Kanika Dhillon about Sushant’s dedication towards film

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Kanika Dhillon about Sushant’s dedication towards film

Sushant Singh Rajput’s tragic death left Bollywood shocked with heart-felt tributes pouring in from those who worked with the actor and Kedarnath writer Kanika Dhillon is one among them. Ms Dhillon gave us an insight into Sushant Singh Rajput as an actor as was seen on set, writing about his dedication not only towards his craft but also towards a film. Kanika Dhillon wrote that Sushant had added notes and ideas to the script of Kedarnath, converting the original 100-page script into 300-pages of material.

“I noticed that my 100 page script of Kedarnath had swollen into a 300 page novel as I saw Sushant carrying it. I asked him ‘What have you done? Added scenes to it?’ He smiled earnestly and simply said – ‘I made my notes and attached them. I read scenes every day and find a new meaning – a new take and I add it to the page’.”

In her post, Kanika Dhillon added that what defined Sushant as an actor was “sheer hardwork and relentless focus”: “I’d never seen such dedication or method applied to this craft before. All actors have their ways that work for them – but sheer hardwork and relentless focus was his. I felt acutely aware of every word I wrote in that script… cos I was aware Sushant would be reading it over and over and toiling over it to bring forth the best interpretation of the written words effortlessly.”

Directed by Abhishek Kapoor, 2018 film Kedarnath was set against the backdrop of the 2013 Kedarnath floods, in which 4,000 people died and thousands went missing. Sushant Singh Rajput was cast as a Muslim porter named Mansoor, who died in a landslide but managed to save Mukku, his love interest, played by Sara Ali Khan. Referring to Sushant’s character in Kedarnath, Ms Dhillon wrote: “I make sense of you going away just like Mansoor did – Mansoor who left us all – too soon- with a disarming smile – with an unfinished love story that somehow was complete in his head… and so did you.”

Ankita still haven’t removed Sushant name from nameplate of her house

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Ankita still haven’t removed Sushant name from nameplate of her house

Filmmaker Sandip Singh, who was one of Sushant Singh Rajput’s closest friends, poured his heart out in an Instagram post, dedicated to actress Ankita Lokhande. Sushant Singh Rajput and Ankita Lokhande, who shot to fame after starring in Balaji soap Pavitra Rishta, dated for six years. “Dear Ankita, with each passing day, one thought keeps haunting me over and over again. Kaash… I wish… We could have tried even harder, we could’ve stopped him, we could’ve begged him! Even when you both separated, you only prayed for his happiness and success. Your love was pure. It was special. You still haven’t removed his name from the nameplate of your house,” wrote Sandip Singh, reliving the many memories that the three of them shared together.

“I miss those days, when the three of us stayed together in Lokhandwala as a family, we shared so many moments which bring tears to my heart today… cooking together, eating together, ac ka paani girna, our special Mutton bhaat, our long drives to uttan, lonavala or Goa! Our crazy holi! Those laughs we shared, those sensitive low phases of life when we were there for each other, you more than anyone. The things you did to bring a smile on Sushant’s face,” wrote Sandip Singh.

On an emotionally heavy note, Sandip Singh added that even though Ankita Lokhande and Sushant Singh Rajput parted ways, their bond was special: “Even today, I believe that only you two were made for each other. You both are true love. These thoughts, these memories are hurting my heart…how do I get them back! I want them back! I want ‘us three’ back! Remember the malpua!? And how he asked for my mother’s mutton curry like a little kid!”

Sandip Singh’s final words in his note to Ankita will tug at your heartstrings: “I know that only you could’ve saved him. I wish you both got married as we dreamt. You could’ve saved him if he just let you be there…You were his girlfriend, his wife, his mother, his best friend forever. I love you Ankita. I hope I never lose a friend like you. I won’t be able to take it.”

Google making AR/VR more immersive on consumer devices

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Google making AR/VR more immersive on consumer devices

A team of Google researchers has created a new technology to take the immersive augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences to a new level.

New research shows the ability to record, reconstruct, compress, and deliver high-quality immersive light field videos, lightweight enough to be streamed over regular Wi-Fi.

“We’re making this technology practical, bringing us closer to delivering a truly immersive experience to more consumer devices,” said Michael Broxton, Google research scientist.

