Golfers Tvesa, Amandeep, Avani to join the action in 3rd leg of WPGT

TB Team
-
0
Golfers Tvesa, Amandeep, Avani to join the action in 3rd leg of WPGT

Tvesa Malik and Amandeep Drall start their 2022 season with the third leg of the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour, as they tee up at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club.

The two are expected to spend a lot of their time on the Ladies’ European Tour. While Tvesa is getting the first taste of action in this calendar year, Amandeep has already played at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open.

Tvesa was 19th and the top Indian on the LET Order of Merit, while Amandeep was 13th on the LET Access Series merit list, but is hoping for more starts this year on the LET schedule also.

While Tvesa, Amandeep, and other professionals like Pranavi Urs and Gaurika Bishnoi battle it out in the professional ranks, last week’s winner amateur Sneha Singh and Avani Prashanth, who has got an invitation for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship, will also be involved in a tight contest amongst the amateurs. The two amateurs already know what it is like to win against the professionals.

The Bakshi sisters, Jahanvi and Hitaashee, are also in the field as are Ridhima Dilawari, Gaurika Bishnoi, Astha Madan, Suchitra Ramesh, Durga Nittur, and others who are all hoping to get to the international Tours.

Neha Tripathi, Saaniya Sharma, and Smriti Mehra are experienced campaigners and would like to get into contention early in the season.

Other past winners include Seher Atwal, Gauri Karhade, Khushi Khanijau, and Lakhmehar Pardesi among others.

A total of 37 players will be seen in action and the number includes six amateurs. The prize purse is Rs.11 lakh, the highest this season.

Tiger Shroff elated to work with Akshay Kumar on ‘Bade Miya Chote Miya’

TB Team
-
0
Tiger Shroff elated to work with Akshay Kumar on ‘Bade Miya Chote Miya’

Action star Tiger Shroff is on cloud nine after getting to collaborate with the ‘Khiladi’ of Bollywood, Akshay Kumar on the sequel of ‘Bade Miya and Chote Miya’.

The ‘War’ actor has been a big fan of Akshay Kumar and the project gave him the opportunity to work with the one whom he has admired for a long time.

Sharing his excitement, Tiger said, “I am so excited to work on this project which gives me a chance to work with the original action hero/the Khiladi – Akshay Sir! My father always tells me to follow his example and I know I have been his fan for as long as I can remember.”

He also praised his friend and producer Jackky Bhagnani, “This project is also extra special because I get to work again with my brother, one of my favorite people in the industry, Jackky Bhagnani. I am excited to partner with him yet again to push the boundaries of what he has envisioned.”

Recollecting how the film found its inception, he said, “I remember it all started in London when I was shooting for a film and Jackky happened to be there as well shooting for one of his films and he had invited me over. While discussing event films, he brought up the idea of a two-hero film – the kind of films we have all loved while growing up.”

“He said, ‘why don’t we make the biggest action entertainer ever!’ How could I have not jumped at this? He just thought of it and things manifested from there and it happened,” the actor concluded.

89% firms still fall short on data protection: Report

TB Team
-
0
89% firms still fall short on data protection: Report

Nearly 89 percent of organizations globally are not protecting data sufficiently and 88 percent of IT leaders expect data protection budgets to rise at a higher rate than broader IT spending as data becomes more critical to business success, a new report showed on Tuesday.

Nearly 67 percent of businesses are turning to cloud-based solutions to protect their data, while the ability to recover data from ransomware attacks continues to drive business continuity strategies, according to the report by Veeam Software.

“Data growth over the past two years has more than doubled, in no small part to how we have embraced remote working and cloud-based services and so forth,” said Anand Eswaran, Chief Executive Officer at Veeam.

“As data volumes have exploded, so too have the risks associated with data protection; ransomware being a prime example. This research shows that organizations recognize these challenges and are investing heavily, often due to having fallen short in delivering the protection users need, he added.

The report surveyed more than 3,000 IT decision-makers and global enterprises to understand their data protection strategies for the next 12 months and beyond.

For the second year in a row, cyber-attacks have been the single biggest cause of downtime, with 76 percent of organizations reporting at least one ransomware event in the past 12 months.

Per attack, organizations were unable to recover 36 percent of their lost data, proving that data protection strategies are currently failing to help businesses prevent, remediate and recover from ransomware attacks.

