Adah Sharma: I like to take risks

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Adah Sharma: I like to take risks

She made her debut with the horror film “1920” in 2008. She was then seen in the popular action franchise “Commando” and will next be seen playing a man in the upcoming “Man To Man”. Actress Adah Sharma says she likes to take risks.

“‘1920’ was my first film and it was quite risky for me to play this possessed girl. The audience was going to see me for the first time and they were going to see me with black teeth and messy hair, and I am screaming in a possessed voice. I like taking risks like that,” Adah told IANS.

She added: “When we did ‘Commando 2’, it was a risk because you have not seen a leading lady who makes jokes and speaks in an accent — Hindi with a Telugu accent. So, that was another risk and it really works. Even in ‘Commando 3’, they continued me as Bhavna Reddy (her character in ‘Commando 2’). I am very fortunate to be a girl and in an action franchise, one of the biggest action franchises in India.”

Adah said she had a lot of action to do in the film and was not just a “damsel in distress”.

“To be repeated in a film and an action franchise, to have a lot of stuff to do — I am not a damsel in distress. I am actually fighting battles and doing all the stunts. So, that was really nice. Again, ‘Man to Man’ will be something different,” she told IANS.

“Man To Man” revolves around actor Naveen Kasturia’s character falling in love with and marrying Sharma’s character, only to realize she was biologically a man who became a woman after surgery.

Thousands gather in Chicago, NYC to mark Juneteenth

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Thousands gather in Chicago, NYC to mark Juneteenth

Thousands of people took to the streets of Chicago and New York City, to mark Juneteenth, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans in the US.

At Grant Park in downtown Chicago, a number of government officials, including Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Senator Tammy Duckworth, led a march on Friday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The marchers chanted the names of black men and women killed by police officers across the US, and said “too many”.

In Daley Plaza, thousands of people chanted and sang songs.

In New York City, thousands of people on Friday rallied at landmarks such as City Hall, Times Square, and Brooklyn Bridge before marching along major avenues.

Holding placards and pictures of George Floyd, whose tragic death sparked nationwide protests nearly a month ago, protesters kept chanting slogans calling for justice and equality while marching on.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Friday that he would make Juneteenth a holiday in the city in 2021.

“Black history is American history. Proud to announce that beginning next year, Juneteenth will be an official city and school holiday,” the Mayor tweeted.

He also announced the establishment of the new Racial Justice and Reconciliation Commission to understand the effects of structural and institutional racism in New York City.

The Commission will create a historical record of racial discrimination, with an emphasis on housing, criminal justice, environmental racism, and public health, according to the Mayor.

De Blasio also announced the locations for street murals in all five boroughs to commemorate the Black Lives Matter movement, including sections of Manhattan’s Center Street and Brooklyn’s Joralemon Street.

Earlier this week, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order recognizing Juneteenth as a holiday for state employees. He said he would advance legislation to make it an official state holiday next year.

Juneteenth commemorates the day of June 19, 1865, in Galveston, Texas, when Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, which announced that, in accordance with the Emancipation Proclamation, “all slaves are free”.

Currently, Juneteenth is recognized by 46 states and Washington, D.C. as an official state holiday or observance.

Washington D.C. to begin phase 2 of reopening next week

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Washington D.C. to begin phase 2 of reopening next week

Washington D.C. will begin phase two of reopening on Monday after the “city experienced 15 days of sustained decrease in community spread of COVID-19” during the first phase, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced.

The new phase, according to the mayor’s order on Friday, will allow non-essential retail stores to reopen and indoor dining to occur, both with 50 percent capacity limits, reports Xinhua news agency.

Gyms can reopen with certain limitations, while gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed.

People are still encouraged to wear masks when around others and stay six feet apart.

“Wearing a mask or face covering is one tool to protect an individual’s own health and the health of others, but it does not replace social distancing,” the order read.

There were 49 new positive coronavirus cases in the city on Thursday, bringing the number of its total cases to 9,952.

As of Friday, five counties were in Phase 1, 19 in Phase 2, and 15 in Phase 3 of the Washington state’s Safe Start Plan.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee, in collaboration with the state Department of Health, established a data-driven approach to reopen the state and modify social and recreational activities while trying to minimize the health impacts of COVID-19 on May 29.

The state will move through the phased reopening county-by-county, allowing for flexibility and local control to address COVID-19 activity geographically.

Businesses approved to move into a new phase must comply with all health and safety requirements outlined in the guidance to reopen.

