Telugu star Nandamuri Balakrishna undergoes shoulder surgery

TB Team
-
0
Telugu star Nandamuri Balakrishna undergoes shoulder surgery

Veteran Telugu actor Nandamuri Balakrishna was admitted to hospital in Hyderabad. He had complained of pain in his right shoulder which was bothering the actor for the last six months.

A statement from the medical representatives of the CARE Hospitals said that Balakrishna had complained that he could not lift his right hand and was in extreme pain.

“Upon evaluation accompanied by an MRI, our team of Orthopedic Surgeons at CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, we decided to treat Balakrishna. Our shoulder surgeon, Dr Raghuveer Reddy, and Dr B.N. Prasad performed a 4-hour surgery to repair the shoulder muscle tendons successfully,” the press note from the hospital said.

The report also suggests that the doctors have confirmed Balakrishna’s well-being, indicating that he has been doing well, and hence is ready to get discharged from the hospital.

Balakrishna’s fans are worried about the health condition of their favourite actor, as they wait for more updates regarding his health.

The ‘Lion’ actor is to be seen in Boyapati Srinu’s upcoming entertainer titled ‘Akhanda’. On the other hand, he is also hosting a show on Telugu OTT platform ‘AHA’. The show is titled ‘Unstoppable with NBK’. The actor recently shot for the first episode of the celebrity talk show, and appeared to be quite energetic, despite the shoulder pain.

Bihar launches WhatsApp chatbot to fuel vaccination drive

TB Team
-
0
Bihar launches WhatsApp chatbot to fuel vaccination drive

The Bihar government’s health department on Tuesday launched a dedicated WhatsApp chatbot called ‘Vaccine Mitra to make it easier for people to access a wide range of information about Covid vaccination.

The bot is free to use and will be available in English and Hindi.

It is built with the latest intuitive capabilities of the WhatsApp API platform that enables users to select ‘quick replies’ and eliminates the need for users to type out a message. The chatbot is also enabled with the capability of finding the nearest vaccination centre, helping in creating awareness on vaccines, and much more for the residents of Bihar.

“Vaccine Mitra is a step towards digitally aiding citizens with easy access to information related to vaccination. We are hopeful that the citizens of Bihar will find this useful and together we will achieve success by vaccinating the entire population,” said Mangal Pandey, Bihar Health Minister, in a statement.

To access the bot, WhatsApp users need to simply send ‘Hi’ to the number https://wa.me/919431025555.

“Intuitive and seamless technologies such as WhatsApp have made critical contributions in helping governments elevate citizen engagement and services. Bihar government’s custom tech-solution in the form of ‘Vaccine Mitra’ Helpline chatbot on the WhatsApp-API is a testament to the effective and scalable, transformational power of technology put to use by the Bihar state administration,” added Shivnath Thukral, Public Policy – Director, WhatsApp India.

BJP further consolidates lead in Huzurabad

TB Team
-
0
BJP further consolidates lead in Huzurabad

The BJP was racing ahead in by-elections to the Huzurabad Assembly seat as its candidate and former minister Eatala Rajender increased his lead to over 11,000 votes.

At the end of 15th round, he was leading by 11,583 votes of his nearest rival G. Srinivas Yadav of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

Rajender, whose resignation caused the bypoll, secured a total of 68,486 votes after completion of 15 rounds while Yadav had polled 57,0003 votes. Venkat Balmoor of the Congress party was a distant third with 2,131 votes.

The former minister, who was leading from the first round, increased his lead with every round. Barring eighth and 11th round when TRS nominee took the lead, it was Rajender who had an upper hand in the remaining 13 rounds.

Seven more rounds of counting were remaining but going by the outcome so far, Rajender is likely to emerge a winner.

Out of 2,36,837 voters, 2,05,053 had cast their votes in the by-election held on Saturday.

A total of 30 candidates were in fray in the by-election, caused by the resignation of Eatala Rajender after he was dropped from State Cabinet by Chief Minister K. Chandraekhar Rao following allegations of land grabbing.

