A Repertoire of Culinary Experiences

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A Repertoire of Culinary Experiences

Indian Hotels Company Limited’s (IHCL) launched its gourmet food delivery platform, Qmin, on Thursday, 17th July in Capital City.

Qmin ensures guests a differentiated delivery experience with an enhanced focus on maintaining stringent protocols of safety and hygiene. This includes contact-less delivery and the mandatory use of protective gear for delivery executives in thoroughly sanitized vehicles. The packaging is eco-friendly utilizing bio-degradable materials, and with customized insulation boxes to preserve the food whilst being delivered.

Culinary experiences commencing with delivering dishes from the treasured restaurants of Taj, Vivanta, and SeleQtions to the comfort of your home, is the first phase of launch in the National Capital Region. Guests can order from eight iconic and celebrated restaurants like the House of Ming and Machan from Taj Mahal, New Delhi; Spicy Duck, Masala Art and Capital Kitchen from Taj Palace, New Delhi; Yellow Brick Road from Ambassador, New Delhi – IHCL SeleQtions and Thai Pavilion and Culina 44 from Taj City Centre, Gurugram.

Speaking on the announcement of this new offering, Mr. Gaurav Pokhariyal, Senior Vice President – Operations, North, said, “Delhi has proudly been referred to as the Food Capital of the country. We are delighted to launch Qmin in Delhi, a repertoire of culinary experiences from our celebrated restaurants. Qmin caters to the increased demand for gourmet food delivery service. Our landmark Hotels have pioneered various cuisines and culinary innovations for over four decades and it is our privilege to bring that experience from our signature restaurants to our guests in the comfort of their homes with utmost attention to hygiene.”

From the legendary Machan, the city’s first 24 hours international dining destination to award-winning and authentic Thai cuisine at Thai Pavilion, the much revered Yellow Brick Road and the Capital’s trendy multi-cuisine kitchen, Capital Kitchen, the repertoire of signature dishes that Qmin offers is sure to delight patrons. The culinary experience will celebrate nostalgia, quality, and authenticity in the comfort and convenience of your home.

Qmin will expand its scope and bring Taj@Home to other cities in the near future. The Qmin mobile application will be launched in Mumbai on July 25th, 2020, followed by the gourmet Qmin Shop in subsequent months presenting epicurean specialties and authentic artisanal brands.

Virtual grooming sessions amidst the ‘new normal’

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Virtual grooming sessions amidst the ‘new normal’

Four celebrity stylists including Jawed Habib, Ambika Pillai, Sanky Evrus, and Pompy Hans will share their perspective on various themes such as styling at home, work from home styling, tips, and tricks for monsoon hair and myths around styling tools.

Havells India kicks off its seven-week #schoolofgrooming campaign with leading celebrity hairstylists to reach out to its style-savvy consumers aiming to enlighten the participants with various aspects of self-grooming amidst the ‘new normal’.

The first live session hosted by hair expert Jawed Habib scheduled on 11th July received massive traction on Facebook with more than 480K views in just 3 days. Themed ‘Styling at Home 101’, the participants learned the basics of the styling and grooming for both men and women.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Ravindra Singh Negi, President – Electrical Consumer Durables, Havells India said, “We are pleased to announce the virtual sessions at a time when customers are in need of professional grooming advice amid the pandemic situation. With various services being inaccessible, online education on self-care is an important step towards building self-esteem and confidence for customers.

With the new brand campaign #schoolofgrooming and leading industry experts as the face, we want consumers to take charge of their looks and own their style with confidence. The idea is to cater to the evolving tastes of our target consumers and stay ahead with the latest grooming trends.”

Upcoming sessions include Ambika Pillai on the 20th, Sanky Evrus, and Pompy Hans.

How not to support someone through ill mental health

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How not to support someone through ill mental health

All of us function because we have a mind of our own. The way we think, the way we feel and the way we interact with our environment describes and determines our mental health.

We are our minds. Our relationships, our memories, our success, our moments of fun, our view of our work and ourselves, are all a function of positive mental health. Mental health and mental ill-health are a continuum, explains Dr. Achal Bhagat, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, and Psychotherapist at Apollo Hospitals, Delhi.