This approach reduces the risk of COVID-19 to Washington’s most vulnerable populations and preserves capacity in the health care system, while safely opening up businesses and resuming gatherings, travel, shopping, and recreation, according to the state Department of Health.

Each county must demonstrate they have adequate local hospital bed capacity as well as adequate PPE supplies to keep health care workers safe to start the reopening process.

The ideal target for new cases will be 25 or fewer per 100,000 residents over a 14-day period. Hospitalizations for COVID should be flat or decreasing.

Requests to move into the next phase are reviewed by the secretary of health.

If circumstances change within the jurisdiction, the secretary of health can modify the current phase or move the county back into an earlier phase.

A county can also identify when they need to return to an earlier phase or eliminate approved activities, the state Department of Health said.

The state of Washington has so far reported 27,192 COVID-19 cases, with 1,245 deaths.

Being an outsider, I never ‘belonged’ in Bollywood: Palash Sen

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Being an outsider, I never ‘belonged’ in Bollywood: Palash Sen

He smiles that he barely touched Bollywood and got out as he never belonged there. “The reasons were many. When you are an outsider, who is educated and a non-conformist, it can be very tough. Of course, movies like Filhaal, Mumbai Cutting, and Aisa Yeh Jahaan were excellent experiences that challenged me greatly as an actor and a musician.”

Palash Sen, the founder of one of India’s most successful rock/pop bands ‘Euphoria’ tells IANS that as a director, he is working on a script of a full-length feature film. “Of course, I would love to act if someone has the heart and the vision to use me.”

Even as ‘Euphoria’ has crossed 20 years of its existence, the musician smiles that the journey has been nothing short of “euphoric” — with loads of memories — some sweet, others bitter.

“But I have always moved forward with hope. Some people came, and some left. But our love for music remained unchanged. We are here to spread happiness through our work and that will never change.”

Admitting that post the year 2006-2007, the independent music scene in the country took a dip with a complete take over by the film people, Palash laments, “With their money might, they single-handedly took away all the airtime and avenues available for independent musicians. Yes, the digital revolution may have ensured the ease of making music, but reaching the right audience still remains a task. The labels are part of the game, and are still releasing music which is just a leftover of film music.”

Talk to him about how many singles by newcomers sound and look like clones, reeking of mediocrity, and the musician insists that the wrong kind of examples are being set for people with some really questionable trends being hyped.

“I have a feeling that a person with money is only promoting music that he understands. Upcoming musicians looking for acceptance fall prey to the dictatorship of labels and film producers and lose their way. Good talent stays hidden, and the average gets celebrated. And let’s not forget, mediocrity doesn’t intimidate anyone.”

Considering the fact that India has always had a very strong DIY Indie scene, where musicians don’t just sing, but hunt for backers, keep the PR machinery buzzing and are forever on a lookout for live gigs, Palash adds that the attitude has always been — ‘If they don’t back us, we don’t care’.

Gathering banned in Kurukshetra to mark solar eclipse

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Gathering banned in Kurukshetra to mark solar eclipse

As a preventive step amid pandemic, the Haryana government has imposed prohibitory orders and curfew to stop the arrival of people at the historic Kurukshetra town for the solar eclipse on Sunday, officials said on Saturday.

No program will be organized at the Brahma Sarovar ghat in Kurukshetra, one of the places where the eclipse will be visible, an official told IANS.

He said an appeal has been made to the public to worship from their homes during the time of the solar eclipse 10.20 a.m. to 1.47 p.m.

A prohibitory order has been imposed by the District Magistrate under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code till June 21 within a one-km radius of the Brahma Sarovar and the Sannihit Sarovar to restrict the movement and holding the fair.

The official said a curfew would remain enforced in the area till 4 p.m. on June 21.

In the past, devotees from across the country would descend on the Brahma Sarovar on solar eclipse to perform “pind daan” and other rituals.

Brazil becomes second country to hit one million cases

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Brazil becomes second country to hit one million cases

Brazil has become the second country in the world to confirm more than one million cases of Covid-19, as the disease continues to spread.

The health ministry also posted a record number of new cases in the past 24 hours – more than 54,000, the BBC reported.

In addition, there were more than 1,200 deaths for the fourth consecutive day, taking the total to nearly 49,000.

A lack of testing suggests the true figures are higher and experts say the outbreak is weeks away from its peak.

Only the US has seen more infections. Brazil’s poorest communities and indigenous people have been particularly badly hit by the pandemic.