Photos and videos play a huge role in our day-to-day experience on mobile devices, and “we are hoping that someday immersive light field images and videos will play an equally important role in future AR and VR platforms,” he added.

Wide field of view scenes can be recorded and played back with the ability to move around within the video after it has been captured, revealing new perspectives.

In recent years, the immersive AR/VR field has captured mainstream attention for its promise to give people a truly authentic experience in a simulated environment.

Although the field is still nascent, the team at Google has addressed important challenges, making major research headway in immersive light field video.

Another breakthrough in this work involves data compression.

The idea is not only to develop a system capable of reconstructing video for a truly immersive AR/VR experience but also to access the experience via consumer AR and VR headsets and displays, and even in a web browser.

The new system compresses light field video while still preserving its original visual quality and it does so using conventional texture atlasing and widely supported video codecs.

In essence, the Google researchers have succeeded at bootstrapping a next-generation media format off of today’s image and video compression techniques.

“Users will be able to stream this light field video content over a typical, fast-speed internet connection,” Broxton said.

“Overcoming this problem opens up this technology to a much wider audience”.

The research team, led by Broxton and Paul Debevec, Google senior staff engineer, plans to demonstrate the new system at virtual ‘SIGGRAPH 2020; conference.

“Completing this project feels like we’ve overcome a major obstacle in making virtual experiences realistic, immersive, distributable, and comfortable,” added Debevec.

Glenmark launches Covid-19 drug in India

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Glenmark launches Covid-19 drug in India

 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals on Saturday launched antiviral drug Favipiravir for treatment of mild-to-moderate Covid-19 cases after it received the Indian drug regulator’s approval.

It will be available under the brand name FabiFlu as a prescription-based medication for Rs 103 per tablet, with a recommended dose of 1,800 mg twice a day on day 1 and 800 mg twice a day up to 14th day, according to the Mumbai-headquartered global pharmaceutical company.

Glenmark received approval for manufacturing and marketing Favipiravir from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on Friday.

“The approval has come at a time when cases in India are spiraling, putting tremendous pressure on our healthcare system,” Glenn Saldanha, Chairman and Managing Director of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, said in a statement.

“We hope the availability of effective treatment, such as FabiFlu, will help assuage this pressure considerably and offer patients in India a much-needed and timely therapy option,” Saldanha said.

Favipiravir is backed by strong clinical evidence, showing encouraging results in patients with mild to moderate Covid-19. It offers broad-spectrum RNA virus coverage with clinical improvement noted in 20-90 plus age group.

Patients from over 10 leading government and private hospitals were enrolled for the study.

Favipiravir could be used for Covid-19 patients with comorbid conditions, like diabetes and heart disease, the company said and added, it would offer a rapid reduction in viral load within four days and faster symptomatic and radiological improvement.

Glenmark has developed the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and formulation for FabiFlu through the in-house R&D team.

Glenmark was the first company in India to receive the drug regulator’s approval to conduct a phase-3 clinical trial of Favipiravir antiviral tablets for Covid-19 patients.

Favipiravir is a generic version of Avigan of Fujifilm Toyama Chemical, Japan, a subsidiary of Fujifilm Corporation.

Lockdown brews fresh crisis for Karnataka coffee growers

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Lockdown brews fresh crisis for Karnataka coffee growers

Reeling under distress and losses due to rains, floods, and landslides over the last two years, the COVID-induced lockdown has been brewing a fresh crisis for coffee growers in Karnataka, the land of the aromatic beverage, according to a trade representative, here on Saturday.

“Even as we were grappling with the fallout of floods and landslides on plantations over the last 2 years, the extended COVID lockdown spelled heavy losses for us as it disrupted operations and damaged coffee beans,” Karnataka Planters’ Association Chairman Shirish Vijayendra told IANS from Chikmagalur, about 240 km northwest of Bengaluru.

As plucking of Arabica and Robusta beans was getting over, the lockdown, enforced on March 25 and extended since then to contain the pandemic, prevented growers from trading, curing, and exporting coffee in seed or powder form.

“The suspension of public transport and prevention of vehicular movement during the first two phases of the lockdown till May 3 also prevented growers from harvesting beans and pepper inter-crop, as workers couldn’t commute to estates for weeks,” Vijayendra recalled.

