Author: News Desk

Mumbai, Nov 2 (IANS) Former India opener Aakash Chopra wishes for Shubman Gill to score big runs at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday when the hosts’ and two-time winners meet 1996 champions Sri Lanka. Gill had missed India’s first two matches against Australia and Afghanistan due to illness. Since his return during the clash against Pakistan, Gill has amassed 104 runs at an average of 26 in his four innings, with his highest score being 53 against Bangladesh at Pune.With the World Cup approaching the business end, fans will be itching for Gill to get big runs. “If we are…

Pune, Nov 2 (IANS) South Africa continued its astonishing run in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup with a huge 190-run win over New Zealand, an opposition against whom it won the last time way back in Birmingham during the 1999 edition of the tournament. With the Proteas now on top of the points table, Rassie van der Dussen, who scored his second hundred of the competition during the match, believes that the team’s great run in the competition has come due to focusing only on what is there in front of them and their style of play.“What we’ve…

London, Nov 2 (IANS) Goals from Miguel Almiron, Lewis Hall and Joe Willock sealed an emphatic 3-0 EFL Cup fourth-round victory for Newcastle United as they beat holders Manchester United at Old Trafford for the first time since 2013 to sail into the quarterfinals. Man Utd and Newcastle made 15 changes between them from their latest Premier League fixtures last weekend, with seven and eight respectively.Newcastle took control of the tie thanks to first-half goals from Almiron and Hall, the on-loan full-back scoring his first senior goal with a precise long-range shot to put Newcastle two goals up before the…

New York, Nov 2 (IANS) Daily strawberry consumption could help reduce the risk of dementia for certain middle-aged populations, finds a study.According to researchers from the University of Cincinnati, the metabolic and cardiovascular benefits of strawberry consumption have been studied previously, but there were relatively few studies on its cognitive effects.In the new study, published in the journal Nutrients, the team included a total of 30 overweight patients between 50-65 years old with complaints of mild cognitive decline. This population has an increased risk for late-life dementia and other common conditions, said Robert Krikorian, professor at the varsity’s Department of…

Canberra, Nov 2 (IANS) Australia recorded its driest October since 2002, with the nationally-averaged total rainfall being 65.4 per cent below the 1961-1990 average, according to a report newly released by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).The BOM report said all states and territories of Australia, except Victoria, had below-average rainfall for October, reports Xinhua news agency.For Western Australia, it was the driest October on record since the national dataset began in 1900, with statewide rainfall 83.5 per cent below average.Meanwhile, rainfall was above average for most of eastern Victoria extending into adjacent parts of New South Wales.As for temperatures,…

Toronto, Nov 2 (IANS) A 53-year-old Indian-origin physiotherapist has been arrested and charged in connection with sexually assaulting a victim at his clinic in Canada’s Ontario province, police said.Iraj Daneshvar was arrested after police received information on October 23 that a victim was sexually assaulted during a physiotherapy visit at a clinic in the area of Yonge Street and Centre Street in Richmond Hill.Investigators with the York Regional Police charged Daneshvar with one count of sexual assault causing bodily harm on October 30.Police believe there may be more victims and are urging anyone with more information to come forward.In August…

Islamabad, Nov 2 (IANS) Pakistani authorities have rounded up hundreds of undocumented Afghan refugees as the deadline for them to leave the country has ended. In an unprecedented move to target the 1.7 million Afghan nationals in Pakistan, the Islamabad government has formulated a phase-wise process for the expulsion of the undocumented refugees.Special holding centres have been established in and around the border areas with Afghanistan, where the undocumented Afghan nationals will be held before being transported to the border and sent back to their home country.The step has been criticised, questioned and termed as inhumane by rights activists and…

New Zealand came into criticism for making South Africa do what they like doing: batting first. It proved to be game-changing as South Africa posted 357/4, with Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen making centuries, along with David Miller making a quick fifty.“At the end of the day, we chose to do a toss what we thought was best on this pitch with the information that’s been given and that’s what we go by every game. Obviously South Africa are incredibly strong batting first.”“But we’ve got an incredibly good bowling lineup and there was no reason that we…

The strike, the first in school district history, comes after a 10-month stalemate between district and union leaders as they were unable to agree on even basic budget realities, reports Xinhua news agency.Rallies broke out at most Portland Public Schools campuses starting early Wednesday. The two sides will not meet to negotiate until Friday, which means schools will also close on Thursday.Union leaders say teachers need large raises to keep pace with inflation, class size limits to allow them to meet students’ academic and emotional needs, and more planning time to adjust instruction to widely varying achievement levels, according to…

The scheme aims at making artisans self-reliant.The craftsmen whose applications are accepted will be provided training and a voucher of Rs 15,000 for purchase of toolkit. They will also receive assistance in getting bank loans.Applications have been received from craftsmen engaged in 18 trades identified under the scheme, with 42,000 — the highest number of applications– being received from those involved in tailoring.Applications have been received from masons (9,000), carpenters (7,000), blacksmiths (4,000), barbers (2,600), garland makers (1,500), hammer and toolkit makers (1,300), and toy makers and washermen (1,000 each).Before being accepted, the applications will be vetted at three stages…