“Mental illnesses are common. There are nearly 200 types of mental illnesses. Some of these are common mental disorders, like anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and psychosomatic problems (physical symptoms because of psychological reasons). The more severe psychiatric disorders include schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder. Alcohol and substance abuse are common forms of mental illness. Mental illness is a dysfunction of our mental functions (thinking, feeling, acquiring, and making sense of information, problem-solving, decision making and judgment).

“This dysfunction is a result of an interaction of biological vulnerability in the form of certain neurochemical changes, and risks in the form of psychological and social difficulties that a person may face. In any community, one in four people is likely to experience a mental illness. Any one of us may experience mental ill-health,” Dr. Bhagat told IANSlife.

If you know someone who is living with a mental health problem, here is what she suggests you should not do to add to their problems:

Do not treat them any differently to any other person, because they have a mental health problem. People living with mental illnesses and mental health problems are people first.

Do not pity them or think less of them. They are not weak or incapable. They are facing a mental health problem and anyone can face mental health difficulties. It does not make them less of a person.

Do not be impatient. Create time, listen, and let them know that you care.

Do not make promises that you cannot keep. Be predictable and consistent in the support that you offer.

Do not be judgemental. We are all judgemental at times and we have opinions. Having opinions about other people and focussing only on some aspects of their personality is disrespectful and comes in the way of someone trusting you. Accept people as they are, without judging them.

Do not be directive. Do not try to determine their solutions, their responses to the difficulties they face. Your solutions may not be relevant to them. What you may find too easy to solve, maybe enormously difficult for them. Your immediate, pat solutions may make them feel that you are trivializing their problems. Gently encourage them to find their own solutions.

Do not be intrusive. Just because they have reached for help from you it does not mean that you need to know all about them. You need to now is your need to be complete, they may not be comfortable telling you everything about themselves.

Do not get into mental arguments with them, if you disagree with someone, let it be. Sometimes you may be so invested in one way of addressing a problem that each time you meet the person you are helping, you may be already having a mental argument with them. Trying to ‘convert’ people to your way of thinking is not helpful.

Do not compare their problems with other people’s problems. Everyone’s distress is individual and it is not less or more.

Do not use platitudes as a means of support. Saying things like “Time will heal” and “It is God’s will” are ways of stopping a difficult conversation not supporting someone.

Do not stop them from expressing themselves, do not question the way they are feeling. Everyone has a right to feel the way they want to.

Do not keep them away from other sources of help. Get information about mental health services and make it available to them.

Do not allow yourself to be overwhelmed. You have to look after yourself too. Being available for someone does not mean that you do not matter.

Do not try to do something to or for people, be with them.

Accenture elevates Sanjeev Vohra as applied intelligence biz head

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Accenture elevates Sanjeev Vohra as applied intelligence biz head

Global professional services company Accenture on Saturday announced to elevate Sanjeev Vohra as global lead of its Applied Intelligence business that helps customers use data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), analytics, and automation to fuel business transformation.

Vohra who is currently Accenture’s growth and strategy lead for technology would also join the company’s Global Management Committee (GMC), it said in a statement.

“We will count on his exceptional business acumen, leadership, and innovation-led mindset to drive our Applied Intelligence business and help our clients discover new ways to harness the power of data and insight to fuel their transformation and growth,” said Annette Rippert, Group Chief Executive, Accenture Strategy & Consulting.

Vohra who joined Accenture in 2002 would oversee a global Applied Intelligence workforce of 40,000, with deep industry expertise and skills in areas including AI, data science, deep learning, machine learning, and data engineering.

Applied Intelligence is Accenture’s approach to scaling AI-powered data, analytics, and automation capabilities for clients.

“Our expertise in defining end-to-end strategy, combined with deep data infrastructure capabilities, cognitive services, and industrialized accelerators help smooth clients’ path to AI adoption, extending human capabilities and supporting clients in scaling AI responsibly,” said Accenture.

Eng vs WI: We must make sure Archer doesn’t feel alone, says Stokes

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Eng vs WI: We must make sure Archer doesn’t feel alone, says Stokes

England all-rounder Ben Stokes believes the team management really needs to support fast bowler Jofra Archer who was excluded for the ongoing second Test against the West Indies following his bio-secure protocol breach.

