Moscow is working to bring back Russian nationals who are stuck in Europe

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Moscow is working to bring back Russian nationals who are stuck in Europe

The Russian government has announced that it is working on a plan to evacuate its citizens from Europe after an array of European countries closed their airspace to all Russian airlines amid Moscow’s military conflict with Kyiv, RT reported.

Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency and Federal Tourism Agency revealed on Sunday that they were working with the Russian Foreign Ministry to evacuate Russians from European nations as they continue to impose sanctions on Russia, cutting off Russian aircraft from their airspaces.

“The work to organize the evacuation of Russian citizens from the European countries is being carried out by the Federal Air Transport Agency together with the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Federal Tourism Agency. After clarifying the required carrying capacities, a schedule will be formed,” the statement said.

“Russian airlines are ready to fulfill their obligations to passengers and deliver them home, subject to flexible approaches and constructive decisions of the aviation authorities of European countries on this issue,” it continued.

The agencies advised Russians in Europe to register in the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Foreign Assistant smartphone app, RT reported.

As most European countries currently prohibit Russian aircraft from entering their airspaces, Russians in Europe might be evacuated home through Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Egypt, among other countries still open to Russian aircraft, Dmitry Gorin, the vice president of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT), told RIA Novosti on Sunday.

He noted that tour operators were working to transport “400 independent and organized tourists from Budapest, Hungary, 500 organized tourists from Bulgaria and about 200 from Portuguese Madeira” back to Russia.

Kangana’s ‘Dhaakad’ to release in four languages

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Kangana’s ‘Dhaakad’ to release in four languages

Kangana Ranaut-starrer ‘Dhaakad’ will be released in four languages – Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.

This is Kangana’s second pan-India outing after the ‘Thalaivi’, based on the life of Jayalalitha.

Kangana says: “The film had to be made on a certain scale that had to be tailored to the vast vision of its makers. India has never seen a women action entertainer of this scale. A story as paramount as this should reach maximum eyeballs and I am happy to announce that Dhaakad would be released in multiple languages.”

“I can’t wait for the audience to meet Agent Agni. She will blow their minds with her fury and power.”

‘Dhaakad’ is a high-octane spy thriller led by a female star, the film is made on a lavish budget. In terms of appeal, the film is also the country’s first big-scale multilingual project to be headlined by a female superstar. The actioner led by Kangana, stars Arjun Rampal, Divya Dutt, and Saswata Chatterjee along with a power-packed ensemble cast.

Producer Deepak Mukut adds: “We got a female superstar to headline it creates a new norm. After the success of ‘Thalaivi’, Kangana is a big favorite in the South market. We will be releasing the film in multiple regional languages. It’s a never-seen-before scale of release for a woman-led film.”

Producer Sohel Maklai shared, “Over three years of blood, sweat and tears will give audiences India’s biggest female action star with the release of Dhaakad.”

‘Dhaakad’ was directed by Razneesh Razy Ghai and produced by Deepak Mukut and Sohel Maklai and co-produced by Hunar Mukut.

Director Razy Ghai said: “From the beginning, we’ve worked towards ensuring Dhaakad to be a film for the big screen. I’m hoping it will rekindle the excitement and love for the moviegoing experience. We want to give India its next big action star to rally behind.”

Presented by Soham Rockstar Entertainment Pvt Ltd in association with Kamal Mukut, Sohel Maklai Productions, and Asylum films,’ Dhaakad’ is slated to release on May 27.

Telangana municipal body vice-chairman booked for rape

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Telangana municipal body vice-chairman booked for rape

Vice-chairman of a municipal body in Telangana’s Nirmal district has been booked for allegedly raping a minor.

Nirmal Municipal Council vice-chairman Sajid Khan, a leader of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) went into hiding after police booked a case against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).

Nirmal district superintendent of police Praveen Kumar said the police have constituted four teams to apprehend him. Police launched a search for the accused in Nirmal, Adilabad, Bhainsa, and other towns. He was confident that the accused would be arrested soon.

Khan allegedly raped the 15-year-old girl in Hyderabad last month. The victim told police that the accused took her there along with the help of a woman, who is the owner of the house where the girl’s family resides.

The victim, a class 8 student, had approached a child helpline and through them lodged a complaint against the municipal vice-chairman.

DSP Upendra Reddy said after medical examination of the victim and preliminary investigation, a case under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of POCSO was booked against him. The house owner and car driver were also booked in the case.

The victim told the police that she was taken to Hyderabad on the pretext of a function and the accused perpetrated the crime at a hotel.

The girl later revealed this to her parents, who approached the child helpline and subsequently the police to lodge a complaint.

India abstains for 3rd time on UN Security Council vote on Ukraine

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India abstains for 3rd time on UN Security Council vote on Ukraine

India has abstained for the third time on a Security Council vote on Ukraine and said that it welcomed the decision by Ukraine and Russia to hold talks.

