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Showing results for tags '2016'.
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Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt after the alleged 2016 plane incident -
Kylie Jenner demands cancellation of 'toxic' Blac Chyna's show in 2016 emails
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Kylie Jenner's emails have resurfaced amidst the ongoing lawsuit between Blac Chyna and Kardashians -
Angelina Jolie sues FBI with FAKE name over Brad Pitt 2016 child abuse?
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Angelina Jolie speculated to take action against the FBI over Brad Pitt -
As the Indian cricket team prepares itself to host the touring West Indies side for a three-match ODI series starting on February 6, 2022, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the match’s official broadcast partner, Star Sports released a new rap song on the newly appointed ODI skipper Rohit Sharma. Titled ‘Naya Captain Rohit’, the song is composed by rapper RcR and is dedicated to one of the biggest names in the Men in Blue, Rohit Sharma, who has replaced Virat Kohli as the new skipper of the squad and will be playing in his first match since the coronation back in December 2021. The dawn of a new era for #TeamIndia led by #NayaCaptainRohit; gear up to #BelieveInBlue for the Paytm ODI Trophy #INDvWI! Get set for the action: 1st ODI | Feb 6, Broadcast starts: 12:30 PM, Match starts: 1:30 PM | Star Sports 1/1HD/1 Hindi/1HD Hindi & Disney+Hotstar pic.twitter.com/wo9lJNopJ3 — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 1, 2022 While the song is catchy and portrays Sharma’s personality realistically and in the best way possible, not everyone felt that it was the best way to recognise the new captain. Furthermore, there are also a few people who were simply unimpressed with the song and even added that they preferred the one rap song Star Sports had created with Kohli as the centre of attention. I'm a rohit fan too but this song is not a inch closer to "kohli hai,kohli ka run barse Jaise hai" rap song published during 2016 t20 world cup. Link for reference https://t.co/pkI0rQlkoO — Ravi (@imr100) February 1, 2022Am I the only one who didn't like the rap song?? — Tanmay (@CricCrazyTanmay) February 1, 2022Ghatiya song but excited for hitman — Rahul singh (@Vaibhav44128558) February 1, 2022Cringe x 100 Low quality rap — 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐢𝐢 (@kukreja_ravii) February 1, 2022Back in 2016, ahead of the T20 World Cup that year, Star Sports had also prepared a rap song for the then-white ball skipper of the squad Virat Kohli. His fans were already bragging about how the rap song from over six years ago continues to be better than Sharma’s song today. Although not everyone was a fan of Kohli’s rap back in the day, it did turn out to be rather catchy and over the years more and more people have revisited the ‘anthem’ and developed a taste for it. Yeah men and the rapper is name is Neazy — sumit sharma (@FanofQosVenus) February 1, 2022 One thing is for sure… whether it is the batters’ performance on the field, the power struggle related to the captaincy of the Indian cricket team or even their personal lifestyles, the two biggest names of the game in India have extremely dedicated fanbases who are always at each other’s throats trying to justify why their idol cricketer is better. Having said that, this will be for the first time since March 2021 that both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will be playing in the same ODI match together. While the followers of the game are keen to see how the Hitman performs under the added pressure of becoming the captain, they are also interested in seeing what good does the lack of captainship do to Kohli when he steps onto the pitch to bat. View the full article
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Ajay Devgn is all set to make his grand Telugu debut with a special appearance in SS Rajamouli’s upcoming magnum opus, RRR. The movie stars NTR Jr and Ram Charan in the lead roles also featuring Alia Bhatt in a pivotal role. Even though Ajay Devgn doesn’t share a single frame in the film with Ram Charan or NTR Jr, their collaboration is highly anticipated and people are expecting nothing short of fireworks on-screen. © Instagram/RRR Movie However, this isn’t the first time that Ajay Devgn and Ram Charan have collaborated on a film. A lesser-known fact is that both the actors worked together on a 2016 Telugu film albeit with a twist. Director Surendra Reddy helmed the 2016 Telugu film Dhruva starring Ram Charan, Rakul Preet and Arvind Swamy in the lead. A year later, the movie was dubbed in Hindi and now, often telecasts on TV besides streaming on YouTube. View the full article
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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's 2016 Halloween went south for this reason
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Prince Harry received a phone call from Kensington Palace that spoiled his, Meghan Markle's mood on Halloween night -