Archer went home to Brighton between the first and second Tests of the ongoing three-match series against the West Indies, contravening strict guidelines. He was subsequently ruled out of the second Test being played at the Old Trafford. He will now undergo two COVID-19 tests during the five-day isolation period, which have to test negative before his self-isolation period is lifted.

“For us as players, and as the England cricket group, this is a time where our way of operation really needs to come through,” Stokes, who scored 176 to guide England to 469 for 9 declared in their first innings of the ongoing second Test, was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

“We really need to there to support Jofra right now, because obviously he’s a big talking point, and he is by himself because of everything else going on at the moment.”

“But it’s about making sure that he doesn’t feel like he’s by himself,” he added. “The worst thing that we can do right now, as a team, is to just leave him and say ‘see you in five, six days’ time.

“Times like these for people are very, very tough. You can feel like you are all by yourself, but I don’t think anybody is going to allow that to happen. Jofra is a massive part of this group, as everybody is. If it was anybody else like Jofra, it would be exactly the same way of handling as a team,” he added.

Archer has already apologized for his actions.

“I am extremely sorry for what I have done,” Archer was quoted as saying in an ECB statement.

“I have put, not only myself but the whole team and management in danger. I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and I want to sincerely apologize to everyone in the bio-secure bubble.

“It deeply pains me to be missing the Test match, especially with the series poised. I feel like I have let both teams down, and again I am sorry,” he added.

US Congress urged to pass another COVID-19 relief bill

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US Congress urged to pass another COVID-19 relief bill

Former chiefs of the US Federal Reserve have urged Congress to pass another COVID-19 relief bill as the pace of the country’s economic recovery could be slow and uneven.

At a hearing before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen on Friday warned that the US could face deep, permanent economic damage without further relief packages, reports Xinhua news agency.

They suggested that the next COVID-19 relief bill should focus on three areas: increasing spending on public health; extending enhanced unemployment benefits, and providing further aid to state and local governments.

“Money spent on public health yields a very high return and it means that the economy can get back on its feet more rapidly. We can reopen and put people back to work and of course, we also save lives in the process,” Yellen said at the hearing.

She added that “it would be a catastrophe” not to extend the enhanced weekly unemployment insurance of $600, which is set to expire at the end of this month.

“The unemployment insurance has a humanitarian aspect. We want people to be able to pay their bills and to stay in their homes,” echoed Bernanke, adding that the unemployment insurance will also increase aggregate demand and help the economy generally.

Asked about the potential impact of capping the next COVID-19 relief package at $1 trillion, Yellen said: “I would be concerned about capping it when we know that the needs of the state and local governments alone come close to that and a substantial amount will also be needed for unemployment insurance and for public health needs.”

Last month, Bernanke, Yellen, and another 100 economists urged Congress to immediately pass a “multifaceted relief bill of a magnitude commensurate with the challenges our economy faces” as the COVID-19 fallout continued to ripple through the country.

US output is expected to contract by an annualized rate of 37 percent in the second quarter and by 6.6 percent for 2020 as a whole, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff said on Friday, after concluding an annual Article IV review of the economy.

Trump won’t issue national mask mandate

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Trump won’t issue national mask mandate

US President Donald Trump said he won’t issue an order at the national level mandating the use of masks, even as the country has continued to break its single-day COVID-19 case record.

When asked during a Fox News interview on Sunday if he would consider issuing a national mask mandate to slow the spread of the virus, Trump said: “No, I want people to have a certain freedom and I don’t believe in that, no,” Xinhua news agency reported.

“I don’t agree with the statement that if everyone wore a mask, everything disappears,” the President added.

“Dr. (Anthony) Fauci said don’t wear a mask, our surgeon general — terrific guy — said don’t wear a mask. Everybody was saying don’t wear a mask, all of a sudden everybody’s got to wear a mask,” Trump said.

“And as you know, masks cause problems too. With that being said, I am a believer in masks. I think masks are good.”

Trump has been refusing to wear a mask himself since the pandemic hit the country earlier this year, citing his good health and frequent negative tests for the virus.

He was seen wearing a mask in public for the first time on July 11 while visiting Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, some three months after the CDC recommended that Americans should do so because asymptomatic bearers of the virus could still transmit it to others.