As if acting as an Asian bloc, India was joined by the two others from the continent, China and the United Arab Emirates, to be the only countries to abstain on Sunday on a procedural vote to have the 193-member General Assembly take up the Russian invasion of Ukraine at an emergency meeting.

Russia’s negative vote did not have the power of a veto and it passed with the support of 11 members from Europe, the Americas and Africa in the 15-member Council.

This is the first time the Council has called for an emergency meeting of the Assembly in 40 years — the last one was in 1982 after the US vetoed a resolution on the Israeli occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights.

The General Assembly is scheduled to meet for the emergency session on Monday at 10 a.m. local time (8.30 p.m. in India) and consider a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demand it withdraw its troops immediately that had been vetoed by Russia in the Security Council on Friday.

India had abstained on a procedural vote in January and on the resolution on Friday.

India’s Permanent Representative T.S. Tirumirti said that “it is regrettable that the situation in Ukraine has worsened further since the council last convened on this matter”.

“We reiterate our call for an immediate cessation of violence and an end to all hostilities. There is no other choice but to return back to the path of diplomacy and dialogue,” he said.

Welcoming the announcement by Ukraine and Russia to hold talks at the Belarus border, Tirumurti said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “strongly advocated” this course of diplomacy when he spoke with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Friday and with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelentsky on Saturday.

The US had suggested that India and other countries having influence with Moscow to get it to stop the invasion.

Acknowledging India’s “distinct” relationship with Russia, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said on Friday that the US wanted it to use its leverage with Moscow to influence it to uphold international norms.

US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after Sunday’s vote that holding Russia accountable for its actions “will take some courage from some fellow member states”.

“We need to take extraordinary actions to meet this threat to our international system and do everything we can to help Ukraine and its people,” she said.

Tirumurti raised the plight of the Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine, where Russian troops have been advancing while facing resistance from Ukrainians.

He said, “Our evacuation efforts have been adversely impacted by the complex and uncertain situation at the border crossings. It is important to maintain an uninterrupted and predictable movement of people.”

“It is an urgent humanitarian necessity that must be immediately addressed,” he stressed.

That matter is expected to be taken up on Monday at a Council meeting proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

France’s Permanent Representative Nicolas de Riviere said that his country and Mexico would present at that session a resolution calling for unfettered humanitarian access to Ukraine.

India’s vote on that resolution would be closely watched, as would its stance in the Assembly.

The resolution passed on Sunday is based on the “Uniting for Peace” resolution passed in 1950 by the Assembly for situations where the Council cannot act because the permanent members cannot agree and resulting in a “failure of the Security Council to discharge its responsibilities”.

When the Council passes a resolution calling for an emergency session of the Assembly, it meets to take it up and recommend action to UN members.

Unlike Council actions, the Assembly resolutions that can be passed by a simple majority are not enforceable but carry political and moral weight.

The Uniting for Peace resolution was adopted after the Soviet Union’s vetoes of resolutions on the Korean situation.

When the Council makes the referral, the Assembly has to take it up in 24 hours.

In addition, the General Assembly can also call for an emergency session.

There have been only 10 emergency sessions of the Assembly of both types and the last one was in 1997 when the US vetoed a resolution on Palestine — but that was convened by the Assembly without a Council resolution.

The Security Council had not called for an Assembly emergency session since 1982.

The last time the General Assembly took up a matter relating to Ukraine was to pass a resolution in 2014 in support of that country’s territorial integrity.

But that was not in an emergency session.

The resolution was adopted with 100 votes, while there were 11 votes against and India was one of the 58 countries that abstained.

The US and its allies are frenetically working to get more countries to support the new resolution on Ukraine.

Samsung unveils Galaxy Book2 Pro laptops with 1080p webcams

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Samsung unveils Galaxy Book2 Pro laptops with 1080p webcams

Samsung on Monday unveiled its flagship laptop lineup, featuring the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 with S Pen functionality and Galaxy Book2 Pro with 5G. The laptops feature 1080p FHD webcams and a wider field of view angles for a better video feed.

Both laptops in the Galaxy Book2 Pro series offer advanced performance, ultra-portable designs, and Galaxy experiences to keep consumers agile, powered, and connected, the company said in a statement.

The Galaxy Book2 Pro will be available in Graphite and Silver colors while the Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 will be available in Burgundy, Graphite, and Silver finishes.

“Together, with seamless continuity across our Galaxy devices and secure mobility, users can unlock more efficiency and enable the possibilities of the office of tomorrow,” said Hark-sang Kim, EVP, and Head of New Computing R&D Team of Mobile eXperience Business.

The Galaxy Book2 Pro series is the first consumer PC lineup with Microsoft’s secured-core PC for an enhanced level of protection on Windows 11 to boost protection against potential cyber-attacks.

