Impressed by Rising Pune Supergiants debutant Murugan Ashwin’s performance in the Indian Premier League opener, former India captain Sourav Ganguly said the Tamil Nadu leg-spinner was not a bad find for MS Dhoni’s side as they beat defending champions Mumbai Indians by 9 wickets at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.Batting first, Mumbai were restricted to 121 for 8 in 20 overs, thanks to a superb bowling performance by Pune. Harbhajan Singh (45 not out) was the top scorer for the home side. (Also Read: MS Dhoni prefers the new Ashwin over his old warhorse)In reply, riding on Ajinkya Rahane’s unbeaten 66, Pune chased down the target comfortably posting 126/1 in 14.4 overs.M Ashwin was bought by Pune for a whopping sum of Rs 4.5 crore after he made a mark in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy earlier this year. M Ashwin played only three first-class matches and two List-A matches, before he was picked by Pune.However, on Saturday, he looked at ease against top batsmen from the Mumbai camp. The leggie conceded only 16 runs from his four overs and picked up the wicket of Shreyas Gopal in his very first over. (Also Read: Ajinkya Rahane, bowlers help Rising Pune Supergiants thrash Mumbai Indians)”M Ashwin is not a bad find for Pune this season. He is probably one of the mystery bowlers and I think players will take a little bit of time to pick him,” Ganguly told IndiaToday in an exclusive chat.Dhoni’s Supergiants are one of the two new franchises this season, replacing the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, who have been suspended for a period of two years due to the involvement of their owners in spot-fixing.advertisementGanguly said he was not surprised by Pune’s handsome victory over Mumbai and felt that they are a serious side. (Also Read: Rohit, Harbhajan blame Mumbai Indians’ batting for loss against Pune Supergiants)”That’s the way IPL works. Most of the players get in the team right before the start of the tournament. It’s not a problem. The thing is that they keep playing around the world.”As I have earlier, Pune are a serious side. Kevin Pietersen is a terrific buy for Pune. He was exceptional. He was not under any pressure today because the opening stand and the low total didn’t put much pressure on him. They look a good side to be honest,” he said. The former Kolkata Knight Riders’ skipper also objected to Mumbai Indians’ strategy of sending all-rounder Hardik Pandya to bat at No. 3. (Also Read: MS Dhoni’s Pune Supergiants rise up to the occasion)”Rohit doesn’t need to panic. They are a good side. However, having Pandya at No. 3 is not a better option. He should instead come in at No. 6 because he is not technically that sound but he can hit ball a long way. So, he would like the ball to get old a bit and then hit through the line,” he said.
South African legend AB de Villiers has decided to pull out of the next edition of Big Bash League (BBL) after initially committing to play during the final phase of the tournament.While Cricket Australia has decided to make it a 14-match league affair on a home-and-away basis, there is a possibility that a lot of big names will not be available for the better part of the tournament due to the cramped international calendar.According to a report in ‘ESPNCricinfo’, De Villiers was willing to play for a “limited stretch towards its concluding stages” but has now turned his back after realising that both Cricket Australia and Big Bash League wanted maximum leverage from the Proteas legend’s participation and lift the dwindling TV ratings.”Up to this point, CA, the clubs, and the broadcasters – Fox Sports and Seven – had appeared set to put together a package deal worth as much as 350,000 (AUD) to land De Villiers for a segment of the tournament, though there was a level of disquiet about how such a deal could be struck without an equitable system being in place for all clubs to secure big names,” Cricinfo reported.De Villiers’ presence is a necessity for BBL and CA because, in January, some of the biggest Australian names will first be busy playing Test series against New Zealand and then travel to India for the ODI series.”Something we’ve really been focusing on irrespective of the Australian team going to India, we’re buoyed by some conversations that some of the clubs are having and it’s been reported some of the big names potentially coming out,” CA’s head of events Anthony Everard had been quoted as saying by the website.advertisement”The success of the BBL has always been predicated on a combination of marketable overseas players, some young up and coming stars and the foundation of the Australian domestic players,” he added.All the top T20 freelancers like the West Indies’ Andre Russell may decide on bargaining for better deals considering that Australian board needs saleable names for sustaining the viewers’ interest.”Cricket Australia is committed to a competition that meets fan demands. This includes supporting BBL clubs to create a competition that features international stars to complement strong local talent,” acting Head of the BBL Abhi Arunachalam said.”The recent rule changes have been implemented so clubs have the best opportunity to recruit overseas players among a cluttered global calendar.Also Read | IPL needs to get into the gym: AB de Villiers on late-night finishes in IPL 2019Also Read | AB de Villiers 3rd overseas batsman to score 4000 runs in Indian Premier League
I originally thought this was Daytawion Lowe (sorry, Daytawion) but as some people pointed out on Twitter, it’s an offensive player. So…Stewart?If you’re looking for the comments section, it has moved to our forum, The Chamber. You can go there to comment and holler about these articles, specifically in these threads. You can register for a free account right here and will need one to comment.If you’re wondering why we decided to do this, we wrote about that here. Thank you and cheers!