After recording over 70,000 COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours for a second consecutive day, the US currently accounted for the world’s highest number of infections and fatalities at 3,641,417 and 139,175, respectively.

Have all our bases covered, can make history in Tokyo: Savita

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Have all our bases covered, can make history in Tokyo: Savita

Indian hockey goalkeeper Savita believes the team has all their bases covered and stand a great chance to win the elusive medal at next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games.

Because of the coronavirus outbreak, the Tokyo Olympics have been postponed by a year and are now scheduled to be held in Summer 2021.

“I think we have a great chance to make history at the Tokyo Olympics. We have a good mix of experience and youngsters in our side and all our bases are covered,” Savita was quoted as saying by Hockey India.

“We have competed against top teams in the recent past and we have a strong belief in our abilities. If we play to our potential, we will surely win a medal for India at the Olympics next year,” she added.

The Indian eves have never been able to win a medal in the prestigious quadrennial event. In Moscow Games in 1980, the team finished fourth while in Rio Games in 2016, they finished at the 12th spot.

Recalling the historic qualification for the Rio Olympics, Savita said: “It was fantastic to take part at the Rio Olympics in 2016. We had qualified for the big competition after 36 years and we were very excited to be in the midst of the best athletes from around the world. The feeling was unparalleled when we were soaking in the entire environment at Rio.”

“I feel our team was raw at that time and we made a few mistakes. Now, we have a much stronger side and I am sure we will be able to put the nightmare in Rio behind us. The experience at the Olympic Games will certainly hold us in good stead for the next one in Tokyo,” she added.

The goalkeeper stated that the team has changed their playing style after the Rio Games.

“We have certainly changed the way we operate on and off the field since the 2016 Olympics. We have recorded great victories in the last four years which includes Asia Cup 2017 and FIH Women’s Series Finals Hiroshima 2019.

“It was absolutely amazing to book a berth at the Tokyo Olympics through the FIH Olympic Qualifiers 2019 in front of our home crowd. We desperately needed one goal in the second leg match against the USA and Rani stepped up for us once again in the last quarter of the match.

“We never stopped believing in ourselves and that was the key aspect in our game on that day,” she added.

Covid-19 cannot be transmitted from mosquitoes to humans: Study

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Covid-19 cannot be transmitted from mosquitoes to humans: Study

Do mosquitoes carry the novel coronavirus and can they transmit Covid-19 to humans? Maybe not. In a new study, the researchers have confirmed that the Covid-19 virus cannot be transmitted to people by mosquitoes.

The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, provide the first experimental investigation on the capacity of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease, to infect and be transmitted by mosquitoes.

“While the World Health Organisation (WHO) has definitively stated that mosquitoes cannot transmit the virus, our study is the first to provide conclusive data supporting the theory,” said study researcher Stephen Higgs from Kansas State University in the US.

For the results, three widely distributed species of mosquito — Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus — representing the two most significant genera of arbovirus vectors that infect people, were tested.

Also, all three of the species are present in China, the country of origin of the novel coronavirus.

The study found that the virus is unable to replicate in three common and widely distributed species of mosquitoes and therefore cannot be transmitted to humans.

“We have demonstrated that even under extreme conditions, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is unable to replicate in these mosquitoes and therefore cannot be transmitted to people even in the unlikely event that a mosquito fed upon a viremic host,” the study authors wrote.

“I am proud of the work we are doing at the university to learn as much as we can about this and other dangerous pathogens,” said Higgs.

Research has been ongoing with other animal pathogens that can be transmitted from animals to people, including Rift Valley fever, Japanese encephalitis, African swine fever, and classical swine fever.

“We have remarkable talent and capabilities working within our research and training facility at the university’s Biosecurity Research Institute (BRI),” said study researcher Peter Dorhout.

Richa Chadha on importance of veganism in post-Covid world

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Richa Chadha on importance of veganism in post-Covid world

Actress Richa Chadha feels large-scale production and consumption of animal products is harming the planet as well as the human race.

“There’s a lot of discussion about the last two epidemics originating from meat and poultry farms. The large-scale production, consumption of animal products is harming the planet as well as the human race,” Richa said.

