71% Indians suffer from poor muscle health: Study

Often ignored and misunderstood as an area of relevance only to a sportsperson or a gym goer, muscle health of seven out of 10 Indians is poor, said a new study on Wednesday.

“As per the study, 71 per cent Indians suffer from poor muscle health and need to gain muscle mass. Poor muscle mass could lead to impaired muscle function, fatigue and poor metabolic health,” said the joint study conducted by InBody and Ipsos.

InBody is a leader in body composition analysis and Ipsos is a market research firm.

“Not many Indians know about its overall impact on health and wellness. Good muscle health is not only a key for an active lifestyle but also for carrying out our daily physical activities to maintain a healthy life,” said the study.

ALSO READ : Assault during pregnancy may result in pre-term babies

The study was conducted across eight cities — Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna and Hyderabad covering 1,243 people. The respondents were a mix of working and non-working individuals of 30 to 55 years.

Lucknow had the highest percentage of males and females having poor muscle mass, with 82 per cent males and 80 per cent females. Delhi-NCR had a lower percentage of people with poor muscle mass, with 64 per cent of both males and females.

The study also analysed the body protein level and the trend was similar to that of the poor muscle mass levels…Click here

Ranbir Kapoor clicks girlfriend Alia Bhatt’s candid photo.

Alia Bhatt shared this picture clicked by Ranbir Kapoor.

Bollywood’s rumoured love birds, actors Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor have been painting the town red off late.

Apart from spending time together, the couple has been bonding with each other’s friends as well.

The actors are not only shooting together for their next project ‘Brahmastra’ in Bulgaria, but are also clicking each other’s pictures.

Click here :- Entertainment News

The ‘Raazi’ star shared a photo in which she is standing by a window overlooking the city view with a friend. However, the real deal here is that the photographer is none other than ‘RK’ aka Ranbir Kapoor.

Sharing the picture, Alia wrote, “The view and her too.. ?? photo credit – RK.”

The ‘her’ in this photo is Alia’s bestie, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor. The ‘Highway’ actor also shared another snap of bff on her Instagram story writing, “Lookie who’s here.”

Directed by Ayan Mukerji, ‘Brahmastra’ also stars Amitabh Bachchan, Mouni Roy and Tollywood star Nagarjuna…READ MORE

Incessant rains, floods claim 20 lives in Odisha; over 300,000 affected

A preliminary assessment indicated that 8,286 houses have been partially or fully damaged in the deluge that lasted for around four days, beginning on July 20

More than 300,000 people in 20 districts of Odisha have been affected, while at least 20 people died due to heavy rains and flood in the state, officials said on Wednesday.

Sources in the Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC) office said a total of 20 people died during two spells of rains and subsequent floods.

While five people died due to heavy to very rains, 15 others reportedly died in flood-related incidents.

The district administrations are verifying whether the deaths were due to floods, deputy SRC Pravat Ranjan Mohapatra said, adding, that four people were reported to have been killed in Kalahandi district.

A preliminary assessment indicated that 8,286 houses have been partially or fully damaged in the deluge that lasted for around four days, beginning on July 20.

While the first spell of rain continued for two days on July 15 and 16, the second one caused more damage from July 20 to July 23. The maximum damage due to rains and floods was reported on July 21 and July 22, they said.

Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) B P Sethi stated that the district authorities have been asked to complete the assessment of damages to private properties in two weeks and furnish a report for allotment of funds in the affected areas.

The situation has, however, changed for better in the past two days in the rain-affected districts and all people living in relief shelters have left for their houses on Wednesday, officials said…READ FULL SOURCE

Maratha quota stir: Internet blocked in Navi Mumbai after clashes, arson

Police on Wednesday evening lobbed teargas shells and used baton-charge in the Kopar Khairane area after a group of protesters stoned vehicles and clashed with local people

Internet services in the neighbouring Navi Mumbai township have been suspended since early Thursday, a police official said.

