Month: December 2024

Danial Shakeel Patel takes India into FIFAe World Cup quarterfinals

Riyadh, Dec 11 (IANS) It has been a bittersweet start for India at the FIFAe World Cup 2024 featuring eFootball here at the SEF Arena in Saudi Arabia.

The highlight of India’s performance in the competition has definitely been Danial Shakeel Patel, who secured himself a spot in the quarterfinals of the mobile eFootball competition with four wins, one draw, and two losses.

However, in the team competition – FIFAe World Cup ft eFootball Console, India failed to make it to the last four, as the eTigers finished eighth in a nine-team group, with six losses, one draw, and a solitary win.

Patel will now face the third team from Group B, Turkiye, represented by Yusa Haydar Gokulu, in the quarterfinals of the FIFAe World Cup ft. eFootball- Mobile on Wednesday, which will be played in a best-of-three format. The winner of this matchup will face an opponent from either Malaysia or Japan in the semifinals at midnight.

Debuting at the international arena, Patel took the world of mobile eFootball by storm on Day 1 of the competition with his explosive attacks that caught his opponents by surprise. While he began with a 7-0 drubbing of England in his first game, the 17-year-old came up against two traditional Asian powerhouses in esports in the next two match-ups — Japan and Indonesia.

Patel made short work of Japan, a 4-1 victory, followed by a closely fought 3-2 win against Indonesia. He ended Day 1 with another convincing victory, a 5-0 result against Spain.

Day 2, however, brought a different set of challenges for Patel. With 12 points in the bag, Patel produced a dominant display against yet another esports powerhouse, South Korea. Though the match may have ended in a stalemate, Patel maintained 81 percent possession throughout the game.

Things went downhill from thereon, however, as he lost his next match 1-5 against Costa Rica, followed by a 0-1 defeat against Brazil. Despite the two defeats on Day 2, Patel finished with 13 points from seven matches, which earned him the second spot in Group A, just one point behind Indonesia.

Represented by Chinmay Sahoo, Saksham Rattan, and Ibrahim Gulrez, the Indian eFootball team finished eighth in Group A of the FIFAe World Cup 2024 featuring eFootball Console.

Day 1 was a case of a few near misses for the eTigers, who began with a 0-3 loss at the hands of South Korea, followed by a 1-2 defeat against Spain. They lost 0-1 against France in their last match.

The trio had somewhat of a positive start on Day 2, a 1-1 draw against Poland, but soon succumbed to Malaysia, Netherlands, and Indonesia by margins of 2-4, 1-5, and 0-3, respectively.

However, the eTigers picked themselves up in the last game against England, winning 2-0 to condemn their opponents to the bottom spot in Group A.

–IANS

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South Korea: Assembly Speaker announces parliamentary probe into martial law declaration by Prez

Seoul, Dec 11 (IANS) South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik said Wednesday he has invoked the authority to conduct a parliamentary probe into President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law last week.

Woo also called for the prompt formation of a special committee to handle the parliamentary investigation, Yonhap news agency reported.

Woo told reporters that a parliamentary probe is needed to secure a “public testimony” from Yoon over the December 3 imposition of martial law.

A parliamentary official said the Assembly plans to conduct the probe as swiftly as possible given the severity of the situation.

–IANS

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Dulquer Salmaan-starrer ‘Lucky Bhaskar’ inspires four kids to flee hostel in search for fortune

Mumbai, Dec 11 (IANS) Life and art imitate each other, and this could be corroborated by the recently released Dulquer Salmaan-starrer crime drama ‘Lucky Baskhar’.

As per media reports, four school going kids in Andhra Pradesh have gone missing after watching the film. It’s stated that the kids were motivated by the film to leave their homes in search of money and fortune.

The kids reportedly told their friends that they would return only after earning money and cars like the character of Bhaskar does in the film. The four kids are identified as Charan Teja, Raghu, Karthik, and Kiran Kumar who are all studying in 9th grade. They all stay at a hostel in Maharanipet in Vizag. They were amused by the film to the degree that they all decided to earn money like the way the hero does in this film. The four came up with a plan to escape from the hostel and also got successful pulling it off.

CCTV footage from the hostel captured the boys climbing over the gate and fleeing. The distraught parents approached the local police, who filed a missing persons report. Currently, the boys are being actively searched across bus terminals, railway stations, and other public locations.

‘Lucky Baskhar’ which tells the story of a banker, who is burdened by family responsibilities and financial woes. He then seizes an opportunity to exploit loopholes in the banking system. What begins as a desperate bid to make quick money evolves into a calculated involvement in a larger stock market and money laundering scheme.