Nothing lasts forever. This saying holds true for almost everything in this world, except diamonds. On Sunday, it was finally time for the Indian cricket team to realise that. They went into their T20 World Cup opener as overwhelming favourites, at least that’s what most pundits claimed before the game, but their performance didn’t reflect the same and they ended up suffering a heavy 10-wicket loss at the hands of their cross-border neighbours Pakistan. Apart from their current form, the reason why most people were confident about Team India’s win was their past record. Before this game, the Men In Blue enjoyed a 12-0 winning streak against their arch-rivals in the World Cups tournaments, including both the T20 and 50-over World Cups. © Twitter ICC This streak that began with a 43-run win during the 1992 ODI World Cup saw its culmination in Dubai when Pakistan began their 2021 T20 World Cup campaign with a massive 10-wicket win. The Indian players looked a shadow of themselves in all three departments while their counterparts came into the match with a determination to break this jinkx and rewrite the history books and they succeeded in doing that. As per Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s own admission after the game, the Indian team was completely outplayed by the opposition in all three fields. Their bowlers never allowed Indian batters to get off the hook, their fielders threw themselves on the ground and worked hard to save runs as if their life depended on it and their two openers batted like men possessed, making a mockery of India’s world-class bowling attack. © Reuters To many who saw the match unfold either from the stands or on their televisions were amazed how the Pakistanis players dominated the game from start to finish and never allowed Indians to get back in the match. Even their fans wouldn’t have expected them to perform the way they did in such a high-pressure encounter. While many people were surprised, one man in the Indian dressing room wasn't as he had in 2016 predicted that this day would arrive at some point in time and this man was none other than former Indian skipper MS Dhoni. © Reuters Dhoni, who is currency with the team as their mentor, was at the helm when India last took on Pakistan in a T20 World Cup game in 2016. During the post-match conference, the legendary wicketkeeper was asked to reflect on India’s winning streak against Pakistan in World Cup tournaments. The reply that the then Indian skipper gave not many people had expected that. While he was happy with the fact that India had won yet another game, he still had his feet on the ground and his logical reply reflected that. Some words said by ms dhoni back in 2016 #INDvPAK #PakVsInd pic.twitter.com/UA0s2TSd32 — Harsh Malhotra (@hmcric45) October 24, 2021 “If you are proud of the fact that we have won 11-0 from them, then there will be a time when we’ll lose against them. Whether we lose today, in 10 years or 20 years or 50 years, but we’ll lose for sure. This streak is not going to last forever,” Dhoni had said in 2016, predicting that India’s unbeaten streak will end sooner or later. Now after five years when the streak has come to an end, the CSK skipper’s reply has gone viral and people are hailing his wisdom and clarity of thoughts. Yes, this is what a sport is, you'll win but can also lose. Nobody can keep up with a world record for too long.Pakistan had to break that record one time or another.. And they did it yesterday that too gracefully. They deserve all the appreciation. #IndiaVsPak #PAKvIND https://t.co/3Dj6Tz3vun — Bhargavi jaladanki (@bharu1985) October 25, 2021That's Dhoni.. Practical Dhoni, Master Dhoni. With this mindset, you avoid unwanted pressure & keep on winning. https://t.co/yMqlNk2tmo — Avinash singh (@Avinash77288773) October 25, 2021No shame in losing to a team which looked hungry and focused to win last night... No shame in admitting that this Pakistan Team was playing to prove a point to the world which has shunned it away thanks to the politics played in thier country#INDvPAK #India #ICCT20WorldCup https://t.co/p2yfpfnECq — Siddharth Sinha (@siddsin79) October 25, 2021Disappointed dat #India lost its first game of the #T20WorldCup2021 Even more disappointed to see all the abuse by so called cricket fans to players on social media. It’s a game for God sake & all players are human. They DO NOT DESERVE all this negativity & slander. #indvspak https://t.co/ZaXtPSBqEm — Anshuman Das (@Anshuman2407) October 25, 2021Like Dhoni said this loss was inevitable and India had to lose one day. If we look at the positives, the good thing from India’s point of view is that this defeat came in a group game not a knockout match and all is not lost for them as this tournament is still wide open. The players know the mistakes that led to their downfall. As they say, what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger and Team India definitely knows how to learn from their mistakes and bounce back in the coming games. View the full article
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Gordon Ramsay's wife painfully recalls couple's 2016 miscarriage
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Gordon Ramsay's wife Tana Ramsay shares that the couple lost their child when she was five months pregnant -
'I kind of get embarrassed of this moment still,' says Bella
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This was revealed by Dua Lipa herself on social media
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Lizzo sued for $750,000 over sampling relative's audio In 2016 Song ?Coconut Oil?