The actress had an educational chat with PETA to discuss veganism and why it is a sustainable life choice in the post-COVID world.

“I wanted to be able to talk about it without sounding preachy. The whole concept of veganism stems from ‘live and let live’, so the idea is not to force people to convert to veganism. Food is connected with culture and nostalgia. But by speaking about it in a practical fashion, we are hoping that people give this a shot. They can start by becoming vegan a few days a week. Hopefully, 2020 will usher in a lot of changes in mindset,” she said.

Amid the lockdown and pandemic, Richa has started reading again, and she says the experience feels new.

Taking to Instagram recently, Richa shared a photograph that captures her reading a book.

“Reading again. Feels new… #Surrealphoto #reading #sunset #Rumi #wednesdayWisdom #richachadha #actor #sapiosexual #manypeoplehavethisintheirbioandtheydontunderstandit #lockdown,” she wrote alongside the image.

Richa was last seen in the courtroom drama “Section 375”. Her upcoming films are “Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai” and “Shakeela”.

Former Australia captain Barry Jarman passes away

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Former Australia captain Barry Jarman passes away

Former Australia captain Barry Jarman has passed away aged 84 after an illness.

Having made his debut against India at Kanpur in 1959 at the age of 23, the wicketkeeper played 19 Tests from 1959 to 1969 and led Australia for one Test on the 1968 Ashes tour when regular skipper Bill Lawry was injured, leading them to a draw that meant Australia retained the Ashes.

Australia’s 33rd Test skipper, Jarman is one of just five Australian male wicketkeepers to captain his country in Test cricket, reports cricket.com.au.

Cricket Australia offered condolences to his family and said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Barry Jarman, the 33rd captain of the Australian men’s Test team, aged 84. We pass our deepest sympathies to his wife Gaynor and children Kristen, Gavin, Jason and Erin.”

According to ESPNcricinfo, following his retirement, Jarman once again rose to prominence when in the early 1990s, the ICC’s commissioning of neutral match referees to oversee player behavior for international matches came into place.

He presided over 25 Tests and 28 ODIs between 1995 and 2001, the most notable of these was the abandoned Test match between West Indies and England in Jamaica in 1998 which was called off within an hour due to the dangerous nature of the pitch.

BJP demands CBI probe into Rajasthan audio tapes

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BJP demands CBI probe into Rajasthan audio tapes

The BJP on Saturday hit back on the Ashok Gehlot Government when it not only denied charges of alleged bid to break the Congress party but also alleged that the dessert state is witnessing an “indirect emergency”.

The BJP was referring to the purported phone conversations that were leaked by Gehlot camp.

“Is the phone of every person in Rajasthan, who has any concern with politics, is being tapped? Is Emergency not being imposed indirectly in Rajasthan?,” asked BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra in a press conference here on Saturday.

Calling the Rajasthan political crisis a “drama”, Patra alleged it is a brazen cocktail of conspiracy, lies, fraud, and defiance of the law.

“The whole conspiracy is being hatched in their house and through some audio tapes it is being alleged that the BJP is trying to sabotage the Congress party,” said Patra. He demanded a CBI probe into this matter, to ascertain whether phone tapping was done or SOPs were followed. He also questioned if the voice in the leaks is authentic, why the FIR states it as “purported”.

This attack comes in the wake of an FIR filed by the SOG in Rajasthan against Union Minister and BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and two others on the basis of a complaint by Congress whip Mahesh Joshi soon after three audio clips with alleged conversations on toppling the Ashok Gehlot government were released by Rajasthan’s ruling party.

However, Shekhawat has denied any of the tapes has his voice while another BJP leader said the tapes were doctored.

The clips have recorded purported conversation between Shekhawat, Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma, a Jaipur resident, and BJP leader Sanjay Jain while discussing plans and actions to topple the Congress government.

Now, the BJP has based its counter-attack on these purported conversations to raise the “phone tapping of politicians in Rajasthan” charge against Congress while labeling it as am “indirect emergency”.

Bhumi Pednekar’s birthday wish is a vaccine for Covid-19

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Bhumi Pednekar’s birthday wish is a vaccine for Covid-19

On her 31st birthday on Saturday, actress Bhumi Pednekar said that she wished a vaccine or a solution is found for the novel coronavirus.