The decision was taken in the wake of the situation in areas like Kopar Khairne, which witnessed violence during the Maratha quota agitation on Wednesday, he said.

The situation in Kopar Khairne was still tense, the official said.

ÁLSO READ :-Maratha quota stir escalates; buses attacked, trains stopped in Mumbai, Thane

Last evening, the police had lobbed teargas shells and used baton-charge in Kopar Khairane area after a group of protesters stoned vehicles, clashed with local people and indulged in arson.

Miscreants had also set fire to a police outpost.

The incidents took place after the Maratha organisations, seeking reservations in government jobs and education, had called off the bandh.

A group of protesters who were returning home last night had hurled stones at vehicles of local people in Kopar Khairane, a police official earlier said.

READ MORE :- Maratha quota stir

Assault during pregnancy may result in pre-term babies

Turns out, physical assault during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, can significantly increase the rates of babies born at very low birth weights.

According to a study published by researchers at Princeton University, Stanford University and the University of Michigan, assault during pregnancy can lead to low birth weight and pre-term babies.

The researchers merged birth records with the locations of reported assault crimes reported by the New York City Police Department, which responded to almost 200,000 domestic violence incidents in 2017.

To understand the toll of violence on pregnancy, they compared women assaulted during pregnancy with women who reported assault after giving birth.

They found that babies born to mothers assaulted during pregnancy were 66 percent more likely to be low birth weight and 39 percent more likely to be born pre-term compared to babies born to mothers who reported being assaulted after giving birth.

Study co-author Janet M. Currie said, “While assault of post-partum women is equally horrifying, our intent is to highlight the toll of violence during pregnancy on children as well as mothers. Pregnancy offers a window for possible intervention given that pregnant women see caregivers frequently.”

The researchers performed what they called a “back-of-the-envelope” calculation to estimate the average social cost generated by assault during pregnancy…READ MORE

Xiaomi unveils Mi A2, Mi A2 Lite; India launch set for Aug 8: Know details

Powered by Android One, both the Mi A2 and A2 Lite feature an 18:9 aspect ratio fullHD+ (1080 x 2160) resolution screen and a dual-camera setup on the back

Xiaomi, a Chinese mobile phone manufacturer, on July 24 unveiled the Mi A2 and Mi A2 Lite in a global event held in Spain. Soon after the international unveiling, the company’s managing director, Manu Kumar Jain, announced that the Mi A2 will be launched in India on August 8. Powered by Android One, both the Mi A2 and A2 Lite feature an 18:9 aspect ratio fullHD+ (1080 x 2160) resolution screen and a dual-camera set-up on the back. During the unveiling, the company stated that the new devices bring an overall upgrade in comparison to the predecessor, the Mi A1.

Xiaomi Mi A2 

The Xiaomi Mi A2 features a familiar design of the Mi A1, but now sports a bigger screen and better hardware. The phone sports a 5.99-inch fullHD+ IPS panel, protected by a 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Innards are covered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 system-on-chip, paired with either 4GB or 6GB RAM. The phone also gets 128GB internal storage variant, along with the regular 32GB and 64GB model. An Android One smartphone, the Mi A2 gets stock Android Oreo and a promise to get Android P later this year. The phone also gets unlimited high-quality photos storage on Google Drive.

>>>READ MORE:- Technology News<<<

Emraan Hashmi’s ‘Cheat Day’ goes on floors

Bollywood star Emraan Hashmi kick-started the shooting of his upcoming thriller ‘Cheat Day’ in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Taking to Twitter, film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh wrote,” #CheatIndia begins filming in Lucknow today [25 July 2018]… Stars Emraan Hashmi… Directed by Soumik Sen… Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Tanuj Garg, Atul Kasbekar and Emraan Hashmi… 25 Jan 2019 release… #RepublicDayWeekend…”

The movie is inspired by the crimes in the Indian education system, which has created a parallel ecosystem infested with a mafia of sorts.