If you keep knocking on the door long enough, sooner or later, it’s going to swing open. It’s a mantra that Simona Halep and Caroline Wozniacki have hung on to for a long time and on Saturday, at the Australian Open, one of them will become a grand slam champion for the first time.The nerves were frazzled again in the semi-finals on Thursday, Wozniacki surviving a second-set stumble to beat the unseeded Belgian, Elise Mertens, 6-3, 7-6 (2). Top seed Halep edged out the former champion, Angelique Kerber, 6-3, 4-6, 9-7 in a match that had everything, match points saved on both sides, incredible athleticism and shot-making and stunning defence. Share on Twitter Read more Australian Open Share via Email Twitter news Support The Guardian Tennis Serena Williams: Tennys Sandgren owes ‘entire group of people’ apology over tweets Caroline Wozniacki Topics Since you’re here… Australia sport The symmetry is uncanny. Both women have saved match points on their way to their third grand slam final, both have been world No 1 without winning a grand slam title and both have been labelled with the tag of the best player never to win one of the sport’s four biggest crowns. On Saturday night, all that will change and what’s more, the winner will also leave Melbourne with the world No 1 ranking.Both women are into their first Australian Open final and it’s almost impossible to say for whom victory would mean more. They are separated by just a year and though Wozniacki has been around at the top for longer, Halep’s heartaches have been just as raw. Facebook 
For No 2 seed Wozniacki, a third grand slam final is testament to the never-say-die attitude that took her to the world No 1 ranking at the end of 2011 and 2012. Having come from 5-1 down and 40-15 down in the final set of her second-round match against the Croatian, Jana Fett, Wozniacki has been rock solid ever since and even though she stuttered towards the end of her semi-final yesterday, she deserved her victory. Runner-up at the US Open in 2009 and 2014, she has battled back from as low as No 74 in the rankings in August, 2016 to the verge of glory and a remarkable return to No 1. She has won four of her previous meetings with Halep and now she has the chance for redemption.“I’m just going to go out there and have fun, enjoy the moment,” Wozniacki said. “It’s been a great two weeks. I’m really happy to be [here]. I could have been home already. But now I’m here and I fought my way all the way to the finals. I’m just really proud of that and really excited. A new opportunity on Saturday, and I am going to do my best to try and win it.” Reuse this content Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Share on Messenger Caroline Wozniacki celebrates reaching her first Australian Open final. Photograph: Mark Cristino/EPA For Halep, it is a golden chance to shake off the lingering disappointment of her near-miss at last year’s French Open, when she led Jelena Ostapenko 4-1 in the final set of the final only to blink as the lights of the finishing line approached. It was a loss that hurt badly, more so than her 2014 defeat in Paris to Maria Sharapova. But she recovered to end last year as the world No 1 and after a roller-coaster of a semi-final, she too has the opportunity to right a wrong.Considering that she rolled her ankle in the first round and that she saved three match points in her first-round match, Halep must also be counting her luck. She survived a three hour, 45-minute marathon in the third round against Lauren Davis and on Thursday, she saved two match points against Kerber at 6-5 down in the third set before finally crawling over the line.“When I played in the final of the French Open, I said if I was in the same situation I would be more courageous,” Halep said. “I want to give my best. I won’t think about the title. If it’s going to come it will come.”Both women have been playing with house money here for the past week. Tomorrow, it is winner takes all. … we have a small favour to ask. More people, like you, are reading and supporting the Guardian’s independent, investigative journalism than ever before. And unlike many news organisations, we made the choice to keep our reporting open for all, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay.The Guardian will engage with the most critical issues of our time – from the escalating climate catastrophe to widespread inequality to the influence of big tech on our lives. At a time when factual information is a necessity, we believe that each of us, around the world, deserves access to accurate reporting with integrity at its heart.Our editorial independence means we set our own agenda and voice our own opinions. Guardian journalism is free from commercial and political bias and not influenced by billionaire owners or shareholders. This means we can give a voice to those less heard, explore where others turn away, and rigorously challenge those in power.We hope you will consider supporting us today. We need your support to keep delivering quality journalism that’s open and independent. Every reader contribution, however big or small, is so valuable. Support The Guardian from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you. Australian Open 2018 Read more Pinterest Share on Facebook Marin Cilic beats Kyle Edmund to reach Australian Open final – as it happened
(Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)On Saturday afternoon four bowl games will grace our television sets to continue what has been an interesting bowl season. Memphis takes on Wake Forest, Houston faces off against Army, Buffalo takes on the Trojans of Troy and Louisiana Tech travel to Hawaii to take on the Warriors.One Vegas computer is calling for a significant upset on Saturday night. Buffalo enters its match-up against Troy as a one-point favorite, but on Vegas computer thinks the Bulls will lose.According to OddsShark’s score predictions, Troy will take down Buffalo by a score of 31.8-29.3.The Bulls have been one of the best stories of the college football season led by 6-foot-7 quarterback Tyree Jackson. Both teams enter this contest with just three losses on the season and are looking to carry that success into 2019 with a win today.Can the Trojans pull off the upset?Buffalo and Troy face off at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Malda/Canning (West Bengal): A total of 13 people was killed and 11 others injured in two road accidents in as many districts of West Bengal on Thursday, police said. While seven persons died in South 24 Parganas district, six others fell victim to the another accident in Malda. Five members of a family and two others returning from the Kolkata airport were killed when their MUV fell into a road-side pond in South 24 Parganas district, the police said. Also Read – Bengal family worships Muslim girl as Goddess Durga in Kumari Puja The accident occurred at around 6 am after the driver lost control of the vehicle during rain at Ucchekhali under Bishnupur police station area. All the seven persons, including three women, died on the spot due to drowning, police said. Six persons had gone from Dakkhin Gouripur village in Bishnupur area to the Kolkata airport to receive a man who was returning from Qatar where he used to work. The driver of the vehicle fled after the accident. Also Read – Bengal civic volunteer dies in road mishap on national highway The deceased have been identified as Akkas Ali, his wife Salina Bibi, son Altab, daughter Esmatara, brother Munnaf, and two other persons – Meeraj Sheikh and Fulijan Bibi. In the other accident in Malda district, six persons were killed and 11 others injured when a speeding lorry rammed into a stationary SUV carrying wedding guests, police said. The accident occurred at Bakharpur under Kaliachak police station area when the SUV was waiting there by the side of National Highway-34 for other vehicles going to the same destination. The wedding guests were on their way from Kaliachak to Gajol in the same district to attend a marriage, Superintendent of Police Alok Rajoria said. The SUV fell into a roadside ditch after it was hit by the lorry at around 12.30 am and three of its 17 occupants were killed on the spot. Two others succumbed in the Malda Medical College and Hospital where all the victims were initially taken. Rajoria said six of them were later referred to a hospital in Kolkata and one died on the way. The other injured persons were under treatment at the Malda Medical College and Hospital. The driver fled with the lorry after the accident but he was later arrested from Gajol, the SP said.
A Catholic priest was stabbed in front of dozens of stunned worshippers as he was celebrating mass Friday morning at Montreal’s St. Joseph’s Oratory.Montreal police said a 911 call was placed at around 8:40 a.m. When officers arrived at the landmark church, a male suspect was already detained by security guards.Philip Barrett, who was sitting near the front of the church, said he saw a tall man, who appeared to be a Caucasian in his 30s, rise from a pew and quickly walk into the sanctuary to attack Rev. Claude Grou, the Oratory’s rector.“He walked over behind the altar and he seemed to strike the priest’s body,” Barrett said. “I think the priest fell down at that time. I do remember the priest was moving away from the man but it happened so quickly there was almost no time to react.”Barrett said people quickly restrained the suspect, who did not struggle. He said the suspect didn’t speak or call out during the attack.According to police, Grou was celebrating mass when a man suddenly approached him and attacked him with a knife.Police spokeswoman Caroline Chevrefils said the victim suffered minor injuries to his upper body and was taken to hospital.The suspect was to be questioned by police Friday morning.Barrett said Grou crumpled to the ground after the attack, but appeared to be conscious and alert about 15 minutes later when paramedics wheeled him to an ambulance.He said members of the congregation immediately began praying, both for Grou and for the suspect.St. Joseph’s Oratory is among Canada’s largest churches, and pilgrims from all over the world are drawn to its domed roof and stunning architecture.Barrett said that he, like the rest of the roughly 60 people present, was shocked that an attack would happen in a place he has come to see as a haven.“I really find it’s a welcoming place,” he said. “I just hope that as a result of this, I mean, I can imagine they’re going to need more security, but I hope they can still keep that welcoming spirit.”The incident was caught on video during a live streaming of the mass. Warning: The video may be disturbing to some viewers.