President Jair Bolsonaro has been heavily criticized for his response to the crisis. The far-right leader – who initially described the disease as a “little flu” – has repeatedly clashed with state governors and mayors who have adopted strict restrictions to curb the spread of the virus, shutting down major cities.

Bolsonaro argues that the economic impact of the measures will be much bigger than the virus itself, a position shared by many. But his overall approach to the crisis has led to the resignation of two doctors as health minister.

As there was no national lockdown, states and cities adopted their own measures. After months of restrictions, some are slowly being lifted, even though the infection level remains high.

There is still concern that the health system will be unable to cope in some places, and that the disease is spreading faster in deprived neighborhoods and remote areas, such as indigenous communities, where access to adequate care is difficult.

At the same time, there is a widespread wish to restart the economy as analysts forecast a contraction between 6% and 8% this year with millions of jobs lost. The government has introduced temporary payments to help people affected by the pandemic but large numbers are expected to be thrown into poverty.

On Friday, Brazil’s health ministry confirmed a total of 1,032,913 cases. It said that the large spike in the number of infections was due, in part, to several states having trouble with reporting data on Thursday.

The US has the world’s highest numbers of cases – more than 2.2 million – and nearly 119,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the disease globally.

Gulshan Devaiah: I wish favouritism did not exist

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Gulshan Devaiah: I wish favouritism did not exist

Actor Gulshan Devaiah feels there is a lot of misplaced anger among people following the passing of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and says it is time to introspect and not play blame games or find what pushed him to take his life.

“We should take this opportunity to think rather than point fingers because there are a lot of conspiracy theories. There is a lot of anger that is misplaced. If you ask me, the anger is misplaced,” Gulshan told IANS.

“One needs to mourn. Actors such as myself need to think about how we play the game, whether it’s worth it or not, whether we have the endurance and whether we have the chops, whether we can deal with our disappointments. Sometimes you work hard for years and years and years and nothing really happens. It has happened before and will happen again. What do you do then? People will judge you. They will say good things to your face, and vice versa. What do you do? What are you made of? Is it worth it? Will you go on or give up? We need to figure that out. We need to find these answers and not what killed Sushant. He has gone,” he added.

Sushant was found hanging in his Bandra residence on Sunday morning by his domestic help, which left the industry and his fans shocked. He was reportedly battling depression over the past few months and undergoing treatment. The suicide sparked off a conversation around the toxic culture of Bollywood, and Gulshan feels one needs to talk about favoritism more than nepotism.

“People say nepotism. Nepotism is about family lineage when you inherit something from your family. Let’s call it favoritism. The producer is making the movie with his money and not using taxpayer’s money, so people cannot say, ‘we paid, so we want you to make this kind of film only and we want to do it by merit’. No, because it is a private enterprise,” said the actor, who has appeared in films like “Shaitan”, “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela”, “Hunterrr”, “A Death In The Gunj” and “Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota”.

He continued: “You can’t ask for merit when you can’t measure merit. How do you measure it? Everybody’s got to have an opinion. Sushant’s fans will think that Sushant deserved more. Rajkummar (Rao)’s fans will think he deserves more. My fans will think I deserve more. This is endless. This can’t be measured.”

Asked about the change he wants to see in Bollywood, he said: “People can be a little less judgmental and nicer to each other. People can stop blaming each other. I think there is an unreasonable expectation of meritocracy. Performance cannot be measured. It’s very subjective. There’s a little bit of the tendency in our industry to say that so and so is more deserving, but I feel it’s not because you cannot really measure it. But yes, I wish they were more reasonable with welding their power and wish favoritism didn’t exist.”

Gulshan understands that a “lot of people are feeling very guilty”.

“It’s very nice. It’s heartwarming that people feel that way. But it’s not their fault. I don’t know why somebody takes their life. If they leave a note then maybe there is some indication as to why they do that. Otherwise, we don’t know. So, no need to feel very guilty. We can all be very nice to each other,” added the actor, whose film “Commando 3” will air on June 21 on &pictures.

Turkey sees decline in COVID-19 new cases: Minister

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Turkey sees decline in COVID-19 new cases: Minister

The daily new COVID-19 cases in Turkey started again to decline after a week of a slight increase, said Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca.

Turkey reported 1,214 new COVID-19 cases and 23 more deaths, taking the tally of infections in the country to 185,245, and the death toll to 4,905, the minister tweeted on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported.

“Istanbul and Ankara have reported the lowest numbers of cases in the past week. New cases continue to decrease across the country,” Koca said.

A total of 1,494 patients recovered in the last 24 hours, raising the total number of recoveries to 157,516.