With migrant workers from neighboring states, like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, returning to their native places to avoid coronavirus infection, the movement of harvested coffee to curing works were affected.

“As work in plantations came to a grinding halt due to lockdown restrictions, growers had no income as beans couldn’t be processed for sale or curing and trading for domestic consumption or exports,” lamented Vijayendra.

Though many restrictions for the agriculture sector were eased after the 21-day first phase of lockdown, the plantation commodity sectors, like coffee, tea, rubber and spices, didn’t benefit as they are considered commercial crops and not exempted from taxes and other central or state levies.

The prolonged lockdown also held up coffee at the farm gate of growers, curing works, traders, and at ports. “Though about 70 percent of coffee is exported, domestic consumption was affected as roasters, retail outlets, cafes and hotels remained shut and beans couldn’t be processed or sold,” said Vijayendra.

Coffee production declined 50 percent in 2019-20 and 35 percent in 2018-19 due to heavy rain, floods and landslides from about 3,00,000 tonnes in the past. Fall in international prices also affected export revenue.

Drought and dry weather for three consecutive years (2015-16 to 2017-18) due to the southwest monsoon’s failure had a cascading effect. The steep rise in input cost, wages, and social benefits to workers also shot up the production cost.

“We estimate the overall loss to the coffee plantation sector in Karnataka at about Rs 700 crore due to disruption in harvesting, trading, and export because of the lockdown and the coronavirus fallout,” reiterated Vijayendra.

According to the Association, the loss in harvesting Robusta crop is Rs 131 crore, in Arabica and Robusta gleanings Rs 88 crore, in the inventory of beans held by growers Rs 144 crore, in the harvesting of pepper Rs 78 crore and exports Rs 250 crore.

Exports were also affected as transportation from plantations to ports was delayed due to lockdown and shortage of labor and vehicles.

“As offices of traders and exporters remained shut and operations at Mangaluru and other ports suspended due to non-availability of labor, our export stocks got stuck for several weeks,” said Vijayendra.

As the largest producer of the aromatic beans, Karnataka accounts for about 70 of coffee production in the country, with dozen districts across the central, coastal and southern regions of the state, like Chikmaglur, Kodagu, and Hassan, spawning the rich-bio diverse Western Ghats in the Deccan plateau, producing the beans since 500 years.

New moms more like to suffer from depression, anxiety during COVID-19

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New moms more like to suffer from depression, anxiety during COVID-19

 Ladies, please take note. Researchers have stressed that new mothers are more likely to suffer from post-natal depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, revealed that the number of pregnant and postpartum women suffering from the condition have increased during the health crisis.

“The social and physical isolation measures that are critically needed to reduce the spread of the virus are taking a toll on the physical and mental health of many of us,” said study co-author Margie Davenport from the University of Alberta in Canada.

For new moms, those stresses come with side effects. Such effects can include premature delivery, reduced mother-infant bonding, and developmental delays in infants.

“We know that experiencing depression and anxiety during pregnancy and the postpartum period can have detrimental effects on the mental and physical health of both mother and baby that can persist for years,” Davenport added.

For the findings, the research team surveyed 900 women – 520 of whom were pregnant and 380 of whom had given birth in the past year – and asked about their depression and anxiety symptoms before and during the pandemic.

Before the pandemic began, 29 percent of those women experienced moderate to high anxiety symptoms, and 15 percent experienced depressive symptoms.

The study found that during the pandemic, those numbers increased – 72 percent experienced anxiety and 41 percent experienced depression.

Because lockdown measures have affected daily routines and access to gyms, researchers also asked women whether their exercise habits had changed.

Of the women surveyed, 64 percent reduced their physical activity since the pandemic began, while 15 percent increased and 21 percent experienced no change.

Exercise is a known way to ease depression symptoms, so limited physical activity may result in an uptick in depressive symptoms.

The study also showed that women who engaged in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week had significantly lower symptoms of depression and anxiety.

“Even when we are not in a global pandemic, many pregnant and postpartum women frequently feel isolated whether due to being hospitalized, not having family or friends around, or other reasons,” she said.

“It is critical to increasing awareness of the impact of social (and physical) isolation on the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women,” the study authors wrote.