Singapore: A Singaporean couple was on Monday jailed for abusing a Myanmar maid after the pair force-fed her with a funnel, made her eat her own vomit and threatened to kill her family if she reported the maltreatment. In a case described by Singapore prosecutors as “arguably one of the worst of its kind” in the city-state, the married couple — who were sentenced two years ago over the abuse of another maid — beat and kicked their helper and made her clean the house in her underwear. Also Read – US, Japan sign trade agreements on agriculture and digital exportMoe Moe Than, 32, was also given little food, limited use of the toilet and faced threats that her parents in Myanmar would be killed if she reported the abuse, court documents showed. District Judge Olivia Low on Monday sentenced the woman, Chia Yun Ling, to 47 months in prison and ordered her to pay a fine. Her husband, Tay Wee Kiat, a former information technology manager, was jailed for 24 months. They were ordered to pay compensation to the maid. Also Read – Saudi Crown Prince ‘snubbed’ Pak PM, recalled jet from USTheir mistreatment of Than during her employment of nearly a year in 2012 was detailed in more than 20 charges. “In the present case, the accused persons had systematically and persistently abused Moe Moe Than both physically and psychologically throughout the period of her employment,” state prosecutors told the court. One charge said Chia, a former senior sales manager, force-fed the maid a mixture of rice and sugar through a funnel after the helper told her she did not have enough food to eat. This caused the victim to choke and she ran to the toilet to throw up, the charge said. Chia followed, scolded and slapped the maid, and instructed her to throw up into a plastic bag “and thereafter (made) to eat her own vomit,” the charge added. The same couple were in March 2017 sentenced to jail terms for abusing their Indonesian maid — the husband for two years and four months and the wife for two months. They have yet to serve those sentences. Singapore has taken a tough stand against maid abuse to protect some 250,000 domestic workers from other parts of Asia who work in the affluent nation for higher salaries.
27 August 2008Thousands of refugees in Asia will continue to be inspired by the heroism of athletes at the Beijing Olympics, even though the curtain has fallen on the Games, thanks to a United Nations-backed campaign in which competitors donated their surplus sportswear. Some 30,000 pieces of sportswear – mainly from the National Olympic Committees of Australia, Japan, New Zealand and China – were donated during the Games, bringing the total collected so far in the “Giving is Winning” programme, run jointly by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), to 82,000.“For the refugees, these are not only useful items of clothing, but a symbol that people in the world beyond the refugee camps – especially famous athletes from the Olympics – care about them,” said Veerapong Vongvarotai, UNHCR regional representative in China.Every athlete’s room in the Olympic Village contained biodegradable plastic bags to allow them to make contributions, which poured in from competitors from teams both large and small, including Andorra, Armenia, Bermuda, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mauritius and Turkmenistan.The clothing received prior to the start of the Games was distributed to refugees in Rwanda, Tanzania, Chad, Moldova, Georgia and Panama, while the latest donations are headed for Asia.The “Giving is Winning” campaign, which will run until the end of the year, originally started during the 2004 Athens Olympics, during which 30,000 articles of clothing were collected to inspire young refugees in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Eritrea, Kosovo and Tanzania.
The Sri Lankan Government is expected to release 99 Indian fishermen, Indian media reports said.According to News Today in India, the released fishermen from various coastal districts of Tamilnadu would reach their native place in a day or two. Most of them were fishing near Katchatheevu when Sri Lankan Navy personnel arrived and allegedly damaged fishing nets of about 20 boats, asking them not to fish there, he said, adding, they returned to the shore. In a related development, four fishermen were arrested for allegedly fishing in Sri Lankan waters on Monday night. He said the fishermen were fishing near Neduntheevu in Sri Lanka. The arrested fishermen have been taken to Kangesanthurai, he added. (Colombo Gazette) Meanwhile quoting Rameswaram Fishermen Organisation president S Emerite, agency reports said that fishermen of his area had ventured into the sea in 396 mechanised boats on Monday.