“My birthday wish for this year is that all the people who are affected by the virus and all the people that are vulnerable because of the situations currently, get some peace, get happiness and we truly find a solution or a vaccine for Covid-19,” Bhumi said.

Talking about her birthday plans, Bhumi says: “It will be special because I won’t be meeting anyone and will be with my family at home. It will be very simple and basic. No special plans as such,” she said.

She said that her celebrations will be “very different” this year.

“Actually, I am very big on birthdays. I include a lot of people, a lot of my loved ones. I get pampered a lot but I think this year I am just going to be with my mom and my sister. We would probably be on Zoom call with everyone that I love,” she said.

How has the lockdown affected her? “I am a very busy person. I love spending time with my family but I love working, so I miss being on sets. I miss working. As we all can see the world is slowly trying to co-exist with the virus,” she said.

Bhumi found many creative ways to keep herself busy during the lockdown. She tried “cooking and household chores”.

“But apart from that I have been writing here and there, have been watching some great content, reading a lot of books. I have been working out a lot actually. I have been meditating. I have surprisingly been very busy. I have been doing a lot of digital collaborations, which also kept me busy,” she added.

Finally, cricket has arrived once again

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Finally, cricket has arrived once again

England versus West Indies’ first Test match in Southampton finally brought cricket to the forefront once more. The Test match was a thriller with the West Indies finally chasing the runs and coming out victorious on the final day of the game. However, England to me has also come out as a winner. They showed that cricket can still be played even in these difficult times of COVID-19.

The effort and planning that would have gone into it and to be the first country to do so, must have been quite an arduous task. Furthermore, to organize it so meticulously was a magnificent achievement. They now have a template for the rest of the world to follow.

The players have shown that “the show must go on” and for them to live in an isolated bubble for the quarantine period and thereafter is a remarkable commitment.

One is, therefore, sad to learn that England’s new sensational fast bowler Jofra Archer — on the journey from Southampton to Manchester where the second Test match is being held — broke the regulations set by visiting his flat on the way. This action from the young dynamic bowler was immature as he is now in quarantine and has missed the chance of playing a very crucial match for his country. The absence of Archer could play a very important role in the final outcome of the Test match. England will surely miss him.

Cricketers, henceforth, will need to ensure that all the protocol set for them are strictly adhered to. To expose themselves to the possibility of catching the dreaded virus is not only detrimental to them but also to their fellow cricketers, crew, and the staff members supporting them.

An apology from Archer about his action is just because he received a rap on his fingers for his mistake but it could have led to a series being shelved unnecessarily. Cricket then would have been at a standstill once again.

The restriction of saliva for use by the bowlers on the cricket ball and its effect was one area that everyone was keen to learn more about. The importance, especially in England where one sweats less, has now proved that saliva does play a major part in the armory of a swing bowler.

The best in class with 587 wickets under his belt, James Anderson, was one such to suffer. A genuine mover of the new and old cricket ball, Anderson could barely get the swing that he is renowned for. He is a bowler who has over the years mastered the line and length to bowl in his home conditions but this time he too struggled to emulate his past repertoire.

A stadium without noise and pressure sans spectators was another area as to how the cricketers would address the silent atmosphere. Especially as the pumping of one’s adrenalin for an athlete because of the crowd behind them does get that extra bit of momentum in their performance.

England, one felt, did miss the noise of their ardent fans and supporters, the Barmy Army, as chasing the 200-run target for the West Indians would not have been so peaceful otherwise. The home crowd pressure on an opponent is quite unsettling and the West Indian batsmen got the benefit of the lack of the English supporters terrifying them during the chase.

With cricket now finally on the cards, the ICC and all the cricket playing countries are out with their drawing board chalking out their plans. One does feel that the limited-overs, especially the T20 matches, are a better option to schedule, as the most popular version of the game will attract many more viewers and eyeballs than the conventional Test matches.

A five-day affair and with plenty of rain delays in England can be quite a difficult match to follow even for a die-hard fan. Also, not every game is expected to reach its climax in the afternoon of the very last day. The present-day cricket fans have far less patience due to the paucity of time in their everyday life and so cricket for them is much more of an entertainment than a slow technically correct affair.