“Delivering the first consumer PC with Microsoft’s secured-core PC designation is a crucial step in this effort as today’s consumers deserve the same security protections they get in the office as they do while working remotely,” said David Weston, director of Enterprise and OS Security, Microsoft.

With up to 21 hours of battery life, the Galaxy Book2 Pro series offers a super-fast USB Type-C universal charger.

The Galaxy Book2 Pro series features the latest 12th Gen Intel Core processors.

Studio Mode is also upgraded with a variety of new features, including Auto Framing, new background effects, and Face Effect tool.

The Galaxy Book2 pro series also supports AKG and Dolby Atmos sound technology.

FB limits access to Russian state-controlled media in Ukraine

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FB limits access to Russian state-controlled media in Ukraine

Meta (formerly Facebook) has blocked access to several Russian state-controlled accounts in Ukraine. The social network said it is also reviewing other governments’ requests to restrict access to these accounts in their countries.

Nick Clegg, vice president of global affairs at Meta, said in a tweet thread early on Monday that the company has been in contact with the Government of Ukraine.

“At their request, we have also restricted access to several accounts in Ukraine, including those belonging to some Russian state media organisations,” Clegg posted.

“We are also reviewing other government requests to restrict Russian state-controlled media,” he added.

The Ukrainians have also suggested that Meta remove access to Facebook and Instagram in Russia.

“However, people in Russia are using FB and IG to protest and organize against the war and as a source of independent information,” he informed.

“The Russian government is already throttling our platform to prevent these activities. We believe turning off our services would silence important expression at a crucial time,” he noted.

Hit by partial restrictions, Meta (formerly Facebook) last weekend prohibited Russian state media from running ads or monetizing on its platform anywhere in the world.

Meta has established a special operations center staffed by experts from across the company, including native Russian and Ukrainian speakers, who are monitoring the platform around the clock, allowing the company to respond to issues in real-time.

“We’ve added several safety features in Ukraine, including the ability for people to lock their Facebook profile, removing the ability to view and search friends lists, and additional tools on Messenger,” the company informed.

Meta said it is also providing more transparency around state-controlled media outlets, prohibiting ads from Russian state media and demonetizing their accounts.

Google-owned YouTube has also announced it is temporarily halting the ability of a number of Russian channels, including state-sponsored RT, to monetize their content on the platform.

Earlier, Russia also blocked Twitter to stifle the flow of information as its invasion of Ukraine escalates.

Hockey Pro League: Audacious skills on show as Spain turn tables on India

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Hockey Pro League: Audacious skills on show as Spain turn tables on India

It was to be Spain’s day in Bhubaneswar as the Red Sticks men and women’s teams put in resilient performances to defeat the host nations on the second day of FIH Hockey Pro League, here on Sunday.

Both matches were fascinating and drama-filled. They also contained moments of magic that will remain long in the memory. Belen Igleisas’ audacious lobbed goal is just one example of some of the tremendous skills and innovative play on display from these four teams.

But, at the end of the two days of top-notch hockey action it finished honors even, with India winning both matches on Saturday and the men’s and women’s teams of Spain showing their own star quality just 24 hours later.

India 3-4 Spain (women):

Spain started the first quarter in dominating fashion. Begona Garcia in particular seemed to be everywhere and her energetic running was rewarded with a goal in the fourth minute of the game.

At this stage, Spain was in the ascendancy and India seemed to be overwhelmed by the pace of the Red Stick’s game.

That changed in the 10th minute when debutant Sangita Kumari showed her strength and ability to find the goal as she beat two defenders and then shot with precision to bring the scores level. For an athlete in her first senior match, Sangita showed some cool-headed skill.

The Garcia show continued as the quarter counted down. A clever ball into the circle by Georgina Oliva, who celebrated her 250th cap, found an Indian foot to win a penalty corner. Following the initial shot, it was Maialen Garcia who deflected the penalty corner shot into the goal to restore the Spanish lead.

Salima Tete answered Head Coach Janneke Schopman’s request for speedier play. The forward brought the score’s level as she burst forwards into the Spain circle and unleashed a reverse stick shot that proved unstoppable.

Just two minutes later, in the 24th minute, we saw the moment of the match as Belen Iglesias used tremendous skill and vision to lob the ball over Savita’s head, into the goal.

Spain had the chance to extend their lead in the third quarter when a push on Maria Lopez in the India defensive circle led to a penalty stroke to the Red Sticks. Savita, in the India goal, has been excellent all weekend and she came to her team’s rescue as she saved the resulting shot from Laura Barrios.

The fourth quarter was much of the same. High tempo passing and incredible skill levels were on display from both teams, but the next blood was India’s. A melee in the Spanish circle saw the ball bounce lose. Namita Toppo stretched her arm out and somehow managed to pick the ball from the air and fire it through a clustered defense to score her team’s third goal.

The result means India is in the third position in the league table behind Argentina and Netherlands. Spain, with a win and a draw, is in fifth place, just behind Belgium.