As the country gears up to enrol over 5 million children in classes throughout 2004, the agency will begin its initiative by bringing together 60 imams, mullahs and other religious figures to the eastern city of Jalalabad where they will help develop messages and communication plans on a number of key issues.These include “girls’ education, women’s health, HIV/AIDS, immunization, nutrition and the protection of children from abuse and exploitation,” UNICEF spokesman Edward Carwardine told reporters in Kabul. The three-day workshop in Jalalabad will identify core messages around children’s issues, and through group work and discussions will develop effective methods for religious leaders to convey these messages to their communities. Mr. Carwardine explained that religious leaders “are a powerful force for change in Afghanistan, holding a position of great respect in communities.” He noted that Imams, who serve as social mobilizers and counsellors, “have in the past played an effective role in supporting campaigns around the issues of education and children’s health care.”UNICEF, which aims to increase girls’ enrolment in school by an additional 1 million female students by 2005, considers the religious community to be an essential partner in this effort. Led by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and with UNICEF’s support, a further 375 workshops are planned this year, covering every province and district. By the end of 2004, the agency hopes that 50,000 religious leaders will have taken part in the process.UNICEF Representative in Afghanistan Sharad Sapra applauded the efforts being made by religious leaders to promote children’s rights. He said they demonstrate “the true face of Islam as a religion which believes in education for all and the well-being of women, while promoting the values of tolerance, understanding, peace and stability.” “By speaking out on children’s rights in such a constructive manner, the religious community in Afghanistan is an invaluable partner in helping meet the goal of universal education, improved women’s health and a stable and secure environment in which Afghanistan’s children can grow and develop,” he added.
In support of government’s See Inside Manufacturing initiative and as part of National Motorsport Week 2012, M-Sport, in association with the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), will open its doors for students to attend a unique engineering seminar on Monday 2 July.Established in 2011 by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), and piloted by UK automotive, the 2012 See Inside Manufacturing initiative aims to inspire the next generation of UK manufacturing and engineering talent. M-Sport – the company behind Ford’s assault on the World Rally Championship (WRC) since 1997 – has a long history of supporting emerging talent and this special seminar aims to provide prospective engineers with an insight in to what careers are available within the UK motorsport industry.Following a behind-the-scenes tour of the company’s state-of-the-art facilities at Dovenby Hall in Cumbria, attendees will have the opportunity to put their questions to one of the team’s experienced rally engineers in the Ford World Rally Team hospitality unit.The seminar is open to all engineering students, regardless of course or level, but space has been limited to 20 fortunate young people, those wishing to attend should register their interest via an e-mail to enquiries@m-sport.co.uk, detailing why they should be selected.For more information about UK automotive’s participation in See Inside Manufacturing, click here, and to find out more about the wider initiative by BIS, click here.Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Toledo24244328%<1%<1% UCLA2321225%1%<1% Wisconsin—18245%<1%<1% USC—20530%4%1% Iowa9122925%7%<1% Utah12152118%6%<1% Stanford1161346%19%3% Michigan1722187%6%<1% Oklahoma1516315%14%5% Clemson17756%51%12% Alabama42614%41%11% Mississippi18171020%8%2% Florida1091241%18%4% TCU84237%31%11% Read more: Our preview of this week’s college football games Oregon—2532<1%<1%<1% Penn State—2741<1%<1%<1% Oklahoma St.14111415%6%1% The first College Football Playoff rankings are out, and the selection committee ranked Clemson, LSU, Ohio State and Alabama as the top four teams, in that order, worthy of the playoff were it held today. But we at FiveThirtyEight want to look into the future. Our model (outlined in the table below) simulates the rest of the season to project which teams the committee will let into the playoff when it releases its final selections on Dec. 6. It expects that Ohio State, Clemson, Alabama and TCU, in that order, are most likely to make the cut. If you want to read more about how the model works, here’s Nate Silver’s explanation of its methodology. If you just want to get to the rankings, here they are: Memphis13143621%6%<1% Florida State16131513%5%<1% Notre Dame589—25%5% Michigan State731915%22%3% Houston25233330%2%<1% LSU25822%30%8% North Carolina—262323%<1%<1% Baylor610132%31%13% TeamCFPEloFPIConf. TitlePlayoffNat. Title Northwestern214257<1%<1%<1% RankingProbability of … Texas A&M193016<1%<1%<1% Temple22324541%<1%<1% Ohio State31447%61%16% Mississippi St.201917<1%3%<1% Arkansas—3926<1%<1%<1%
Painted Wolves on DynastiesCredit:Nick Lyon 
