Hyderabad: City police commissioner CV Anand on Saturday held a high-level meeting and discussed the Safe City project with top police officials to make Hyderabad a safer place for women and children.
Additional commissioner of police (Crimes & SIT) AR Srinivas, Additional CP (Traffic) G. Sudheer Babu, and others officers from the Information Technology ( IT) cell and other officials of various government departments were present in the meeting.
Additional Director General of Police Shikha Goel and other commissioners from the state also attended the meeting.
In the meeting, Anand stressed on various works of the project such as making 26 Centers for Development and Empowerment of Women by the end of May and facilitating equipment for forensic Science laboratories. He said that completing it by the due date of August this year. Other issues that were discussed pertained to getting specially trained personnel for managing the helpline ‘ Dail 100’ for women and children in distress and for deploying volunteers to operate pelican signals.
The current status of buildings that would house the new Bharosa centres of tri-commission rates was also reviewed.
Jaipur: AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said that he will meet Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to share a report, which has advocated for the reservation to 82 backward Muslim castes.
Citing the report ‘Muslims in Rajasthan’ at a press conference here, Owaisi today said that only two percent of Muslims have access to higher education and possess less land.
“I will present the economic and education status report of Muslims to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot if he gives me time. According to it, only two per cent of Muslims have access to higher education, possess less land and life expectancy is less and are malnourished. Based on the situation, 82 backward Muslim castes should get a reservation,” Owaisi told reporters here.
He said that increasing the budget for minorities from Rs 90 crore to Rs 280 crore by the state government is too little for the overall development of Muslims.
Owaisi further alleged that the report is indicating that both Congress and BJP have done nothing for minorities.
Replying to a question on the encounter of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad by the UP police, Owaisi said that he is not in favour of encounters as it weakens the rule of law.
He said that punishment should be given to the criminals as per the laws rather than doing encounters.
Tehran: A technical delegation from Saudi Arabia has arrived in Iran to assess the situation and discuss the procedures for the reopening of the Saudi embassy and consulate general in the country.
Citing the Saudi Press Agency, Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) said that the trip comes following the agreements reached between the two countries in Beijing on the normalization of bilateral ties, Xinhua news agency reported.
It added during the trip, the Saudi delegation will visit Tehran to discuss the mechanism for reopening the country’s embassy here, and evaluate the situation for the reopening of the Saudi consulate general in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad.
Following their arrival, it said, the team members met with Mehdi Honardoost, director general of ceremonies at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, in Tehran and thanked the ministry’s officials for their warm welcome and for facilitating the delegation’s visit.
China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran announced on March 10 that the latter two had reached a deal that includes the agreement to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions within two months.
In a meeting in Beijing on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud signed a joint statement, announcing the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect.
Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric.
Aden: Yemen government officials have gathered in Saudi Arabia to discuss a comprehensive three-year peace plan to end the country’s prolomged civil war, a diplomat said here.
“Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman held a meeting on Thursday with Rashad Al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), and other high-ranking Yemeni government officials in Riyadh, during which he presented the kingdom’s plan for peace in Yemen,” the diplomat told Xinhua news agency late Friday.
The proposed plan, which is based on a series of back-channel negotiations between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi militia in Muscat for the past few months, has three main stages that will be implemented over a period of three years, he said, adding the Yemeni officials have already shown their initial support for the plan.
The first phase of the plan, according to the source, is “a six-month truce between warring factions in Yemen, during which hostilities will cease and efforts will be made to rebuild trust and lay the groundwork for peace”.
The second phase would entail a dialogue to address key issues and grievances among the various Yemeni factions and reopen the closed roads, airspace and seaports.
The third stage would be a two-year transitional period during which a new and inclusive government would be established, paving the way for long-term stability and peace in the country, according to the official.
A truce agreement between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebel group is likely to be announced in the coming days, the official added.
