Every News

Tech News: Zuckerberg jokes about Facebook’s privacy record in launching redesign [Every News]

2019-05-02T00:13:00.003-07:00

Zuckerberg jokes about Facebook’s privacy record in launching redesign For Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s relentless string of privacy scandals are a laughing matter.

For Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s relentless string of privacy scandals are a laughing matter.

for more detail https://fxn.ws/2Wo0ouo

Tech News: Facebook tries a new look as Zuckerberg proclaims a new era [Every News]

2019-05-02T00:13:00.001-07:00

Facebook tries a new look as Zuckerberg proclaims a new era Facebook Inc. rolled out a substantial redesign of its website and mobile app, as Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg seeks to address criticism of the social-media giant’s influence by nudging users toward different types of engagement and more private communication tools.

Facebook Inc. rolled out a substantial redesign of its website and mobile app, as Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg seeks to address criticism of the social-media giant’s influence by nudging users toward different types of engagement and more private communication tools.

for more detail https://fxn.ws/2DG11ba

Every News: Speculation rife of Mo Farah’s return to track

2019-05-02T00:08:00.031-07:00

Speculation rife of Mo Farah’s return to track
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LONDON: Britain’s Mo Farah has turned down the chance to contest the marathon at this year’s world championships in Doha, increasing the possibility of a return to the track.Farah, who finished fifth in Sunday’s London Marathon, had been eligible for selection for the British team, but has opted to decline his place. The 36-year-old four-time Olympic champion could now target a fourth successive world title over 10,000 metres instead, having claimed gold in Moscow in 2013, Beijing in 2015 and London in 2017.Farah turned his back on the track in 2017 to concentrate on long-distance road running, finishing third in London last year and claiming the European record when winning his first marathon in Chicago in October but he finished more than three minutes behind Kenyan winner Eliud Kipchoge on Sunday.Earlier this year Farah hinted at a potential return to the track at the world championships. “Having seen my fellow athletes, who I’ve competed against in the past, and watching the European indoor championships on TV, I was thinking ‘Oh man, I want to get back out there’,” Farah said in early March.“If things are going well and I’ve got a chance to win a medal, then I’d love to come back and run for my country but my aim now is to concentrate on the marathon,” he added. Farah’s build-up to the London event was dominated by an extraordinary feud with Haile Gebrselassie, which saw the pair publicly swap accusations about events at the retired Ethiopian athletics legend’s hotel.High temperatures for the world championships in Doha starting in late September mean the marathon will be run at night, with the race beginning at 11.59 pm.

Every News: Wilson sees off Carter to reach World Championships semis

2019-05-02T00:08:00.029-07:00

Wilson sees off Carter to reach World Championships semis
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SHEFFIELD: Gary Wilson continued his remarkable career resurrection by beating Ali Carter 13-9 and reaching the semi-finals of the World Championships for the first time.The Wallsend 33-year-old spent six years off the tour and endured stints as a taxi driver, a bar man and a production line worker in a frozen foods factory before grasping his second chance in the sport. And Wilson continued to make the most of his opportunity as a nerveless opening break of 117 paved the way to convert a 9-7 overnight advantage into a place in the Crucible’s fabled one-table set-up. Wilson said: “I dropped off the tour and I wasn’t good enough to get back on. I was having all these uncertain times when I didn’t know if I was going to be a pro again. I was desperate to get back on the tour and just scrape a living. So to go from that point to where I am now, in the one-table set-up, is absolutely amazing and the sort of thing you dream of.”Tenacious Carter had shown signs of life after Wilson’s strong start, winning two consecutive frames including a break of 128 to narrow the deficit, but his opponent responded and a 72 in the last saw him over the line.Wilson, whose only previous Crucible appearance saw a first round defeat to Ronnie O’Sullivan two years ago, had beaten Luca Brecel and former champion Mark Selby to reach the quarter-finals. And he was clearly in no mood to bring his unexpected run to an end as he repelled the challenge of two-time former finalist Carter, who praised Wilson for producing “the performance of his life”.Reflecting on a now-guaranteed career-best payday of at least £100,000, Wilson added: “I remember situations when I was struggling for money and wondering what job I was going to do. I’d been playing since I was eight years old and I had put my heart and soul into it. I had missed school and nights out with my mates. All this makes it feel worthwhile.”

Every News: Bangladesh change World Cup kit after uproar

2019-05-02T00:08:00.027-07:00

Bangladesh change World Cup kit after uproar
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DHAKA: Bangladesh has altered its World Cup cricket strip to add a touch of red following uproar over the initial design, which some had likened to rival Pakistan’s kit, the cricket board said on Wednesday.The national flag of Bangladesh is red and green, but the Tigers’ jersey unveiled on Monday for the tournament starting later this month in England and Wales was green and white.Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) spokesman Jalal Yunus said cricket’s world governing body had originally asked it to drop the red colour due to “commercial complications”, but relented following a subsequent request from the BCB. “It made the jersey green and white. But people wanted a touch of red in the jersey. So we requested the ICC (International Cricket Council) again and they accepted our request,” he told AFP.The original design had featured the names of players and the word Bangladesh in red, Yunus noted. Social media was awash with complaints after the strip was unveiled, with former BCB president Saber Hossain Chowdhury among those to criticise the original design. “Red and green, our national flag colours, have always been reflected in jerseys of @BCBtigers over the years. So very sad this is no longer so,” Chowdhury tweeted.Many cricket fans saw a similarity with the jersey of Pakistan. But BCB president Nazmul Hassan, also known as Papon, blasted the suggestion that the resemblance of Pakistan jersey prompted the swift change in design.“Bangladesh is written on the jersey, how can you confuse it with Pakistan?” Nazmul asked reporters in a press conference on Tuesday. Bangladesh cricket team left home on Wednesday and will open their World Cup campaign against South Africa at the Oval on June 2.First they will play a tri-national tournament in Ireland from May 5-17 along with fellow World Cup participants Ireland and the West Indies. The World Cup begins on May 30.

