First event as the ATP Tour returns from a five-month coronavirus shutdown

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First event as the ATP Tour returns from a five-month coronavirus shutdown

The first event as the ATP Tour returns from a five-month coronavirus shutdown expects an impressive field based on early player commitments, Washington Open president Mark Ein said.

The 52nd edition of the annual US Open hardcourt tuneup is scheduled August 14-21 in Washington with no spectators expected, Ein told event telecaster Tennis Channel on Monday.

“We’ve been inundated,” Ein said of entries. “We think it’s going to be an absolutely incredible field.”

A safety bubble is planned at the player hotel, on the transport and at the venue for a 48-player singles field. Players would be tested when they arrive. Masks, social distancing, contact tracing, temperature taking, health questionnaires and “probably” extra testing during tournament week are also planned.

“We think if you do that, you will have a bubble that will be safe,” Ein said.A small number of spectators might attend, Ein said, if government health and safety regulations allow.

A WTA event is usually staged alongside the men’s event, although that has not been confirmed for this year.

“We’ve been in constant work dialogue with the WTA,” Ein said. “We’re really hopeful we’re going to be able to do that.”

Tendulkar took to Twitter to post a picture of Lasith Malinga

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Tendulkar took to Twitter to post a picture of Lasith Malinga

Sachin Tendulkar, the only player in the history of cricket to have scored 100 international hundreds, had some friendly advice for Lasith Malinga and asked the Sri Lankan fast bowler to change his run up routine. Lasith Malinga, known for his unique bowling action, tends to kiss the ball every time before running up to bowl a delivery.

However, with the new International Cricket Council (ICC) rules forcing a complete ban on the usage of saliva, Malinga might have to rethink his run up routines, reckons Sachin Tendulkar.

Tendulkar took to Twitter to post a picture of Lasith Malinga and wrote “A certain someone will have to also change his run up routine with the new @icc rules! What say Mali?

https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/1275429650039140353

Last month, Tendulkar and current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly had joked about ICC’s modern rules of using two new balls in ODI cricket.

The ICC, on Twitter, hailed the greatest “ODI batting pair” and reminded the fans that no other pair has crossed even 6,000 runs together in ODIs while Tendulkar and Ganguly had over 8,200 runs in ODIs.

Tendulkar acknowledged ICC’s post but the Indian batting maestro took a dig at modern cricket rules.

Tagging Ganguly in his reply, Tendulkar wondered how many more runs they would have scored with current field restrictions in place during their playing days.

“This brings back wonderful memories Dadi. How many more do you think we would’ve been able to score with the restriction of 4 fielders outside the ring and 2 new balls?” Tendulkar had replied on the ICC’s post.

Ganguly, agreeing with his former batting partner, said that with two new balls, the duo would have scored another 4,000 runs.

Agra scales up strategy to combat COVID-19, cases reach 1,158

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Agra scales up strategy to combat COVID-19, cases reach 1,158

The Agra district administration has scaled up its efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19, after a wordy duel with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who has tweeted twice drawing attention to the alarming number of deaths in the Taj city and the failure of the Agra model.

The Agra District Magistrate P.N. Singh has already rejected the allegations and asked her to revise her position in the light of facts.

It may be recalled that the Agra model was hyped and flaunted in April. After the initial success, conditions took an alarming turn, first due to the scare created by the Tablighis and later because of the mass influx of migrant workers through the district.

Since private laboratories and nursing homes have either refused or are reluctant to join the state government efforts to contain the pandemic, the overall situation continues to remain grim at the ground level. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the vast rural hinterland has now been exposed to the infection spread. This could only get confounded with monsoon rains about to begin.

The reluctance on the part of the private hospitals is mainly due to the rates fixed by the state government. The management of these private institutions does not find the rates reasonable or justifiable, considering the risks involved and expenses on testing likely to be incurred.

Under pressure, after being targeted by the opposition leaders and the family members of the victims, the district management has now deputed six IAS officials to constantly monitor conditions and facilities in the 66 containment zones. The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will randomly check all the hot spots in the city.

