Mahesh Babu starrer ‘Bharat Ane Nenu’ celebrates two year anniversary

Posted on by
Reply

Celebrating Mahesh Babu’s film, Bharat Ane Nenu’s two year anniversary and fans have done something really special!
from the Telugu actor, whose films never fade away without a special social message for his fans and viewers. The film had made it to the highest grossers of the year. Taking that note, Bharat Ane Nenu marks its two year anniversary today!

The film revolves around Bharat, an NRI, who returns to India and learns about the deteriorating political condition. He then decides to contest elections to transform the system, unaware of what awaits him. Bharat’s one step ahead in the right direction leading to many positive changes.

To mark the occasion on the anniversary today, the fans also started trending #2YearsForBharatAneNenu on twitter giving out the revenue the film grossed over the period:

 

The film took charge in summer and became one of the highest grossing films of the year, 2018 and created a lasting impression on the audiences and invoked a sense of patriotism. This is a film for all the people who love their country. The fans have been on a high, celebrating its successful two years and can’t contain their excitement

The film also has a raw part which evidently highlights how so much injustice is done and shows a real part of the government working. The audiences loved it a lot and the hulking fan base yet again proved their love for the superstar.

Bharat Ane Nenu starrs Mahesh Babu in lead roles. The film was directed by Koratala Siva and produced by DVV Danayya. The film hit the screens on 20th April 2018.

Sanjay Dutt spends the lock-down alone as wife, kids stuck in Dubai

Posted on by
Reply

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt is spending time alone in Mumbai as his wife Maanayata and children were stuck in Dubai when the lockdown was announced in March. But the actor has not lost his usual self of happiness and warmth. Unlike other stars who greet audience daily with safety guidelines on TV channels, Dutt has confined himself to spending more time online chatting his family in Dubai.

Sanjay Dutt

“In the past, I have spent periods of my life in a lock-down. Back then and even now, the one thought that stays with me is the way I miss my family. For me, they are everything. Thanks to technology, I can see and talk to the multiple times in a day, and yet, I miss them terribly,” he said.

In an interview with a newspaper, the Bollywood star shared his experience during the lock-down caused due to the epidemic. However, the actor ignited warmth in the audience’s hearts and said, “These times teach you about the fragility of life, and the value of moments spent with your loved ones. We should count our blessings, and never take them for granted.”

Speaking about work in another recent interview, Sanjay Dutt said:”Acting is a physically and mentally demanding job. This isolation has given me time to recharge my batteries, rest out mentally and prepare for my next set of roles. It takes a lot of time and energy to prepare for a role, especially given the complex characters that I enjoy playing.”

On the work front, Sanjay Dutt is going to be busy once the lockdown is lifted. He is providing his audience with an array of explosively entertaining films as he has a busy year set for him with five big-banner films — KGF: Chapter 2, Shamshera, Bhuj: The Pride of India, Torbaaz and Sadak 2 down his pipeline.

India’s new FDI rules violate WTO norms, says China

Posted on by
Reply

China, which has invested more than $8 billion in India, has taken recent India’s revision of its foreign direct investment (FDI) norms to prevent the takeover of Indian firms amid the coronavirus pandemic as discriminatory and in violation of World Trade Organization’s principles.

The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) revised the FDI regulations stating, “An entity of a country, which shares land border with India or where the beneficial owner of an investment into India is situated in or is a citizen of any such country, can invest only under the government route.” India’s move comes after similar changes undertaken by countries such as Australia, Germany and the Czech Republic in recent months.

Recent reports said China, recovering from Coronavirus is aggressive in global markets and fears gripped economies that it may result in hostile takeovers by Chinese companies of Indian firms whose market values have dipped drastically due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In its reaction since India tweaked the rules on Saturday, April 18, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in New Delhi said the move is against the commitments made by India to World Trade Organisation (WTO)and other multilateral commitments.

“The barriers set by Indian side for investors from specific countries violate WTO’s principle of non-discrimination, and go against the general trend of liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment,” spokesperson Ji Rong said. “More importantly, they do not conform to the consensus of G20 leaders and trade ministers to realize a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade and investment environment, and to keep our markets open,” she said.

“Companies make choices based on market principles. We hope India would revise relevant discriminatory practices, treat investments from different countries equally, and foster an open, fair and equitable business environment,” Ji noted.

The Indian foreign ministry has not reacted to the Chinese comments so far. Experts believe that India’s action is allowed under the WTO when a country’s national security is at stake and many countries have either tweaked the FDI norms or issued a moratorium of some sort to prevent hostile takeovers.

