Radhika Apte: We have supported nepotism as a society

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Radhika Apte: We have supported nepotism as a society

Actress Radhika Apte feels the nepotism conversation is complicated, and not just related to the film industry.

“I don’t want to be a part of this discussion, really,” Radhika told IANS when asked about the ongoing nepotism discussion, adding: “It is not just about the insider and the outsider. It is a larger discussion. There is no one answer to it. As a society, we have supported nepotism a lot and it’s not just the film industry. In order to change everything, we all need to change how we look at it,” she added.

Talking about how difficult it is to make a name in Bollywood, the actress said: “I think it’s difficult for both the insider and the outsider to be successful. Success is not just about being born into a family. It is a complicated answer. I don’t think it’s easy to answer that.”

Earlier in an interview with IANS, Radhika shared that she does not want to get stuck in something convenient or be satisfied, and she is not chasing fame.

“I’m not here for fame. I do like the perks sometimes, but I don’t take success and failure seriously,” Radhika told IANS.

Radhika entered the industry with a small role in the 2005 release “Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!”, and went on to do films like “Shor In The City”, “Kabali”, “Phobia”, “Badlapur” and the short film “Ahalya”.

The actress is credited for breaking the stereotypical image of the Bollywood heroine with her roles in “Phobia”, “Badlapur”, “Manjhi: The Mountain Man”, “Lust Stories”, “Sacred Games”, “Pad Man” and “Ghoul”.

Ex-Bolivian Prez rejects US nominee to head IDB

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Ex-Bolivian Prez rejects US nominee to head IDB

Former Bolivian President Evo Morales has rejected the US’ nominee to head the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the largest source of development financing for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Supporting (US President Donald) Trump’s candidate for the IDB presidency is an attack against the interests of the country and a betrayal of the region,” Morales, who was forced out by the opposition and now lives in exile in Argentina, said in a tweet on Sunday.

“The IDB will cease to be a development bank and will have a disastrous role, like that of the IMF,” should the US succeed in placing its representative at the helm of the organization, Xinhua news agency reported citing Morales as saying.

The proposed candidate is Mauricio Claver-Carone, senior director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the US National Security Council, a key architect of Trump’s policy toward Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua.

Other regional voices have also rejected the nomination, including Argentina, whose Minister of Foreign Affairs Felipe Sola instead proposed Argentine politician Gustavo Beliz to head the IDB.

“The figure of Claver-Carone is not questioned from a technical perspective, it is questioned from a political perspective because it expresses the most hardline US vision of the Americas,” Sola said in July.

A slew of former presidents, including those from Chile, Uruguay, Colombia, and Mexico, as well as the Spanish government, have issued a statement opposing the US nominee and calling for a delay in the election of the IDB’s next head, which is due to take place on September 12-13.

Headquartered in New York, the IDB was established in 1959.

It is owned by 48 sovereign states, which are its shareholders and members. Only the 26 borrowing countries are able to receive loans.

Covid-19: Olympic family impressed by Beijing 2022 preparations

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Covid-19: Olympic family impressed by Beijing 2022 preparations

As the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games approach its 500-day countdown, Olympic family members have spoken highly of the Beijing 2022 preparations despite the Covid-19 pandemic this year.

“The IOC continues to be impressed by the progress of the preparations, and we are all looking forward to writing this new chapter in China’s great sporting history,” IOC President Thomas Bach said at the opening ceremony of the World Winter Sports Expo (WWSE) 2020 via a video link, reports Xinhua news agency.

The WWSE is a sporting event supported and participated in by the IOC and the seven International Olympic Winter Sports Federations, providing a platform for the world’s ice and snow industry.

Due to the pandemic, the five-day 2020 WWSE, which opened in Beijing on Saturday, is held both online and offline, with more than 500 brands from China and overseas showcasing their products and services.

Bach admitted that because of the unprecedented global pandemic, “we are all living with much uncertainty. We are still learning every day about the impact of this global crisis on all aspects of our lives”.

On the other hand, the IOC chief said he believed that hosting the expo sent a strong signal of confidence through the sporting world.