Meanwhile, with two more deaths, the number of fatalities in the district has gone up to 81. Ten fresh cases in the last 24 hours have taken the COVID tally to 1,158. The Health officials said 965 have recovered and the number of active cases was 112. So far, 19,389 samples have been collected.

As a precautionary measure, most government offices had made thermal screening at the entrances compulsory.

The district police have tightened the grip on violators of the guidelines. As many as 8,133 people have been fined for spitting in public or not wearing masks. More than a thousand vehicle owners have been challenged in the past few days for violating the social distancing norms.

In a first, Pak capital to get Hindu temple, crematorium

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In a first, Pak capital to get Hindu temple, crematorium

The Hindu community living in the Pakistan capital will finally be getting a proper temple, allowing them to offer their religious rituals without having to travel out of this city anymore, besides a crematorium — the first in the city.

A simple groundbreaking ceremony was held in Islamabad’s H-9 sector area, allocating at least 4 Kanal land for the construction of the first proper Hindu temple of the capital.

Parliamentary Secretary on Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi, performed the ceremony. He said the Hindu population in the capital has been increasing considerably in the past two decades, making it important to make a temple for them to worship in.

“The Hindu community in Islamabad has been demanding a temple for a long time now. The population has also increased while many Hindu temple structures in the capital have been abandoned,” he said.

“Besides, there is no crematorium in Islamabad,” he added.

The Islamabad Hindu Panchayat has named the temple in Islamabad as Shri Krishna Mandir, to be constructed in a covered area of at least 20,000 square feet in H-9/2. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) allotted the area in 2017 as per the orders of the National Commission for Human Rights.

However, delay in fulfillment of formalities like approval of site map by the CDA and other authorities extended the overall process.

As per details of the site map, the temple complex will also have a cremation sit, apart from the space for separate structures of other religious rites.

Lal Chand said that the step should be taken as symbolic in reference to the reports coming from India, where Muslims are being prevented from going to mosques, while the Imran Khan-led government of Pakistan is building a temple, which he said proves the accommodative policy of the country.

Religious Affairs Minister Pir Noorul Haq Qadri maintained that the government of Pakistan would be bearing the cost of the construction, which is estimated to at least PKR 100 million.

Qadri has also taken the matter up with the Prime Minister Imran Khan, to allocate a special grant for the temple for its construction and maintenance.

The construction approval of the Hindu temple in the capital comes at a time when the Pakistan government has been criticizing the Modi-led government for oppressing the Indian Muslims, closing doors of mosques, allowing a Hindu temple to be made at the Babri Mosque site.

Virat Kohli shared a throwback picture

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Virat Kohli shared a throwback picture

Virat Kohli, the Indian men’s cricket team captain across formats, has been quite active on social media during the ongoing forced break from the game due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Virat Kohli took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a few pictures of him from a Test match in England. While describing the picture, the India skipper expressed his love for the longest format of the game. “Nothing comes close to playing an intense game in whites. What a blessing to be able to play test cricket for India,” Virat Kohli captioned the pictures on Instagram.

As soon as Kohli shared the pictures, fans flooded the comments box with heart-warming messages for the Indian skipper.”King Kohli,” a user posted a comment with a heart emoji.”Miss you on the field champ,” another one joined in.”King of playing game in whites,” a fan added.

On Tuesday, Kohli shared a throwback picture, fondly recalling the time before the coronavirus pandemic.

“Throwback to when you could go to such beautiful spots in nature. Just to be able to sit together and just soak it all in. With my one and only,” Kohli captioned the picture with Anushka Sharma on Instagram.

Cricket, much like other sports, has been hugely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.International cricket is set to resume with England hosting the West Indies next month for a three-match Test series.

Speaking on cricket returning behind closed doors, Virat Kohli had said that it will be difficult to feel the same emotions as players feel when they play in front of a packed house.

England-bound Pakistan players tested positive for COVID-19

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England-bound Pakistan players tested positive for COVID-19

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has tested negative for COVID-19, a day after the PCB found him positive for the deadly virus. Hafeez and Wahab Riaz are among the 10 England-bound Pakistan players, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. The team is due to leave for England on Sunday for a Test and T20 series in August. On Wednesday, Hafeez took to twitter and clarified that he and his family members have tested negative and also posted the medical report to back his claim.