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Lizzo is in hot waters as one of her relatives demanded $750,000 for sampling his audio of a gospel hymn -
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry hire Hilary Clinton?s 2016 campaign adviser
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Genevieve Roth was amongst the many new recruits for Harry and Meghan?s Archewell Production -
SHC directs Sindh govt to provide Bilawal 'foolproof' security in a 2016 petition
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
In 2016, PPP had sought permission for Bilawal to travel in bulletproof vehicles with tinted windows -
See PM Imran Khan poses with sons in this 2016 Gilgit Baltistan photo
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
The picture shared on Imran Khan's Instagram is of 2016 when his sons Qasim and Suleman had come to Pakistan -
Time Raiders 2016 Dual Audio 480p & 720p [ Hindi Dubbed– Chinese ]
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Congratulation @Zarnish Ali Aik baar phir se Many Congrats you are the winner. Member Of The Month (MOTM) With Maximum Reputations and Posts. Thanks for be a part of Fundayforum Community and Team ! Proud of you Also i would like to congrats to Runner Up Members 2nd and 3rd Postion holders for September 2016 are: @Jannat malik 90 Posts @Urooj Butt 89 Posts
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European mercenaries searching for black powder become embroiled in the defense of the Great Wall of China against a horde of monstrous creatures.
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France focus on World Cup glory, spurred on by 2016 Euro pain
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France defender Samuel Umtiti celebrates scoring against Belgium in their World Cup semi-final. Photo: AFPMOSCOW: France fine-tuned their preparations for the World Cup final against Croatia on Friday, desperate to overcome the bitter... -
The French squad is being considered as one of the most talented squads at the FIFA World Cup 2018. However, they come with the pressure of having been knocked out in the 2014 World Cup quarter finals by Germany and failing to secure the Euro '16 finals against Portugal. History Reuters Since 1932, the French national football team has featured in 18 of the 20 FIFA World Cups. They have always been a respectable name in world football, with legendary players like Michel Platini, Didier Deschamps, Zinedine Zidane, and Thierry Henry having been part of the squad at different points of time. However, when compared with their European neighbours Germany, Italy, they haven't been as dominant. Their first noticeable run at the World Cup came in 1958, when they finished 3rd because of the heroics of Just Fontaine. Fontaine holds the record for scoring the maximum goals in a single World Cup campaign when he smashed 13 goals in 6 games at the 1958 tourney. They were able to repeat this feat in 1982 when they reached the semi-finals, and 1986 when they finished third place. The 1986 World Cup, however, is more recalled for Diego Armando Maradona's Hand of God. Their quest for glory was finally realized in 1998, when under Didier Deschamp's captaincy and Zidane's heroics, they lifted the cup on their home soil in front of a packed audience at Stade de France. 8 years later, Zidane exceptional performances single-handedly got his team to the finals yet again. That game is now remembered more for Zidane's head-butt on Italian Marco Materazzi than his chipped penalty that beat one of the world's finest keepers, Buffon. Current Form Reuters The French national team got knocked out by rivals Germany at the quarter-final stage in World Cup 2014. The French can take little solace in the fact that they were beaten by the strongest squad that year, as Germany went on to hammer hosts Brazil 7-1 in the finals, and eventually clinched the title. At the Euro 2016, they were pipped as one of the favourites to lift the cup, which was taking place on their home soil. After a great run of games where they played with attacking flair, Deschamp's defensive tactics in the final surprised many. France held the possession for long periods of time but failed to create spaces. Portuguese keeper Rui Patricio's heroics in front of the goal dampened their chances further. France's run to the World Cup 2018 qualification include a 4-1 victory against Bulgaria despite being 1-0 down, a 4-0 victory over the Oranje squad (Netherlands), and a 2-1 victory against Belarus, where current Chelsea frontman Giroud and Athletico Madrid talisman Griezmann scored the first half goals. They have also played 4 friendlies in the last 3 months, of which they won 3 and lost 1. They lost 3-2 against Columbia, and won their next three games 3-1 against Russia, 2-0 against the Republic of Ireland, and 3-1 against Chiellini's Italy. Expectations At The World Cup Reuters Expectations are very high from this talented and young French squad. In the two years since the Euro '16 finals, they have definitely matured both professionally and personally, and can take on much more pressure. This French squad has grown up watching the 1998 triumph, and for many, that was a trigger to pick up this beautiful game. They need to show that they are worthy successors to the 1998 team. Coincidentally, the leader of that '98 squad, Deschamps, is currently the coach. He can definitely share a thing or two about winning World Cup finals with his squad! The French team has always relied on a leader personality, such as Deschamps in 1998 and Zidane in 2006. All eyes will be on Pogba to pick up the mantle and be a leader on