The minister said 41,316 tests were conducted in the last 24 hours, raising the overall number of tests to 2,863,632.

Turkey is currently treating 769 patients in intensive care units, while 310 are intubated.

Turkey reported the first COVID-19 case in the country on March 11 and stepped up the normalization process since June 1.

In the past week, daily new cases had exceeded 1,500, causing the Turkish authorities to warn citizens to obey individual precautions.

Turkey and China have supported each other in the fight against COVID-19.

The leaders of the two countries held a phone conversation on April 8, pledging to cooperate on combating the pandemic and deepen the bilateral ties.

China has facilitated the procurement of medical supplies by Turkey. On April 10, Chinese doctors and medical experts held a video conference with Turkish counterparts to share China’s experience in treating coronavirus patients, protecting medical workers, and controlling the spread of the virus.

Sundeep Kishan Transformation in this lockdown

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Sundeep Kishan Transformation in this lockdown

In this lockdown we have seen many heroines posting their workout videos regularly on social media. But we hardly see any hero sharing their daily workout regime. Yet they do sweat it out to keep themselves fit. Hero Sundeep Kishan has lost nearly 11 kilos in the last few months and he has another four kilos left to put the weight.

And here is a picture of the ‘Venkatadri Express’ hero who is flaunting his chiseled body. The other day, Sundeep posted his picture on Twitter and added that “11 Kilos Down..4 more to go.” He is doing all these stuff for his upcoming movie ‘A1 Express’ in which he would be seen as a hockey player.

Career wise, Sundeep is going through a dull phase but he is determined to give his best for his first sports drama. Accordingly Sundeep has worked out in this lockdown and achieved a toned body.

The shoot of ‘A1 Express’ is expected to commence soon and Sundeep needs to be more prepared in short time. He is certain that he would get his physique ready for the shoot and then show it off on the silver screen.

‘AC coaches not suitable for isolation wards due to transmission risks’

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‘AC coaches not suitable for isolation wards due to transmission risks’

The Indian Railways which has prepared 5,231 coaches as isolation ward coaches for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) patients on Friday said that the decision to convert non AC coaches was taken as AC coaches would not be suitable in view of the potential transmission risk as compared to non AC coaches which have cross-ventilation through open windows.

In a statement, the national transporter said, “It was stipulated that the facility should be well ventilated with adequate scope for natural lighting. The issue of AC versus non AC coaches was discussed with Niti Ayog and the Ministry of Health and Family welfare before converting these coaches for COVID patients. It was agreed that AC coaches would not be suitable in view of the potential transmission risk of Covid-19 virus through AC ducting, and generally, a higher ambient temperature was expected to assist in fighting the virus and cross circulation of air through open windows will benefit patients,” it said.

The ministry added that it was advised that these isolation ward coaches would be used only when the state facilities would get overwhelmed and it was expected that these coaches could be required for use by mid-July, by which time the virus was expected to peak. “It is reiterated that it was decided by the Empowered Group to convert non AC coaches into isolation ward coaches because of the unsuitability of AC coaches due to the potential transmission risk, and the fact that a well-ventilated area with slightly higher temperature was expected to aid in recovery,” it said.

The national transporter said that the non AC coaches would be a little warm in mid-June if the windows are kept closed, and the ambient temperature may also be around 43 degrees Celsius. “But, once mosquito nets are installed and the windows kept open, the cross circulation of air is expected to improve the temperature. It may be noted that even this kind of temperature is expected to be a temporary phenomenon as the arrival of monsoon and rains would bring relief,” it said.

The ministry said that it has taken steps to lower the temperature inside these coaches. “In order to beat the heat build-up inside the coaches due to summer temperatures, a multi-pronged strategy is being adopted, which will provide comfort to the patients and staff,” it said, adding that railways have tried cover sheets (White Canat) or suitable material being placed over the isolation coaches stationed at platforms. The railways are also applying bubble wrap films on the coaches, which are expected to reduce temperatures inside the coaches by 1-degree celsius.

The railways are also providing heat reflective paint on the roof. “During trials, it was found that temperature inside the coaches can be reduced up to 2.2 degrees Celsius. Trials are also being planned for another coating developed in association with IIT, Mumbai.”

The railways said there is also a proposal to provide a bamboo chik etc. which will lower the temperature further. A trial has also been carried out by placing portable coolers inside the coaches, which reduced the temperature by 3 degrees Celcius.

The railways are also trying water mist systems. “In the current season of dry air, it is expected that the resulting temperature reduction would enhance the comfort of expected patients,” it added.