As the titular character rises from rags to riches, his character transforms, exposing arrogance and ambition. However, his wife, Sumathi, serving as his moral compass, questions his choices and forces him to confront the consequences of his actions.

–IANS

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Low-calorie, low-fat snacks see growth as millets surge in India

Mumbai, Dec 11 (IANS) Low-calorie and low-fat snacks are seeing significant growth as millets are being increasingly used in India, according to a report on Wednesday.

The report by NielsenIQ (NIQ), the world’s leading consumer intelligence company, showed that low-calorie, low-fat, and gut-health-focused products dominate, with one in five snacks linked to health.

Millets and mindful snacking are on the rise, alongside health-oriented consumer tech.

It also showed a cultural influence from South Korea. Personal care and food innovations inspired by Korea have gained traction, emphasising unique flavours and textures.

The report noted a growth in demand for sustainably sourced FMCG, and energy-efficient consumer tech tailored to local needs, urbanisation has been fueling the demand for innovative, high-quality products that simplify life.

NIQ Consumer Survey reveals that 34 per cent of urban consumers prioritise new product availability and 40 per cent — especially Gen-Z and women — actively seek innovation claiming to shop for new products before the others did.

“The appetite for novelty is undeniable. For brands, this presents a strategic opportunity to capture consumer interest and drive sustained growth through meaningful and timely innovations,” said Vidya Sen, Executive Director, Customer Success – BASES, NielsenIQ​ said.

NielsenIQ also celebrated the winners of the 2024 Breakthrough Innovation Awards, at a recent event, honouring brands that have disrupted the market and captivated consumers with exceptional new product launches.

These award-winning products launched between 2022 and 2023 and have successfully navigated an ever-evolving consumer landscape.

Since 2012, more than 900 FMCG brands globally have been recognised with this prestigious honour, including about 140 innovations in India across categories like food and beverages (48 per cent) and personal and home care (52 per cent). This year, NIQ also recognised tech and durables brands in India for their groundbreaking achievements in product development and market success.

–IANS

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Ishaan takes a dive to see the Great Barrier Reef amid Australian holiday

Mumbai, Dec 11 (IANS) Actor Ishaan Khatter, who is currently holidaying down under, shared a video of himself swimming in the water to get a glimpse of the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system.

Ishaan took to Instagram stories, where he shared a mesmerising video of himself swimming over a tortoise, which can be seen closer to the coral reef.

“The great barrier reef and more friends…” he wrote as the caption.

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres.

Ishaan had earlier shared a video of himself petting a koala and had captioned it as “made a few friends.”

Last month, Ishaan dropped a few thirst trap pictures that showcased his ripped biceps and lean frame.

In the images, Ishaan flaunted his toned physique in white vest and jeans. Sharing the post, the ‘Dhadak’ actor emphasised the importance of staying hydrated in the caption.

He wrote, “Stay hydrated.”

Ishaan is gearing up for the release of his Netflix romance series, “The Royals.” The show boasts a stellar ensemble cast, including Bhumi Pednekar, Nora Fatehi, Zeenat Aman, Dino Morea, Chunky Panday, and Milind Soman. The show is a modern-day Indian royalty rom-com series anchored by the chemistry between Bhumi and Ishaan Khatter.

Directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana, the series also stars Vihaan Samat, Kavya Trehan, Sumukhi Suresh, Udit Arora, Lisa Mishra and Luke Kenny.

The makers of the series on August 14 shared its teaser on Instagram, where Ishaan looked every-inch as royalty.

The post was captioned: “A royal feast for your eyes. Announcing #TheRoyals, coming soon only on Netflix.”

Produced by Pritish Nandy and created by Rangita and Ishita Pritish Nandy, known for their contemporary pop culture and spirited storytelling, had shared back then that ‘The Royals’ being their very first with Netflix had to be just the right blend of coming-of-age-India, Gen Z storytelling and feisty fun.

They added: “There is the inevitable romance of old royalty; monarchs without crowns, and the incredible drive of today’s startup warriors for whom crowns hold zero shine.”

–IANS

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Indian scientists develop 1st human gene therapy for Haemophilia A

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) In a significant medical feat, Indian scientists have developed the first-in-human gene therapy using lentiviral vectors for severe haemophilia A

The innovative therapy, developed by the Centre for Stem Cell Research (CSCR) at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore — a translational unit of BRIC-inStem, and supported by the Department of Biotechnology, has demonstrated transformational results.

Early this year, scientists at the CMC-Vellore successfully conducted the country’s first human clinical trial of gene therapy for haemophilia A (FVIII deficiency).