Ji pointed out that Chinese investments in India had crossed $8 billion as of December 2019. “Chinese investment has driven the development of India’s industries, such as mobile phone, household electrical appliances, infrastructure and automobile, creating a large number of jobs in India and promoting mutual beneficial and win-win cooperation.”

“Facing the economic downturn caused by covid-19, countries should work together to create a favorable investment environment to speed up the resumption of companies’ production and operation,” she added.

Ever since India pulled out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in November last year, trade ties have taken a dip between the two countries.

India Coronavirus cases reach 17,265, death toll stands at 543 as of 20th April

Posted on by
Reply

A total of 17,265 confirmed cases are reported for COVID-19 in the country and a total of 543 deaths have been reported so far. Among those infected, 2,547 persons or 14.75 % of total cases have been cured or discharged after recovery, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in its daily bulletin.

The doubling rate of COVID-19 cases calculated using growth over the past seven days indicates that India’s doubling rate for the week before lockdown was 3.4 and has improved to 7.5 as on 19th April, 2020 (for the last seven days). The 18 States that have shown improvement in doubling rate as compared to the national average, as on 19th April are:

Doubling rate: Less than 20 days 
Delhi (UT)- 8.5 days
Karnataka- 9.2 days
Telangana- 9.4 days
Andhra Pradesh- 10.6 days
J&K (UT)- 11.5 days
Punjab- 13.1 days
Chhattisgarh – 13.3 days
Tamil Nadu- 14 days
Bihar- 16.4 days
Doubling rate: Between 20 days to 30 days:
A&N (UT) – 20.1 days
Haryana – 21 days
Himachal Pradesh – 24.5 days
Chandigarh (UT)- 25.4 days
Assam – 25.8 days
Uttarakhand – 26.6 days
Ladakh (UT) – 26.6 days
Doubling rate: More than 30 days:
Odisha – 39.8 days
Kerala – 72.2 days.
————————————-

All COVID-19 patients in Goa were discharged from hospital after recovery, and now Goa has no active case. Three districts – Mahe (Puducherry), Kodaggu (Karnataka) & Pauri Garhwal (Uttrakhand) have also not reported any fresh cases during the last 28 days. There are now 59 additional districts from 23 States/UTs that have not reported any fresh cases during the last 14 days. The six new districts in this list include — Dungarpur & Pali in Rajasthan, Jamnagar and Morbi in Gujarat, North Goa in Goa and Gomati in Tripura.

Meanwhile, the ministry has advised its officers and officials to take strict precautionary measures in containing the spread of the virus. They must:

  • Use reusable/ cloth face cover;
  • Strictly follow disinfection protocols;
  • Frequently wash hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub/ sanitizers;
  • Maintain adequate distance between each other; and
  • Avoid the gathering of 5 or more people;

Facebook and Google may have to reveal algorithm changes to Australian media firms soon

Posted on by
Reply

In a new move, Facebook and Google will be forced to share advertising revenue with Australian media companies and inform them in advance about algorithm changes that would affect content rankings, favour original source news content in search page results, and share data with them.

The move come in the wake of an inquiry in December by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to develop a code between media companies and digital platforms including Google and Facebook. Following the findings, the treasurer, Josh Frydenberg has asked the competition watchdog to develop a mandatory code of conduct for the digital platforms in view of a steep decline in advertising revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic.

To be finalised in November this year, the ACCC will implement the code mandatorily in the country. It will propose a voluntary adherence to the code but spell out penalties and binding dispute resolution mechanisms for negotiations between the digital platforms and news businesses. Besides news content, the code will also cover other social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter.

The government informed the Australian media that the draft code will be finalised by the end of July and the final text will be made soon after that. Defending the government move, Frydenberg said that it was a fair play for both media companies that created the content and the aggregators who deliver it on their platforms. “This will help to create a level playing field,” he said.

The communications minister, Paul Fletcher, said the code will enable to create a fair news media ecosystem. “Digital platforms have fundamentally changed the way that media content is produced, distributed and consumed… Digital platforms need to do more to improve the transparency of their operations for news media providers as they have a significant impact on the capacity of news media organisations to build and maintain an audience and derive resources from the media content they produce.”

The sudden disappearance of advertisement revenue for the print media has forced many newspapers to shut down during the pandemic already, while the online editions are struggling to make revenue out of aggregators or online advertisement. Several media companies in Australia have asked staff to take a pay cut or stand down in view of the onslaught on the print media.

How to take care of children during coronavirus? WHO issues guidelines

Posted on by
Reply

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new guidelines to take care of children at home and in schools from transmission of the COVID-19 virus with critical considerations and practical checklists and also advised national and local authorities on how to adapt and implement emergency plans for educational facilities.

