‘बाहुबली‘ स्टार प्रभासचे चाहते त्याच्या नव्या चित्रपटाची आतुरतेने वाट पाहत आहेत. याच दरम्यान प्रभासच्या आगामी ‘राधे- श्याम’ चित्रपटाचा पहिला लूक रिलीज झाला आहे. या चित्रपटात प्रभाससोबत अभिनेत्री पूजा हेगडेचा रोमांन्स पाहायला मिळणार आहे.
प्रभास आणि पूजा हेगडेने सोशल मीडियावर ‘राधे- श्याम’ या चित्रपटाचा लूक शेअर केला आहे. या फोटोसोबत त्यांनी लिहिले आहे की, ‘माझ्या चाहत्यांनो, हे तुमच्यासाठी आहे. आशा आहे की, आपल्याला हे आवडेल. #Prabhas20FirstLook #RadheShyam.
या चित्रपटात भाग्यश्री, मुरली शर्मा, सचिन खेडेकर, प्रियदर्शी, साशा छेत्री, कुणाल रॉय कपूर आणि सत्यन यासारखे दिग्गज कलाकार दिसणार आहेत.’राधे- श्याम’ चित्रपटाचे हिंदी वर्जन टी- सीरीज घेऊन येत आहे. या चित्रपटाचा पहिला लूक रिलीज झाल्यानंतर ट्विटरवर तो नंबर वन ट्रेंड बनला आहे.’राधे- श्याम’ हा चित्रपट २०२१ मध्ये रिलीज होणार आहे. याआधी प्रभास आणि श्रद्धा कपूरचा ‘साहो’ हा चित्रपट येवून गेला होता. या चित्रपटात प्रभास आणि श्रद्धाची केमिस्ट्री पाहायला मिळाली होती.
तुम्ही जर नवीन बजेट फोन खरेदी करण्याचा विचार करत असाल आणि तुम्हाला भारतीय कंपनीचा फोन हवा असल्यास लावाने तुमच्यासाठी खास स्मार्टफोन लाँच केला आहे. लावाने भारतात ‘लावा झेड61 प्रो’ स्मार्टफोन लाँच केला आहे. या फोनची किंमत देखील खूप कमी आहे. यात 8 मेगापिक्सल रियर कॅमेरा आणि सेल्फीसाठी 5 मेगापिक्सल कॅमेरा मिळेल.
लावा झेड61 प्रो ची भारतीय बाजारात किंमत 5,774 रुपये आहे. यात 2 जीबी रॅम + 16 जी इंटर्नल स्टोरेज देण्यात आलेले आहे. हे स्टोरेज मायक्रोएसडी कार्डद्वारे 128 जीबी पर्यंत वाढवता येईल. या स्मार्टफोनमध्ये 5.45 इंच एचडी+ डिस्प्ले देण्यात आलेला आहे. डिस्प्लेचा आस्पेक्ट रेशियो 18:9 आहे आणि यात 1.6GHz ऑक्टा-कोर प्रोसेसर मिळेल.
कॅमेरा फीचर्सबद्दल सांगायचे तर रियर पॅनेलवर एलईडी फ्लॅशसोबत 8 मेगापिक्सलचा सिंगल कॅमेरा सेंसर देण्यात आलेला आहे. याशिवाय सेल्फी आणि व्हिडीओ कॉलिंगसाठी यात 5 मेगापिक्सल फ्रंट कॅमेरा मिळेल. कॅमेऱ्यात बोकेह मोड, बर्स्ट मोड, पॅनोरमा आणि फिल्टर्स देण्यात आलेले आहेत.
फोनमध्ये 3,100 एमएएच बॅटरी देण्यात आली असून, यासोबत मायक्रो यूएसबी पोर्ट चार्जिंग कनेक्टिव्हिटीसाठी मिळते. हा फोन मिडनाइट ब्लू आणि एंबर रेड रंगात मिळेल. फ्लिपकार्ट आणि अॅमेझॉन व्यतिरिक्त पुढील एका आठवड्यात ऑफलाईन स्टोर्समध्ये देखील हा फोन उपलब्ध असेल.
TILL ABOUT 48 hours ago, the closest that Dr Vikas Kumar had come to his schoolboy dream of playing top-level cricket was when he was appointed “Doctor on Duty” at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi for the India-Sri Lanka Test match three years ago.
On Wednesday morning, the 35-year-old had his name on an England shirt.
As international cricket resumed in Southampton after a gap of 117 days, Vikas Kumar’s name was among those featured on the jerseys of England’s Test players to honour health workers at the forefront of the Covid fight. Kumar works at the critical care unit of a National Health Service (NHS) Trust hospital at Darlington in Durham, and was among those nominated by cricket clubs in England as part of their Raise The Bat campaign. For him, the topping on the treat was when his name featured on the jersey worn by England’s captain and World Cup star Ben Stokes.
“It was overwhelming to see Stokes and others putting that message out. It’s been very difficult for all of us. NHS staff have made a lot of sacrifices. This recognition is for the entire medical fraternity, including my doctor friends in India,” says vikas Kumar, a Delhi University alumni who completed his post-graduate diploma in anaesthesia from Maulana Azad Medical College.
Kumar, who shifted to England in 2019 with his wife and two-year-old son, plays cricket for Gilli Boys Amateur Club, formed by Asian-origin players, and Cowgate Cricket Club in nearby Newcastle. “I was a cricket fan, and played for my medical college, but all my family members were into studies. So I had to become a doctor like my brothers,” he says, laughing.
Recalling the only time he came close to international cricketers, Kumar describes that Delhi Test of 2017 as “the game where there was a lot of air pollution and players wore masks”.
Today, with Durham recording 3,310 Covid cases, Kumar has been busy in two intensive care units. “As anaesthetists, we have to oversee every emergency case, apart from being a part of emergency surgeries and securing breathing tubes, which is considered a high-risk aerosol-generating procedure. I was in self-isolation at home, with my wife Smita Rashmi, who is a medical writer, taking care of our son Viraaj who would throw tantrums to spend time with me,” he says.
The names of three other Indian-origin health workers — Dr Jamasp Kaikhushroo Dastur from Norwich, and Harikrishna Shah and physiotherapist Krishan Aghada from Leicester — were also featured in the campaign for the ongoing series against the West Indies.
Dastur, whose name was showcased by Jos Buttler, shifted to England from Mumbai in 2003 and currently works at Norwich University Hospital as a surgeon. “My love for cricket owes much to my grandfather and father. I lost my father Kaikhushroo last year and as a tribute, I asked his name to be added,” says the 42-year-old.
Shah’s name features on the jersey worn by James Bracey. “We are together in this fight and each role is important in this battle,” says the 45-year-old who works as Emergency Health Coordinator at Leicester Royal Infirmary, another NHS facility.
Kumar, meanwhile, hopes to raise money for the NHS by auctioning the jersey signed by Stokes. Until then, there’s this heart-warming video message from the star to cherish: “Hi Vikas, a big thanks for everything you have done throughout this pandemic. I want to wish you a happy return to cricket, all the best mate, get as many runs and wickets as you can.”
The doctor’s response? “I wish you on your first Test as captain.”
सॅमसंगच्या एका निर्णयामुळे ग्राहकांना जास्तच धक्का बसणार आहे. या स्मार्टफोनसोबत मिळणारा चार्जर न देण्याचा निर्णय देण्याबद्दल सॅमसंगकडून विचार सुरू आहे. त्यामुळे सॅमसंगच्या नव्या मोबाईल सोबत चार्जर न मिळण्याची शक्यता निर्माण झाली आहे.
सॅममोबाईलनं दिलेल्या वृत्तानुसार पुढील वर्षापासून काही स्मार्टफोनसोबत चार्जर न देण्याची योजना सॅमसंगकडून आखली जात आहे. सॅमसंगनं असा निर्णय घेतल्यास पहिल्यांदाच कंपनीचे फोन चार्जरशिवाय विकले जातील. त्यामागील विचार पूर्णपणे आर्थिक असल्याचं बोललं जात आहे. सॅमसंग जगातील सर्वात मोठ्या स्मार्ट फोन निर्मिती कंपन्यांपैकी एक आहे. कंपनी दरवर्षी कोट्यवधी फोन्सची विक्री करते. या फोन सोबत चार्जर न दिल्यास कंपनीला आर्थिक फायदा होणार आहे. त्यामुळे फोनचे किंमत कमी होईल त्यामुळे त्याचा फायदा ग्राहकांनाही होणारच आहे असा विचार कंपनीकडून सुरू आहे.
