IPL 2020: No one can replace MS Dhoni, says Sanju Samson

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September 29, 2020

Virat Kohli, RCB, RCB vs MI, Royal Challengers Bangalore

Royal Challengers Bangalore won a closely contested encounter against the Mumbai Indians on Monday in a match which was ended in a super over.

Mumbai Indian put a great chase in front of Royal Challengers Bangalore and they leveled the target but in the super overs, they managed to score just 7 runs in the super.

RCB scored 201 runs in the first innings where Devdutt Padikkal, Aaron Finch, and AB-de-Villers scored half-centuries.

“I don’t have words right now. It was such a roller-coaster game. I think they played really well and patiently in the middle. It went down to the wire; we tried to execute the things we wanted to. We’ve got a close victory and these little things on the field…we really want to focus on it,” said Kohli after the game.

“I thought about who are the best guys to come back for twos and it was me and AB. It was all about stepping onto the field and taking responsibility. Fielding is something we need to work on. If we’d taken our chances, it wouldn’t have been so close,” he said.

Mumbai Indians struggled in their run-chase after losing three wickets in quick succession but later on the heroics of Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard brought them back in the game and they leveled the target. Kisan scored 99 runs while Pollard scored 60 runs in just 24 balls.

Virat Kohli praised his RCB team and said this super-over win could change the momentum of his team.

“It was a good match-up against Jasprit. Top quality cricket and games like these, people would love to watch. The changes that we made, make Washi (Washington Sundar) bowl in the power-play paid off. Gurkeerat didn’t get a chance to bat. The guys showed good character. Outstanding Super Over from him (Navdeep Saini). He used the yorkers and wide balls to good effect. This should boost us going forward,” said the RCB captain.

Rohit Sharma praised Ishan Kishan, for his 99 runs, and Kieron Pollard, who scored 60 runs in 24 balls.

“It was a great game of cricket. We were not in the game at all when we started off with the bat. Great innings by Ishan there and then Pollard was brilliant as usual for us. It is just that we couldn’t start well. I thought we could chase 200 with the batting power we have. We didn’t get the momentum in the first six-seven overs and also lost three wickets,” said Rohit Sharma.

“With ‘Polly’ being there anything can happen. Ishan was also hitting it well so we had the belief that we would get there. Nothing to take away from RCB they held their nerve more than us. He (Kishan) was drained out and was not comfortable. We thought we could send him, but he was not feeling fresh. Hardik (Pandya) is somebody we trust to hit long balls; it is not coming off but we are confident he can pull things off for us. I mean seven runs you need to have luck on your side. We had to get wickets but there was also an unfortunate boundary. We came back really well and a lot of positives to take away from this game.” Rohit added.

Sandalwood Drug Case: NDPS court rejects Sanjana, Ragini bail plea

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September 29, 2020

Sandalwood drug case, Ragini Dwivedi, Sanjana Galrani, Sandalwood Drug Case Update

The drug case in the Entertainment industry is the talking point nation-wide. The special Narcotic Drugs and psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court of Bengaluru on Monday rejected the bail plea to Kannada actress Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjana Galrani for their connection in Sandalwood Drug Case. The next hearing on bail for these actresses is also adjourned till September 30.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) is also after the Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi’s brother-in-law Aditya Alva who has also been dragged into this drug case. The CCB has so far arrested high-profile party planner Viren Khanna, alleged drug peddlers Loum Pepper Samba, Rahul Tonse, and three others in connection to this case.

Other than CCB, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also working on this case from all aspects in terms of money trail involved in this entire case.

The ED is expected to question Viren Khanna, a friend of Sanjana Galrani’s and real estate businessman Rahul Tonse, and Ragini’s associate B.K. Ravi Shankar who are in connection to this high-profile case.

IPL 2020: Rohit reveals the reason for not sending Ishan Kishan in super-over

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September 29, 2020

Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore won a nail-biting encounter against the Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians in a match that went to the super over.

After putting up a great chase, the team from Mumbai managed to score just 7 runs in the super over thanks to some disciplined bowling by young navdeep Saini.

RCB batted in the first innings and scored a mammoth total of 201 courtesy of half-centuries from Devdutt Padikkal, Aaron Finch, and AB-de-Villers.

Mumbai Indians struggled in their run-chase after losing three wickets in quick succession but later on the heroics of Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard brought them back in the game and they leveled the target. Kisan scored 99 runs while Pollard scored 60 runs in just 24 balls.