“As cyberattacks become increasingly sophisticated and even more difficult to prevent, backup and recovery solutions are essential foundations of any organization’s Modern Data Protection strategy,” said Danny Allan, CTO at Veeam.

KL Rahul donates Rs 31 lakh for budding cricketer’s surgery

TB Team
-
0
KL Rahul donates Rs 31 lakh for budding cricketer’s surgery

In a heart-warming gesture, Indian opener KL Rahul has come to the rescue of an 11-year-old budding cricketer, needing an urgent bone marrow transplant (BMT) to treat a rare blood disorder.

Since September 2021, Varad, a schoolboy from Mumbai, who aspires to don an India cricket jersey, had been under the care of hematologists at Mumbai’s Jaslok Hospital. In December, Varad’s parents Sachin Nalawade, an insurance agent, and homemaker Swapna Jha started a fundraising campaign on GiveIndia to raise Rs 35 lakh they needed to pay for their son’s treatment.

Rahul’s team got in touch with them as soon as they came to know about Varad. Rahul donated a generous Rs 31 lakh of the 35 lakh required for the procedure. Varad was operated upon, and he is now recuperating.

“When I came to know about Varad’s condition, my team got in touch with GiveIndia so that we can help him in any way we could. I am glad that the surgery was successful, and he is doing well. I hope Varad gets back on his feet at the earliest and goes on to achieve his dreams. I hope my contribution inspires more and more people to come forward and help those in need,” Rahul was quoted as saying in a release.

Since September 2021, the fifth standard schoolboy had been under the care of hematologists in Mumbai’s Jaslok Hospital after he was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder.

Varad’s blood platelet levels were very low, making his immune system extremely susceptible to infections. Even a normal fever was taking months to be cured. A bone marrow transplant was the only permanent cure for Varad’s condition.

The middle-class family had run out of funds, with his father even liquidating his provident fund savings to pay for Varad’s mounting medical bills to keep his son’s dreams of becoming a cricketer alive. He also bought his son a fancy cricket bat for his 11th birthday to cheer up Varad and give the aspiring young batsman some hope.

Sitting next to a smiling Varad, his mother Swapna, with folded hands, said: “We are thankful to KL Rahul for donating such a large amount for Varad’s surgery. But for him, it would have been impossible to carry out the bone marrow transplant in such a short period of time. Thank you, Rahul.”

‘Usual nonsense’: Vijay Deverakonda’s response to rumours of marriage with Rashmika Mandanna

TB Team
-
0
‘Usual nonsense’: Vijay Deverakonda’s response to rumours of marriage with Rashmika Mandanna

Vijay Deverakonda, who was linked with his co-star Rashmika Mandanna, has trashed the rumors about his marriage with her.

In a short note, the ‘Arjun Reddy’ actor stated that all the news being circulated about his marriage was ‘as usual nonsense’.

Vijay Deverakonda indirectly denounced rumors that he is planning to marry Rashmika Mandanna, through a tweet, earlier on Monday. He called the speculations ‘nonsense’ and wrote, “Don’t we just (heart emoji) da news!”.

Recent reports have suggested that rumored couple Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna are planning to tie the knot soon. The unconfirmed reports baffled fans, who wondered if the reports were true.

The ‘Liger’ actor, finally broke the silence on the same and confirmed that the news is just nonsense.

Vijay Deverakonda, who got instant attention for his movies ‘Pelli Choopulu’ and ‘Arjun Reddy’, has worked with Rashmika for ‘Dear Comrade’ and ‘Geetha Govindam’. The duo has always maintained a mutual respect for each other, and have been good friends ever since.

On the work front, Rashmika is busy shooting for her upcoming movies, and will join the blockbuster franchise ‘Pushpa’ team for ‘Pushpa: The Rule’. On the other hand, Vijay Deverakonda will be seen in his upcoming movie ‘Liger’, in which he plays an MMA fighter.

Probiotic capsules may speed up Covid recovery: Study

TB Team
-
0
Probiotic capsules may speed up Covid recovery: Study

Taking a capsule of probiotics, which are designed to boost the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut, may speed up recovery from the Covid-19 infection, according to a new study.