सध्या जगभरात विकल्या जाणाऱ्या स्मार्टफोन्सचे चार्जिंग पोर्ट्स जवळपास सारखेच असतात. सगळ्याच कंपन्या यूएसबी-सी पोर्ट चार्जिंग पोर्ट्सचे फोन तयार करतात. सॅमसंग याच मुद्द्याचा फायदा घेण्याच्या तयारीत आहे. चार्जरशिवाय फोन शिकण्याच्या विचारात असलेली सॅमसंग ही पहिली कंपनी नाही. ऍपलकडूनही आयफोन १२ ची सीरिज चार्जरशिवाय बाजारात लॉन्च करण्याबद्दल विचार सुरू आहे.
फोन सोबत चार्जर न दिल्याने ग्राहकांची एकीकडे निराशा होणार असली, तरी त्यामुळे फोनचे किंमत कमी होणार असल्यानं ग्राहकांना दिलासाही मिळणार आहे.
Maharashtra Environment and Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray on Thursday defended the state government’s stand on not holding final year or final semester college examinations and held that it is potentially hazardous given the high number of coronavirus cases in the state.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25 and urged him to instruct national-level apex authorities to endorse the state’s decision on cancellation of these examinations, and to issue necessary guidelines to universities.
The University Grants Commission, however, has said that all universities must hold final year/final semester exams by the end of September, either offline or online.
But Aditya Thackeray asked: “How will you hold exams [at this juncture]? We were in lockdown when we had about 600 cases [in March]. Today, when the country has about 7 lakh cases, we are actually asking children to go out in a congregation and take exams. We are asking teachers who may be 50-60 years, a vulnerable age group [for the virus], to come out and conduct the exams…. All this will lead to congregations of people from different areas, including [those] from containment zones.”
“Why did we not have exams when we had only 600 cases of infection [in March]; why are we doing it now when we have around 7 lakh cases,” he reiterated.
Aaditya also heads Yuva Sena, the Shiv Sena’s youth wing, which has been vocal in its demand for cancellation of exams.
The Sena-Congress-NCP Mahavikas Aghadi government took the decision to scrap final year/final semester exams against the advice of a committee it had set up to make recommendations in the matter.
Aaditya, who was in conversation with Anant Goenka, executive director of The Indian Express Group, at the FICCI FRAMES 2020 programme on Thursday, said: “Due to the flip-flop of UGC from March, many children who have applied [to study] abroad got admissions on aggregate marks. They would miss out an entire year if we hold exams in September. It may take a minimum four or five months for the entire process, and the students will miss out on jobs and education further.”
The one word synonymous to ZEE5 is ‘entertainment’ also known for buckling down to churn out the finest and one-of-a-kind content for the viewers! This July, ZEE5 is geared up to release the talk of the town – ‘Mafia’ on July 10, 2020. Yes, that’s right folks! Get your popcorn and nachos ready for the Friday premiere binge-watch.
‘Mafia’ – #GameForLife, a web-series in the genre of ‘Thriller & Mystery’ is produced by Parambrata Chatterjee and Eskay Movies with Birsa Dasgupta making his directorial debut. The show is created by Rohan Ghose and Aritra Sen with DOP – Gairik Sarkar. A mystery drama that transitions to a psychological thriller – the show is based on the popular social deduction board game ‘Mafia’. The creative collaboration between ZEE5 and Dasgupta brings to viewers a series to engage – of course with entertainment and this time, maddening thrill.
Express review for Mafia: Hard hitting web series that offers unlimited thrill
A fun trip turned into a rip-roaring experience… Mafia takes the viewer on an unusual ride filled with electrifying thrill, drama, and mystery. Every scene being a breath-taker, Mafia is the narrative of six friends who go back a long way to being college friends – and that too, inseparable ones! Dark secrets on their way to growing up tore them apart and eventually turned them into strangers. Mafia’s tale gives the viewer a brand-new perspective to the dynamics of friendships and relationships. Rest assured, the web-series premiering on July 10 exclusively on ZEE5 is a powerhouse and a psychological thrilling roller-coaster leaving you hooked to the series.
But first things first. If you are wondering whether the story is based on a gang of goons… that’s not it. Mafia is an interactive, new-age social deduction game, that models a conflict between two groups. Adhering to the popular game, ZEE5’s ‘Mafia’ is all about being a hunter and the hunted.
The complete series revolves around the game of ‘Mafia’ that has played a massive role in the lives of the gang of six. What’s riveting is, how it takes just two nights to change the entire lives of the friends who play ‘Mafia’!
Here are the key hooks that kept us fixed to the series:
The cast, location, and the story line.
The characters in-focus in ‘Mafia’ are Namit Das as Nitin, Tanmay Dhanania as Rishi, Isha M Saha as Ananya, Anindita Bose as Neha and Ridhima Ghosh where the story more or less revolves around these characters and their dark secrets that lead them to hell.
As for the location, the plot begins with a scene in the middle of the dense and quite forests in Madhupur, Jharkhand – once a favourite spot for the six best friends back in college. The six return to their much-loved retreat spot to reminisce their old days and celebrate the grand bachelor party of Tanya… knowing little what the next couple of days has in store for them.
What worked the best for us are the scenes shot in the wilderness. Adding a touch of terror and suspense to the entire anecdote.
The one thing that needs to be the strongest in an OTT series is the story and script. ‘Mafia’ being the blend of the two – an exceptional and fresh story with the perfect dire twists. As the episodes roll out, what unfolds is a classic story of deceit, betrayal, havoc, and stories untold…
The story woven well with the characters is a must watch if you are blood thirsty for an adrenaline rush sitting in your homes, this surely will add the excitement to your night-binge-watching.
Another bonus! Mafia is a bilingual series, shot in both Bengali and Hindi. The show will be released in Hindi, Bangla, Tamil, and Telugu on ZEE5.
Being an ardent lover of mystery and thrillers – we give ‘Mafia’ a ten out of ten for getting all the elements right and doing justice to the plot. Thrilling to the absolute core – ‘Mafia’ premieres today on ZEE5. Watch it to believe it!
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities on Thursday said it has decided to not proceed with a proposal to amend the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 to decriminalise minor offences.
The Finance Ministry last month proposed to decriminalise minor offences, including those relating to cheque bounce and repayment of loans, in as many as 19 legislations.
In line with that, the department under the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry put out a proposal last week on its website for amendments to the RPwD Act and sought feedback by July 10.
The DEPwD on Thursday said that during the consultation process, it received feedback from various stakeholders, majority of whom opined that the existing provisions of the RPwD Act, 2016 are appropriate safeguards for PwDs and essential for the effective implementation of the act.
“They were of the view that compounding of offences would dilute the spirit of the said act for protecting and preserving the rights of persons with disabilities,” the DEPwD said in a statement.
“Keeping in view the overall sentiments of the majority of stakeholders, the department is now of the considered view, that going ahead with the proposed amendment for compounding of offences may not be in the interest of persons with disabilities,” it said.
Therefore, it has been decided that there is sufficient ground to close the consultation process and not to pursue the proposed amendment to the RPwD Act, 2016, it added.
The proposal had evoked sharp response from activists and civil rights bodies who saw it as a means to dilute the legislation.
In a joint statement, around 125 disability rights organisations, civil society organisations and activists last week said they unequivocally register their strong protest against the proposal to “dilute and nullify” penal provisions contained in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
They said the government was proposing to “drastically alter the very nature of the act”. The DEPwD had proposed amendments to RPwD Act under provisions 89, 92(a) and 93 and suggested insertion of a new section 95A in the act.
“Let us try to enhance the capacity of the older people to support themselves for as long as possible. And, when they cannot do so any more, to care for them,” were Nelson Mandela’s poignant words.
There are around 115 million senior citizens (60 years and above) in India, and out of those, around 12 million are super senior citizens (80 years and above).
Human beings, at every age, have a range of needs, physical, emotional, social or spiritual. When we are younger, most of these needs get automatically taken care of by the life we choose to lead. But as the dependence of a senior citizen increases, it almost becomes the responsibility of the caregiver to break down these multiple needs into buckets and fulfill them to achieve holistic care. One needs to take cognisance that ageing is not chronological.