Real Madrid’s to lose after Barcelona were held to a goalless draw against Sevilla

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Real Madrid’s to lose after Barcelona were held to a goalless draw against Sevilla

Gerard Pique said La Liga’s title race is Real Madrid’s to lose after Barcelona were held to a goalless draw against Sevilla on Friday. Barca’s first slip-up since returning from the three-month hiatus hands Madrid the chance to regain top spot this weekend.

After their emphatic 3-0 win over Valencia on Thursday, Zinedine Zidane’s side will move level on points with the Catalans if they beat Real Sociedad on Sunday and above them due to their superior record head-to-head. “Seeing what we’ve done in the last two rounds, it’s going to be very difficult to win this league,” said a despondent Pique afterwards.

“From what I’ve seen, it’s very hard to see Real Madrid dropping points.”Sevilla, in third, and Valencia, in eighth, always looked capable of shifting the dynamic at the top of the table, with Madrid capitalising to climb back to the summit for the first time since they beat Barcelona on March 1.

Asked about Pique’s analysis, Barcelona coach Quique Setien said: “I think it comes from frustration. I am optimistic. I think it will be tough for anyone to take maximum points.”

A valuable point for Sevilla, meanwhile, gives them a five-point cushion over Getafe in fifth, albeit having played a game more.

Barca could have few complaints at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.They never really troubled Sevilla for any prolonged period and the closest Lionel Messi came to scoring the 700th goal of his career were a pair of free-kicks tipped over.

The sight of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen jogging up for a late corner demonstrated how big a blow they considered dropping points to be.

Yet Real Sociedad are still in the hunt for Champions League qualification and will offer Madrid no guarantees on Sunday while games against Getafe, Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal mean there are still plenty of hurdles for Zidane’s team to overcome.

Barcelona though would appear to have the tougher run-in, with Athletic Bilbao, Atletico Madrid, Villarreal and local rivals Espanyol coming up.

Messi was well-contained by Sevilla and it could be the Argentinian was feeling the effects of a third consecutive 90 minutes in nine days.

Setien chose not to rest his captain in either of two comfortable wins over Leganes or Real Mallorca.

Instead, Antoine Griezmann dropped to the bench, with Martin Braithwaite preferred in the front three alongside Messi and Luis Suarez, who made his first start since January after recovering from a knee injury.

Sevilla’s Jules Kounde shot just wide of the post early on but Barcelona controlled the opening 30 minutes, even if chances were few and far between.

Messi’s curled free-kick was headed off the line by Kounde and Braithwaite almost had a tap-in when Tomas Vaclik spilled, but the ball was hacked away.

The half ended with a clash and Messi was at the heart of it, squaring up to and then pushing over Sevilla’s centre back Diego Carlos. Messi was unhappy with Carlos’ challenge on Suarez but escaped punishment.

Ever Banega came on at half-time for Sevilla and gave them more purpose in midfield. Munir El Haddadi’s shot from the angle was palmed away by Ter Stegen.

The game opened up in the final 15 minutes as Jordi Alba made a crucial block to prevent Munir’s pass setting up an easy finish in the middle.

Alba might then have teed up a winner too but Suarez swept the defender’s pull-back over the bar.

Sergio Reguilon, on loan at Sevilla from Madrid, had the best chance but he failed to connect with his weaker right foot.

3 civilians injured in Pak shelling on LoC in J&K’s Uri (Ld)

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3 civilians injured in Pak shelling on LoC in J&K’s Uri (Ld)

Three civilians were injured on Saturday in Pakistan shelling on the line of control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri sector.

Police sources said three civilians, including a woman, were injured in Pakistan shelling in Nambla village of Uri sector on Saturday.

“The injured civilians have been shifted to hospital. Efforts are on to shift the villagers to a safer place away from the line of enemy shelling”, sources said.

Heavy firing and shelling exchanges started on Saturday between the Indian and Pakistani sides after Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling on the LoC in Keran sector of Kupwara district and the Haji Peer area of Uri sector in Baramulla district.

Aluthgamage’s allegation that the national cricket team’s loss to India

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Aluthgamage’s allegation that the national cricket team’s loss to India

Sri Lanka’s sports ministry on Saturday ordered an investigation into former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage’s allegation that the national cricket team’s loss to India in the 2011 World Cup final was fixed by “certain parties”. The sports minister Dullas Alahapperuma has ordered the investigation and asked for a report on its progress every two weeks, the ministry said in a statement.