“He (Kishan) was drained out and was not comfortable. We thought we could send him but he was not feeling fresh. I mean 7 runs you need to have luck on your side, we had to get wickets but there was also an unfortunate boundary. There are a lot of positives to take away from this game,” Rohit said after the match.

“It was a great game of cricket. We were not in the game at all when we started off with the bat. Great innings by Ishan there and then Pollard was brilliant as usual for us. It is just that we couldn’t start well, I thought we could chase 200 with the batting power we have,” Rohit said.

“We didn’t get the momentum in the first 6-7 overs and also lost three wickets. With Polly being there, anything can happen, Ishan was also hitting it well so we had the belief that we would get there. Nothing to take away from RCB they held their nerve more than us.”

Mumbai now have only one win from their opening three matches and would look to produce an upturn in form if they are to qualify for playoffs this season.

Our priority is to host England series in India: Sourav Ganguly

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September 29, 2020

Indian Cricket Team, England Cricket Team, BCCI, Sourav Ganguly

The increasing number of COVID-19 in India is a matter of concern. India is at the second spot when it comes to COVID tally worldwide. Even in this havoc situation, BCCI president, Sourav Ganguly has reiterated the board’s priority of hosting the England series in India next year.

Earlier there were speculations that BCCI could shift England’s tour to Sri Lanka or UAE but Sourav Ganguly had now made it clear BCCI’s first priority will always be to host the entire tour in India. The entire IPL is being played in UAE under the closed-doors without spectators.

“The priority is to make this (series against England) happen in India,” Ganguly said. “We will try to make this happen on Indian grounds. The advantage in the UAE is they have three stadiums (Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai).”

When asked about the pause in the Indian domestic cirucuit, Sourav stated that “We are monitoring it,” Ganguly said. “We want to have our domestic season. We have all the combinations, situations ready in our minds. We will try and make it happen as much as we can.”

“Everything is fluid. It’s been hard for the last six months to keep everything in order. You want your cricket to happen. You want lives to get back to normal, there are players involved. But you also want to have a close look at the COVID situation,” he added.

India rejects so-called unilaterally defined Chinese interpretation of LAC

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September 29, 2020

The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said that India categorically rejects the “so-called unilaterally defined” Chinese interpretation of the Line of Actual Control of 1959 in Ladakh.

The Indian government also reminded China that its insistence there is only “one LAC” is contrary to the solemn commitments made by Beijing in previous bilateral agreements, and expected it will “sincerely” abide by them in their entirety.

It was in response to queries on the recent media report quoting a Chinese foreign ministry statement regarding China’s position on the LAC, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it has “seen” the report – published in a national daily — that quoted the Chinese foreign ministry on China’s position on the LAC in the India-China border areas.

Srivastava pointed out that under several bilateral agreements – including the 1993 Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquillity along the LAC, the 1996 Agreement on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) in the military field, the 2005 Protocol on Implementation of CBMs, and the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question – India and China have “committed to clarification and confirmation of the LAC to reach a common understanding of the alignment of the LAC”.

Tensions have been running high between India and China over the past few months after a “violent face-off” in Galwan valley of Eastern Ladakh in June. Both the countries have been looking to find a solution to the ongoing border dispute.

PM Modi inaugurated six mega projects in Uttarakhand

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September 29, 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated six mega projects in Uttarakhand through video conferencing under the ‘Namami Gange Mission’. These projects include construction of a new wastewater treatment plant (STP) with a capacity of 68 million liters, upgrading of 27 MLD capacity STP at Jagjitpur in Haridwar and 18 MLD capacity STP at Sarai, Haridwar.

These projects have been awarded under the Namami Gange Mission.

A museum dedicated to Ganga was also released during the program. Modi has also launched the logo of Jal Jeevan Mission.

Targeting the opposition PM Modi said, “Even today when the central government is giving farmers their rights, these people came down on the protest. These people want that the farmers of the country could not sell their produce in the open market. These people are now insulting the farmers by setting fire to the goods and equipment which the farmer worships”.

The PM said, ”for years these people (opposition) kept saying that they would implement MSP, but did not. Our government did the work of implementing the MSP as per the wish of the Swaminathan Commission. Today these people are also spreading confusion over MSP. There will also be MSP in the country and the farmer will also have the freedom to sell crops anywhere in the country, but some people are not able to tolerate this freedom. Another means of their black earning has ended. So they are having problems”.

4 years URI attack

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September 29, 2020

September 29 in Indian history is recorded as a witness to the bold step by India to enter Pakistan’s border and destroy its terrorist camps.