Seniors require specialised, person-centric care when their physical, mental, cognitive health condition hinders their ability to live safely and independently. About 50 years ago, the field of geriatrics (the specialty that focuses on healthcare of older people) was barely known and acknowledged even in most developed communities.
However, as life expectancy increased to 80s and 90s, the need for a special focus became inevitable. It is now established that specialised care can bring a change in the experience of ageing, even though it may not be huge. Concepts like quality of life or choosing comfort over longevity of life are beginning to make pathways into people’s decision-making for their elderly parents’ care.
Ageing is a poorly understood process and often used interchangeably as a chronic disease condition. Personalised and well thought out interventions can make a meaningful difference in an older person’s life. Such interventions can help by reducing risk factors, improve functioning and the overall quality of life.
The elderly want to retain their independence for as long as possible, completing their day-to-day activities such as dressing, bathing, taking medicines, etc. Caregivers could be upskilled on how to offer help without compromising functionality altogether. For instance, if there is a challenge in eating using existing cutlery because of tremors or deteriorating motor skills, the caregiver should first consider changing the spoon that gives a better grip, than switching to feeding because it may be faster or more convenient.
Caregivers need to make an informed choice when opting for anything invasive especially for super seniors. Constant focus should be on improving the current way of life and minimising discomfort. For instance, cataract surgeries are known to improve overall well-being since better vision will help maintain social connect, reduce risk of falls. However, opting for ventilator support when the known prognosis is poor may not be right from the elder’s perspective.
The presence of multiple medical conditions, deterioration in functionality or presence of other disabilities is more likely the rule than an exception. Dementia, depression and delirium are also some of the most commonly diagnosed conditions. What one must understand is that the elderly benefit from recognition of these conditions and providing suitable interventions designed specifically for them, sometimes even at no extra cost but instead bringing about a huge difference to their everyday life.
Sourav Ganguly, who said during an online conversation this week that the 2020 Asia Cup has been cancelled, does not have the right to make any such announcement, Pakistan’s cricket board has countered.
Samiul Hasan Burney, PCB’s Media Director, said any such announcement on the future of the Asia Cup must be made by the Asian Cricket Council and not the BCCI chief.
“The statements made by Sourav Ganguly have no impact on proceedings. Even if he passes comments every week, they do not hold weight or merit. The decision regarding the Asia Cup will be taken by the ACC. The announcement can only be made by the president of the Asian body Nazmul Hasan. To the best of our knowledge, the schedule of the next ACC meeting is yet to be announced,” the media director was quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
Speaking on an Instagram Live session, Ganguly had said, “Asia Cup 2020 has been called off, which was scheduled to take place in September.”
There has been speculation on the venue of this year’s scheduled Asia Cup for a long time. PCB and BCCI have already been at loggerheads over the Asia Cup once earlier this year, when India insisted that its matches be held in UAE, and PCB insisting that no such move had been decided.
Bollywood actor Jagdeep passed away on Wednesday, following age-related health problems. He was 81.
Hindi cinema fans will always remember Jagdeep for playing Soorma Bhopali in the cult film Sholay. He played a timber merchant in the Ramesh Sippy directorial and his catchphrase “Mera naam Soorma Bhopali aise hi nahi hai”, much like other dialogues of the film, became a hit.
Jagdeep entered the film industry as a child artiste and was seen in films like Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Zamin, KA Abbas’ Munna and Guru Dutt’s Aar Paar. He proceeded to act in movies for almost six decades.
In fact, Jagdeep also took the director’s chair in 1988. He directed a film titled Soorma Bhopali, which was based on his own character from Sholay. He also played the central role here.
Jagdeep was also seen in popular films like Feroze Khan starrer Qurbani and Amitabh Bachchan starrer Shehenshah. In the 90s, he found a new audience as he played the role of Salman Khan’s father in the cult comedy Andaz Apna Apna. He played the character of Bankelal in the Rajkumar Santoshi directorial.
The number of COVID-19 cases recorded per day in India may surge to 2.87 lakh by early 2021 if a vaccine or treatment isn’t developed soon, researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) warned in a recent study.
In their study, titled ‘Estimating the global spread of COVID-19’, Researchers Hazhir Rahmandad, TY Lim and John Sterman of MIT’s Sloan School of Management have predicted that India may record the highest number of fresh cases in the world by the end of winter in 2021. Further, without a vaccine or treatment, over 24.9 crore cases and 18 lakh deaths may be reported globally by spring next year (March-May), the study claimed.
Using data on cases, deaths, testing and several other factors, the researchers were able to estimate the transmission of the novel coronavirus in 84 countries — covering around 60 per cent of the world’s population.
“We use a multi-country modified SEIR (Susceptible, Exposed, Infectious, Recovered) model to simultaneously estimate the transmission of COVID-19 in 84 countries. The model tracks community transmission, excluding the global travel network and instead separately estimating the date of introduction of patient zero for each country,” the study read.
Although, with nearly 3 million cases, the United States is currently the worst-affected by the pandemic in the world, the researchers have predicted that India will soon surpass it. By the end of February 2021, the US will record the second-highest number of new cases (95,000 cases per day), followed by South Africa (21,000 cases per day), Iran (17,000 cases per day), and Indonesia (13,000 cases per day), the study suggested.
The MIT researchers claim that the actual number of cases are 12 times higher, and deaths 50 per cent higher than what has been reported. However, all nations still remain well below the level needed for herd immunity, the study states.
The study also estimates the Infection Fatality Rate (IFR) for different countries over time. IFR refers to the probability of death after contracting the virus. Several factors contribute to measuring IFR — like age, health of the population, health care facilities and the nation’s policies to protest the most vulnerable. The researchers found average IFR to be 0.68 per cent, but noted that it varies significantly across nations. The IFR in Iceland was found to be 0.56 per cent, while it was 0.64 per cent in New Zealand and 0.99 per cent in the US.
The study pointed out the importance of early and aggressive testing in containing the spread of the virus and controlling the fatality rate. However, it goes on to state that the value of testing erodes as the pandemic grows more severe and it becomes increasingly difficult to test, conduct contact tracing and isolate individuals who have come into contact with the infected person.
“The key driver of future trajectories is the extent of distancing, better hygiene, and mask use,” Hazhir Rahmandad said. “Communities that bring down risky contacts quickly when the case counts rise are likely to see far fewer cases in the long run.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 19 vaccine trials in the clinical evaluation phase and hundreds being developed and tested worldwide. A COVID-19 vaccine is yet to be approved for commercial use.
नागपूर : कोव्हिडच्या संकटाने अनेकांचे हाल झाले आहेत. मात्र या संकटात नागरिकांच्या सेवेसाठी अनेक संस्थांनी पुढाकार घेउन माणुसकीची प्रचिती दिली आहे. आता शिक्षण क्षेत्रातही नागपूरकर संस्थांनी सहकार्याचे मोठे पाउल उचलले आहे. नागपूर महानगरपालिकेच्या शाळांमध्ये शिक्षण घेणा-या ६० विद्यार्थ्यांना वाणिज्य शाखेसह ‘जेईई’ आणि ‘नीट’चे नि:शुल्क धडे देण्यासाठी शहरातील दोन कोचिंग क्लासेस पुढे आले आहेत. महापौर संदीप जोशी यांच्या पुढाकारातून अग्रवाल स्टडी सेंटर आणि कॅलिबर्स नोव्हा या संस्थांनी या विद्यार्थ्यांच्या कोचिंगची जबाबदरी उचलली आहे.
समाजातील अनेक प्रतिभावंत विद्यार्थी योग्य संधी आणि मार्गदर्शनाअभावी मागे राहतात. त्यांना योग्य मार्गदर्शन मिळावे यासाठी अग्रवाल स्टडी सेंटर आणि कॅलिबर्स नोव्हा या कोचिंग क्लासेसद्वारे संधी उपलब्ध करून देण्यात येत आहे. मनपाच्या शाळांमध्ये शिकणारे अनेक प्रतिभावंत विद्यार्थी परिस्थितीअभावी पुढे जाउ शकत नाही. अशा विद्यार्थ्यांमधील प्रतिभा हेरून त्यांना योग्य मार्गदर्शन देउन त्यांना शिक्षणाच्या मुख्य प्रवाहामध्ये इतर विद्यार्थ्यांशी बरोबरीने शिक्षण घेण्याचे बळ दिले जाणार आहे.
