Lohan Louwrens, Divan la Cock, Tangeni Lungameni among new faces in Namibia’s T20 World Cup squad

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Lohan Louwrens, Divan la Cock, Tangeni Lungameni among new faces in Namibia’s T20 World Cup squad

Wicketkeeper-batter Lohan Louwrens, batter Divan la Cock, and pacer Tangeni Lungameni are the three new names in Namibia’s 16-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia from October 16 to November 13.

The squad will be led by skipper Gerhard Erasmus and sees a rich blend of youth as well as experience. Many of the impressive performers from the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE have been retained as Namibia hopes to replicate their superlative performances from last year in Australia.

In their maiden outing in the Men’s T20 World Cup last year, Namibia impressed one and all with their performances, coming out of a tough draw in Round 1 that included Sri Lanka, Netherlands, and Ireland to qualify for the Super 12 stage of the tournament. Though they lost to Sri Lanka, Namibia won against the Netherlands and Ireland to enter the Super 12 stage, where they were placed alongside Scotland (won by four wickets), New Zealand, Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan.

Skipper Erasmus will bank on the likes of JJ Smit, Stephen Baard, Jan Frylinck, Nicol Loftie Eaton, Ruben Trumpelmann, and globe-trotting David Wiese, who were members of the squad from the campaign in 2021, to put better performances in the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup.

In Australia, Namibia has been placed alongside Asia Cup 2022 champions Sri Lanka, Netherlands, and the UAE in Group A of the Round 1 stage of the tournament. They will open their campaign against Sri Lanka on October 16 at Kardinia Park in Geelong. They will face the Netherlands on October 18 and the UAE on October 20 at the same venue.

Before kickstarting their journey in Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, Namibia will play warm-up matches against Ireland on October 11 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and against Zimbabwe at the same venue on October 13.

Pierre de Bruyn remains the head coach while former South Africa all-rounder Albie Morkel continues to be the assistant coach. His brother, former South Africa pacer Morne Morkel, will be the side’s bowling consultant.

Namibia squad: Gerhard Erasmus (captain), JJ Smit, Divan la Cock, Stephen Baard, Nicol Loftie Eaton, Jan Frylinck, David Wiese, Ruben Trumpelmann, Zane Green, Bernard Scholtz, Tangeni Lungameni, Michael van Lingen, Ben Shikongo, Karl Birkenstock, Lohan Louwrens, Helao Ya France.

England’s Sarah Glenn reaches the second position in ICC Women’s T20I bowler rankings

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England’s Sarah Glenn reaches the second position in ICC Women’s T20I bowler rankings

England leg-spin all-rounder Sarah Glenn has closed in on compatriot, the left-arm spinner, Sophie Ecclestone in the ICC Women’s T20I bowler rankings after a fine show in the first match of their three-T20I series against India at Chester-le-Street on Saturday.

Sarah, whose career-best haul of 4/23 helped her team to a nine-wicket victory and won her the Player of the Match award, is at a career-best-equalling second position and just 13 rating points adrift of Sophie.

She has been ranked second on a few occasions in the past too, most recently last month, before she was overtaken by her team-mate, veteran pacer Katherine Brunt, who has been rested from the T20I series against India.

Young England batters, Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey, too have made notable gains after the first match of their series. Sophia’s unbeaten 61 off 44 balls sees her move up 13 places to 44th position while Alice’s brisk 32 not out off 20 deliveries has lifted her 12 places to 52nd. Pacer Freya Davis has gained nine places and is 59th among bowlers.

For India, seamer Renuka Singh has jumped five places to be at 13th place while all-rounder Deepti Sharma (up three places to 33rd) and wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh (up four places to 75th) have made moves in the women’s T20I batters’ ranking.

Ireland and Scotland players too have something to cheer about ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2022 starting Sunday in Abu Dhabi, in which they are pooled together in Group A.

Saskia Horley of Scotland has moved up 16 places to 54th among batters after her knock of 44 in a losing cause in their second T20I while Ireland leg-spinner Cara Murray’s two-wicket haul has lifted her 14 places to 94th position.

Ireland’s Leah Paul (up three places to 68th), Arlene Kelly (up 16 places to 74th) and captain Laura Delany (up eight places to 75th) have moved up in the list of bowlers while all-rounder Orla Prendergast has advanced in all three lists.