Probiotics are over-the-counter tablets and drinks said to bolster the gut microbiome, the complex intestinal ‘soup’ made up of trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

They have been linked to everything from your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes to depression, and now it seems our gut bacteria can also tackle Covid, Daily Mail reported.

For the study, published in the journal Gut Microbes, half of a group of 300 Covid patients aged 16 to 60 who tested positive on a PCR test but didn’t need hospital treatment were given a probiotic capsule, while the other half were given a placebo.

The results showed that 53 percent of those on the probiotic (78 of 147 in this group) were clear of Covid symptoms within a month, compared with 28 percent (41 of 146) on the placebo, the report said.

Probiotics are known to contain lactobacillus, which, according to research, produces substances that could communicate with nerve cells and reduce the chronic inflammation associated with many diseases.

Previous research has shown that Long Covid sufferers have low lactobacillus levels in their intestines, possibly leading to inflammation throughout the body.

The new study found those taking the bacteria capsule didn’t just recover more quickly, they also had a lower viral load – the amount of virus circulating in their system, the report said.

According to Philip Calder, Professor of nutritional immunology at Southampton University, probiotics “can modify” the gut microbiome.

“Through this, they might help the immune system to function and limit inflammation,” he was quoted as saying.

A healthier diet and probiotic supplements are likely to boost microbiome health, added Tim Spector, Professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London.

However, some experts argued that it may not fit every person.

In an online article, Professor Andrew Smith and Dr. Paul Gill, experts in microbial diseases at University College London, warned that the study had excluded those over 60 and did not account for whether volunteers had been vaccinated or not, the report said.

“So we don’t know if probiotics provide any benefit to those most at risk of severe Covid.

“And taking probiotics may be inappropriate for those with a weakened immune system because of the potential increased risk of infection from consuming large quantities of live bacteria,” they said.

ISL 2021-22: Kerala test for leaders Hyderabad in battle for supremacy

TB Team
-
0
ISL 2021-22: Kerala test for leaders Hyderabad in battle for supremacy

The Hyderabad FC juggernaut will be put to test in their clash with Kerala Blasters FC, who themselves will be desperate to get back to winning ways and cement their place in the top four when they meet in a crunch 2021-22 Indian Super League match, here on Wednesday.

Table-toppers Hyderabad has all but secured their place in the semi-finals, having 32 points from 17 matches. They would want to further consolidate their lead at the top with Jamshedpur FC — 31 points from 16 games — breathing down their neck.

Both Jamshedpur and third-placed ATK Mohun Bagan have a game in hand and can potentially knock Hyderabad off their perch if they drop points against Kerala, who have their own top-four aspirations.

Kerala is placed fourth in the table with 27 points from 16 outings, and a win on Wednesday would see them further securing their place in the top-four with Bengaluru FC (26 points) and Mumbai City FC (25 points) also in the fray in fifth and sixth place respectively.

“We are happy. But we have a lot to improve. The season has been fantastic for Hyderabad FC. Similarly, Kerala is having a very good season and their offensive players are brilliant,” said Hyderabad FC head coach Manolo Marquez.

Bartholomew Ogbeche is having the best season in India this time his contribution to Hyderabad’s success has been immense. The Nigerian became the second player to reach the 50 goal milestone in the ISL in their last match against FC Goa. By the final whistle, he scored his second goal and overtook Sunil Chhetri to become the highest-scoring player in the ISL.

Ogbeche scored his fourth brace of the season and his ninth overall in the ISL in the last match. His goal tally for the season now stands at 16. He broke his personal record of 15 goals in a single season in the ISL. He has his sights on another record now — most goals by a player in a single season of the ISL.

Luna is Kerala’s answer to Ogbeche and the contest between the two superstars of this season will be one to watch out for. The Spanish midfielder has been a vital cog in the wheel for Kerala. In their last match, he scored both of KBFC’s goals in their 2-2 draw against ATK Mohun Bagan. It was his first-ever brace in the ISL.

He has scored four goals and provided six assists this season. Luna is the only Kerala player to have 10 or more goal contributions this season. Including him, 11 players have 10 or more goal contributions in the competition.

Luna is also only the second Kerala player in their ISL history to have reached the 10 goal contribution mark for them. The only other player to achieve this feat for the club is, incidentally, Ogbeche.