Every News: Hamstring injury ends Ramsey’s Arsenal season

2019-05-02T00:08:00.025-07:00

Hamstring injury ends Ramsey’s Arsenal season
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Ag PAPARIS: Arsenal head coach Unai Emery has confirmed Aaron Ramsey has played his last game for the club, with captain Laurent Koscielny praising the departing midfielder’s commitment in recent months.Ramsey will leave for Juventus in the summer, having agreed to join the Serie A giants on a free transfer when his Gunners contract expires. The 28-year-old injured his hamstring during the second leg of Arsenal’s Europa League quarter-final victory over Napoli and, while Emery’s original estimate was that Ramsey could be back within two or three weeks, he will now miss the remainder of the season.Emery’s side take on Valencia in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday night, having lost all three games without Ramsey since he was forced off in Naples.

Every News: Joshua to defend heavyweight titles against Ruiz Jr

2019-05-02T00:08:00.023-07:00

Joshua to defend heavyweight titles against Ruiz Jr
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NEW YORK: Anthony Joshua will defend his heavyweight titles against Mexican-American Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden on June 1, the British boxer’s promoter announced on Wednesday.Ruiz Jr, who will be bidding to become Mexico’s first heavyweight world champion, replaces Joshua’s scheduled opponent Jarrell Miller, who was barred from fighting after failing drugs tests. “The chills — I’m really excited for this fight,” said Californian-born Ruiz, 29, in a statement released by Matchroom Boxing. He cited Mexican great Julio Cesar Chavez, a world champion in several lighter classes, and former heavyweight world champions Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis. “This is my chance to make history, I want to be one of those greats like Chavez, Tyson, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis. I want to be in that category.”

Every News: 33rd National Games: Shah may invite India for token participation

2019-05-02T00:08:00.021-07:00

33rd National Games: Shah may invite India for token participation
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KARACHI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association’s President Syed Aqil Shah on Wednesday revealed that he plans to invite India and a few other neighboring nations to send their contingents for token participation in the 33rd National Games which his province is going to host in Peshawar later this year.“I want to also invite Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan and even India for token participation. It will be my duty to invite India but giving visas to its contingent will be the responsibility of the government,” Aqil Shah told ‘The News’ in an interview from Peshawar.Shah was quick to add that Gilgit Baltistan would also be given an opportunity to ensure its token participation. Shah, however, made it clear that those, who would ensure their token participation, will be awarded medals but they will not be part of the tabulation of the event.The 33rd National Games, which Quetta was supposed to host last month, were shifted to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recently. Balochistan was instead given the 34th National Games. Shah said the actual schedule of the Games was yet to be finalised.“The dates have not yet been finalised. Personally, it is my desire to hold the Games at the end of September. By doing so we would be able to give at least two months to Pakistan’s contingent to prepare for the 13th South Asian Games which Nepal will host in Kathmandu and Pokhara from December 1-10,” said Shah, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Sports Commission.Shah also conceded that KP had the capability to host such major events in befitting way. “KP has the best available infrastructure in the country after the Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad,” Shah claimed.To a query, he said for ensuring smooth conduction of the Games, his priority will be to host most of the events in Peshawar. However, he was quick to add that the competition of badminton and one more discipline will be organised at the Abdul Wali Khan Sports Complex in Charsadda and archery and baseball could be organised in Mardan.“We have facilities in other cities as well but if we opt for them then it will create an administrative problem for us,” Shah said. He also said that they had at their disposal facilities of Pakistan Air Force (PAF), especially for golf, tennis and squash events.“I have requested the PAF and they have agreed to lend their facilities,” Shah said. Shah informed that Rs 150million will be required for conducting the competitions.When asked how he agreed to host the 33rd National Games, Shah said that he had held a meeting with the KP Chief Minister at a time when it looked evident that Quetta was facing issues in hosting the competitions.“I told the CM that the Games are being shifted from Quetta and the other provinces are ready to host it. ‘How about we bring the event to KP?’ to which the CM replied ‘why not’ and that is why we offered to host it,” Shah said.“We have never opposed Balochistan and had even offered them skilled manpower for organising the spectacle,” Shah said. He also revealed that the National Games torch will start its journey here from Mazar-e-Quaid and will be taken to Torkham, bordering Afghanistan, and from there it will be brought to the actual venue of the Games in Peshawar.He said the Prime Minister will be invited to the opening ceremony and the President will be invited for the closing. Shah said every effort will be made to host the vital spectacle in a befitting way. Following the merger of tribal belt in KP, a joint contingent of both areas will be fielded in the National Games.Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, Orakzai, North Waziristan and South Waziristan are now the districts of the tribal belt and their associations in every sports discipline will be merged with the respective associations affiliated with the KP Olympic Association. Shah acknowledged that FATA had great potential in sports, adding, he was sure that 30 per cent of its players would become part of the KP contingent purely on merit.

Every News: ‘Zaheer against plan to abolish departmental teams’

2019-05-02T00:08:00.019-07:00

‘Zaheer against plan to abolish departmental teams’
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KARACHI: Pakistan batting great and former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Zaheer Abbas is expected to address a press conference in the coming days on the issue of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s plan to abolish the departmental teams, ‘The News’ learnt on Wednesday.Sources close the former captain told ‘The News’ that he will hold a press conference to present his views on the proposed domestic structure when he reaches Karachi from Sialkot. On Saturday, former captain Javed Miandad, squash legend Jehangir Khan and hockey great Islahuddin held a press conference and opposed the PM’s plan to abolish the departmental teams.Zaheer is also expected to support the stance of Miandad on the issue, the source said. He said that Zaheer is a strong supporter of having departmental teams in domestic cricket and considers their existence necessary for providing employment to the players.Zaheer, widely regarded as one of the most stylish batsmen in sport’s history, played Tests, ODIs and country cricket alongside Imran Khan and they also represented PIA together in first-class cricket.