Issued jointly with the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and UNICEF, the guidelines stated that in case of school closures efforts be taken to mitigate against the possible negative impacts on children’s learning and health, including plans in place to ensure the continuity of learning, including remote learning options such as online education strategies and radio broadcasts of academic content, and access to essential services for all children.

If schools remain open, the guidance calls for:

  • Providing children with information about how to protect themselves;
  • Promoting best handwashing and hygiene practices and providing hygiene supplies;
  • Cleaning and disinfecting school buildings, especially water and sanitation facilities; and
  • Increasing airflow and ventilation.

The guidance, while specific to countries that have already confirmed the transmission of COVID-19, is still relevant in all other contexts. Education can encourage students to become advocates for disease prevention and control at home, in school, and in their community by talking to others about how to prevent the spread of viruses. Maintaining safe school operations or reopening schools after a closure, requires many considerations, but if done well, can promote public health.

For example, safe school guidelines implemented in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone during the outbreak of Ebola virus disease from 2014 to 2016 helped prevent school-based transmissions of the virus.

UNICEF is urging schools – whether open or helping students through remote learning – to provide students with holistic support. Schools should provide children with vital information on handwashing and other measures to protect themselves and their families; facilitate mental health support; and help to prevent stigma and discrimination by encouraging students to be kind to each other and avoid stereotypes when talking about the virus.

The new guidance also offers helpful tips and checklists for parents and caregivers, as well as children and students themselves. These actions include:

  • Monitoring children’s health and keeping them home from school if they are ill;
  • Encouraging children to ask questions and express their concerns; and
  • Coughing or sneezing into a tissue and avoid touching face, eyes, mouth and nose.

UN, WHO create new fund for Coronavirus

Posted on by
Reply

A new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Solidarity Response Fund to raise money from donors to support the World Health Organization (WHO) respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first-of-its-kind, has been created by the United Nations Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, together with WHO.

The fund has already lined up support from Facebook and Google who have instituted a matching scheme for funds raised through their platforms, while individual donors are also supporting the fund through www.COVID19ResponseFund.org.

“We need everyone to get involved in this massive effort to keep the world safe,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “A lot of people and institutions have been saying they want to contribute to the fight against the novel coronavirus. Now they can.”

 

Elizabeth Cousens, UN Foundation President and CEO said, “The case for global cooperation could not be clearer – communities everywhere are affected, and people want to contribute. This new fund will create space for people everywhere, together, to fight this virus.”

Funds will go towards enabling the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to enable all countries – particularly those most vulnerable and at-risk, and with the weakest health systems – to prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 crisis such as rapidly detecting cases, stopping transmission of the virus, and caring for those affected.

WHO is seeking financing for protective equipment for frontline health workers; to equip diagnostic laboratories; improve surveillance and data collection; establish and maintain intensive care units; strengthen supply chains; accelerate research and development of vaccines and therapeutics;  and take other critical steps to scale up the public health response to the pandemic.

All donations made to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by local laws. Swiss Philanthropy Foundation has also partnered with Transnational Giving Europe to extend tax benefit to European countries where applicable.

Finally, Trump tested for coronavirus, result negative

Posted on by
Reply

US President Donald Trump has undergone the test for coronavirus and tested negative, said the president’s personal physician Saturday night after Trump revealed that he too had undergone the test and his temperature was “totally normal.”

The coronavirus has already infected more than 2,200 people in the US and caused 50 deaths. Trump, 73, has come under radar ever since he met with at least three visitors from Brazil who have since tested positive for COVID-19. Due to the exposure by Trump to many visitors and aides, the White House has begun conducting temperature checks on all visitors, including reporters who attend White House briefing. On Saturday, one reporter with high temperature was not allowed.

Ignoring the advice to shun handshake, Trump said, “It almost becomes a habit. People come up to me, they shake hands, they put their hand out, it’s sort of a natural reflex. We’re all getting out of it. All of us have that problem.” However, he quickly said, “Shaking hands is not a great thing to be doing right now, I agree.”

The Brazilian Embassy in Washington DC said late Friday that the country’s chargé d’affaires, Nestor Forster, tested positive after sitting at Trump’s dinner table last week while a top aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who took a photo with Trump and another person who attended a campaign fundraiser with the president too found to be affected with the novel coronavirus

White House said its occupants don’t need to be tested or isolate themselves unless the symptoms appear while experts insist that the virus can be spread even by people who are asymptomatic. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines include washing hands regularly and keeping a distance of at least 1.5-meter distance from people.

Meanwhile, Trump has extended the new travel ban to Britain, bringing the total number of US travel-restricted countries in Europe to 28.