“It’s just another game, they are the best team in India and deservedly on top of the table. We’ve to stay concentrated and try to do well. I expect a tough game. We’ll try to test something different tomorrow, every game is different. No problem, we’ve got enough players with quality,” said Kerala Blasters’ head coach Ivan Vukomanovic.

The last time the two sides met, Kerala won by a 1-0 margin.

Drive to protect mother tongue should become a people’s movement: Vice President

TB Team
-
0
Drive to protect mother tongue should become a people’s movement: Vice President

Observing that ‘language’ is a fundamental bond that unites people, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said that the drive to protect and preserve the mother tongue should become a people’s movement in the country.

“If we lose our mother tongue, we will lose our identity,” Naidu said.

Addressing an event organized by the Ministry of Earth Science on the occasion of International Mother Languages Day virtually from Chennai, the Vice President called for tailoring languages to the changing needs of our times and finding creative and innovative ways to promote them among younger generations.

“Children should be encouraged to learn the nuances of language through games and activities,” he opined and also underlined the need to improve the scientific and technical terminology in Indian languages.

Describing languages as carriers of our cultural heritage, Naidu said that a language is the vital, unseen thread that links the past with the present.

“Our languages are thus a repository of our collective knowledge and wisdom which we have amassed over thousands of years,” he said.

The Vice President suggested referring to them as ‘Indian languages’ instead of ‘regional languages’ signifying their equal status and distinct identities.

“These ‘Indian languages’ are the epitome of our long-cherished value — unity in diversity,” he said.

Noting that India is home to hundreds of languages and thousands of dialects, the Vice President termed this linguistic richness as the key to our creativity and expression.

He also expressed happiness over the fact that NEP-2020 encourages the use of mother tongue in schools and colleges and seeks to ‘Indianise’ our education system by making it holistic, value-based, and inclusive.

Commending this approach, he urged the states to implement the policy in letter and spirit.

The Vice President talked about the need to offer technical courses in Indian languages to make education truly inclusive and to unlock the full potential of our youth force. He suggested learning from their policies and strategies for the preservation and promotion of the mother tongue.

Naidu urged the state governments to take a proactive stance in implementing Indian languages in every walk of life.

“All states must use the mother tongue of the people as the language of administration and also as a medium of education,” he said.

Pointing out that colonial rule has harmed our languages, he said: “After Independence also, we have not made enough efforts to do justice to our languages.”

Prohibitory orders imposed in Manipur’s Jiribam district

TB Team
-
0
Prohibitory orders imposed in Manipur’s Jiribam district

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been promulgated in western Manipur’s Jiribam district after ethnic and political clashes in the mixed population areas, officials said on Tuesday.

Jiribam District Magistrate W. Malemnganba Chenglei in a notification said that movement of people was prohibited outside their residence from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The prohibitory orders would remain in force till the situation returns to normalcy.

Jiribam district Superintendent of Police intimated to the district administrations apprehending breach of peace, disturbance to public tranquillity, and danger to human lives and properties forcing the district authorities to impose the prohibitory orders.

On Monday, people belonging to different communities and different political parties attacked each other injuring several people who were admitted to the hospital.

PKL 8: Patna Pirates take on U.P. Yoddha, Bengaluru Bulls battle Dabang Delhi in semis

TB Team
-
0
PKL 8: Patna Pirates take on U.P. Yoddha, Bengaluru Bulls battle Dabang Delhi in semis

The focus will be on the defense when league-toppers Patna Pirates lock horns with U.P. Yoddha while it will be a battle of top raiders when Dabang Delhi K.C take on Bengaluru Bulls in the semi-finals of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 8 here on Wednesday.

The winners of these two matches will meet in the season finale on Friday (February 25).

Patna dominated the league stages through collective team performances led by their insatiable defense. But they will be facing a familiar foe in U.P. Yoddha’s Pardeep Narwal. The “record breaker” won three titles with the Patna team but will turn arch-nemesis for the first semi-final of the night.

Dabang Delhi K.C, the Season 7 runners-up, will be hoping to make it two finals in a row but a tough challenge awaits them in the form of the Bengaluru Bulls.

Bengaluru has shown that they are not totally dependent on Pawan Sehrawat with their secondary raiders Bharat and Chandran Ranjit finding form in the recent outings.