BJP’s march to Bengal secretariat takes violent turn; party’s state prez stages ‘sit-in’

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BJP’s march to Bengal secretariat takes violent turn; party’s state prez stages ‘sit-in’

Violence broke out in different parts of Kolkata adjacent to Howrah district, especially in the Santragachi area, following clashes between police and BJP supporters, over the latter’s march to the West Bengal secretariat against corruption issues on Tuesday.

Tension gripped the area as the second arm of the marching BJP supporters, led by the state BJP president in West Bengal and party MP, Sukanta Majumdar and BJP legislator, Agnimitra Paul started moving towards the state secretariat of Nabanna from Santragachi on the Howrah side.

A huge police contingent deployed there stopped the marching BJP supporters. The police resorted to baton charging and water cannons to disperse the agitated BJP supporters, who retaliated with brickbats and bamboo poles. Finally, the police resorted to firing of teargas shells to dispel the mob.

Being stopped from progressing further, Sukanta Majumdar and Agnimitra Pual immediately sat down on the streets along with their supporters near Howrah Maidan and started a sit-in demonstration. Both alleged that the police, along with ruling Trinamool Congress activists, resorted to unprovoked attacks on their supporters. Later, Sukanta Majumdar was also put in the prison van.

Separate clashes were reported between the BJP supporters and the police forces at the Santragachi railway station. The saffron wing activists started picking up stones from the railway tracks and pelting the police. The police also resorted to baton charges and teargas shell firing to control the violent mob. Some of the police personnel were also injured in the clashes.

Following the clashes, the traffic at the adjacent Kona Expressway got totally disrupted, with a large number of vehicles, including some ambulances ferrying critical patients, got stranded.

Trinamool Congress state general secretary and the party spokesman, Kunal Ghosh said the BJP leaders and workers deliberately attacked the police personnel. “The BJP leaders know that they lack mass base and support in West Bengal. So, they are trying to attract attention through such violent tactics,” he said.

Sukanta Majumdar said that the police had started actions against BJP workers across the state from early Tuesday morning much before the beginning of the rally. “Many of our supporters were not even allowed to board the trains coming to Kolkata this morning,” he alleged.

Odisha amends real estate regulation rules; builders can’t charge GST, other taxes

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Odisha amends real estate regulation rules; builders can’t charge GST, other taxes

Home buyers in Odisha do not need to pay GST, cess, and any other charges above the fixed price to the builders, as per new norms.

Following the direction of the Orissa high court, the Odisha government has amended the Odisha Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Rules, 2017. As per the amended rules, the builder cannot charge any additional tax or charges above the fixed price.

“The total price should include taxes paid or payable by the promoter by way of GST, cess and such other taxes which may be levied, in connection with the construction of the project payable by the promoter up to the date of handing over the possession of the (apartment/plot) to the allottee,” read the notification issued by housing and urban development department.

However, in case there is any change or modification in the taxes, the subsequent amount payable by the allottee to the promoter will be increased or reduced based on such change or modification, it said.

As per the amendments, the promoter will have to abide by the time schedule for completing the project as disclosed at the time of registration with the authority. Any imposition or increase of development charges after the expiry of the deadline of a project will not be charged by the allottees.

Besides, the allottees will also have the right to visit the site to assess the extent of development of the project and his/her apartment or plot.

The promoters will have to assure the allottees that the project in its entirety is in accordance with the provisions of the laws, rules, and regulations for the time being in force.

Similarly, the promoters will have to hand over the common areas to the association of allottees after duly obtaining the occupancy certificate from the competent authority.

The builders will also have to hand over the necessary documents and plans including common areas to the association of allottees or the competent authority within 30 days after obtaining the occupancy certificate.

Moreover, the promoter undertakes that it has no right to make additions or to put up the additional structure(s) anywhere in the project after the building plan, layout plan, sanction plan, and specifications, amenities and facilities have been approved by the competent authority and disclosed.

Swiggy offers free skill-based learning to gig workers, their kids

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Swiggy offers free skill-based learning to gig workers, their kids

A Skilling initiative has been announced by the online food delivery platform to their delivery boys and children of the workers in the company for free to get gain new skills.

Swiggy has shared up with Khan Academy which is a non-profitable firm to provide skill-based courses and certifications on the subjects through Skill Academy. and also partnered with Google, which will be providing read Along , a speech-based reading tool for the delivery partner children to gain knowledge on the reading skills.

“To create the best opportunities in the carrier of our executives and carrier growth, We started an initiative with Swiggy Skills,” said Girish Menon, Head of Human Resources at Swiggy. In the academy, they can learn courses like spoken English, time management, mental-physical health dressing, personal finance, computer skills, etc.

