Author: Asian Lite Newsdesk

Categories
Sport

Royals’ guns go silent before the Knight Riders

A clinical Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday secured a 37-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) here. After scoring 174/6 wkts in 20 overs, KKR restricted RR to 137/9 in 20 overs, with top scorer Tom Curran (54 not out off 36 balls) being one of just three RR batsmen to enter double figures.

Pat Cummins struck early with the big wicket of his Australian team mate Steve Smith in the second over of the RR innings. The in-form Sanju Samson was dismissed by Shivam Mavi in the fifth over which meant that RR had lost both their highest scoring batsmen thus far this season within the powerplay.

Jos Buttler scored a quickfire 21 off 16 and threatened to get back to the form he displayed last season, before falling to the very first ball of the seventh over bowled by Mavi.

It was all downhill for RR after that as they failed to get partnerships going. They were reduced to 88/8 in the 15th over with the fall of Jofra Archer. They were dragged to 137/9 by Curran who scored 54 not out off 36 runs and it meant that his unbeaten last wicket stand of 31 runs with Ankit Rajpoot ended up being RR’s highest on the day.

Dubai: Owner of the KKR Team Shahrukh Khan watches the match 12 of season 13, Dream 11 Indian Premier League (IPL) between the Rajasthan Royals and the Kolkata Knight Riders held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on the 30th September 2020. (Photo: BCCI/IPL)

Earlier, opener Shubman Gill’s 47 and Eoin Morgan’s unbeaten 34 helped the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) score 174/6 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. For RR, Jofra Acher marked his return to form with the ball as he bagged 2/18.

Sunil Narine’s dry spell with the bat continued as he was dismissed for 15 runs in the fifth over. His opening partner Gill, however, anchored the innings throughout its first half before finally falling in the 12th over to Archer, three runs short of a second consecutive half century.

Explosive all-rounder Andre Russell was threatening to finally show his full array of shots this season, reaching 24 runs in 14 balls. His innings was punctuated by three sixes but it was cut short by Ankit Rajpoot who got him holed out at deep midwicket. Morgan then anchored the lower middle order and saw KKR through to 174 for six in 20 overs.

Brief scores: KKR 174/6 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 47, Eoin Morgan 34 not out; Jofra Archer 2/18) beat RR 137/9 in 20 overs (Tom Curran 54 not out, Jos Buttler 21; Kamlesh Nagarkoti 2/13) by 37 runs’

Also Read: Rajasthan Royals seize their first outing

Categories
-Top News India News

India Welcomes Libyan Peace Efforts

Anurag Srivastava, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs

India has welcomed international efforts for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Libya through an intra-Libyan dialogue.

“We have been closely monitoring the developments in Libya and have noted the progress in intra-Libyan dialogue facilitated by the Kingdom of Morocco,” Anurag Srivastava, Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

India also noted the talks in Montreux, Switzerland, under the auspices of the UN Support Mission in Libya, UNSMIL, following Berlin International Conference on 19th January 2020 and Cairo Declaration of 6th June 2020.

“We welcome these international efforts aimed at a peaceful settlement of the conflict through an intra-Libyan dialogue, taking into account the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people, while preserving Libya’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity,” the statement added.

This is the second time recently that India has expressed its views on the situation in Libya.

“The continuing conflict and instability in Libya is a matter of international concern. We support efforts towards immediate cessation of all hostilities in Libya,” an earlier statement said.

Categories
Business India News

SEBI Amends delisting, Debenture Trustee Rules

Securities and Exchange Board of India

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has decided to amend regulations for delisting of equity shares, stipulating that the shares of the parent listed company and the listed subsidiary entity should be listed for at least three years and should not be suspended at the time of the delisting process.

Further, the subsidiary should have been a listed subsidiary of the listed holding entity for at least three preceding years.

The SEBI Board, in its meeting also decided to grant exemption from the Reverse Book Building process (RBB) for delisting of listed subsidiaries, where it becomes the wholly-owned subsidiary of the listed parent pursuant to a scheme of arrangement.

“To be eligible to take this route, the listed holding company and the listed subsidiary should be in the same line of business. Both the companies should be compliant with the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, specifically, the regulations (no. 11, 37 and 94) pertaining to processing of the schemes of arrangement,” a SEBI statement said.

Further, to protect the interests of investors in the listed subsidiary, it has been stipulated that the votes cast by public shareholders of the listed subsidiary in favour of the proposal will be at least two times the number of votes cast against it in terms of the present delisting regulations.

The Board also decided to bring amendments to the SEBI (Debenture Trustee) Regulations, 1993, the SEBI (Issue and Listing of Debt Securities) Regulations, 2008 and the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements), 2015.

Also Read: Investor Alert: SEBI’s new margin rule kicks in

It approved the proposal of strengthening the role of debenture trustees so as to protect the interest of debenture holders. The debenture trustees shall exercise independent due diligence of the assets on which charge is being created.