Helmed by ‘Gulaab Gang’ director Soumik Sen, this is the second flick from Hashmi’s production house.

The movie will hit the theatres worldwide on January 25, 2019.

READ MORE : ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Maratha quota stir escalates; buses attacked, trains stopped in Mumbai, Thane

Protesters attacked buses and stopped local trains in Mumbai and the adjoining Thane city today during the bandh called by Maratha outfits over their demand for reservation.

The police in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad and Satara districts were on their toes to prevent any law and order problem during the bandh.

In Aurangabad, a man, Jagannath Sonawane, who had consumed a poisonous substance yesterday during the protest, died today at a local government hospital.

ALSO READ : Maratha quota stir: Mumbai bandh today; Navi Mumbai, Panvel to also be shut

Nine public buses were attacked by agitators in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, a transport official said.

Agitators threw stones on some buses in Mumbai, including Kanjurmarg and Bhandup areas, shattering window panes.

In view of the stone-pelting on buses, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) partially suspended its services in some areas and expects to resume it when the situation improves, an official of the transport body said.

CLICK HERE : MUMBAI BANDH

Pakistan Elections 2018: Who’s contesting, and why India must closely watch

With the country gaining independence a day before India, why democracy in the country has largely remained a distant dream.

Voting for Pakistan general elections is underway on Wednesday. The elections mark the completion of its first ever decade of unbroken democracy. That means, since its independence, the nation has seen only two democratically elected governments completing full terms in office.

The first major player in the national election is Shahbaz Sharif, leading the incumbent party (PML-N) into the elections after his brother and former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, was disqualified from holding the elected office and the party leadership for life with his name appearing in Panama Papers.

ALSO READ : Voting begins in Pakistan; parties of Imran Khan, Sharif in tight race

The second major player is Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, son of assassinated Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He is leading Pakistan People’s Party into the elections and is hoping to capitalize on the support his mother enjoyed.

The third major player is Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, leader of the Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaf(PTI). He is considered to be posing a tough challenge to the incumbent PML-N. Imran believes that his tough stance against corruption would fetch him a majority in the elections.

CLICK HERE : Pakistan election 2018

Voting begins in Pakistan; parties of Imran Khan, Sharif in tight race

Pakistan votes amid claims democracy being stifled, military accused of favouring ex-cricketer Imran Khan

Pakistani voters in large numbers have started flocking outside polling stations across Pakistan to cast their vote in country’s 11th general election, according to DawnNewsTV.

The first vote was cast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda.

While polling stations officially opened for voting at 8 am, enthusiastic citizens queued up outside their respective stations as early as 7 am. Results will start trickling in within hours of polls closing at 6 pm and the likely winner should be known by around 2 am on Thursday.

The knife-edge general election is pitting cricket hero Imran Khan against the party of jailed ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, with the prospect of neither winning a clear majority amid a looming currency crisis.

A decade after Pakistan was last ruled by a military government, the election has been plagued by allegations the powerful armed forces have been trying to tilt the race in Khan’s favour after falling out with the outgoing ruling party of Sharif, who was jailed on corruption charges this month.

Khan has emerged as a slight favourite in national polls, but the divisive race is likely to come down to Punjab, the country’s most populous province, where Sharif’s party has clung to its lead in recent surveys.

Whichever party wins, it will face a mounting and urgent in-tray, from the economic crisis to worsening relations with on-off ally the United States to deepening cross-country water shortages.

CLICK HERE FOR PAKISTAN ELECTION 2018

Maratha quota stir: Mumbai bandh today; Navi Mumbai, Panvel to also be shut

As the Maratha quota stir intensified, agitators clashed with the police and torched vehicles at several places on Tuesday

Mumbaikars on Wednesday braced for a Mumbai bandh after large-scale violence marred a state-wide protest on Tuesday by Maratha outfits demanding reservations for the community in Maharashtra, where a constable died and nine other policemen were injured amid a suicide attempt by three agitators.