“After Tested positive COVID-19 acc to PCB testing Report yesterday,as 2nd opinion & for satisfaction I personally went to Test it again along with my family and here I along with my all family members are reported Negetive  Alham du Lillah. May Allah keep us all safe,” Hafeez tweeted.

Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Haider Ali and Haris Rauf are the other eight players who tested positive as per PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan. PCB had earlier said all who have tested positive did not report any symptoms prior to testing.

“The PCB medical panel is already in contact with these players and the masseur, who have been instructed to observe strict quarantine at their homes for their and their families’ wellbeing,” the PCB said in a statement on Tuesday.

Khan had said that players testing positive for the virus is a warning for the general public. He also revealed that a support staff member, masseur Malang Ali, had also tested positive for COVID-19.

Khan said that the players and officials would now assemble in Lahore and another round of tests would be carried out on Thursday and a revised squad would be announced the next day.

“It is a matter of concern but we shouldn’t panic at this time as we have time on our hands,” Khan said.

The players and officials would be retested on reaching England. Despite the developments over two days, Khan said the tour is on track.”The tour to England is very much on track and the side will depart as per schedule on 28 June.

“Fortunately, all the first-choice red-ball squad, barring Mohammad Rizwan, are negative, which means they can start training and practising immediately after they have been tested and given the all clear when they arrive in England.”

Reacting to Monday night’s development of three Pakistan players testing positive, ECB’s director of cricket Ashley Giles had expressed concerns but there was no threat to the tour as it was “far enough away”.

“We are far enough away from the start of the Test series to not worry about that too much at the moment. We are waiting on those other test results,” Giles said in a video interaction in England.

According to the SOP for the series, the Pakistan team will undergo at least five tests in the lead up to the first Test.

COVID-19: Hafeez says he’s negative day after PCB announces positive result

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COVID-19: Hafeez says he’s negative day after PCB announces positive result

Senior Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez has claimed that he has tested negative for coronavirus after undergoing a test in his personal capacity.

On Tuesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board informed that Hafeez was one of ten Pakistan players in total who tested positive for COVID-19.

Hafeez, however, conducted a private test for “second opinion” for him and his family and said on Wednesday in a tweet that the result came out negative.

“After Tested positive COVID-19 acc to PCB testing Report yesterday, as 2nd opinion & for satisfaction I personally went to Test it again along with my family and here I along with my all family members are reported Negative Alham du Lillah. May Allah keeps us all safe (sic),” Hafeez said on his official Twitter handle with the report of his test.

According to PCB, the players who had tested positive for the virus were Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Wahab Riaz, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan.

All these players are part of the squad scheduled to travel to England on June 28 for three Tests and as many T20Is currently scheduled to be played in August and September.

The players and player support personnel, who have tested negative, will assemble in a bio-secure environment in Lahore on June 24 and will undergo a second round of testing on June 25, said the PCB.

The players and player support personnel, who will test negative on June 25, will depart for Manchester on a chartered flight. Within 24 hours after arriving in the UK, they will be tested by the ECB medical panel.

Indians streaming over 5 hours of online content daily: Report

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Indians streaming over 5 hours of online content daily: Report

As content streaming picks up pace in the lockdown times, Indian consumers are now engaged with online video across the spectrum for an average of five hours and 16 minutes every day which is highest globally, a new report revealed on Wednesday.

Consumers worldwide watch over four hours of online video every day with the highest daily viewing in India, according to Limelight Networks, a leading digital content delivery platform.

In India, 97.8 percent of people now use video chat to feel more connected and 65.4 percent use it multiple times a day, the findings showed.

“In the past several months, there have been dramatic changes and new behaviors in online video consumption of all types. Covid-19 has proven that Indians are always ready to adapt to the new technology,” said Ashwin Rao, Sales Director, Limelight Networks.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has also pushed streaming beyond entertainment and news. People are increasingly using online video to connect with others and get important information,” he added.