यावर्षी दहावीची परीक्षा देणा-या विद्यार्थ्यांपैकी सर्वोत्तम ६० विद्यार्थ्यांची दोन्ही संस्थांद्वारे निवड केली जाणार आहे. यामधील विज्ञान शाखेतील ३० विद्यार्थ्यांना ‘जेईई’ आणि ‘नीट’चे तर ३० विद्यार्थ्यांना वाणिज्य शाखेचे धडे दिले जातील. यासाठी दोन्ही संस्था मनपाच्या प्रत्येकी १०० अशा एकूण २०० विद्यार्थ्यांची चाचणी घेणार आहेत. यामधून सर्वोत्तम ३०-३० असे एकूण ६० विद्यार्थ्यांची विज्ञान आणि वाणिज्य शाखेसाठी निवड केली जाणार आहे.
नागपूर महानगरपालिकेच्या शाळांमध्ये शिक्षण घेणारे अनेक प्रतिभावान विद्यार्थी आहेत. या विद्यार्थ्यांनाही त्यांच्या आवडीचे करिअर निवडण्याचा आणि त्यासाठी आवश्यक ते शिक्षण घेण्याचा इतर विद्यार्थ्यांप्रमाणेच अधिकार आहे. मात्र त्यांच्या यशाच्या आड परिस्थिती येत असते. ही बाब लक्षात घेउन महापौर संदीप जोशी यांनी या विद्यार्थ्यांनाही दर्जेदार शिक्षण मिळवून देण्याची संकल्पना मांडली. त्यांच्या या संकल्पनेला साकार करण्यासाठी शहरातील दोन कोचिंग संस्थांनी सहकार्य दर्शविले आहे. मनपाच्या विद्यार्थ्यांच्या भवितव्यासाठी पुढे आलेल्या अग्रवाल स्टडी सेंटर आणि कॅलिबर्स नोव्हा संस्थेच्या या पुढाकाराबद्दल महापौरांनी संस्थेचे पंकज अग्रवाल, जगदीश अग्रवाल, प्रिती अग्रवाल आणि राहुल राय यांचे आभार मानले आहे.
The Swedish Minister for Health and Social AffairsMs. Lena Hallengren digitally called upon Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare to discuss co-operation in the field of health and medicine, here today.
The two Health Ministers discussed in detail the status and containment measures for COVID-19 in the two countries, and the future vision for handling it. Ms. Lena Hallengren congratulated Dr. Harsh Vardhan on being elected Chair of WHO Executive Board and praised India for increasing the testing capacity so that more and more people can be diagnosed and treated early.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan spoke about the decade of vibrant Indo-Swedish partnership which oversaw ten bilateral meetings at joint working group level. He also mentioned the path-breaking achievements of the Government of India in the recent years: “The Ayushman Bharat Yojana covers a massive 550 million people, maternal and infant mortality have been reduced, India has made giant strides in its target to eliminate TB by the year 2025, while India’s Digital Health Program promises to integrate IT into the healthcare system”. He further said that India has undertaken pioneering research in antibiotic resistance.
On the lessons India learned while handling the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said “India has a recovery rate of more than 61% and a mortality of as low as 2.78% in spite of being a country of 1.35 billion. 2.5 lakh people are being tested every day. From a single lab four months back, the country now has more than 1100 labs to diagnose COVID-19.” “India’s pro-active, pre-emptive and graded approach ensured a plateaued graph and significant number of unoccupied beds at any point of time in the three-tiered COVID health infrastructure assembled by the government”, he added.
Dr Harsh Vardhan stated that India has rather used the Novel Coronavirus outbreak as an opportunity.“This has happened because of our dynamic and visionary Prime Minister who has led from the front, and the ‘Whole of Government’ approach adopted at various levels. From 8th January, one day after China alerted the world on the novel pathogen, the government has coordinated amongst its different branches for point of entry surveillance at the sea and land ports, and airports. It strengthened its community surveillance, issued detailed health and travel advisories, and also evacuated thousands of citizens and foreign nationals too. India now has over 100 PPE manufacturing units manufacturing 5 lakh PPE per day and has also similarly ramped up its production of N95 masks and ventilators”. India has supplied Hydroxychloroquine to more than 100 countries, Dr. Harsh Vardhan informed his Swedish counterpart.
Both the Ministers agreed to hold next meeting of Joint Working Group by the fall season and digitally connect with each other till the crisis is over. They directed senior officials in their respective ministries to follow up on the matters discussed in the meeting.
Dr. Harsh Vardhan ended the meet by wishing good health on Ms. Hallengren and her fellow Swedish citizens.
Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank‘ virtually released UGC Revised Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in view of COVID-19 Pandemic in New Delhi on 6th July, 2020. Shri Pokhriyal said that the decision was taken to safeguard the principles of health, safety, fair and equal opportunity for students. At the same time, it is very crucial to ensure academic credibility, career opportunities and future progress of students globally. He applauded the initiatives of UGC for constantly making efforts to address various issues related to teaching, learning, examinations, academic calendar etc. in the difficult times of COVID-I9 pandemic.
In April 2020, the University Grants Commission constituted an Expert Committee to deliberate and make recommendations regarding the issues related to Examinations and Academic Calendar. Based on the Report of the Committee, the UGC had issued Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar on 29.04.2020. The Expert Committee was requested by the UGC to revisit the Guidelines and suggest options for examinations, admissions in the Universities/ Colleges and also for beginning of new academic session as the number of COVID cases is still increasing.
The Commission in its emergent meeting held on 06.07.2020 accepted the Report of the Committee and approved the ‘UGC Revised Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in view of COVID-19 Pandemic’.
The highlights of the Guidelines are as under:
In view of the emerging situation related to COVID-19 pandemic in India, it is important to safeguard the principles of health, safety, fair and equal opportunity for students. At the same time, it is very crucial to ensure academic credibility, career opportunities and future progress of students globally. Academic evaluation of students is very important milestone in any education system. The performance in examinations gives confidence and satisfaction to the students and is a reflection of competence, performance and credibility that is necessary for global acceptability.
The terminal semester(s)/ final year(s) examinations be conducted by the universities/ institutions by the end of September, 2020 in offline (pen & paper)/ online/ blended (online + offline) mode.
The students of terminal semester/ final year students having backlog should compulsorily be evaluated by conducting examinations in offline (pen & paper)/ online/ blended (online + offline) mode as per feasibility and suitability.
In case a student of terminal semester/ final year is unable to appear in the examination conducted by the University for whatsoever the reason(s) may be, he/she may be given opportunity to appear in special examinations for such course(s)/ paper(s), which may be conducted by the university as and when feasible, so that the student is not put to any inconvenience/ disadvantage. The above provision shall be applicable only for the current academic session 2019-20 as a one-time measure.
The guidelines regarding intermediate semester/ year examination, as notified on 29.04.2020 will remain unchanged.
If need be, the relevant details pertaining to the Admissions and Academic Calendar in the universities and colleges shall be issued separately in place of those mentioned in the earlier guidelines issued on 29th April, 2020.
Union Minister for HRD Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has said that looking at the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country and the world, CBSE was advised to revise the curriculum and reduce course load for the students of Class 9th to 12th.Accordingly, CBSE has revised the syllabi for classes IX-XII for the academic session 2020-21
He also informed that a few weeks ago, he invited suggestions from all educationists on the reduction of syllabus on social media by using #SyllabusForStudents2020. ShriNishank informed that we received more than 1.5K suggestions and expressed his gratitude to everyone for the overwhelming response.
The union Minister said that the changes made in the syllabi have been finalised by the respective Course Committees with the approval of the Curriculum Committee and Governing Body of the Board.
The revision of syllabus is a measure taken due to the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country and at different parts of the world. Considering the importance of achieving the level of learning, the syllabus has been rationalised to the extent possible up to 30% by retaining the core concepts.
The Heads of Schools and Teachers have been advised by the Board to ensure that the topics that have been reduced are also explained to the students to the extent required to connect different topics. However the reduced syllabus will not be part of the topics for Internal Assessment and year-end Board Examination. Alternative Academic Calendar and inputs from the NCERT on transacting the curriculum using different strategies shall also be part of the teaching pedagogy in the affiliated schools.