Every News: ‘AB de Villiers is hardest batter I’ve ever bowled to’

2019-05-02T00:08:00.017-07:00

‘AB de Villiers is hardest batter I’ve ever bowled to’
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BRISBANE: Australia spinner Nathan Lyon believes AB De Villiers, who is now retired from international cricket, is still one of the best players in the world.The Proteas ace called time on his 13-year South Africa career in May 2018 having revolutionised white-ball batting whilst still maintaining exceptional standards in the Test arena. He is still a top performer in global franchise leagues, exemplified by his 441 runs at an average of 49 in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), and Lyon has no doubts that the South African is still one of the most formidable players in world cricket – and wouldn’t mind another crack at bowling at him.“It’s an interesting one when you’re up against that challenge, but I’ve always said I want to challenge myself against the best players in the world,” Lyon told The BackPage Live. “AB is still one of those guys.”Many have called for de Villiers to return to national duty, but last week the swashbuckling batsman told SportStar that he looks back at his decision to retire from international cricket with “100 percent satisfaction”.When discussing just how good de Villiers was, Lyon could not have been more complimentary. “He is probably the hardest batter I’ve ever bowled to, and I’ve played against AB quite a few times now on different tours,” he said. “He’s probably the one guy who I’ve thought: ‘He can probably hit me anywhere he wants at any time.’”De Villiers was particularly known for his 360-degree hitting, seemingly capable of dispatching the ball into the stands wherever he liked, regardless of the delivery. Lyon, who is in Australia’s squad for ICC Cricket World Cup, described the treatment that speed merchant and compatriot Mitchell Johnson faced when he was put up against de Villiers.“There have been a couple of tours when Mitchell Johnson’s been bowling like the wind after a pretty amazing Ashes series here at home, and AB was pulling Mitch in front of square-leg and just back-footing drives and showing all the shots,” he said.

SpaceX capsule was destroyed in ´anomaly´: lawmaker

2019-05-02T00:08:00.015-07:00

SpaceX capsule was destroyed in ´anomaly´: lawmaker https://ift.tt/2tquErD WASHINGTON: A space capsule suspected to have exploded last month in an incident characterized by manufacturer SpaceX as an "anomaly" was in fact completely destroyed, a US Senator confirmed Wednesday."The most recent SpaceX anomaly caused the complete loss of the (crew) capsule," Senator Richard Shelby, chairman of a Senate committee that manages NASA´s budget, said during a hearing.NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine told Shelby the agency, which has contracted its mission to resume carrying US astronauts to the International Space Station to Elon Musk´s SpaceX and Boeing, would be carrying out a joint investigation with SpaceX. NASA and SpaceX have remained tight-lipped about what caused the serious incident during engine tests on April 25.A leaked video posted on Twitter, later indirectly authenticated by NASA, showed an explosion.NASA is counting on SpaceX´s Crew Dragon capsule to ferry astronauts to and from the ISS, a task handled since 2011 by Russia, with first manned flight planned before the end of the year.The capsule that exploded was to be launched by a rocket in the coming months during a full-scale test of its in-flight abort system that would allow it to return to Earth in case of an emergency.SpaceX and NASA must now urgently work to discover the cause of the explosion as well as replace the capsule -- calling into question NASA´s stated goal of launching American astronauts into space from US soil by the end of 2019.

May 01, 2019 at 04:31PM

UK´s May sacks defence minister Williamson over Huawei leak

2019-05-02T00:08:00.013-07:00

UK´s May sacks defence minister Williamson over Huawei leak https://ift.tt/2tquErD LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday sacked Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson following a probe into the leak of news that Britain had conditionally allowed China´s Huawei to develop its 5G network."The Prime Minister has this evening asked Gavin Williamson to leave the government, having lost confidence in his ability to serve in the role of Defence Secretary and as a member of her Cabinet," said a spokeswoman from her Downing Street office.May said in a letter to Williamson that the investigation "provides compelling evidence suggesting your responsibility for the unauthorised disclosure" from the April 23 meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), although he "strenuously denied" responsibility."No other credible version of events to explain this leak has been identified," wrote May."This is an extremely serious matter and a deeply disappointing one," she added, with Williamson now facing the possibility of a criminal probe."This must now be referred to the Metropolitan Police for a thorough criminal investigation into breaches of the Official Secrets Act," said Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable.Williamson responded in a letter to May, saying he was "sorry you felt recent leaks" originated from the defence ministry."I strenuously deny that I was in any way involved in this leak and I am confident that a thorough and formal inquiry would have vindicated my position".He revealed that May had given him the chance to resign, but turned it down as it would have been an acceptance of guilt.Downing Street later announced that Penny Mordaunt, the Minister for Women and Equalities, would replace Williamson and become Britain´s first female defence minister, while continuing in her current role.Britain´s already splintered government was rocked by the scandal last month over who leaked news that May was to let Huawei develop Britain´s 5G network.The bitterly disputed decision was reportedly made at the April 23 meeting of the NSC.NSC discussions are only attended by senior ministers and security officials who first sign the Official Secrets Act that commits them to keep conversations private or risk prosecution.But The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported that May approved granting Huawei permission to build up "non-core" elements of Britain´s next-generation telecommunications network.- Political operator -The United States is adamantly opposed to Huawei´s involvement because of the firm´s obligation under Chinese law to help its home government gather intelligence or provide other security services when required.May told Williamson it was "vital" that members of the NSC... were able to have "frank and detailed discussions in full confidence" that they would not be made public.She added that she was "concerned by the manner in which you have engaged with this investigation", saying his conduct "has not been of the same standard" as other members of the NSC.British media reported that Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill -- the country´s most senior civil servant -- gave those present an ultimatum to deny responsibility for the leak. Williamson was one of the first to do so, calling it "completely unacceptable".His allies told Sky News reporter Kate McCann that they suspect Sedwill of engineering the sacking over historical disagreements between the pair.The 42-year-old was a trusted ally of the prime minister.He was May´s parliamentary campaign manager when she successfully ran to become Conservative Party leader, and was rewarded with the job of chief whip -- tasked with enforcing discipline for the Conservative Party in parliament.He was only elected to parliament in 2010, and was best known for keeping a pet tarantula, Cronus, in a glass-sided tank on his desk.May raised eyebrows when she appointed Williamson to the key defence job in November 2017 after previous incumbent Michael Fallon resigned over allegations of sexual harassment.The move raised questions about whether Williamson´s whips´ office had a role in preparing the dossier on ministers behind the scandal, and there were reports that Williamson advised May that Fallon may be facing further allegations."Make no mistake, Gavin Williamson wants to be prime minister. And he knows all the dirt on his colleagues," wrote Tim Shipman, political editor of The Sunday Times newspaper.