Taranjit Singh Sandhu, new ambassador to US, has to do balancing act with strategic ally

Posted on by
Reply

India’s new ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu

Taranjit Singh Sandhu (IFS:1988), presently High Commissioner of India, Colombo has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the United States of America. He has served as the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka from 2017 and his new appointment comes at a time when New Delhi is trying to balance its strategic and tensed trade ties with the US.

Sandhu will succeed Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who will take charge as the country’s new foreign secretary on Feb 4, Wednesday. His immediate task will be overseeing a visit by US President Donald Trump next month to India, where New Delhi wants to pursue its push for a bilateral trade pact.

Taranjit Singh Sandhu’s appointment also comes at a time when New Delhi is facing criticism from the US Congress where Democrat leader Pramila Jaypal has introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives over Kashmir and taken jibes at the current government over Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Kashmir policy following abrogation of Article 370. The Indian embassy Saturday faced the wrath of protesters over these two issues.

Sandhi, a 1988 IFS batch member, had two stints at the Indian Embassy in Washington DC in the past.  He was Deputy Chief of Mission at Embassy of India in Washington D.C. from July 2013 to January 2017. He was First Secretary (Political) at Embassy of India, Washington, D.C. responsible for liaison with the United States Congress from 1997-2000.

He also served as Consul General of India in Frankfurt from September 2011 to July 2013. He served in the Ministry of External Affairs from March 2009 to August 2011, as Joint Secretary (United Nations) and later as Joint Secretary (Administration) heading the Human Resource Division. High Commissioner Sandhu was at the Permanent Mission of India to United Nations, New York from July 2005 to February 2009. Prior to it, he served as the Head of the Political Wing in the High Commission of India, Colombo from December 2000 to September 2004.

In a distinguished career spanning nearly thirty years in the Indian Foreign Service, he worked on various assignments including a three year stint at the Indian embassy in erstwhile Soviet Union (Russia) from 1990 to 1992 as Third Secretary (Political) / Second Secretary (Commercial). Following the breakup of Soviet Union, he was sent to open a new Embassy in Ukraine.

He served as Head of Political and Administration Wings in Indian Embassy in Kiev from 1992 to 1994. On his return to India, he served as Officer on Special Duty (Press Relations), Ministry of External Affairs from 1994 to March 1997. He was responsible for liaison with foreign media in India.

Born on 23 January 1963 in a family of educationists, High Commissioner Sandhu studied at the Lawrence School, Sanawar and graduated with History Honors from St. Stephens’ College, Delhi. He pursued a Masters Degree in International Relations at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi in 1982-84.

Sandhu is married to Mrs. Reenat Sandhu, who is also an IFS officer and is currently India’s Ambassador to Italy. They have two children.

UP Police grabbed Priyanka Gandhi by neck, manhandled her, alleges Congress

Posted on by
Reply

When Indira Gandhi was insulted in the Lok Sabha in 1978, then Janata Dal did not realize that the person would return to power soon and that history repeats itself. On Friday, BJP-led UP government ignored this rule when its police turned violent against Priyanka Gandhi to stop her forcibly, allegedly manhandling her in a bid to stop her from visiting a retired IPS officer and an anti-CAA activist.

Priyanka Gandhi has alleged that she was manhandled by Uttar Pradesh Police personnel who grabbed her by her throat and pushed her when she tried to go to the house of retired IPS officer SR Darapuri on Saturday evening. Darapuri has been arrested in connection with the recent protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

Priyanka Gandhi

However, Priyanka Gandhi resisted the police and rode pillion on a scooter and reached the Indiranagar (sector-18) residence of Darapuri. Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh told PTI that the Congress general secretary was stopped at the Lohia crossing and then she got down from her vehicle and started walking. Later, she got into her vehicle after a kilometre but again stopped in the Munshipulia area. She almost walked three kilometres to reach the residence of Darapuri.

After meeting Darapuri’s family members, Priyanka Gandhi said, “They do not have the right to stop me. If they want to arrest me, they should do so.” Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu said, “This (UP) government is feeling scared of Priyankaji. Hence, she was stopped.”

 

However, UP Policewoman Archana Singh, who was blamed for the shocking episode later told higher officials in her report that she was heckled for stopping Priyanka Gandhi for deviating her route. She denied that she had manhandled Priyanka Gandhi but was performing her duty as fleet-in-charge officer.

The episode has now reached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which may probe if not happy with the police version.

NASA finds tropical storm Sarai strengthening

Posted on by
Reply

On Dec. 27 at 0135 UTC (Dec. 26 at 8:35 p.m. EST) NASA’s Aqua satellite analyzed the using the AIRS instrument. AIRS showed the strongest storms were located over the Lakshadweep Islands where the coldest cloud top temperatures as cold as or colder than 210 Kelvin (purple) minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 63.1 degrees Celsius) around the center (NASA)

NASA analyzed the cloud top temperatures in Tropical Storm Sarai using infrared light to determine the strength of the storm.  Already there are regional warnings in effect for Fiji and Tonga.