“The DT(s) shall take required action by convening the meeting of debenture holders for enforcement of security, joining the inter-creditor agreement (under the framework specified by the RBI), etc,” the statement said.

Debenture trustees shall also carry out continuous monitoring of the asset cover, including obtaining mandatory certificate from the statutory auditor on half-yearly basis.

Further, the issuer company shall create a recovery expense fund at the time of issuance of debt securities that may be utilised by debenture trustees in the event of default, for taking appropriate legal action to enforce the security.

The board of the securities market regulator also approved the amendment of MF Regulations to introduce a Code of Conduct for Fund Managers including Chief Investment Officers and Dealers of AMCs.

Further, the Chief Executive Officer will be responsible to ensure that the Code of Conduct is followed by all such officers.

The Board also approved an amendment to MF Regulations to enable Asset Management Companies to become a self-clearing member of the recognised Clearing Corporations to clear and settle trades in the debt segment of recognised stock exchanges, on behalf of its mutual fund schemes.

It has also approved the proposal to facilitate setting up of a Limited Purpose Repo Clearing Corporation.

Also Read: B’desh opens doors for Chinese investments

Categories
-Top News UAE News

Asian Lite Daily Digital – Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Sworn In As Kuwait Emir

Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Sworn In As Kuwait Emir; Moderna’s Vaccine Shows Promising Results; UN Agencies Urge People To Reduce Food Loss; Indian Navy Shows Prowess in Indo-Pacific; India On Alert As China, Nepal Plan New Military Deal – all in Asian Lite Daily Digital – please click here to read.

Categories
EU News World News

France opens new era in relationship with animals

Ban use of animals in circuses to prevent spread of disease: PETA.

“It is time that our ancestral fascination with these wild beings no longer means they end up in captivity.”said Pompili…Reports Asian Lite News

France has said it will gradually ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses as part of sweeping new animal welfare measures,

On Tuesday, Ecology Minister Barbara Pompili said, “Our attitude to wild animals has changed.”

She also announced a ban on farming minks for fur and on keeping dolphins and orcas in captivity in marine parks, BBC reported.

The move was hailed as “an historic victory” by leading animal rights groups.

“It is time to open a new era in our relationship with these [wild] animals,” Pompili said during a press conference.

“It is time that our ancestral fascination with these wild beings no longer means they end up in captivity.”

The Minister did not outline a precise timetable for the changes but said they would be implemented “in the years to come”.

“Putting a date on it does not solve all the problems,” she told reporters.

Ban use of animals in circuses to prevent spread of disease: PETA.

Bears, tigers, lions, elephants and other wild animals would no longer be allowed in travelling circuses under the ban. But the government said the rules would not apply to zoos and other permanent attractions or shows.

In addition to the measures, and starting immediately, Pompili said France’s three marine aquariums would no longer be able to breed or bring in new dolphins or orcas. No new marine aquariums would be built, she said.

The Minister added that the government was considering creating a sanctuary for the animals currently in captivity.

Pompili said the government would offer an 8m euro (£7.3m; $9.3m) package to help circuses and marine parks adapt to the new measures.

“We are asking (circuses) to reinvent themselves,” she said. “That transition will be spread over several years because it will change the lives of many people.”

But the announcement was met with anger from the circus industry.

“She didn’t want to listen to us,” William Kerwich, the head of the circus animal trainers’ union, told AFP news agency. “Who is going to pay for the meat for the lions and tigers and the food for the elephants?”

“Circuses will have to abandon their animals and the minister will be responsible,” he added.

Animal rights groups, meanwhile, praised the government’s announcement.

Also read:Covid 19: Second wave could ‘overwhelm’ France

Categories
-Top News Dubai UAE News

DHA’s WhatsApp helpline receives huge response

The Dubai Health Authority, DHA, and Facebook have announced that the DHA COVID-19 hotline service on WhatsApp has received 54,881 unique requests from the public between April and September.

The automated chatbot application is a free 24/7 service which was developed to raise awareness among the public and provide them with accurate information about COVID-19 and some other DHA services. The service was also introduced in line with the Authority’s efforts to provide community members with an option to have a 24/7 communication channel available in multiple languages.

Since the launch of the DHA COVID-19 hotline service in April, users have accurate, official health-related information and advice on the coronavirus, with the most asked questions on the WhatsApp service being “Am I eligible for a coronavirus test and what is the procedure to get the test?”, followed by “Can I get a coronavirus medical certificate?” and the third one being “I suspect that there is a sick person with Coronavirus, what do I do?”

Fatma Al Khaja, Director of the Customer Happiness Department at DHA, said that the DHA hotline service has been very helpful in assisting people by debunking rumours about the virus and equipping the public with the necessary knowledge to take preventive measures against COVID-19.