Meanwhile, another Yemeni government official confirmed to Xinhua that Muhammad Al Jaber, the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, along with an Omani delegation, is planning to meet Houthi leaders in Sanaa to discuss the “the final arrangements” of the truce.
Oman and the UN have mediated previous rounds of negotiations between the Yemeni government, Saudi Arabia, and the Houthi rebels.
Muscat’s role has been crucial in facilitating talks and maintaining good relations with both parties.
Yemeni observers hope that the proposed peace plan will be a viable solution to the ongoing conflict and alleviate the country’s humanitarian crisis.
The UN has been working to broker a political solution to the conflict, but previous attempts have failed due to a lack of trust between the warring parties and continued violence on the ground.
Yemen has been embroiled in a devastating civil war since 2014, with the Houthis fighting against the internationally-recognised government.
The Saudi Arabia-led coalition intervened in the conflict in support of the Yemeni government in 2015.
New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday expressed discontent over the opposition’s conduct in the Budget Session of Parliament which is moving towards closure with a persistent logjam, and said that the Centre wanted to discuss the Budget 2023-24, but the opposition did not.
This comes after the opposition came down very heavily on the government for passing the Finance Bill within minutes and without any discussion in both Houses.
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram led the attack saying that it is “the worst message from a parliamentary democracy is to approve a Budget without discussion”.
Responding to the charges, Sitharaman said that it is unfortunate that the opposition did not want the discussion to happen at all.
“We would’ve wanted to have a detailed discussion on the Budget. But unfortunately, the opposition didn’t. The preparation of the Budget and it’s implementation is a mammoth exercise. My team and I were prepared to answer all the questions. Sad that opposition did not discuss Budget,” she said.
Lok Sabha had passed the Finance Bill 2023 with 64 amendments on March 24 amid din due to sloganeering by the opposition parliamentarians. On March 24, Lok Sabha approved the Finance Bill 2023 which had an amendment from the Bill approved by the House last week. The bill with an amendment moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was passed earlier in the day by Rajya Sabha. The change related to Securities Transaction Tax levied on the sale of options trading.
During the passage of the Bill, Rajya Sabha Chairman had requested the opposition parties to hold a discussion on this crucial legislature for which the BAC had allotted 10 hours of time.
“There are so many learned MPs who come prepared with so many important questions related to the Bill which we come prepared for. Nobody can allege that my government or I are running away from any answers,” Sitharaman further elaborated.
The bill was passed amid ruckus in the two Houses over opposition demand for a JPC on the Adani issue.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman tabled the Finance Bill after presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 on February 1.
New Delhi: The President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), Vikas Singh, has written to Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, seeking a meeting with the executive committee to discuss matters pertaining to the conversion of 1.33 acres of land allotted to the court by the Union government.
The letter written on behalf of SCBA urged to immediately start work on the 1.33 acres of land by constructing maximum number of chambers for lawyers.
It sought space for SCBA in the annexe building opposite Court No. 12 for the office of its president and secretary, meeting room for the executive committee, proper lunch room, additional ladies’ bar room, and additional library or lounge.
It also demanded a bigger space for creche for working lawyers.
The letter also stated that SCBA wants elevation of Supreme Court lawyers to various high courts, and expeditious and regular designation of apex court lawyers.
The Supreme Court had held that it could not consider the judicial side of SCBA’s plea to convert the entire 1.33 acres land allotted to it by the Central government as space for lawyers’ chambers, an had left the issue open to be considered on the administrative side.
New Delhi: Bharata Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MP K. Keshav Rao today moved a notice under rule 267 for suspension of business in the Rajya Sabha to ‘abuse’ of central agencies like CBI and ED by the government.
On the other hand, Lok Sabha Congress MP Manish Tewari has moved the notice on the issue of Chinese transgressions, and Manickam Tagore’s notice is on the issue of hike in LPG prices.
In the Rajya Sabha the suspension notice was given on post-poll violence in Tripura by Binay Vishwam, CPl MP.
Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, who met Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday ahead of the second part of the Budget Session, said that they want discussion on every burning issue.
“We, as Opposition parties, are keen to play a constructive role in making the government accountable and would want discussion on every burning issue facing the nation,” he said.
Brussels: Representatives of Sweden, Finland and Turkey held talks in Brussels to discuss progress on fulfilling Turkey’s conditions for agreeing to the Nordic countries’ accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the military bloc said in a statement.
Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO in 2022 but faced objections from NATO-member Turkey on the grounds that the two countries harbour members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), considered a terrorist group by Ankara.
The accession needs a unanimous agreement by all members of NATO.
According to NATO’s statement, “the participants welcomed the progress that had been made” on a three-way deal called the Trilateral Memorandum, struck last year in Madrid, aimed at satisfying Turkey’s complaints, Xinhua news agency reported.
The participants also agreed that rapid ratifications for both Finland and Sweden would be in NATO’s interest, and that their membership would strengthen the bloc, the statement said.
“Finland and Sweden have taken unprecedented steps to address legitimate Turkish security concerns. It is now time for all allies to conclude the ratification process and welcome Finland and Sweden as full members of the alliance ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius,” said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
As agreed in the Memorandum, there won’t be any arms export restrictions between the parties; they need to significantly enhance counter-terrorism cooperation; and Sweden is now in the process of tightening anti-terrorism legislation, including against the PKK.
The three countries on Thursday agreed to meet again in the same format ahead of the NATO summit in July.
Episode seven of The Last of Us is known as Left Behind, and covers the events of the first game’s similarly-named DLC, as well as some additional elements from the American Dreams comic series.
Essentially an extended flashback, this episode provides viewers with crucial background information about Ellie, revealing what motivates her and what shaped her to become the Ellie we know today.
As always, episode seven leaves us with plenty to discuss, so let’s get into it.
PLEASE NOTE, THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BOTH THE SHOW AND THE GAME SERIES IT IS BASED ON. PLEASE READ ON AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
A little preview for episode seven.
Episode seven is bookended by Joel and Ellie in the present day.
Joel, while alive, is not in a good way following his altercation with the marauders at the end of episode six. Ellie has managed to find shelter in an abandoned house, and is desperately trying to stop Joel’s bleeding, but she is not having much luck. In response to Ellie’s desperation, Joel uses what little strength he has to push Ellie away and tells her to return to Tommy.
As Ellie turns to go, we are then transported back to weeks before Joel and Ellie first met. The scene cuts to Ellie at the FEDRA school in the Boston QZ, where she is running laps in the gym hall while listening to her Walkman. Another student (Bethany) bumps into Ellie and pinches her Walkman before going through her about her missing friend.
Ellie reacts to Bethany’s taunts by lashing out at her, resulting in Ellie being sent to the school’s principal equivalent – something that happens in the American Dreams comic series – and Bethany to the hospital wing in need of stitches (the theme of stitches runs throughout this episode).
Here, Ellie is told by Phaedra soldier Captain Kwong that she is “so smart [she is] stupid” and that she has the potential to be a leader. He then tells Ellie she has two paths to choose from. The first is where she keeps “acting like a grunt” and will live the life of a grunt. The second is where She swallows her pride, follows the rules and becomes a Phaedra officer.
“There’s a leader in you, and one day it could be your turn. Or not. So which way?” Kwong asks Ellie. In response, Ellie begrudgingly says she will comply with Phaedra and returns to her room.
Ellie gets a black eye during the (offscreen) fight. Image HBO.Captain Kwong. Image HBO.
The rest of this episode stays largely faithful to its DLC source material. Late at night when Ellie is back in her room, her missing friend Riley sneaks in through the window and wakes her up. This is much like she does in the game, although she doesn’t pretend to bite Ellie in the show.