the pitch. Griezmann will be expected to display his goal scoring prowess. Squad Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Steve Mandana (Marseille), Alphonse Areola (PSG) Defenders: Presnel Kimpembe (PSG), Benjamin Mendy (Man City), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona), Raphael Varane (PSG), Lucas Hernandez (Athletico Madrid), Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgard), Adil Rami (Marseille), Djibril Sidebe (Monaco) Midfielders: Steven N'Zonzi (Sevilla), Blaise Matuidi (Juventus), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich), Paul Pogba (Man Utd), N'Golo Kante (Chelsea) Forwards: Kylian Mbappe (PSG), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea), Antoine Griezmann (Athletico Madrid), Ousman Dembele (Barcelona), Thomas Lemar (Monaco), Nabil Fekir (Lyon), Florian Thauvin (Marseille).
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At the turn of the century, Portugal managed to escape years of footballing anonymity and has since appeared in every major international tournament. Having boasted the likes of Luis Figo, Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo in their starting XI's over the years, one would imagine that Portugal can always be a safe bet to perform at the grandest stage. However, it's one of the teams that's caused punters and bookkeepers to lose a lot of money. Simply because, there has been no pattern to their success. Source: Reuters History Successes in the earlier part of the century were followed by ignominious World Cup exits in 2010 and 2014. However, just when everyone had lowered their expectations of them, they sprung up with the biggest surprise of all by winning Euro 2016, cruelly denying France a victory on home turf. A script eerily similar to the Euro 2004 final, when Portugal found themselves on the receiving end. Under lowered expectations, Portugal had well and truly left a mark on the world of football. As pundits continued to decipher the shock victory, a consensus had emerged that the Portuguese manager had built a strong and rigid defense, given that the attack was marshalled by a well-known entity called Cristiano Ronaldo. Source: Reuters Current Form Santos' men carried their momentum and proved to be an extremely tough opposition to beat as they lost just twice in 2017. However, since the turn of the year, the cracks have begun to appear in the Portuguese defense. Out of 4 matches played in 2018, Portugal have won just once, against Egypt, thanks to two injury time goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, drawn twice, and lost once to Netherlands, having conceded three goals in that match. Source: Reuters If their Euro 2016 win exuded confidence in the neutrals, their recent run of form dampens the mood. Critics will rightly point to an ageing defense, consisting of Jose Fonte, Pepe and Bruno Alves, who are 34, 35 and 36 respectively and past their best years. Portugal's defense, although well organised from a tactical perspective, may well serve as its Achilles' heel. Expectations Assessing Portugal's chances at the World Cup seems as hard as ever. While, the attacking aspect seems to have taken care of itself, it is the defense that should give Santos sleepless nights. Compared player to player, Spain are a superior side on paper, while Morocco and Iran, will be no pushovers in Group B. Source: Reuters However, given the wealth of talent and title winning experience in squad, Portugal are likely to get through this group, and anything less than a run till the quarter finals will be considered disappointing. Squad Given their recent success, one would imagine that Fernando Santos would stick to the same youthful side of 2016. However, surprisingly, Santos has axed 10 players from that squad with the biggest casualties being the Young Player of the Tournament in 2016 Renato Sanches, Andre Gomes, Eliseu and Nani (who has 100 caps btw), all of whom have had indifferent, if not miserable domestic seasons. Source: Reuters They have deservedly been replaced by the likes of Bernardo Silva, Gelson Martins, Goncalo Guedes and Andre Silva. Their selections clearly depict that Santos is not afraid of making bold decisions and is ready to put his faith in youth and form. Moreover, Santos is likely to rely heavily on Bernardo Silva, who offers creativity, slick one touch passing and long range shooting from midfield, something Portugal have been accused of lacking in the last two years. Above all, it is Silva's ability to operate from both, midfield and forward positions which makes him so indispensable to this squad. He comes on the back of two title winning campaigns with Monaco and Manchester City, and it is this match winning mentality which Portugal will need if they are to succeed in Russia. Source: Reuters In spite of all the youth, Portugal will look towards their talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo to lead the team. Come the end of the year, he will be taking part in his yearly ceremony at the Ballon D'Or. But, few would've expected him to be there at the turn of the year. As critics continued to write him off, Ronaldo, yet again, proved them wrong with a spectacular run of form in the La Liga and the Champions League and finished the season with 44 goals and yet another Champions League. If Portugal are to succeed, he must serve as their inspiration on the pitch. As for anyone doubting his leadership qualities, one only needs to be reminded of his performance from the dugout in the Euro 2016 final when he cheered, screamed and encouraged the players on the pitch to step up in his stead, after injury had forced him off.