The single-centre study, which enrolled five participants aged between 22 and 41 years, showed transformational results.

“The therapy successfully produced zero annualised bleeding rates in all five enrolled participants while enabling prolonged production of Factor VIII, eliminating the need for repeated infusions,” said the scientists, in the paper published in the peer-reviewed New England Journal of Medicine.

This effect was observed “over a cumulative follow-up of 81 months, correlating Factor VIII activity with vector copy numbers in the peripheral blood,” the team said.

Haemophilia A is a severe bleeding disorder caused by the deficiency of clotting Factor VIII. It significantly affects patients’ quality of life, leading to spontaneous bleeding episodes. Although rare, India bears the world’s second-largest burden of haemophilia, with approximately 136,000 cases.

Current treatments require frequent Factor VIII replacement therapy, which faces challenges such as high costs, venous access in children, and low patient acceptance.

The new gene therapy approach involves the use of a lentiviral vector to introduce a normal copy of the Factor VIII gene into autologous haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).

These modified HSCs generate blood cells capable of producing functional Factor VIII over extended periods.

“Participants were monitored for six months following the gene therapy. Results showed a strong correlation between Factor VIII activity levels and the vector copy number in peripheral blood,” the researchers said.

“This achievement underscores the long-term efficacy and safety of the therapy, offering renewed hope for patients with severe Haemophilia A,” they added.

This pioneering study marks a transformative leap in accessible and effective treatments for resource-limited settings, unlocking new possibilities for managing previously incurable diseases. The therapy is expected to soon undergo a second phase human trial.

–IANS

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Mohan Babu booked for attacking TV reporter

Hyderabad, Dec 11 (IANS) Police have registered a case against veteran Tollywood actor Mohan Babu for attacking a television journalist at his residence on Tuesday night.

Pahadi Shareef Police Station registered a case under Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 118 (1) (causing hurt with dangerous weapons or substances).

According to police, the FIR was registered on a complaint by M. Satyanarayana, a reporter for Telangana news channel TV9.

Mohan Babu attacked the TV reporter when the latter had gone to his residence in Jalpally to cover the ongoing dispute between the veteran actor and his actor son Manchu Manoj.

The reporter stated in his complaint that when Manchu Manoj and other journalists went into the house at his invitation, Mohan Babu confronted them aggressively, used abusive and foul language, grabbed the mike and attacked him with it. This resulted in severe head injury.

The incident occurred when Manchu Manoj broke the gate to enter the house after an argument with the bouncers deployed there. Along with Manoj and his private security men, some journalists also entered the house.

When the TV 9 reporter asked a question to Mohan Babu about the dispute with his son, he got enraged, grabbed the mike and attacked the reporter with the mike. The journalist fell to the ground. The bouncers drove out all the journalists out of the house.

The injured reporter was admitted to a hospital in Shamshabad. According to doctors, he has suffered three fractures in the zygomatic bone (cheekbone) and needs plastic surgery.

Meanwhile, journalists staged a protest in front of the Film Chamber office and demanded action against Mohan Babu. They demanded that an attempt to murder case be registered against him.

The journalists also demanded that Mohan Babu’s family be expelled from Movie Artists Association (MAA), the apex body of Tollywood. Mohan Babu’s elder son and actor Manchu Vishnu is the president of MAA.

–IANS

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Illegal infiltration: NIA court sentences 3 Bangladeshis with fake documents

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court in Mumbai has sentenced three Bangladeshi nationals to five years of imprisonment for illegal infiltration into India and the possession of forged documents, a statement of the probe agency said on Wednesday.

The convicted individuals — Mohammed Habibur Rehman Habib alias Raj Jesub Mandal, Hannan Anwar Hussain Khan alias Hannan Baburali Gazi, and Mohd Azarali Subhanallah alias Raja Jesub Mandal — were also fined Rs 2,000 each.

The NIA in a press release said the case originated in March 2018, based on an FIR registered by Pune Police. It was alleged that several Bangladeshi nationals were residing in Pune without valid documentation and were aiding members of the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a front organisation of the banned terror group Al-Qaida.

The NIA took over the investigation and, on September 7, 2018, filed a charge sheet against the three accused, along with two others — Md Ripen Hossain alias Rubel and Md Hassnali Amirali — under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Foreigners Act.

Md Ripen Hossain and Mohammad Hassan Ali Amirali were convicted earlier in October 2023, after pleading guilty, and were sentenced to five years of imprisonment under similar charges.

The NIA said the five were working as labourers at various construction sites in Pune without any valid documents.