Children of our professionals and their siblings, nephews of delivery Boyes, and many students can also get connected through Swiggy Skills Academy to know to learn new skills. Around 24000 children were registered with Swiggy Skills Academy, after its launch within in short time.

Amit Trivedi’s Mahakal song from ‘Goodbye’ gets 25 mn view in less than 24 hours

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Amit Trivedi’s Mahakal song from ‘Goodbye’ gets 25 mn view in less than 24 hours

The coming film of collaboration with Amitabh Bachchan and Rashmik Mandanna ‘Goodbye’ is crossed 25 million views of its trailer within the short span of time after the launch.

After the trailer, which is having a good melody like ‘Jaikal Mahakla’, got an impressive response from the audience, the movie makers decided to unveil the first song of the film on Monday, September 12. Aamir Trivedi who composed many songs in movies like ‘Aamir’, ‘Dev D’ and ‘Shabaash Mithu’, has given composition to the song as well as sung him also and  The lyrics were down by Swanand Kirkire.

Senior composer and singer maha aarti said, “working with Vikas sir in the movie projects is a very good experience, we  had a little bit challenging to shoot of the particular song for the film, and hope you all enjoy that song.”

Written and directed by Vikas Bahl, ‘Goodbye’ is a family comedy-drama film. It is a story of an Indian family depicted by the Bhalla family and it highlights the importance of family values and relationships. In the movie, Rashmika plays Big B’s daughter, and Neena Gupta is her mother.

The film features Amitabh Bachchan and Rashmika Mandanna and it also stars Sunil Grover, Pavel Gulati, Ashish Vidyarthi, Elli AvrRam, Sahil Mehta, and Shivin Narang. Produced by Ektaa R Kapoor’s Balaji Motion Pictures in association with Good Co., ‘GoodBye’ is all set to release on October 7.

Virat Kohli opening the batting is definitely a big option for the Indian team: Rohan Gavaskar

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Virat Kohli opening the batting is definitely a big option for the Indian team: Rohan Gavaskar

Though India didn’t win Asia Cup 2022, the return of form for talismanic batter Virat Kohli brought great joy to Indian fans. He was scratchy while making 35 in his 100th T20I against Pakistan. But as the tournament progressed, his fluency kept going up.

After two half-centuries and a duck, Kohli slammed a sensational, career-best 122 against Afghanistan, ending his century drought across formats of 1020 days. That effort, which sent fans into a frenzy, came while opening the batting with KL Rahul as captain Rohit Sharma opted to rest to sign off from Asia Cup 2022 on a high.

Now, former India cricketer Rohan Gavaskar feels that Kohli opening the batting can become a huge option for the side ahead of the Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia next month.

“Look, in terms of should Virat is opening, I think it’s a great option. You look at his T20 numbers, they are outstanding. He averages about 55-57 and his strike rate is about 160. Those are phenomenal numbers.”

“His last innings, again unbeaten innings of 122, tells you that he probably relishes opening as well. If memory serves me right, he wanted to open or he said he wanted to open in the Indian T20 league (IPL) in this edition of the last edition, he said that’s the spot I want to be. So, it’s obviously something that he wants to do. So, it’s definitely a big option for the Indian team,” said Gavaskar on the ‘Sports Over The Top’ show on Sports18.

With Kohli showing signs of his dominant old self again, opening the batting with him will mean that KL Rahul, whose approach with the bat in T20Is hasn’t been impressive, will have to drop out of the eleven, with Suryakumar Yadav pushed to three, something which according to Gavaskar could well be a possibility.

“It does open up those options and you’re right, SKY (Suryakumar) batting at number 3 it’s a pleasing thought. But I have to say if Virat opens, he showed what a tremendous success he is as an opener. It means one of my favorite players will have to make way which is KL Rahul.”

“Because KL Rahul, I’ve said this before, he’s an absolute class act. So look, it’s one of that tricky sorts of situations but SKY at number 3, I think that’s what we want. His numbers you know and as rightly said, he’s one of the best batters in T20.”

India’s next match in the format will be the first of three T20Is against Australia on September 20 in Mohali.

Stunning reaction for the trailer of ‘Parole’ revealed by Vijay Sethupathi.

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Stunning reaction for the trailer of ‘Parole’ revealed by Vijay Sethupathi.