After a brief moment of being angry at Riley for leaving her, with Ellie revealing she thought Riley had died, Ellie agrees to listen to what her friend has to say for herself. It turns out, Riley has joined the Fireflies and won’t be returning to the FEDRA school. Riley then promises Ellie “the best night of [her] life”, and the girls leave the school’s boarding room and head out into the Boston QZ.
Ellie is angry that Riley ran away. Image HBO.Riley wakes Ellie by ‘biting’ her in the DLC. Image Naughty Dog.
The two eventually make it to the city’s mall via the rooftops and a bottle of whiskey (alas, in the show there is no mention of Winston, the QZ soldier that taught Ellie to ride a horse in the game and comic series. In the Left Behind DLC, Riley and Ellie raid Winston’s stash after he dies and get alcohol there).
Ellie cautions Riley from entering the mall, stating it has been boarded up because it is swarming with infected. Riley scoffs at this and takes Ellie inside the building. Those who have been following the series closely will recall Ellie told Tess she was bitten after she snuck into the mall in Boston all the way back in episode two. However, at this time she told Tess that she was alone.
In the game, Riley does not get the elcaltors to work like she does in the show. Image Naughty Dog.Ellie and Riley find hooch in Winston’s tent. Image Naughty Dog.
The moments that follow between Ellie and Riley in the mall are almost scene for scene from the DLC, albeit in a slightly different order.
Once Riley restores the power supply to the mall for a wide-eyed Ellie, the two make their way through the various shops and stalls. They ride on a merry-go-round, pull funny faces in a photobooth, try on masks from a costume store (a wolf and clown, of course) and dance on a display case. Riley gives Ellie No Pun Intended: Volume Too by Will Livingston.
There were some charming moments of awkward flirtation in the episode. Image HBO.
It is all very reminiscent of those teenage days of skipping school and hanging out with your crush. Both Bella Ramsey and Storm Reid (who plays Riley) do a great job of portraying a hopeful innocence alongside a young couple’s sexual awakening.
Ellie and Riley on the merry-go-round. Image HBO.The same moment in the Left Behind DLC. Image Naughty Dog.Photo booth fun. Image HBO.Say cheese! Image Naughty Dog.Clowning around. Image HBO.The same masks. Image Naughty Dog.
In addition to a great chemistry between the actors, this episode is chock full of Easter eggs for fans of the games. If I am honest I was expecting a few more, namely the water pistol fight and the Skeleseer, but I really enjoyed all the ones that were included.
Did I exhaust these options? I feel it in my bones… Image Naughty Dog.Water way to go. Image Naughty Dog.
One of the biggest changes between the overall show and its source material, in my opinion, lies in the arcade.
In the game, Riley brings Ellie to an old arcade center with rows upon rows of machines. Unlike in the game, however, Riley and Ellie both actually play on a machine (in the show, as in episode three, it is a Mortal Kombat 2 cabinet rather than “The Turning”).
In isolation, this is certainly a nice moment for the two girls to have, however having played the Left Behind DLC, I have to say I prefer the way the game did this bit.
In the game, the machine itself does not work. So, to still give her friend de ella some kind of gameplay experience, Riley tells Ellie to shut her eyes and then describes the action of ella to her de ella. Ellie only ever plays on the arcade machine in her mind of her, and this moment (for me at least) further highlighted how characters who were born after the outbreak began could only wonder about what the world was like before cordyceps.
Either way though, it is still a joyous moment between Riley and Ellie before things go sideways for the twosome. After all, despite the fun and games, this is still The Last of Us.
Riley describes the game to Ellie. Image Naughty Dog.Ellie imagines she is playing on the arcade machine. Image Naughty Dog.
After spending a really rather magical night (or early morning) together, Ellie asks Riley to not leave Boston with the Fireflies. As in the game, Riley agrees to stay and the two share their first kiss. It is a beautiful moment, again reminiscent of those first teenage loves.
Riley and Ellie resolve to figure things out in both the show and the game. Image HBO.Riley says she will stay with Ellie in Boston. Image Naughty Dog.
Sadly, this beautiful moment is broken all too soon by the arrival of an infected.
The two girls try to fight off the infected with their limited combat experience, but the whole situation is messy, with the girls both falling through display stands as they try to defend themselves from their lone attacker (in the DLC, Riley and Ellie are overwhelmed by a swarm of infected).
However, despite eventually managing to kill the infected with the use of Riley’s gun, Ellie’s knife and other makeshift weapons found in the store, the two girls both receive a bite. As in the game, Ellie reacts by smashing up her surroundings as Riley sits in a state of calm shock.
Ellie tries to escape from the infected. Image HBO.
Both in the game and in the show, Riley states the girls have two options – they could choose the easy way out and take their own lives with Riley’s gun, or they could be “all poetic” and lose their minds together. Of course, as we all know now, this does not happen to Ellie as she is immune.
Ellie is in shock after being bitten. Image HBO.Ellie tries to wipe away her bite. Image Naughty Dog.Riley reveals she has been bitten as well. Image Naughty Dog.
Episode seven ends back in the present day, with Ellie raiding the house she is in for supplies to heal Joel. She comes across a needle and some thread, and after gripping her hand, she proceeds to sew up Joel’s injury. This is different from the DLC.
In the DLC, Ellie makes her way through an old shopping center in the present day while avoiding hunters and infected, eventually coming across an old military helicopter with a first aid kit. With the contents from this kit, she then stitches up Joel.
Both the show and the game left me with tears in my eyes.
Ellie gets ready to stitch up Joel. Image Naughty Dog.
As always, a few honorable mentions from episode seven.
Firstly, while only seen briefly, you will notice that Captain Kwong’s keyring has Naughty Dog’s paw logo on it. I always enjoy spotting things like this in shows or films (there is also a sticker of the Naughty Dog logo inside Nate’s trunk in the recent Uncharted film adaptation), so this made me smile.
A pawsome inclusion. Image HBO.
The second thing to mention is the dressing set. I loved that Ellie’s room in the PHAEDRA boarding house had posters of space and dinosaur stickers around it.
It also gave us a look at some of her cassettes, with the music in the episode helping paint the scene for viewers.
Ellie’s room reflects her interests. Image HBO.
Lastly, I appreciated the way Ellie had to shake her torch to get it to work. It was just like having to shake your controller when playing the game, and a very nice touch from the showrunners.
Shake it. Image HBO.
Despite enjoying this episode, I do have a slight concern that the rest of the series may feel a bit rushed now.
While I loved seeing Ellie’s story with Riley told in such detail, I am equally aware that we only have two episodes left of this season. I hope I am wrong and the pacing remains strong for the rest of the series. I guess time will tell. Chat again next week!
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( With inputs from : pledgetimes.com )
Beijing: China’s ruling Communist Party on Sunday began a key meeting to carry out a major revamp of the party and the government ahead of next month’s annual session of the Parliament.
The meeting of the Communist Party of China (CPC) plenum started its three-day plenary session in Beijing on Sunday, with President Xi Jinping, who is also the general secretary of the party, presenting a work report, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The Central Committee plenary session is being held ahead of the annual session of China’s Parliament, the National People’s Congress (NPC), and the top advisory body — the China People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) — in the first week of March.
During the NPC’s annual session, China will unveil a new leadership, including a new premier to succeed the incumbent Li Keqiang who is retiring. Barring Xi, most of the officials at the top were expected to be replaced.
Earlier this week, the political bureau of the party discussed the draft plan for the reforms of the CPC as well as state institutions and finalised recommendations to be submitted to the Central Committee plenary for approval.
The Central Committee which was elected at the once in five-year Congress of the party held in October last year consisted of 203 members and 168 alternate members.
Xi, 69, was re-elected for an unprecedented third five-year term by the Congress.
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