As streaming becomes the new normal riding on cheap data plans, a whopping two-thirds (64.3 percent) of Indian consumers had their first e-sports experience during the pandemic.

With other live events canceled as well, more than two-thirds (68.8 percent) of Indian respondents also attended their first virtual concert.

Exercising is also going online. In line with the trend, 55.6 percent of Indians said that they had participated in an online fitness class, and another 26.8 percent plan to do so in the next six months.

Consumers are using online video to access critical information.

Most people (91.7 percent) have used online video to stay informed by watching live stream speeches and press conferences during the pandemic. While 70.3 percent of people live-streamed content on news sites, 21.4 percent of the respondents live-streamed content on social media.

Even Baby Boomers (63 percent) now tune into live-streamed news and information online.

As the pandemic has forced consumers to work remotely, 93.8 percent of people agree that online video equips them to maintain daily activities.

One third (30.8 percent) of Indian consumers have been offered the ability to work from home for the first time and say online video helps them stay connected to colleagues (23.3 percent) and work more efficiently (50 percent).

More than half (67.3 percent) have or plan to use online video for professional development or to learn a new skill, said the report.

The pandemic has also sparked a rapid increase in telehealth in India.

About half (45.8 percent) of the respondents met their doctor virtually.

“This trend is expected to last beyond the pandemic with one-third (34.6 percent) of global respondents planning to hold telehealth appointments in the next six months,” said the report.

What counts as drinking too much?

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What counts as drinking too much?

Liver diseases and alcohol are connected. The liver is one of the most complex and the largest internal organ of the human body. It performs about 500 different roles, like converting food into energy, helping the body get rid of waste, and fighting infections.

And yet, you would not get to know that your liver is damaged, until things get serious. Liver damage remains unnoticed for a long time because of the regenerating and repairing capabilities of the liver. The liver can function normally even with about 80 percent damage. Often by the time liver diseases are diagnosed, the damage is irreversible. Dr. JS Bhogal, Sr. Consultant, Gastroenterology, Fortis Noida talks about liver diseases related to alcohol consumption.

Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of liver diseases. Most of the alcohol is metabolized in the liver. During the process, harmful substances are produced that can damage the liver. However, the liver can recover from mild damages thanks to its repairing capabilities. But if a person continues to drink too much alcohol, it can even lead to death.

There are three stages of alcohol-related liver diseases (ARLD) – alcoholic fatty liver, acute alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis. In the first stage (fatty liver), the fat starts accumulating around the liver. This can be cured by avoiding alcohol. During the second stage (acute hepatitis) the liver starts swelling. In this stage, too much damage can even lead to liver failure. Once in third and the most severe stage of ARLD, cirrhosis the damage cannot be reversed. It can also lead to liver failure.

What counts as drinking too much?

It is important to understand that to what level it is comparatively less risky to consume alcohol. For that people must know how much alcohol they are consuming through their alcoholic beverage. Beers generally contain 2 to 7 percent of alcohol, wines 10 percent to 15 percent, and hard liquors contain 40 – 45 percent of alcohol content. Therefore hard liquors are considered to be most harmful.

When it comes to alcohol and liver diseases, the damage caused to both men and women is different. Women are more vulnerable to liver diseases. Women are at risk if they consume half the quantity of what men are prescribed as safe.

In the case of men, the risk increases if they consume more than 1½ ounce of alcohol per day. 1½ ounce of alcohol means drinking approximately 3 cans of beer / 3 glasses of wine / 3 shots of hard liquor. If a man drinks more than 3 ounces of alcohol a day for 10 years, he is likely to develop cirrhosis.

As discussed before, alcohol is more harmful to women than men. The risk increases in women as their digestive system can process less alcohol, which increases the amount of alcohol that reaches the liver. For women, if they consume more than ¾ ounce of alcohol per day, they are at risk of developing alcohol-related liver diseases.

BJP announces candidates for 2 MLC seats in Bihar

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BJP announces candidates for 2 MLC seats in Bihar

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced the names of two candidates for the biennial Legislative Council elections in Bihar, fielding former ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Sanjay Prakash.