Lyon said the battle between Tait and Blacktip felt “Shakespearian in its scale and in the intensity of the rivalry.”He described the months of filming as “a real challenge” and revealed that the crew drove 82,000km by car as they followed the wolves and learnt to predict their habits and behaviours so they could get ahead of them to capture key moments.He added: “The painted wolves got to recognise us too and were completely relaxed having us around. It was like they totally accepted us being there with them. Such a privilege and it allowed us to get some extraordinary insights into their lives.” Suddenly, a crocodile pounces, sending them flying into the air.But it is too quick for one of the pups, who is grabbed by the paw and filmed being dragged into the water, flailing helplessly.The rest of the pack is forced to watch from the shore, desperate to help, but clearly aware there is nothing they can do. The water is swarming with crocodiles.The pack retreats back to its original territory, having suffered one loss too many, running for miles, throughout the day and night, back home.The BBC confirmed that the pup’s death was so horrific that it caused Lyon to vomit as he watched it happen.The director said: “When you follow animals for as long as we did, you get to know them and care what happens to them.“It becomes an emotional experience when you see one of the characters having a bad time, or having real success. I loved the puppies. I remember when they were out of the den for the first time at just three weeks old. They were so tiny, with oversized heads, that would overbalance on their front legs.” It was one of the most brutal and bloody episodes of the BBC’s acclaimed wildlife series, with animals ripping each other to shreds in heart-wrenching scenes.The unfolding drama in last night’s episode of Dynasties, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, proved too much even for Nick Lyon, the series director, who vomited as he witnessed a crocodile lunge suddenly out of the water and snatch a tiny, painted wolf cub.The crew had spent two years carefully monitoring two rival packs of painted wolves as they battled for territory on the banks of the Zambezi river in Zimbabwe.It focused on Tait, who had ruled her pack uncontested for five years, but was threatened by Blacktip, one of her own daughters, who ruled a 30-strong pack of her own and was after her territory.Blacktip gave birth to a litter of five pups during the programme and she leads them through ever-increasing dangers, facing the threat of lions and buffalo whilst taking on baboons.She has already lost one of her pups to hyenas when the pack is resting at the water’s edge after a narrow escape with a pride of lions. 
Blacktip’s pack on DynastiesCredit:Nick Lyon Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings.
Hyderabad: A woman in an intoxicated state tossed away her child in front of a bus here at Bhagyanagar colony in Kukatpally on Tuesday. However, the bus driver applied brakes in a nick of time on seeing the toddler and rescued the two-year-old baby girl, Jyoti. On noticing it, other motorists thrashed the woman Soni and the KPHB police sent the mother and child to a nearby hospital and then shifted them to women and child welfare centre. Soni is learned to have taken the step following a quarrel with her husband Balu. The couple earns their livelihood by collecting the scarp.No case was registered by the police.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has announced the launch of a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) – Bharat-22 – comprising 22 stocks. It will have a diversified portfolio of companies from six sectors and capture the essence of PSUs better than the previous ETFs.Bharat-22 will have a single company cap of 15 percent and a 20 percent cap on each sector.The government had set a stiff target of Rs 72,500 crore for disinvestment in the current financial year and has collected Rs 9,300 crore so far. Jaitley is hopeful of meeting its target with this new ETF.He added that the 22 shares would include those of the central public sector enterprises (CPSEs), public sector banks and government’s holdings under the Specified Undertaking of Unit Trust of India (SUUTI).The six sectors with their respective weightage in Bharat-22 are (in percentage terms) – Basic materials (4.4), Energy (17.5), Finance (20.3), FMCG (15.2), Industrials (22.6) and Utilities (20).Indian MNC conglomerate L&T and the FMCG major ITC will have 17.1 percent 15.2 percent share in Bharat-22 EFT, respectively. IOC, BPCL, and NALCO will have 4.4 percent weight each. Power Grid will get 7.9 percent share, while NTPC will have 6.7 percent weightage. Lenders Axis Bank and SBI will get 7.7 percent and 8.6 percent share, respectively. Buildings are reflected on the glass windows of the NSE (National Stock Exchange) building in Mumbai, India, December 27, 2016.Reuters fileThe Narendra Modi government’s previous experiments with CPSE-ETF have been a success, said Jaitley, adding that ETF assets have shown significant increase globally.CPSE-ETF (central public sector enterprises) was set up in 2014, comprising 10 companies. Earlier in March, the government had also launched fund offer (FFO) of the CPSE-ETF scheme.Disinvestment Secretary Neeraj Kumar Gupta said, “The new fund will be well-diversified and that he expects it to perform better than the earlier ETF.”However, Jaitley and Gupta did not specify any date as on when Bharat-22 would hit the bourses.
Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor ushered in his birthday with son Ranbir and wife Neetu. The actor, who turned 62 on Friday, posted a picture along with the Bombay Velvet star and Neetu.“This afternoon at the Le Petit Maison. Thank you Ranbir for coming early,” Rishi posted on twitter alongside the picture in which the trio are seen posing in a restaurant.Neetu took to Instagram and shared the same picture with the caption, “Rans joins in for his Dad s birthday celebrations!!! Bless him. 4rth sep.”
Free Webinar | Sept. 9: The Entrepreneur’s Playbook for Going Global 7 min read Register Now » Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Our company has taught a lot of people how to code — with more than 1,200 total enrollments selected from over 3,000 applications submitted for our programs. Reflecting on the past three years, I couldn’t help but pause and think how far we’ve come from our first class of 17 students.It’s been a roller coaster, to say the least. But along with the ride’s bumps, turns, ups and downs, I’ve learned some pretty profound lessons. 1. Education is one of the most fulfilling endeavors.Even today, I often think about the early success stories that drove me to build our program from its start as a very intensive side hobby. I initially found my way into the coding industry as a self-taught programmer. I’d worked for a variety of startups over nearly a decade. I’d learned an incredible amount about building things, solving problems and running a business.But I’d never before built something with the ability to make such a successful impact in another human being’s life. I began teaching people how to code as a side project in 2013, and it didn’t take long to see positive effects. I’ve witnessed people take incredible, empowered leaps forward into lucrative careers that dramatically change the trajectory of their lives. These were the same people who came to the program hating their jobs, desperately needing career advancement or simply unemployed at the moment. Nothing else I’ve ever built can come close to making those kinds of claims.I believe this is one reason why so many people love teaching. There’s an innate passion for connecting with another soul to impart knowledge, then watching someone learn new skills and better themselves. Many of our teachers describe this as moment “when the lights go on” behind a student’s eyes. It’s thrilling, fun and wonderfully impactful.2. Almost anyone can learn to code.There’s a common misperception that in order to work as a coder, developer or programmer, you must be a mathematical genius or hold some kind of an advanced degree. This may have been the norm in decades past, but it’s far from true today.There are two reasons for this shift.First, as software continues eating the world, there’s a nearly impossible-to-fill skills gap that’s widening between the number of programming-related jobs and the people skilled enough to fill them. Combine this insatiable demand for talent with a sub-cultural shift of regarding labels such as “nerd” and “dweeb” as positive indicators of nuanced passion rather than pariah-like brands, and you end up with many more people interested in coding. This is bad news for elitism but great news for diversity.Second, the field changes drastically. This is due in part to a wider variety of jobs requiring talent in computer engineering. The lines are blurring everywhere. There are still companies with traditionally siloed divisions, but more businesses see real value in crossover among marketing, sales, customer services and other departments. Think of the the “growth hacker” label as a prime example.Related: 4 Warning Signs Your Team is Working in Siloes and How To Destroy ThemOur program has welcomed artists, graphic designers, political scientists, former fast food workers, salespeople, MBAs and many others. And they’ve excelled. In fact, this diversity of skill sets is an asset as our graduates bring unique perspectives to our program, their new employers and the coding industry. Fin Tech companies love accountants-turned-programmers. Startups love engineers who can wear multiple hats.The field is as accessible and diverse as it ever has been, and it’s only getting better.3. Arrogance is learning’s No. 1 enemy.We’ve selected, taught, evaluated and seen hundreds of students successfully graduate and move on to great careers. The longer I’m involved, the more convinced I become that certain traits and characteristics prove detrimental to learning. No. 1 on my list is arrogance. Arrogance is a natural enemy to learning because learning itself requires recognizing there are things you don’t yet know and must work to master. People who struggle with a sense of arrogance or superiority want only to prove how much more they know than others. They create nearly insurmountable blind spots about their own deficiencies and overestimate their mastery of topics.These people are hard to teach because they constantly seek to one-up the teacher or ask questions that aren’t really questions. Instead, they’re comments designed to showcase personal expertise on the subject. They’re equally difficult to mentor. They lack the humility needed to understand it’s not the syntax itself that’s frustrating them, but rather their own inability to master the correct syntax. Even more lamentable, arrogant people often find trouble getting hired. When or if they do land with a employer, they find fit with the wrong kinds of businesses. Not surprisingly, arrogant individuals are drawn to companies that value false bravado over a humble earnestness to learn and grow.Related: 5 Ways to Reach Entrepreneurial Humility4. Classrooms should be laboratories.Ever been to a restaurant where the menu always changes? It’s a bit of a gamble for you and the restaurateur, too. A shifting product line is risky because humans generally seek goods and services that are predictable and consistent in quality.Early on in our program, we worried greatly