The latest convictions of Mohammed Habibur Rehman Habib, Hannan Anwar Hussain Khan, and Md Azarali Subhanallah were made under section 14 of the Foreigners Act (overstaying in India without valid documentation), section 471 of the IPC (using forged documents as genuine) and section 120-B of the IPC (conspiracy related to document forgery).

The case was initially investigated by the ATS and the NIA took over the case in September 2018. The accused fraudulently obtained PAN cards, Aadhaar cards, voter IDs ration cards among others by providing fake documents, the agency added.

–IANS

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Makers confirm season three of ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein’

Mumbai, Dec 11 (IANS) The season 2 of the streaming series ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein’ almost took three years to bow on the OTT. However, the third season of the show will hopefully return with its set of interesting and dark characters soon as the makers have officially confirmed the show’s third season.

The show stars Aanchal Singh, Tahir Raj Bhasin and Shweta Tripathi, who have won hearts with their complex relationships, obsessive love and unforgettable moments, are returning to weave magic and mayhem once again.

Season 2 was a complete package with thrill, lies, action, love and a whole lot of plotting. From Gurmeet Choudhary’s entry to save his friend to Tahir Raj Bhasin absolutely nailing it as Vikrant, the good guy who went rogue, the season has been showered with nothing but immense appreciation from the viewers.

Talking about the upcoming season and the reactions, director, writer and showrunner Sidharth Sengupta shared, “Season 3 will mark the next chapter in this deep yet twisted love story of Vikrant, Purva, and Shikha. Just as we delved deeper into Purva’s character in Season 2, we will further explore each character’s journey, providing deeper insights into their lives and personalities”.

He further mentioned, “Considering how Season 2 ended, things are bound to get even more intriguing as we witness how their characters evolve with the circumstances. Expect significant transformations in the lives of Vikrant, Shikha, Guru, Jalan, Akheraj and Akhil’s lives explore Purva’s life and her tumultuous past along with more twists and hard-hitting surprises”.

On the success and renewal of the series, Tanya Bami, Series Head, Netflix India said, “It’s official ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein 3’ is coming. We are delighted to announce the renewal and success of S02 of this franchise. This masala entertainer has received both critical acclaim and fan love. It’s been trending at the Number 1 spot in India Top 10. And season one has also been trending since season two launched. We design each season to raise the bar on the previous season and with season 3 we are excited to have more twists, turns, action, drama and music – everything that fans love about this amazing romantic thriller”.

Produced by Edgestorm Ventures and created by Sidharth Sengupta, ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein’ season 3 will be available to stream on Netflix.

–IANS

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Bhagyashree shares glimpse of her ‘favourite breakfast’

Mumbai, Dec 11 (IANS) Veteran actress Bhagyashree indulged in a plateful of her “favourite” yumminess for breakfast.

Bhagyashree took to her Instagram stories, where she shared a picture from her hotel room. The image had a plate of masala dosa, sambhar and chutney.

“Good morning! My favourite breakfast,” she wrote as the caption.

Earlier this month, she gave out tips on how to make nutrient-packed laddoos for the winter season.

She shared a video, which started with “Who doesn’t like sweets? But nowadays, everyone is trying to control their diet. But today, I will show you a recipe of sweets which is tasty as well as healthy.”

The actress then started giving out tips.

“Chana Dal Khana Badam Kaju Pista Akhrod Goon Kali Miri Ajwain Good Grind the roasted chana dal. Now it’s time to grind the makhana. Grind all the dry fruits. Roast the goon in 1 tsp ghee. Roast the besan in 2.5 tsp ghee. Now add makhana. Now add kali miri and a little ajwain. Now add dry fruits. Now take it out. Add 1.5 tsp good.”

“If you like it sweeter, add more good.”

She shared that these ladoos have a lot of essential nutrients other than protein.

“Like calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamin B. Which will make your body healthy. So this winter, enjoy sweets and stay healthy.”

Calling it “Tuesday Tips with B”, she wrote: “Meethe ka Mazza! A winter sweet that you can enjoy while benefitting your health. This ladoo has almost all essential nutrients auch as potassium, calcium, manganese, selenium, folate, VitB and many many more.”

“It will help strengthen your bones, reduce arthritis pain, regulate your blood sugar, check hormonal imbalances, increase immunity and give you energy. What are you waiting for then, enjoy this winter preparation.”

On the work front, Bhagyashree was last seen onscreen in “Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video” directed by Mikhil Musale. The film also stars Nimrat Kaur, Radhika Madan, and Subodh Bhave as leads.

–IANS

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