Focus on Pardeep Narwal
All eyes will be on Pardeep Narwal when he faces his old team Patna Pirates in the first semi-final. The star raider has looked in good shape in the recent matches, turning cagey battles into one-sided affairs with his massive multi-point raids. He will no doubt be Yoddha’s major trump card against Patna.

The Pirates got a direct slot in the semi-finals after topping the league table. They are a team in form and have a dangerous defense led by Iranian Mohammadreza Shadloui. The match could most likely be decided by how well Patna handled Pardeep’s raids.

The left raider won’t have a direct confrontation with Shadloui but the likes of Neeraj Kumar and Sajin C must be wary of jumping into early tackles. Pune paid the price for their eagerness by conceding a 5-point Super Raid against Narwal which turned the game around in Eliminator 1. Surender Gill has been a great deputy in attack for Yoddha while their famous corner combination of Sumit and Nitesh Kumar is also looking lethal.

It will be interesting how Patna shapes up in the attack. Sachin should be a favorite considering his rich form. But coach Ram Mehar Singh might opt for the experienced Monu Goyat instead of the impressive Guman Singh to be the second option in attack. Both teams won a match each when they met in the league stages.

Naveen v Pawan in second semis

Interestingly, the match between Delhi and Bengaluru will not only be about two of the best raiders in the country – Naveen Kumar and Pawan Sehrawat. In Naveen’s absence, Delhi’s seasoned stars realized their full potential with the likes of Manjeet Chhillar and Sandeep Narwal showing their mettle.

Similarly, Bengaluru’s defense and secondary raiders have risen to the challenge in their recent outings easing the pressure off Pawan’s shoulders.

The outstanding raiders will again be required to inflict maximum damage on the opponents. Naveen’s fitness will be a key concern but Delhi earned extra rest days by securing a direct spot in the semis by finishing second in the league stages.

Both Naveen and Pawan are known for their outstanding performances in pressure situations. But their time away from the mat will be limited with others helping them.

In Chandran Ranjit and Vijay, the Bulls have a potent raiding unit to support Pawan Sehrawat. Their corner duo of Sourabh Nandal and Aman has also been in good form which has allowed cover defender Mahender to be more expressive.

Delhi’s biggest strength is its experience. Manjeet Chhillar, Joginder Narwal, Sandeep Narwal are all seasoned stars who have been through multiple finals in their career. They will know how to perfectly navigate the challenge. In Vijay, they also have a stellar all-rounder to give Naveen the backup he wants. The Bulls won 1 and tied the other when the two teams met in the league phase.

Nitu, Anamika enter quarters at 73rd Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament

TB Team
-
0
Nitu, Anamika enter quarters at 73rd Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament

Indian boxers Nitu and Anamika progressed to the quarter-finals after registering comprehensive victories on the second day of the 73rd Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Nitu began the day’s proceedings brilliantly against the Russian boxer Iuliia Chumgalakova and exhibited a skillful display to secure a dominating win by a unanimous margin in the 48kg opener on Monday night.

Next in action, Anamika, too, looked in good touch during her 50kg preliminary bout as she defeated the local favorite Zlatislava Chukanova 4-1.

Nitu and Anamika will now take on Italy’s Roberta Bonatti and Algeria’s Roumaysa Boualem respectively in their last-eight contests.

Meanwhile, two other Indian boxers, Akash Sangwan and Shiksha, exited the event following identical 0-5 defeats in their respective matches. While Sangwan lost to German pugilist Daniel Krotter in the men’s 67kg second round, Shiksha came up short against the reigning Asian champion Dina Zholaman of Kazakhstan in the women’s 54kg opening round bout.

The current youth world champion Arundhati Choudhary alongside national champion Rohit Mor and six other Indian boxers will begin their campaigns on Tuesday night at Europe’s oldest international boxing tournament which has been witnessing thrilling action in presence of over 450 boxers from 36 countries, including strong boxing nations such as Kazakhstan, Italy, Russia and France.

A 17-member Indian contingent, including seven men and 10 women, is participating in the tournament which is also the first exposure trip for Indian boxers this year.

The prestigious tournament will end on February 27.

Samantha continued filming ‘Shakuntalam’ despite developing rashes because of jewellery

TB Team
-
0
Samantha continued filming ‘Shakuntalam’ despite developing rashes because of jewellery

The angelic first-look poster of Samantha from her upcoming epic saga ‘Shakuntalam’ was released on Monday.