Rajender, a four-time MLA from Huzurabad, also quit TRS to join BJP.

Meanwhile, celebrations were held in the BJP camp as Rajender took a clear lead. Party workers burst crackers and distributed sweets at the party office in Hyderabad.

The Election Commission has prohibited any victory procession in Huzurabad after the counting. According to the orders issued by the Chief Electoral Officer, no more than two persons will be allowed to accompany the winning candidate or his representative while receiving the certificate of election from the Returning Officer.

Apple cuts iPad production to meet iPhone 13 demand amid chip shortage

TB Team
-
0
Apple cuts iPad production to meet iPhone 13 demand amid chip shortage

Tech giant Apple has cut back sharply on iPad production to allocate more components to the iPhone 13, a sign the global chip supply crunch is hitting the company even harder than it previously indicated, media reports say.

According to Nikkei Asia, production of the iPad was down 50 per cent from Apple’s original plans for the past two months, sources briefed on the matter said, adding that parts intended for older iPhones were also being moved to the iPhone 13.

The iPad and iPhone models have a number of components in common, including both core and peripheral chips. This allows Apple to shift supplies between different devices in certain cases.

The company is prioritising iPhone 13 output in part because it forecasts stronger demand for the smartphone than for the iPad as Western markets begin to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic, sources said.

The peak of new iPhone sales also comes within months of release, so ensuring smooth production for the iPhone 13, which was released on September 24, is a top priority for Apple right now.

Demand for the iPad, however, has also been robust thanks to the rise of remote working and learning amid the pandemic, the report said.

Global shipments of iPads climbed 6.7 per cent on the year to 53.2 million devices last year, securing a 32.5 per cent global market share, far ahead of the No. 2 Samsung’s 19.1 per cent share, according to IDC data.

Total iPad shipments were 40.3 million for the first nine months of this year, up 17.83 per cent from the same time a year ago.

Former UP CMs too did not contest Assembly polls: SP

TB Team
-
0
Former UP CMs too did not contest Assembly polls: SP

Defending their party president Akhilesh Yadav’s decision of not contesting the Assembly polls, Samajwadi Party leaders on Tuesday claimed that in the past also several leaders, including incumbent Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, did not contest the polls.

The Chief Ministers from 2007 till now have been the members of the upper house in the state, they said.

Soon after Yadav’s announcement on Monday, the Opposition tore into the SP saying that the decision was taken as the party had lost all hopes of winning.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajiv Rai said that the party, not the parliamentary board, will decide who will contest elections. As far as the BJP is concerned, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and both the Deputy Chief Ministers Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Lal Maurya are members of the Legislative Council.

During his last term as the Chief Minister, Akhilesh Yadav was a Legislative Council member. He had not contested the 2012 elections.

Similarly, BSP supremo Mayawati who has been Chief Minister four times was a MLC but not a MLA.

Yogi Adityanath is also a MLC. He did not contest the elections in 2017 when the BJP stormed into power but he was the MP from Gorakhpur and was later elected leader of the Legislative party.

Keshav Lal Maurya and Dinesh Sharma are both MLCs elected after being appointed as ministers.

For the Assembly polls, Akhilesh, the MP from Azamgarh, will be the face of his party’s campaign, Rai said.

In 2000, Rajnath Singh was elected as a MLA from Haidergarh and was the Chief Minister, while another Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was the last elected MLA as Chief Minister. He was elected from Gunnaur.

Rajinikanth’s ‘Annaatthe’ to release in over 1,100 theatres worldwide

TB Team
-
0
Rajinikanth’s ‘Annaatthe’ to release in over 1,100 theatres worldwide

Megastar Rajinikanth’s ‘Annaatthe’, which has triggered huge expectations among fans and the public, will have as big a release abroad as it has in India.

The film, which is scheduled to hit screens for Deepavali, will release in over 1,100 overseas theatres.

Sun Pictures, which has produced the film, claimed that this was the biggest overseas release for a Tamil film.