The railways have placed over 970 isolation ward coaches in five states for the Covid-19 patients.

Pawan Kalyan and Krish Jagarlamudi’s ambitious project

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Pawan Kalyan and Krish Jagarlamudi’s ambitious project

Pawan Kalyan and Krish Jagarlamudi’s ambitious project bankrolled by AM Ratnam witnessed a massive set back even before the film rolled onto the floors. The film which had formal Pooja muhurat in Jan this year is supposed to take off after Pawan wrapping up the shoot of Vakeel Saab, Pink remake.

The makers had erected a huge set at the Aluminium factory in the city. It’s a sea and ship set erected as it is going to play a prominent role in the film. It was erected such that it look like a natural sea. Special efforts have been taken while erected the set to make it look very real. But all those efforts have gone into the drain.

The recent rains have damaged the set. The set is now in a condition that it can’t be used for the shoot. While the makers are already bogged down by the delay due to lockdown, the damage of this set is going to incur major losses to the production house.

It’s estimated that about Rs 1 Crore would be a loss to producer AM Ratnam. This is indeed a shock. Now, the makers need to erect another set and it’s going to take more time and money. Director Krish and producer Ratnam are in dilemma.

The Corona has already affected the industry badly and one is not sure when the market is going to revive and theaters are going to reopen and function as usual. With theatrical revenues likely to get affected and production costs escalating, big-budget filmmakers are worried lot.

Ladakh faceoff: Indian Air Force put on high alert

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Ladakh faceoff: Indian Air Force put on high alert

The Indian Air Force has been on high alert across Northern and Western borders with Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria personally visiting the forward location bases in Leh and Srinagar to see the preparedness on the ground.

“All fighter aircraft are put on high operational alert along the borders,” sources said.

Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria visited Leh and Srinagar air bases on July 17, two days after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in violent clashes with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops in Galway Valley in eastern Ladakh region.

He went for a two-day visit to the forward bases and returned on Friday.

The force has moved its fighter planes across the forward locations and has directed all its men to remain on high alert.

Even the Indian Navy has been put on high alert amid the ongoing tension between India and China.

On Thursday, 10 Indian Army personnel, including four officers, were released from the captivity of the People’s Liberation Army. The Indian Army personnel were released after hectic negotiations with the PLA for three consecutive days.

Indian Army said on Thursday that there were no soldiers “missing in action” following the violent clash with the PLA troops on Monday night. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also said that no Indian army personnel was missing.

The statement was made after 10 Indian soldiers, who were held in captivity from Monday night onwards, were released.

It is, however, not clear what led to Indians being taken into captivity by the PLA.

The clash on Monday night occurred on the south bank of Galway river in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.

Those were the first casualties faced by the Indian Army in a clash with the PLA since 1975 when an Indian patrol was ambushed by Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh.

Sources said Indian Army troopers were outnumbered by 1:5 ratio when they came under attack at patrolling point 14 along the Line of Actual Control.

China’s PLA troopers “savagely attacked” Indian Army personnel, according to sources in the government with knowledge of the details of the incident.

“The numbers were stacked up against the Indian Army troopers. Yet, the Indian side decided to fight the PLA troopers. The Indian soldiers were outnumbered 1:5 by the Chinese troopers,” the sources said.

China is also said to have used thermal imaging drones to trace the Indian Army soldiers scattered on the treacherous terrain before brutally attacking them.

“It was the deadliest attack carried on Indian Army personnel by the Chinese military personnel in our memory,” the government sources said.

The Indian Army said the soldiers went to the spot where the clashes broke out without any animosity and were displaying friendly gestures to the Chinese side. They were there to check if the de-escalation agreement was being followed as promised.

Hero Cycles expects market share growth to buck Covid impact

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Hero Cycles expects market share growth to buck Covid impact

Leading bicycle maker Hero Cycles expects to increase its market share in India to 45-50 percent in the current financial year, despite the slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the nationwide lockdown.

In an interview with IANS, Pankaj M. Munjal, Chairman and Managing Director, Hero Motors Company – of which Hero Cycles is a group company, said that sales in India during the lockdown took a big hit but since June 8, when the restrictions were by and largely lifted, sales have picked up.

“It’s difficult to cope up 100 percent lost sales of Q1 (April-June) but we are hopeful that we will cover most of it consolidating our market share to 45-50 percent this year, up from 40 percent March 2020,” he said.