As the stir for reservations in jobs and education intensified, the Maratha Kranti Morcha, which is spearheading the agitation, is taking its battle to Mumbai where it has called for the shutdown. Another outfit, the Sakal Maratha Samaj, called for a bandh on Wednesday in Navi Mumbai and Panvel as well.

On Tuesday, stone-pelting and arson were reported from several parts of the state, which remained on edge. Agitators clashed with the police and torched vehicles at several places, while internet services were suspended in rural areas of Aurangabad district to prevent any untoward incident. In Jalna, the police fired in the air to scatter protesters.

The impact of Tuesday’s bandh was more visible in Aurangabad and adjoining districts in the central region of the state, a day after the death of a protester.

Quotas for Marathas, a politically influential community that constitutes around 30 per cent of the state’s population, has been a hugely contentious issue.

One constable dies

A constable, deployed near the funeral venue of the protester who jumped to death on Monday, died. Police said the cause of death is yet to be ascertained.

“The postmortem report is awaited. Some injury marks were seen on his hands and legs,” a police official said, adding another constable there got injured in stone-pelting.

Protester Kakasaheb Shinde (27) had jumped to death from a bridge over the Godavari in Aurangabad on Monday.

Click Here  for Mumbai bandh

Honor 9N India launch today: Watch live stream, know expected price, specs

The Honor 9N would sport an optimised notch-based screen and 2.5D curved glass design with 12-layer Nano coating on the back for a mirror-like effect

Honor, the online subsidiary of Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei, is all set to launch the Honor 9N in India on July 24. The Flipkart-exclusive smartphone would sport an optimised notch-based screen and 2.5D curved glass design with 12-layer Nano coating on the back for a mirror-like effect.

The Honor 9N is reported to be a renamed version of the Honor 9i, launched in China some time ago. In terms of specifications and features, the Honor 9N is expected to sport a 5.84-inch fullHD+ notch-based screen stretched in a 19:9 aspect ratio. The phone would be powered by Kirin 659 system-on-chip (SoC), paired with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage. This is the same processor that has been used in most of Honor’s budget smartphones, including the Honor 9 Lite, Honor 7X and Honor 9i (Indian version).

However, the Honor 9N processor might support Huawei’s recently announced GPU Turbo technology, which the company claims to boost graphic performance by up to 60 per cent and processor efficiency by 30 per cent.

Article Source : BS

Shahid Kapoor to get wax statue at Madame Tussauds

Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor is the latest celebrity to join the world’s biggest superstars at the Madame Tussauds with his wax figure.

It is, however, unclear whether Shahid’s statue will be placed at the Delhi museum or the one in London.

Expressing his excitement, the ‘Udta Punjab’ actor took to his Instagram and posted a picture of him from the measurements session.

“Keep an eye out. Coming soon.” read his caption.

The announcement comes hours after his ‘Padmaavat’ co-star Deepika Padukone revealed that her first wax statue will be unveiled in London early next year, followed by another wax statue at the Madame Tussauds Delhi.

The list of Bollywood celebrities to have been waxed at the prestigious museum include Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar to name a few…READ MORE

New class of antibodies may protect against AIDS

A new study has zeroed in on a new defence against HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS.

The team of researchers at Texas Biomedical Research Institute used an animal model, to show for the first time that an antibody called Immunoglobulin M (IgM) was effective in preventing infection after mucosal AIDS virus exposure.

Scientists first treated the animals with a man-made version of IgM, which is naturally produced by plasma cells located under the epithelium (the surface lining of body cavities). Half an hour later, the same animals were exposed to SHIV (simian-human immunodeficiency virus). Four out of the six animals treated this way were fully protected against the virus. The animals were monitored for 82 days.