The sports secretary, KADS Ruwanchandra, on Alahapperuma’s directive, had complained to the ministry’s investigation unit on Saturday.

Aluthgamage has alleged that his country “sold” the game to India, a claim that was ridiculed by former captains Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who demanded evidence from him.

In an interview with local TV channel ”Sirasa”, Aluthgamage said the final was fixed.Set a target of 275, India claimed the trophy thanks to the brilliance of Gautam Gambhir (97) and then skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (91).

“Today I am telling you that we sold the 2011 world cup, I said this when I was the sports minister,” Aluthgamage, who was the sports minister at the time, said.

“As a country, I do not want to announce this. I can’t exactly remember if it was 2011 or 2012. But we were to win that game,” added the politician, who was the state minister of power in the current caretaker government which is in-charge until the election to be held on August 5.

The captain of Sri Lanka at that time, Sangakkara, asked him to produce evidence for an anti-corruption probe.

“He needs to take his ”evidence” to the ICC and the Anti-corruption and Security Unit so the claims can be investigated thoroughly,” he tweeted.Jayawardene, also a former captain who scored a hundred in that game, ridiculed the charge.

“Is the elections around the corner…like the circus has started…names and evidence?” he asked in a tweet.

Aluthgamage said that in his opinion no players were involved in fixing the result, “but certain parties were.”Aluthgamage had also previously hinted that the game was fixed.

Both Aluthgamage and the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa were among the invitees at the final played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.Former World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga had also called for a probe on alleged match-fixing in the 2011 World Cup final.

Yuvraj Singh and Kevin Pietersen have had many battles

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Yuvraj Singh and Kevin Pietersen have had many battles

Yuvraj Singh and Kevin Pietersen have had many battles on the cricket field but over the years a friendship has blossomed between the two. They have had numerous funny exchanges on social media, with Pietersen’s “pie-chucker” description of Yuvraj at the forefront of their banter.

But there is another topic that Yuvraj and Pietersen are always at odds over — football clubs. Pietersen, a Chelsea supporter, and Yuvraj, a Manchester United fan, have had friendly tiffs over their footballing loyalties but the former India cricketer didn’t find too much support after his latest dig at the ex-England star.

Premier League returned earlier this week after a three-month coronavirus-enforced absence. But Pietersen wasn’t too enthralled about the fact that there were no fans in the stadiums. Unfortunately for Yuvraj, his team Manchester United couldn’t do much on the field to back his claim. Manchester United took on Tottenham Hotspur in their first game back but could only manage a 1-1 draw.

Brun Fernandes struck from the penalty spot in the 81st minute to earn his team a draw after Steven Bergwijn’s strike had given Spurs the lead in the 27th minute.A point did little for either side’s chances of breaking into the top four. Manchester United remain in fifth, two points behind Chelsea, but Spurs were even more desperate for the points as they remain in the eighth, four points further back.

Sushant Singh Rajput’s fan ends life in Vizag

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Sushant Singh Rajput’s fan ends life in Vizag

Unable to bear the news of untimely death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, a 21-year-old woman has ended her life in this coastal city of Andhra Pradesh, police said on Saturday.

The woman, who was serving as a teacher at a private school, hanged herself at her residence.

The incident took place on June 16, but the reasons for her extreme step were known late Friday after police completed the investigations.

The woman, whose family had migrated to the city a few years ago, was a die-hard fan of Sushant Singh, who committed suicide at his house in Mumbai on June 13.

Police quoted her family member as saying that she was shocked over Sushant’s death. A resident of Sriharipuram, she had been watching the videos about the actor’s death and slipped into depression. She was sad and had stopped talking to the family members.

“Her family members said she went into her room and bolted it from inside. When she did not open the door despite repeated knocks, they broke it open to find her hanging from the ceiling,” a police officer said.

Police initially registered a case of death under suspicious circumstances. The subsequent investigations revealed that she was a die-hard fan of Sushant Singh and had been watching the videos of the actor ever since his suicide.

An autopsy was conducted on the body and the investigations proved that it was a case of suicide, the police officer said.

Bengaluru police station sealed, constable COVID-19 positive

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Bengaluru police station sealed, constable COVID-19 positive

Cubbon Park police station in the heart of the city and the seat of Bengaluru Central Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) has been sealed off after a constable tested corona positive, an official said on Saturday.