Munjal, however, noted that during the lockdown period, unlike in India, demand increased for the company’s cycles in Europe. “In fact, the demand was greater than the supply because no one expected a spike so sudden and tall,” the CMD told IANS.

On the company’s plans in the electric cycles’ segment, he said that although the “electronic revolution” in India has been slow, over the past one year there has been growth in the segment and Hero Cycles expects to double the sales of its e-bikes this fiscal.

In just two years, the company has sold nearly 25,000 units, he said.

“E-cycles’ penetration today increased to 200 cities and expected to grow to 250 to 300 within this financial year as well. We are also hoping to double the sales of our e-bikes in FY 2020.”

The bicycle industry leader also hoped that with the growing trend of environmental consciousness amongst consumers, e-bikes or e-cycles will be looked at as a more eco-friendly, economical, non-motorized, personalized alternate mode of travel.

As the lockdown gets lifted in phases, Munjal was of the view that the cycle industry and the demand scenario in the market will pick up faster compared to other sectors.

Further, given shared mobility for transportation and gyms for fitness requirements are unlikely to be preferred soon in the near future, people may opt for cycles and e-cycles as an alternative both for fitness and commuting, he said.

Asked about any delay in strategic decisions and planned operations due to the lockdown, he admitted that there has been “a slight delay”. He said that the Hero Industrial Park that the company is building in Ludhiana, where Hero Cycles is based, has fallen a bit behind schedule.

“Hero Industrial Park that we are working on got halted because of the COVID situation. Since the lockdown is nearly lifted, we are trying to put things back on track and complete construction by September and start production by Q4 FY 2020,” he said.

Munjal added that there are no other plans which have seen a major course correction.

The Hero Motors Company CMD told IANS that in the wake of the unanticipated COVID crisis the company is trying to curtail any extra cost by making the value chain more efficient.

He also said that Hero Cycles is supporting its dealers with extended credit periods and other support that they may require to continue operations and be back in business.

Rajya Sabha polls: Congress urges EC to cancel two BJP MLAs’ votes

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Rajya Sabha polls: Congress urges EC to cancel two BJP MLAs’ votes

The Gujarat Congress on Friday complained to the Election Commission of India against BJP MLAs Bhupendrasinh Chudasama and Kesarisinh and urged for canceling their votes in the Rajya Sabha biennial elections here during the day.

Voting for four Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat was held at the Assembly building here on Friday.

Congress complained that Bhupendrasinh’s Assembly seat victory was quashed by the Gujarat High Court and his Assembly membership no longer existed.

The party said Kesarisinh cast his vote through a proxy voter, despite being totally fit till Thursday. “If a proxy voter was required due to his failing health condition, Kesarisinh ought to have applied for the required permission from the Election Commission prior to the day of the filing of nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections,” Congress said.

The Congress urged the commission to cancel the votes of these BJP MLA and not count them when counting of votes was taken up during the day.

The BJP had fielded three nominees and the Congress two for the four seats. There was a fight between BJP’s Narhari Amin and Congress’ Bharatsinh Solanki, both of whom required 35 votes to win the election.

The BJP had 33 votes and Congress 30 votes as none of them had sufficient votes to ensure a clear-cut victory for their candidates. Both were relying on the votes of other parties like BTP, NCP, and independent voters.

Two Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) MLAs said they would not vote till a written assurance about the welfare of tribals, Dalits, and migrants. This development put Congress to a disadvantage as it was heavily relying on such votes.

AP reports 4 deaths, record high of 376 Covid cases

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AP reports 4 deaths, record high of 376 Covid cases

With every passing day, Andhra Pradesh is reporting a higher number of Covid-19 cases and Friday was no exception with the state registering yet another record single-day tally of 376 cases.

On Thursday, the day’s tally was 299 cases, while on Wednesday, 275 positive cases had been detected in Andhra Pradesh.

Following the latest update, Andhra Pradesh’s cumulative tally soared to 6,320 from the overnight tally of 5,854 COVID cases. Friday saw the death toll shoot up with four deaths getting recorded in the 24 hours ending 9 a.m.

The death toll continues to climb with every passing day. Two persons died in Krishna district while one death each was reported from Srikakulam and Prakasam districts. With the latest update, Andhra Pradesh’s death toll stands at 96.

On a positive note, the death rate has been steadily improving with the state’s mortality rate dipping with every day.

On Friday, the situation on this front further improved, with mortality rate dipping further to 1.21 percent from the overnight rate of 1.23 percent. A day earlier, it was 1.27 percent.