May 01, 2019 at 01:25PM

Putin signs controversial internet law

2019-05-02T00:08:00.011-07:00

Putin signs controversial internet law https://ift.tt/2tquErD MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin signed into law a "sovereign internet" bill which will allow Russian authorities to isolate the country´s internet, a move decried by rights groups.Russian lawmakers insist the new law is necessary to ensure the security of Russia´s online networks but critics say the vaguely worded bill gives new censorship powers to government monitors.The text of the law was published Wednesday but it will not come into effect until November.The measures include creating technology to monitor internet routing and to steer Russian internet traffic away from foreign servers, ostensibly to prevent a foreign country from shutting it down.The authors of the initiative say Russia must ensure the security of its networks after US President Donald Trump unveiled a new American cybersecurity strategy last year that said Russia had carried out cyber attacks with impunity.Thousands of people recently rallied in Russia against this and other bills that critics say aim to restrict information and communication online.Separately, Putin in March signed controversial laws that allow courts to fine and briefly jail people for showing disrespect towards authorities, and block media for publishing "fake news".The laws are part of an ongoing Kremlin clampdown on media and internet freedoms that has seen people jailed for sharing humorous memes.Last week 10 international rights organisations called on Russia to scrap the internet bill."The bill created a system that gives the authorities the capacity to block access to parts of the Internet in Russia," said a statement backed by Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders and others.The blocking would be "extrajudicial and non-transparent," the statement said.Under the new law Russian Internet access providers will also need to ensure that their networks have the technical means for "centralised traffic control" to counter potential threats.This control will pass notably to the Russian FSB security service and the telecoms and media monitoring agency Roskomnadzor, which is often accused of arbitrarily blocking content on the web.In recent years Russian authorities have blocked online sites and content linked to the opposition, as well as internet services which fail to cooperate with them, including the Dailymotion video platform, the Linkedin online social networking site and the encrypted messaging app Telegram.

May 01, 2019 at 12:10PM

Police clash with hardliners as thousands hit Paris for May 1

2019-05-02T00:08:00.009-07:00

Police clash with hardliners as thousands hit Paris for May 1 https://ift.tt/2tquErD PARIS: Paris riot police fired teargas as they squared off against hardline demonstrators among tens of thousands of May Day protesters, who flooded the city Wednesday in a test for France´s zero-tolerance policy on street violence.Tensions were palpable as a heady mix of labour unionists, "yellow vest" demonstrators and anti-capitalists gathered in the French capital, putting security forces on high alert.Ahead of the main march, the city was on lockdown with more than 7,400 police and gendarmes deployed with orders from President Emmanuel Macron to take an "extremely firm stance" if faced with violence.Clashes briefly erupted on Montparnasse Boulevard, where hundreds of anti-capitalist "black bloc" activists pushed to the front of the gathering crowd, hurling bottles and other projectiles at police, who fired tear gas and stingball grenades, an AFP correspondent said.Used at ground level, the grenades release scores of rubber pellets that cause an intense stinging to the legs.Authorities had warned this year´s marches would likely spell trouble, coming barely a week after leaders of the yellow vest anti-government movement angrily dismissed a package of tax cuts by President Emmanuel Macron.And with some agitators vowing on social media to turn Paris into "the capital of rioting", the government moved to deploy security on an "exceptional scale" throughout the capital.Last year, officials were caught off guard by some 1,200 troublemakers who ran amok in Paris, vandalising businesses and clashing with police.By early afternoon, thousands had flocked to the Montparnasse area, many wearing the hi-visibility jackets that gave the name to the yellow vest protesters.Since November, the city has struggled to cope with the weekly yellow vest protests, which have often descended into chaos with a violent minority smashing up and torching shops, restaurants and newspaper stands.Across the city on Wednesday, streets were barricaded and shops had boarded up their windows, with police ordering the closure of all businesses along the route of the main march."We are not afraid of the union marches but of the black blocs," local restaurant owner Serge Tafanel told AFP.Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said several groups on social media had urged protesters to transform Paris into "the capital of rioting", with police gearing up for the arrival of up to 2,000 activists bristling for a fight.Many are anti-capitalist youths, often known as black blocs, who dress in black and wear face masks.Nearly 200 motorcycle units have been deployed across the capital to respond quickly to flare-ups of violence, and drones are being used to track protesters´ movements.Castaner said police would carry out pre-emptive searches of anyone planning to march, a new tactic allowed under a security law passed recently in response to the yellow vest violence.From the early hours of Wednesday, several dozen police officers could be seen at the city´s main train stations, carrying out bag random searches, AFP journalists said.By early afternoon, police said 165 people had been detained for questioning.

