s SIT also visited the flat of Sushant Singh Rajput several times and the Cooper Hospital where his autopsy was done.

The team also visited the Waterstone resort, where Sushant stayed for several months.

However, officials of the CBI remained tightlipped on the return of the SIT members from Mumbai and the meeting of the team with the AIIMS forensic department.

Besides CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) are also probing the death of Sushant.

The NCB has arrested Rhea, Showik, Miranda, Sawant, and several others in the drug-related case.

Antibody treatment found to cut Covid hospitalisation risk

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Antibody treatment found to cut Covid hospitalisation risk

Raising hope of Covid-19 treatment at an early stage, an antibody therapy has been found to quickly reduce SARS-CoV-2 viral load in newly infected patients and cut hospitalization risk, US-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly said while revealing interim results of a clinical trial.

The Phase 2 study of the BLAZE-1 clinical trial evaluated LY-CoV555, a SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody, for the treatment of symptomatic Covid-19 in the outpatient setting, the company said on Wednesday.

The trial enrolled mild-to-moderate recently diagnosed Covid-19 patients across four groups –placebo, 700 mg, 2800 mg, and 7000 mg.

Analyses of viral data demonstrated that LY-CoV555 improved viral clearance at an earlier time point — day 3 — and reduced the proportion of patients with persistently high viral load at later time points.

Most study hospitalizations occurred in patients with underlying risk factors — age or body mass index (BMI) — suggesting a more pronounced treatment effect for patients in these higher-risk groups.

Ongoing studies will seek to confirm this finding, the drugmaker said.

Across all treatment groups, including placebo, no patients progressed to mechanical ventilation or died, the results showed.

Exploratory analyses indicated a more rapid improvement in symptoms for patients treated with LY-CoV555 versus placebo, supporting the hospitalization effect.

The treatment was well-tolerated, with no drug-related serious adverse events reported.

“These interim data from the BLAZE-1 trial suggest that LY-CoV555, an antibody specifically directed against SARS-CoV-2, has a direct antiviral effect and may reduce COVID-related hospitalizations,” Daniel Skovronsky, Lilly’s chief scientific officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories, said in a statement.

“The results reinforce our conviction that neutralizing antibodies can help in the fight against Covid-19.”

The company said it intends to quickly publish the results of this interim analysis in a peer-reviewed journal and discuss appropriate next steps with global regulators.

If proved to be effective in further analyses, this could be the first potential treatment for Covid-19 patients with a mild and moderate level of severity.

This is because the drug redeliver and the steroid dexamethasone has been found to be helpful in the treatment of patients with serious illness.

The BLAZE-1 clinical trial remains ongoing, testing LY-CoV555 in combination with a second Lilly antibody, LY-CoV016, which binds a different epitope in the SARS-CoV-2 spike region.A

The trial is currently enrolling a larger, confirmatory cohort of higher-risk patients, testing the ability of the antibody combination to reduce the number of patients with persistently high viral load and reduce COVID-related hospitalizations.

Shane Jurgensen set to become NZ’s most experienced coach

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Shane Jurgensen set to become NZ’s most experienced coach

Shane Jurgensen has signed on as New Zealand bowling coach for another two years, extending his second tenure with the side after re-joining in 2016.

Jurgensen’s new deal with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) will take him through to the end of 2022, by which time he will have been in charge of the bowlers for a total of nine years, including an earlier stint from 2008-2010.

The 44-year-old said it was a straight forward decision to stay on as Black Caps bowling coach.

“It’s a huge honor to continue my coaching journey with New Zealand Cricket,” he said as per an NZC media release.

“I love my job and feel lucky to have been involved with such a special group of players and support staff for the past five years.

“We’ve had some amazing experiences as a team and I’m looking forward to working alongside Gary (Stead) and Kane (Williamson) as we prepare for an exciting summer,” he added.

The former Queensland fast-bowler has built a strong coaching resume since finishing his playing career in 2007. From 2012 to 2015, he helped Bangladesh rise up the world rankings, which included a whitewash of the touring Black Caps side in 2013, while he’s also coached the Fiji national side and consulted to Cricket Scotland at the World Cup 2015.

Head coach Gary Stead said: “Shane’s done an outstanding job with the bowlers over the past five years and you only have to look at their performances to see his impact.

“He obviously possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience, but I think it’s his planning and work ethic that has helped get the best out of our top players consistently.

“His influence also extends beyond the Black Caps with his knowledge and leadership helping shape the wider NZC pace-bowling system which is already reaping rewards.

“Shane’s a terrific character to have on our team and we look forward to having his energy and passion around the group for another couple of years,” he added.

KL Rahul announces new clothing collection ‘KLR edit’

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KL Rahul announces new clothing collection ‘KLR edit’

Indian cricketer KL Rahul, who is currently in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), recently announced his latest collection ‘KLR edit’ under his brand Gully Live Fest, which is a Mumbai-based streetwear clothing brand.

Sharing a series of posts on social media, Rahul wrote, “The past few months have been different in so many ways for us all. Life without cricket was hard, but time away from the sport I love had me exploring my interests outside of it.”

“I’ve always been interested in fashion, and the luxury of time has allowed me to create something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time. Gully Gang, you guys have been growing with me for the past few years, and I can’t wait to share this with you. Presenting, the KL edit, by Gully Live Fest. Designed by me, specifically for you (and me). Stay tuned for more in the coming days”.

Talking about his new collection, the 28-year-old said, “Fashion is an important part of my life. Clothes define our personality but I also believe that comfort should be our first priority. So for the KLR edit, I have designed clothes that are comfortable, sporty, and stylish. It is a collection that is very close to my heart.”

Rahul will be leading Kings XI Punjab in their aim for the first IPL title. The Punjab-based franchise will begin their tournament campaign against Delhi Capitals on Sunday in Dubai.

Happiest Minds’ shares debut at 111% premium of issue price

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Happiest Minds’ shares debut at 111% premium of issue price

Happiest Minds Technologies recorded an impressive debut on the stock exchanges on Thursday as it got listed at Rs 351 per share on the BSE, with a premium of 111.4 percent against the issue price of Rs 166 per share.

It has extended gains since the listing. Around 10.55 a.m., it was trading at Rs 382.60 on the BSE, higher by Rs 216.60 or 130.48 percent than the issue price.

On the National Stock Exchange (NSE) it was trading at Rs 383.80 per share.

The Rs 702 crore initial public offering (IPO) of Happiest Mind Technologies had received strong responses from all categories of investors and the public offer of the Ashok Soota-led company was subscribed 150.98 times.

The IT company is headquartered in Bengaluru and has operations in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and the Middle East.

Action sought against ex-SC judge Katju for insulting Indian judiciary

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Action sought against ex-SC judge Katju for insulting Indian judiciary

A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking legal action against former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju for casting aspersions and making insinuations on the integrity and credibility of the Indian judiciary while deposing for fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi before the Westminster Magistracy court of the UK.

The PIL has been filed by Nand Kishore Garg through advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi. “The Indian judiciary must not take this issue casually as such derogatory deposition made the entire judiciary suspect in the eyes of the international community. It is high time to redeem the glory of the Indian judiciary by acting proactively to stop such routine false allegations,” said the plea.

It contended that the deposition made by Katju is highly derogatory and insulting to the entire judicial system of India.

“His allegations amount to questioning the very credibility of the judicial institution where millions of citizens are reposing their faith and trust. The allegation of the fairness of judicial administration is totally unfounded as the justice delivery system of India is quite strong and robust,” argued the petitioner.

The petitioner has urged the top court to issue a broad guideline on issues of public criticism/maligning of the judicial system and it’s serving judges especially from those who served the highest institution of our country.

According to the plea, Katju made allegations that 50 percent of the judiciary is corrupt in India and therefore a fair justice is not possible for PNB scam accused Nirav Modi in the country.

“The allegation made by Katju has eroded the faith and trust of common people in the judiciary. It is high time that the Indian judiciary must come up with exemplary action against those people who are routinely lowering the integrity of the judicial system by leveling extremely atrocious and fake allegations for their personal publicity,” said the plea.

The petitioner argued that the image of the judiciary has been lowered following the highly derogatory deposition where serious allegations have been made only to protect the interest of the fugitive.

Woman kills daughter, commits suicide in UP district

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Woman kills daughter, commits suicide in UP district

A 28-year-old woman committed suicide after killing her two-year-old daughter in Banda district’s Chilla locality, police said.

According to the police, Rajni first killed her daughter Shalini and then committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan.

The incident took place late on Tuesday night.

The villagers told the police that her husband Shivdas had married another woman, which often led to a dispute between the couple.

The police said that Rajni killed her daughter and then ended her life when her husband had gone out to work.

Kotwali police station in-charge, Ramshray Singh, said investigations are underway into the incident. He said that after getting the autopsy report, the details of the death would be known.

“We have taken the woman’s husband into custody and are questioning him to ascertain the exact reasons that prompted his wife to resort to the extreme step,” he added.

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