“We wanted a system that would respond to patients’ queries timeously and to give people a credible channel to receive accurate information. The system provides users with an opportunity to learn more about the virus, get UAE statistics and even find out if they are eligible for a coronavirus test,” Al Khaja said.

As part of an ongoing partnership, Facebook has also provided DHA with ad credits to drive people to government websites, to receive more information and statistics about the pandemic in Dubai. Between April and September 2020, the DHA ads on social platforms Instagram and Facebook have since reached more than six million unique users and have been viewed more than 36 million times.

“Facebook is supporting the global public health community’s work to keep people safe and informed during the coronavirus public health crisis,” said Ramez Shehadi, Managing Director for Facebook MENA. “By partnering with the DHA on the WhatsApp service, we are empowering people to access accurate information at the touch of a button, supporting those who require the services and making it easier for people to get tested.”

Facebook also has the Coronavirus Information Centre on top of the News Feed. This is to provide a central place for people to get the latest news on the pandemic. The Centre is directed to over two billion people worldwide, with information from health expert resources, such as health authorities and educational pop-ups to learn more about the virus. Since the release of the feature, over 350 million people have clicked through to learn more via social media platforms Instagram and Facebook.

The DHA WhatsApp hotline utilises Artificial Intelligence, AI, to strengthen communication with the public and give them fast and easy access to accurate and trusted information from official sources. To access the 24/7 service, users can add 800 342 to their phone contacts and send “Hi” on WhatsApp.

Also read:‘IPL shows world’s trust in UAE’

Categories
-Top News Asia News

Israel to ban mass protests during lockdown

Jerusalem, Sept. 13, 2020 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a briefing on COVID-19 pandemic in Israel at his office in Jerusalem, on Sept. 13, 2020. Israel will reimpose a nationwide lockdown for three weeks, beginning on Friday, to slow a rapid resurgence of coronavirus infections, the government decided on Sunday. (Yoav Dudkevitch/JINI via Xinhua/IANS)

The Government struggled to get the necessary votes after critics accused it of trying to stifle protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu…Reports Asian Lite News

Israel’s parliament has handed the government the power to ban mass protests during the country’s second nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.

Demonstrators will be confined to groups of up to 20 people and must stay within 1 km (0.6 miles) of their homes.

The law should have been part of a range of measures passed on Friday.

But the government struggled to get the necessary votes after critics accused it of trying to stifle protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, BBC reported.

  • (140311) — ANKARA, March 11, 2014 (Xinhua) — Turkish policemen stand guard as students protest in Ankara, capital of Turkey, March 11, 2014. Mass protests rallied on Tuesday in several cities in Turkey following the death of 15-year-old Berkin Elvan, who had been in coma for 269 days due to a head injury by a tear gas canister during the Gezi Park protests in last June. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)

For weeks, thousands of people have gathered outside his official residence in Jerusalem to demand he resign over corruption allegations and his handling of the pandemic. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.

The protests have continued despite a dramatic resurgence of Covid-19.

Israel currently has the world’s highest infection rate per capita, with the daily number of new cases exceeding 8,000 last week despite the second lockdown.

Since the start of the pandemic more than 237,000 cases and 1,528 deaths have been reported in the country, which has a population of nine million.

Also read:Surge in infection rate push Israel to tight restrictions

Categories
EU News World News

Belgium swears in new PM after 493 days

Alexander De Croo.
Alexander De Croo.

De Croo is set to lead the country’s 7-party Vivaldi coalition of Flemish and Francophone socialists, liberals and greens…Reports Asian Lite News

Flemish liberal leader Alexander De Croo will be Belgium’s new prime minister. It was announced on Wednesday ,16 months after an inconclusive election.

De Croo is set to lead the country’s 7-party Vivaldi coalition of Flemish and Francophone socialists, liberals and greens.

De Croo will spearhead the Vivaldi coalition in steering the country through the aftershocks of the pandemic, and is set to face fierce pushback from the Flemish opposition parties, sidelined from the incoming administration despite making big gains in the election, reported Brussels Times.

The choice of De Croo follows calls for the country’s new Prime Minister to be a Dutch-speaker, since the last PM to lead a full-fledged government, Charles Michel, was Francophone.

As De Croo’s fellow government formator, the Francophone socialist Paul Magnette, who leads the largest party within the Vivaldi coalition, was also tipped for premiership.

Talks are ongoing among parties on the makeup of the federal cabinet, which, according to Le Soir, will comprise seven Dutch-speaking ministers and seven Francophone ministers.

De Croo was elected President of the Flemish liberal party at 34, a position which he filled for three years before stepping down.

De Croo has been a Federal Minister since 2012 in the governments of Elio di Rupo (PS) and Charles Michel (MR), twice clinching a vice premiership position. He is the son of Herman De Croo, a former Federal Minister, Deputy and current President of the House of Representatives and the longest-serving MP.