This information was released by party General Secretary Arun Singh on Wednesday at the direction of BJP national President J.P. Nadda.

The names of the two candidates were announced after the BJP Central Election Committee meeting.

Samrat Chaudhary, a former minister in the Bihar government, belongs to the Kushwaha community.

The polling will be held on July 6 for the nine vacant seats of the Bihar Legislative Council.

According to the Election Commission, nomination papers can be filed till June 25, and they will be scrutinized on June 26. The date for withdrawing the nomination papers is June 29.

IMD issues ‘orange’ alert for northern states ahead of monsoon

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IMD issues ‘orange’ alert for northern states ahead of monsoon

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for a few northern states, including the national capital, on Wednesday. The weather bureau also predicted that the monsoon would hit the region in 48 hours.

“Conditions are favorable for the advancement of monsoon into the remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, entire western Himalayan region, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan during the next 48 hours,” stated the IMD in its daily bulletin.

The bureau has four color-coded warnings as per the intensity of any weather system — green, yellow, orange and the last one being red. An orange alert is given to prepare the authorities. The forecast during this warning is of heavy to very heavy rainfall.

Parts of the capital city witnessed rainfall on Wednesday morning. The IMD has predicted “generally cloudy sky with moderate rain” for the next two days.

The maximum and minimum temperature in Delhi will hover over 36 and 29 degrees Celsius. The overall air quality index of the city is at the lower end of the satisfactory category.

Heavy rainfall will also lash isolated places over Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan, Sub-Himalayan Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, west Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh during the day.

Monsoon is slated to arrive in the northern states a few days before the predicted date. It is being attributed to a cyclonic circulation, which moved towards southwest Uttar Pradesh on June 19 and June 20.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ministry of Earth Science Secretary Madhavan Nair Rajeevan tweeted, “Monsoon activity to be shifted to foothills of Himalaya and North East region. Heavy rains and possible flooding over this area from June 25 to 28.”

The monsoon started with its timely onset over Kerala on June 1, marking the commencement of the four-month-long rainfall season.

Rajeevan said that heavy rains may again hit Kerala from June 26. “Elsewhere, the activity will be subdued due to strong westerlies over North-West India leading negative vorticity.”

The IMD had earlier said that the country will receive a normal monsoon between June to September.

Monsoon rains are critical for farmers in India as the majority of the country’s net-sown area does not have any form of irrigation. Farmers wait for the rains to begin for the sowing of crops.

Europa League finish within our reach, says Richarlison

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Europa League finish within our reach, says Richarlison

Everton will look to end their four-game winless streak when they visit Norwich in their second Premier League clash of the revamped calendar on Wednesday.

‘The Toffees’, who are sitting on the 12th spot with 38 points from 30 matches, failed to score in their previous two matches but did manage to pocket a point in Sunday’s goal-less Merseyside Derby draw against table-toppers Liverpool.

With eight matches still left to play, Everton forward Richarlison believes a Europa League finish is still there for the taking.

“Yes, yes, we want to do all we can to qualify for the Europa league because we can see that it’s within reach and we have a good run of games ahead. We want to make the most of it and pick up maximum points so we can try and achieve our goals,” the Brazilian told the broadcaster.

Richarlison, who has scored 26 goals in 70 appearances in all competition for Everton, is confident of bagging full three points against Norwich and the match be viewed live on Star Sports Select & Disney Hotstar VIP.

“Of course. The game against Liverpool gave us confidence. We did everything we could to pick up three points because we need to move up the table in order to reach our goals,” he said.

Talking about Everton’s first match post resumption against Liverpool at Goodison Park, Richarlison said: “I was really looking forward to playing again. When I stepped onto the pitch I started to smile because I was so happy to be back playing again.

“What’s more, it was a derby, so it was obviously a very important game for us. We missed the atmosphere that the fans bring to the stadium of course but the most important thing is that we came back and we did well. We hadn’t played for a while so we were still getting back into the swing of things but we were all so happy the moment we walked onto the pitch,” he said.

“We were looking to score throughout the game until the last minute but unfortunately it didn’t come but by very fine margins. Actually, after the game when I got back home and watched the match, I saw that I could have passed the ball to Alex, but unfortunately, I decided to go for a goal.