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Turkey sentences 104 people to life in prison over 2016 coup attempt
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: AFP ANKARA: A Turkish court on Monday handed life sentences to 104 suspects over their involvement in the July 2016 attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, state media reported.The... -
Trump Jr. met Gulf princes' emissary in 2016 who offered campaign help
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
Donald Trump Jr. speaks during the Global Business Summit in New Delhi, India, February 23, 2018. REUTERS/Saumya Khandelwal/Files WASHINGTON: Donald Trump Jr., the US president?s eldest son, met in August 2016 with an envoy representing the... -
Two years ago, the Indian cricket team romped their way to the 2016 ICC Under-19 World Cup final after winning all of their games in the tournament. However, India's dream of clinching their fourth U-19 title was quashed by a rampant West Indies brigade that ran away with the coveted trophy with a five-wicket win in the final. Though India missed out on the opportunity to record the most number of U-19 World Cup wins, the tournament, nonetheless, gave the cricket-crazy nation new heroes and some very exciting talent, poised to serve the national team in near future. India's wait for their fourth U-19 title was eventually fulfilled by the Prithvi Shaw-led brigade that defeated Australia to win the tournament earlier this year. But, it's India U-19 class of 2016 that's making all sorts of noise in Indian cricket these days. The likes of Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant, Wasington Sundar and Sarfaraz Khan have proved their mettle and continue to improve their skills in a bid to cement their respective spots in India's senior team. BCCI Their growth over the years, highlighting how far these youngsters have come, was thoroughly visible during the ninth match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season when Mumbai Indians (MI) locked horns with Delhi Daredevils (DD). It all began with Ishan Kishan, captain of India's U-19 team in the 2016 World Cup, whose artistry with the willow elated Mumbai fans. Coming out to bat at the No. 3 slot, Ishan clubbed the ball like a pro during his blistering knock of 44 runs that came in double-quick time - just 23 balls. The explosive left-hander, who is also keeping wickets for Mumbai this season, slammed five fours and two sixes while scoring at a strike-rate of over 190. Thanks to his blitzkrieg, Mumbai posted a mammoth total of 194 runs. BCCI But, if Ishan impressed everyone in the first half, his 2016 U-19 World Cup teammate Pant, too, had plans of his own to steal his old skipper's thunder. Chasing 194 runs, Delhi had to begin strongly in hopes of keeping their run-chase in check. But, after a steady 50-run opening partnership, Delhi lost their captain Gautam Gambhir in the sixth over. With Delhi looking to rebuild their innings, Pant walked out in the middle to partner Jason Roy. After beginning his innings with caution, Pant broke the shackles with his wide array of strokes, taking Mumbai bowlers to the cleaners. The left-hander smashed a brilliant 25-ball 47 including six fours and two sixes. BCCI Keeping Delhi in the hunt, Pant also stitched a pivotal partnership of 69 runs with Roy for the second wicket. He was finally dismissed in the 12th over after Kieron Pollard's brilliance in the field. Despite his dismissal, Delhi clinched their first win of the season - courtesy Roy's unbeaten 91. While Ishan's brilliant knock went in vain as Pant had the last laugh with his explosive innings, the ultimate winner in this duel was undoubtedly the India U-19 class of 2016. These guys will improve further, but watching them go from strength to strength with every game makes us believe that the future of Indian cricket is in safe hands. Some Explosive Hitting By Rishabh Pant. Especially The Way He's Rotating Strike Just After Hitting The Ball For Boundary Shows The Quality He Possess. Great Young Talent. ðªð #MIvDD #MIvsDD #IPL2018 — Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) April 14, 2018 Great to see Ishan Kishan bat like that, super talent #CSKvsMI — Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) April 7, 2018 Just love to watch Rishabh Pant bat, good as they are nowadays, this kid #MIvsDD — Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) April 14, 2018 ishan kishan superior to braindead rishabh pant already — ð¤ (@ElCrankoPunko) April 14, 2018 Step aside Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson... Here comes Ishan Kishan !!!#MIvDD — Hariharan Durairaj (@hari_durairaj) April 14, 2018 Rishabh Pant should be playing for India! Not doubt In my mind! @BCCI @IPL — Ed Rainsford (@ed_rainsford) April 14, 2018 In Rishabh Pant and Ishan Krishna, India are lucky to have 2 young Wicket Keepers who are genuine match winners with the bat. Future looking great . #MIvDD #IPL2018 #IshanKishan #RishabhPant — Avinash Ravindranath (@iamavin26) April 14, 2018 Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant seem to be the hottest Indian talents right now, but something about their cowlashing technique doesn't excite me too much. I know Shubman Gill isn't in the best of forms now, but whenever I watch him bat, he makes me go "wow!" — Gully Cricketer (@streetcricketr) March 28, 2018 Ishan kishan plays all kinds of shots unlike Rishabh pant who only slogs! #MIvDD — Rasool ð (@imrasool) April 14, 2018 Ishan Kishan is way better batsman than Rishabh Pant. #MIvDD — Swapnil Mistri (@swapnilmistri1) April 14, 2018 Rishabh pant you beauty ⤠— anonymous0z (@adityashrm500) April 14, 2018