The production house, in a tweet, said ‘Annaatthe’ would be screened in as many as 677 theatres in the United States alone.

In the UAE, which has a considerable number of Indians, the film will release in 117 screens.

In Malaysia, the film would be screened in 110 theatres, while in neighbouring Singapore, it would be screened in 23 theatres. The film will be screened in 86 screens in the island nation of Sri Lanka.

The family entertainer, which has been directed by Siva, will release in 17 theatres in Canada and 35 theatres in the United Kingdom. It will release in 43 theatres in Europe and in 85 theatres in Australia and New Zealand.

With just a day to go for the film’s release, the excitement seems to be rising by the minute.

The film, which, apart from Rajinikanth, also features Nayanthara, Khushbu, Meena, Keerthy Suresh and Jagapathi Babu among others, has music by Imman and cinematography by Vetri.

Big B’s NFT collections reaches $5.20k on Day 1 of auction

TB Team
-
0
Big B’s NFT collections reaches $5.20k on Day 1 of auction

As Indian celebrities latching onto the craze of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), megastar Amitabh Bachchan’s NFT collections reached highest ever bidding in India at $5,20,000 on Day 1 of the auction.

The record is proving to be the most successful so far with his ‘Madhushala’ NFT collection receiving highest ever bidding in India at $4,20,000 on Day 1 with two more days to go as fans continue to have a bidding frenzy.

Madhushala is his father’s collection of poems recorded in the superstar’s own voice.

“In a world of metaverses and digitization, NFTs have opened the doors to a new realm of connectivity and an opportunity to engage with my fans in a new way,” Bachchan said.

“The NFTs will offer the audience a chance to own an original piece of rare and cherished moments of my life including stories from my films, recitation from Madhushala, some back stories and moments from my films and these moments remain with them forever,” he added.

In addition to this, the auction also has seven autographed posters from his iconic movies and half a dozen collectibles of “punks and NFTs art and Poster collection” which have received bids worth over $1,00,000 on Day 1.

A unique feature to the auction is the “Loot Box”, worth $10 each. Every buyer of this box would get an assured art piece from the NFT collection. The Loot box goes live on November 2 at 7 pm offering 5000 collectibles for which over 300,000 crypto collectible fans have signed up globally.

This exclusive NFT auction is being hosted on BeyondLife.club, powered by Guardian Link, one of India’s biggest de-centralised branded marketplace for NFTs. The auction went live on November 1 and will close on November 4.

Meanwhile, following in the footsteps of megastars Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth, actress Sunny Leone has also ventured into the NFT space.

Sunny has gone on to mint her NFTs. Minting is a process through which digital art becomes a part of the Ethereum blockchain – a public ledger that is unchangeable and tamper-proof.

The actress took the lead among Indian actors to secure their digital assets when she broke the news about her association with NFT, two months back. This made her the first Indian actress to roll out her own NFTs.

Tesla increases Model 3, Model Y ranges with 2022 model year

TB Team
-
0
Tesla increases Model 3, Model Y ranges with 2022 model year

Elon Musk-owned electric vehicle company Tesla has updated Model 3 and Model Y ranges with the 2022 model year, and most of them have got higher ranges — though it depends on the wheels.

In an overnight update to its online configurator, Tesla changed the ranges of several of its most popular Model 3 and Model Y trims.

The update seems to coincide with Tesla shifting production to the 2022 model year, reports Electrek.

Model years are not as big a deal with Tesla as it is with most other automakers since the electric automaker doesn’t wait for a new model year to implement changes in its vehicles.

It continuously introduces new features and changes throughout the year as they are ready for production. However, some model years coincide with bigger changes, the report said.

For the 2022 model year, Tesla appears to have made changes that affected the range of Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.

For the Model 3 Standard Range Plus, the range went from 262 to 272 miles on a single charge.

That’s on the “standard” 18-inch wheels, which are only standard in price, as in cheaper, because Tesla now has the 19-inch wheels selected by default on the online configurator, as per the report.

With the 19-inch wheels, the range falls to 267 miles.