Data released on Friday showed that Andhra Pradesh stood at 9th position in the country in terms of mortality rate.

In comparison, on Friday, India’s mortality rate dipped marginally to 3.30 percent from the previous day’s figures of 3.33 percent.

Meanwhile, the cumulative tally of active cases in the state increased to 3,069 from Thursday’s figures of 2,779 active cases, the state’s nodal officer reported.

Despite a substantial number of recoveries, Andhra Pradesh continues to lag on the recovery parameter.

With a recovery rate of 49.05 percent on Friday, Andhra Pradesh ranked 21st or at the bottom of the list of states. India’s recovery rate is comparatively higher at 53.80 percent.

On Friday, 82 persons recovered and were discharged from hospitals, compared to the 77 recoveries reported on Thursday. The latest update raised the cumulative tally of cured persons in the state to 3,065 from the overnight figure of 2983.

Compared to the 13,923 samples tested on Thursday, a relatively higher number of 17,609 tests were conducted in the 24 hours ending 9 a.m., Friday, the nodal officer reported.

The state has conducted 6,30,006 tests, compared to Rajasthan’s 6,54,816, Maharashtra’s 7,19,637, and Tamil Nadu’s 8,00,443. So far, 6,426,627 tests have been conducted across India.

There was no respite on other fronts too. The cumulative tally of COVID-19 cases on Friday jumped by 70 to touch 1,423 cases. The tally of active cases further climbed to 630 from the overnight tally of 611. Friday saw 51 persons belonging to this category being discharged from the hospital.

Among foreign returnees to the state, 26 new cases were detected, taking the cumulative tally to 308. The number of active cases in this category climbed to 261 on Friday, from the 242 cases reported overnight.

‘Bulbbul’ trailer is out now

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‘Bulbbul’ trailer is out now

Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma’s next production is ‘Bulbbul’ and the trailer of it is out. The trailer begins with two kids conversation about a witch who lives in the trees with twisted feet. And cut to the scene we see a five to seven years old girl getting married to an elderly man and he is Rahul Bose.

As the trailer unfolds itself, the film is all about a woman called Bulbbul who loves her childhood friend Satya. But Bulbbul is stuck in a regal place which belongs to a royal family. The movie touches the topics of child marriage, fairy tales and the trailer is really intriguing.

The visuals are very scary while the background music is quite haunting. The narration of the trailer is edgy giving an impression that it would certainly scare the audiences.

Directed by Anvita Dutt, the film features Tripti Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, Paoli Dam and Parambrata Chattopadhyay in lead roles. ‘Bulbbul’ is releasing on Netlflix on June 24th.

Rhea had told the police that they had planned to marry

Team TeluguBullet
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Rhea had told the police that they had planned to marry

Late Sushant Singh Rajput’s untimely and unnatural death has turned out to be mysterious. With no suicide note found of the actor at his Bandra residency and there are several speculations surrounding his death, Maharashtra police are probing his death. Though the post mortem report confirmed that he died due to hanging, cops are probing the incident since it is a high-profile case and cops are leaving no stone unturned.

Mumbai police had questioned Rhea Chakraborty yesterday for nearly nine hours. In the long interrogation, Rhea had revealed several interesting elements. She had admitted that Sushant and she were in a relationship. She had reportedly told cops that they were in a living-in relationship and they were together in Sushant’s house during lockdown. She had also told cops that their wedding rumours which were circulating online were true.

Rhea had told the police that they had planned to marry by the end of 2020 and were looking for a property together. She, however, told cops that she and Sushant had a fight and that made her come out of his house. However, Rhea said she was in touch with Sushant over phone and text messages. In fact, Rhea was the last person, Sushant had called. He had called Rhea on Saturday night before going to sleep and he was found dead on Sunday morning.

Rhead had told police that Sushant was under depression. She added that he had refused to take medication. She showed proof to police that he was on treatment for clinical depression. She told police that Sushant had refused medicines and turned towards Yoga and Meditation. This is not all. Rhea has made a shocking revelation. She said that Sushant had ended a contract with Yash Raj Films and had even asked her to do the same. Rhea’s statements have been recorded by Mumbai police. More details are awaited.

Novak Djokovic appeared to row back on scepticism

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Novak Djokovic appeared to row back on scepticism

World number one Novak Djokovic appeared to row back on scepticism over plans to stage the US Open, saying on Thursday he was “extremely happy” the Grand Slam had escaped the coronavirus cull which claimed Wimbledon and much of the season. Djokovic had initially voiced unease over the United States Tennis Association’s intention to keep the event starting on August 31 at Flushing Meadows despite New York being the hardest-hit city by the US coronavirus crisis.