“That happens – it’s all part of the game. We tried until the very end but we were unable to get the goal. The draw was a good result for both teams.”

The Brazilian also spoke about playing matches behind-closed-doors and stated players will have to adapt quickly to the new normal.

“Of course, it is a bit strange but that is part of things now as we restart this season after the coronavirus lockdown. We have to adapt as quickly as possible,” he said.

“Of course we will miss the fans but we have to get used to it. We are going to play away from home without fans and at home without fans. So, let’s hope that this all blows over soon and that our fans can come back to the stadium.”

Twitter flags Trump tweet for violating its abusive behaviour policy

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Twitter flags Trump tweet for violating its abusive behaviour policy

Twitter has once again flagged a tweet from US President Donald Trump which promoted violence by saying if protesters tried to set up an “autonomous zone” in Washington, DC they would be met with “serious force”.

This is the fourth time Twitter has red-flagged Trump’s tweet for glorifying violence or violating its policies.

Trump has been critical of the “autonomous zone” in Seattle, an area occupied by protestors for much of this month.

“We’ve placed a public interest notice on this Tweet for violating our policy against abusive behavior, specifically, the presence of a threat of harm against an identifiable group,” Twitter’s safety team tweeted late Tuesday.

Trump had tweeted: “There will never be an ‘Autonomous Zone’ in Washington, D.C., as long as I’m your President. If they try they will be met with serious force!”

Twitter earlier labeled a video tweeted by him which mocked CNN as manipulated media.

According to Twitter, “this Tweet has been labeled per our synthetic and manipulated media policy to give people more context”.

In May, Twitter labeled two Trump tweets that made false claims about mail-in ballots in California.

Twitter later labeled another Trump tweet glorifying violence in which he said, “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

Facebook also removed a Trump campaign ad featuring a symbol used by Nazis for political dissenters, saying the ad violated its policies.

‘Herd immunity against Covid possible even with 43% of population’

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‘Herd immunity against Covid possible even with 43% of population’

Contrary to the decades-old theory that herd immunity against a pandemic is achieved when at least 60 percent population is infected, new research shows it can be done even with 43 percent when differences in age and social activity are considered.

Herd immunity happens when so many people in a community become immune to an infectious disease that stops the disease from spreading. This happens by people contracting the disease and building up natural immunity. When a large percentage of the population becomes immune to a disease, the spread of that disease slows down or stops and the chain of transmission is broken.

According to mathematicians from the University of Nottingham and the University of Stockholm, herd immunity to Covid-19 could be achieved with fewer people being infected than previously estimated.

“Our findings have potential consequences for the current Covid-19 pandemic and the release of lockdown and suggest that individual variation (in activity level) is an important feature to include in models that guide policy,” the authors wrote.

However, the figure of 43 percent should be interpreted as an illustration rather than an exact value or even the best estimate, said the study published in the journal Science.

“By taking this new mathematical approach to estimate the level for herd immunity to be achieved, we found it could potentially be reduced to 43 percent and that this reduction is mainly due to activity level rather than age structure,” explained Professor Frank Ball from the University of Nottingham.

The more socially active the individuals are the more likely they are to get infected than less socially active ones, and they are also more likely to infect people if they become infected.

“Consequently, the herd immunity level is lower when immunity is caused by disease spreading than when immunity comes from vaccination,” Ball explained.

To reach this conclusion, the teams devised a simple model categorizing people into groups reflecting the age and social activity levels.

When differences in age and social activity are incorporated in the model, the herd immunity level got reduced from 60 percent to 43 percent.

This research takes a new mathematical approach to estimate the herd immunity figure for a population by an infectious disease, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.

For Covid-19, it is often stated that this is around 60 percent, a figure derived from the fraction of the population that must be vaccinated (in advance of an epidemic) to prevent a large outbreak.

Amazon launches $2bn fund to invest in climate change mitigation

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Amazon launches $2bn fund to invest in climate change mitigation

Amazon has announced a $2 billion venture capital fund to invest in companies whose products and services will facilitate the transition to a zero-carbon economy.