Producer Neelima Guna, who lauds the ‘Oh Baby’ actress for her dedication to work, reveals that Samantha Ruth Prabhu had to go through difficulties but still continued to film for ‘Shakuntalam’.

Samantha’s role required her to wear specially designed accessories, which caused rashes on her skin.

Producer Neelima Guna, who closely worked with Samantha on the sets of ‘Shakuntalam’ said, “At times, Samantha suffered from rashes while sporting floral jewelry. But she applied medication and continued to wear it. It was also a bit heavy for her, but she went that extra mile. Her efforts were truly inspiring”.

As Samantha reprises a role based on the mythological story, she had depicted an enchanting beauty, who was raised in a forest ashram. To bring in the resemblance, designer Neeta Lulla had styled special jewelry for Samantha.

“We used floral accessories, which were imported from Amsterdam. These accessories were customized to suit the current generation, while it will still showcase the special character”, Neelima said.

‘Shakuntalam’ is to hit the screens soon. The mythological movie is directed by Guna Sekhar.

Djokovic begins Dubai campaign in style, beats Italy’s Musetti

TB Team
-
0
Djokovic begins Dubai campaign in style, beats Italy’s Musetti

World No. 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic overcame world No. 58 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy 6-3, 6-3 at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships in his first match of the season following the deportation fiasco during the Australian Open in January.

The match proved easier than the Serbian’s previous meeting with the 19-year-old Musetti, which came in the fourth round of the French Open last year. In that encounter, the Italian was forced to retire in the fifth set after holding a two-sets-to-love lead. Djokovic, eventually, went on to clinch the title in Paris.

“All in all, it’s a straight-sets win, so of course, I have to be satisfied with my tennis, especially after not playing for two-and-a-half, three months,” Djokovic was quoted as saying by atptour.com.

“Of course, there were moments when I played great; there were moments when I made a couple of unforced errors in a row uncharacteristically. But it’s normal to expect that (in my) the first match after a while.

“I’m glad that I managed to finish out the job tonight in straight sets against a very talented player from Italy who possesses a lot of quality. Of course, he didn’t have much to lose, and in windy conditions (it was) a bit tricky to play. But all in all, a very, very pleasant experience for me,” added Djokovic.

“I was fortunate to find the right serves on those breakpoints I faced in the sixth game of the second set. That gave me huge relief obviously for the rest of the match.”

It was the 37-time ATP Masters 1000 winner’s first outing of 2022 and he sealed victory in 74 minutes with the help of 13 winners including five aces.

The 34-year-old Djokovic needs to perform strongly this week to give himself the best chance to retain his No. 1 ATP rank, which is under threat from Russia’s Daniil Medvedev. The Serb’s second-round opponent will be either Russian Karen Khachanov or Australian Alex de Minaur.

Does age effect male and female fertility?

TB Team
-
0
Does age effect male and female fertility?

Sangh Parivar goons attacked my brother- Hijab petitioner

TB Team
-
0
Sangh Parivar goons attacked my brother- Hijab petitioner

Hazra Shifa, one of the petitioners in the hijab case, has alleged that the Sangh Parivar goons attacked her brother on Monday and demanded strict action against the attackers.

Her brother, she said, was targeted as she is fighting for hijab rights.

“My brother was brutally attacked by a mob just because I continue to fight for my hijab, which is my right. Our property was ruined as well. Why? Can’t I demand my right? Who will be their next victim? I demand strict action against the Sangh Parivar goons,” Hazra said.

Masood Manna, who is known to Shifa, also urged the Udupi police to initiate action against the culprits. “Saif (brother of Shifa) was attacked by a mob of 150 Sangh Parivar goons in Udupi. He was a victim as his sister Hazra Shifa is still fighting for her rights, her hijab. Not only students but families’ lives are at stake as well. Stringent action must be taken,” he stated.

He further stated that the victim is admitted to the hospital in Udupi. “A case has to be filed against the attackers,” he said on social media tagging the DG of Karnataka and Udupi police.

A. H. Almas, another petitioner said, Saif, Hazra Shifa’s brother was brutally attacked by a mob, and the property was ruined as well. Just because she is standing firmly against injustice and demanding her rights? Who will be their next victim? I demand action to be taken against the Sangh Parivar goons.

The hijab row has snowballed into a crisis in the state and the matter is being discussed at international levels. The Karnataka High Court has formed a special bench to hear the matter. Presently, Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi is submitting his arguments before the bench defending the government’s decision on the hijab.

Investors unnerved by lack of transparency in LPG pricing, under recoveries of OMCs

TB Team
-
0
Investors unnerved by lack of transparency in LPG pricing, under recoveries of OMCs

Lack of transparency in LPG pricing, related under-recoveries, and inventory gains/losses have unnerved the investors and weighed on their interests in the oil marketing companies.

Rising LPG prices along with the ongoing elections in key states have tested the resolve of the government and the Oil Marketing Companies (IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL), Motilal Oswal Institutional Equities said in a note.

While prices of auto fuels have not been changed since early November’21, the price of subsidized LPG cylinders has also been retained since November’21.

Prices of auto fuels and LPG are likely to decline in near future along with an expected drop in Brent prices. While the decline in prices should recover some portion of the under-recovery, the same is likely to destroy whatever slight interest the market has in the divestment of BPCL, the report said. Hence, we downgrade BPCL to Neutral. We maintain our Neutral rating on HPCL due to rising debt, project execution risk, and reducing leverage to marketing.

Although refining margins have improved, the lack of mark-to-market pricing of LPG has once again raised the concerns of yesteryears when the OMCs used to share the burden of under-recoveries. Even if OMCs are not made to share any under-recovery, the continued pricing intervention would make it utterly difficult to divest the government’s stake in BPCL.

After netting a total cost of Rs 1.8/lit on each, OMCs would be making net losses of Rs 3.6/lit and Rs 2.8/lit on petrol and diesel, respectively. A change of $1/bbl in benchmark petrol/diesel price makes an impact of 40paise/lit on their margins.

We believe that with the decline in benchmark petrol and diesel prices, the OMCs would be able to recoup their poor profitability rates that are evident currently. However, the inability to pass on the cost inflation amid ongoing elections questions the independence of the companies, thereby taking the valuation multiples back to the regime when prices used to be regulated, the report said.

As per our calculation, the total under-recovery will be at Rs 101 billion during October’21-February’22. Further, if we consider no change in LPG price in March’22E, then the total under-recoveries would inflate to Rs 121 billion over October’21-March’22.

Earlier, the OMCs used to clearly earmark their under-recoveries along with compensation/receivables from the government/upstream companies. However, a lack of mention suggests that there is a possibility of them bearing the full burden in FY22E, the report said.

Pooja Hegde: Experimenting with different ensembles is exciting for me

TB Team
-
0
Pooja Hegde: Experimenting with different ensembles is exciting for me

Pooja Hedge, whose song ‘Arabic Kuthu’ from the film ‘Beast’ took the Internet by storm, has talked about sporting a look she has never carried before for the number.

The actress says experimenting with different ensembles is exciting for her.

The song is composed by Anirudh, written by Sivakarthikeyan, and sung by Jonita Gandhi and Anirudh in Tamil. Striking us as an Egyptian goddess, Pooja sports kohled eyes, wavy hair, metallic elements on her attire, graceful moves, and her signature golden smile in the song.

The Arabic theme of her ensemble is not only reflected in her exotic white and wine-colored outfit but also in the delicate way her jewelry was accessorized.

Elated at the response to the song, Pooja says, “I was so thrilled to shoot a song that styled me in exotic Arabic looks. Experimenting with different ensembles is exciting for me. The choreography of the song is super groovy and I’m happy that viewers have loved it. It’s great to have so many viewers react to the song.”

‘Beast’ is an upcoming black comedy action-thriller film written and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar and produced by Sun Pictures.

Pooja Hegde is gearing for her upcoming movies like ‘Radhe Shyam’ opposite Prabhas, Salman Khan’s ‘Bhaijaan’, ‘Cirkus’ opposite Ranveer Singh, ‘Acharya’ with Chiranjeevi and Ram Charan, and ‘SSMB28’ opposite Mahesh Babu.

Big B turns narrator for Prabhas-starrer ‘Radhe Shyam’

TB Team
-
0
Big B turns narrator for Prabhas-starrer ‘Radhe Shyam’

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is joining the team of ‘Radhe Shyam’ as he turns narrator for the upcoming pan-India film starring Prabhas and Pooja Hegde.