Also, Tesla doesn’t seem to refer to the base Model 3 as a “Standard Range Plus.”

Now it only refers to it as “Rear-Wheel Drive” and the different battery packs are only differentiated by the Model 3 Dual Motor also being called “Long Range”.

The Model 3 Long Range goes from 353 to 358 miles with the 18-inch wheels.

With 19-inch wheels, the range goes down to 334 miles on a single charge.

The Model Y Long Range also got a bump. It went from 326 to 330 miles of range.

However, when it comes to the Model 3 Standard Range, which is not being called “Standard Range” anymore, Tesla recently announced that it is moving all “standard range” vehicles to LFP batteries.

Firecrackers sale severely impacted in UP

TB Team
-
0
Firecrackers sale severely impacted in UP

The sale of firecrackers in Uttar Pradesh appears to have been severely impacted by awareness about pollution, the continuing pandemic and the government’s ban on non-green crackers.

The shops selling firecrackers in Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj and other major cities are fewer compared to previous years.

Ajmal, who has been selling crackers for the past 19 years, said, “There are so many restrictions which are being misused by the police. We do not know which is a green cracker and which is not. The cops harass us and extort money. Besides, the government has said that cracker shops should be put up in open areas only. Who will come to buy crackers there unless you have a shop in the market area?”

He said that most of his colleagues in the business had decided not to put up cracker shops this year.

On an average in the past, there used to be around 1,500 firecracker shops in the state capital but the number, this year, has come down to 500.

Most shops have sought permission in the trans-Gomti area which falls under north zone. ADCP, north, Prachi Singh, said that till Monday night, 185 shops had sought permission to sell firecrackers.

Joint Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, Piyush Mordia said that a three-day temporary permit has been issued to shopkeepers from one window.

“We have clearly stated that only green crackers must be sold, there must be fire safety provisions on the premises and crackers must not have more than 110 decibel sound level,” said Mordia.

In Prayagraj, the number of cracker shops has also gone down due to shortage in supply as well as demand, and Taufiq Khan, who used to put up two shops in the Daryaganj area, is now selling seasonal fruits instead.

“Customers are wary of buying crackers due to respiratory problems in the post-Covid time and the supply has also been hit due to the lockdown,” he said.

Sunil Kumar, in Kanpur, said, “Cracker business is now unpredictable and unprofitable, hence it is better to make a switch rather than flogging a dead horse. Even though wedding season is round the corner, people are preferring laser show to crackers.”

Satish Chandra Mishra, president of the Fireworks Dealers Welfare Association in Lucknow, said, “There is hardly any time left for Diwali and the government is yet to issue guidelines regarding sale and purchase of crackers. In such a situation, traders fear investing in the business.”

Samantha’s cryptic posts bother fans who can’t ‘let her go’

TB Team
-
0
Samantha’s cryptic posts bother fans who can’t ‘let her go’

Samantha Ruth Prabhu and her social media activity has been giving out strong vibrations to her fans and followers. It seems like post her separation from Naga Chaitanya, most of the things related to Samantha are being looked at with a magnifying glass.

Samantha’s every post on her social media profile is being closely watched by all. Earlier, Samantha had shared a cryptic post regarding the “importance of letting go”, which her followers have assumed to be something related to her divorce.

Also, Samatha’s Instagram stories which she has been posting with the title ‘MyMommaSaid’ have been the point of discussion ever since she started that series.

Samantha’s recent Instagram post had summarised something about decision-making and pressure. “Decisions taken under pressure tell who you are,” the ‘Rangasthalam’ actress said. This has now triggered speculations about what the actress is thinking.

Samantha’s fans and followers have been worried about Samantha’s current mental state. As the fans are unsure of the things going on in Samantha’s life post her divorce, her fans seem to be discussing her social media activity.

But Samantha has been actively travelling and working all the way. She is to appear in Gunasekhar’s visual epic ‘Shaakunthalam’. Samantha has also been signing movies, which include two bilingual films.

1...1,8331,8341,835...4,378Page 1,834 of 4,378