The announcement is part of the Climate Pledge — a commitment to reach the Paris Agreement ten years early and be net-zero carbon by 2040 � which was co-founded by Amazon and non-profit Global Optimism last year.

Verizon, Reckitt Benckiser (RB), and Infosys recently joined the pledge.

“The Climate Pledge Fund will look to invest in the visionary entrepreneurs and innovators who are building products and services to help companies reduce their carbon impact and operate more sustainably,” Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder, and CEO said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Companies from around the world of all sizes and stages will be considered, from pre-product startups to well-established enterprises. Each prospective investment will be judged on its potential to accelerate the path to zero carbon and help protect the planet for future generations.”

The Climate Pledge Fund will invest in companies in multiple industries, including transportation and logistics, energy generation, storage and utilization, manufacturing and materials, circular economy, and food and agriculture.

Over time, Amazon said it will also look for opportunities to involve other Climate Pledge signatories in this venture investment program.

Amazon also announced it is on a path to run on 100 percent renewable energy by 2025, five years ahead of schedule.

Raw mustard oil: Siliguri police’s new weapon against Covid

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Raw mustard oil: Siliguri police’s new weapon against Covid

Officials of West Bengal’s Siliguri police commissioner have been directed to use raw mustard oil for daily consumption, as it has been called a new weapon to fight the Covid-19 pandemic by a top officer.

The police personnel has been asked to increase the use of mustard oil in their various daily usages – like putting them into nostrils before stepping out of homes, mix it with puffed rice, aloo chokha (spicy mashed potato) and salad while having tiffin, lunch or dinner at the police canteens.

A directive issued by the Siliguri police commissioner Tripurari Atharv asked all his officials to increase the consumption of edible mustard oil in their food to fight the Coronavirus.

“It was issued keeping in mind the health condition of police personnel in the Siliguri police commissionerate area. It is for the protection of our frontline COVID warriors. It is getting proved as a really effective measure,” said Siliguri deputy commissioner (headquarters) Nima Norbu Bhutia.

Sources said the directive was circulated among all the police stations under the Siliguri commissionerate area. It said that consumption of raw mustard oil is good for human health in the time Covid-19 pandemic situation.

UP Dy CM warns Priyanka Gandhi of ‘action’

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UP Dy CM warns Priyanka Gandhi of ‘action’

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has warned Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of ‘action’ if she does not respond to the notice sent to her by the Agra District Magistrate for posting wrong figures of the corona deaths.

Keshav Prasad Maurya accused Priyanka Gandhi of resorting to ‘cheap politics’ amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“The Congress general secretary is resorting to cheap politics since Covid-19 cases started emerging in UP. The claim of deaths made by her in Agra due to Covid-19 is false. The district administration has served her notice and if she fails to reply then we will take action,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

He pointed out that earlier, Congress indulged in bus politics and when their state party president Ajay Lallu was sent to jail, Priyanka Gandhi did not even bother to meet him.

He further said, “The Gandhi family should apologize for making baseless allegations on the Covid-19 situation and LAC face-off.”

Maurya also hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his statements on the Galway clash.

“Rahul Gandhi is raising questions on the courage shown by our forces along the LAC. Congress is the main opposition party in our country, but it behaves like a supporter of China and Pakistan. When all the other parties supported the government and Army in the meeting called by the PM, Sonia Gandhi was in disagreement. I think the entire Gandhi family should apologize for the language used and the baseless allegations they are hurling at us,” he stated.

It may be recalled that the Agra District Magistrate Prabhu Narain Singh had sent a notice to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday asking for a corrigendum within 24 hours for her tweet which claimed that 28 deaths took place due to Covid-19 in Agra in 48 hours.

According to the official, such ‘false information demotivates the corona warriors’.

However, after the notice, Priyanka Gandhi once again questioned the coronavirus situation in Agra by posting a tweet and sought Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s response.

In a tweet, Priyanka claimed that the death rate in Agra was higher than Mumbai and Delhi.

Targeting Agra District Magistrate for sending her the notice, Priyanka Gandhi said “An officer should focus on fixing the loopholes and ensuring better facilities rather than blaming others for the negligence.”