In Fiji, there is a storm warning is in force for Vatulele and Kadavu. A gale warning is in force for Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Yasawa and the Mamanuca Group, Kadavu, Lomaiviti Group, Viti Levu and nearby smaller islands. Tonga is on tropical cyclone alert

One of the ways NASA researches tropical cyclones is using infrared data that provides temperature information. Cloud top temperatures identify where the strongest storms are located. The stronger the storms, the higher they extend into the troposphere, and they have the colder cloud temperatures.

On Dec. 27 at 0135 UTC (Dec. 26 at 8:35 p.m. EST) NASA’s Aqua satellite analyzed the storm using the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument. The AIRS imagery showed the strongest storms circling the center of circulation, just west of Fiji and in a thick band of thunderstorms northeast of Fiji.

In those areas, AIRS found coldest cloud top temperatures as cold as or colder 210 Kelvin minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 63.1 degrees Celsius). NASA research has shown that cloud top temperatures that cold indicate strong storms that have the capability to create heavy rain.

Tropical cyclones do not always have uniform strength, and some sides have stronger sides than others, so knowing where the strongest sides of the storms are located helps forecasters. NASA then provides data to tropical cyclone meteorologists so they can incorporate it in their forecasts.

At 10 a.m. EST on Dec.27 the Joint Typhoon Warning Center or JTWC noted that the center of Tropical cyclone Sarai was located near 18.7 degrees south latitude and 176.1 degrees east longitude. That is about 136 nautical miles west-southwest of Suva, Fiji. Maximum sustained winds were near 55 knots (63 mph/102 kph) and the storm was strengthening. It was moving to the south and expected to turn east.

Sarai is forecast to move toward the east. The storm is expected to strengthen briefly to 65 knots on closest approach to the main Fijian islands, but weaken as it nears Tonga.

Typhoons and hurricanes are the most powerful weather event on Earth. NASA’s expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

The AIRS instrument is one of six instruments flying on board NASA’s Aqua satellite, launched on May 4, 2002.

High BMI may improve cancer survival, says study by Australian scientist

Posted on by
Reply

Above average or high BMI – often linked to cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular and other diseases – may in some cases improve the chance of survival among certain cancers, showed new research from Flinders University that focused on clinical trials of atezolizumab, a common immunotherapy treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the Australian cancer researchers found improved responsiveness to the drug in those with a high body mass index (BMI).

The surprising result, published in JAMA Oncology, goes against the established warnings about the health risks of patients who are overweight and obese. “This is an interesting outcome and it raises the potential to investigate further with other cancers and other anti-cancer drugs,” says lead investigator Dr Ganessan Kichenadasse, a medical oncology researcher at the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer.

This is a comparison of cancer cells and normal cells after being infected with the dl355 adenovirus. The top four cell types listed on the left (HeLa, C33A, A549, and H1299) are cancer cells, and the bottom two (BJ and WI38) are normal cells. As the amount of dl355 virus administered to the cancer cells increased (represented by MOI), more cancer cells died in 7 days, while the normal cells continued to live. Credit

Previous studies have explored a concept called as ‘obesity paradox’ where obesity is associated with increased risks for developing certain cancers and, counter-intuitively, may protect and give greater survival benefits in certain individuals. But he said, “Our study provides new evidence to support the hypothesis that high BMI and obesity may be associated with response to immunotherapy.”

The Flinders researchers found NSCLC patients with high BMI (BMI = 25 kg/m2) in four clinical trials had a significant reduction in mortality with atezolizumab, apparently benefiting from immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Treatment options for this form of lung cancer are rapidly evolving and includes ICIs, molecular targeted drugs and chemotherapies.

The WHO estimates at least 2.8 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. Overweight and obesity leads to adverse metabolic effects on blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin resistance. Risks of coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke and type 2 diabetes mellitus increase steadily with increasing body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight relative to height.

Of the 1,434 participants studied in the Australian research, 49% were normal weight, 34% were overweight and 7% were obese.

Nikki Haley gets Trump’s support for nailing down Kelly, Tillerson in memoir

Posted on by
Reply

Former US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley has finally cracked the code from within narrating in her book how former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly had tried to circumvent some policies in the name of national interest despite going against President Donald Trump’s own decisions.