May 01, 2019 at 09:00AM

Modi has no understanding of issues people face in India: Priyanka Gandhi

2019-05-02T00:08:00.007-07:00

Modi has no understanding of issues people face in India: Priyanka Gandhi https://ift.tt/2tquErD Congress Uttar Pradesh (East) general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the Narendra Modi government for having no understanding of the issues that people in India face. Priyanka Gandhi accused prime minister Modi of losing touch with the ground reality, instead spending his time on international visits.She said, "Your policies have no connect with the ground. Your feet don't remain on Indian soil. You went to America and Japan. You played the drum in Japan, ate biryani in Pakistan. You are flying."Priyanka Gandhi was speaking to ‘India Today’ TV consulting editor Rajdeep Sardesai. She took aim at the Modi government's nationalistic poll plank, saying, "The government that doesn't want to listen to people's voice and wants to silence them is not a nationalistic government".According to Gandhi, the real issues in this election are unemployment and the growing agrarian crisis."The public had hope that the Modi government would work after being elected but they broke their promise. Their relation with the electorate has been broken. They introduced policies that show that they don't know about people's problem," Gandhi said.She also slammed the PM KISAN scheme which will provide farmers with Rs 6,000 per year as minimum income support. "You keep the farmer in crisis for five years and then two months before elections, you come up with a scheme that will give them Rs 2,000 which comes down to Rs 2 per person per day. It is not a favour you're bestowing upon the farmer. You clearly don't understand the extent of the problem," said Priyanka Gandhi.

May 01, 2019 at 06:12AM

India braces for tropical Cyclone Fani, puts navy on alert

2019-05-02T00:08:00.005-07:00

India braces for tropical Cyclone Fani, puts navy on alert https://ift.tt/2tquErD Bhubaneswar: India deployed emergency personnel Wednesday and ordered the navy on standby as it braced for an extremely severe cyclonic storm barrelling towards the eastern coast.Tropical Cyclone Fani, located in the Bay of Bengal and packing wind speeds up to 205 kilometres (127 miles) per hour, is expected to make landfall at Odisha state Friday.Authorities have also ordered the evacuation of thousands of people from coastal districts likely to bear the brunt of the storm.The neighbouring coastal states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states have also been put on a high alert.India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said the sea conditions were "phenomenal" over the west-central Bay of Bengal area."Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas," NDMA warned on Twitter.The office of the state’s special relief commissioner said local authorities had been told to identify "all vulnerable people... and shift them to multipurpose cyclone/flood shelters.""Arrangements have already been made for free kitchen, safe drinking water, lighting, health and sanitation," it said in a statement.Local media reports say there are over 850 shelters in the state that can accommodate around one million people.H.R Biswas, director of the meteorological centre in state capital Bhubaneshwar, said at least 11 districts would be affected by severe rainfall."We have suggested people to stay indoors," he told reporters.Coastal Puri town, some 62 kms (40 miles) from Bhubaneshwar, has also been put a high alert.Puri is home to Shree Jagannath, one of Hinduism’s holiest temples, which receives millions of pilgrims each year.India’s election commission has eased its restrictions in Odisha’s coastal districts to allow the state authorities to carry out swift relief and rehabilitation work.The rules, which apply during elections, suspend certain powers of the incumbent government to announce new schemes or take fresh administrative decisions.Odisha, which has a population of around 46 million, has already voted in India’s ongoing election, which started on April 11.The seventh and final phase of voting will be held on May 19, with counting and results due May 23.Odisha had to evacuate some 300,000 people last October when its coastal districts were battered by cyclone Titli, with winds up to 150 kms (95 miles) per hour and heavy rains.At least two people were killed in the cyclone.Storms regularly hit eastern and southeastern India between April and December. In 2017, Cyclone Ockhi left nearly 250 people dead in Tamil Nadu and Kerala states.Odisha’s worst-ever cyclone, in 1999, killed over 8,000 people.

May 01, 2019 at 05:47AM

16 Indian commandos killed in fresh election violence

2019-05-02T00:08:00.003-07:00

16 Indian commandos killed in fresh election violence https://ift.tt/2tquErD MUMBAI: A suspected bomb attack by Maoist rebels killed 16 Indian elite commandos on Wednesday, police said, the latest incident of election-time violence in a decades-long insurgency."Maoists attacked a team of commandos travelling in a private vehicle to inspect an earlier attack. So far 16 men have died," an official at police headquarters in the western state of Maharashtra told AFP."More teams have been sent to site for rescue and combat operations," said the officer, who did not want to give his name.India is holding elections and attacks by Maoist rebels, who are active in several states, often spike as the country goes to the polls.A second police official put the death toll in the latest incident in the Gadchiroli region of Maharashtra at 15."Maoists torched over 30 vehicles in Gadchiroli today at 12.30pm (0700 GMT). In another blast, 15 security officers were killed and rescue operations are ongoing to ascertain the damage," Gadchiroli police official Prashant Dute told AFP.Indian forces have been fighting Maoists rebels for decades in several areas, in an insurgency that has killed tens of thousands.The Maoists are believed to be present in at least 20 Indian states but are most active in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand -- and Maharashtra.India´s nationwide election began on April 11 and runs until May 19.Last weekend rebels opened fire on Indian police, killing two constables and wounding a villager in the central state of Chhattisgarh, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported.One constable and an assistant constable died at the scene and the villager, shot in the chest, was taken by local residents for treatment, PTI reported.A roadside bomb attack on a political convoy in early April killed five people in Chhattisgarh, two days before the world´s biggest election began. Modi condemnsPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday swiftly condemned the latest attack."Strongly condemn the despicable attack on our security personnel in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. I salute all the brave personnel," Modi tweeted."Their sacrifices will never be forgotten. My thoughts & solidarity are with the bereaved families. The perpetrators of such violence will not be spared," he added.Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally of Modi, confirmed the attack on Twitter."Anguished to know that our 16 police personnel from Gadchiroli C-60 force got martyred in a cowardly attack by naxals (Maoists) today. My thoughts and prayers are with the martyrs´ families," Fadnavis said.Home Minister Rajnath Singh called the attack "an act of cowardice and desperation"."We are extremely proud of the valour of our police personnel," he said. "Their supreme sacrifice while serving the nation will not go in vain."