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US charges Russians with 2016 US election tampering to boost Trump
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
FBI Director Robert Mueller testifies before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on Federal Bureau of Investigation oversight on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, June 13, 2013. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/Files WASHINGTON: A Russian propaganda arm oversaw a criminal and espionage conspiracy to tamper in the 2016 US presidential campaign to support Donald Trump and disparage Hillary Clinton, said an indictment released on Friday that revealed more details than previously known about Moscow?s purported effort to interfere. The office of US Special Counsel Robert Mueller charged 13 Russians and three Russian companies, including St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency known for its trolling on social media. The official who oversees Mueller?s work said the investigation was not finished. The court document said those accused ?had a strategic goal to sow discord in the US political system, including the 2016 US presidential election?. The indictment said Russians adopted false online personas to push divisive messages; travelled to the US to collect intelligence, visiting 10 states; and staged political rallies while posing as Americans. In one case, it said, the Russians paid an unidentified person to build a cage aboard a flatbed truck and another to wear a costume ?portraying Clinton in a prison uniform?. The surprise 37-page indictment could alter the divisive US domestic debate over Russia?s meddling, undercutting some Republicans who, along with Trump, have attacked Mueller?s investigation. ?These Russians engaged in a sinister and systematic attack on our political system. It was a conspiracy to subvert the process, and take aim at democracy itself,? said Paul Ryan, Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives. The indictment is silent on the question of whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Kremlin, which Mueller is investigating. In a Tweet on Friday, Trump gave his most direct acknowledgement that Russia had meddled in the election, which he has frequently disputed. ?Russia started their anti-US campaign in 2014, long before I announced that I would run for President. The results of the election were not impacted. The Trump campaign did nothing wrong - no collusion!? Trump wrote. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the allegations that Russian nationals interfered in US elections ?absurd? and ridiculed the idea that so few could undermine US democracy. ?13 against the billions? budgets of the secret services?? she asked in a Facebook post. The accused Russians are unlikely to be arrested or to appear in a US court on the charges, which include conspiracy to defraud the United States, wire fraud, bank fraud and identity theft. Echoes of intelligence report The indictment broadly echoes the conclusions of a January 2017 US intelligence assessment, which found that Russia had meddled in the election and that its goals eventually included aiding Trump. In November 2016, Trump won a surprise victory over Democratic Party candidate Clinton. Mueller?s indictment did not tie the meddling effort to the Russian government. But the earlier US intelligence assessment said Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a campaign to influence the US election. Trump has never unequivocally accepted the US intelligence report and has denounced Mueller?s probe into whether his campaign colluded with the Kremlin as a ?witch hunt.? Some of those charged, posing as Americans, ?communicated with unwitting individuals associated with the Trump campaign,? the indictment said. Last year, Mueller charged Trump?s former campaign manager and his deputy with money-laundering and other crimes and accepted guilty pleas from two former foreign policy aides for lying to the FBI. Friday?s indictment of the Russians, coupled with the FBI's disclosure that it failed to heed a warning about the Florida high school shooter, were blows to the White House, still reeling from the fallout of a scandal involving a former aide accused of domestic abuse by two ex-wives. US stocks had been up over half a percent but lost nearly all of that after the indictment came out. ?Conspirators? US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told a press conference: ?The defendants allegedly conducted what they called information warfare against the United