Sachin-Jigar on music centric films in Bollywood

TB Team
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Sachin-Jigar on music centric films in Bollywood

Musical composer duo Sachin-Jigar is gung-ho about having films revolving around the subject of music in Hindi cinema.

Hollywood occasionally makes musicals — from “The Sound Of Music” to “Chicago” to “Pitch Perfect” and “High School Musical”. Don’t they want such music-centric films to be made in Bollywood?

“Yes, absolutely. More musicals need to come up and they need to be made in the right way because we have a lot of talent here — directors, scriptwriters, actors and composers who could very well deliver. I think we really need to take it forward and make musicals,” Jigar told IANS.

Sachin noted that Bollywood has previously tried a hand at making films based on singers such as “Abhimaan”, “Aashiqui 2” and “Rockstar”.

“A lot of films have been made about singers keeping music in the center, but I would love to see some more films — even more if there is a film about a music composer,” Sachin told IANS.

He added that he looks forward to a story that inspires good music.

“Honestly, music-centric or not, a story that inspires good music, and a director and a producer creating a team that believes in bringing fresh songs — I am looking forward to that,” Sachin said.

Worst spike of nearly 16K Covid cases, as Delhi overtakes TN

TB Team
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Worst spike of nearly 16K Covid cases, as Delhi overtakes TN

India witnessed a spike of almost 16,000 fresh cases of the novel Coronavirus in the past 24 hours taking the total in the country to 4.5 lakh with 465 new deaths, data from the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry revealed on Wednesday.

India recorded the highest single-day spike of 15,968 new cases, as the total reached 4,56,183 so far. A spike of over 1,000 cases from Tuesday, when 14,933 new COVID-19 cases were reported.

According to the Health Ministry data, 14,476 people have died of COVID in the country.

A total of 1,35,663 more people have recovered than the number of active cases. There are currently 1,83,022 active and 2,58,685 recoveries. The number of patients recovering from COVID-19 continues to rise.

The recovery rate has further improved to almost 56.38 percent amongst the COVID-19 patients.

The number of government labs has been increased to 726 and private labs have increased to 266, summing up to a total of 992.

India conducted 21,51,95 Covid-19 tests on people in the last 24 hours.

Maharashtra remained the worst-hit state in the country with total cases at 1,39,010, including 6,531 deaths.

Delhi took over Tamil Nadu to become the state with the second-highest cases.

The national capital has 66,602 cases and 2,301 deaths followed by Tamil Nadu with 64,603 cases with 833 deaths.

States with more than 10,000 cases include Gujarat with 28,371 cases and 1,710 deaths, Uttar Pradesh (18,893), Rajasthan (15,627), Madhya Pradesh (12,261), West Bengal (14,728) and Haryana (11,520).

Apple iPhone sales down in China in May: Report

TB Team
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Apple iPhone sales down in China in May: Report

After an initial rebound, the iPhone sales plummeted in China in May as Apple reopened retails stores in the country after the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to CNBC, Apple sold 3.6 million iPhones in China in May, down from 3.9 million in April.

That’s a 7.7 percent fall versus April, according to Shanghai-based CINNO Research, the report said on Tuesday.

However, spending on the App Store and other Services grew in May for Apple.

In April, Apple reported 71 percent of revenue growth in China during the preceding quarter.

With this, China overtook Europe to become Apple’s second-largest market only to the US.

The company also reported quarterly sales of the iPhone in China at 61 million units in the March quarter, exceeding sales in the US.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in May that China would be Apple’s largest market within two years and that the number of Apple stores in China would almost double to 40 within that time frame.

The Chine smartphone market underwent its highest decline in the January-March period due to the impact of coronavirus pandemic and Huawei was the only smartphone player that achieved positive growth (year-on-year).

Smartphone sales in China fell by 22 percent (YoY) and 24 percent (quarter-on-quarter) in Q1 2020, according to Counterpoint Research.

Apple and Huawei managed to increase market share from the same period last year, clearly out-performing the overall market in Q1 2020.

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