“The World Winter Sports Expo is the perfect platform to highlight this important contribution of sport to the recovery. The expo is also an important step as China gets ready to welcome the world’s best winter sports athletes in 2022,” he noted.

Discussing Beijing 2022’s legacy and sustainability plans, IOC Coordination Commission Chair Juan Antonio Samaranch said, “This is a great opportunity and a great occasion to amplify their really successful legacy from Beijing 2008 Summer Games. Beijing and China did very well on that occasion.”

“Now in winter 2022, future generations of Chinese and worldwide winter sports lovers will benefit from this and will experience the success and the access to winter sports like never before.”

All the Games’ competition venues and related infrastructure will be completed by the end of this year.

“Despite the difficulties over the last months, we are happy to recognize the big advance of the Beijing 2022 project. The team has been extremely proficient and capable of delivering the progress in the organization of the Games,” Samaranch noted.

Samaranch praised both the physical and intangible legacy of Beijing 2022, namely post-Games utilization and raising awareness of winter sports.

“It is one of the best ever in the history of the Olympic Movement, and will be very difficult to match in the future.”

“Something after the Games should be envisaged, not within seven years of difficult preparation and 17 days of delivery, but how this spirit of seven-plus seventeen can contribute then to another 20 years in the community. You are right on time to deliver that,” IOC’s Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi noted.

“The Games represent a formidable asset to accelerate some long term developments. This is what has been done for Beijing 2022, and we’ve learned a lot,” he added.

For Sarah Lewis, Secretary-General of the International Ski Federation (FIS), the Games provide a historic opportunity to develop winter sports in China as the country endeavors to engage 300 million people in winter sports.

“Such an outcome would create a really extensive winter sports industry in China and develop a base for many top athletes and for competitions to take place,” Lewis declared.

Aus state extends Covid-19 lockdown for 2 more weeks

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Aus state extends Covid-19 lockdown for 2 more weeks

Australia’s Victoria state, the worst-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, has extended a strict Covid-19 lockdown by another two weeks, as infection numbers had not fallen enough to ease restrictions.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Sunday that stage 4 restrictions would remain in place until September 28, with only a slight easing until October, reports Xinhua news agency.

Andrews said that despite the impact of the lockdowns on Victoria and the state’s economy, modeling had clearly shown that to reopen prematurely would lead to a rapid increase in case numbers.

“There is only one option and that is to do this in a series of steady and safe steps. You can’t run out of lockdown. Because all you are doing is running into a third wave and we’ll all be locked up again,” Andrews said.

Victoria has been at the center of Australia’s second wave of Covid-19 infections, recording close to 20,000 of the country’s 26,279 total cases, as well as roughly 90 percent of deaths, which on Monday topped 800.

From early August, Victoria’s capital Melbourne has placed under stage four restrictions including a nightly curfew, with residents only permitted to leave their homes for work and school, exercise, medical reasons or to shop for essentials.

On Monday, the state recorded just 41 new infections down from a peak of over 700 new cases recorded twice in July and August.

Despite officially remaining in stage 4 lockdown, Andrews said that Victoria residents would have the opportunity for expanded social interaction starting from September 13, when the lockdown was initially scheduled to end.

Public outdoor gatherings of no more than two people will be permitted for reasons other than the existing four, but can only last for two hours.

Subject to the daily case rate remaining low, restrictions will then be progressively eased according to a series of five steps, leading to “COVID normal” from roughly late November, with no restrictions for gatherings, visitors, hospitality, or sport.

“I want a Christmas that is as close to normal as possible and this is the only way, these steps are the only way that we will get to that point,” Andrews added.

Global Covid-19 cases surpass 27mn: Johns Hopkins

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Global Covid-19 cases surpass 27mn: Johns Hopkins

The overall number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed the 27 million mark, while the deaths have increased to over 882,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

As of Monday morning, the total number of cases stood at 27,002,224 and the fatalities rose to 882,053, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed in its latest update.

The US accounted for the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 6,275,614 and 188,932 respectively, according to the CSSE.

Brazil came in second place with 4,137,521 infections and 126,650 deaths.

In terms of cases, India ranks third (4,113,811), and is followed by Russia (1,022,228), Peru (683,702), Colombia (658,456), South Africa (638,517), Mexico (634,023), Spain (498,989), Argentina (478,792), Chile (422,510), Iran (386,658), the UK (349,500), France (347,268), Bangladesh (325,157), Saudi Arabia (320,688), Pakistan (298,509), Turkey (279,806), Italy (277,634), Iraq (260,370), Germany 251,728), Philippines (237,365), Indonesia (194,109), Ukraine (139,171), Canada (133,890), Israel (130,644), Bolivia (120,241), Qatar (120,095), Ecuador (118,045) and Kazakhstan (106,301), the CSSE figures showed.

The other countries with over 10,000 deaths are the India (70,626), Mexico (67,558), the UK (41,640), Italy (35,541), France (30,730), Spain (29,418), Peru (29,687), Iran (22,293), Colombia (21,156), Russia (17,768), South Africa (14,889) and Chile (11,592).

IPL 13: Delhi Capitals’ assistant physio tests positive for Covid-19

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IPL 13: Delhi Capitals’ assistant physio tests positive for Covid-19

Delhi Capitals’ assistant physiotherapist has tested positive for coronavirus, the franchise has revealed ahead of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) slated to start on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Late on Sunday, the franchise confirmed that the physio had been in quarantine and not in contact with any other member of the team. He had traveled independently to the UAE earlier last week and tested negative in the first two tests, conducted on days 1 and 3 respectively after arrival. The third RT-PCR test, conducted on day 6, however, returned a positive result.

“He was isolated immediately, and is currently at the IPL isolation facility in Dubai for the next 14 days, at the end of which he will have to produce two negative reports for him to be able to join the Delhi Capitals squad. The franchise’s medical team is in constant touch with him, and wishes him a speedy recovery,” the Delhi-based franchise said in a statement.

The Capitals are the third side to report a positive case in IPL 2020 after a solitary case emerged from Rajasthan Royals before their departure to the UAE and the cluster of cases in the Chennai Super Kings camp.

Delhi Capitals will begin their campaign against Kings XI Punjab at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 20.

Delhi Metro resumes operations after five months

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Delhi Metro resumes operations after five months

Delhi Metro, the lifeline of the national capital region, on Monday finally rolled on the tracks after coming to a screeching halt of over five months ago due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For two days the yellow line, covering 49 kilometers with 37 stations consisting of 20 underground and 17 elevated stations, will remain operational for a period of four hours each in the morning, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., and evening, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

According to Anuj Dayal, DMRC’s Executive Director of Corporate Communication, over a period of next five days, the rest of the lines will also be made operational with all safety measures in place to check the spread of Covid-19 in the metro premises which requires everyone to follow a new normal of social distancing, face mask, and hand sanitization.

At a time when the capital city is reportedly witnessing a second wave of the viral infection, the government has allowed for the metro rail service to resume in a bid to restart the economy, while also keeping in mind the huge loss incurred by the corporation in the last few months.

Even though the government has, time and again, asserted that both lives and livelihood are important, several epidemiologists believe that resumption of the metro will further increase the infection in the city.

The use of the ‘Aarogya Setu App’ for updating health status by passengers is advisable. All passengers will be required to undergo thermal screening at the entrance.

Passengers having temperature will not be allowed to travel. They will be directed to report to the nearest medical center. Only 2-3 persons are allowed on the lift at a time.

Tokens are not available at the stations for the time being as they need a frequent human interface for travel transactions and pose a risk of coronavirus infection so a “smart card is a must for travel”.

Since Delhi Metro operates in Delhi-NCR, it will not be providing services to such stations that fall under the containment zones for any given day in any of the states. State governments of Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh notify such zones on a regular basis on their websites.

If any of the stations happen to fall in such a zone, the same will also be made public through announcements at stations and trains and through social media updates. Since most of the Metro stations lie on the median of the roads, there is a slim chance for stations to fall in the containment zone as a regular practice.

In a bid to wade off people’s fear of catching coronavirus infection in closed and cramped metro compartments, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has modified the air conditioning system of the trains to allow 100 percent inflow of fresh air.

Trains will be sanitized at terminal stations. Similarly, once they are back to Depots after the end of the day, they will again be thoroughly sanitized. The train doors will be kept open at terminal stations to jet fresh air infuse on the train.

COVID-19: Don’t ignore exhaustion, chest pain, say experts

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COVID-19: Don’t ignore exhaustion, chest pain, say experts

Lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome had taken center-stage as the most
dreaded complications of COVID-19. However, with time, more issues have begun to be discovered. Heart damage has now emerged as another grim outcome in the virus’s repertoire of possible complications.

Cardiology experts say people should not ignore chest pain or exhaustion even if there is no fever. The suggestion was put forth during a discussion on ‘Heart Wellness during Covid-19’ hosted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) in their Illness to Wellness series on Friday.

Experts are of the opinion that people should be on the lookout for symptoms other than a fever for early detection of COVID-19.

Dr. Mohsin Wali, a cardiologist and former physician to president of India, said that the most harmful feature of this virus is its
uncertainty. “The virus either increases the heartbeat or decreases it, even if there is no fever. Patients need to be aware of their normal heart rate, and if they notice any changes, they should inform their doctor. The first symptom of this disease is no symptom. In some people, I noticed they would get tired easily. If we are alert at such a stage, then we can be prepared for further possible damage. In young working professionals, we sometimes notice changes in their chest, even if they received a COVID-negative report the previous day. Patients must reach out to doctors immediately if they notice any symptoms. You needn’t call for help only when you develop symptoms like fever, cough, or severe pneumonia. These might be there, but when you start to feel exhaustion or reduced oxygen levels, you should reach out to a doctor,” he explained.

Dr. Ashok Seth, Chairman of Cardiology Council at Fortis Group of Hospitals, said that coronavirus could damage the heart by causing clots, reducing the efficiency of heart muscles, and rising heart rate. “There are multiple ways in which this virus attacks the heart. The virus tends to form clots in the body. It is one of the ways in which the virus attacks the body. It also forms inflammations which can lead to heart attacks. The formation of clots in young people in the lungs can lead to severe breathlessness, low blood pressure, and low oxygenation. The clotting tendency can even lead to stroke in young people. These are the direct effects of the cardiovascular system. Inflammation can also affect the heart muscles leading to reduced pumping efficiency of the heart and heart rate disturbances,” he added.

Other experts emphasized that citizens must take even greater precautions since India is

on the upward slope of its COVID track where its peak is yet to be reached. One of the precautions is the adoption of an anti-inflammatory diet, said Dr. KK Aggarwal, former president of the Indian Medical Association. “Anything refined is inflammatory and should be avoided. Take up a non-inflammatory diet and add all supplements that are lost by the virus,” he said.

Anil Rajput, Chairperson, ASSOCHAM CSR Council, said, “Coronavirus has set forth a wide range of damages and challenges for
the world that doctors and researches are still struggling to get a grasp on. Therefore, the golden adage of prevention is better than cure, is something all of us must follow.”

Appointments to over 20K govt jobs in next 5 months: Gujarat CM

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Appointments to over 20K govt jobs in next 5 months: Gujarat CM

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Saturday announced that all candidates selected for government posts will be immediately given appointment letters while new recruitments for vacant positions will be announced soon. He said that in the next 5 months, appointments will be made to more than 20,000 government jobs in the state.

Rupani has asked government recruitment agencies to resume the recruitment process that had been stalled so far due to a case pending in the Gujarat High Court regarding a General Administration Department (GAD) order dated August 1, 2018. The High Court had overturned that order on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister had convened a meeting with the Gujarat Public Service Commission (GPSC), Gaun Seva Pasandgi Mandal (subordinate class services selection federation), Panchayat Seva Pasandgi Mandal, and officials for police recruitment, GAD, and the Education Department on Tuesday.

The meeting decided that appointment letters will be immediately issued for the 8,000 government vacancies for which the recruitment process was completed but the appointment process stalled due to the pandemic.

Rupani said that recruitment exams for vacant posts, which had been announced earlier, will be conducted once the pandemic situation normalizes.

“The announcement on recruitment for 9,650 government positions was made before the pandemic; the recruitment process for that will also be started from January 2021,” Rupani said on Saturday.

The development comes after the High Court verdict setting aside the GAD order dated August 1, 2018, which disallowed meritorious women in reserved categories to be considered in the general category.

The GAD had passed the order wherein it was said that female candidates in reserved categories applying for government jobs shall be considered only under the SC, ST, and OBC quota and not under the General Category despite their higher position in the merit list. The High Court on Tuesday had overturned that order.

Ankita Lokhande: Truth wins

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Ankita Lokhande: Truth wins

Ankita Lokhande, actress and former girlfriend of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has applauded the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) for its action in the ongoing Sushant death probe.

Ankita posted an image of the Om insignia on Instagram. She captioned the image: “Har har Mahadev”, and added a trident icon along with the hashtags #satyamevjayte, #truthwins#, and justiceforsushant.

Actor Adhyayan Suman has paid a tribute to Sushant in a song called “Jab tak 2.0”. Ankita praised him on Twitter and said: “I’m Speechless adhyayan.”

Ankita’s reaction came in the wake of the arrests of Showik Chakraborty, brother of Sushant’s girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty, and the late actor’s house manager Samuel Miranda.

On Friday, the NCB carried out raids at a number of locations here, including at the homes of Showik and Miranda.

The NCB will produce Showik and Samuel in court on Saturday and the agency will seek their custody for further interrogation.

On June 14, Sushant was found dead in his home in Mumbai. At that time, Mumbai Police had concluded it was a case of suicide and investigated reasons that might have caused Sushant to end his life.

Man arrested for duping divorcees on pretext of marriage

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Man arrested for duping divorcees on pretext of marriage

A Delhi resident has been arrested for allegedly duping several divorced women on the pretext of marrying them, the police said on Saturday.

The cheat has been identified as Vishal alias Mohit Tokas, a resident of Delhi’s Munirka.

During interrogation, Vishal revealed that he used to lure divorced women on the pretext of marriage. He would then convince them to transfer money to his account on the false pretext of sending them expensive gifts. He also disclosed that as soon as the money was transferred in these accounts, he used to withdraw or transfer the same within hours.

“Four such bank accounts of Vishal have been frozen in which about Rs 4.5 lakh of the cheated money was still remaining to be withdrawn,” said Atul Thakur, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South Delhi.

The matter came to light when a woman filed a complaint at the Kotla Mubarakpur police station in South Delhi. In the complaint, she said she came across a matrimonial site, “DIVORCE MATRIMONY”, where she came in touch with Vishal, who introduced himself as a British citizen.

He later sent his details to her and promised to marry her. The woman in her complaint said the man then convinced her that he required some money and after getting the amount he will marry her. He contacted the woman only through WhatsApp calling and chats. Believing him, the woman transferred Rs 1,21,900 through the bank and online mode of transactions. After getting the money, the man stopped taking her calls and chats.

The police then registered a case of cheating against the accused. An investigation was initiated and the accused Vishal alias Mohit was arrested. The investigation revealed his involvement in other similar cases. The police are now probing how many more women he has duped with the same modus operandi.

Vivo working on a phone with colour-changing rear glass

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Vivo working on a phone with colour-changing rear glass

Chinese smartphone maker Vivo is working on a new phone which can change its rear case’s color on the press of a button.

The company has posted a video on Weibo where one can see a phone that can change the color of its rear case with the press of a button. The smartphone does not have a name or a release date yet, reports Android Authority.

Vivo claims to be using electrochromic glass to achieve this dazzling effect, the same tech that OnePlus used on its ‘Concept One’ phone to obscure its rear camera from view when not in use.