India 3-5 Spain (men):

If anyone thought the two protagonists in this match would be taking their collective foot off the accelerator, then the first quarter would quickly disprove that theory.

India took a lead in the sixth minute through Abhishek; the striker running the backline and then flicking past Adrian Rafi. Eight minutes later, Pau Cunill scored from Spain’s first penalty corner in the 14th minute and just seconds later eventual Player of the Match Joan Tarres looked almost casual as he struck an upright, reverse stick shot past Suraj Karkera in the India goal to put Spain ahead as they went into the break.

A rocket from Pau Cunill was the first score of the second quarter and it was against the run of play as India had enjoyed more possession and more meaningful attacks to that point. But Cunill’s shot was accomplished and confident as it flew past PR Sreejesh in the India goal. Sreejesh was celebrating his 250th match for India and this was not the way he would want to remember the occasion.

India responded through Harmanpreet Singh, again from a polished penalty corner routine. The goal makes Harmanpreet the first player to reach double figures in this year’s goal-scoring tally.

With the score at 3-2, the second half was all set to mimic, if not exceed, the excitement and drama of the previous day’s action.

The third quarter was intense but neither side managed to find a goal-scoring breakthrough, although India was definitely playing with more energy and ideas than their European counterparts. The question was whether Max Caldas’ men could hold onto the lead and, if possible, extend it.

The answer came with nine minutes left on the clock. Sukhjeet Singh, who was playing his first senior game, made the dream start on his debut, dribbling through the Spanish defenders before slotting the ball home to bring the scores level. For the Spanish team, the specter of once again losing in the final moments was looming large.

3rd T20I: Good to give opportunities to new players, test bench strength, says Rohit after 3-0 sweep over SL

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3rd T20I: Good to give opportunities to new players, test bench strength, says Rohit after 3-0 sweep over SL

After a convincing 3-0 sweep over Sri Lanka, India captain Rohit Sharma on Sunday said that a lot of positives came out from the series and it was good to give opportunities to many new players in order to understand what kind of bench strength team has and which gaps side need to fill going forward.

A fighting fifty from skipper Dasun Shanaka (74 not out off 38) helped Sri Lanka post 146/5 in 20 overs. In reply, Shreyas Iyer continued his sizzling form and smashed the third consecutive fifty (73 not out off 45) of the series while the likes of Ravindra Jadeja (22 not out off 15), Deepak Hooda (21 off 16), Sanju Samson (18 off 12) also contributed well with the bat as India chased down the target in 16.5 overs.

It was India’s 12th successive T20I win, the joint-longest winning streak for a full member, and their seventh series win on the trot at home in this format.

“It’s a pattern of everything that comes together. We played very well. A lot of positives came out from the series. Want to understand what kind of bench strength we have. Good to give opportunities to those guys. Important to tell guys not to worry about their positions in the team. Want to fill whatever gaps we have. Keeping that in mind we want to move forward,” said Rohit Sharma in the post-match presentation.

Rohit admitted that it’s going to be a challenging task for the team management to pick the playing XI with so many players competing for similar slots.

“Going to be a big challenge but always nice to have guys in form (whom to pick),” he said.

Talking about the upcoming Test series, Sharma said, “Once we reach Mohali we’ll start thinking about the Tests.”

Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer, who smashed three consecutive half-centuries and remained unbeaten in three matches, finishing with 204 runs in the series, said that all knocks were special for him, and in today’s game he was just playing the ball on merit.

“All three knocks were special, but yesterday’s – coming in at a crucial moment, I’d pick that. Only require one ball to get into form as long as you’re keeping your eyes on the ball and playing it on its merit. The wicket was a little two-paced today compared to yesterday. Was playing on merit. The outfield is so fast, I just had to hit gaps,” Shreyas said.

Speaking about his comeback after the journey, Iyer said,” Been a rollercoaster journey after my injury. The real test of you is during rehab sessions.”

Inclusive, equitable & quality education every child’s right: VP

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Inclusive, equitable & quality education every child’s right: VP

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday stressed that inclusive, equitable, and quality education is every child’s right and called upon private schools to come up with policies to help underprivileged and needy children.

Emphasizing the need to inculcate the spirit of service at a young age, the Vice President said: “Schools must include community service in their curriculum so that children develop an attitude of giving back to society at a young age.”

Naidu was addressing a gathering after inaugurating the state-of-the-art Indoor Sports Arena and L’atelier, a dedicated block for Arts, Drama & Music at a school in Bengaluru, a release from his office said here.

He also highlighted the need for water conservation by stressing on 3Rs- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Underlining that National Education Policy (NEP-2020) lays emphasis on extracurricular activities, Naidu urged all states to give priority to sports, co-curricular activities, and inculcating ethical values among students.

Expressing his concern over the erosion of values, the Vice President urged students to imbibe our civilizational values and strive to protect India’s glorious cultural heritage and appealed: “We must restore values, preserve heritage, promote our culture and feel proud to be a Bharatiya.”