States, with the stated goal of spreading distrust towards the candidates and the political system in general.? The indictment describes a sophisticated, multi-year and well-funded operation, dubbed ?Project Lakhta,? by Russian entities to influence the election, beginning as early as May 2014. Russians unlawfully used stolen social security numbers and birth dates of Americans to open accounts on the PayPal digital payment platform and to post on social media using those fake identities, the indictment said. Mueller also on Friday reached an agreement with an American named Richard Pinedo, who pled guilty to aiding and abetting interstate and foreign identity fraud by creating, buying, and stealing hundreds of bank account numbers that he sold to individuals to use with large digital payment companies. According to a source familiar with the indictments, Pinedo is the person cited in the document as helping the Russian conspirators launder money, as well as purchase Facebook ads and pay for rally supplies, through PayPal Holdings Inc. Pinedo?s attorney, Jeremy I. Lessem, said in a statement that ?Mr. Pinedo had absolutely no knowledge of the identities and motivations of any of the purchasers of the information he provided.? The Russians sought to measure the impact of their online social media operations, tracking the size of US audiences reached through posts and other types of engagement, such as likes, comments and reposts, according to the indictment. Facebook said in a statement that it had previously disclosed the Internet Research Agency?s activity on its platform. ?We know we have more to do to prevent against future attacks,? said Joel Kaplan, Facebook?s vice president of global policy. Twitter, whose platform also was used, declined to comment on the indictment. The Internet Research Agency was registered with the Russian government as a corporate entity in July 2013 and St. Petersburg ?became one of the organization?s operational hubs,? for the project, the indictment said. The organization employed hundreds of people, ranging from creators of fictitious person to technical experts, and by September 2016, its monthly budget was in excess of $1.2 million, the court document said. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday that he had already seen evidence Russia was targeting US elections in November, when Republican control of the House of Representatives and Senate are at stake, plus a host of positions in state governments. The indictment said the Russians it charged tried to destroy evidence of their crimes. For example, in September 2017, one of the defendants wrote an email to a family member stating: ?We had a slight crisis at work: the FBI busted our activity (not a joke). So, I got preoccupied with covering tracks together with colleagues.? The email continued: ?I created all these pictures and posts, and the Americans believed that it was written by their people.? -
US life expectancy fell in 2016 as opioid overdoses surged: CDC
ADMIN posted a blog entry in Geo News Blog
A used container of the drug Narcan used against opioid overdoses lies on the ground in a park in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US October 26, 2017. REUTERS NEW YORK: Life expectancy in the United States dipped in 2016 as the number of deaths due to opioid drug overdoses surged and total drug overdose deaths rose 21 percent to 63,600, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday. Life expectancy fell to 78.6 years, a decrease of 0.1 year from 2015, the second annual decline in a row and the first two-year decline since a drop in 1962 and 1963. Opioid-related overdose deaths have been on the rise since 1999, but surged from 2014 to 2016, with an average annual increase of 18 percent, to become a national epidemic. From 2006 to 2014 the rise was only 3 percent annually on average and between 1999 to 2006 averaged 10 percent per year. In 2016, 42,249 people died from opioid-related overdoses, up 28 percent from 2015, while the number of deaths from synthetic opioids other than methadone, such as fentanyl and tramadol, more than doubled to 19,413, the CDC said. The 2016 rate of overdose deaths was up across all age groups but was highest rate among people aged 25 to 54. West Virginia, Ohio, New Hampshire, the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania had the highest age-adjusted drug overdose death rates in 2016. The number of drug overdose deaths involving natural and semisynthetic opioids, which include drugs like oxycodone and hydrocodone, was 14,487 in 2016. As the US opioid addiction epidemic has worsened, many state attorneys general have sued makers of these drugs as they investigate whether manufacturers and distributors engaged in unlawful marketing behavior. President Donald Trump in October declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency, which senior administration officials said would redirect federal resources and loosen regulations to combat abuse of the drugs. However, he stopped short of declaring a national emergency he had promised months before, which would have freed up more federal money.