For Elementary Classes (I-VIII) schools shall follow the Alternative Academic Calendar and Learning Outcomes specified by NCERT. The revised syllabus is available on CBSE Academic Website www.cbseacademic.nic.in
The World Bank and the Government of India today signed a loan agreement to enhance support for the Namami Gange programme that seeks to rejuvenate the Ganga river. The Second National Ganga River Basin Project will help stem pollution in the iconic river and strengthen the management of the river basin which is home to more than 500 million people.
The $400 million operation comprises a loan of $381 million and a proposed Guarantee of up to $19 million. The agreement for the $381 million loan was signed today by Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr Qaiser Khan, Acting Country Director (India), on behalf of the World Bank. The Guarantee instrument will be processed separately.
Shri Khare said that the Ganga is India’s most important cultural, economic and environmental resource, and the government’s Namami Gange program seeks to ensure that the river returns to a pollution-free, ecologically healthy state. The new project will extend the Government of India and World Bank’s engagement in this critical national programme to make the Ganga a clean, healthy river.
The World Bank has been supporting the government’s efforts since 2011 through the ongoing National Ganga River Basin Project, which helped set up the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) as the nodal agency to manage the river, and financed sewage treatment infrastructure in several riverside towns and cities.
Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General of the National Mission for Clean Ganga, said that the continuity provided by the Second National Ganga River Basin Project will consolidate the momentum achieved under the first World Bank project, and help NMCG introduce further innovations, and benchmark its initiatives against global best practices in river rejuvenation.
Ongoing National Ganga River Basin Project
Helped set up the National Mission for Clean Ganga
Helping build sewage collection and treatment infrastructure in 20 towns along the mainstem of the Ganga
1,275 MLD sewage treatment capacity created
3,632 km of sewage network built
Helped foster public mobilization for Ganga rejuvenation
“The government’s Namami Gange Program has revitalized India’s efforts to rejuvenating the Ganga,” Mr Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director in India. “The first World Bank project helped build critical sewage infrastructure in 20 pollution hotspots along the river, and this Project will help scale this up to the tributaries. It will also help government strengthen the institutions needed to manage a river basin as large and complex as the Ganga Basin.”
The sprawling Ganga Basin provides over one-third of India’s surface water, includes the country’s largest irrigated area, and is key to India’s water and food security. Over 40 percent of India’s GDP is generated in the densely populated Basin. But the Ganga river is today is facing pressures from human and economic activity that impact its water quality and flows.
“The Project will help expand the coverage of sewage treatment infrastructure to more towns in the Ganga Basin, and focus on making sure that these assets are operated and maintained efficiently in the long term,” said Mr Xavier Chauvot de Beauchêne, Lead Water & Sanitation Specialist and Shri Upneet Singh, Water & Sanitation Specialist, both co-task team leaders (TTL) for the SNGRBP. “The Project will also help NMCG develop state-of-the-art tools to help manage the river basin more effectively.”
Over 80 per cent of the pollution load in the Ganga comes from untreated domestic wastewater from towns and cities along the river and its tributaries. The SNGRBP will finance sewage networks and treatment plants in select urban areas to help control pollution discharges. These infrastructure investments and the jobs they will generate will also help India’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis.
To ensure that these infrastructure assets function effectively and are well maintained, the Project will build on the innovative Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) of public private partnership introduced under the ongoing NGRBP, and which has become the solution of choice for sewage treatment investments in the Ganga Basin. Under this model, the government pays a private operator 40 percent of the capital cost to build a sewage treatment plant during the construction period; the remaining 60 percent is paid as performance-linked payments over 15 years to ensure that the operator runs and maintains the plant efficiently.
The $400 million operation includes a proposed Guarantee of up to $19 million to backstop the government’s payment obligations for three Hybrid-Annuity-Model Public Private Partnership (HAM-PPP) investments on the Ganga’s tributaries. “This is the first-ever IBRD Guarantee for wastewater treatment and the first IBRD Guarantee in the water sector in India and is expected to help free up public resources in the current economic situation,” said Shri Satheesh Sundararajan, Senior Infrastructure Financing Specialist and co-TTL for the Guarantee.
The $381 million variable spread loan has a maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of 5 years. The $19 million Guarantee Expiry Date will be 18 years from the Guarantee Effectiveness Date.
Reserve players doing the job of ball boys, cleaning breaks to sanitise stumps and bails, reporters and photographers covering matches in personal protective equipment (PPE) — an unusual Test cricket series between England and the West Indies starts on Wednesday.
In the middle of the novel coronavirus pandemic, international cricket will resume at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. The Test — and the two that will follow in Manchester later this month — will be played without spectators in a bio-secure environment. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has issued a list of do’s and don’ts in a 74-page booklet that it has sent to Southampton.
Only the two captains, Ben Stokes and Jason Holder, and match referee Chris Broad will go out for the toss, says the booklet. There will be no cameras at the toss, and no handshakes after.
Umpires Richard Illingworth and Richard Kettleborough will carry their own bails, and will stop play for cleaning breaks and to sanitise the stumps.
Players can’t share gloves, shirts, water bottles, bags, or sweaters. There will be no ball boys, and ground staff won’t go within 20 metres of the players on the field. Off it, the social distancing rule of two square metres will have to be adhered to.
Team sheets will be digital. Scorers will not share pens and pencils. Accredited personnel will be tracked through a chip-enabled Covid tracker card.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already banned use of saliva on the ball — after two warnings, a five-run penalty will be imposed.
“If the ball goes into the stands for six then squad players wearing gloves will throw it back. Nobody else is allowed to touch it,” The Daily Telegraph quoted ECB events director Steve Elworthy as saying. “The Test match is going to feel very different for them, but they have been living this for a while already,” he said.
The United Kingdom has the world’s seventh highest caseload of Covid-19, but the countries that are worse off are all much bigger. As of Tuesday evening, the UK had reported 2.87 lakh confirmed infections and over 44,300 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University global coronavirus dashboard. The ECB has still decided to host the West Indies and Pakistan because without any cricket, it was reportedly staring at a £380 million black hole.
“Staging these matches will help to protect vital revenue streams for our game from broadcast deals and will also give a morale boost to cricket fans everywhere, and I’m delighted that we have found a way of doing this in an environment that will be safe and secure for all involved,” Ageas Bowl chief executive David Mann is quoted as saying on the ground’s website.
The Daily Telegraph reported, quoting Elworthy, that the venue will have an inner and an outer zone, and “special isolation units in the ground”. The ICC has approved a Covid substitute, should a player show symptoms. The game will, however, go on.
The players are staying at the Hilton at the Ageas Bowl where, Elworthy has said, room doors can be opened using an app, with no need to touch the handle. There is no room service and no lifts. The teams have been preparing for the series in a bio-secure environment, with regular health checks.
For journalists covering the match, the ECB has said in an advisory: “On arrival follow the signs for medical screening and once through you’ll walk through a thermal scanner and collect accreditation. Please enter via west gate where you’ll be thermal screened again and accreditation will be scanned. PPE is provided in both spaces (respective areas for reporters and photographers).”
At 3.30 pm IST on Wednesday, the world will see what could well be the beginning of cricket’s new normal.
The CBSE reduces 30% syllabus for Classes 9 to 12(CBSE) has been asked by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) to reduce the syllabus for classes 9 to 12 by 30 per cent. The decision has been taken after asking for suggestions from stakeholders on the same. Through a tweet, the HRD Minister had informed that he received over 1,500 suggestions from different stakeholders.
“Considering the importance of learning achievement, it has been decided to rationalize syllabus up to 30 per cent by retaining the core concepts,” the HRD minister wrote in a tweet. “Looking at the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country and the world, #CBSE was advised to revise the curriculum and reduce course load for the students of Class 9th to 12th,” he added.
In an official statement, the CBSE said, “The Heads of Schools and Teachers may ensure that the topics that have been reduced are also explained to the students to the extent required to connect different topics. However, the reduced syllabus will not be part of the topics for Internal Assessment and year-end Board Examination.”
Further, for Classes 8 and below, CBSE-affiliated schools will have the freedom to rationalise the syllabus on their own, as reported by The Indian Express.