Haley’s claims in her book With All Due Respect come at a time when US Presidnet Trump is facing the House impeachment inquiry over his policy on Ukraine. She said former secretary of state Rex Tillerson and former White House chief of staff John F. Kelly tried to persuade her to work around and dump Trump that she claimed to have refused. “Kelly and Tillerson confided in me that when they resisted the president, they weren’t being insubordinate, they were trying to save the country,” she wrote.

Interestingly, they argued the same way many witnesses of Democrats did when they testifed in private before the House Intelligence Committee. Haley told CBS Sunday Morning show that she did not believe the president had done anything wrong in the Ukrainian phone call.

She said that she was “shocked” at the request made during their closed-door meeting. “It was their decisions, not the president’s, that were in the best interests of America, they said. The president didn’t know what he was doing,” she wrote in her book. She recalled Tillerson reasoning her out that he resisted the president’s decisions because, “if he didn’t, people would die.”

It may be mentioned here that President Trump fired Tillerson in March, 2018, who later called the President “dumb as rock”, while John Kelly resigned in December, 2018. In fact, Haley received thumbs up from the President when he tweeted “Good luck Nikki!”

p;

Samsung makes inroads into IITs, recognizes 3 Indore IIT projects

Posted on by
Reply

Samsung India conducted the 9th edition of the Samsung Innovation Award at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indore to recognize and reward innovations of students that have the potential to revolutionize everyday life under this year’s theme ‘Systems that learn’ for practical ideas around multi-modal sensing, applications of learning systems, VR, XR, 3D imaging, and distributed AI.

The awards were presented by Dr. Aloknath De, Corporate Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Samsung R&D Institute – Bengaluru (SRI-B). Prizes worth INR 3.5 lakhs were awarded to the top three winners, while the other three finalists received award of merit from Samsung.

The First prize went to Ram S. Mohril for the project “AR/VR Enhanced Textbook reading and learning experience”. The project is a revolutionary idea where it aims to transform the technical writing and learning field by developing a book for higher education students and through augmented and virtual reality technologies. The Second Prize was grabbed by Chaitanya Mehta for his project “Tree Climbing Quadraped Robot”. Chaitanya developed the quadruped which is capable of traversing the terrain smoothly, transition from ground to the trunk of the tree without assist to meet future requirement of smart and automated farms.

The Third prize was awarded to Nemath Ahmed, Suraj Polamaina, Shavez Malick for their project “Immersive Acoustic Spatial Awareness for Visually Impaired”. Their project aimed at helping the visually impaired to navigate, socialize and stay aware of near hazards with the use of echolocation technique. The Merit awards were given to the projects “Fingerprint Spoof buster”, “AI based Contactless Biometric system” and “Leukemia Classification from Microscopic Images using Deep learning techniques”.

“Over the past nine years, Samsung Innovation Award has been delighted to recognize the talent pool across various IITs in India. We are happy to see sharp problems, novel ideas and smart execution of the participating teams. This edition at IIT Indore brought forward some of the innovative renditions in sync with the theme. At Samsung, innovation is deep rooted in our DNA and our constant endeavor is to promote the culture of innovation amongst bright minds”, said Aloknath De, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Samsung R&D Institute – Bengaluru (SRI B).

The six-finalist teams had the opportunity to present their ideas to the jury consisting of senior researchers and scientists from Samsung and IIT-Indore. The winning projects were selected on the basis of originality of the product and solution, feasibility of implementation, completeness, relevance in the market and presentation to the jury members at IIT-Indore.

“We intend to take this event further and develop a long standing association with Samsung Research Institute Bangalore to nourish research, innovation and entrepreneurship eco-system at the institute for the benefit of the society,” said Prof. Pradeep Mathur, Director, IIT- Indore. Samsung Innovation Award 2019 was initiated five months ago.

Initiated and conceptualized in 2011, over the last 9 years, Samsung Innovation Award has recognized the efforts and dedication of over 60 finalist teams from premiere IITs like Delhi, Kanpur, Roorkee, Madras, Kharagpur, Guwahati, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. The last edition was held at IIT-Hyderabad.

 

Kamala Harris fires her campaign team amid fund crunch, Tulsi emerges stronger

Posted on by
Reply

Kamala Harris the Democratic nominee for president has fired many of her campaign staff amid reports of ranking lower than two other contestants, indicating a desperate bid to cut down cost and still remain in the fray for the US Presidential elections.

However, she is not the only candidate facing a cash crunch with more staffers but but these layoffs are not a good sign for someone polling among the top five, said experts. She has raised $11.8 million last quarter but ended up spending $14.5 million.

The USA Today/Suffolk poll predicted Harris at 3 percent with assured vote by Democrats in their primaries. Another Indian American Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D–Hawaii), who called out Harris’s criminal justice record, now surpassed her standing at 4 percent.