“IgM has a high affinity for its antigens and grabs them very quickly and does not let go. Our study reveals for the first time the protective potential of mucosal anti-HIV-1 IgM. IgM has a five-times higher ability to bind to virus particles compared to the standard antibody form called IgG. It basically opens up a new area of research. IgM can do more than it has been given credit,” explained DR. Ruth Ruprecht, a researcher.

ARTICLE SOURCE :- BS

I started my career as a background dancer: Anil Kapoor

Actor Anil Kapoor, who is busy promoting his forthcoming film “Fanney Khan”, says that he started his career as a background dancer.

Anil was interacting with media on the sets of reality show “Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani 2” along with Mika Singh, Badshah and Sunidhi Chauhan on Monday, here.

“Not many people know that I started my career as background dancer in 1979-80,” Anil told media while remembering his struggling days.

He made his debut as an actor in “Woh Saat Din“ in 1983 after doing small roles in some Hindi, Telugu and Kannada films.

Talking more about the days, he said: “I completed my acting course but I wasn’t able to get any work so, there was a show which was going abroad. In that show, there was Zarina Wahab ji, Padmini Kapila, Hemant Kumar saab and Nutan ji. When they were ready to go that time, they needed some background dancers so, I went there as a back ground dancer and I think, I used to get 15 pounds for one show at that time.

“I am thankful to all of them who gave me opportunity to work in those shows,” he said.

Going into nostalgia the “Mr. India” actor said: “I think, even if you are a background dancer or doing your thing in corner, if you work hard and if you are talented enough then people do recognize your effort”

Sharing her feeling to be part of “Fanney Khan”, Singer Sunidhi Chauhan said: “I am very proud that I am part of ‘Fanney Khan’ and when I saw Anil sir in the trailer of the film wearing a simple shirt and playing a trumpet on a roof, it was such a beautiful visual for me.”…READ MORE

New virus linked to inflammatory bowel disease

Turns out, there is a key connection between viruses and inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

A study led by a researcher at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus focused on viruses inhabiting bacteria in the intestine known as bacteriophages or simply phages.

“Phage numbers are elevated at the intestinal mucosal surface and increase in abundance during inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), suggesting that phages play an unidentified role in IBD,” said Duerkop, lead author of the study published Monday in the journal Nature Microbiology.

IBD poses significant health burdens worldwide and has inspired intense investigation into the environmental factors causing persistent inflammation of the intestine. Microbial communities are critical in maintaining intestinal health but changes in the composition of these organisms may cause an inflammatory response by the body.

According to the researchers, most studies looking at how these microbial communities might spark inflammation have focused chiefly on bacteria rather than the viruses residing inside them.

When inflammation occurs, researchers found that phage communities change randomly leading to a genetic signature indicative of the inflammatory environment.

“We hypothesize that inflammation or other host defenses alter phage abundances during colitis,” the study said.

Article Source : – BS

Pakistan elections: Urban youth rise up against feudal, dynastic powers

Protests against landlords and their families have also taken place in cities

Near the rural town of Badin in southern Pakistan, about a four-hour drive from the financial capital of Karachi, dozens of men wait through the night for a chance to meet with Zulfiqar Mirza.

The landowner’s family holds sway in a part of Sindh province the size of the US state of Delaware, and villagers go to Mirza for everything from employment to education to settling disputes. One of them, 69-year-old Khalid Hussain, said this month he needed help after being abandoned by his children.

The Mirzas “help people out,” Hussain said while waiting at the family’s 700-acre estate. “I just want a job to feed my stomach.”

Local power brokers like the Mirzas may end up as kingmakers in the nuclear-armed nation after a July 25 election, with polls showing that no single party is likely to win a majority in Pakistan’s parliament. For national politicians, courting large rural landholders known as “electables” is a Catch 22: Their support is essential to win elections in Pakistan, but many also tend to oppose measures like modernizing the country’s labor and tax laws that would boost economic growth in the cash-strapped nation.

