New Delhi, Nov 28 (PTI) Demonetisation seems to have hit the sporting arena as well with the second edition of Pro Wrestling League being postponed from its original scheduled start of December 15 as the franchises and stakeholders need more time to re-plan and re-structure their schemes. “Post demonetisation, the PWL franchises and the stakeholders have asked for time to re-structure and re-plan their schemes. Hence, the date of the League had to be postponed,” the promoters of the PWL, Pro Sportify director Vishal Gurnani told PTI. “The revised dates would be announced on November 30th,” he added. Meanwhile, the sources claimed that the PWL-2 is likely to begin not before the last week of December. “The League will be re-scheduled to the last week of December. Also the players auction, which was supposed to be held in mid-November, will now take place 15 days prior to the commencement of the tournament,” the source said. There were also plans to field eight franchises as compared to six teams in the inaugural edition, but PWL today said that there would be no addition and the number of teams competing against each other would remain six, just like last year. However, the League will not witness the same six teams of last year as Bangalore franchise, called Bengaluru Yodhas, had pulled out. Bengaluru Yodhas will be replaced by a franchise from Jaipur, while franchises like Delhi and Uttar Pradesh will see a change in the ownership. “We will have six teams only, just as last year. Bangalore franchise has pulled out and a team from Jaipur will be added. The ownership of Delhi and UP have also changed,” said Gurnani. While Gurnani remained mum on why Bengaluru Yodhas would not being a part of PWL-2, a sources said that the “Bangalore franchise not having cleared its dues” is the reason behind the fall-out. Meanwhile, the Pro Sportify director claimed that despite the dates of the tournament being pushed, top foreign and Indian wrestlers have already confirmed their participation in the League. PTI CM SSC CMadvertisement
The Odisha Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has released an official notification inviting all the interested, eligible candidates for Constable posts under 9th India Reserve Battalion (Specialised).All the candidates eligible for the post can apply online in the prescribed format on or before January 4, 2017.Vacancy details:Total posts: 521Name of the post:ConstableEligibility criteria:Educational qualification:All the candidates interested in applying need to be intermediate (class 12) pass from a recognised state board/university.Also, candidates should be proficient in Odia Language and should have passed Odia as one of the subjects in the high school examination.Also, candidate should posses minimum required physical stature. Height Weight ChestUnreserved/SEBC168 cm55 Kg79 cm (84 expanded)SC/ST163 cm50 Kg76 cm (81 cm expanded)Selection procedure:Candidates will be selected on the basis of physical stature, physical efficiency test, medical test, NCC certificate and written examination.Credits will be awarded for Driving Test and Sports Achievements.Physical Efficiency Test: Candidates will have to run 1.6 km within 6.30 minutes.Written examination:Candidate will be tested on their knowledge of Oriya language, English language, Arithmetic, general knowledge, aptitude, and logical reasoning.Application fee:Candidates need to pay Rs 200 for each application form.How to apply:Applicants need to apply online at lokaseba-odisha.in Enter all the required details in prescribed format.Important dates:Last date of online application: January 4, 2017Date of physical efficiency test: January 16 (7 am onwards)Click here to get the latest update on government jobs in India.For more details, follow India Today Education or you can write to us at education.intoday@gmail.comadvertisement
Controversial all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has impressed Australia coach Darren Lehmann with his handling of criticism over some comments he made and may earn a recall in the third and final one-day match against New Zealand on Friday.Maxwell was fined by his team mates for expressing his disappointment at batting lower down the order than he expected for his state side Victoria.He also suggested that decision was because wicketkeeper, and Australian team mate, Matthew Wade, was the state captain and choosing to bat ahead of him. (Maxwell-Wade controversy should have been kept private, says Warne)The 28-year-old was heavily criticised by former players and missed out on selection for the first two games of the New Zealand series, though Lehmann reiterated that was a balance issue rather than anything to do with his comments.”He has been fantastic, full credit to him, the way he’s handled it and the way he’s been around the team,” Lehmann told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.”We’ve named the team quite late both times … and he’s missed out last minute and he’s handled that really well. (Glenn Maxwell back, Hilton Cartwright included in Australia’s ODI squad vs New Zealand)”I’m really pleased the way he’s gone about it, and I know the players are (at) the way he’s dealt with it.”Lehmann added that Maxwell was a strong chance to play on his home track at the MCG, but the decision would again be made when they got to the ground and inspected the wicket after rain on Thursday prevented them from training outside.advertisementFast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood, who were both named earlier on Thursday for the first test against Pakistan in Brisbane next week, were unlikely to be rested for the dead-rubber game against New Zealand.”I would think they would be playing … they’ve got to bowl some overs and get ready for Brisbane anyway,” Lehmann said.”They’ve pulled up ok so unless something happens in the next 24 hours, we expect them to play.” (Australia’s John Hastings ‘shocked’ by selectors snub)The team would, however, still err on the side of caution with returning quick Pat Cummins’ workload, Lehmann said, after he has spent years battling injuries, despite his 4-41 in Canberra where he consistently bowled over 150kph.”We’re slowly slowly with him,” Lehmann said.”When you get someone like that that’s coming back and just goes ‘bang’ like that with a performance in Canberra, you go ‘Wow, we just want him in’.”So you’ve got to sit back and work out what the best way to go about it is.”