Also read:Venezuelan oil revenue drops 99% in six years

Categories
-Top News World News

Venezuelan oil revenue drops 99% in six years

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks in a TV address in Caracas, Venezuela, March 16, 2020. (Venezuela's Presidency/Handout via Xinhua/IANS)
  • Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks in a TV address in Caracas, Venezuela, March 16, 2020. (Venezuela’s Presidency/Handout via Xinhua/IANS)

Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves, but its oil industry is hobbled by US sanctions which have thrown the country into its worst economic crisis in years...Reports Asian Lite News

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said that US financial sanctions have caused Venezuela’s oil revenue to plunge 99 per cent over the last six years.

Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves, but its oil industry is hobbled by US sanctions which have thrown the country into its worst economic crisis in years, Press tv reported.

Maduro said on Tuesday that 30 billion dollars have been lost each year since 2015, adding “it’s impossible to imagine the amount of pressure placed on our economy.”

“For every 100 dollars obtained through oil sales in 2014 we receive one today,” which means oil revenues fell from more than 56 billion dollars in 2013 “to less than 400 million dollars last year”, he said.

According to Maduro, Venezuela experienced the “sharpest” foreign exchange losses in its history between 2014 and 2019. “In six years we lost 99% of our foreign exchange revenues,” he said.

The main reason for the huge drop in revenues was “the war declared on oil prices,” to “attack the world’s major producers,” he said.

With most shipowners and oil traders shunning business with Venezuela for fear of the sanctions, Iran has emerged as the only country helping Caracas bring its refineries back to service and cope with an acute fuel shortage.

The Iran-flagged tanker Forest, the first of a group of three tankers transporting some 270,000 barrels of Iranian fuel for Venezuela, entered the waters of the South American nation on Monday, reports said.

The two following Iranian tankers, the Faxon and the Fortune, are estimated to arrive in early October. They are together expected to deliver about 820,000 barrels of gasoline and other fuels, helping to ease shortages in Venezuela.

The same vessels and two additional Iranian tankers delivered 1.5 million barrels of gasoline and diesel fuel to Venezuela between May and June despite US threats to stop them, while the South American nation shipped a cargo vessel carrying alumina to Iran’s Bandar Abbas port.

An Iranian very large crude carrier (VLCC) is expected to leave Venezuela’s Jose port with 1.9 million barrels of Venezuelan heavy oil for sale in Asia.

On Tuesday, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza was quoted as saying that his country had learnt from Tehran how to confront the coercive US measures.

An Iranian supertanker that shipped the country’s first oil cargo to Venezuela last week despite US threats to stop it is loading the Latin American country’s crude for export, Bloomberg reports.

Arreaza also said after talking with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif via a video call that Venezuela’s historic relations with Iran are at their best.

Washington has sought to disrupt the deepening bilateral trade between the two countries.

Last month, the US government went on a full-throttle propaganda campaign, claiming that it had seized 1.116 million barrels of Iranian fuel because it was bound for Venezuela.

Iran, however, asserted that neither were the ships Iranian nor their owners or their cargo had any connection to the Islamic Republic.

Venezuela pledged to continue trade with Iran after the US announced new sanctions on Iranian official entities as well as President Maduro this month.

Also read:US can’t reinstate UN sanctions on Iran: EU

Categories
Bollywood Films Lite Blogs

‘Star Kids Have Benefits’

Raghav Juyal reveals his process of turning evil on screen
Raghav Juyal

Actor-dancer and TV host Raghav Juyal aspires to do a great role in the romance genre, but says he is not the son of a bigtime producer or director and is neither from Bollywood.

Raghav rose to fame in 2003 with his performances on the dance-based show “Dance India Dance 3”. He was then seen in films revolving around the concept of dance, such as “ABCD2” and “Street Dancer 3D”.

Is there anything else he aspires to do? “I am playing an antagonist in ‘Abhay 2′. It is something I wanted to try once, and it happened suddenly. Now I want to try romance — something like ‘Rockstar’ and ‘Tamasha’. I will try for something like this and give auditions. It’s all about the timing. I am not the son of some producer or director nor am I from Bollywood, so that if I say I want to do this it will get done,” Raghav told.

When Raghav Juyal wore his mother’s suit during lockdown

“Obviously, it is a benefit to be a star kid,” he added.

He says he gives a lot of auditions, which is good as he is learning a lot. “But you cannot take away the fact that Ranbir Kapoor is the greatest actor we have. I know that he has a Bollywood background but despite what is being said about nepotism right now, you cannot take away the fact. He is one of the greatest actors I have seen in Indian cinema,” he said.

“Abhay 2” had a staggered release over the past weeks, and all episodes will finally be available at once on Zee5 on September 29, when the final episodes stream.