He described health protocols as “extreme” and “impossible”.However, organisers will have been encouraged by the positive noises coming from the three-time US Open champion on Thursday.”I’m extremely happy and excited to see that all the tournaments, especially Grand Slams, are organising their events,” the Serb said in reference also to the French Open, rescheduled now to start in late September.

“I think that a lot of people were sceptical, especially for the US events considering what the US went through as a country during this pandemic,” the 17-time Grand Slam winner told Eurosport’s Tennis Legends podcast.

“So a lot of people, including myself, were quite sceptical on whether it would happen or not.”We are very glad that it is happening, of course, and it is very important that we provide opportunities, we provide jobs, we provide opportunities for players to compete.

“Because at the end of the day, this is what we do! As tennis professionals we love the sport; we are passionate about it. We miss competing and travelling and, at the end of the day, we miss being on tour. So I think this is very positive news.”

The 33-year-old said he hoped the stringent restrictions including the existing ban on South American players travelling to compete would be eased before the Grand Slam gets underway.

“Let’s hope that in the next two months some of those restrictions will loosen up a bit and that we will have a great, great tournament.”This month Djokovic had said that most players he had spoken to had “a rather negative view” about playing in New York, and predicted some would instead switch to the delayed clay court season.

K’taka CM’s home-office shut after staffer’s kin tests positive

TB Team
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K’taka CM’s home-office shut after staffer’s kin tests positive

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa’s home-office in the city center was shut for sanitization after the husband of a woman employee working there tested COVID-19 positive, an official said on Friday.

“The chief minister’s home-office has been closed for sanitization after the employee’s husband tested positive for coronavirus,” an official of the Chief Minister’s Office told IANS here.

The employee did not report for duty for two days after her husband was infected with the virus.

“The chief minister’s engagements, including an official event involving the state police department, were shifted to the Vidhana Soudha (state secretariat),” said the official.

As the employee was on outpost duty, she did not come in contact with the Chief Minister or his cabinet colleagues and other senior officials.

Earlier in the day, the divisional railway manager’s office in the city center was shut for sanitization after a visiting employee tested positive for coronavirus.

“The three-floor DRM office has been closed for the day for sanitisation and all employees have been advised to work from home as one of our staffers who visited the office early this week tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday,” senior Divisional Commercial Manager Krishna Reddy told IANS here.

The DRM’s office is located adjacent to the Krantivira Sangoli Rayanna (KSR) main railway station in the city center.

The state’s mini secretariat Vikas Soudha adjacent to the iconic Vidhana Soudha in the city center has also been shut for sanitization after a government employee working in it tested COVID positive.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), entrusted with the task of containing the virus spread, has already sanitized a portion of the massive building in the city center.

After an employee of the food and civil supplies department tested positive, all offices on the ground floor of the mini-secretariat were sealed and sanitized.

The city registered 17 fresh cases on Thursday, taking the total number of positive cases to 844. With 14 discharged earlier in the day, 384 have been cured of the infection, while 408 are under treatment.

Of the 114 COVID deaths across the southern state since March 10, Bengaluru has accounted for 51 to date.

Italian government agreed to ease quarantine restrictions for football teams

Team TeluguBullet
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Italian government agreed to ease quarantine restrictions for football teams

The Italian government on Thursday agreed to ease quarantine restrictions for football teams in the case of a positive coronavirus test as Serie A prepares to return to action this weekend.

Italian football federation president Gabriele Gravina hailed the decision as “another step forward for the completion of this sporting season”. The required two-week quarantine period for the entire team and staff in the case of a positive test for COVID-19 would have made it difficult for the championship to conclude.

Health Minister Roberto Speranza gave the green light to a “soft” quarantine, meaning that if a positive case is discovered only the infected person will be isolated.

The squad and staff will be closely monitored and a quick test will be performed on the whole team on the day of the match.

Gravina added “I now hope now with a great sense of responsibility, starting from the fans who fuel the passion for football every day, that we adopt behaviour that does not nullify the efforts being made.”

Serie A returns to action on Saturday after a three-month coronavirus shutdown with four postponed games.

Torino host Parma and Cagliari travel to Hellas Verona, while, on Sunday, Atalanta host Sassuolo in Bergamo, and Inter Milan are at home against Sampdoria.

League leaders Juventus, who have a one-point lead on Lazio, play at Bologna on Monday as they target a ninth consecutive title.

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