18 Indian soldiers were martyred in a terrorist attack on the local headquarters of the Indian Army near the LoC in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. It was considered one of the biggest attacks on the Indian Army. In the Uri attack on 18 September 2016, few terrorists sitting across the border was told. India carried out a surgical strike against Pakistan on 29 September to avenge the attack.

The terrorists attacked the army headquarters located near Uri sector at 5:30 am on 18 September 2016. The plan of the terrorists was that maximum number of soldiers should be killed by firing rashly on the unarmed and sleeping soldiers.

Surgical Strike Plan –

The operation started around 12.30 pm.
Commandos were aird-roped then they crossed the border entered Pakistan.
Indian commandos entered the LoC within three kilometers.
Surgical strikes were performed in Bhimbere, Hotspring, Kel and Lipa sectors.
The launch pads of the terrorists were destroyed during the surgical strike.
38 terrorists and two Pakistani soldiers were killed in the surgical strike of the Indian Army.
Notably, the Indian Army suffered no loss in this entire operation.
Helicopters were used. The entire operation was over by 4.30 am.

China Says It Does Not Recognise Ladakh

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September 29, 2020

A belligerent China on Tuesday again sought to provoke India amid the ongoing border dispute, saying that it does not recognise the union territory of Ladakh.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin claimed that India had “illegally” established the UT of Ladakh and opposed infrastructure development on border areas.

India and China exchanged sharp statements blaming each other for the continuing border tensions, with New Delhi describing China’s Line of Actual Control (LAC) claims as “untenable” and Beijing saying it “did not recognise” the Union Territory of Ladakh.

It may be recalled that the current India-China conflict was triggered by the Chinese who demanded that India stop its infrastructure works near the LAC. India in response has flatly refused to do so and India’s strategic road-building in Ladakh has now become 10 times faster.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is now working round the clock to complete the work on all the road projects in the strategically important region.

Senior commanders agreed earlier this month not to add more troops along their fast-militarizing disputed border in the mountainous Ladakh region, but appear to have made no progress in disengaging their forces from the ongoing standoff as they had earlier committed to.

Bombay High Court reserves order on bail plea filed by Rhea Chakraborty

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Shivani Negi

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September 29, 2020

Bombay High Court reserved the order on the bail applications of Rhea Chakraborty and her brother, Showik. The bail was opposed by the Narcotics Control Bureau(NCB) filed by the actor and her brother.

“Rhea Chakraborty harboured and concealed Sushant Singh Rajput While He Consumed Drugs, said NCB.

A Single Judge Bench of Justice SV Kotwal heard the bail applications.

The anti-drug agency told the court that the investigation has nothing to do with Rajput’s death. It’s a case of drug syndication, they said. The siblings were “active members of a drug syndicate that was connected with high society personalities and drug suppliers”, NCB had said earlier.

"I want to point out that this a drug syndicate and that they are all interlinked. All persons arrested till now, are connected with each other and it is a syndicate. There were regular links & purchasing," says Singh.

Case is being heard before Bombay High Court. https://t.co/bRoHTqiaDw
— ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2020

“Sushant may have been one of the consumers but the entire transaction and deal is not restricted to him,” Singh further said.

Abdul Basit, Zaid Vilatra, Dipesh Sawant and Samuel Miranda are other accused whose bail applications have been rejected.

Rhea Chakraborty’s earlier bail application was rejected by a special NDPS court. Following which, her judicial custody was extended till October 6.

Meanwhile, the NCB has questioned actors Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan, Shraddha Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh. Their phone data and financial transactions are being investigated by the agency.

Notably, NCB has not issued new summons. The federal agency will be investigating the case on the basis of testimonials.

28-year-old Rhea Chakraborty was arrested by the NCB on 9 September.

Rhea is also the prime accused in Sushant Singh Rajput death case. The late actor’s family accused her and her kin of abetting the suicide and money laundering.

The case is currently being investigated by the CBI and ED.

Serum Institute will deliver 10 crores more doses of COVID vaccine to India

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September 29, 2020

The Serum Institute of India (SII) has announced an expansion of its association with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and vaccine alliance GAVI to deliver an additional 10 crore doses of the Covid-19 vaccine to India, as well as other low- and middle-income countries.

In August, the SII entered into a partnership with Gavi (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation), and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to produce 100 million doses for India and LMICs.

The collaboration builds upon an initial agreement signed in August by the company with the GAVI Alliance and the Gates Foundation, with the total number of vaccine doses to be covered by the partnership now up to 200 million.