May 01, 2019 at 03:51AM

Every News: Had ‘huge anxiety’ over form slump, says Finch

2019-05-02T00:08:00.001-07:00

Had ‘huge anxiety’ over form slump, says Finch
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BRISBANE: Aaron Finch has opened up about the “huge anxiety” he felt during his slump in form and the possibility that it could lead to him being left out of Australia’s World Cup campaign.Finch endured a nightmare home season, during which he was dropped from the Test side, and, coupled with the pending returns of David Warner and Steven Smith, murmurs had begun about who would make way.But Finch emerged from his troubles in emphatic style soon after with a prolific series against Pakistan, which included back-to-back hundreds in Sharjah. Speaking in-depth to SEN radio on Wednesday, ahead of joining Australia’s pre-World Cup camp in Brisbane, Finch talked about having learnt lessons from his difficult patch, which led to him over-training only to see the runs dry up even more.Since the Pakistan series, he has had a break from the game before returning to the nets ahead of the run-in to the World Cup, where a resurgent Australia will be aiming to defend their title and win a sixth title. But there were moments when Finch wondered if he would be there at all.“[I had] huge anxiety based on the World Cup coming up, being captain of the side and not getting the output I wanted leading from the front,” Finch said.“When I think of Australian captains - Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor, Allan Border - everyone leads from the front, and I was getting really frustrated, I was preparing, doing everything I thought I could to succeed, it just wasn’t happening.“The support I was getting was incredible, but in the back of your mind you are thinking, ‘gee, the World Cup isn’t far away, as a captain I could be left out of the squad’; then you start putting unrealistic pressure on yourself to perform when you can’t control that. That takes care of itself if you do your job.”The pressure on Finch peaked when he made a duck in the opening ODI against India, but two matches later came the breakthrough when he struck 93 in Ranchi as part of an opening stand of 193 with Usman Khawaja, which sparked Australia’s run of eight consecutive victories.“It’s a game of inches,” he said. “Hyderabad, the first ODI, my hundredth, I’m thinking this is where the rut’s ending, I’m coming out going to be aggressive, and I get a good one from Jasprit Bumrah, out for a duck. I was going back through all my notes that I’m keeping of training sessions and mental preparation and thinking to myself why is it different to when I was in form? The reality was there wasn’t a huge difference, it was in my own mindset. I was starting to think a bit negatively.Finch also admitted there were times when he was concerned his personal struggles with the bat were eroding his authority as captain.“You are trying to talk to the boys about game plans and where you need to improve but I hadn’t been doing my job as well as I could have, so there were times when I was feeling I’m in no position to criticise anyone about their game when I’m not doing it well myself. I found that really tough and had to learn to put to one side.”

Every News: Smith says elbow ‘all good’ ahead of Australia return

2019-05-02T00:07:00.029-07:00

Smith says elbow ‘all good’ ahead of Australia return
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SYDNEY: Australia’s Steve Smith has brushed aside concerns for his surgically repaired elbow after landing awkwardly from a stunning diving catch in the Indian Premier League.Smith, who is due to play in the World Cup starting later this month, helped his Rajasthan Royals to victory Sunday when he took a outstretched catch to his right off a mistimed hit from international compatriot David Warner.The former Australian captain landed heavily on the right elbow that underwent a major operation in January. “All good, I just landed on it quite heavily, more heavily than I had landed on it previously,” Smith said Tuesday ahead of his next IPL clash with the Royal Challengers in Bangalore.“From the surgery I have still got some scar tissue and stuff in there and just the impact of the landing affected it a little bit, but there is nothing wrong with it, all good,” Cricket Australia’s official website reported him saying.Smith and Warner were last month selected in defending champions Australia’s World Cup squad following their year-long bans for ball-tampering. The duo have enjoyed a solid comeback in the IPL, with Warner in blistering form, topping the competition batting rankings with 692 runs from 12 innings.Smith has been restricted to close fielding positions throughout the IPL as his elbow recovers. “I am throwing at probably 70 or 80 per cent. A couple of weeks and I should be back to throwing at 100 per cent,” he said, adding that his elbow rehab was “going really well”.Smith and Warner will officially return to Australian colours when they head to Brisbane for a training camp this week to prepare for the World Cup. The World Cup starts on May 30 in England and Wales.

Every News: Dhawan denies India are over-reliant on top order

2019-05-02T00:07:00.027-07:00

Dhawan denies India are over-reliant on top order
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MUMBAI: Shikhar Dhawan, the India opener, said his side have a well-balanced squad for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, and dispelled concerns about India’s over-reliance on the top-order batsmen.India’s last One-day International outing was a disappointing affair – they were beaten 2-3 at home by Australia, despite leading 2-0 – with their batting seemingly off the boil. Over the years, Dhawan, along with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, have formed one of the most outstanding top orders in ODI cricket. Against Australia, they were again among the top run-scorers for their team, but only Kohli really sparkled with 310 from five matches at 62.00. Rohit and Dhawan averaged a more modest 40.40 and 35.40 respectively.Despite that unexpected loss though, India – No 2 in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings – go into the World Cup as one of the top contenders, along with England. With the expectations high, there will also be a lot of pressure on the team, but Dhawan said they had it under control. “We have been doing it for five years now, so nothing’s going to change,” he said. “We’re just going to go and play.”

Every News: SBP, HEC lock horns in title clash

2019-05-02T00:07:00.025-07:00

SBP, HEC lock horns in title clash
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KARACHI: The four-day final of the Patron’s Trophy Grade-II will commence at the Pindi Stadium, Rawalpindi, from Thursday (today) between State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Higher Education Commission (HEC).The star-studded SBP outplayed Navy inside two days to blast their way into the final. HEC, on the other hand, had to fight till the very last moments of the third day to overcome Sabir’s Poultry in the other semi-final.Sabir’s Poultry had set HEC a 201-run target in the final. Their bowlers then reduced HEC to 112 for eight before the match was declared as draw as the Sabir’s Poultry bowlers ran out of time to dismiss the oppositions and claim an outright win. HEC qualified for the final on the basis of their six-run first innings lead.HEC captain Asfand Mehran is looking forward to a competitive final against SBP. He hopes that his team will continue the good work in the big game.“This has been a total team effort from HEC, I don’t want to single out anyone in particular as everyone including the management, the reserve players and the eleven that has featured in the games leading up to the final have put in a big effort. State Bank will be a challenge for us but I have full confidence in my players,” Asfand said.State Bank is being captained by Pakistan ODI batsman Saad Ali who made his international debut in the recently concluded ODI series against Australia in the UAE. Saad praised his team’s combined effort and is hopeful of a similar show in the final.“We have performed well. I am happy with my own performance, the likes of Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Salahuddin have done very well with the bat. Among the bowlers Mohammad Ilyas, Taj Wali and Basit have shown great commitment and skill,” he said.“We are one match away from winning the title and are focused on the game. I also want to thank our management for their unflinching support throughout the season,” Saad said.Saad has contributed 349 runs in five innings so far with the help of one century. The tournament’s batting charts are topped by Sabir’s Poultry batsman Mohammad Imran who amassed 450 runs at 64.29 in eight innings with the help of one century.PIA’s Shehzar Mohammad is at the second spot, in five innings, as the opening batsman scored 365 runs with the help of two centuries. His average remains 91.25. HEC top scorer is right-handed batsman Fahad Usman. In seven innings before the final, Fahad scored 343 runs at 57.17, including two centuries.Sabir’s Poultry fast bowler Nisar Ahmad is on the top of the bowling charts as the right-armer claimed 28 wickets in four matches at 16.04. Civil Aviation Authority’s Ahsan Jamil collected 25 wickets in three games at 14.84.Mohammad Ilyas has taken 20 wickets in four games for State Bank, while HEC’s best bowler is Mamoon Riaz with a tally of 17 wickets in four games. Nasar Khan and Muhammad Kaleem will supervise the match, while Ali Naqvi will be the match referee. The winners will get Rs 500,000, with the runners-up to collect Rs 250,000. Similarly, Rs50,000 each will be handed over to the best bowler, best batsman and best stumper.

Every News: BD change World Cup strip after uproar

2019-05-02T00:07:00.023-07:00

BD change World Cup strip after uproar
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DHAKA: Bangladesh has altered its World Cup cricket strip to add a touch of red following uproar over the initial design, which some had likened to rival Pakistan’s kit, the cricket board said Wednesday.The national flag of Bangladesh is red and green, but the Tigers’ jersey unveiled Monday for the tournament starting later this month in England and Wales was green and white.Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) spokesman Jalal Yunus said cricket’s world governing body had originally asked it to drop the red colour due to “commercial complications”, but relented following a subsequent request from the BCB.“It made the jersey green and white. But people wanted a touch of red in the jersey. So we requested the ICC (International Cricket Council) again and they accepted our request,” he told AFP.The original design had featured the names of players and the word Bangladesh in red, Yunus noted. Social media was awash with complaints after the strip was unveiled, with former BCB president Saber Hossain Chowdhury among those to criticise the original design.“Red and green, our national flag colours, have always been reflected in jerseys of @BCBtigers over the years. So very sad this is no longer so,” Chowdhury tweeted. Many cricket fans saw a similarity with the jersey of Pakistan, from which Bangladesh became independent after a bloody war in 1971.But BCB president Nazmul Hassan, also known as Papon, blasted the suggestion that the resemblance of Pakistan jersey prompted the swift change in design. “Bangladesh is written on the jersey, how can you confuse it with Pakistan?” Nazmul asked reporters in a press conference on Tuesday.“After seeing the Tigers’ picture and BCB logo if someone thinks that it’s not Bangladesh’s jersey but Pakistan’s then I think that person should stay in Pakistan,” he said. Bangladesh cricket team left home on Wednesday and will open their World Cup campaign against South Africa at the Oval on June 2. First they will play a tri-national tournament in Ireland from May 5-17 along with fellow World Cup participants Ireland and the West Indies. The World Cup begins on May 30.

Every News: Ajax beat depleted Spurs, closein on UCL final

2019-05-02T00:07:00.021-07:00

Ajax beat depleted Spurs, closein on UCL final
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LONDON: Ajax closed in on a first Champions League final for 23 years as Donny van de Beek’s early goal beat an injury-hit Tottenham 1-0 in the first leg of their semi-final on Tuesday.Van de Beek’s opener on 15 minutes was just reward for the Dutch side’s first-half dominance as Tottenham badly missed the presence of the injured Harry Kane and suspended Son Heung-min.Tottenham improved after the break despite another injury blow as Jan Vertonghen had to be helped down the tunnel after a sickening head knock, but lacked the inspiration needed to get back on level terms without their two top scorers.And Ajax could easily have had an even greater lead to take back to the Johan Cruyff Arena for the second leg next week when David Neres hit the post 10 minutes from time. Ajax had shown they are not fazed on the road despite the tender age of many of their squad by shocking Real Madrid and Juventus away to reach the last four and started confidently.Spurs were happy to sit deep and wait for their chances to counter-attack, but that gameplan was undone when Hakim Ziyech’s through ball picked out midfielder Van de Beek who took his time to leave Hugo Lloris prone before slotting into the bottom corner.Lloris kept his side in the game 10 minutes later from another Van de Beek effort as Ajax threatened to run riot. Fernando Llorente was the hero with the decisive goal as Mauricio Pochettino’s men upset the odds to end Manchester City’s quest for a quadruple of trophies in the quarter-finals.However, the cumbersome Spaniard struggled to provide the out ball his side needed to relieve the Ajax pressure. Set-pieces provided Tottenham’s best chance of scoring before the break as Llorente headed wide and Toby Alderweireld over from Kieran Trippier free-kicks.On top of Kane and Son, Spurs were shorn of the injured Erik Lamela and Harry Winks and lost another key player when Vertonghen came off worst as he contested a high ball with Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana.The Belgian was patched up and briefly returned to the field before having to be helped down the tunnel with questions sure to be asked why the Spurs medical staff allowed him to continue. Despite that latest blow, the hosts reacted well to end the half on top with Vertonghen’s replacement Moussa Sissoko driving a long-range effort wide.Pochettino’s half-time pep talk had the desired effect as Spurs dug deep into their energy reserves to raise the tempo and intensity of their display after the break. Yet, the quality needed in the final third to get back on level terms was missing without Kane and Son.A sweetly struck shot Christian Eriksen shot that was too close to Onana was the best effort they could muster as too often hopeful crosses into the box failed to find a teammate.Ajax did not make the most of their chances on the break to kill the tie off, but were unfortunate when Neres’s effort back across Lloris left the French captain helpless only for the ball to rebound kindly off the post.Son will be back for the trip to Amsterdam next Wednesday and Spurs will hope the South Korean can repeat his double away to City in the last eight, but Ajax are in pole position for a final against Barcelona or Liverpool come June 1 in Madrid.

Every News: National Elite Men’s Boxing semis today

2019-05-02T00:07:00.019-07:00

National Elite Men’s Boxing semis today
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KARACHI: Pakistan’s highly experienced fighter Awais Ali Khan was among the Army’s boxers who on Wednesday qualified for the semi-finals of the 37th National Elite Men’s Boxing Championship being held at the Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad.As per latest reports received, Army’s nine fighters had qualified for the semi-finals, while WAPDA’s eight pugilists had advanced to the pre-finals. Similarly, five boxers of Pakistan Air Force (PAF), four of Navy, three of Balochistan and one of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) had made it to the semi-finals.The semi-finals will be held on Thursday (today), while the finals will be conducted on Friday (tomorrow). Awais knocked out Majid of Navy in the 81 kilogramme quarter-finals. Meanwhile, in the same weight, Faisal of WAPDA got the better of Bilal of Sindh to move into the semi-finals. Anees Taj of AJK defeated Ghulam Shabbir of Railways.Quarter-finals results:60kg: Ibrahim (Army) bt Mohammad Shoaib (Punjab) 5-0, Sheraz (Navy) bt Naseer Ahmed (WAPDA) 5-0, 64kg: Adnan Hasan (PAF) bt Irfan Bashir (AJK), Ali Ahmed (WAPDA) bt Abdul Ghani (Balochistan) 5-0, Suleman Baloch (Army) bt Qadir Khan (Navy) 5-0, 69kg: Salar Abid (KP) bt Inam Ullah (GB) 5-0, Amir Khan (WAPDA) bt Fahad (Punjab) 5-0, Gul Zeb (Army) bt Faraz Ahmed (Sindh) 5-0, Abdul Samad (Balochistan) bt Saeed Anwar (PAF) 3-2, 75kg: Shafi Ullah (WAPDA) bt Abid Ali (Police), Saif-Ul-Manan (Army) bt Ali Nawaz (Punjab), Tanveer Ahmed (Navy) bt Hasnain Ali (PAF), Ehsan Ulalh (Balochistan) bt Khalil Asghar (Sindh), 81kg: Awais (Army) bt Majid (Navy), Faisal (WAPDA) bt Bilal (Sindh), Anees Taj (Ajk) bt Ghulam Shabir (Railways).

Every News: WADA collects 2,200 samples from disgraced Moscow lab

2019-05-02T00:07:00.017-07:00

WADA collects 2,200 samples from disgraced Moscow lab
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MONTREAL: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said Tuesday it had retrieved 2,262 samples from Moscow’s former drug-testing laboratory which will be subjected to further analysis.WADA said in a statement investigators had collected A and B samples from the former laboratory which were split into 4,524 collection bottles. The samples had been removed from Moscow for re-testing at a WADA-accredited laboratory outside of Russia.“WADA Intelligence and Investigations is pleased to be continuing to make progress in this complex and difficult case,” WADA investigations director Gunter Younger said. “These samples will be used to strengthen cases against those who may have cheated and may exonerate athletes who have not committed an anti-doping rule violation.”The removal of the samples comes after WADA investigators retrieved a trove of analytical data from the lab in January. Younger said the samples removed corresponded to data in the lab’s database.A progress report from the analysis of the information obtained from the laboratory would be sent to WADA’s Compliance Review Committee in early May. An update on the investigation would be presented to WADA’s Executive Committee and Foundation Board meeting on May 15-16.Providing full WADA access to the Moscow lab’s data and samples was a key condition of Russia’s controversial reinstatement last September following a major scandal over state-sponsored doping.WADA wants to complete the review of data and samples by June 30 as part of the reinstatement deal, an agreement widely condemned by athletes and organizations worldwide. The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) was suspended by WADA in November 2015 after revelations of a vast state-sponsored doping regime stretching back several years and spanning the 2012 Olympics, 2013 World Athletics Championships and 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.