Hero of India’s 2011 World Cup winning campaign and star all-rounder Yuvraj Singh turned 35 today.Yuvraj, who got married to Bollywood actress Hazel Keech on November 30, is a celebrated figure in Indian cricket and is known for his fighting spirit. (Indian cricket team image)There are not many better sights on the cricket field than watching an on-song Yuvraj, one of the cleanest hitters of the ball, effortlessly and brutally taking the life out of the bowlers. It didn’t take him too long to become the poster boy of Indian cricket.The Punjab southpaw’s ability to score at will against any opposition attack soon made him one of the most feared batsmen in limited-overs format.Yuvraj, who has fallen out of favour with the national selectors, last played an international match in March this year, during the World T20 at Mohali. He has been in tremendous form in the Ranji Trophy this season, scoring 672 runs in five matches at 84.00 with two hundreds and as many half-centuries. (Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma attend Yuvraj Singh’s dazzling wedding ceremony)Yuvraj, one of the greatest players for India in the limited-overs format, was part of the batch of players who prospered under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly and then came into his own under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with whom he formed a formidable partnership in the middle order. (Reuters image)Yuvraj broke into the international scene after being named the Player of the Tournament in the 2000 Under-19 World Cup held in Sri Lanka. The Southpaw was then immediately drafted into the national side for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2000 where he smashed a match-winning 84 in his debut against Australia in Nairobi and caught the attention of the world thereafter. (Will Yuvraj Singh’s 177 bring him back to national reckoning?)advertisementHe has since played 293 ODIs scoring 8329 runs at 36.37 with 13 centuries and 51 fifties. In 55 T20 internationals, Yuvraj has amassed 1134 runs at 29.07 with eight half-centuries. The longest format is where he had his shortcomings but still managed to score 1900 runs in 40 Tests at 33.92 with three hundreds and 11 fifties.Here are some of the most memorable moments of his career.NATWEST FINAL MAGICYuvraj has batted in the middle-order for the better part of his career and finished numerous games almost single-handedly. He played a stellar role in India’s victory in the NatWest Series final against England at Lord’s in 2002. India were reduced to 146/5 chasing 326, when Yuvraj got together with Mohammad Kaif and the duo stitched a match-winning 121-run partnership for the sixth-wicket which eventually helped India register one of their greatest ODI wins in history. (Gautam Gambhir’s fitness test over, Yuvraj Singh in line for ODI comeback?)SIX-MACHINE vs STUART BROADOne of the cleanest strikers of the cricket ball in the modern era, Yuvraj became the first batsman in T20I history to smash six sixes in an over as he hammered England pacer Stuart Broad all around the Durban stadium in the quarterfinals of the inaugural ICC World T20 in 2007. As a result of his exploits in that match, Yuvraj created a world record of scoring the fastest fifty (off 12 balls) in T20Is which is yet to be broken. India went on to win the tournament beating arch-rivals Pakistan in the final. (Yuvraj Singh wants to play 2019 World Cup)WORLD CUP GLORY (Reuters image)But the crowning moment in Yuvraj’s career came in the 2011 World Cup which was jointly hosted by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Yuvraj, who loves to perform at the biggest stage, scored 362 runs in 9 matches at a staggering average of 90.50 with one century and four half-centuries. He also went on to pick 15 wickets in the tournament including two in the final played at the Wankhede as India scripted a famous victory in the summit clash and lifted the World Cup after a gap of 28 years. Yuvraj was named Player of the Tournament which further enhanced his reputation as one of the greatest talents unearthed from this country.FIGHT AGAINST CANCER (Reuters image)Then came the biggest shock of his life when he was diagnosed with cancer. A rare germ-cell tumour was located between his two lungs which was there when he was representing the country at the World Cup.It was during that time when he would wake up in the middle of the night and would find it difficult to breathe and used to cough immensely. He immediately headed to the United States after the tournament ended for treatment and rehabilitation. In March 2012, Yuvraj was discharged from hospital after completing the third and final cycle of chemotherapy and returned to India in April.advertisementRETURN OF THE PRINCE (Reuters image)Being the fighter that he is, Yuvraj fought against all odds, won his battle against cancer and made an emotional comeback to the Indian side. He played in the second T20I against New Zealand in Chennai which India lost by one run.He bowled two overs for 14 runs, took a catch, and scored 34 runs off 26 balls in that match as the crowd cheered and gave him a standing ovation. (Yuvraj Singh’s wait for glory ends with memorable IPL season)Even though Indian cricket fans miss watching Yuvraj play, he will always remain an inspiration for us all. We as fans hope to see one last hurrah from the fighter on the cricket field wearing the blue jersey. But for now, we wish him all the best for the most important innings in his life.
Paul Pogba says he will not reveal how he feels about his situation at Manchester United for fear of being punished by the club.The France midfielder scored from the penalty spot to help United record a 2-1 win over Leicester City on Friday , despite returning to training just four days prior to the fixture.Pogba was given time off after helping his country lift the World Cup in France, though Jose Mourinho still opted to name him as captain for the Premier League opener at Old Trafford. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Man Utd ready to spend big on Sancho and Haaland in January Who is Marcus Thuram? Lilian’s son who is top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach Brazil, beware! Messi and Argentina out for revenge after Copa controversy Best player in MLS? Zlatan wasn’t even the best player in LA! The 25-year-old has been linked with a move away during the transfer window, with both Barcelona and former club Juventus reportedly interested, but looks set to remain with his current employers.Still, his relationship with Mourinho – who dropped the player on more than one occasion last season, including for a Champions League knockout tie against Sevilla – led to Pogba being questioned over whether he is happy at United.”There are things I can say and there are things that I cannot say, otherwise I will get fined,” he told reporters when asked if he felt comfortable at the club.”When people trust you and have confidence then you are good in your own head, it’s going to be easier.”Pogba posted a message on Instagram after the game that notably did not include a reference to his club boss. “I’ll always give my best to the fans and my team-mates no matter what’s going on,” he wrote. Check out Goal’s Premier League 2019-20 fantasy football podcast for game tips, debate and rivalries.