One is still skeptical about Australia being able to host the T20 World Cup at the end of this year. One, however, gathers that they will be playing their popular T20 League, the Big Bash, this year. If this tournament is possible, one cannot rule out the possibility for them to go ahead with hosting the T20 World cup.

India and the other nations will need to be prepared for such an eventuality if it arises. But in the end one is pleased that cricket has arrived once again!

Wildfire in US state scorches over 17,600 acres

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Wildfire in US state scorches over 17,600 acres

A wildfire raging in the US state of Wyoming has scorched over 17,606 acres, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said.

According to the latest information updated by the local BLM office on Friday, the blaze dubbed “Neiber Fire” started on Tuesday south of Worland, a rural small city with 5,000 residents, and the cause is unknown so far, reports Xinhua news agency.

The fire was estimated at 2,000 acres in size when it was first reported, but hot, dry, and windy conditions, as well as difficult terrain, hampered firefighters’ efforts to contain it.

At least six planes, some 200 firefighters have been assigned to fight the blaze, which is still burning even though the authority said 30 percent had been contained.

Meanwhile, the BLM office in the state-issued new Stage 1 fire restrictions “due to dry conditions and high fire danger”, effective Friday in seven counties, prohibiting many behaviors dealing with fire, such as building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire except within agency-provided fire equipment.

Nepal unveils monetary policy to revive industries

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Nepal unveils monetary policy to revive industries

Nepal’s central bank has unveiled a number of measures to provide relief and revive the industries hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

By presenting the monetary policy for the fiscal year 2020-21 that began on July 16, Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari said on Friday that the repayment deadline of paying loan installments would be extended by maximum one year depending on the degree of impact on the particular sector, reports Xinhua news agency.

The worst affected industries can pay the installment by mid-July this year, till mid-July 2021.

The industries that faced medium level impact from the pandemic can pay such installment till mid-April 2021 and those mildly affected by COVID-19 can pay the installment mid-January next year.

Tourism and hospitality and the aviation sector as well as small and medium enterprises are among the worst affected by the pandemic which has claimed 40 lives and infected over 17,000 people in Nepal so far.

The central bank presents the monetary policy every year to help the Nepal government to achieve various economic objectives through monetary measures.

Helping to revive the pandemic affected sectors is one of the major priorities of the government for the fiscal year 2020-21.

The policy has also decided to make arrangements for extending loans at a cheaper interest rate to the COVID-19-affected sectors.

A relief package of 50 billion Nepali rupees ($444 million) will be used for providing cheaper loans to the badly affected, like tourism, micro, small and medium enterprise, for their revival and paying the salaries to their staff.

These sectors will get loans at a maximum of 5 percent, the central bank said, adding that it will also provide separate refinancing package for the pandemic-affected businesses at not more than a 5 percent interest rate.

The major priority of the Nepali government for this fiscal year is economic revival through various relief measures for the pandemic-affected sectors, agriculture modernization, and job creation.

Hence, the monetary policy has made it mandatory for commercial banks to extend a minimum of 15 percent of total loans in the agriculture sector by mid-July 2023.

The central bank also asked the commercial banks to provide a minimum of 10 percent of total loans in the hydropower sector by mid-July 2024.

For the first time, the banks are required to extend a minimum of 15 percent of total loans in micro, small and medium enterprises, according to the new monetary policy. These sectors are major job creators in Nepal.

Nidhhi Agerwal gets nostalgic as ‘iSmart Shankar’ turns one

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Nidhhi Agerwal gets nostalgic as ‘iSmart Shankar’ turns one

Actress Nidhhi Agerwal has opened up on how her life changed after Puri Jagannadh’s Telugu blockbuster “iSmart Shankar”, which released a year ago on July 18.

“I feel proud to be a part of ‘iSmart Shankar’. Puri sir was in my list of dream directors and I’m very happy to have worked with him. The film has changed my life in a lot of ways. For the first time, I did a very ‘messy’ film and a whole new section of people have seen me in the film. People praised me a lot. Also, it felt like a long holiday while working with Puri sir,” Nidhhi recalled.

