World No 2 Aryna Sabalenka pulls out of Indian Wells after testing COVID positive

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October 3, 2021

World number two Aryna Sabalenka will not play at the Indian Wells tournament after testing positive for COVID-19, the 23-year-old said on Saturday. Sabalenka was due to be the top seed in the women’s draw at the Indian Wells after world No 1 Ash Barty pulled out from the Californian tournament.

“Unfortunately, I’ve tested positive at Indian Wells and won’t be able to compete,” Sabalenka wrote on Instagram. “I’ve started my isolation and I’ll be staying here until I’m cleared by the doctors and health officials. So far, I’m looking ok but really sad to not be able to play this year,” she added.

Notably, men’s world No 1 Novak Djokovic, 2018 champion Naomi Osaka and 23-times grand slam champion Serena Williams are also not competing at the competition which will run on October 4-17. Due to COVID-19, the 2021 Indian Wells Open is scheduled to take place as an 11-day event across weeks 40 and 41.

Mamata Banerjee takes massive lead in Bhabanipur, TMC ahead in two Murshidabad seats

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Web Team

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October 3, 2021

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was leading by 31,645 votes in the Bhabanipur bypoll after the tenth round of counting on Sunday afternoon, as per the Election Commission.

The TMC was also leading in Murshidabad’s Samserganj and Jangipur where votes were counted for assembly elections.

Banerjee, the TMC candidate in the Bhabanipur seat in south Kolkata, secured 42,122 votes, as per official data after the tenth round of counting.

Her nearest rival, BJP’s Priyanka Tibrewal, secured 10,477 votes, while Srijib Biswas of the CPI(M) secured 1,234 votes.

Total 21 rounds of counting will be held in Bhabanipur.

In Samserganj, TMC candidate Amirul Islam was leading by 3,768 votes after the fifth round of counting. He secured 19,751 votes, while his nearest rival, Zaidur Rahaman of the Congress, received 15,983 votes.

Jangipur’s TMC candidate Jakir Hossain was leading by 15,643 votes after the second round of counting. Hossain secured 25,572 votes, and his nearest rival, BJP’s Sujit Das, got 9,929 votes.

Voting in the seats was held on September 30.

As the reports of Banerjee’s massive lead came in, TMC supporters hit streets across the state to celebrate with green “abir”.

On the other side, the BJP and the CPI(M)’s state offices wore a deserted look.

Tibrewal on Saturday night wrote to the Acting Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Rajesh Bindal, urging him to give orders to the police to take preventive steps to avoid incidents of violence after the results are declared.

Drug racket: NCB detains 10 persons after busting drug party aboard a cruise ship

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Web Team

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October 3, 2021

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has detained around 10 persons after raiding a passenger cruise ship anchored and busting a party onboard where drugs were being used, an official said on Sunday.

A few of the detainees are linked to a celebrity or a high-profile person, he said. Based on a tip-off that a party was scheduled on the ship, an NCB team, led by its zonal director Sameer Wankhede, had raided the Goa-bound cruise ship on Saturday evening and recovered drugs from some of the passengers, the official said.

“The agency has detained 8 to 10 persons. They were brought to the NCB office in south Mumbai and questioned till early morning,” he said.

Talking to reporters at the entrance of the NCB office, Wankhede said, “We have intercepted some persons and their investigation is on. It will be premature to say anything as of now.” When asked about the names of the detained persons linked to a celebrity, he refused to comment.

Aim of Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 to make cities garbage-free, says PM Modi

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Afternoon Voice

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October 1, 2021

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the aim of Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 is to make the cities garbage-free. Speaking at the launch of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) 2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, PM Modi said,” In 2014, the countrymen took a pledge to make India open defecation free – ODF. The countrymen fulfilled this pledge with the construction of more than 10 crore toilets. Now, the goal of ‘Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0’ is to make Garbage-Free City, a city completely free of garbage.”

PM Modi said that the journey of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and AMRUT Mission so far is going to make every countryman proud. He further said that the country’s target in the next phase of Mission AMRUT is ‘Increasing sewage and septic management, making our cities water safe cities’ and ensuring that no sewage drains anywhere in our rivers.”

“The achievements under the SBM prove how dedicated every citizen is towards his or her responsibility. Our cleaning staff are real heroes of this initiative. What the country has achieved through Swachh Bharat Mission assures us that how sensitive every Indian is for his duties, how alert he is,” PM Modi added. The Prime Minister said that with this second phase, the country also aims at sewage and safety management, making cities water-secure and ensuring that dirty nullahs don’t merge into rivers.

He further said that the second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 and AMRUT 2.0 is also an important step in fulfilling the dreams of BR Ambedkar. “It’s our privilege that today’s program has been organised at BR Ambedkar Center. He believed that urban development was pivotal to equality. Babasaheb’s great emphasis was on changing this situation, on removing this inequality. The next phase of Swachh Bharat Mission and Mission Amrit is also an important step towards fulfilling the dreams of Babasaheb,” he said.

Narendra Modi further said that Babasaheb believed in urban development as a great means of removing inequality. “Many people from villages come to cities in the aspiration of a better life. We know that they get employment but their standard of living remains in a difficult situation even in villages,” said PM.

Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 have been designed to realise the aspiration to make all our cities ‘Garbage Free’ and ‘Water Secure’. These flagship missions signify a step forward in our march towards effectively addressing the challenges of rapidly urbanizing India and will also help contribute towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

Who helped Param Bir Singh to flee from India?

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Afternoon Voice

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September 30, 2021

The police sources told Afternoon Voice under the condition of anonymity, that the former Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh is hiding under political patronage. Maharashtra police are competent and must be even aware of Singh’s whereabouts but it’s the political plot that he has been shown absconding or missing.

Time and again the summons were issued to him in August by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), but Param Bir Singh has gone untraceable. According to NIA sources, Singh was summoned again sometime in August, but he did not respond. The officers also visited his residence in Chandigarh and Rohtak in Haryana but could not find him.

Both the NIA and the state government suspect that he has fled the country fearing an arrest in various cases. But the question here is, with whose help he could leave India? The agency is not ruling out the possibility that Singh may have fled.

The NIA officer said, “The summons has been issued to him and there is no response. We are still investigating the case but we are not in a position to rule out anything. We have the link of his possible involvement based on the details received from Apple and some other details are awaited. As far as his location is concerned, we are not sure, but there is a possibility that he has left the country.”

NIA had summoned Singh in connection with the Antilia explosives scare and the Mansukh Hiran murder cases. Waze had been directly reporting to Singh at the time when the cases took place. The NIA’s charge sheet, filed recently, has details of circumstantial evidence and statements of witnesses that point to Singh and his possible involvement in the conspiracies. Singh’s statement as a witness was first recorded by the NIA in April to get clarity related to sacked cop Sachin Vaze.

The agency got more suspicious about his involvement in the third week of August after an intelligence officer, who was associated with Singh since 2006, gave the details of his FaceTime ID—Kurkure Balaji. In a response to the agency, the smartphone giant Apple had confirmed that an ID with the same username was used to communicate with the killers of Hiran.

‘Malabh Coronache’ by Dr Deepak Sawant

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Vaidehi Taman

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September 29, 2021

Authored by Dr Deepak Sawant, this book is all about the effects of corona and how various institutions and human lives got affected. It speaks volumes on the education System, health infrastructure, and human crises.

The author explains how Corona Virus shaped society, looking at its impact on medical science and public health.

He also gives a historical perspective on viral diseases and pandemics. The book addresses the history and facts about the pandemic, COVID WHO guidelines, insights about the Corona vaccination and its effect on children, climate change, and many other related topics. The book has given huge insight into various concerns regarding pandemics.

It also mentions the efforts of Vietnam and South Korea to control the Covid-19 spread. This book is primarily written in the Marathi language soon the translations are expected in many other languages. Malabh Coronache is a timely must-read for everyone keen on understanding Coronavirus impact and fallout.

Malabh is a Marathi word and it means dark clouds.

Certainly, the book Malabh Coronache can be called an eye-opener by Dr Deepak Sawant that sensitively explains the reality of the Corona Virus thereby reinstating in the minds of the readers the very need to fight against this deadly virus.

Author Dr Deepak Sawant is a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, belonging to the Shiv Sena. He was Ex- Public Health and Family Welfare Minister(Maharashtra). He has written a few articles for Arogyadeep Magazine and authored a book on the reality of malnutrition.

Thane’s Valmiki Udyan sold by MIDC; Mehtar Samaj warns to intensify the agitation

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Afternoon Voice

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September 29, 2021

The Thane Municipal Corporation developed the barren land and constructed a garden named Valmiki Udyan. Now MIDC has decided to sell the said parkland to a private company. The Valmiki community members from the Ramwadi-Ramnagar area staged a protest to stop this deal.

Ramnagar- Ramwadi, Road No. 28 area has a large population of Valmiki community. With the aim of enabling this community to carry out its programs, the corporator Dr Jitendra Wagh had built a shed at Plot No. 414. Also, a platform was constructed in the park. Thane Municipal Corporation as Valmiki Udyan named this entrance. Various events of the Valmiki community are being organized at that place.

There is also a water tank of Thane Municipal Corporation at this place.

Water is also being supplied to the people of the area through this water tank. However, the ownership of the plot has suddenly been transferred to a private company called ISMA. Hundreds of Valmiki community members led protests.

However, as the police refused permission for the march, the marchers reached the MIDC office with their demands. The demands are to reserve MIDC Plot No. 414 for the activities of the Valmiki community, Plot No. 414 i.e., the sale and purchase of Valmiki Udyan should be cancelled. The encroachment of the private ISMA on Plot No. 414 should be removed and the Valmiki community should be allowed to use said premises for their cultural and social activities.

Thane Municipal Corporation is been taking care of this land for many years and has started various activities here. The sale of this park named after Valmiki Maharaj has hurt the feelings of the Valmiki community.

Despite correspondence in this regard last week, Isma, who bought the land from MIDC, is now taking possession of the park and preventing the Valmiki community from entering the park.