France star Antoine Griezmann insists he is not obsessed with winning the Ballon d’Or, even if he is eager to lay his hands on the coveted prize.Griezmann is among the contenders for the award after helping France win the World Cup, as well as guiding Atletico Madrid to Europa League glory, in 2018.Speaking after France’s 1-0 friendly win over Uruguay on Tuesday, the 27-year-old was clear over his desire to claim the gong. Article continues below Editors’ Picks Man Utd ready to spend big on Sancho and Haaland in January Who is Marcus Thuram? Lilian’s son who is top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach Brazil, beware! Messi and Argentina out for revenge after Copa controversy Best player in MLS? Zlatan wasn’t even the best player in LA! “I want to win it [Ballon d’Or] too,” said Griezmann.But asked if he felt obsessed, he responded: “No, that is a problem with France.”People there do not like when you seek something for yourself individually, but I’m proud to be there and hopefully I will win it.”Of course, there are other people who can win it and they deserve it too, so let’s see what happens.”
Griezmann scored four goals at the World Cup, while he struck 29 in all competitions for Atletico in 2017-18.His competition for the Ballon d’Or includes compatriots Kylian Mbappe and Raphael Varane, while Croatia’s Luka Modric is the favourite. Griezmann finished third in the race for the 2016 Ballon d’Or which was eventually won by Cristiano Ronaldo.The forward has made a strong start to the 2018/19 season for Atletico, scoring six goals while registering five assists in all competitions so far.Next up for Griezmann is a mouth-watering clash between Atletico and Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday.Griezmann was famously courted by Barca throughout the course of the summer but opted to remain with Atletico instead.
Fernando Torres and Andres Iniesta are on fire in Japan!Former Chelsea striker Torres left Atletico Madrid four months ago, joining Sagan Tosu on a free transfer.And Torres scored what could prove to be a vital goal in the dying minutes to secure a 2-1 win over Yokohama FM, as the club avoided relegation to the second tier. Editors’ Picks Man Utd ready to spend big on Sancho and Haaland in January Who is Marcus Thuram? Lilian’s son who is top of the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach Brazil, beware! Messi and Argentina out for revenge after Copa controversy Best player in MLS? Zlatan wasn’t even the best player in LA! The 34-year-old collected the ball on the edge of the box, shimmied past a defender and fired into the bottom corner, prompting delirious scenes in the stands.At worst, they will face a relegation play-off.TORREEEEES! The Spaniard smashed home a late goal to rescue Sagan Tosu from direct relegation! Get in, Nando! 💪🇯🇵🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/1rLenyxFnY — Goal (@goal) November 24, 2018 Iniesta, meanwhile, currently plays for Vissel Kobe, and showed on Saturday that he has lost none of his world-class vision.After a drop of the shoulder in midfield, the former Barcelona star lofted a brilliant through ball into the box for Naoyuki Fujita to score in a 3-3 draw with Shimizu S-Pulse.The drop of the shoulder 👏The vision 👏The pass 👏Andres Iniesta has still got it 😎 pic.twitter.com/aSHYr7CPCD — Goal (@goal) November 24, 2018 Iniesta and Torres have similar records in the J-League, with both players scoring twice prior to Saturday’s fixtures.Vissel are enjoying a more tranquil end to the season, however, and sit comfortably in mid-table, while Sagan could still be demoted to the second tier.It remains to be seen if either player can add to their bursting trophy cabinets in Japan, however.Iniesta won nine La Liga titles with Barca, as well as four Champions League trophies, six Copa del Reys, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups. He also won the World Cup with Spain, plus two European Championship trophies.Torres, meanwhile, also won the World Cup and two European Championships, while he was slightly less successful at club level; he won the Champions League and the Europa League, as well as the FA Cup with Chelsea.
Kohima, May 1 (PTI) Nagaland State League “Oorja – Central Armed Police Force (Oorja-CAPF) U-19 football Talent Hunt” tournament organised by 9 Assam Rifles under the aegis of Head Quarters IGAR (North) started here today.Altogether 18 teams, eight each boys and girls teams from different schools and sports academy are competing in the tournament, which was kicked off by Nagaland Home Minister, Y Patton in presence of IGAR(N) Maj Gen Sanjay Gupta.Speaking on the occasion, the Home Minister said Oorja tournament is an initiative of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi with objective to be part of Mission XI Million and to imbibe more passion and creating more platforms for the young football enthusiast of the Country.Patton expressed hope that such a tournament would have a beneficial impact for the Naga players in getting more exposure and opportunities in exhibiting their talents.The Minister said that Assam Rifles while upholding its motto “Friends of the Hill People” while keeping the state safe from any law and order problem and maintaining peace and tranquillity in the region, also involves civic action programmes and recruitment training for the Naga youth. PTI NBS RG
Xiaomi has taken to Twitter to tease an upcoming Redmi phone launch in India. Ideally, the phone that’s coming to India in the days to come — probably within this month — should be the Redmi 4. To recall, Xiaomi had — at its last product launch — confirmed that successor to the Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime, which is the Redmi 4, would be coming to India soon. Since, Xiaomi has specifically mentioned that the phone in question belongs to the Redmi family that leaves us with nothing but the Redmi 4.Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 4A review: An entry-level phone never looked so good Xiaomi had launched the budget phone, Redmi 4 in China in November last year. The Redmi 4 is successor to the Redmi 3 (and Redmi 3S) phone and brings an interesting set of specs to the table at a very mainstream price. For one, the phone comes with an all metal unibody design and secondly it has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, much like its predecessor phone.Announcing the launch of a new Redmi phone! This will be the 2nd BIG announcement of the month ?