that students might perceive our curriculum, teaching methods or assessments as far too malleable and iterative. We didn’t want to send the wrong message or contribute to false perceptions.The benefits of this dynamic type of instruction far outweigh the risks. We view our classrooms as laboratories. We’re constantly experimenting with new methods, curricula options, tools and educational delivery styles to produce optimal results. We’re a Research & Development institution that produces a high-quality product — it just happens to be educational in nature.How I wish I could see more of this in traditional education! The most economical incentive for educators leads them to build a lesson plan once and apply only minor tweaks 10 minute prior to class. In reality, this is both selfish and completely counterproductive. Curriculum development should be iterative. And teaching methods themselves should be fluid, ever-improving and subject to nearly real-time adjustments. To remain relevant and provide value, educational institutions must take a hard look at what they’re teaching and how they’re teaching it.5. So much more needs to be done.Here’s one among my thousands of paranoias that used to keep me up at night: “What if we put ourselves out of business?” I assumed there was some finite market of people ready to learn to code and an equally finite number of businesses wanting to hire them. It feels as silly now to type it as it does to see it on the screen. Obviously, our steady stream of applicants and successful hires proves that one fear, at least, was unfounded.Companies will continue to need talented workers who can perform, learn and develop their skills in-house. Similarly, people always will look for better and more efficient ways to learn new concepts without gambling on a cost curve that far outpaces inflation. For now, we’re talking only about code. But we realize many industries have yet to be born. The standard “ivory tower” educational approach will be ill-suited to serve these emerging disciplines.Related: 5 Reasons Startup Founders Are Wise to Learn Some CodingThe world is changing at an increasing pace. Likewise, our views on education must adapt. We need to empower more people, prepare them better and teach them more effectively. The opportunities are out there, but we can’t rely on what’s always been done. And we certainly can’t pin our hopes on outdated methods and overly bureaucratic educational institutions. Less than 20 years into the 21st Century, it’s clear these “answers” will be woefully insufficient to meet the demands. Technology continues to improve at exponential rates — education has much work ahead to catch up. Growing a business sometimes requires thinking outside the box. July 26, 2016
Home Builders’ Steady Confidence Bodes Well for Single-Family Market Share March 15, 2016 743 Views Confidence among home builders has been on a series of ups and downs over the last few months, showing slow, but continued progression in the single-family sector, but they are still faced with concerns about labor and lot shortages.Home builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes was flat for the month of March at 58, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).Last month, builder confidence came in at 58, down from January’s 61 and seven points lower than its recent peak of 65 in October. That said, the index is still well above the tipping point of 50 and three points above last February’s number.“Confidence levels are hovering above the 50-point mid-range, indicating that the single-family market continues to make slow but steady progress,” said NAHB Chairman Ed Brady, a home builder and developer from Bloomington, Illinois. “However, builders continue to report problems regarding a shortage of lots and labor.”The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations for the next six months as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” The survey also asks builders to rate traffic of prospective buyers as “high to very high,” “average” or “low to very low.” Any number over 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor.According to the NAHB, the HMI component gauging current sales conditions was steady in March at 65, while the index measuring sales expectations in the next six months dropped three points to 61. In addition, the component that measures buyer traffic increased four points to 43, the report noted.“While builder sentiment has been relatively flat for the last few months, the March HMI reading correlates with NAHB’s forecast of a steady firming of the single-family sector in 2016,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “Solid job growth, low mortgage rates, and improving mortgage availability will help keep the housing market on a gradual upward trajectory in the coming months.”Crowe added that the stable but modest level of sentiment aligns with recent construction and sales reports. The Census Bureau and HUD recently reported that January single-family start and permits were down but remained well above the 2015 annual averages. Meanwhile, new homes sales also fell in January but are expected to bounce back.”Builders remain concerned about the availability and cost of labor and land,” Crowe said. “Higher costs for those two elementary feeds into home building are driving up the price of homes and making it even more difficult to answer the budding demand from first time home buyers. Increased equity in the hands of existing home owners allow those buyers to trade up but still leaves the first time buyer stretched.”He continued, “The March reading of the HMI is in line with NAHB’s expectation for a modest but steady increase in home sales as buyers do begin to leave their winter hibernation, look around for new home options and finally break that pent up demand dam.”
Builder Confidence Home Builders National Association of Home Builders Wells Fargo Housing Market Index 2016-03-15 Staff Writer in Daily Dose, Data, Headlines, News