Reiterating his call for promotion and propagation of mother tongue, the Vice President opined that one must learn as many languages as he or she wants but the priority must always be given to learning mother tongue.

Highlighting the importance of physical fitness in our daily lives, Naidu wanted the ‘Fit India’ movement to reach every school, college, university, panchayat, and village.

Referring to India’s unique and diverse dance forms, Naidu mentioned Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, and Kuchipudi as some of the many ancient art forms that have been passed on from generation to generation.

Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot and Karnataka Minister, Muni Rathna were among those present.

Goa govt in touch with Indian embassy in Ukraine over stranded students

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Goa govt in touch with Indian embassy in Ukraine over stranded students

The Goa government is in touch with the Indian embassy in Ukraine to ensure the safety of Goan students stranded in the European country, which is at war with neighboring Russia.

“Dear Goan students in Ukraine/parents of Goan students in Ukraine, the government of Goa is in touch with the Embassy of India in Ukraine and understands the difficult situation which our Goans in Ukraine are currently facing,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said in a social media post on Saturday.

The Chief Minister’s social media post has also advised Goans residing in Ukraine to stay in touch with the Indian embassy or seek consular assistance through published helplines.

“All Goans in Ukraine are hereby being advised to stay in touch with our Embassy 24*7 on Emergency Helpline Nos. +380997300483, +380997300428, +380933980327, +380635917881, +380935046170,” the Chief Minister said.

While expressing concern for the Goan student community in Ukraine, the Goa government has not specified the exact number of Goans who may have been stranded in the war-hit country.

“The Government of Goa is working with the Embassy of India to ensure the safe evacuation of our stranded Goans. Currently, the established evacuation routes are from Romanian and Hungary,” Sawant’s social media post also said.

“Indian nationals traveling by their own arrangements have been advised by the Embassy of India to proceed to border points near Chernivtsi border checkpoints, and remain in touch with the helpline numbers set up at respective checkpoints for facilitation through the border,” Sawant also said.

‘Trivikram is like the thread in a garland that kept us all intact’

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‘Trivikram is like the thread in a garland that kept us all intact’

The makers of ‘Bheemla Nayak’ had organized an event to celebrate the blockbuster success of the movie, earlier on Saturday.

Talking at the event, director Sagar K Chandra thanked the entire team, as he showered praise on Trivikram Srinivas for his hard work. “We are overwhelmed with the kind of response for this movie. Hearing blockbuster reports along with mind-blowing collections,” Sagar said.

Talking about the teamwork, Sagar K Chandra thanked Thaman, who scored thumping music for the Pawan & Rana- starrer. “His music added great value to the scenes,” Sagar K Chandra added.

“We are all flowers of a garland, who were kept together by Trivikram, who acted as a thread. He’s the one who held us together, coordinated with each team. We are forever thankful for his continuous efforts in keeping us all motivated despite the challenges.”

Thaman, who delivered good music for the ‘Ayyappanum Koshiyum’ remake, stated that the team was confident about the movie being a super hit, ever since.

“We knew it would be nothing less than a Tsunami”, Thaman said.

Screenplay and dialogue writer Trivikram said, “I first need to thank the media. The media hyped the movie, as much as it was needed.”

“We need to shift the balance. We started the journey of Bheemla Nayak saluting forest, to take the character close to the jungle. We later imbibed Koshy’s character.”

“The major change we made was to give both characters a common journey,” the ‘Ala Vaikunthapuramu Loo’ director said. Actress Samyuktha Menon, Producer Naga Vamsi, Ganesh Master, and others were present at the success meet along with Sagar K Chandra, Thaman, and Trivikram Srinivas.

2nd T20I: Unchanged India win toss, opt to bowl against Sri Lanka

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2nd T20I: Unchanged India win toss, opt to bowl against Sri Lanka

India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the second T20I of the three-match series, at the picturesque HPCA Stadium, here on Saturday.

India; who is leading the series 1-0, didn’t make any change in their team for this match.

“We are going to bowl first, just want to have a score in front of us. It’s going to get colder as the game goes on. Same team for us. The changes don’t depend on win or loss. It’s just about what the team wants,” said Rohit Sharma at the toss.

“We also have to look at niggles/injuries. We also have to take care of the guys. So the changes don’t depend on the result. If we feel the need to change we will change,” he added.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka made two changes in their playing XI.

“We would have bowled as well because the pitch was under the covers. The openers and the top-order need to fire. Two changes. Janith Liyanage and Jeffrey Vandersay are out. Binura Fernando and Danushka Gunathilaka in,” said Sri Lanka skipper Dasun Shanaka at the toss.

Playing XI:

Sri Lanka:

Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Charith Asalanka, Danushka Gunathilaka, Dinesh Chandimal (w), Dasun Shanaka (c), Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Praveen Jayawickrama, Binura Fernando, Lahiru Kumara.