The trailer of director Dwarakh Raja’s upcoming gangster action thriller, ‘Parole’, released by actor Vijay Sethupathi recently, has garnered over a million views on YouTube.

Interestingly, Vijay Sethupathi has not only lent his voice for the trailer but also did a voiceover in the movie.

Ask how he got actor Vijay Sethupathi to do a voiceover for the film and director Dwarakh Raja says: “This project is a dream of our entire team. Every family has a story. But ‘Parole’ is a movie about the untold and hidden stories of a family.

“The story is about the thrilling events that take place when a man brings out his elder brother on parole from prison to attend the funeral rites of their mother.

“Although the movie has an emotional family backdrop, it is laced with lots of action sequences. Moreover, its gripping screenplay will entertain audiences from all walks of life.

“Vijay Sethupathi sir has given voiceover, not only for the trailer but for the movie as well. I screened the movie after its completion, and he liked it a lot. I requested that his voiceover during the opening sequences will add more value to the film. He immediately agreed and completed the voiceover portions despite his busy schedule.”

The response to the trailer of ‘Parole’, produced by Madhusudhanan of TRIPR Entertainment, has delighted the director, who said: “It gives immense happiness to see the heart-warming response to the ‘Parole’ trailer. The star cast comprises R. S. Karthik, Linga, Kalpika, Monisha Murali, Vinodhini Vaidyanathan, Janaki Suresh, Mak Mani, Shivam, Dennis, and Immanuel alongside a few more prominent actors.

Following the grand reception of the film’s trailer, preparations are on for the worldwide theatrical release of ‘Parole’. Sources said that an official announcement on the release date of the film will be made soon.

Zoom app comes up with Zoom Team Chat name

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Zoom app comes up with Zoom Team Chat name

Zoom, which is used for video conferences for meetings in such areas as job fields for client meetings, online study classes for students as well as job holders, etc,  has changed its name to Zoom Team Chat instead of Zoom Chat to improve its services for teamwork, even if competitors are providing better futures than this.

Many more investments have been spent on Zoom Team Chat’s abilities, It may reveal more futures and other improvements in the coming month, Zoom said.

“To gather whole places, devices, and meetings, Our virtual platform will bring you to the place and make easy to work than other modes. The main success key point of our platform is team meetings,” the company told in the blog post.

“We are calling it Zoom Chats till now. So we have changed it to Zoom Team Chat officially, to the user in the future assistance and for more future and enhancement of the teamwork and meetings,” it said in that.

The company said Team Chat extends beyond instant messaging. It is a powerful collaboration hub that leverages 1:1 and group chats and channels to integrate workstreams, keep projects on track, and connect stakeholders.

Team Chat will help you in sharing files between two clients, collaborating with colleagues virtually, and voice messages send within the same platform, and simply accessing with others in the form of virtual.

If you want to go for the live or chat and communicate between the two devices such as a cell phone via whiteboard, you can click the button on the right side of the Zoom Team Chat. Company said.

Additionally, Team Chat is a valuable external communication tool. It provides a seamless and secure communication experience for external contacts, including consultants, vendors, clients, and more. A notice in the chat or channel “compose” message box even identifies when an external user is present.

“We will continue to evolve other areas of our portfolio to meet your current and emerging demands. We have introduced three new products this year alone to elevate visual collaboration, enhance the customer experience, and improve sales motions,” the platform said.

Flu on the rise among children in TN

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Flu on the rise among children in TN

Children are hospitalized because of the Flu increase increasing on children’s bodies across several districts of Tamil Nadu state. Many hospitals are increasing the admission of the flu virus.

Because of the virus’s malady, Many students are absent from schools where the disease is increasing day by day in the kid’s bodies as well as in colleges also the same situation.

Doctors are saying about the situation of flu in children’s bodies at the hospitals where the patients are coming with the Flu infections such as fever, cold, and cough from the past few days across the state of Tamil Nadu. 25 percent increased virus patients.

Professor of Pediatrics in a Government Medical College in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Manonmani. G  when speaking with the media said, “Covid-19 protocols are not followed, They are coming without masks, and this is the main one of reasons to increase flu in children.”

She said that new forms of viruses are present among the samples taken for research and most of the children are affected by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) which has replaced pneumonia as the common causative agent of common cold and fever among children.

Dr. Manonmani also said that after more relaxations from pandemic protocols, viruses are coming back with a vengeance. She said that certain viruses which mutate often are also present in the test samples during research and that it was a matter of concern.