Recently, the other central board – Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) – had announced to reduce their syllabus for class 10 and 12 by 25 per cent to “make up for the loss in instructional hours during the current session 2020-21”
As reported by The Indian Express earlier, Rather than recommending the reduction of a full chapter, the Board asked NCERT to suggest topics and themes which are “either repeated or overlapped or learning outcomes related to it are being covered under other chapters”
In a meeting of Union HRD Minister and state education ministers earlier this year, Delhi Deputy CM and Education Minister Manish Sisodia had also raised the concern and asked to drop chapters from not only school textbooks but also for JEE Main and NEET entrance exams scheduled to be held next year. However, the decision on JEE Main and NEET will be taken by the exam conducting body – National Testing Agency (NTA).
With a delay in starting classes for the new sessions and a major section of students not being able to attend the online classes due to lack of proper infrastructure, several parents had been demanding to reduce the syllabus for the upcoming batch. This decision would come as a respite to them.
Ludhiana based lawyer Jaspal Singh Manjhpur has first-hand experience in dealing with cases lodged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He was booked under UAPA back in 2009, and was in jail for almost one and half years before being granted bail. He was acquitted in 2014.
Manjhpur was booked along with former militant Daljit Singh Bittu and five others. Till now, he has represented around 70 people booked under UAPA in different courts of Punjab. He has also made a tentative list of 64 cases under UAPA registered in Punjab in the last 11 years.
“There are more cases registered under UAPA in Punjab, which I may not know about. According to the list I prepared, at least 64 cases have been registered in Punjab under UAPA since 2007. More than 300 men and women have been put behind bars, and 99 per cent of them are Sikhs,” Manjhpur said.
“Of the 235 accused under UAPA on my list, 162 have been discharged or acquitted. There have been convictions in only three cases so far in the 64 FIRs. Two convicts were acquitted by higher courts. One accused is on bail with appeal pending in high court. The rest of the accused are still facing trial,” said the lawyer.
He further said, “Acquittal means that the accused must have spent at least a year behind bars and in most of the cases, upto seven years. Around 175 Sikh youths have been arrested under UAPA in the Capt Amarinder Singh regime. A total of 64 Sikh youths were arrested under the Act during the 10 years of SAD and BJP government.”
“Accused often are not implicated under UAPA to convict them, but to keep them in jail for a long period of time. If police claims that a pistol was recovered from a person and book him under the Arms Act only, the accused may walk out on bail after the first hearing. However, if the accused is booked under UAPA, he/she may have to live behind bars for years,” said the lawyer.
Out of the list of 64, there have been 40 FIRs, in which accused were booked under UAPA in the absence of any criminal occurrence.
“In most of the cases, the police tells court that the accused was planning to carry out some criminal activity and then uses UAPA to ensure that the person does not come out of jail on bail. Majority cases under UAPA have no criminal occurrence,” said Manjhpur.
Pal Singh France, who was booked in six different cases under UAPA and now stands acquitted in all, said, “Police told court that I was waging a war against the State. The judge asked the police officer about how many men, arms and resources I had to wage war against the State. Police officer was speechless. Next day the officer moved the same application to another judge to refuse me bail under UAPA”.
Ravinder Singh Rinku, is another such person who was booked under the UAPA. “I was booked in the Shingar bomb blast case. Police had hunted Sikh youths after the blast. I remained behind bars for seven years before being acquitted in the case in 2014. I was 31 years old at the time of arrest and used to drive a three-wheeler. My wife had to work as a daily labourer as I was in jail,” said Ravinder.
All the other main accused in the blast case too were acquitted by court of all charges.
Not on Manjhpur’s list is the case of Roffal alais Rahul. He was booked under sedition and UAPA in Amritsar in 2018 for his alleged relations with the US-based ‘Sikh for Justice’, before it was banned by India.
According to the FIR, no crime related to the sedition case was committed with the pistol allegedly recovered from Rahul.
Two pistols were recovered from him, of which one he had given to his friend Soni, who later died by suicide using that pistol in Batala. The suicide had no link with the ongoing case. The challan against Rahul has been already filed in court.
“It is yet to be investigated why Roffal was part of the nexus. It is yet to be investigated if the murder he was planing was linked to Referendum 2020 or not,” said investigating officer Palwinder Singh.
“Roffal is in jail due to UAPA. Otherwise he would have been booked under Arms Act only and should have been facing trial while remaining on bail,” said Kulwinder Kaur, lawyer, representing the accused in the case.
“The UAPA is now more dangerous that TADA and POTA. UAPA was strengthened much before POTA was revoked. There is urgent need for an open debate in Parliament and public over how UAPA has been used for harassment of youth from minority communities,” said Manjhpur.
With 11 deaths and 499 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, Haryana’s cases tally reached 17,504 on Monday.
As per Monday evening Covid bulletin, Gurgaon leads with 946 active cases, followed by 839 in Faridabad and 503 in Sonipat district, the three high-risk zones in the state. The number of active cases in Haryana on Monday evening was 3,893.
Although the state’s recovery rate was recorded at 76.18 per cent, there were 60 critical patients, of whom 41 were on oxygen support while 19 were on ventilator.
The case doubling rate in Haryana reached 19 days, while the Covid positivity rate was recorded at 5.64 per cent.
Among 11 patients who lost their lives due to Covid in the last 24 hours, four died in Rohtak, three in Faridabad, two in Sonipat, and one each in Gurgaon and Nuh districts.
Among the 3,893 active patients , 3,557 patients have been hospitalised for less than 11 days, while 336 patients have been hospitalised for longer.
Cases in Gurgaon cross 6,000-mark
With 109 more people testing positive for coronavirus on Monday, the total number of infections in Gurgaon has crossed the 6,000-mark.
According to the health bulletin released by the district health department, Gurgaon has so far recorded a total of 6,058 cases of coronavirus. A closer look at the bulletins released over the last three months reveals that the time taken by the district to record 1,000 fresh cases has been increasing since mid-June, which, officials say, is a sign of the slowing down of the pace of the infection.
Gurgaon crossed the 1,000-mark on the second day of June – one and a half months after the first case emerged in the district. Six days later, it crossed the 2,000-mark, after which it took only five days to cross the 3,000-mark.
Since then, however, the situation appears to have changed, with the district crossing the 4,000-figure six days later, and taking eight days to add another 1,000 cases. On Monday, nine days later, Gurgaon crossed the 6,000-mark. A total of 101 people — 1.6 percent of the total cases — have died so far.
Filmmaker Harish Shah passed away in Mumbai on Tuesday, following a long battle with cancer. He was 76.
“Harish was battling throat cancer for ten years. He passed away today at 6 am. He was 76 years old. His funeral will take place today around 1 pm at Pawan Hans crematorium. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, very few people are allowed for the funeral. It is going to be only 2 or 3 of us to do his last rites.”
Harish Shah started his Bollywood journey by bankrolling Rajesh Khanna’s Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972). He followed it up with films like Kala Sona (1975), featuring Feroz Khan and Parveen Babi, and Sanjeev Kumar and Rekha-starrer Ram Tere Kitne Naam (1985).
Harish also helmed Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh’s Dhan Daulat (1980), Dharmendra and Shatrughan Sinha starrer Zalzala (1988) and Ab Insaf Hoga (1995), starring Rekha and Mithun Chakraborty.
Harish Shah’s last Bollywood production was the Sunny Deol starrer Jaal the Trap (2003). He recently made a short film on cancer called Why Me.
India Coronavirus Numbers: The number of samples tested for novel Coronavirus in India crossed the 10-million mark (1 crore) on Monday. While that, no doubt, is a significant milestone, India’s testing numbers are still low compared to many other countries.
China, whose number of infections has all but remain static at around 85,000, has carried out more than 90 million tests, according to data on the Worldometer website. The same database shows that the United States has tested more than 38 million samples, Russia has carried out more than 21 million tests, while even the United Kingdom, right now, is marginally ahead of India.
All these countries, however, began testing much earlier than India, because the outbreak started at least two months earlier there. In India, regular testing started happening only in the first week of March after the emergence of the first few cases. Starting with just one laboratory, the Pune-based National Institute of Virology, that was testing samples at that time, India now has a network of more than 1,100 laboratory that are conducting these diagnostic tests. More than two lakh samples are being tested every day now, compared to just a few hundred when the exercise had begun.