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India, said, “The collaboration further bolsters up our fight against COVID-19! Through the avid support of Gavi and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we will now manufacture and deliver up to an additional 100 million doses of immunogenic and safe-proven future COVID-19 vaccines to India and low- and middle-income countries in 2021.”

The vaccines will have a ceiling price of US$3 per dose (Rs 221.43), a price enabled by investments made by partners such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the Gates Foundation and SII.

The Gavi COVAX AMC, which is currently seeking at least US$2 billion in initial seed funding, will meet at least part of the cost of procurement for the vaccine doses. The Gavi Board has agreed upon the final list of 92 countries that will be supported by the Gavi COVAX AMC.

Students launch protests against China’s encroachment in Nepal

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September 29, 2020

Students in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu on Monday launched protests against the Chinese encroachment into the country’s territory.

A massive protest march was held in front of the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu, political sources told ET from the Nepalese capital. More such protests are in pipeline.

This is the second such public protest against the Chinese encroachment into the Humla area of Nepal.

China has constructed buildings in some of the villages after illegally occupying the areas. A key delineator, Pillar Number-11 that defined Nepal’s border with the Chinese has been missing from Humla.

The protest has a deepened the political crisis in Nepal. The protestors, who have carried placards and posters saying “Return Nepal’s land” and “Stop Chinese expansionism”, have found support from the opposition Nepali Congress (NC). The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has interestingly denied China occupying Nepalese land.

The Nepalese foreign ministry had rejected reports in local media about illegal construction by the Chinese in the Humla district.

The opposition has lashed out at the government for making comments even before a team of government officials visited the area and filed a field report on the developments.

The release from the Ministry further claimed that the same sort of issue was raised in 2016 which turned down the earlier claims.

Andhra Pradesh CM demands Bharat Ratna for S.P. Balasubramanyam

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Shivani Negi

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September 29, 2020

Andhra Pradesh CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in a letter to PM Modi urged to confer India’s highest civilian honour – the Bharat Ratna – on the later singer S.P. Balasubramanyam for his contribution to music and culture.

“As a tribute to the legendary singer for his outstanding contribution in the field of music and art, I request you to confer Bharat Ratna award upon him,” Reddy said.

The CM also listed other legendary singers such as Lata Mangeshkar, Bhupen Hazarika, M.S. Subbulakshmi, Bismillah Khan and Bhimsen Joshi who have been bestowed with the honour.

“This will be the highest recognition to his remarkable work which lasted for five decades and stays in our memory forever,” he said.

“He won six national film awards for best male playback singer for his work, 25 AP state Nandi awards for his work in Telugu cinema and numerous other state awards in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu,” he said.

“Our state of AP is fortunate for being the birthplace (Nellore) of the great maestro. His untimely departure not only caused much distress to fans and celebrities living in India but also has affected the international music fraternity,” observed Reddy.

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy also requested to present the late singer with the honour.

“I appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to award him the Bharat Ratna,” he said.

In 2001, Balasubramanyam was honoured with the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan in 2011 by the Government of India.

SP Balasubrahmanyam was hospitalised at MGM Healthcare in August after testing positive for covid-19. Initially, he suffered mild symptoms but soon after his health deteriorated. He was then put on ventilator an ECMO support.

SPB tested negative the infection on September 7. However, he was still kept on the ventilator and ECMO support.

On September 25 at 1:04 pm, SP Balasubrahmanyam passed away after suffering a cardio-respiratory stroke.

Railways may levy up to Rs 35 user fee in its fares for redevelopment

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September 29, 2020

For the redevelopment of railway stations, now rail passengers may have to pay additional rail fares from 10 to 35 rupees.

But this is only a part of the proposal which the Railways is still finalizing and then it will be sent to the cabinet soon for approval.

According to sources the passenger fee will vary by category and it can range from Rs 10 to Rs 35.

Notably, Railway had already clarified that this charges would be taken only for those stations that are being redeveloped. And also for those where the number of passengers is high.

Out of total 7000 stations nationwide, about only 700 to 1000 stations fall in this criteria.

A spokesperson of the Ministry of Railways said, “Usage fee is essentially a small amount which is used to increase the facilities of all passengers at railway stations. But one thing is certain that these usage charges will be minimal and will not be difficult for the passengers,” he said.

On 17 September in a press conference Railway Board CEO VK Yadav had said that ”the railways would not charge usage charges at all seven thousand stations, but for the next five years this fee would be charged at larger stations with higher number of passengers”.

He added that ”the center will soon issue a notification about the user charge for the stations”.

Uttarakhand- George Everest Mussorie house to convert into museum

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