Doctors also said that Human parainfluenza virus- 3 (Respiratory illness associated with bronchiolitis, bronchi, and pneumonia), rhinovirus, and influenza B virus are commonly seen during this season from the samples being tested.

Dr. Bindu Menon, a virologist at Madurai medical college said that there are some emerging viruses that have never been seen before and added that all these viruses are getting hosts and that the transmission rates are on the increase.

She said that the flu is only for three to four days in children, but the children are into prolonged coughs for three weeks and are not responding to even cough syrups.

The Children’s wards in almost all the government hospitals in many districts of Tamil Nadu are full as the admission rates due to fever and cold are on the rise.

Apple likely to bring iPhone subscription this year

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Apple likely to bring iPhone subscription this year

Tech giant Apple is likely to bring out a monthly iPhone subscription bundle, with a package combining hardware and services like Apple One this year.

The hardware subscription, which would allow customers to acquire iPhones and other items from Apple for a monthly fee, has floated around in rumors for a while, but has yet to become a reality, reports AppleInsider.

While the tech giant had an opportunity to introduce such a service during its iPhone 14 event, it may still make an appearance in the coming weeks, the report said.

Apple is supposedly thought to be “actively testing” the service, according to Mark Gurman’s “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg. While being tested, Gurman said he still expects it “to launch either later this year or next year.”

The proposed subscription was not announced or mentioned during the iPhone event to “reduce launch day complexity,” since it would be an “entirely new way to buy an iPhone”.

Given the expectation of an October event for iPad and Mac launches, there could be a high chance Apple could use that presentation as a venue for a subscription launch, as per the report.

Apple already offers several direct ways customers can get the latest flagships, including the iPhone Upgrade Program and installment programs, like Apple Card.

However, the subscription would differ as customers would not just pay a portion of the hardware cost, but also for a suite of services on top, the report noted.

Putin sacks top general following crushing defeat in eastern Ukraine

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Putin sacks top general following crushing defeat in eastern Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin is reported to have sacked a top-ranking general just 16 days after appointing him following his crushing defeat in eastern Ukraine, media reports said.

The Russian President is thought to have relieved Lieutenant General Roman Berdnikov of his duties over the failure of Kremlin troops to keep hold of vast swathes of Ukrainian territory over the last few days, Daily Mail reported.

A counter-offensive by Ukrainian forces has seen troops push to within 30 miles of the border, amid reports that ‘panicked’ Russian troops have been abandoning tanks, weapons, and supplies.

There have been claims from some sources that Russian soldiers have “literally ran from their positions”, even leaving behind their clothes as they ran away from the advancing Ukrainian army in the Kharkiv oblast in the north-east of the country, Daily Mail reported.

It came as Ukrainian soldiers surge into the east of the country in an effort that has seen them take more than 1,000 square miles of territory in a matter of days, in a period of time that could prove to be a turning point in the war.

The move came after a sustained Ukrainian disinformation campaign’ about a counter-offensive in the south, which succeeded in diverting Russian troops in that direction and leaving the northeast vulnerable to attack, Daily Mail reported.

The main advance in the area began six days ago and has forced Moscow to withdraw its troops to prevent them from being surrounded.

According to the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Lt General Berdnikov was appointed as commander of the Western Armed Forces on August 26.

However, it seems his time in charge was short-lived, with Ukrainian intelligence saying he has been sacked by Putin due to the rout in Kharkiv. There has been no confirmation from the Kremlin on this.

This came after unconfirmed reports back in June that he had been killed during fighting in the Donbas region of Ukraine.

As Russian troops desperately scrambled to get clear from oncoming forces in recent days, one Ukrainian unit said the chain of command had been broken and Kremlin troops were running away without even attempting to fight back, Daily Mail reported.

Delta variant of coronavirus could evade immune system, finds study

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Delta variant of coronavirus could evade immune system, finds study

The human immune system can’t produce the defense molecules against the Delta variant as effectively as against the other variants of coronavirus, revealed a study.

Dr. Krishnan Harshan’s group led the study, in collaboration with Dr. Divya Tej Sowpati’s group at CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, to try to understand if hosts, that is humans infected by the virus, react differently to the different SARS-CoV-2 variants.

In this study published in Microbiology Spectrum journal, the researchers found that the immune system could not produce the defense molecules against the Delta variant as effectively as the other variants. While infection due to the other four variants alerted the immune system quickly, the Delta variant could silently replicate in the host cells.