Yet, considering the large population, the penetration of testing is still quite low. There have been less than 7,400 tests per million population. This number in the United States is 115,449, according to the Worldometer database, and 62,814 for China, the only country with which India’s population can be compared. The actual number of people who have been tested would be lower, considering the fact that multiple tests are carried out on several people, and, at least during the earlier stage of the outbreak, an exit test was being conducted on everyone before they were being discharged.
Within the country, five states — Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh — account for half of the total checkup carried out (see box below). The top three states have conducted more than a million tests each, while Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh are also getting there. States like Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar are among the laggards.
States with maximum tests:
State
Total Tests
Tamil Nadu
1,376,497
Maharashtra
1,135,447
Andhra Pradesh
1,033,852
Rajasthan
920,600
Uttar Pradesh
890,026
On Monday, the total number of infections in India crossed the 7-lakh figure. Compared to the last few days, the number of new detections on Monday were slightly lower, about 22,250. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, the two largest contributors of new cases, reported comparatively lesser numbers on Monday, but the surprise was Delhi, which reported just 1,379 new cases. The national capital was reporting new cases around this level about three weeks ago.
Top ten states with maximum caseload:
STATE TOTAL POSITIVE NEW CASES TOTAL RECOVERIES DEATHS
STATE
TOTAL POSITIVE
NEW CASES
TOTAL RECOVERIES
DEATHS
Maharashtra
211,987
5,368
115,262
9,026
Tamil Nadu
114,978
3,827
66,571
1,571
Delhi
100,823
1,379
72,088
3,115
Gujarat
36,858
735
26,323
1,962
Uttar Pradesh
28,636
929
19,109
809
Telangana
25,733
1,831
14,781
306
Karnataka
25,317
1,843
10,527
405
West Bengal
22,987
861
15,235
779
Rajasthan
20,571
523
16,165
461
Andhra Pradesh
20,019
1,322
8,920
239
There was no let-up in Karnataka and Telangana, though, the two states that are growing at the fastest rate in the last few days. Karnataka reported 1,843 new cases while Telangana had 1,831.
As per the instructions received from Prasar Bharati Directorate General, Doordarshan New Delhi, The analogue Terrestrial TV Transmitter ( ATT) at Doordarshan Kendra Nagpur and Doordarshan relay centers at Hinganghat, Moshi , Tumsar and Yavatmal under the control of Doordarshan Kendra Nagpur will telecast respective ‘Regional State Service Marathi Sahyadri’ in the place of ‘DD National and DD News services’ from 15 July onwards, informed Bhupendra Turkar, Deputy Director of Engineering department of Nagpur Doordarshan Kendra
Leg slip
A symbol of his famous obstinacy. A man would lurk perennially at leg slip in overseas Tests whether or not the attack or the match-situation required it. It led to furious head-scratching among commentators but MS Dhoni didn’t care a hoot.
Military gloves
Dhoni’s wicketkeeping gloves had a military touch towards them. Army green and navy blue were the predominant colours, with the camouflage texture conspicuously visible. Perhaps it was an ode to his love for army. After all, he is an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Parachute Regiment.
Stump-mike chatter
With wicket-keeper captains being such a rarity, we are going to miss the quiet mutterings of an exasperated captain. “Jaag ja jadeja,” or “Ek line pakad ke daal” (to Umesh Yadav), “five wickets chahiye toh thoda mehnat karna padega Ojha.” The quiet insight into the world of captaincy will be missed.
Quick-silver stumpings
It can still be done in T20Is of course but the magic of stumpings on spinbowls in India with batsman barely tumbling outside the crease trying to defend were something else. The hands never moved back an inch – there was no cushioning in the take, a trait almost unseen in cricket before. The hands just moved forward- collect, and swoop down on the bails.
8-1 field
A symbol of his need for control. In Indian conditions, where he could trust his bowlers to exert some level of control, he will push it to extremes. At times, even with a 8-1 field, playing with the mind of the batsmen. It seemed as if he really relished setting such fields, and reveled in inherent control that he so sorely missed when playing abroad.
Searching all-rounder
It’s been a constant lament of MS Dhoni that he hasn’t found a suitable candidate in Tests. At times, when he would survey the field as a captain, it seemed he was searching for one. And tired of the unsuccessful wait, he once threw his gloves off and bowled medium pace at Lord’s.
Dhoni, the bowler
The sight of him yanking off his gloves and bowling at Lord’s test match, even before lunch, angered the likes of Kapil Dev then but eh, it was quite a neat sight. The chutzpah was amusing. Where can you see another wicketkeeper remove his pads and gloves and roll his arm over when the match was in a competitive stage?
Deep point
A sign of his defensive captaincy overseas. He would drop a deep point so early in the piece that it baffled the critics. Once, against an injured Kallis who had just reverse swept Harbhajan in Cape Town, he placed a deep point immediately and that Test went downhill from that moment. “The era of playing aggressive cricket and to have the mid-on up is gone. You don’t want to give easy runs in a bunch. If they take four singles, it’s ok,” he has said.
Iffy push
Along with a sense of meandering seen in his captaincy in overseas Tests, that defensive push that led inevitably to a slip catch was also a constant feature. A lunge forward, bat way ahead of the body, and the edge … all seemed a matter of time until he successfully managed a turn-around in the last series in England.
And RP Singh
MS Dhoni’s go-to man was chillin’ on a Miami beach when he got an SOS call from the skipper to turn up at the Oval. RP’s ample frame ambled onto the field and the first new ball reached keeper Dhoni on first bounce. Indian fans will (hopefully) be spared such a deeply scarring sight in the future.
Rohit Sharma started off his World Cup campaign with an unbeaten 122 against South Africa at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on June 5. He led a tricky chase for India with a ton before scoring 57 against Australia. The Indian opener reached his 23rd ton in 128 balls, hitting 10 fours and two sixes in the process. His valiant effort with the bat helped India beat South Africa by 6 wickets and 15 balls to spare.
Sharma also crossed a couple of milestones that day. He reached 12,000 runs across formats in international cricket – the ninth Indian to do so – and he also leapfrogged former India captain Sourav Ganguly on the list of ODI centuries. Ganguly had 22 tons to his name. Sharma was 74 runs away from completing 12,000 runs in international cricket before this game.
2. 140 vs Pakistan
Rohit Sharma stamped his authority when he hammered his second ton of the World Cup 2019. It came against arch-rivals Pakistan at Old Trafford at Manchester on June 16. Asked to bat first, Rohit Sharma took the attack by the scruff of the neck and scored on all sides of the ground with KL Rahul. Rohit Sharma had a couple of close shaves when he could have been run out, but kept ticking off the runs as India looked set for a big score. Rohit Sharma went on to smash 140 off just 113 with 14 fours and three sixes. He also hit one over the backward point which was quite similar to Sachin Tendulkar’s 2003 World Cup six against Pakistan at Centurian. This was Rohit Sharma’s second century in World Cup 2019 and 24th ODI century.
3. 102 vs England
Rohit Sharma’s Midas touch continued even against the toughest opponents. He scored a brilliant hundred against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 30 to keep India in the game. Chasing a challenging total of 338, India started cautiously after losing the wicket of KL Rahul in the third over. Rohit Sharma was looking out of touch initially in his innings but he didn’t throw his wicket away. Rohit built an important partnership of 138 with India skipper Virat Kohli. Kohli lost his wicket for 66. On the other hand, Rohit kept going strong and registered his 25th ODI hundred and third of this World Cup. India. Rohit took 109 balls where he hit 15 fours.
4. 104 vs Bangladesh
His next masterclass was on display against Bangladesh when he blasted 104 off just 92 deliveries and helped India beat Bangladesh by 28 runs in Birmingham on July 2. With the win, India secured a semi-final berth. With the ton, he became highest run-scorer in the tournament with 544 runs in just 7 innings at a stunning average of 90.66 and strike rate of 96.96.
His exploits included 4 hundreds – the joint-highest in any single World Cup, along with Kumar Sangakkara in 2015. His run-aggregate in this World Cup is the fifth-highest of all-time after Sachin Tendulkar (673 in 2003), Matthew Hayden (659 in 2007), Mahela Jayawardene (548 in 2007) and Martin Guptill (547 in 2015). Rohit may well top this list as India has a minimum of two matches left in the tournament.