º? Coming soon. Stay tuned #PowerInYourHand pic.twitter.com/jvzGCY2oyR- Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) May 5, 2017The phone looks a lot like the Redmi Note 4, with smaller bezels. It comes with a 5-inch 1080p display and an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory with support for expandable storage of up to 128GB under the hood. There’s also a lesser variant of the phone which comes with a Snapdragon 430 CPU, 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory.advertisementThe Redmi 4 sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with PDAF and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It comes with Android 6.0 Marshmallow-based MIUI and a 4,100mAh battery inside. The phone supports 4G LTE and is also VoLTE-ready.The Redmi 3S was launched with a slightly heftier version in the Redmi 3S Prime. The company may do something similar with the Redmi 4 as well, and bring both the Snapdragon 430 and Snapdragon 625-based models to India.While the Redmi 4 with Snapdragon 430 retails at CNY 699 (roughly Rs 6,905), the Redmi 4 version with Snapdragon 625 is available for CNY 899 (roughly Rs 8,888).Xiaomi previously launched its ultra-affordable phone, the Redmi 4A in India at a price of Rs 5,999. It’s currently the most affordable smartphone in the company’s Redmi-range in India.The Redmi 4A looks a lot like the Redmi 3S, but unlike the Redmi 3S, the Redmi 4A has a polycarbonate shell. In terms of hardware specs, the phone comes with a 5-inch HD IPS display with a 720p resolution. It is powered by a 1.4GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor coupled with Adreno 308 GPU, 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal memory which is further expandable via microSD card slot. The dualSIM phones runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow-based MIUI 8 out-of-the-box and supports 4G LTE (VoLTE-ready) connectivity.On the camera front the Redmi 4A comes with a 13-megapixel camera on the rear with f/2.2 aperture along with autofocus and an LED flash. On the front you get a 5-megapixel snapper. The phone is backed by a 3,120mAh battery which is non-removable.Xiaomi continues focus on low-end marketXiaomi’s new phone launch will tie up well with its business strategy that it seemingly adopted in the middle of last year. Since launching the high-end Mi 5, the company hasn’t brought any of its high-end phones to India. Instead, it has relied on the Redmi phones to woo Indian consumers. Since launching the Mi 5, the company has launched a number of high-end phones in China. The list includes the Mi 5S, Mi Note phones and the exotic Mi Mix. None of these phones made it to India.Xiaomi is also not bringing the Mi 6, its latest flagship phone to India. Instead it is bringing the Redmi 4. Earlier India Today Tech had exclusively reported that Xiaomi will not bring the Mi 6 to India, at least not in the near future. Xiaomi so far has refused to confirm or deny the report. Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 review: Raising the bar Although this strategy sounds rather odd, given the fact that Xiaomi doesn’t want to bring its top class products to the country, its Redmi phones have found enough takers to keep the momentum going. Recently, a market research firm noted that Xiaomi has become the number two smartphone brand in India, after Samsung.At the same time, the company’s Redmi phones continue to be popular with consumers with almost all of the Redmi phones, from the Redmi 4A to the Redmi Note 4, rarely in stock at online stores where Xiaomi sells its phones.advertisement
The visiting FIFA technical delegation, after going around the main stadium and the practice facilities in Kochi on Thursday, has expressed satisfaction with the city as one of the venues for the U-17 World Cup.According to the FIFA delegation, the venue, which is scheduled to host one pre-quarterfinal, a quarter-final and six qualifying matches, has undertaken all the work as prescribed by world football’s governing body.The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the venue for the matches, has been asked to limit the seating capacity to 41,748 seats due to security reasons.FIFA official Javier Ceppi, who is the tournament director for the U-17 World Cup, was the one who announced the decision and informed that the delegation members are happy with the preparations in Kochi.Ceppi asserted that the delegation members know that rain might have caused a delay in the preparation of the four practice venues and understand the problems faced by the organisers.”We commend the excellent work done by Kerala and since this is a very big event every aspect has to be taken care of,” said Ceppi who added that they are very particular about the security of the spectators.”Due to security issues, the third tier of the stadium will not be used as it will not be possible to evacuate the entire stadium in eight minutes. Nothing can be done as the stadium has been constructed in that way, so we will not be using that area,” he added.Mohammed Hanish, senior bureaucrat who was entrusted by the state government to oversee the preparations, while accompanying the FIFA delegation to the match venue and to the four practice venues said that they have been able to meet almost all the requirements set out by the delegation when they were here earlier.advertisementThe Kerala officials have been working hard for the past six months to meet all the required parameters to make not just the main stadium ready but also the four practice venues.
World No.4 tennis player Simona Halep on Friday defeated Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit to enter the semifinals of the Italian Open here.Halep, recent champion of the Madrid Open, needed one hour and 20 minutes to win 6-2, 6-4 against Kontaveit, who recently eliminated world No.1 Angelique Kerber, of Germany, from the tournament, reports Efe.The Romanian returns to a semifinal at the Foro Italico after playing in 2013 and 2015, when she lost to American Serena Williams and Spanish Carla Suarez.Halep now awaits her rival in the next round, which is set to be the winner of the duel between Dutch Kiki Bertens and Australian Daria Gavrilova.