In the last almost three years, there have been many SARS-CoV-2 variants spreading across the world. Their outcomes have varied greatly, with the Delta variant being the deadliest.

The researchers selected five different SARS-CoV-2 variants and studied how the human immune system responds to the variants. The studied variants included Alpha, Delta, and three other variants that emerged before the Alpha variant. Upon viral infection, the first line of attack by the host’s immune system is by producing certain defense chemicals that break down the viruses. The researchers studied how their production responds to these five variants.

“We infected the human cells in a cell culture system with these different variants of the virus and monitored the production of known immune defense molecules and the activation of signaling pathways associated with them,” said Dixit Tandel, the first author of the study.

“We navigated through the hundreds of immune pathways known to us using high throughput sequencing and analysis,” said Dr. Nitesh Kumar Singh, who worked on the project with Dr. Sowpati.

“We have identified that molecular mechanisms regulating the host immune response have not been as potent against the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. This also includes the production of interferons, immune molecules often used for antiviral therapies. The study hints at why the Delta variant could spread more easily,” said Dr. Krishnan Harshan, the lead investigator in this work.

He added that the study also helps us understand how viruses evolve with changing effects on human hosts.

Centre trying to establish ‘Agency Raj’, deterring job creation: Mamata

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Centre trying to establish ‘Agency Raj’, deterring job creation: Mamata

Two days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized Rs 17.32 crore in cash from the residence of a city-based businessman in connection with a mobile gaming app fraud case, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee echoed her Cabinet colleagues in slamming the recent central agency activities in the state.

“The Union government does not want more jobs to be created. An attempt is being made to establish an ‘Agency Raj’. There is absolutely no development,” the Chief Minister said at an event to hand over appointment letters to various beneficiaries under ‘Utkarsh Bangla’, a skill development scheme of the state government, at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here.

She also launched a scathing attack on the Centre over the disinvestment of government stakes in public sector entities.

“The Union government is selling Railways, SAIL, and CIL. How will new jobs be created? In the midst of this Agency Raj, we are trying to develop industries and create jobs in the state. I am proud that after being trained here, the youth of West Bengal are getting job offers from outside. I request those who are going outside to come back to the state as there will be enough jobs in West Bengal only,” the Chief Minister said.

She also attacked the opposition parties in the state and the media for showing West Bengal in poor light.

“They are always resorting to slander. Had they highlighted the positive works of the state government, both Bengal and its people would have benefited,” Banerjee said.

Ever since the seizure of a large amount of cash by the ED on Saturday, Trinamool Congress leaders have been slamming the recent central agency activities in the state.

When the counting of notes was on Saturday, state minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim had said that the continuous raids and search operations by the central agencies were part of the Centre and BJP’s ploy to show West Bengal in poor light.

“Such excessive central agency actions, in my opinion, is a ploy to send a negative image about West Bengal to potential investors,” Hakim said.

Soon after that, veteran Trinamool leader Lok Sabha MP Saugata Roy said that the ED raids were deliberately meant to deprive Trinamool of any assistance from the business community in the future.

“This is not happening just in case of Trinamool Congress. This happens in any state which is not ruled by the BJP. The idea is to conduct raids and search operations at the premises of businessmen so that they refrain from helping the Trinamool in the future,” Roy had said on Saturday.

Andhra Pradesh owes Rs 17,828 crore power dues to Telangana: KCR

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Andhra Pradesh owes Rs 17,828 crore power dues to Telangana: KCR

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday claimed that it is Andhra Pradesh that owes Rs 17,828 crore towards electricity dues to Telangana.

On the Centre’s direction to Telangana to pay over Rs 6,000 crore dues to Andhra Pradesh, he demanded the Centre make Andhra Pradesh pay his state the remaining dues.

KCR told the Assembly that the power dues from Telangana were only Rs 3,000 crore but the Centre has asked it to pay another Rs 3,000 crore towards interest. The Centre has also stated that if the dues were not cleared in a month, action would be taken.

He argued that the dues receivable by Telangana distribution companies (discoms) from Andhra Pradesh are over Rs 17,000 crore, and the Centre should ask Andhra Pradesh to pay the remaining dues after adjusting Rs 6,000 crore dues as claimed by it.

The Chief Minister questioned the silence of the Centre over Telangana’s request to order Andhra Pradesh to pay power dues.

The Power Ministry on August 30 directed the power distribution companies (discoms) of Telangana to pay the dues of Rs 6,757 crore to the Andhra Pradesh Generation Corporation (APGenco) within 30 days.