>>>News source : – BS<<<

Max 1 day, 5000 protesters: What police might recommend for Jantar Mantar

According to a Delhi Police official, if the duration is fixed, the police will find it easier to monitor their actions and also prepare themselves accordingly

The Delhi Police is likely to recommend capping the duration of protest at the Jantar Mantar at maximum one day and limit the number of protestors at 5,000 after the Supreme Court revoked the ban on holding rallies and dharnas at the iconic site.

A senior police officer said that with the Jantar Mantar being redesignated as a site for holding protests, their job of containing protests will become easier.

“After the National Green Tribunal order banning all protests and dharnas around Jantar Mantar last year, protesters wanting to get their plea would gather anywhere, thereby affecting law and order. But with the top court lifting the ban on rallies at the Jantar Mantar, our job of monitoring the situation would become easier,” he added.

ALSO READ : Judgement error? As Alwar lynching victim was dying, cops allegedly had tea

Before the NGT ban, the Jantar Mantar was like a home to many protesters.

After the NGT order in October last year, police and civic body officials demolished tents and makeshift structures set up by ex-servicemen protesting at the Jantar Mantar, demanding implementation of the One-Rank-One-Pension scheme.

The former servicemen had been protesting there for more than two years.

“We will recommend that the duration of the protests should be restricted to a few hours or maximum to a day. They should not stay on for years as was in the case of the OROP protesters. We used to receive a lot of complaints from the residents of the area citing inconvenience,” he added…ARTICLE SOURCE : BS

Urban, wealthy, educated Indians at higher risk of heart disease: Study

In the 30 to 74-year age group, the overall 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease in women was 12.7% compared to 21.4% in men

Heart disease is the highest killer among Indians but the risk of heart disease varies across states, with wealthier and more urbanised states having higher risk, according to a new study.

The 10-year risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) occurrence ranges from 13.2% in Jharkhand to 19.5% in Kerala, according to a study by the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), an advocacy, and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, published in PLOS Medicine, a medical journal, in June 2018.

The risk was higher in northern, north-eastern and southern states. It was also higher for those living in urban areas and belonging to wealthier and more educated families.

Heart disease killed 1.7 million Indians in 2016, IndiaSpend reported in September, 2017. In 2016, the share of non-communicable diseases had increased to 61.8%–causing six in ten deaths in India–an increase of 23.9 percentage points from 1990, we reported in November 2017.

The PHFI study pooled data of 797,540 people aged 30-74 years from two large household surveys in India, the District Level Household Survey–4 (DLHS-4) and the second update of the Annual Health Survey (AHS) conducted between 2012 and 2014..

News Source :- BS

After big rate cuts by GST Council, only 35 goods left in 28% tax bracket

After the latest rounds of rate cuts by the GST Council on July 21, only 35 items are left in the 28% tax slab

The GST Council has pruned the 28 per cent slab by cutting tax rates on 191 goods over the last one year, leaving just 35 items, including AC, digital camera, video recorders, dishwashing machine and automobiles, in the highest tax bracket.

There were around 226 goods in the 28 per cent category when Goods and Services Tax (GST) was implemented on July 1, 2017.

Over the last one year, the Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister and comprising state ministers, has slashed rates in 191 items.

ALSO READ : Here’s everything that will get cheaper as new GST rates come into effect

The 35 goods, which will be left in highest slab once the new GST rates are implemented from July 27, also include cement, automobile parts, tyres, automobile equipments, motor vehicles. yachts, aircrafts, aerated drinks, betting and demerit items like tobacco, cigarette and pan masala.

Experts said going forward as the revenues stabilise, the Council may look at further rationalisation of the 28 per cent slab, to restrict the highest tax slab to super luxury and sin goods.

Deloitte India Partner M S Mani said it would be logical to expect that once the GST collections after the recent reductions stabilise, the remaining items such as televisions of all sizes, dishwashers, digital cameras, air conditioners could be considered for an 18 per cent rate…READ FULL SOURCE