“Cubbon Park police station has been sealed off following a constable testing positive,” told Bengaluru DCP Central Crime Branch Kuldeep Jain to IANS.

As many as 60 policemen and employees work in the station, headed by the DCP.

The Health Department is testing and assessing the situation as to how many policemen should be quarantined.

Meanwhile, the DCP and other officials are managing their duties from their vehicles.

“My office has been closed for two days, we are managing outside from the car,” said Jain, who has been given temporary charge of Central DCP’s office.

The police station abuts the Cubbon Park itself near the Karnataka High Court, Bangalore Press Club, and by the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium. It is a major lung space in the city.

Delhi govt opposes LG order on institutional quarantine

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Delhi govt opposes LG order on institutional quarantine

The Delhi government on Saturday said that it could not reach a consensus on Lt. Governor Anil Baijal’s decision of five-day compulsory institutional quarantine for COVID-19 patients in the city.

With the Centre stepping in to aid the Delhi government in its fight against the coronavirus, a difference of opinions seems to be brewing between the two.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, “In the meeting of the State Disaster Management Authority, the issue of five-day compulsory institutional quarantine and rate of beds in a private hospital was raked up. A consensus could be reached on both. Now, the meeting will again be held at 5 p.m.”

Sisodia said that the Central government has recommended making only 24 percent beds cheaper in private hospitals, while the Delhi government is adamant on making at least 60 percent beds cheap.

A high-powered panel set up by Union Home Minister Amit Shah has recommended fixing the cost of COVID-19 isolation beds in the private hospitals.

The price range is Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 and an ICU bed with a ventilator at Rs 15,000-Rs 18,000 per day, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, in the meeting, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the institutional quarantine will make people evade testing, which will further increase the spread of infection.

He also said there is already a shortage of healthcare staff, how will it be possible to arrange doctors and nurses for thousands of patients at quarantine centers.

Modi’s statement contradicts statements of Amry Chief, Rajnath: Cong

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Modi’s statement contradicts statements of Amry Chief, Rajnath: Cong

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that Chinese troops did not intrude into Indian territory, the Congress on Saturday once again slammed the government saying his remarks contradict earlier statements made by Chief of Army Staff M.M. Narvane, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Addressing a press conference through video conferencing, former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said, “I wish to begin by reiterating what the Congress President Sonia Gandhi said yesterday at the all-party meeting. She said, that Congress stands by our defense forces and is prepared to make any sacrifice to ensure they are battle-ready.”

Chidambaram further said that at the end of the meeting, the Prime Minister made his concluding remarks.

“These remarks have left practically everyone baffled and bewildered. The Prime Minister said, that no outsider was inside Indian territory in Ladakh,” the Congress leader said.

Lamenting the Prime Minister, Chidambaram said, “It is quite obvious that the Prime Minister’s statement contradicts the earlier statements made by the Chief of Army Staff, the Defence Minister and the Foreign Minister.”

The Congress leader emphasized that if the Prime Minister’s statement reflects the correct position, we would like to ask the government a few questions.

“If no Chinese troops had crossed the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and are in Indian territory, what was the faceoff on May 5-6, 2020? Between May 5 and June 6, what was the issue on which local Indian commanders were talking to their Chinese counterparts? What was the subject matter of the negotiations between the Corps Commanders of the two countries on June 6?” he said firing salvos at Modi.

Referring to the killing of 20 Indian soldiers in Ladakh’s Galway valley by the Chinese People Liberation’s Army (PLA) troops in an unprecedented attack on Monday night, Chidambaram said, “We would also like to ask if no Chinese troops were inside Indian territory, where did the clashes take place on June 15-16? There were 20 Indian soldiers killed and 85 injured?”

His remarks came a day after Modi categorically stated in the all-party meeting on the Chinese intrusion in the Galway Valley and the killing of Indian soldiers that “no Indian post or territory is occupied by anyone.”

The Prime Minister had emphasized that all necessary steps for national security and construction of necessary infrastructure will continue to be taken at a fast pace.

Modi had also reassured the leaders about the capability of the armed forces to defend the borders and said that they have been given a free hand to take all necessary steps.

Sharpening the attack on the government, the Congress leader said, “If no Chinese troops are in Indian territory, why did Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar’s statement and other statements of MEA demand the restoration of status quo ante? What was the meaning of the status quo ante? What was the meaning of the disengagement that the government said was underway?”