Citing provisions C(2) and (7) of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, the Power Ministry stated that there was no dispute regarding the amount to be paid for the power dues – the principal amount of Rs 3,441.78 crore and late payment surcharge of Rs 3,315.14 crore up to July 31, 2022 – to be paid in addition to the principal amount as per the applicable provisions.

Telangana’s Energy Minister G. Jagadish Reddy has already announced that the state will wage a legal battle against the Centre’s direction.

Terming the Centre’s order as “absurd” and “politically motivated”, Jagadish Reddy said this was an act of vengeance against Telangana. He alleged that the Centre was conspiring to create a situation of power cuts in Telangana.

KCR told the Assembly that per capita power consumption in Telangana is 1,250 units against the national average of 957 units. He said power capita consumption in India is less compared to even smaller countries.

He alleged that the BJP government is misleading the country with wrong statistics about power consumption and that the Centre is working to hand over the electricity sector to big corporates.

KCR also threw the challenge that if the statistics he has given about electricity are proved to be wrong, he would immediately resign.

The Chief Minister said the power situation in Telangana would improve further with the completion of the Yadadri power plant.

Tamil actor Vijay likely to play lead in Super Good Films’ 100th film

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Tamil actor Vijay likely to play lead in Super Good Films’ 100th film

Actor Jiiva has disclosed that actor Vijay is likely to play the lead in the 100th film of the well-known production house, Super Good Films.

The production house, which is known for having produced ‘Poove Unnakaaga’, a film that many consider being the turning point of Vijay’s career, is now in the process of making its 96th film.

At a recent media interaction, actor Jiiva, the son of producer R B Choudhary, who owns Super Good Films known for having introduced several top directors and actors in Tamil cinema, was asked whether Vijay, who got a big break in his career because of the production house, would agree to work in its 100th film.

Jiiva said, “Definitely. I am announcing this on stage. I believe a meeting in this regard took place only a week ago and Vijay sir has told that he would do the 100th film of Super Good Films.

“I too have requested my dad for an opportunity to act in that film even if it means acting without pay,” he said, evoking laughter.

“God willing, it looks like, in all probability, it will be Vijay sir who will be playing the lead in the 100th film of Super Good Films,” he said.

Rajeev Khanna appointed as COO of Abu Dhabi T10 league

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Rajeev Khanna appointed as COO of Abu Dhabi T10 league

The Abu Dhabi T10 league announced the appointment of Rajeev Khanna as the Chief Operating Officer for the upcoming season of the tournament, wherein he will be responsible for the overall management and the competition’s operations, the T10 league said in a statement on Monday.

Khanna, who is a former cricket player, has been a pioneer in the field of sports management. He has converted his passion for sports into a world-class career with tenures in some of the world’s most exciting leagues such as the Indian Premier League, Pro Kabaddi League, and International Tennis Premier League.

Khanna has been working in the IPL since 2009. He has served as the COO of Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals, Vice-President of Rajasthan Royals, and currently as a Consultant for Rajasthan Royals. Through the years, he has been able to bring about a phenomenal change in the ways of sports management at the highest stage.

Speaking about taking fresh guard, Khanna expressed, “The Abu Dhabi T10 is the most exhilarating cricket tournament in the world and therefore I am very excited to join the bandwagon as the COO of the competition. I will definitely look to ensure that the legacy of the tournament continues to grow exponentially and becomes an even bigger attraction for the stars of the game in the future.”

Meanwhile, Shaji Ul Mulk, Chairman, T10 Sports Management said, “Rajeev Khanna has achieved great heights during his career and we are very excited to welcome him to the Abu Dhabi T10 family. I am sure that our tournament will benefit hugely from his experience and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with him.”

The Abu Dhabi T10 will be played held at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi from 23 November 23 to December 4, 2022.

Residents under Covid lockdowns in China complain of food shortages

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Residents under Covid lockdowns in China complain of food shortages

Residents under Covid lockdowns across China are complaining of shortages of food and essential items, the media reported on Monday.

Tens of millions of people in at least 30 regions have been ordered to stay at home under partial or full lockdowns, says the BBC.

“It’s been 15 days, we are out of flour, rice, and eggs. From days ago, we run out of milk for kids,” said one resident in western Xinjiang.

Authorities are scrambling to contain local outbreaks ahead of the Communist Party of China’s congress in October.

China’s zero-Covid policy requires strict lockdowns, even if just a handful of cases are reported.