Amitabh with his iconic baritone brings weight and dimension to the film.

Directed by Radha Krishna Kumar the multi-lingual love story is set in Europe in the 1970s with Prabhas essaying the role of a palmist. The film is shot extensively in Italy, Georgia, and Hyderabad.

Talking about this development says director Radha Krishna Kumar, “The film is set in the 1970s and is mounted on a massive scale, we needed a voice that can command the nation and who better than Mr. Amitabh Bachchan, a voice that everyone recognizes, respects and more importantly loves.”

“We are so happy to have him as Radhe Shyam’s narrator .”

Gulshan Kumar and T-Series present ‘Radhe Shyam’ a UV Creations production. Directed by Radha Krishna Kumar and edited by Kotagiri Venkateswara Rao.

The film is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Vamsi, and Pramod, the movie was released on March 11.

PKL 8: Bengaluru Bulls defeat Gujarat Giants, enter into semis

TB Team
-
0
PKL 8: Bengaluru Bulls defeat Gujarat Giants, enter into semis

A collective performance led by star raider Pawan Sehrawat helped Bengaluru Bulls thrash Gujarat Giants 49-29 in the second eliminator match of the Pro Kabaddi League Season 8, here on Monday. Bengaluru Bulls will now play Dabang Delhi K.C. in the second semi-final on February 23.

Pawan Sehrawat scored 13 points while Mahender clinched a High 5 from the cover position. The Bulls outplayed Gujarat in every department with secondary raiders Bharat and Chandran Ranjit also contributing to the points.

The match had a cagey start with both teams sizing each other up. The defenses made uncanny errors while raiders took a very cautious approach. But Bengaluru slowly started dominating with their secondary raider Chandran Ranjit also chipping in with valuable points.

That double-headed attack along with Pawan gave Bulls their first all-out in the 14th minute to open a 9-point lead. Gujarat didn’t let the all-out affect them badly and immediately initiated a fightback. Rakesh S and Pardeep Kumar started dominating the raids and reduced Bengaluru to just two men on the court in the final minute of the first half.

But Mahender clinched a Super Tackle right before the interval to end the half with the scores 24-17. Gujarat had just one tackle point in the first half.

The Bulls prevented an early all-out with another Super Tackle by Mahender in the first minute of the second half. He picked his High 5 in the process and Bharat then backed it up with a 4-point Super Raid.

The numerical advantage helped the Bulls inflict another all-out in the 6th minute after the restart to make the scores 35-21. Pawan secured his Super 10 as the Bulls opened a 15-point advantage with 10 minutes remaining in the eliminator round.

The Bulls continued to dominate with their defense thwarting the Giants with ease. They had 14 tackle points compared to Gujarat’s five with five minutes remaining. Bengaluru was also buoyed by the fact that both Bharat and Chandran Ranjit were having a good game.

This ensured Pawan spent very little time in the dugout. The Season 6 champions inflicted another all-out with 3 minutes remaining to make the scores 48-28. The Bulls’ defenders kept calm in the final minutes to clinch an important playoff win.

Instagram quietly limits ‘daily time limit’ option

TB Team
-
0
Instagram quietly limits ‘daily time limit’ option

Meta-owned photo-sharing platform Instagram reportedly appears to have quietly removed the ability for mobile users to set a lower daily time limit reminder than 30 minutes.

Indeed, the app’s UX design nudges people to choose a three-hour ‘limit’, TechCrunch reported on Monday.

This daily time limit setting pops up a notification to the user once their app activity hits their preferred limit, reminding them to be conscious of how much time they are spending on the app — and maybe making it easier for them to choose to quit out of the app voluntarily.

Previously the company supported a user-defined limit for Instagram that could be as low as 15 minutes, or even 10 minutes, per day, when it was making a big PR push to suggest that more ‘mindful’ usage of its services as possible, as concern over social media addiction surged.

But it seems the attention-loving adtech giant now wants Instagram users to spend longer eyeballing content feeds on the platform where it can cash in by targeting them with ads, the report said.

TechCrunch was alerted to the Instagram settings change by a tipster who shared screenshots of their account which show the company nudging them to “set a new value for your daily limit” because, as it puts it, “the available daily limits are changing as part of an app update”.

1...792793794...2,196Page 793 of 2,196