The movie featured Ram Pothineni as the lead character of a contract killer named Shankar, who manages to escape after murdering a politician.

Nabha Natesh and Satyadev Kancharana were also a part of the cast of “iSmart Shankar”.

Google to add quick access emoji bar in Gboard for Android

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Google to add quick access emoji bar in Gboard for Android

Witnessing a steep rise in the emoji use worldwide, Google has rolled out a quick access emoji bar in the Gboard beta version, which would be available to all Gboard Android users in the coming months.

The new emoji shortcuts bar in Gboard will appear right above the keyboard.

With the emoji bar, users would be able to quickly use multiple emoji without having to switch to the dedicated emoji page on the keyboard.

In the current Gboard version, the users need to tap on the emoji icon next to the spacebar in order to open the emoji page.

According to Google, there has been over 40 percent rise in the use of emoji during the shelter-in-place and social distancing times as people now have more emoji options than ever before.

Last year, Google sent a proposal focused on introducing more empathetic expressions and finding opportunities to bring equity to the keyboard to the Unicode Consortium, the nonprofit organization that maintains emoji standards and guidelines.

“We’ll see some of those efforts released this fall with a slightly smiling face, an emoji of two people hugging, a man in a veil, a woman in a tuxedo, and a person feeding a baby,” the company said in a statement on Friday.

Along with other emoji approved by Unicode, 117 new emoji will be available with the release of Android 11 in the fall.

Android 11, expected to be launched on September 8, comes with a host of new features, including redesigned and reorganized notifications.

There are also a number of accessibility, smart home, and general improvements included with Android 11 as well.

Buses running in 6 Gurugram routes to ease commuters’ woes

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Buses running in 6 Gurugram routes to ease commuters’ woes

The Gurugram Metropolitan City Bus Limited (GMCBL) has said it is offering rides at six key routes in a bid to ensure last-mile connectivity as the Millennium City has entered its unlock phase.

The residents of Gurugram have been finding it difficult to commute since the lockdown phase, and even after months, the situation for them is yet to return to normalcy as key transportation services like Delhi and Rapid Metro remain suspended.

Sonal Goel, CEO of GMCBL said that buses are available at the frequency of 10-15 minutes covering some of the key locations like Gurugram bus stand, Hero Honda Chowk, Sikandarpur, Iffco Chowk, Manesar, Basai Chowk, Sohna, Railway station, Rajesh Pilot Chowk and others.

“Social distancing of passengers in the GMCBL buses is a top priority of the bus crew apart from sanitization and other norms that abide by disaster management guidelines. We have installed foot-operating sanitizers for passengers to avoid minimum human contacts,” Goel said.

Apart from the regular passengers, the medical staff of hospitals – Civil Hospital, Sector 10, and ESIC Hospital are also moving around in the buses. “We are sending four busses at regular intervals to provide a hassle-free ride to the medical and para-medical staff of these two hospitals,” Goel said.

Ayushmann Khurrana: People who are multi-faceted are inspirations to me

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Ayushmann Khurrana: People who are multi-faceted are inspirations to me

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana says he is always inspired by multi-talented personalities. The actor is currently reading up on the life and times of Salvador Dali, the revolutionary Spanish artist.

“He was a man of many talents. He painted, was into graphic arts, had an interest in films, sculpture, design, photography. Basically, he was drawn to all things creative and I just wanted to read up on how his mind worked. People who are multi-faceted and multi-talented are huge inspirations to me. I look to learn from their lives,” Ayushmann said.

The actor says his interest in Dali peaked after he binge-watched the series “Money Heist”. The Dali masks in the show serve as a symbol of resistance and national pride.

“This lockdown has really fuelled my interest to learn new things and I have started reading up on Salvador Dali, the iconic Spanish surreal artist. My interest to know about his life and works peaked when I watched ‘Money Heist’ and I really wanted to know more,” said Ayushmann.

During Guru Purnima, Ayushamann had hailed the Indian playback legend Kishore Kumar to be a huge inspiration in his life and career.

“I have been very vocal about being intrigued by Kishore Kumar, too. Such icons are an institution in themselves and have left behind so many learnings for us to grasp, for us to understand. I’m thoroughly enjoying learning about their lives, their philosophies, and their beliefs,” he said.

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