It means, if Gabbard wins one more poll, she may be among the speakers vying for nomination at the November’s Democratic debate. Moreover, Gabbard is halfway through the polling threshold for December, which Harris hasn’t qualified for still.

Joe Biden is on top among the Democratic nominees at 26 percent, followed by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren (17 percent), Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (13 percent), and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg (10 percent).

Harris had remained a top contender for the 2020 Democratic nomination since her July 2018 when she announced that she would publish a memoir, another sign of a possible run. In January, she officially announced her candidacy for President of the United States in the 2020 United States presidential election.

Within 24 hours, she matched the record set by Bernie Sanders in 2016 for the most donations raised in the day following announcement. More than 20,000 people attended her formal campaign launch event in her hometown of Oakland, California and her support rose by between 6–9 points in polls following the first Democratic presidential debate.

However, in the second debate, Harris was confronted by Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard over her record as Attorney General, notably her past positions on marijuana, cash bail, and parole reform. The current cash crunch may further fuel to her woes in the electioneering.

Aamir Khan’s next film ‘Lal Singh Chadda’ to kick-start on Oct 31

Posted on by
Reply

Aamir Khan is all set to kick start shooting for his upcoming next ‘Lal Singh Chadda’ a remake of Hollywood the classic Forest Gump. The first schedule of the movie is going to start on the 31st of October 2019.

Lal Singh Chadda is very close to Aamir khan’s heart, his mom Zeenath Hussain will be present while the shooting starts and wants to be the first person to give the first clap. The movie is going to be shot at 100 live locations across India as the actor does not believe in studio setups.

A lot has been said about the superstar’s preparations for his role in the movie and he is even undergoing physical changes to better fit his character, the actor will be gaining a whopping 20 kgs. Also, the actor is growing his beard to keep the Punjabi look intact and will be sporting a turban in some parts of the film to look the part.

Written by Atul Kulkarni, the film is helmed by Advait Chandan and will be produced by Viacom18 Studios and Aamir Khan Productions. The movie is slated to hit the theatres during Christmas 2020, next year.

Deepika Padukone is omnipresent this Diwali in her apt costume

Posted on by
Reply

This Diwali is lit for Deepika Padukone as the global icon is not only treating her fans with her various ventures but the actress is omnipresent everywhere.

Deepika is one of the leading actresses in the industry and an inspiration to many, PM Narendra Modi has hailed the actress as Bharat Ki Laxmi. After launching her closet for a cause on World Mental health day, the actress recently shared a new collection as ‘Festive Edit’ this Diwali. Not only this, but a leading publication has also chosen her to feature on the Diwali cover of a magazine.

2019 is a fruitful year for Deepika Padukone with unique films like Chhapaak, 83′ and the recently announced Mahabharat.

Apart from films, the actress has made her mark on several platforms, Deepika Padukone becomes the first choice when it comes to being a mentor to her fans.

Deepika Padukone known for her brave choice of films that attempts to bring a change in society, despite a busy year the actress spares time from her schedule for a cause.

On the work front, the actress will be next seen in Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Chhapaak’, a film based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal. She will also feature in Kabir Khan’s ’83’ where Deepika will be essaying the role of Kapil Dev’s wife Romi Dev in the film. She also turned producer for both her upcoming projects and “Chhapaak” and ’83.

Mahesh Babu shares Diwali poster ahead of his next film ‘Sarileru Neekevvaru’

Posted on by
Reply
On the occasion of Diwali, Telugu superhero Mahesh Babu shared a new poster from his upcoming movie Sarileru Neekevvaru and informed his fans that the film will be released on January 12, 2020, just in time for the Sankranti Festival.

Sarileru neekevvaru poster

Mahesh Babu shared the poster with the caption, “Happy Diwali 🙂 🙂 #SarileruNeekevvaru”.
One of the biggest highlights is that Mahesh Babu will be seen playing a role of an Army officer in Sarileru Neekevarru, some glimpses of the superstar ‘s look from the film have already been released, raising expectations about the film.
The actor has a loyal troop of fans across the world and they have made him the superstar that he. Adding to it is because of his perfect looks and extraordinary skills as an actor.  Superstar Mahesh Babu’s hard work has always paid off and he has his own unique way to balance his personal and professional life has always been tremendous.
Written and directed by Anil Ravipudi, produced by AK Entertainments, G. Mahesh Babu Entertainment Pvt. Ltd and Sri Venkateswara Creations, the film also stars Rashmika Mandanna opposite the hero, while Vijayashanti is back in films again with Prakash Raj playing a vital role.

Shot in Kashmir mostly, a replica set of Konda Reddy Buruju in Kurnool was constructed in Ramoji Film City with an estimated cost of Rs. 4 crore for the film.