As per the report, the concept on display wears a sapphire blue sheen when its user’s thumb is touching its flank but changes to silvery-white when the thumb is removed.

In addition, Vivo recently patented a new smartphone with a periscope lens and dual-tone back.

The patent was filed by Vivo Mobile Communications to the CNIPA (China National Intellectual Property Administration) and got published on August 28.

According to the patent images, the smartphone features a full-screen flat display with minimum bezels, a punch-hole camera at the top left corner with a boxy structure, and curved corners.

The phone houses three keys on its right side — volume rockers, power button, and a slider switch.

Telangana minister Harish Rao tests Covid-19 positive

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Telangana minister Harish Rao tests Covid-19 positive

Two days before the commencement of the Telangana state legislature session, Finance Minister T. Harish Rao has tested positive for Covid-19.

The minister took to Twitter on Saturday to declare that he is infected with COVID. He, however, said he was “fine”.

“On getting initial symptoms of coronavirus, I got the test done and the report came back positive. My health is fine,” tweeted Harish Rao.

The minister, who is the nephew of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao, requested all those who came in contact with him in the last few days to isolate themselves and get the COVID test done.

Meanwhile, Harish Rao’s cousin and cabinet colleague K.T. Rama Rao wished him a speedy recovery.

“Get well soon Bava. I am sure you’ll recover faster than others,” tweeted Industry Minister Rama Rao.

In June, Harish Rao had gone into self-quarantine after his personal assistant had tested positive. Though the minister had tested negative, he went into self-quarantine at his house as a precautionary measure.

Harish Rao is the second Telangana minister to test positive for Covid-19. Earlier, Home Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali had tested positive and was hospitalized. He recovered in a couple of weeks.

Few legislators of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had also tested positive over the last three months.

Harish Rao has tested positive a couple of days before the Telangana legislature session is set to begin.

Assembly Speaker P. Srinivas Reddy and Council Chairman G. Sukhender Reddy on Friday asked all legislators to undergo the tests for COVID-19 by September 6.

The monsoon session of both Assembly and Council is scheduled to begin on September 7. The presiding officers of both the Houses have made it mandatory for members to show COVID-19 negative reports to attend the session.

While diagnostic centers have been set up in Assembly and Council premises for legislators, those present in districts have been urged to undergo tests at their respective places.

The COVID test has been declared mandatory for all staff members of the legislature, ministers’ aides, security personnel, and media persons covering the session.

Tokyo 2020 confirms fourth Covid-19 infection

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Tokyo 2020 confirms fourth Covid-19 infection

An employee with the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee has tested positive for Covid-19, it was announced on Saturday.

A Tokyo 2020 statement said that the man in his 30s, employed at a Tokyo 2020 office in Harumi in Tokyo’s Chuo ward, became the fourth recorded Covid-19 case in the organization, reports Xinhua news agency.

The employee has not been to his office since his last day working on site on July 6. Most of the Tokyo 2020 employees have been working from home since March.

“Tokyo 2020 will continue to work with relevant organizations to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and take all necessary measures to maintain a safe and secure working environment for our staff,” the statement read.

Japan reported 588 new coronavirus cases on Friday, including 136 from Tokyo, marking the eleventh successive day that infections have reached triple digits in the Japanese capital.

The Tokyo metropolitan government has maintained its highest alert level on its four-tier scale, meaning “infections are spreading”.

Diesel prices now falling, petrol steady

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Diesel prices now falling, petrol steady

The auto fuel seems to have switched sides over revision in rates with diesel prices now beginning to fall while petrol holding steady.

The oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Saturday reduced the pump price of diesel across the country, the second such downward revision this week.

In the national capital, diesel prices have fallen by 13 paise per liter on Saturday, bringing down the transport fuel price to Rs 73.27 a liter. The price of diesel also fell on Thursday by 16 paise per liter.

While diesel prices have fallen, OMCs have kept the petrol prices steady.

The fuel prices have remained at the same level so far this month. But petrol prices have been rising regularly since August 16, when it stood at Rs 80.57 a liter in Delhi.

The price of fuel may remain steady or fall in the coming days as global crude prices have shown some indication of softening over expectation of a prolonged demand squeeze over Covid-19 disruptions.

Indian Army rescues Chinese citizens in Sikkim

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Indian Army rescues Chinese citizens in Sikkim

The Indian Army extended a helping hand to three Chinese citizens who lost their way in the Plateau area of North Sikkim at an altitude of 17,500 feet.

This happened when both the countries were engaged in a four-month-long standoff at the border in Eastern Ladakh.

The incident happened on September 3.

Realizing the danger to the lives of the Chinese citizens, which included two men and one woman in the sub-zero temperatures, the soldiers of the Indian Army immediately reached out and provided medical assistance, including oxygen, food, and warm clothes to protect them from the vagaries of extreme altitude and harsh climatic conditions.

The Indian troops also gave them appropriate guidance to reach their destination after which they moved back.

The Chinese citizens expressed their gratitude to India and the Indian Army for their prompt assistance.

Kangana’s tweet tirade: Mumbai activist files police complaint

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Kangana’s tweet tirade: Mumbai activist files police complaint

A Mumbai activist has lodged a complaint with the Khar police against Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut for her series of comments on Mumbai Police, Maharashtra, the film industry, and related issues that have stoked a major political row in the state.

“I have registered an online complaint against the actress as her comments have irreparably damaged Maharashtra’s pride and self-respect. Her tweets were also inflammatory, leading to a series of protests and demonstrations all over the state,” complainant Santosh Deshpande told IANS on Saturday.

He said that if the Mumbai Police failed to take cognizance of his complaint, his lawyer Shivraj Pawar will move a court of law and pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.

“The tweets by the actress are in bad taste and served to inflame passions among the people. She has abused the freedom of speech and expression, and was misusing the social media to spew venom at one and all,” Deshpande said while giving the reasons for filing his complaint.

The development comes a day after a huge row erupted on September 4 in the state after Kangana’s comments which were viewed as “denigrating” the Mumbai Police in particular and the state in general.

Top leaders from the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, Congress, and opposition Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, slammed Kangana for her remarks while protests erupted in Mumbai and other cities against the actress.

As a huge controversy snowballed – in which Kangana dragged the Palghar Sadhu lynching incident, labeled Mumbai as “addicted to blood”, dared the Maratha Pride of Maharashtra, allegations of an ‘Islam-dominated’ Bollywood, besides comparing Mumbai as PoK – the Bharatiya Janata Party, and some of its leaders who openly supported Kangana till Thursday, abruptly dumped her.

Shiv Sena activists reacted with protests, burning her effigy and pictures in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik, and other cities.

Home Minister Anil Deshmukh (NCP) “strongly condemned” Ranaut’s statements, and without taking her name, virtually showed her the door.

Besides, several Bollywood and Marathi film personalities like Urmila Matondkar, Ritesh Deshmukh, Renuka Shahane, and many others attacked Kangana for her comments which have damaged the Marathi pride and dignity.

Dia Mirza: Lockdown lead to cleaner air than we had in over a decade

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Dia Mirza: Lockdown lead to cleaner air than we had in over a decade

Actress and environmental activist Dia Mirza has pledged for cleaner air in India.

The actress, also UNEP Goodwill Ambassador and UN SDG advocate, will engage in conversation with change-makers championing cleaner earth on September 7, which has been declared as International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies.

“We need to make every effort to build back sustainably because clean air is the right to life,” said Dia.

“The global lockdown leads to cleaner air than we have had in over a decade. Nature can and will recover leading to better health for all people. But the lockdown is not the solution. We need to engage in fruitful partnerships and implement strategies and policies for the global goal of clean air,” she added.

BJP govt in Odisha, very soon, claims J.P. Nadda

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BJP govt in Odisha, very soon, claims J.P. Nadda

“The day is not far when we will come there in the government very soon,” said BJP President J.P. Nadda on Saturday while addressing Odisha’s state executive meeting through video conference.

Stressing the “steady” progress of BJP in the eastern state, he said, In 2014 Vidhan Sabha, BJP had received 18 percent votes, while in 2019, it rose to 32 percent. “We need to aim for over 50 percent votes in the state,” he told the executive attendees.

Listing the party’s progress in Odisha, he said, “We are happy that in the Lok Sabha elections we got around one crore votes here. In the same manner, today we have increased our sphere of influence in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes where there are 33 seats.”

Making his pitch to Odias, Nadda claimed that BJP workers in Odisha have distributed nearly 7 lakh ration kits, 60,000 sanitizers, 5.5 lakh masks, and food packets during the past few months.

Taking a dig at the BJD government in the state, he alleged, “I’m saddened that we’ve not been allowed to implement the Ayushman Bharat in Odisha. There are 2.4 crore people who could’ve benefited from the Rs 5 lakh medical coverage.” He added saying, “I call upon CM Shri Naveen Patnaik to allow PM Modi’s scheme to reach the poor and needy.”

He went on with his offensive while claiming statistics show people from Odisha come to Delhi for treatment. Now they can get treated at Bhubaneswar AIIMS, for which credit goes to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and PM Narendra Modi, he added.

While making its political goal in Naveen Patnaik’s Odisha clear at the outset, Nadda also stressed on PM’s “able handling” of the pandemic situation in India as well as the array of economic packages including ‘Aatmanirbhar Package’ to balance life and livelihood concerns.

“Street vendors have been provided an easy loan facility worth Rs 10,000 to help them re-start their businesses after the lockdown. Migrant workers who have returned home, too, have been provided employment opportunities,” he remarked.

He urged all BJP cadres to go to people and educate them about the key points of the new ambitious National Education Policy.

Stung by borders reverses, China accuses India of playing Tibet card

TB Team
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Stung by borders reverses, China accuses India of playing Tibet card

A rattled China on the defensive due to the military setbacks on the border has now accused India of playing the Tibet card.

Chinese outlet, Global Times aligned with the ruling Communist Party reported, “While for India, colluding with the exiled Tibetan and playing the Tibet card is only shooting its own foot, as China’s economic power and military strength are much greater than India’s,” an analyst said.

In a sense, China has dared with its economic and military power and tried to send India a message on the issue of “collusion with exiled Tibetan” leadership.

“The latest border confrontation between China and India has brought under spotlight an Indian force unit, composed of the exiled Tibetans who some Indian media believe formed an “elite unit” and played an “important role” in the latest standoff triggered by India’s provocative actions,” Global Times said in a report.

“However, according to Chinese analysts, this so-called Special Frontier Force (SFF), numbered at most 1,000, was far from being “elite” and was only used by the Indian army as cannon fodder in the border clash,” the report said.

As per the report, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times that the Indian army deployed the unit of exiled Tibetans to conduct the preemptive actions, but according to Indian media, the action resulted in one death and injuries to another commander, which fully reflects Indian forces’ insufficient preparations.

“One death and injuries to another commander in this non-war military action showed that the SFF was not that ‘special’, and far from being elite. They were only used by the Indian army as cannon fodder,” Qian said.

The SFF was first formed with the support of the US in the 1960s as the exiled Tibetans had high-altitude combat capabilities. They were later used by India to spy on the Chinese military, according to Qian.

“At present, the SFF’s importance has declined significantly in the Indian army and it no longer plays an important role. The number of the unit has also dramatically reduced, and at present, the unit has at most 1,000 offspring of the exiled Tibetans,” he said.

“Indian army does not trust foreign soldiers, thus most of the ethnic Tibetans had very low status in the military. Becoming a member of the unit was only their means to make a living,” Qian said, as per Global Times.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, “We firmly oppose any country providing convenience in any form for the “Tibet secessionist” forces’ separatist activities”.

As per Global Times, analysts said that Tibetan “government-in-exile” has faded into obscurity and cannot make any waves internationally. It only used the China-India border confrontations as an opportunity to get a little bit of attention.

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