People of Gandhinagar want change, AAP has emerged as strong alternative, says Manish Sisodia

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Web Team

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September 29, 2021

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Wednesday claimed that the people of Gandhinagar city, the capital of Gujarat, want change and that his party has emerged as a strong alternative to the ruling BJP and opposition Congress.

He was in Gandhinagar to take part in a roadshow ahead of the October 3 elections to the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC). Addressing a press conference, Sisodia alleged that even as the voters of the city had given a chance to the Congress in the past, the party betrayed the people’s mandate and helped the BJP to capture the municipal body.

”Now, the people of Gandhinagar want to change. It’s not that BJP has been winning since the beginning here. In the past, the people of Gandhinagar had given a chance to Congress also as people were not happy with the BJP rule. But since Congress was the only option, people voted for that party to bring in a change,” said the deputy chief minister of Delhi.

”But unfortunately, Congress always remained weak. The party betrayed the people’s mandate and ultimately helped BJP to capture power. But now, AAP has emerged as a strong alternative to both Congress and BJP. I am fully confident that we will sweep this polls,” Sisodia added.

He was referring to the 2016 GMC election when both Congress and BJP won 16 seats each out of the total 32. Both the parties had equal chances of forming the board through a draw of lots. However, at the last moment, Congress corporator Pravin Patel switched sides and helped the BJP come to power at the civic body.

”Recently, 27 AAP councillors won in Surat. The way they are working, people are now realising what a corporator can do. People just want to get their work done. They don’t want any false promises. People now have a choice in the form of AAP. I firmly believe that BJP never did anything for the state capital and its people,” Sisodia claimed.

He added that instead of seeking votes on religious or caste lines, AAP will seek votes only on the basis of the party’s performance.

Polls to the Gandhinagar civic body are being held almost six months after they were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As per the schedule, polling for the GMC with 44 seats in 11 wards will be held between 7 am and 6 pm on Sunday. The counting of votes and declaration of results will be done on October 5.

Union Cabinet approves ECGC IPO; investment of Rs 4,400 crore in next 5 years

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Web Team

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September 29, 2021

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said that the Union Cabinet has approved the listing of state-owned Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) Ltd through the initial public offer (IPO) on the stock exchanges. The minister made this announcement during the Cabinet briefing.

While addressing the press conference, Goyal said, “The Union Cabinet has approved the listing of Export Credit Guarantee Corporation Ltd. through the IPO on the stock exchange.” “The cabinet also approved Rs 4,400 crore investment in ECGC Ltd in 5 years to provide support to exporters as well as banks,” the Union Minister added further.

The minister stated that the approved amount will be infused in instalments, thereby, increasing the capacity to underwrite risks up to Rs 88,000 crores and this will enable ECGC to issue covers that can support additional exports of Rs 5.28 lakh crore over the five-year period in line with the existing pattern.

Goyal also said that this move will help in creating 59 lakh new jobs including 2.6 lakh in the formal sector and ECGC could be listed on the stock exchanges by the next fiscal year.

ECGC was established by the Government of India under the Companies Act in 1957 to promote exports by providing credit insurance services to exporters against non-payment risks by the overseas buyers due to commercial and political reasons.

Rohit as captain and Rahul, Pant are my options as Team India future vice-captains, says Gavaskar

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Afternoon Voice

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September 29, 2021

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes that KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant can be groomed as vice-captains in the shortest format of the game by the Team India management. Gavaskar also said that since Kohli has announced to step down as the T20I skipper after the upcoming World Cup, Rohit Sharma would be an ideal candidate to lead the team in the next World Cup.

“I think Rohit Sharma for the next two World Cups because they are back-to-back, one starting in a month and another exactly a year from now. So clearly, yes, you don’t want to change too many captains at this particular stage. Rohit Sharma would definitely be my choice for the captaincy of the Indian team for both these T20 World Cups. And then, I’m looking at KL Rahul as the vice-captain,” said Gavaskar on Star Sports’ show ‘Cricket Connected’.

“I would also keep Rishabh Pant in mind because he has been really impressive in the way he has led a star-studded Delhi Capitals team and the bowling changes that he has been making in the T20 format, using Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada in such a clever manner that actually shows a street-smart captain, and you always want a street-smart captain who can read situations and act immediately. So yes, Rahul and Pant are the two guys I would look at as vice-captains,” he added.

Earlier, Kohli decided to step down from T20I captaincy after the ICC T20 World Cup in November this year. Kohli explained his decision to leave the T20I captaincy in a statement on social media. The India skipper said he needs to give himself space in order to play all three formats for the country.

“I have been fortunate enough to not only represent India but also lead the Indian Cricket Team to my utmost capability. I thank everyone who has supported me in my journey as the Captain of the Indian Cricket Team,” Kohli had said in a statement.

“I couldn’t have done it without them — the boys, the support staff, the selection committee, my coaches, and each and every Indian who prayed for us to win. Understanding workload is a very important thing and considering my immense workload over the last 8-9 years playing all 3 formats and captaining regularly for the last 5-6 years, I feel I need to give myself space to be fully ready to lead the Indian team in Test and ODI Cricket. I have given everything to the Team during my time as T20 Captain and I will continue to do so for the T20 Team as a batsman moving forward,” he added.