Xiaomi’s new Redmi 4 borrows heavily from last year’s Redmi 3S (Prime) in almost all the major departments, and yet, when you look at it for the first time and take it out for a ride, it’s a whole new ball game altogether. It’s about refining the jagged edges of the original classic, a trait only the best in the business could fathom.Xiaomi already had a pretty fantastic phone in the Redmi 3S (Prime) after all. No wonder, it sold over 40 lakh units of the phone in India in just 9 months. There was only so much that it could add to its successor to warrant an upgrade. Take a look.Design and build qualityThe Redmi 4 looks a lot like the Redmi Note 4. Only smaller. Straight off the bat, the Redmi 4 is for someone who prefers a smaller phone. A 5-inch one to be precise. Because it borrows heavily from the Redmi Note 4’s design aesthetics, the Redmi 4 invariably shares both its upsides and downsides in equal measure.Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 4 4GB RAM, 64GB memory variant won’t be available until June endIt’s a looker, the Redmi 4. There are absolutely no two ways about it. Just like the Redmi Note 4, the Redmi 4 also comes in a matte black finish (and gold) that gives it a premium, upmarket look and feel clearly defying its ultra-affordable price tag. It looks like an expensive phone, that isn’t expensive at all.The Redmi 3S Prime came with a full-metal body: a first for any smartphone in and around its product category. With the Redmi 4, Xiaomi has added curved 2.5D glass with rounded edges and polished antenna lines, into the mix. Xiaomi has stuck with the good old ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ formula here. Which is nice because there wasn’t much to complain about the Redmi 3S Prime’s design anyways. At the same time, additions like the curved 2.5D glass and bottom-firing mono speaker vent ensure the Redmi 4 doesn’t end up looking like a recycled Redmi 3S Prime.advertisementJust like the Redmi 3S Prime, the Redmi 4 crams in a massive 4,100mAh battery inside, and just like the Redmi 3S Prime, the Redmi 4 also feels practically the same no matter how you hold it. An all-metal build comes at a price though. Things are bound to get a little slippery every now and then. But while in the case of the Redmi 3S, a chrome strip on the front (and chamfers) helped a great deal in balancing the equation and enhancing the grip, the Redmi 4 — because it’s a lot curvier in comparison — isn’t the most ergonomic all-metal smartphone (at its price point) like its predecessor was back in the day. The Redmi 3S Prime is still pretty much the King in the North in this regard.The Redmi 4 is all about refining the jagged edges of the Redmi 3S, a trait only the best in the business could fathomMoving on, the Redmi 4 — just like the Redmi 3S — has an always-on fingerprint scanner on the back (which works well most of the time unless you have greasy or sweaty fingers) and physical capacitive keys on the front which are (still) not backlit. The power button and the volume rocker are on the right, while the dual-SIM hybrid card slot lies on the left. All in all, the Redmi 4 is a well-made smartphone that screams premium from every nook and corner, just like its predecessor. If anything, it’s even better looking than the Redmi 3S Prime.DisplayThe Redmi 4, like the Redmi 3S Prime, comes with a 5-inch 720p IPS LCD display. Brightness levels are just about adequate and adaptive brightness works as it should. Colours look rich and vibrant — a little warm by default — but there’s a manual correcting mode inside that helps achieve better results, albeit only slightly. There’s also an in-built reading mode that turns colours to the warmer end of the spectrum for night-time reading.The Redmi 4, like the Redmi 3S Prime, also misses out on Xiaomi’s hallmark Sunlight Display technology. This means even though the phone has good enough brightness levels indoors, these go for an all-out toss when you’re out in direct sunlight, so do the phone’s viewing angles. Despite its somewhat low brightness output, the Xiaomi Redmi 4 still manages to better rival phones around its price category in display department, especially in colour accuracy.SoftwareThe Redmi 4 runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow (based MIUI 8) a two year old operating system at a time when Google is all set to launch Android O. “We will have Android N Preview available out-of-the-box. From our perspective, we don’t update a phone just to change an Android version number. But, actually it has to make the phone better,” a Xiaomi spokesperson explained to me not long ago. All said and done, Xiaomi still doesn’t have a definite timeline for when its phones — including the Redmi 4 — will get the Android Nougat update.advertisementLatest software iteration does not necessarily translate to drastic changes in Xiaomi’s interface though. There’s generally very little difference between a KitKat-based MIUI and a Marshmallow-based MIUI which could be a deal-breaker for stock Android fanatics, even more so because Xiaomi’s MIUI kills off key Android 6 interface elements, like Now on Tap.If, however you are not a “stock Android fanatic”, MIUI 8 offers all the bells and whistles that you’d want from a fully-functional operating system, including themes. Some of its features like scrollable screenshots, second space and dual apps are worth mentioning.Additionally, the Redmi 4 comes with an IR-blaster that can be used (in tandem with the Mi Remote app or even some third-party solutions) to control smart home appliances.Performance and battery lifeThe Redmi 4 is powered by a 1.4GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor (a decent upgrade over the Redmi 3S Prime’s Snapdragon 430, adding X8 LTE into the mix for faster Cat 7 download/upload speeds) coupled with Adreno 505 GPU and up to 4GB of RAM. It comes with up to 64GB of internal memory which is further expandable by up to 128GB via a micro-SD hybrid card slot. The dual-SIM phone supports 4G LTE (VoLTE-ready) and USB OTG.Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 4 quick review: You might actually be able to buy this phoneThe Redmi 4 is also quick and responsive in every sense of the word, much like its predecessor phone. There were no visible lags or stutter while navigating between home screens and/or multitasking in our (3GB RAM/32GB memory) review unit. Basic games are handled well, but GPU-intensive games are prone to some occasional lags when being played at maxed out settings for longer periods. Most importantly, just like the Redmi 3S Prime, the Redmi 4 also doesnt heat up at all, even under stress.The Redmi 4 China version ships with a Snapdragon 625 processor under the hood though, which is, a little disappointing. “The processor is a pretty big component when it comes to the cost of a phone. Using a bigger processor would drive the cost up. You have to see the whole thing as a sum of its parts and because the processor is one of the most expensive components, it’s not the case that we can just swap it out. We had a pretty good successful formula with the Redmi 3S, and we wanted to sort of keep things roughly in the same price,” the spokesperson said.The mono speaker on-board the Redmi 4 is average at best. It gets loud but there is often some digitisation observed at peak volume. Voice quality during calls made with the Redmi 4 was excellent.advertisementAs opposed to a phone like the Redmi 3S Prime, you might actually be able to buy the Redmi 4 if Xiaomi’s claims are to be gone byThe Redmi 4, much like the Redmi 3S Prime, is backed by a 4,100mAh battery and much like the Redmi 3S Prime, the Redmi 4 also offers unbeatable battery life. Moderate to extreme usage saw us cross the one whole day barrier with ease, while toning down further should get most users one and a half days out of the phone. Extreme usage scenarios got us close to 14 hours on the Redmi 4, which is kind of amazing.The phone, although it supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, doesn’t ship with a fast charger in the box which is, again, disappointing because charging the Redmi 4 really takes a lot of time (over 2 hours) using a standard charger.CameraThe Redmi 4, much like the Redmi 3S Prime, sports a 13-megapixel camera on the rear with f/2.0 aperture, Phase Detection Autofocus along with an LED flash. On the front you get a 5-megapixel snapper.Much like the Redmi 3S Prime, the Redmi 4 also captures some good-looking photos in good light with good amount of detail and mostly spot-on (if a little oversaturated) colours. Dynamic range could have been better but then none of the camera phones at under Rs 10,000 have dynamic range to really brag about. They are just about average. The Redmi 4 is a tad better.Xiaomi’s phone is also able to capture well-enough photos in tricky light situations with good detail. Low light photos are prone to noise. XPreviousNextThe front-facing selfie camera is just about average with some noise, even in good lighting.Should you buy it?Essentially, the Redmi 4 is the Redmi 3S Prime in a fancy new bottle. A Redmi 3S Prime HD remaster, if you may. You’re better off if you already own the Redmi 3S Prime. That phone should serve you well, at least for another year or so. For others, well, the Redmi 4 is definitely a recommended buy. Xiaomi will be looking to discontinue the Redmi 3S Prime in the days to come, and in that case, it’s safe to say that the Redmi 4 is every bit as awesome as the phone that it will replace. It looks really good, feels really good, has a neat display, dependable performance, good-enough cameras and killer battery life. It’s still super cheap to buy as well. The Redmi 4 will be available for buying at a starting price of Rs 6,999 for the 2GB RAM and 16GB memory version going all the way to Rs 10,999 for the top end 4GB RAM and 64GB memory version. The Redmi 4 will also be available in 3GB RAM and 32GB memory version for Rs 8,999.But more importantly, as opposed to a phone like the Redmi 3S Prime, you might actually be able to buy the Redmi 4 if Xiaomi’s claims are to be gone by.The Redmi 4 comes at a time when Xiaomi is slowly and steadily ramping up its sales strategy in the country. The company recently opened its first Mi Home store in India in Bengaluru to bring its products to offline sales channels. It is also looking to open Mi Home stores in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai in the days to come. In fact, it plans to open as many as 100 Mi Homes in the country in the next two years.Xiaomi phones, although value for money, are notorious for being out of stock almost all the time. An online-only sales approach also meant it was impossible for people to personally try out these phones before making a purchase. A Mi Home store will solve both the purposes. “We’re going to guarantee availability in Mi Home and if we don’t have physical stock, we’re going to give you an F-code,” the spokesperson reiterated.Xiaomi Redmi 48/10Good stuffAll-metal premium buildCute and comfySlick multitaskerKiller battery lifeBad stuffNo Sunlight DisplayDated softwareNo fast charger in boxHybrid card slot
Sauber’s German driver Pascal Wehrlein, who missed the first two races of the Formula One season due to a back injury, will have another scan next week after crashing in Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix, that saw Sebastian Vettel come first.The 22-year-old’s car was pitched into the fence and tyre wall at the entrance to the tunnel after McLaren’s Jenson Button made a highly optimistic attempt to go through on the inside of the corner.The Sauber ended up on its side with Wehrlein trapped inside.”They did a very quick check here and all seemed to be fine,” Sauber principal Monisha Kaltenborn told Reuters when asked whether the jolt had aggravated Wehrlein’s earlier injuries.”He will do a scan next week and then we’ll see.”Wehrlein told the official Formula1.com website that he had touched his head on the barrier and criticised Button, standing in for Spaniard Fernando Alonso who was racing at Indianapolis, for a “silly move”.”It’s a bit difficult to understand what went on in his (Button’s) mind there,” said Kaltenborn, whose other driver Marcus Ericsson also crashed out.Button, who was deemed at fault by race stewards and given a three-place grid drop for a next race that may never happen, defended himself by saying he would not have made the move had he thought it impossible.”These cars are so difficult to see out the back of — I’ve been telling the team and the FIA that this weekend. So I tried to back out of it (the overtake) but it was too late and we touched,” said the 2009 world champion.advertisement”I’ve never seen a car go up on its side before… horrible to see.”Wehrlein remained in the car for several minutes as marshals struggled to get to it and right it while the safety car passed by.”We didn’t straight away get a response from him and then he said he was fine. He wanted obviously to come out and he couldn’t and I imagine it was getting hot in there,” Kaltenborn said. “His biggest concern was to get out.”Wehrlein suffered three fractured thoracic vertebrae in a crash at the Race of Champions in Miami in January and was immobilised for some four weeks afterwards.
New Delhi, Jun 11 (PTI) US-based Discovery Communications Inc expects India to become one of its top 10 markets globally in the next decade as it takes steps to cater to mass viewing segment including sports.As TV viewership undergoes a change in India with the advent of digital technology, the company is adopting a hybrid strategy of expanding in traditional segment as well as a preparing platform to tap on-the-go content consumers.”If you look at pure numbers prospective then I would love India to be among top 10 markets for Discovery globally. At core, we want a scalable play to be the among top 10 markets in 10 years,” Discovery Networks Asia Pacific SVP and GM South Asia, Karan Bajaj told PTI. Right now India ranks between 15 to 20 global markets of Discovery Communications. Bajaj said for Discovery, the Asia Pacific region that includes India and China contributes less than 5 per cent to the networks global turnover. Discovery Communications Inc had reported full year revenues of around USD 6.5 billion in 2016. There is a lot of scope for growth in India but it is also a very difficult, concentrated and competitive market with “top four player having around 70 per cent of the market”, he added. “Growth has to be very thoughtful. There are not easy spaces here,” Bajaj said, adding that at present, Discovery has an overall reach of 110 million households in India. As part of the growth strategy, he said Discovery would look at launching more channels to cater to the mass segment, like JEET — a Hindi general entertainment channel that is expected to be launched the end of 2017 or early next year. Besides, Bajaj said the company would also look at strengthening its sports segment with its newly launched channel, DSPORT with niche properties and live programming from various parts of the world. “When we think of sports, there are enough of underserved popular sports that are not being shown on television in India at present. We will address those demand,” said Bajaj said. He cited golf, popular football leagues from Europe and China as examples of potential sports properties that has scope. While cricket is an interesting proposition due to its popularity in India, it is very competitive, he added. When asked if the company would bid for IPL rights, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific President and MD Arthur Bastings said: “We are not ruling it out.” Elaborating on the way forward, Bajaj said the focus will be on both traditional viewing and digital. “In next 5 -10 years, we would have a completely blended ecosystem,” he said. In the long run, Bastings said Discovery Communications may also introduce live sports broadcast platform similar to Eurosport Player in the Indian market. Discovery Communications India currently operates 12 channels — Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery HD World, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Kids, Investigation Discovery (ID), Animal Planet HD World, TLC HD World, Discovery Tamil and a sports channel DSPORT. PTI KRH RKL SA ABMadvertisement
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has accused Indian cricketers Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and others in the Indian team of “fixing” the ICC Champions Trophy final match with Pakistan and demanded an inquiry into India’s defeat.”With a coach like Anil Kumble, players like Kohli, Yuvraj and several others who batted so well in the entire tournament, how could we lose to a team like Pakistan? It is a shameful thing for our country” Athawale told media on Friday after attending meetings with district officials in Vadodara, Gujarat.”They hit so many centuries in this tournament. What happened to them during the final match?” the Republican Party of India leader questioned.Pakistan won the tournament with a 180-run victory over India in the June 18 final.The margin of victory was the largest by any team in the final of an ICC One Day International (ODI) tournament.”It seems that this match was fixed. I demand an inquiry into it,” Athawale said.The Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment also demanded a reservation of 25 per cent for the Dalit community in cricket and other games.”Those who can’t perform, should now relax and deserving cricketers from the Dalit community should be given a chance to come ahead. I demand 25 per cent reservation for them in cricket and other games,” Athawale said.
The iconic championship is celebrating its 20th year and JK Motorsport is leaving no stone unturned to befit the occasion. Two well-known international racers will line up along with the country’s top drivers to spice up the action. It promises to be fast, raw and exhilarating.JK Tyre adds a new dimension to the JKNRC this year, with the introduction of a comprehensive bike category, the JK Tyre presents Suzuki Gixxer Cup.”We are really excited about this season,” Sanjay Sharma, head of JK Motorsport, said. “Not only is it going to be bigger and grander but we will also have a two-wheeler category for the first time,” he added.Like always, the Euro JK 17 category, featuring FB02 formula cars, will be the main attraction. A packed grid will go full throttle against each other, with defending champion Anindith Reddy starting as the early favourite.The Hyderabadi lad won three of the four rounds last year and will be hoping for an encore as he prepares to make the big leap in world racing. He will, however, have to contend with the international racers, Paolo Ippolito from Italy and Ricky Capo from Australia.Young and aspiring attending the training camp in Coimbatore for the 20th JK TYRE – FMSCI National Racing Championship’s Suzuki Gixxer Rookie Cup.Capo will be a major threat, especially after winning the European Le Mans Series. Last year’s second runner-up Nayan Chatterjee (Mumbai) and defending LGB4 champion Vishnu Prasad (Chennai) will also be a force to reckon with as they aim to go a notch higher.advertisementSeventeen-year-old Mira Erda (Vadodara), who will become the first lady driver to compete in the Euro JK 17, will also be keenly watched.The JK Tyre presents Suzuki Gixxer Cup will also add to the adrenaline rush, with 30 young bikers, including two women, set to burn rubber. The bikers have been carefully selected after four different selection rounds across the country — Bengaluru in the South, Aizawl in the East, Pune in the West and the National Capital Region in the North.Hundreds of aspiring racers got the chance to showcase their skills by simply making an appearance at the venues. They were provided Suzuki Gixxer bikes, safety equipment and given the licence to go all out.The Gixxer Cup will also provide a glorious opportunity for 15 young racers, including eight from Aizawl, in the Rookie category (12-16 years), to make their mark and earn a ticket to represent India at the Red Bull Rookie Cup – Road to MotoGP in Spain.The selection of so many youngsters from Aizawl in the rookie category is a great sign for Indian motor sport. “There is immense biking talent in the country,” Sanjay Sharma explained. “We had over 1200 fine aspirants and it’s a pity that we couldn’t accommodate more,” he added.JKNRC’s other popular category, the LGB4, will see as many as 18 racers gunning for glory. Two Sri Lankan racers bring the international flavour while Chennai’s Raghul Rangasamy, Mumbai’s pilot-lady racer Sneha Sharma (both Meco Racing) and Delhi’s Rohit Khanna (Dark Don) are expected to be front-runners.ALSO READ:JK Tyre join hands with Suzuki to create new opportunities in two-wheeler racingALSO READ:Amanpreet crowned king of mountains in JK Tyre Festival of SpeedALSO READ:JK Tyre Himalayan drive flagged off from Siliguri
Roger Federer says he’s fit and rested and getting more of a buzz than ever from winning grand slams – and events on Monday suggested the Wimbledon stars could be aligning to ease his path towards a record 19th major title.While the Swiss master had the purists purring on Centre Court as he dispatched Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov 6-4 6-2 6-4 in the fourth round, across the concourse on Court One his main rival Rafa Nadal was bowing out in a gruelling five-setter against Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller.The Spanish two-time champion’s defeat did Novak Djokovic no favours either.Scheduled to play Monday’s third match on Court One, organisers were forced to push the Serbian second seed’s encounter against France’s Adrian Mannarino back to Tuesday due to the late finish of the Nadal-Muller epic that lasted almost five hours.Meanwhile the final member of tennis’s Fab Four, Andy Murray, struggled to live up to his billing as world number one in a laboured victory against another Frenchman, Benoit Paire.So does that combination of circumstances put 35-year-old Federer, who missed this year’s claycourt season to better prepare for his favourite tournament, in pole position to win an eighth Wimbledon?”I feel like I’m rested enough. I’ve had… not the toughest matches. I can look at this quarter-final (on Wednesday against Milos Raonic) in a totally relaxed fashion,” he told a news conference.The Canadian ousted Federer at the semi-final stage in 2016, but “physically I’m not fighting anything like last year with my knee (injury).”advertisementThe Swiss always looked in control on Monday, holding serve comfortably and playing the crunch points better than his 26-year-old opponent in a win that oozed confidence and control.And after mining a rich seam of nostalgia in spectacular fashion in January’s Australian Open final, when he beat Nadal in a five-set thriller, Federer is not lacking motivation either.”I definitely put (that win) in the top five at least, if not top three,” he said.”I really just had a wonderful time in Melbourne… Maybe what I was most happy about is so many people were happy for me, that I actually was able to experience that feeling one more time to win a grand slam.”Even if he says he is anticipating a tough finish to this year’s Wimbledon championships, at this stage few would bet against him rewinding the clock one more time on Sunday.