India:

Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (w), Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal

Kangana’s ‘Lock Upp’ runs into trouble after court issues stay order on reality show

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Kangana’s ‘Lock Upp’ runs into trouble after court issues stay order on reality show

The reality show ‘Lock Upp’ hosted by Kangana Ranaut, which was set to be aired from Sunday, has been put on hold by the City Civil Court of Hyderabad.

As a result, the show will not air on any form of electronic or social media.

After taking note of a video clip of the trailer of the show, the court issued an ad-interim injunction on releasing the upcoming show, saying that it bears resemblance to petitioner Sanober Baig’s story and the script of the concept ‘The Jail’.

The concept, which is owned by Pride Media through its proprietor Sanober Baig, was written by Shaantanu Ray and Sheershak Anand and is registered under the Copyright Act on March 7, 2018, and was also registered at the Film Writers Association.

The petition explains how the concept was developed and also lists the details of the money invested by him at various stages of concept development.

Commenting on the situation, Sanober said, “When I saw the promo of the said show, I was in shock. I have been in touch with Abhishek Rege from Endemol Shine for a long time and had several meetings about the subject in Hyderabad. He had promised that once the market gets better, we will get going.”

He further mentioned that the show is outrightly plagiarised, saying: “The show is not only similar to our concept, but it is an absolute copy of the same. I could not believe that somebody could plagiarise the concept to such an extent. We have prayed to the court for infringement of copyright and have got a stay order.”

If the legal representatives of the petitioner are successful in proving infringement, the defendant production house (Ekta Kapoor’s AltBalaji) will be liable for consequences under Sections 51 and 52 of the Copyright Act.

It’s not that Sanober directly knocked on the court’s door. It was only after the production house refused to have a dialogue with him that Sanober reached out to the court.

“I connected with the respective companies and requested them not to go ahead with the concept. But they turned a deaf ear and challenged that they have every right to stream as per the schedule,” he said.

“I had no option but to seek redressal from the judiciary. The notice has been served to all the parties involved and we have the acknowledgment of the same. If the show gets aired, it’ll be a contempt of the court. I have full faith in the judiciary and I am sure that justice will be served,” Sanober signed off.

Stuck in Ukraine’s Odessa, Indian students share their ordeal

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Stuck in Ukraine’s Odessa, Indian students share their ordeal

Amid the worsening situation in war-ravaged Ukraine, around 1,000 Indian students of the Odessa National Medical University are stuck in the middle of the conflict and are appealing to the government to ensure their safe return.

Two Indian students from Gurugram’s Bhondsi village narrated their ordeal to interview over a phone call from the Odessa region of Ukraine and appealed for help.

Ankit Raghav, a 22-year-old student of MBBS fourth year, and 24-year-old Prateek Chauhan, a fifth-year student at Odessa National Medical University on Saturday said they are at their flat located near the varsity.

They told in an interview that the situation is “very alarming” as they could hear the sound of bomb blasts and shelling throughout the day.

“Currently, I am in the Odessa region of Ukraine and the situation is pretty bad. We can not move out as I hear the sound of bomb blasts over the night. Also, we have received messages from the Indian embassy that if we move out, it will be our responsibility,” Ankit told an interview over the call.

“We received messages from the Indian embassy to reach the Romanian border for our safe evacuation but it is not possible for us to travel 500 to 600 km through the affected regions of Ukraine to reach Romania or Hungry,” he asserted.

“So, we have written emails to the Ministry of External Affairs (India) urging them to develop communication with Moldova, which is just 80 km from Odessa. We can reach there easily in groups via cabs and buses. The government should send aircraft to Moldova which is the safest evacuation point for around 1,000 Indian students,” he said.

The students alleged that they wanted to return to India when the Indian government “warned” about the worsening situation but the university “threatened them of expulsion and forced them to stay”.

“The students wanted to leave Ukraine but the University threatened them and warned that if they left they will be expelled and assured the students that nothing will happen over here and we all are safe,” Ankit said.

“Odessa is an important port city of Ukraine and we all are staying very close to the port… so the Russian army may launch attacks here anytime soon,” he asserted.

A lot of people are here. Not just Indians, people from countries like Israel and Nigeria are also trapped, he said.

Prateek Chauhan told an interview that the Indian students are not just worried about the Russian attacks, they are also forced to fend off armed burglaries amid a severe food shortage.

“This was my fifth year, next year I will complete my MBBS and become a doctor but the ongoing tussle has triggered panic among the students. Now, nights are a nightmare for us, we could not sleep properly… However, we are in our flats and have food for the next few days but we are in a ‘state of shock’ and are sleeping in turns,” Prateek Chauhan explained.

“The another problem which we are facing is that the Ukrainian government has provided arms to its citizens, who are robbing people’s money and food items on gun points,” Chauhan added.

He said that the Indian embassy advised the students to stay indoors and if somehow they are trying to reach bunkers, make sure that the shelters have proper arrangements of food and ventilation.

The families of these two students were worried about the tense situation in the war-torn country.

“We are in touch with our children, but we are restless and could not sleep for the past three days. However, the Indian government is doing its job for the safe evacuation of the students but we urge the government to take more steps for the evacuation of students stuck across Ukraine,” Ankit’s father, Gopal Singh Raghav, told the interview.

“It is very disturbing when we see shelling videos in Ukraine and parents protesting in the national capital for their children. Women in our house could not stop their tears. We just pray for all parents whose children are stuck over there. We hope that our children will return home soon,” Prateek’s father, Rajender Singh Chauhan told the interview.

Bommai speaks to students in Ukraine, assures them of help

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Bommai speaks to students in Ukraine, assures them of help

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said that he has spoken to students from the state who are stuck in war-torn Ukraine, and assured them of providing all the necessary assistance.

“I have spoken to those students. I have assured them of all help and asked them to be courageous,” he said.

Many Indians are stuck in various cities of Ukraine.

“Everyone is fine, but I have requested the authorities to provide food and shelter. I have already spoken in length with Union Foreign Affairs Minister S. Jaishakar and we have also sent a list to him,” he said.

More students are in the western side of Ukraine and they have been told to be careful. All the students will be evacuated by road and air.

“We will get information on whether anyone from Karnataka is returning to the country today,” he said.

Those who are in the western part of Ukraine are safe, the efforts are on to bring them back. They will be evacuated through the road. Many of them are on their way, he stated.

The students stuck in the Western part of Ukraine will be brought to India through Romania. In a few days, all Indian students would be evacuated. Those students who are in the eastern, south-eastern part of Ukraine should not take risks and stay wherever they are until they are directed to, Bommai said.

More than 200 people have made calls to the helpline set up by the state government. “Many parents of students who are stuck in Ukraine have met me,” he said.

PVL: Ahmedabad Defenders set to face Kolkata Thunderbolts in final

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PVL: Ahmedabad Defenders set to face Kolkata Thunderbolts in final

After 23 matches of intense competition, the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) is all set to witness the Ahmedabad Defenders and Kolkata Thunderbolts face-off for the trophy at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Ahmedabad Defenders defeated Hyderabad Black Hawks 4-1 (15-13, 15-12, 9-15, 15-12) in the first semi-final on Thursday to reach the final while Kolkata Thunderbolts blanked Calicut Heroes 3-0 (16-14, 15-10, 17-15) in the second semi-final on Friday.

“We have coordinated very well as a team. We didn’t think about the final at the beginning of the competition; we took it one game at a time. Now we are here and hope we can continue to play the same way in the final too,” said Muthusamy, captain of Ahmedabad Defenders in the pre-final virtual press conference.

“We will play according to the strategies set by our coaches. I feel we have to improve our defensive game. Hopefully, we can rectify our mistakes and put up a good performance in the final,” he said.

Kolkata Thunderbolts, on the other hand, made a fantastic comeback in the third set of their semi-final against the Calicut Heroes. Speaking about the sensational comeback, captain Ashwal Rai remarked, “When we were 1-8 down, our coaches told us to stay calm since we were already 2-0 up in the match. They also told us that the set is not over until a team reaches 15 points and if we keep trying then we will keep winning points.”

“So, we went into the court with confidence and decided that we will not give up until the set is over. We won the set because of our teamwork and coordination. We did something that seemed impossible and we will go into the final with a lot of confidence after our semi-final win,” he said.

Talking about the whole tournament, CEO Joy Bhattacharjya expressed happiness over some matches in the league becoming a nail-biting affair. “It’s been absolutely amazing. We knew that the quality of volleyball will be very high, but the thing that surprised us was the evenness of the teams. Many matches have been decided on 14-14 & 14-15 and matches have been decided on one Super Serve or one good smash and that was really heartening to see.”

“All the teams did their homework. We produced enthralling volleyball for everybody. As a league, as a product, we saw something that was absolutely top quality.”

Ajay Devgn describes Rudra as ‘suave, nuanced and mindful’

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Ajay Devgn describes Rudra as ‘suave, nuanced and mindful’

Actor Ajay Devgn has talked about his character in the upcoming web series ‘Rudra – The Edge of Darkness’. He calls it “suave, nuanced and mindful”.

Asked how he would describe his character, the actor shared, “The concept of Rudra was intriguing for me. Rudra is a smart cop who uses his impeccable mind skills to stay ahead of criminals. He doesn’t feel the need to use violence as a weapon. Instead, he is analytical and puts details first. Rudra is suave, nuanced, and mindful and that’s why I was drawn to him in the first place.”

A remake of the successful British series ‘Luther’, ‘Rudra – The Edge of Darkness’ is an engaging and dark take on a cop’s journey of uncovering truths and bringing victims justice.