He also questioned that if no Chinese troops are inside Indian territory in Ladakh, why did 20 soldiers had to make the supreme sacrifice.

The Congress leader said that even after the Modi’s statement on Friday, China has blamed India for the clashes and has reasserted its claim to the entire Galway valley.

“What is the government’s answer to this claim? Will the government reject this claim?” he questioned.

Cornering the government, Chidambaram further said that when the Prime Minister said a few days ago that the sacrifice of our soldiers will not go in vain, what did he have in mind?

“Why and where did the soldiers sacrifice their lives, and how will the government ensure that the sacrifice will not be in vain?” he questioned.

He said the defense of the nation and its territorial integrity is dear to the heart of every Indian. “We, therefore, seek answers to the questions with a view to re-double our commitment and present a picture of unity and solidarity,” Chidambaram added.

BCCI Jt Secy’s remark on IPL’s Chinese sponsor upsets RSS bodies

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BCCI Jt Secy’s remark on IPL’s Chinese sponsor upsets RSS bodies

Two pro-Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh organizations — the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), Kerala, and the Centre for Policy and Development Studies (CPDS) on Saturday expressed their displeasure against the statement by BCCI Joint Secretary Jayesh George that the cash-rich cricket board will continue with the sponsorship of a Chinese company.

VIVO is the title sponsor of the Indian Premier League.

George is a former president of the Kerala Cricket Association and had expressed his opinion in the media, here, that it would be a loss for the BCCI to snap ties with the Chinese company as it would invite penal action.

SJM Kerala Convenor Ranjit Karthikeyan and the CPDS Director Rajeev said that while the country is fighting against the Chinese after the killing of twenty brave Indian soldiers, the irresponsible statement by a person like George was highly deplorable and anti-national.

“Does George have any mandate to speak on behalf of the BCCI in the media,” asked the two office-bearers and added that the BCCI owes an explanation and they will take this up at the highest level in the Government of India.”

Taking to Twitter, BCCI wrote: “Taking note of the border skirmish that resulted in the martyrdom of our brave jawans, the IPL Governing Council has convened a meeting next week to review IPL’s various sponsorship deals.”

Twenty Indian Army men, including officers, were killed in an unprecedented violent clash with Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops in the Galway Valley in eastern Ladakh on June 15.

Ganguly, Hussain engage in funny banter over 2002 NatWest Trophy

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Ganguly, Hussain engage in funny banter over 2002 NatWest Trophy

Sourav Ganguly and Nasser Hussain, respective former captains of the Indian and England cricket teams, engaged in a hilarious banter on social media over the 2002 NatWest Trophy which the Men in Blue had won in an epic manner.

“Hi, Nass…when was this picture was taken…losing memory with old age…need my mates to help,” Ganguly, while tagging Hussain, tweeted on Saturday sharing an image from the customary photo-op of that memorable 2002 series.

The former England skipper replied with a GIF where a cartoon character is seen hiding his face in the bushes.

To this, the current BCCI President responded with a GIF of a child along with a caption: “Young Nass, already thinking about captaincy.”

Mohammad Kaif, who played a crucial role in India’s historic win at the NatWest Trophy final at the Lord’s, also jumped in and tweeted: “Hi Nasser Hussain. I think you called someone a ‘bus driver.’ And in the end, we all saw Dada’s 8-pack abs at the Lord’s balcony.”

It was on July 13, 2002, when Ganguly and his young team won the NatWest Trophy final, chasing down a steep target of 326 with three balls to spare. While Kaif played a brilliant knock of 87 not out, he was well supported by Yuvraj Singh who scored 69 and both helped India script one of the most memorable wins in the history of the game.

Following the win, Ganguly had waived his T-shirt at the Lord’s balcony following — an image which is still fresh in the minds of all the cricket lovers in India.

NZ reports 2 new COVID-19 cases

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NZ reports 2 new COVID-19 cases

New Zealand on Saturday reported two new COVID-19 cases after the country registered three infections earlier this week for the first time in 24 days, director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield said.

The two infected patients are a couple in their 20s who returned from India on a direct repatriation flight and arrived on June 5, reports Xinhua news agency.

The couple was also traveling with an infant who has not been tested.