On Monday, China recorded 949 new Covid cases across the entire country, the BBC reported.

The policy has prompted rare public dissent from citizens and has also been accused of stifling economic growth.

In Xinjiang, a weeks-long lockdown in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture near the border with Kazakhstan has seen desperate residents appeal for help on social media, BBC reported.

One post showed a video of an Uyghur man overcome with emotion, saying his three children had not eaten for three days.

In Yining city, the capital of Ili, a shared online document with over 300 urgent requests for food, medicine, and sanitary pads was widely circulated.

“I’m out of money to buy supplies. My wife is pregnant and we have two kids. We are running out of gas. My wife needs a medical check,” said another resident, BBC reported.

The region has a mixed population of Han Chinese, Kazakh and Uyghur residents.

Earlier this month a UN report accused China of “serious human rights violations” against Uyghurs and other mainly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, the BBC reported.

Rights groups say that more than a million Uyghurs had been detained against their will. Beijing says its network of camps is a tool to fight terrorism.

In south-western Guizhou province, authorities locked down an area of the provincial capital Guiyang without warning, stranding 500,000 residents at home without any chance to prepare.

India’s milk production growth at 6%, more than global average, says PM

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India’s milk production growth at 6%, more than global average, says PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that milk production in the country has gone up to 210 million tonnes from 146 million tonnes in 2014, which is an increase of 44 percent.

Addressing dignitaries after inaugurating the International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit 2022 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, Modi said that as compared to 2 percent production growth at the global level, India is clocking a 6 percent growth in milk production.

He informed that the government is working on developing a blanched dairy ecosystem where challenges of the sectors are being addressed along with a focus on increasing production.

“Extra income for the farmers, empowerment of the poor, swachhta, chemical-free farming, clean energy, and care of the cattle are interlinked in this ecosystem,” he informed.

The Prime Minister pointed out that unlike other developed countries of the world, the driving force of the dairy sector in India is small farmers. India’s dairy sector is characterized by “production by masses” more than “mass production”, he said.

India is the largest milk-producing country on the basis of the efforts of these small farmers with one, two, or three cattle. This sector provides employment to more than eight crore families in the country, Modi informed.

He reiterated that there is a huge network of dairy cooperatives in India and one cannot find such an example in the whole world elsewhere.

The Prime Minister further informed that these dairy cooperatives collect milk twice a day from about two crore farmers in more than two lakh villages in the country and deliver it to the customers. He underlined the fact that there is no middleman in the entire process, and more than 70 percent of the money that is received from the customers goes directly into the pockets of the farmers.

“No other country has this ratio in the whole world”, he added, while underlining the efficiency of the digital system of payment in the dairy sector, and saying that it has many lessons for other countries.

Visually impaired ‘KBC 14’ contestant is a fan of Big B’s ‘Black’

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Visually impaired ‘KBC 14’ contestant is a fan of Big B’s ‘Black’

A visually impaired contestant Aneri Arya shared with megastar Amitabh Bachchan that she is a big fan of his 2005 movie ‘Black’ starring Rani Mukerji on ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati 14’.

Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali ‘Black’ was released in 2005. It also stars Shernaz Patel and Dhritiman Chatterjee in supporting roles. The film narrates the story of Michelle, a deaf-and-blind woman, and her relationship with her teacher Debraj, an elderly alcoholic who himself later develops Alzheimer’s disease.

Arya also says that she connects with the story of the film as she herself is blind and there is huge support she gets from her teacher.

She mentions: “Sir, you have played the role of a teacher in the film (Black), and with your influence, Rani Mukerji’s character was able to express herself and grow. Just like that, even I have a teacher, my Ph.D. guide, Dr. Sunil Shah.”

For Aneri nothing was more exciting than taking the hot seat and telling Big B about her favorite book movie and food.

Hailing from Surat, Gujarat, the 26-year-old ‘KBC 14’ contestant is an assistant professor of English at Shree Bhaikaka Sochitra Government Arts and Science College. During a conversation with the host, she gives credit to her parents for helping her to complete her studies and also speaks about Gujarati cuisine.

Aneri says: “Mr. Bachchan and I shared a lot of conversations, I told him about my favorite book, ‘The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, and my favorite film of his, ‘Black’. My parents also conversed with him during the show and my mother told him about sending me out of the nest while my father told him about how proud he is of my journey.”

Aneri Arya will be taking the hot seat in the quiz-based reality show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati 14’ on Sony Entertainment Television.

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