It will see Ajay Devgn’s titular character of an intuitive and instinctive police officer fighting for the truth in darkness as he wades through a grim and complex web of crimes and criminals and corruption with a wrathful, steely grit.

To be released Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali, the crime drama features a stellar cast including Raashi Khanna, Esha Deol, Atul Kulkarni, Ashwini Kalsekar, Tarun Gahlot, Ashish Vidyarthi, and Satyadeep Misra in pivotal roles.

Evacuation from Ukraine: Jaishankar personally monitoring situation

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Evacuation from Ukraine: Jaishankar personally monitoring situation

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Saturday that he is personally monitoring the situation of the evacuation of stranded Indian citizens from war-torn Ukraine.

“Regarding evacuation of Indian nationals from Ukraine, we are making progress. Our teams are working on the ground round the clock. I am personally monitoring,” Jaishankar tweeted.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine intensified in the early hours of Thursday after Russian forces launched a major assault on Ukraine, firing missiles on cities and military installations and posing a serious danger to the Indian citizens residing there.

Jaishankar further informed that the first flight to Mumbai with 219 Indian nationals has taken off from Romania.

Earlier on Saturday, the Indian Embassy in Kiev issued a fresh advisory for Indian citizens in Ukraine, cautioning them not to move to any of the border posts without prior coordination with the Indian government.

The Indian Embassy further said that the situation at various checkpoints is sensitive and the Indian Embassy in Kiev is working continuously with the embassies in other countries for the evacuation of Indian citizens.

The Union Minister of State for PMO, Jitendra Singh, has also advised the Indian students in the war-torn country to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy there.

Meanwhile, 470 Indian students stranded in Ukraine are expected to arrive here in the national capital later on Saturday.

Low interest rates to drive home loans growth

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Low interest rates to drive home loans growth

Decadal low-interest rates, as well as stable property prices, will drive home loan growth in FY23.

As per India Ratings and Research, the lowest interest rates seen in decades along with stable property prices and the low impact of the Covid-19’s third wave have led to improved affordability for borrowers.

“This accompanied with the need for a bigger housing space during the pandemic bodes well for financers to drive the overall assets under management (AUM) growth higher, despite high competition from banks,” the rating agency said.

“Ind-Ra believes affordable HFCs could witness strong loan growth due to increasing geographic penetration and a possible increase in ticket size (partly due to asset inflation), thereby driving loan growth higher in FY23.”

Besides, home loan borrowers have benefitted on other counts such as concessions offered in stamp duty rates by certain states and the government’s push through Credit Linked Subsidy Schemes along with continuing income tax exemptions amongst others.

“Ind-Ra has also maintained a Stable rating Outlook on HFCs for FY23. Funding mix for both large ticket and affordable housing financiers has moved in favor of more stable and longer-term sources.”

“The Reserve Bank of India’s liquidity measures during the pandemic have increased banks’ appetite for funding the segment.”

Furthermore, higher accretion of public deposits aided by lower bank deposit rates has supported large housing financiers.

“Whereas, affordable housing financers have been supported through a rising share of funding from the National Housing Bank refinance schemes, helping them lower their cost of borrowings and containing any significant margin compression.”

In addition, the agency said the industry has navigated the Covid-19 pandemic with moderate disruptions in collection efficiency and a build-up in asset quality, partially also led by the implementation of the circular on NPA classification.

Meta reportedly breaks up 300-person team that was building hybrid VR/AR OS

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Meta reportedly breaks up 300-person team that was building hybrid VR/AR OS

Meta has reportedly broken up the around 300-person team tasked with working on an OS for AR and VR headsets, moving some of the engineers to teams working on AR glasses and Oculus (er, Quest) headsets, media reports say.

This comes after recent reports — which Meta denied at the time — that the company had halted work on the team’s project creating a unified custom operating system for its VR and AR headsets, citing The Information, The Verge reported.

In January, reports surfaced that Meta canceled the “XROS” project the team was working on (XR is a term used to refer to both augmented and virtual reality).

After the reports came out, Reality Labs Vice President Gabriel Aul tweeted that the company was “growing this team, not shrinking it,” and included a link to the Meta careers page.

Aul also said that the company is “still working on a highly specialized OS for our devices,” the report said.

Meta is hoping to “speed up the development of solutions that are hyper-tuned for each product line” by “embedding more OS engineers directly into [its] AR and VR teams,” according to a statement emailed to The Verge on Friday by Meta spokesperson Sheeva Slovan.

Without confirming the breakup, this suggests Meta’s current approach prioritizes each team’s OS customizations for its own projects, instead of a centralized team and new software platform.

Some engineers from the XROS team are assigned to teams working on AR glasses, Quest VR headsets, and other XR tech involving hand- and eye-tracking through computer vision, according to The Information.

The report said that it is not clear where every employee from the XROS team will end up.

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