It is still to be determined if the child is a probable cause.

The patients didn’t show any symptoms before testing for the virus at the 12th day during the quarantine in Auckland, and they will remain in quarantine and be clinically managed until they are considered to be free of the virus, according to Bloomfield.

Bloomfield also confirmed the number of active cases in the country is five.

The total number of confirmed cases in New Zealand was 1,159, while the death toll stood at 22.

A total of 7,707 tests for COVID-19 were conducted nationally in New Zealand on Friday, bringing the total completed to date to 335,167.

Rajasthan govt caps Covid-19 testing charge at Rs 2,200

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Rajasthan govt caps Covid-19 testing charge at Rs 2,200

The Rajasthan government has capped the Covid-19 testing charge at Rs 2,200 for private labs, against the fee of Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,500 which were earlier charged.

The decision was taken by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in a meeting held late on Friday night to review measures taken to fight COVID-19 in the state.

In the two-hour meeting, Gehlot further announced that the maximum charge per bed shall be Rs 2,000 while the bed with a ventilator will cost Rs 4,000.

Gehlot also made it clear that the government will not tolerate any exploitation through overcharging patients.

The Chief Minister further ordered the health department officials to ensure that private hospitals do not charge exorbitantly.

“You should initiate action against those flouting norms under various sections of law including that of Epidemic Ordinance in case of violation,” Gehlot ordered the officials present in the meeting.

“Although the lockdown has ended, the corona crisis continues to loom large over us. Hence, everyone should remain careful and wear masks while going out and maintain social distancing,” the CM said.

Eight new COVID-19 cases in Agra; tally goes up to 1,124

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Eight new COVID-19 cases in Agra; tally goes up to 1,124

There has been an alarming rise in the number of coronavirus cases in the four districts of Agra division, as around two dozen fresh infections were reported in the last 24 hours, health officials said on Saturday.

According to the officials, Agra recorded eight new COVID-19 cases and one death in the last 24 hours. The total tally now stands at 1,124. Of this 914 have been discharged after recovery.

The number of active cases in the city now stands at 137. A 65-year-old patient suffering from respiratory disorder succumbed to the coronavirus on Friday.

In the Mainpuri district, 15 fresh cases were reported. Over the past three days, 44 cases have been added. Mathura, on the other hand, recorded 11 fresh cases with one death of an elderly woman, while Firozabad had eight new cases taking the district’ s tally to an alarming 447.

Health officials in Agra have decided to screen all hotspots to identify people with respiratory problems. This vulnerable group of seniors will remain in the focus in the coming days, as part of the redrawn strategy.

A preliminary assessment indicates that a majority of COVID-19 cases have been of those who suffer from respiratory disorders.

The Agra health administration claims it has set a record in surveying families in the last three months. More than 19 lakh people have been part of the exercise conducted by 3,628 teams.

The Nodal Officer, State Energy Secretary, camping in Agra, M Devraj, has asked senior doctors to regularly meet patients and monitor their progress. Though the state government has fixed rates of sample tests, private laboratories in the city were reluctant to test COVID-19 samples. The recovery rate in the city stands at 81.02 percent.

Apple to announce Intel break-up early next week: Report

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Apple to announce Intel break-up early next week: Report

Apple is reportedly set to announce a break up with chip-maker Intel for its Mac desktops on June 22.

According to The New York Times, Apple has been working to replace Intel chips with its own design in Macs for years and may finally announce it on Monday during its online ‘WWDC20′ developer conference.

Apple’s Mac chip design initiative is codenamed ‘Kalamata’.

Processors for Macs from Apple will use similar technology to those in iPhones and iPods, but Macs would still run the macOS and not the iOS.

Apple would use technology licensed from Arm, a division of SoftBank Group. In February, famed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said ARM-based Macs are coming in 2021.

Apple has nearly a 10 percent share of the PC market.

The first Apple-designed Mac chips would have eight performance cores and four or more energy-efficient cores for greater efficiency and power savings, according to reports.

Kuo has claimed that the iPhone maker may release its very first ARM-based laptop without an Intel processor as soon as next year.

Kuo said that the new Mac is coming sometime in the next 12 to 18 months and will feature an in-house processor not developed by Intel.

Apple last year acquired Intel’s smartphone modem business for $1 billion.

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