New Delhi, Jul 13 (PTI) Pune is likely to grab the hosting rights of Indias only ATP 250 event, Chennai Open, from next year with the backing of the Maharashtra state government. The state associations of Karnataka and Gujarat were also in the race but Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) has emerged favourites to win the bid as the government has passed a resolution to support the event. Chennai has been hosting the event since 1996 and legends such as Rafael Nadal have been part of the tournament, which is organised in the lead up to the Australian Open. MSLTA officials did not deny or confirm the development but sources in the association claim that Pune is going to be the next host of the tournament. “IMG, the owners of the tournament were even considering Singapore as one of the possible venues but we wanted to keep it in India, keeping the interest of the Indian players in mind. It is Indias event and it should remain in the country,” the source said. MSLTA has been successfully hosting a USD 50,000 Challenger event since 2014 and the tennis facility at the Balewadi Sports Complex is well-equipped to host an ATP 250 event. Tamil Nadu Tennis Association Secretary General CBN Reddy said they will make an official announcement tomorrow on the development. AITA Secretary General Hironmoy Chatterjee said, “The tournament is IMGs property and they have every right to host it where they find it more lucrative.” PTI AT PDS PDS
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 will go on sale today, exclusively via e-commerce giant Flipkart and Mi.com. The sale starts at 12 pm today. The company recently held its Mi third anniversary sale where several Xiaomi phones, including Redmi Note 4 was also available for buy from Mi.com.The smartphone is available in three storage variants OF 2GB RAM, 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM. The price starts at Rs 9,999. There are three colour options of Redmi Note 4 available on sale today- Gold, Dark Grey and Matte Black.Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 4 this year in January. The smartphone sports a metal unibody design and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 octa-core SoC clubbed with Adreno506 GPU. The phone features a 5.5-inch full-HD.5D curved glass IPS display with a resolution of 1080×1920 pixels with a fingerprint scanner at the back. On the photography font, Redmi Note 4 comes with a 13MP CMOS sensor along with phase detection autofocus, f/2.0 aperture and dual-tone LED flash. On the front, there is a 5MP CMOS sensor equipped with an 85-degree wide angle lens.Also Read: Xiaomi says Redmi Note 4 burnt due to faulty third-party charger, replaces it with new phoneThe dual SIM Redmi Note 4 is backed by a 4100mAh Li-Polymer battery and packs in connectivity features like the 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth v4.1, MicroUSB and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/g/b/n. The smartphone also includes sensors such as accelerometer, proximity sensor, gyroscope, and electronic compass.Flipkart is giving a 5 per cent discount for Axis Bank Buzz credit cards users. Like always, there is also an EMI option available for buying the smartphone. The EMI plan for Redmi Note 4 with 2GB RAM starts at Rs 485 per month, Rs 534 per month for 3GB RAM and Rs 631 per month for the 4GB RAM. There is also a 1 year warranty for the phone and 6 Months for the accessories. advertisement On Mi.com, the smartphone is coming along with a 10 per cent cashback with MobiKwik and free 12 months subscription of Hungama Music.Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 review: Raising the barOnly few days ago, a case of Redmi Note 4 exploding in a Bengaluru Store was reported. The company on Tuesday said that the blast happened due to the faulty third-party charger used for charging the phone. The company replaced the damaged phone with a brand new one.
BUDVA, Montenegro – Greece’s men’s volleyball team, which made it into the European finals with some stirring comebacks, couldn’t do it again, falling to Montenegro, losing a second match 3-1 in games.Greece had lost 3-2 in Thessaloniki and needed a 3-0 or 3-1 victory away to clinch the title and started off strong, winning the first set, 25-22.But then, ahead 7-6 in the second game, Greece got bad luck when star player Panayiotis Pelekoudas suffered an injury and the team couldn’t rally without him.Montenegro came back to win that second set, 25-18 and then took the next two 25-18 and 25-21 in a hard-fought match to win the tourney and a spot in next year’s World League, the top-tier competition in international volleyball.Greece coach Sotiris Drikos said despite the loss he was satisfied with his team’s effort and said that, “The players attitude players’ attitude is exemplary as they have been training and playing for 12 months non-stop.”TweetPinShare0 Shares