5. 103 vs Sri Lanka
Now with Rohit Sharma’s fifth century of the ongoing World Cup, a number of records are to his name. Rohit Sharma had a 189-run opening stand with KL Rahul, the highest in this tournament. It came in the 31st over. Rohit Sharma gave an easy catch to Angelo Mathews at mid-off after scoring 103 off 94 balls. He smashed 14 fours and two sixes in his knock. Besides, he is now the top scorer of World Cup 2019 leaving Bangladesh’s Shakib al Hasan behind. Rohit Sharma has amassed 647 in 8 matches so far.
ActorManoj Bajpayeewill narrate the documentary COVID-19: India’s War Against the Virus in Hindi on Discovery Plus.
The documentary will provide a rare glimpse into all the key steps being taken across the country to battle the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
It will follow both, the global and the Indian timeline, of how the virus spread and will shine light on important developments that have taken place ever since country’s first coronavirus victim was detected in Kerala in January.
Shot extensively during the period of lockdown, the documentary tells the story through interviews with subject matter experts, front line workers, patients, migrant workers, and others working tirelessly behind the scenes to arrest the spread of this deadly disease.
The film will also highlight the way technology is being used to combat the virus.
While Manoj Bajpayee will provide the Hindi voiceover for the documentary, writer-director Gautham Vasudev Menon will do the Tamil voiceover.
“Meaningful cinema, meaningful projects have always endeared me, and I believe specials like ‘COVID-19: India’s War Against The Virus’ are relevant not just for today but will continue to engage our future generations as well,” said Bajpayee.
Over the years, television actor Jiya Chauhan has become a popular household name in the industry. Jiya who has made a strong mark on screen with her presence will soon be seen playing Parvati in &TV’s Santoshi Maa Sunayein Vrat Kathayein. It also marks her comeback in the mythology genre, who is elated to be a part of this show.
Sharing her joy of playing Goddess Parvati, Jiya Chauhan says, “I and thrilled to explore the mythology genre all over again. In Santoshi Maa Sunayein Vrat Kathayein, I will be playing Goddess Parvati after a long time. I have been following the show, and it feels good to know that I have been given a wonderful opportunity to play such a strong role. Having lost touch with the genre, I have been reading devotional kathas to get a grip on the language along with frequent meditation sessions to bring about the required calmness in character. It is challenging but at the same time satisfying to play a Goddess on-screen, and with regular practice, I plan to master it all over again.”
The upcoming fresh episodes of Santoshi Maa Sunayein Vrat Kathayein will highlight high-voltage drama between Singhasan Singh and Swati, an ardent devotee of SantoshI Maa. Singhasan Singh, who is determined to throw Swati, his daughter-in-law, out of the house, will bring the entire community together along with his family to perform Santoshi Maa Vrat to get a vardaan. It will put Santoshi Maa in a dilemma to choose between the Dharma and Adharma, her ardent devotee, Swati, and the evil, Singhasan Singh.
Produced by Rashmi Sharma Telefilms, ‘Santoshi Maa Sunaye Vrat Kathayein’ is the captivating story that captures the pure connection between ‘Bhakt and Bhagwan’.
Over 8 lakh Indians could be forced out of Kuwait if a new bill on expats is enacted into law, the Gulf News reported. The legal and legislative committee of Kuwait’s National Assembly has approved the draft expat quota bill, according to which Indians should not exceed 15% of the population.
Anti-expat rhetoric has been on the rise since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic with lawmakers and government officials call for reducing the number of foreigners in Kuwait.
The bill has been deemed constitutional and will now be transferred to the respective committee so that a comprehensive plan is created, according to reports.
Of the 4.3 million population of Kuwait, expats account for 3 million. The Indian community constitutes the largest expat community in Kuwait, totaling 1.45 million, the report added.
Last month, Kuwait’s prime minister, Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah, proposed decreasing the number of expats from 70 per cent to 30 per cent of the population.
Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al-Ghanem told Kuwait TV that he and a group of lawmakers will submit to the Assembly a comprehensive draft law calling for a gradual reduction of expats in Kuwait. The Speaker said the draft law they intend to file will propose to impose a cap on the number of expats, whose numbers must decrease gradually by stating that this year expats will be 70 per cent, next year 65 per cent and so on, the report said.
According to the Indian embassy in Kuwait, there are about 28,000 Indians working for the Kuwaiti Government in various jobs like nurses, engineers in national oil companies and a few as scientists. The majority of Indians (5.23 Lakh) are deployed in private sectors. In addition, there are about 1.16 lakh dependents. Out of these, there are about 60,000 Indian students studying in 23 Indian schools in the country.
Kuwait is a top source of remittances for India. In 2018, India received nearly USD 4.8 billion from Kuwait as remittances.
Foreigners have accounted for the majority of Kuwait’s virus cases as the disease spread among migrant workers living in overcrowded housing. As per the latest numbers from John Hopkins University, Kuwait has close to 50,000 cases
India Coronavirus Numbers: In the last two days, Rajasthan has reported more than 1,100 new cases of novel Coronavirus infections, 479 on Saturday, and 632 on Sunday. This is the first time that the state has reported numbers more than 400. For more than seven weeks the state had been reporting daily numbers in a narrow range between 200 and 400. States with comparable caseloads as Rajasthan usually report many more cases every day, sometimes even higher than 1,000 or 1,500 cases.
One of the reasons for the high numbers in the state has been an outbreak of the disease in the jail of Pratapgarh, where more than 100 people have so far been found to be infected. There is an increase in the numbers in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Alwar as well.
But Rajasthan is not alone in moving away from a well-established trend. Almost simultaneously, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, two other states, which had similarly been reporting numbers in very narrow ranges, have begun to report higher numbers in the last few days.
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After reporting between 300 and 400 cases through most of May, Gujarat had moved into a higher bracket in the month of June, and had been reporting mostly between 500 and 600 cases every day. This month, there is a further increase, and on four out of five days so far, the number of new infections from the state have been more than 700.
Similarly, Madhya Pradesh has just crossed the 300-cases-in-a-day mark for the first time. The state had 326 new cases on Sunday and 307 on Saturday.
It is still too early to say whether these increased numbers are just an aberration, or signs of a new trend. At least in the case of Gujarat, there is increasing trend is much more established. The daily numbers are rising steadily, though at a much slower pace compared to other states with comparable caseloads. In Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the numbers have just begun to deviate from earlier trends.
At the national level, the trend is much more pronounced. A month ago, the number of infections being detected was in a range between 8,000 and 9,000, while for the last five days, it has gone beyond 20,000. In fact, it is quite close to 25,000.
Don’t miss reading | India coronavirus numbers explained: New peak powered by Southern states
As expected, the total caseload in India surpassed that of Russia on Sunday. According to the global database of the Johns Hopkins University, Russia had 6.8 lakh infections on Sunday evening. India reached 6.97 lakh on Sunday, and is now only behind the United States and Brazil in terms of total number of infections.
The rupee appreciated 14 paise to 74.52 against the US dollar in early trade on Monday tracking weakness in the greenback and gains in the domestic equity market.
Forex traders said positive equities, steady crude oil prices, foreign fund inflows and weak US currency supported the local unit.
The rupee opened at 74.53 against the US dollar, then gained some ground and touched 74.52 against US dollar, registering a jump of 14 paise over its previous close.
It had settled at 74.66 against the greenback on Friday.
“Cues from Asia remained firm as most Asian currencies have started with gains against the US dollar this Monday morning against the greenback,” Reliance Securities said in a research note.
“We could witness further appreciation of the currency supported by gains in equities, steady crude oil prices, Reserve Bank of India shying away from buying dollars and weak US currency,” it added.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.22 per cent to 96.96.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex was trading 418.71 points higher at 36,440.13 and broader NSE Nifty rose 138.05 points to 10,745.40.
Foreign institutional investors were net buyers in the capital market as they purchased shares worth Rs 857.29 crore on Friday, according to provisional exchange data.
Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.56 per cent to USD 43.04 per barrel.
Meanwhile, the number of cases around the world linked to COVID-19 has crossed 1.14 crore and the death toll has topped 5.33 lakh.
In India, the death toll due the disease rose to 19,693 and the number of infections spiked to 6,97,413, according to the health ministry.
Makar Sankranti Wishes : Makara Sankranti (Sankranthi) is a Hindu festival that encourages people to live in peace and harmony. Here are best quotes,...