The title theme song released on the occasion of Independence Day as a perfect tribute to every Indian soldier has given insights into the story line. Mahesh Babu plays an Army Major Ajay Krishna though the film surrounds on his encounters in civil life and the story surrounds the events that follow. It remains to be seen the roles of Rashmika and Vyjanthi in the film.

Trump lights diya as White House celebrates Diwali 2019

Posted on by
Reply

Video grab of PM Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump on Monday (White House)

US President Donald Trump has followed the tradition set by his predecessor Barack Obama in 2009 and lit the light in White House marking the Festival of Lights, an Indian celebration. This was Trump’s third Diwali celebrations at the Oval Office.

“For many Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists in the United States and around the globe, this sacred period is an opportunity to commemorate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance,” Trump said.

Diwali or the festival of lights is marked by prayers, light diyas and electric lighting with traditional feasts and other festivities which mark reverence to Goddess Lakshmi of wealth among the Indian business classes.

Describing the festival as a symbol of religious liberty, the US President said, “My Administration will continue to defend the rights enshrined in our Constitution that enable people of all faiths to worship according to their beliefs and conscience.”

Trump participated in the first Diwali celebrations at the White House in 2017 with a group of Indian-Americans and last year, the then Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Singh Sarna, was present for Diwali celebrations in the Roosevelt room.

Diwali 2019:

The legend goes that Lord Rama and Sita returned to Ayodhya, after 14 years of exile. Diwali coincides with the festival of lights and followed by worship of Goddess Lakshmi. It is celebrated on Amavasya, the darkest day of of the Hindu lunar-solar calendar. Here are some key timings for the pooja this year:

Lagna Puja is on Sunday, October 27, 2019

Kumbha Lagna Muhurat – 2:21 pm to 3:57 pm

Vrishabha Lagna Muhurat (evening) – 7:15 pm to 9:15 pm

Simha Lagna Muhurat (midnight) – 1:41 am to 3:49 am, October 28, 2019

Amavasya Tithi begins – 12:23 pm on October 27, and ends at 9:08 am on October 28, 2019.

Chiranjeevi opens up about his periodic film ‘Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy’

Posted on by
Reply
Telugu actor Chiranjeevi’s upcoming periodic film, Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy has created a huge buzz since its trailer launch was launched recently, and received huge praise for its brilliant visuals, breathtaking performances and an iconic cast.
The official trailer released on August 20 has already received 9.9 million views on Youtube, to touch more than 1 crore view in just five days.
Evidently a lot of hard work and efforts by the makers of the film has been put in creating the Rs. 250 crore ‘SyeRaa’ set around 30 years prior to the India’s first war of independence of 1857, by his son Ram Charan Teja. It celebrates the glory of the unsung hero, Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy whose contribution towards the Indian freedom struggle hasn’t been much highlighted. It’s an untold story which has been executed in the grandest manner possible and has captured the fighter in its full glory.
Talking about the film for the first time after revealing the news on his KBC Telugu show ‘Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu’, Chiranjeevi told his fan and co-actor Sunil way back in 2016. Finally, the film took its magnum opus shape in 2019 with his son taking on the challenge of producing it at a whopping cost that no film, not even Bahubali 2 incurred.

Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy still showing Tamannah in traditional attire

In his first remarks on Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy, Chiranjeevi said: “So in the textbooks, we are reading about great heroes that fought against the British for the freedom, but this story was not told anywhere. Nobody knows about this story. This story has all kinds of emotions suitable to a commercial film. That was why I was tempted to it.”
Not just Chiranjeevi, but Bollywood actress Tamannaah also has due respect for the freedom fighter. Sharing her views upon the same, Tamannnaah shares, “SyeRaa is a story people should know about, its about a hero that people don’t know about and should know about the freedom fight that we had.”
After gaining such valuable knowledge about the first Indian freedom fighter, ‘Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy’, the fans definitely eagerly awaiting the film so that they can experience the pride on Narsimha Reddy’s contribution to the Indian freedom struggle against the British Rule.
The period drama is based on the life of freedom fighter Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy who fought in what is known to be the first war of Independence against the British Rule in India.
The movie features an ensemble cast ranging from Bollywood to Tollywood, Kollywood and Sandalwood such as Amitabh Bachchan, Chiranjeevi, Kichcha Sudeep, Vijay Sethupathi, Jagapathi Babu, Ravi Kishan, Nayanthara, Tamannaah and Niharika which makes the movie unmissable.
Produced by Ram Charan, Excel Entertainment and AA Films in association with Konidela Productions, SyeRaa Narasimha Reddy is directed by Surender Reddy and is slated to release on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on October 2, 2019.

See the trailer here: